Machine Head β Burn My Eyes
- intothewellsabyss
- Aug 10, 2023
- 3 min read
π πππ πππ ππππππ - πππππππππππ ππππ πππππ ππππππππ π’π§ ππ‘π πππππππ π¨πΒ ππππ ππππ & πππππ πππππβ¦
August 9, 1994 β Machine Head released their debut studio album, Burn My Eyes via Roadrunner Records. (Apple Music or Spotify)
The album's themes generally tie into the social disorder and corresponding inner tension that the band was exposed to in their native Oakland, California, reflected in Robb Flynn's lyrics, such as the Los Angeles Riots of 1992 and the Waco Siege of 1993.
The album's title alludes to the third part of the phrase, "π±πππ ππ’ ππ’ππ πππ πππ’ ππ πππππ ππ" during the breakdown of Old (Watch video). The album shipped over 400,000 copies worldwide, becoming Roadrunner Records' best selling debut album until the release of Slipknot's self-titled debut album. This is Machine Head's only studio album to feature drummer Chris Kontos.
The albums cover was designed by David McKean (English illustrator, photographer, comic book artist, graphic designer, filmmaker and musician).
Background:
The songs make references to some certain well-publicized controversies such as the 1992 Los Angeles Riots (heard in dialogue on Real Eyes, Realize, Real Lies) and the Waco Siege of 1993 (Davidian - Watch video). Elsewhere, there are tales of physical and mental abuse (None But My Own, The Rage to Overcome), the condemning of profits from religious soliciting (Death Church), succumbing to substance abuse (I'm Your God Now), and aforementioned themes of urban decay, social unrest, rebellion, belligerence, or socio-political commentary.
Stylistically, the album is credited as having bridged the gap between "ππππππ-ππππππππππ π±ππ’ π°πππ ππππππ (πππππππππ, π³ππππ π°ππππ, πππ.) πππ πππ ππππ-ππππππ-πππ’ πΏππππππ ππππππ ππ ππππ ππππππ."
Compared to their later releases, it's rawer and more aggressive; after changing their sound on their three subsequent albums, the style was resurrected in modified formβthe influences of Gothenburg were evidentβon their post-Supercharger output.
The release of this album was followed shortly by numerous tours, which eventually led to drummer Chris Kontos leaving the band and being replaced, after careful consideration, by Dave McClain, who would stay with the band until 2018. Kontos, along with guitarist Logan Mader, would return to Machine Head in 2019 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Burn My Eyes release with a tour, though neither of them officially rejoined the band.
The album has since become a lasting success. In 1994, it quickly became a Roadrunner Records best seller and was the label's best-selling debut album for a number of years, until the release of Slipknot's 1999 self-titled debut.
Critical Reception:
Q magazine (11/94, p. 115) β πΊ πππππ β π΄π‘πππππππ β "...π πππππππ, ππππππππ ππ‘ππππππππ, ππππππ π πππ ππππππ πππππππ πππ πππππππ ππ π πππ ππππ πππππ- ππππππππ ππππππ..."
Kerrang! (p. 21) β "π±πππ πΌπ’ π΄π’ππ ππππ πππ πππππππππ πππ πππππ ππ ππππππ πππ ππππππππ ππ π πππ πππ ππππππππππππ πππππππ ππ ππππ ππππ-πππππ ππππ."
Kerrang! (p. 53) β "πΎππ ππ πππ ππππ πππππππππ πππ ππππππ-πππππ πππππππππ πππ πΌππππ π ππππ πππ, πππ ππππππ’ π πππ ππππ πππ."
Cancelled Reissue:
On October 31, 2006, Roadrunner Records announced that as part of their 25th anniversary, they would be re-releasing Burn My Eyes with a bonus CD, which includes previously unreleased tracks and rarities.
It was said to be due out on January 8, 2007, but was then pushed back to September 2007 so it would not interfere with the release of The Blackening. However, the re-release was in fact cancelled. Robb Flynn explained this on his blog, which is posted on Machinehead1.com;
"ππ πππ ππππ ππ πππ ππππ πππππ, πππ π±πΌπ΄ ππ-πππππππ ππππ π ππ ππππππππ ππ ππππ πππππππππ π πππ πππ πΈπ»ππ πππππππππππ’ ππ ππππππππππ πππππππ ππππ ππ πΈπΆπΆπ» πππ π ππ ππππ ππ-πππππππππ ππ ππ ππππππππ ππ πΎππ πΈπΆπΆπΌ, has been back-burnered. π°ππ ππ πππ ππ π πβππ πππππππππ, ππππβπ π ππππ πππππ. ππππ ππ πππ π’πππ ππ πππ π±πππππππππ, πππ πππ ππππ πππππ ππ ππ-πππππππ ππ πππ ππππππ, πππ ππ πππππππ ππππ πππ ππππ ππ ππ-πππππππππ π π·πΉ-π’πππ πππ πππππ ππππ π π πππππππ’ ππππππππππ π πππ πΈ πππππππππππ’ ππππ π (πΉ π’ππππ πππ) πππππ π£πππ πππππ ππ ππ. ππ π πππ πππππ ππ‘πππππ πππππ ππ-πππππππ ππ ππ πππππ π πππ, ππ ππ π ππ ππππ πππππ ππππ π πππππ ππ π-πππππ, πππ π πππππβπ ππππ ππππ ππππππ’ ππ ππππ ππππ ππ πππ πππππ ππ-ππππππ ππππ πππ π³π π³π πππ πππ πππππ ππ ππππ ππππ... ππ, ππ ππππ ππ ππππ ππ π’ππ πππ’ ππ ππππππ, ππππ ππππ ππβπ ππππππ ππππ π ππ’."
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