May 7, Grey Eagle Resort and Casino, Calgary AB

Machine Head
with
In Flames
Lacuna Coil
Unearth

Machine Head keeps proving to be an interesting band as far as how metalheads actually view them. Like any band with a few decades behind them, there have been artistic highs and lows, which build discourse and something intangible, character. With Machine Head and In Flames in particular, the sound attributed to both acts has morphed through album cycles, with some fans being more into one phase of the band over another. In a live setting, the albums come together as the tour promotes the most recent effort, that being Machine Head’s Unatoned, which has received mixed reviews, and In Flames’ Foregone, which has been more or less acclaimed. The pairing of these two bands – powerful live forces with hits and misses in their discography, then, made sense. Add Lacuna Coil and Unearth to the bill and we have a lineup resembling a 2004 Ozzfest second stage billing of bands.

Unearth have always been a solid opener who genuinely get crowds warmed up via metalcore that is potent enough to influence even the most anti-karate-in-the-pit headbanger to throw down for 25 minutes – as long as their friends are still in the beer line and aren’t looking. The fans came early for their set and thus the circle pits commenced early and would only get bigger as the night wore on.

Lacuna Coil brought a sincerely enthusiastic energy to their set – they looked as if they were genuinely happy to be performing their music. It makes sense, as their sound is more or less uniquely their own, and they should be happy with what they’ve created. Cristina Scabbia buttered up the crowd with nice compliments, even claiming that they arrived straight from Italy – though the tour had been going on for a while already.

In Flames are another act that are uniquely them and had a lot of fans connected from the start, starting their show with “Cloud Connected.” This night, the band brought sarcastic humor aimed at the audience, who were very enthusiastic, but never loud enough when the names of albums the upcoming song was from was announced. It seems they are itching for a headlining tour.

It’s ironic that the band is called Machine Head as the grit and emotion that makes up their discography is all-too-human. Great, bad, cringe and epic – it all comes out of Robb Flynn’s head and it cannot be denied the live setting is where the songs are at their most convincing and powerful. For this run, tried and true classics like “Davidian” and “Ten Ton Hammer” mingled respectably enough with songs from the new release, Unatoned – “Bonescraper” and “Outsider.”

When Machine Head rolled through last year, a few young kids sat on their father’s shoulders. This time, I swear those same kids were now crowd surfing and circle pitting – proof that Machine “Fucking” Head is entertainment the whole family can enjoy. Next time they come through those kids might be the openers…

-Ryan Dyer