Coda.fm

Supercharger

by Machine Head

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San Francisco's Machine Head haven't quite found a niche in the metal world. The sounds and ideas found on Supercharger are interesting and varied, as industrial mellowness mixes with punk fury, rap-metal leanings, and White Zombie-esque onslaughts, all captured deftly, thanks in part to producer Johnny K (Disturbed). Yet, while the album is an aurally pleasing, the songs lack memorable hooks. Singer Robert Flynn sometimes sounds like the Dead Kennedys' Jello Biafra, at other times like Jonathan Davis from Korn, especially on "Bulldozer." From the death-metal intensity of "Trephination" to the edgy punk of "American High," Machine Head have created an intense collection that, while revved up, runs out of gas quickly. --Katherine Turman