After last year's announcement that Phil Demmel and Dave McClain had left Machine Head, bandleader Rob Flynn seemed determined to make sure that the group would go on in some form despite the internal conflict that led to half of its lineup leaving at the time. In a Facebook announcement released today, March 25th, the frontman made good on that promise with the announcement that guitarist Logan Mader and drummer Chris Kontos had returned to the fold for a 25th anniversary tour celebrating the band's milestone debut full-length, Burn My Eyes, which was released in August 1994.
"You don't even know what we got going on today," teases Flynn in a video posted to the band's Facebook page. "This shit's crazy ... it's gonna blow your mind." The camera pans first to Mader, who looks shy but stoked as hell when he laughs, "What the fuck am I doing here?" Mader, the current guitarist in Once Human, played with the group on their first two albums before leaving to focus his energy on outside projects.
The next surprise comes when Kontos comes into focus, behind his kit and seemingly thrilled to be there, as well. After throwing the double horns and being asked what he's doing there, the drummer answers, "Just pounding on some implements of doom ... getting ready for the 25th anniverary tour, man!"
In the next scene, the band are seen rehearsing as Flynn provides commentary. Noting that Kontos came in "really prepared" and "some of us weren't as prepared," he claims the sessions have so far been "very fun ... within a few days, everybody was firing on all cylinders."
Jamming through tracks like "A Thousand Lies" and "Death Church," the reunited group appear to be tightening up quickly with regular practices, going so far as to record the seminal album's title track live in the studio. "Mistakes and all," claims Flynn, "It's been fucking cool."
So far, only a European leg of the tour has been announced. Tickets go on general sale at 10 a.m. local time on Friday, March 29, with pre-sale going live at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 28.
Machine Head Burn My Eyes 25th anniversary tour dates:
Oct. 05 - Germany, Freiburg Sick Arena Musikclub
Oct. 07 - Holland, Tilburg 013
Oct. 09 - Denmark, Copenhagen Amager Bio
Oct. 11 - Germany, Wuerzburg Posthalle
Oct. 12 - Germany, Leipzig Haus Auensee
Oct. 14 - Germany, Bochum Ruhr Congress
Oct. 15 - Germany, Munich Zenith
Oct. 16 - Austria, Vienna Gasometer
Oct. 18 - Poland, Gdansk B90
Oct. 19 - Poland, Warsaw Progressja
Oct. 20 - Hungary, Budapest Baba Negra
Oct. 22 - Switzerland, Zurich Komplex
Oct. 23 - France, Lyon Le Radiant
Oct. 25 - Italy, Milan Live Club
Oct. 26 - Italy, Padova Hall
Oct. 27 - Luxembourg, Lux Expo
Oct. 29 - France, Paris Le Trianon
Oct. 31 - Belgium, Brussels Forest National
Nov. 02 - UK, London O2 Academy Brixton
Nov. 04 - UK, Manchester O2 Victoria Warehouse
Nov. 05 - UK, Glasgow O2 Academy
Nov. 07 - UK, Belfast Telegraph Building
Nov. 08 - Ireland, Dublin Olympia Theatre
