{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}} {{Infobox album | name = Unto the Locust | type = Album | artist = Machine Head | cover = Machine Head - Unto the Locust.jpg | released = September 23, 2011 | recorded = April–July 2011 | studio = Jingletown, Oakland, California | genre = {{hlist|Thrash metal|groove metal}} | length = 48:58 | label = Roadrunner | producer = Robb Flynn | prev_title = The Black Procession | prev_year = 2011 | next_title = Machine Fucking Head Live | next_year = 2012 | misc = {{Singles | name = Unto the Locust | type = studio | single1 = Locust | single1date = June 14, 2011<ref>{{cite web|publisher=iTunes|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/locust-advance-mix-single/id441175352|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617102304/http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/locust-advance-mix-single/id441175352|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 17, 2011|title=iTunes - Music - Locust (Advance Mix) - Single by Machine Head|access-date=September 18, 2014}}</ref> | single2 = Darkness Within | single2date = July 31, 2012 }} }}
'''''Unto the Locust''''' is the seventh studio album by American heavy metal band Machine Head, released in Australia on September 23, in the UK on September 26 and worldwide on September 27, 2011.<ref>[http://www.machinehead1.com/news.html Machine Head News Release Date Unto The Locust.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100131154754/http://www.machinehead1.com/news.html |date=January 31, 2010 }}</ref> It was produced and mixed by Robb Flynn, and was the band's highest charting album (22 on the ''Billboard'' 200) until their following release, ''Bloodstone & Diamonds'', reached 21.
''Unto the Locust'' was recorded in Green Day's Jingletown Studios.<ref>[http://www.greenday.com/news/machine-head-record-at-jingletow Machine Head Record At Jingletown Unto The Locust.]</ref> On June 14, 2011, Machine Head released a mix of lead single "Locust" on the 2011 Mayhem Festival iTunes sampler. This was their last studio album with cofounder and bassist Adam Duce before ongoing differences got him fired in February 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/MachineHead/posts/10151346478933823 |title=Machine Head - The General Journals: Diary Of A... |publisher=Facebook |access-date=May 19, 2014}}</ref> It is also their last studio album to be released through Roadrunner Records. It sold over 100,000 copies in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|title=MACHINE HEAD: 'Inside The Machine' Book Cover Unveiled|date = July 23, 2012|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=177127|publisher=BlabberMouth|quote=MACHINE HEAD has consistently averaged more than 100,000 copies sold in the U.S. for each of its seven albums and has shifted double that overseas (accruing several silver records in the U.K.), resulting in cumulative worldwide sales of more than 2.4 million.}}</ref>
==Release== The first single from ''Unto the Locust'', simply titled "Locust", was released on June 10, 2011. Side A begins with the song "Locust" and Side B contains the two live tracks "Beautiful Mourning" from ''The Blackening'' and "Bite the Bullet" from ''Through the Ashes of Empires''.
Sloat stated about the "Locust" clip:<ref name="blabbermouth_locust_video">{{cite web| title = Locust video| work =Blabbermouth.net| date = October 24, 2011| url = http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=165102}}</ref>{{cquote|"The video is all based on the artwork from the album as well as the vision of the artist, Paul Gerrard. Together we hashed out some concepts for attack scenes as well as the band's performance.
We shot the band on green screen in Philadelphia on August 1st, 2011. It was on a 'off' date from the [Rockstar Energy Drink] Mayhem Festival. There's well over 600 shots in the video, all of which have varying levels of CG effects, and ended up taking over two months to complete. [It is] easily the BIGGEST music video I've ever done. With so many CG shots, we had to divide the work among several CG FX people and editors. Once the shots came back, I would edit them in and start the color effects and any last minute tweaks I wanted to add."}}
==Special edition== The UK version of ''Metal Hammer'' magazine have announced that a special edition fan-pack would be released by the magazine with a 132-page special issue with exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the making of the album, extensive interviews with every member, historic shots from the band's personal collections, a guide to their custom rigs, and a diary of their massive Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival tour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=160054|title=Machine Head's 'Unto The Locust' To Be Released In U.K. With Special-Edition Fan Pack|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|date=June 29, 2011}}</ref> Metal Hammer also gave away a special edition vinyl with their November 2011 issue containing the song Locust with alternate lyrics on the A-Side as well as live recordings of Beautiful Mourning and Bite the Bullet on the B-Side.
