"Machine Head" are progressing. Whether that's a good thing or not depends on your acceptance of the new jack metal scene. While "Machine Head" are by no means jumping on the Korn sound, I can hear a lot of that newer influence, with the structures and the big low mean guitar attack and rumbling bass presence. Not that "Machine Head" wasn't already known for monster crunch, but "The Burning Red" relies a little more on thickness and song dynamic as opposed to previous works hitting more along the line of trick one note stutters and e-string riding. The jerk and peel of the pendulum tempo of "Nothing Left" could pick out the tinyiest splinter imbedded in your finger and then proceed to jam it back under your fingernail.

This noticeably different guitar dynamic can be attributed to the addition of newly added guitarist Ahrue Luster who has adopted a heavier use of the high whiney note mixed in to counter act the big riffage. After the uneccessary 60 second subtle guitar moan crecendo, the first song, "Desire To Fire," carries on where the song and title track of the previous MH album "The More Things Change..." left off, with the chorus and big break almost sounding like they were lifted from said track. But the verses display a slight rap type delivery. Again, influences of some of the newer trends seeping in. However, "Machine Head" has done well in not taking this too far from their original direction.

"The Blood, The Sweat, The Tears" uses this moaning drift of darkness section that might illicit small Fear Factory comparisons, but the bulk still crushes like a dull mallet.

The drumming is extroidanary and does a lot to fuel tempos and create different movements in the songs. Speedy kicks and slow tribals, Dave McClain can represent the skins with a mighty presence. "Exhale The Vile" uses some sort of tribal drum presence on the intro and verses, and those are always a tasty way to lace a song with a bigger pummeling. "Silver" has an almost metalized Monster Magnet vibe for the shouting chorus and a softer echoing picked guitar line that brings "Machine Head" closer to radio play than any other song here, along with "From This Day" that has a big sing chorus catch, kinda like Godsmack or the Hunger. Biggest surprise - cover of "Message In A Bottle" by the Police. Not sure if this really flies or not. It starts out really subdued and dark, kinda like how you'd picture Type O Negative doing it, goes into a faux build for the first chorus, pulls back a bit, then comes a'crashing down into a metal version of the song. Interesting, but not as enjoyable as it should be (maybe with a few more listens).

When Luster finds a guitar line that doesn't rely on pure riff, the result is usually some of the more shiningly original moments of "The Burning Red." Wee the whiny snake like intro to "From This Day" that works it's way into a single note pounding bounce that makes a catchy verse hook, and of course, the large slower pummel at the end. There is a surprising lack of "lead" effort offered from the guitars, which is just fine by me.

The closing title track is pure soft melody, difting and floating ontop of dreamy effected guitars and singer Robert Flynn doing lots of "ewwwww - ewwwww - ewwwwww" moaning, which they didn't need to include since it goes so far against what MH normally churn out even at their most melodic, but I think this song was a self-indulgence for the band and probably has some deeper meaning than relayed through the lack of energy with it being the title track and all.

This is a wicked sounding album. Very dark and meanacing, and even with the new school influences, is still way too heavy for most popular radio markets that have been easing back into playing heavy music. "The Burning Red" is a great album if your looking for something a bit heavier than the mainstream will touch, but yet encompasses the melodic dynamic and tangibility that the MTV and radio heavy hitters of today employ. "Machine Head" make obvious melodic strides on "The Burning Red," showing their ability to push their own sound. There is enough rage here to keep the old school MH fans happy unless you hold tight to the Full Throttle or nothing mentality, in which case some of this might put you off since there are songs here that are the "softest" MH I've ever heard recorded.

If "Machine Head" was ever to produce a "breakthrough" album, this is their best candidate so far. It might be missing some of the straight riffed bite of previous albums, but since that approach has been run into the ground, I give "Machine Head" props for churning out a heavy melodic piece of work that encompasses enough edge to please the metal headz, but is intelligent enough to break out of the mold.