SUNDAY DROP - SPIN #66
I have been travelling for work all week and glad to be sitting back and relaxing on the weekend back at home. It was nice to see different parts of the country for work but nothing beats home comforts and family. I just kept thinking of it like I was on a contiki trip, alone, without alcohol or partying but I could be the tour guide because every location was new. Plus it was good to scout out some places for future family holidays. For our 66th Spin I have chosen the third album from '90s metal band, Machine Head called 'The Burning Red'. It was something about the cover art that drew me in to giving this album a chance. I did find out that the original cover art was supposed to be something very graphic that was later voted down by the record label. This photo of the orchid was taken during those photo sessions and became the artwork. It was probably around the same time I was really into bands like Limp Bizkit and Korn that I came across this nu-metal style album. However, the do sound completely different now on their latest albums like 'Catharsis' and 'Of Kingdom and Crown' but whatever album they seem to put out, they don't disappoint.
I would love to play this one loud through the Sennheiser headphones that I have but then no one else would be able to hear this classic album. So I will play this one on our loungeroom set up - Sherwood turntable and receiver with 4 x bookshelf speakers spaced evenly across the media wall. It'll be interesting to see what our little ones think when they hear this one for the first time.
ALBUMS OF NOTE (1999): Things Fall Apart - The Roots, Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Battle of Los Angeles - Rage Against The Machine, The Slim Shady LP - Eminem, Make Yourself - Incubus, 2001 - Dr Dre, There Is Nothing Left To Lose - Foo Fighters, Significant Other - Limp Bizkit, Issues - Korn, Enema Of The State - Blink 182, ...Baby One More Time - Britney Spears, Self-titled - Slipknot, Clarity - Jimmy Eat World, Hurray For Boobies - The Bloodhound Gang,
Image : Adam Duce (Bass), Ahrue Luster (Lead Guitar), Robb Flynn (Vocals, Rhythm Guitar) and Dave McClain (Drums)
I'm not sure many of you will have this '90s banger on wax but if you do, put your copy on the turntable and get ready to...
Watching the stylus lower down onto the outer grooves of this album is getting me excited again for what is to come. The first sounds that we hear coming through the speakers are that of the introduction called, 'ENTER THE PHOENIX'. It builds into the start of second song, 'DESIRE TO FIRE' and if you weren't aware of it, you might think there is only one song here. Across this album there are so many good lyrics and the line I've chosen as the highlighted lyrics below is, "Prevail by daring to fail", because it seems relevant to work life right now. I have been out and about meeting fisherman across the east coast of Australia, gauging what has been going right and wrong and coming up with methods to make it work better. From what I hear there is a lot of work to be done but my Dad told me that no job is meant to be easy and there is a reason why I have been given this task. Maybe I can do it and help them and the business, whilst also finding more out about myself along the way. Also, I get to travel the country and see new places that I wouldn't get the opportunity to see otherwise. I guess that desire to fire is motivating and I did play this album whilst driving around for the week just a couple of times. I think the aggression and the drumming make this song (and album) really easy to get behind.
I managed to pick myself back up after a day on the road that didn't have much success by keeping positive and that I can only do what I can do. Feeling the opposite of what the next track is called, 'NOTHING LEFT' and motivated for what is coming up. But this Sunday is a day of rest and relaxation with family and/or friends, so I hope that you enjoyed the weather wherever you are reading this from. I know that this blog is pretty reflective most weeks and it has become more of my way to vent while enjoying great music and moments. How good is this song when Flynn is whispering "I've got nothing left for nobody else" and gradually building up the screams and then BAM the beat comes pummeling right at you and attacking your ears.
This is how it felt during the week as I was channelling the 'THE BLOOD, THE SWEAT, THE TEARS' to get through the workload. I have another mountain to overcome and have to make sure that I pack my climbing bag right. I keep reminding myself that I have been up against it before and succeeded, so it's just another time to prove it again. This one has the best drum intro and I have copied this one a lot to warm up my wrists (if you didn't know, I had wrist surgery back in the '00s and it was a way to strengthen my wrist again). Plus it's fun as hell to play because there is so much swagger coming through this one. I mean, how can you not get up and start jumping around in a silent mosh to, "So hold on to the edge. It's all about the blood, the sweat, the tears. A tribute to the strength built through the years". I like at the end of this song the band have left in the effort and the exhaustion of what it takes to play a high energy number like that.
'The Burning Red' is an album of great songs that have you sitting there thinking to yourself, "Is this the standout song?". I couldn't decide which one was my favourite but I did choose a few for their lyrics. 'SILVER' has a hypnotising build up and riffing by Duce and Luster. Is this one your favourite? let me know if you think a song absolutely stands out as you listen and follow along. Flynn closes the track by singing, "Yeah, take my hand, Across this land, Escape this, all the hell inside. Create this man, To make my stand and break this hardened shell in time".
'FROM THIS DAY' is a song that shows off a bit of the nu-metal rap and adds a lot to this album but upon release was seen as a weakness for the band. I think give credit to the band for trying something different. I was driving along a road that had lots of signs saying, 'Wild Animals for the next 10km, no fences', and thinking awesome. Then the personal phone and work phone both didn't have reception and it started raining a small amount. It didn't worry me because I had good music playing and I remember singing this one pretty loud in the hire Toyota Corolla. Flynn and I were singing, "Time, To see, Believe this in me! This pain that I feel deep inside". I forgot to mention that this pressing is a limited run of 3000 copies and the colour of the LP is a red/black mixture that really suits the title of this album. Especially when you hold it up to the light, you get a sense that great care was taken in choosing this mixture of vinyl pellets for the colouring.