==Reception== {{Music ratings | MC = 91/100<ref name="metacritic">{{cite web|title= Unto the Locust Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More| work = Metacritic| publisher = CBS Interactive| url =http://www.metacritic.com/music/unto-the-locust| access-date = April 21, 2012 }}</ref> | rev1 = About.com | rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://heavymetal.about.com/od/machinehead/fr/Machine-Head-Unto-The-Locust-Review.htm|title=Review: Unto the Locust - Machine Head|publisher=About.com|access-date=November 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513083754/http://heavymetal.about.com/od/machinehead/fr/Machine-Head-Unto-The-Locust-Review.htm|archive-date=May 13, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev2 = AllMusic | rev2Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/unto-the-locust-r2255281/review|title=Unto the Locust - Machine Head|publisher=AllMusic}}</ref> |rev3 = Artistdirect |rev3Score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,9007994,00.html|title=Unto the Locust-Machine Head|publisher=Artistdirect|first=Rick|last=Florino|date=June 20, 2011|access-date=February 26, 2012}}</ref> | rev4 = BBC Music | rev4score = highly favourable<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/zpj9/|title=Unto the Locust - Machine Head|publisher=BBC Music}}</ref> | rev5 = Blabbermouth.net | rev5score = 9.0/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/showreview.aspx?reviewID=2316|title=CD Reviews|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=September 28, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731075144/http://blabbermouth.net/showreview.aspx?reviewID=2316|archive-date=July 31, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev6 = ''Blistering'' | rev6score = 8/10<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blistering.com/fastpage/fpengine.php/templateid/23940/menuid/2/tempidx/4/link/1|title=Review: Machine Head - Unto the Locust|publisher=Blistering|access-date=September 29, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417131408/http://www.blistering.com/fastpage/fpengine.php/templateid/23940/menuid/2/tempidx/4/link/1|archive-date=April 17, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev7 = CraveOnline | rev7Score = 8.5/10<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.craveonline.com/music/reviews/173265-machine-head-unto-the-locust|title=Machine Head: Unto The Locust|publisher=CraveOnline|access-date=September 18, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929115119/http://www.craveonline.com/music/reviews/173265-machine-head-unto-the-locust|archive-date=September 29, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev8 = ''Decibel'' | rev8Score = {{Rating|9|10}}<ref>Decibel. November 2011 edition.</ref> | rev9 = ''The Guardian'' | rev9score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/oct/20/machine-head-unto-locust-review|title=CD Review: Unto the Locust - Machine Head|work=The Guardian | location=London|first=Dom|last=Lawson|date=October 20, 2011}}</ref> | rev10 = ''Metal Hammer'' | rev10Score = 10/10<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/top-posts/world-exclusive-unto-the-locust-the-first-review/|title=Machine Head World Exclusive: 'Unto The Locust' - The First Review|publisher=Metal Hammer|access-date=September 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723005810/http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/top-posts/world-exclusive-unto-the-locust-the-first-review/|archive-date=July 23, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev11 = Pitchfork Media | rev11score = 7.7/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15978-unto-the-locust/ |title=Machine Head: Unto the Locust | Album Reviews |publisher=Pitchfork |date=October 26, 2011 |access-date=May 19, 2014}}</ref> | rev12 = ''Revolver'' | rev12score = 4.5/5<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.revolvermag.com/reviews/review-machine-head-unto-the-locust.html |title=Review: Machine Head – Unto the Locust - Heavy Metal News | Music Videos |Golden Gods Awards |publisher=revolvermag.com |date=September 27, 2011 |access-date=May 19, 2014}}</ref> }} ''Unto the Locust'' received critical acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns an aggregate rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 91, based on 6 reviews, which indicates "Universal acclaim".<ref name="metacritic"/>
The songs "I Am Hell" and "This Is The End" received heavy rotation on college radio stations, most notably on WVYC's ''After-Hour Abomination''. ''Unto The Locust'' sold over 17,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 22 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart — putting Machine Head in the Top 25 for the first time in the band's 19-year history. This is also their third consecutive album to show at least a 20 percent increase in sales over its predecessor. This was accomplished in spite of the music market dropping by more than 45 percent<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=164220 |title=Machine Head cracks U.S. TOP25 |access-date=November 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111109030248/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=164220 |archive-date=November 9, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> in the four and a half years since the release of the band's previous album, ''The Blackening''.
