MACHINE HEAD Finalize Track Listing For 'Through The Ashes Of Empires'

MACHINE HEAD have finalized the track listing for their new album, "Through The Ashes Of Empires", tentatively set for an October 13 European release through Roadrunner Records.

The follow-up to 2001's "Supercharger" will include the following cuts (final sequence):

01. Imperium
02. Bite The Bullet
03. Left Unfinished
04. Elegy
05. In The Presence Of My Enemies
06. Days Turn Blue To Gray
07. Vim
08. All Fall Down
09. Wipe The Tears
10. Descend The Shades Of Night

A special limited double-CD edition of "Through The Ashes Of Empires" will contain "a bunch o' shit that only 'hardcore' MACHINE HEAD fans will appreciate," according to mainman Robert Flynn, including six demo tracks recorded during the pre-production sessions for the new album and a live video for "The Blood, The Sweat, The Tears".

The CD, which was originally scheduled to be mastered on August 15, is still being mixed in England by Flynn and producer Colin Richardson. "[We're] still wrapping up a couple of songs," Robert wrote in an online posting. "We went a little over time on the mixing *cough*, in no small part because of me *cough, cough*, and Colin *cough, cough, cough*. Not to worry, my metal maniacs, the metal is flowing like molten hot lava. We wrap up in a few days, and master on the 31st of August. For sure!"

In addition to completing the mixing sessions for the new album, Flynn has been conducting press interviews with various European publications over the past couple of weeks, and "the feedback to 'Through The Ashes Of Empires' has been really positive so far," he said. "Did a playback session for the press, and everyone was really stoked, calling it a comeback and shit. Did another playback for press, [Roadrunner] street team-ers, and contest winners at a rad Metal club in London called The Intrepid Fox. People were pretty much freaking, really good reaction. Hollerin' that it sounds like (as we say in MH) the B-word. I chock that up to the free drinks at the open bar... you know... the more you drink, the less we stink. LOL

"The coolest comment I heard, was from a kid who, when talking about the melodic stuff on the record said, 'I never doubted that you we're capable of making a record like this, I just never thought you would.' Thanx!... er... Actually I thought it was a great, incredibly honest comment, and it meant a lot."

MACHINE HEAD will shoot a video for "Imperium" in mid-September. The group's European headlining tour, the support acts for which have yet to be announced, will kick off on November 4 in Paris, France. The band are currently seeking a North American record deal following their recent split with the U.S. branch of Roadrunner Records.