Tonight's show featuring Machine Head, Devildriver, and openers It Dies Today, proved to be one for the ages. The crowd was enthusiastic from the first bass line all the way to the last tap of the the drum cymbal. The energy was high for Machine Head in particular, who proved that even after ten years they can still kick ass and for Devildriver who continues to catch all by surprise with some of the heaviest shit on the planet! Unfortunately, It Dies Today is not contained in this review due to change in show times. But from what I heard downstairs, they opened the show with a bang and got the patrons ready for Devildriver.

DEVILDRIVER

Returning to the road from recording their sophomore album, are new found metal masters, Devildriver. in my interview with Jon Miller, he speaks of the new disc, Fury of Our Maker's Hand is a lot heavier and better than their last; He also said that, "it's time to prove what we're made of and fuckin' tour." In my estimation, they have succeeded in satisfying their original fans as well as bringing in new ones. Their set was the best I'd seem from them since their beginning. Dez walked the stage like a dictator and didn't have to urge the crowd to move. They were already prepared for DDs brutalizing assault.

Songs like "The Mountain", 'I Could Care Less", and  "Die and Die Now" are staples for their performances and they meshed well with new songs "Hold Back The Day" and "End Of The Line".  The crowd sung along to all their familiar tunes and headbanged to the new ones. If you're still waiting for Dez to resurrect Coal Chamber, then you'll be waiting in vain.

SETLIST: The Mountain, Nothing's wrong, Cry For Me Sky, Driving Down The Darkness, Hold Back The Day,
I Could Care Less, Ace Of Spades, Knee Deep, I Dreamed I Died, Meet The Wretched.

Click here for new interview

with Jon Miller

&

here  new interview with

Dez Fafara

MACHINE HEAD

Machine Head is touring in support of their latest album, Through The Ashes of Empires and celebrating ten years together as one of the best bands in metal. They’ve always provided some of the heaviest riffs and melodic rhythms, without being overly flashy or redundant. Robert Flynn’s’ lyrics are like anthems and the crowd responded to every guitar lick as if it were the bands last. The mosh pits were vicious and you could hear the crowd following every word to almost every song.

As usual, Flynn shared shots of Jäger with mates, Phil Demmel, Dave McClain, and Adam Duce and pulled out his famous custom made, bright, candy red guitar for part of the ninety minute set. They were having fun playing dueling guitars and covering bands like Iron Maiden and Metallica after playing some of their staples like “Take My Scars”, “Ten Ton Hammer” and “Supercharger” along with new song “Days Turn Blue To Grey”, “Imperium”, and the slowest song of the night, “Descend The Shades Of Night.” He thanked the fans for sticking with them the last ten years and that this was the first time they played a sold out show in Chicago. If you haven’t caught this tour yet, then you’re definitely missing out. This crowd enjoyed the pummeling and there’s no wonder that they chanted Machine Fuckin’ Head!

STATES TURN BLUE TO GRAY 2005 TOUR DATES:

MACHINE HEAD, DEVILDRIVER, IT DIES TODAY

05.06 - Flint, MI - The Machine Shop
05.07 - Columbus, OH - Alrosa Villa
05.08 - Toronto, ON- Opera House
05.10 - Providence, RI - Lupo's
05.11 - New Haven, CT - Toad's Place
05.12 - Cleveland, OH - Peabody's
05.13 - Edgerton, WI - Big E's
05.14 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
05.15 - Louisville, KY- Headliner's
05.17 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
05.18 - Towson, MD - Recher Theater
05.19 - Winston Salem, NC - Ziggy's
05.20 - Charlotte, NC- Tremont Music Hall
05.22 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
05.23 - Tampa, FL - Masquerade
05.25 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room
05.26 - Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues
05.27 - Tallahassee, FL - Beta Bar
05.28 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
05.29 - Houston, TX - Engine Room
06.01 - San Antonio, TX - White Rabbit
06.02 - Dallas, TX - Galaxy Club
06.04 - Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre
06.06 - Salt Lake City, UT - Lo-Fi Cafe
06.08 - Spokane, WA - The Big Easy
06.09 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
06.10 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater

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