In 2011, the album won a Metal Storm Award for Best Thrash Metal Album.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.metalstorm.net/awards/archive.php?year=2011|title=Metal Storm Awards 2011|access-date=October 9, 2018|archive-date=September 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911044455/http://www.metalstorm.net/awards/archive.php?year=2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Accolades=== '''Year-end rankings''' {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" ! Publication ! Accolade ! Rank |- !scope="row"|''Decibel'' | 40 Best Metal of 2011 | {{center|31<ref>{{cite web|last=Breihan|first=Tom|url=https://www.stereogum.com/892061/decibels-40-best-albums-of-2011/lists/|title=Decibel's 40 Best Metal of 2011|website=Stereogum|date=November 30, 2011|access-date=March 9, 2021}}</ref>}} |- !scope="row"|''Loudwire'' | Top 10 Metal Albums of 2011 | {{center|3<ref>{{cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/top-metal-albums-2011/|title=Top 10 Metal Albums of 2011|website=Loudwire|date=November 28, 2011|access-date=March 9, 2021}}</ref>}} |- !scope="row"|''Metal Rules'' | The Top 20 Heavy Metal Albums of 2011 | {{center|14<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metal-rules.com/metalnews/2012/01/08/best-of-2011/|title=The Top 20 Heavy Metal Albums of 2011|website=Metal Rules|date=January 8, 2012|access-date=March 9, 2022}}</ref>}} |- !scope="row"|''Pitchfork'' | Top 40 Metal Albums of 2011 | {{center|36<ref>{{cite web|last=Stosuy|first=Brandon|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/show-no-mercy/8717-best-albums-of-2011/|title=Top 40 Metal Albums of 2011|website=Pitfchfork|date=November 28, 2011|access-date=March 9, 2021}}</ref>}} |- !scope="row"|''Pop Matters'' | Best Metal of 2011 | {{center|17<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/151868-the-best-metal-of-2011-2495911814.html|title=Best Metal of 2011|website=PopMatters|date=December 25, 2011|access-date=March 9, 2021}}</ref>}} |}
'''Decade-end rankings''' {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" ! Publication ! Accolade ! Rank |- !scope="row"|''Kerrang!'' | The 75 Best Albums of the 2010s | {{center|60<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kerrang.com/the-75-best-albums-of-the-2010s|title=The 75 Best Albums Of The 2010s|website=Kerrang!|date=December 31, 2019|access-date=March 8, 2021}}</ref>}} |- !scope="row"|''Louder Sound'' | The 50 Best Metal Albums of the 2010s | {{center|28<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-50-best-metal-albums-of-the-2010s/4|title=The 50 best metal albums of the 2010s|work=Louder Sound|page=4|date=December 18, 2019|access-date=March 8, 2022}}</ref>}} |}
==Tour== The band toured the album under the name of ''The Eighth Plague'' beginning November 1, 2011. Support came from the bands Bring Me the Horizon, DevilDriver and Darkest Hour. Robb Flynn made a statement saying that "This will no doubt be the heaviest show you're going to see this year. A lot of the greatest shows of our last touring cycle were in Europe and the U.K., so the prospect of this lineup combined with these crowds has us extremely stoked to get out there and tear it up! New material, great venues, killer fans... we absolutely cannot wait!"<ref name="tour">{{cite web|url=http://machinehead1.com/board_posts/mh-announce-the-eighth-plague-tour|title=Machine Head Announce "The Eighth Plague" Tour!|publisher=machinehead1.com|date=June 22, 2011|access-date=May 30, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120529165618/http://machinehead1.com/board_posts/mh-announce-the-eighth-plague-tour|archive-date=May 29, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The band also played two warm up shows, at Club Vegas in Salt Lake City, Utah and The Knitting Factory, Reno on July 5 and 7 respectively.<ref>[http://machinehead1.com/news MH To Play Two Warm-Up Shows.]</ref> These dates were first time the band had taken the stage since March 2010 after the touring cycle for their last album ''The Blackening'' ended. The band performed on the 2011 edition of Rockstar Mayhem Festival, marking their 2nd time on the tour, as they were on the inaugural tour in 2008. They spent the first 9 dates on the tour from July 9–20 playing the Main Stage, after which they headlined on the Revolver Stage spanning July 22 – August 14.
