Nearly ten years after the release of Machine Head’s first live album Hellalive, the band is back with their second live album. A lot has happened over the past decade—most notably, the band returned to their pure metal roots after a period of experimenting with nu-metal. In that time, the band has also become more stable, maintaining the same lineup throughout.

The songs on Machine Fucking Head Live were recorded at different locations, mostly in the UK, and naturally, the focus is on the band’s latest release, Unto The Locust. All seven studio albums are represented on this double album, though four of them are only featured with a single track. That’s a natural choice, considering the album was recorded during their latest tour, and many of the albums less represented here were the main focus on Hellalive.

The sound on the album is good and well-balanced, but it comes too close to the polished sound of Unto The Locust, which makes many of the songs feel similar to their studio versions. This, combined with the fact that none of the tracks have been noticeably reworked, takes away some of the excitement typically expected from a live release. The only standout difference is in the vocals, which have a rougher edge—partly due to the live setting and partly due to Robb Flynn’s constant efforts to fire up the crowd. These outbursts, however, often come across as cliché and repetitive.

Flynn is one of the few metal frontmen who can pull off these crowd-shouting moments in a live setting, but on an album, these tricks quickly become awkward and frustrating.

The same goes for the signature “Machine Fucking Head” crowd chants, which become even more tiresome as they’re repeated constantly. They might feel a bit banal in person, but on the record, they border on unbearable.

Still, it’s not without reason that Machine Head has become one of the most reliable live metal bands around. The band is almost incapable of delivering a bad performance and they play with precision, intensity, and energy. Almost all of the fifteen songs on this album work well, with live classics like “Davidian,” “Old,” and “Ten Ton Hammer” standing out as highlights. However, newer tracks like “Imperium,” “Halo,” and “Be Still and Know” nearly steal the show. On the other hand, “Darkness Within” lacks the magic it usually has live, and “Who We Are” is even more excruciating than its studio version. You can almost feel the awkward energy when Flynn tries to get the crowd to sing-along.

The golden era of live albums came before the explosion of the internet, so this release may feel a bit unnecessary—especially without a video companion. And since the performances stay so close to the original versions, there’s not much new or exciting to discover here.

That said, if you’ve seen Machine Head live, this album might rekindle some of that magic. But if you haven’t had the chance to experience them in person, this release won’t quite capture the power of their live show.

Whoever you are, do yourself a favour—go see Machine Head live.

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