No Guilty Pleasures #2: Machine Head's 'Supercharger'

In part two of No Guilty Pleasures, our feature celebrating records maligned by the masses, Alec Chillingworth takes a look at Machine Head's post-millennial stumble, 'Supercharger'.

Metal folk are a fickle bunch, eh? We like to think we're an open minded collective, but let’s face it, even the hardiest Metallica fan feels a deep, aching shame when listening to 'Lulu'. No band knows this better than Machine Head, who, having received some heavy criticism for their third album, 'The Burning Red', got dismissed like a lukewarm turd following the release of their fourth LP, 'Supercharger'. But why?

'The Burning Red' was broadly panned for its allegiance to nu-metal, although, let's be honest, there are only two minutes of rapping on it. In the eyes of some, though, that collection was saved by its brooding aura, which came inspired by the Cure. 'Supercharger' had no such luck.

But, really, it ain't that bad. Aside from Robb Flynn's lyrical fluidity during All In Your Head and White-Knuckle Blackout!, there's nothing that can really be considered 'nu-metal' in sight. It may appear a little more dunderheaded than usual, but Flynn's always been a fan of Biohazard and their mates. Put simply, Machine Head became a product of their environment, but follow a trend they did not.

'Supercharger' was unleashed in October 2001, just as nu-metal was dying on its arse due to an attack of the Linkin Parks and people were starting to realise that maybe – just maybe – someone should stop Fred Durst from taking over the world. It is not a nu-metal album.

Stacked full of meaty riffs and singalong tunes, it blends the Machine Head formula with more melody than ever. I mean, have you heard the chorus to Crashing Around You? It's an absolute fucking beast of a vocal line. That the video was pulled post-9/11 is understandable, but the song’s merits stand. Kick You When You're Down and All In Your Head also exhibit a level of foot-tapping wizardry, while the blistering title track harks back to the groove-metal riffs of yore.

Flynn's lyrics almost always come under fire when the 'Supercharger' issue is raised, so let's just get this straight: he writes better lyrics than you do. Whether it's the political vitriol coursing through 'The Blackening', the harrowingly personal words of 'The Burning Red' or a gritty, brutally honest account of growing up on the streets on 'Burn My Eyes', he's always coming from a very real place.

American High and Blank Generation are less juvenile than you may think. Knowing Flynn, things aren’t simply black and white. Are they a sleek commentary on the 'Generation X' Durst namedropped a year earlier? Or perhaps a reflection on his childhood? American High's brash, quasi-autobiographical lyrics could suggest this. Let's just forget that crap howl he does at the start, though.

'Supercharger' deserves another shot. It's not 'The Blackening', but what is? If this album is the low point of Machine Head's career, then it's testament to just how great the rest of their material is. It is an album this band needed to make. Burdened with uncertainty and dwindling support, it found Machine Head teetering on the brink of implosion. Be thankful they kept going.

Machine Head Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:

Sat December 06 2014 - LONDON Roundhouse
Sun December 07 2014 - LONDON Roundhouse
Tue December 09 2014 - PORTSMOUTH Portsmouth Guildhall
Wed December 10 2014 - BRISTOL O2 Academy Bristol
Thu December 11 2014 - PLYMOUTH Pavilions
Sat December 13 2014 - GLASGOW O2 Academy Glasgow
Sun December 14 2014 - LEEDS O2 Academy Leeds
Tue December 16 2014 - MANCHESTER O2 Apollo
Wed December 17 2014 - NOTTINGHAM Rock City
Thu December 18 2014 - BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy Birmingham
Fri December 19 2014 - DUBLIN Academy

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