Final track on Side A starts pounding through the speakers now and for a moment I thought it was Jumanji! The children laugh because they don't know what is happening other than a fun drum beat on 'EXHALE THE VILE'. Another band that I couldn't quite remember before was Linkin Park and their influences on the genre too. This one has a that heavy drudging sound that would be great if I had long hair and wanted to headbang, but I don't. The lyrics that stand out on this track would be, "Tell me the things that'll take time, To help see the things that'll take this and hold onto things that'll make my, To make me the thing that breaks this burn inside of me". Great song to end the first side and now it's time to flip the LP over without the children getting close to use it like a DJ's mixing desk.
Now I don't think that it's awful but the first track on Side B was a bit of a surprise choice of cover song. They have chosen 'MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE' by The Police. I'm not a huge fan of the original, so I think this album could do without this track as it sort of disrupts the flow of the album. Especially being the track to lead off Side B. They add the Machine Head sound to this track and cover it as well as it could be. Interestingly enough the next song that follows is heavy as and would have really worked well leading off Side B instead. The title of the track is interesting and it is one of the heavier and grittier tracks on the album that probably sounds a lot more like current Machine Head style of songs. 'DEVIL WITH THE KING'S CARD' was written as an attack song for their previous guitarist who one day decided to leave the band without any reason. Now, I don't know what happened there but if that guitarist didn't leave the band, maybe Luster wouldn't have been found and they never would have created 'The Burning Red'. A lot of things happen for a reason in order to create change and build character.
'I DEFY' would sound good at one of their live shows to provide that pit energy and when Flynn starts singing, everyone calms down and builds towards the chorus. We had a nice moment yesterday at the beach front with the kids and making the most of the sunshine. For once we didn't have much wind and the winter sun was just perfect on our skin as we sat on the log and watched them have fun with the sand. It was nice to take a moment to relax, even for only a short moment. If you like this album and get a chance to look further into their catalogue, make sure to check out - Unto The Locust and The Blackening.
Up next is a tough song to listen to because it talks about vocalist Flynn's own trauma at the age of 'FIVE'. He said that he needed to get it out of him and that he would never perform it live. I like the music but knowing the background and having young children does make it difficult. I don't know who the person was to Flynn but someone should have been looking after the five year old and not leaving him with that monster. The positives are the aggression that gets released on this song with the fantastic vocals, pacing and drumming. You can hear it in his voice that he was singing with pure hate and this is similar to the song called, 'Aesthetics of Hate' from their album 'The Blackening'.
Final song is the title track, 'THE BURNING RED' which is also the longest song on the album. Something that would become pretty common on later albums is the extended run times of songs. The last track is slow and atmospheric compared to in your face metal. I think after the sadness and 100% aggression from the previous song, this track brings the band back to start the healing. I remember that this one was a good driving song when the vocals finish and all you're left with is the music. It fades softly and before you know it, the stylus is hitting the dead wax telling you to pack up.
Well we made it! Another week and another record from our collection spun on the turntable and catalogued. I hope that you enjoyed this one and I will have to go back to my notes to see what I've selected for next week. I tend to list months and months worth of choices in one go and stick to it, no matter what. Hopefully this week the weather stays half decent and we get some tasks achieved. Check out our MWSP for what is going to be the 67th Spin from our collection and reach out if you want.
"Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come" - Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Until our next Spin, be Kind to people who like nu-metal from the '90s and be Kind to your Wax!
YEAR RELEASED | 1999 |
PRODUCED BY | ROSS ROBINSON |
LABEL | ROADRUNNER |
PRICE RANGE | $50AUD+ |
SPEED PLAYED AT | 33 1/3RPM |
ALBUM BEFORE | THE MORE THINGS CHANGE....(1997) |
ALBUM AFTER | SUPERCHARGER (2001) |
FURTHER LISTENING | UNTO THE LOCUST (2011) |
FAVOURITE SONG | COULDN'T PICK JUST ONE |
RATING OUT OF 5 | 4.5 (COS OF THAT COVER SONG) |
WHAT'S INSIDE THE RECORD SLEEVE | 1 X RED AND BLACK LP, LIMITED PRESSING OF 3000 COPIES. 180GM AUDIOPHILE QUALITY AND INCLUDES INSERT. |
Favourite lyric:
"Prevail by daring to fail"~ Desire To Fire - Side A
TRACK LISTING
LP / SIDE | SONG | TRACK LENGTH |
SIDE A | ENTER THE PHOENIX | 0:53 |
| DESIRE TO FIRE | 4:48 |
| NOTHING LEFT | 4:04 |
| THE BLOOD, THE SWEAT, THE TEARS | 4:11 |
| SILVER | 3:51 |
| FROM THIS DAY | 3:56 |
| EXHALE THE VILE | 4:56 |
LP / SIDE | | |
SIDE B | MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE | 3:32 |
| DEVIL WITH THE KING'S CARD | 4:04 |
| I DEFY | 3:41 |
| FIVE | 5:17 |
| THE BURNING RED | 6:43 |
Classic '90s pose for inserts
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