==Track listing== {{track listing | title1 = I Am Hell (Sonata in C#)" * I: Sangre Sani (Blood Saint) * II: I Am Hell * III: Ashes to the Sky | lyrics1 = Robb Flynn, Phil Demmel | music1 = Flynn | length1 = 8:25 | title2 = Be Still and Know | length2 = 5:43 | lyrics2 = Flynn, Demmel | music2 = Flynn, Demmel | title3 = Locust | length3 = 7:36 | lyrics3 = Flynn, Demmel | music3 = Flynn, Demmel | title4 = This Is the End | length4 = 6:11 | lyrics4 = Flynn | music4 = Flynn | title5 = Darkness Within | length5 = 6:28 | lyrics5 = Flynn | music5 = Flynn, Demmel, Dave McClain | title6 = Pearls Before the Swine | lyrics6 = Flynn, Demmel | music6 = Flynn, Demmel, McClain | length6 = 7:19 | title7 = Who We Are | length7 = 7:07 | lyrics7 = Flynn | music7 = Flynn
}} {{Track listing | all_writing = | headline = Deluxe collector's edition bonus tracks | title8 = The Sentinel | length8 = 5:08 | note8 = Judas Priest cover | music8 = Glenn Tipton, Rob Halford, K.K. Downing | lyrics8 = Glenn Tipton, Rob Halford, K.K. Downing | title9 = Witch Hunt | length9 = 4:46 | note9 = Rush cover | music9 = Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson | lyrics9 = Neil Peart | title10 = Darkness Within | length10 = 5:05 | note10 = Acoustic | music10 = Flynn, Demmel, McClain | lyrics10 = Flynn }} {{Track listing | all_writing = | headline = Japanese bonus track | title11 = Halo | length11 = 9:09 | note11 = Live | music11 = Flynn, McClain, Adam Duce, Demmel | lyrics11 = Flynn }} {{Track listing | all_writing = | headline = Metal Hammer special fan pack bonus track | title8 = Locust | length8 = 7:42 | note8 = Live | music8 = Flynn, Demmel | lyrics8 = Flynn, Demmel }} {{track listing | headline = Bonus DVD | title1 = Making of 'Unto the Locust' | length1 = 22:43 }}
==Personnel== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} '''Machine Head''' *Robb Flynn – lead and harmony vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar *Adam Duce – bass, backing vocals *Phil Demmel – lead guitar, backing vocals *Dave McClain – drums
'''Additional musicians''' *Rachel, Kathy, Genie, and Michi of Quartet Rouge – Strings on "I Am Hell", "Darkness Within", and "Who We Are"
{{col-2}} '''Production''' *Robb Flynn – production, mixing *Juan Urteaga – mixing, engineering *Brad Kobylczak – assistant engineering *Lee Bothwick – assistant engineering *Ted Jensen – mastering *Paul Gerrard – artwork *Myriam Santos – photography *Strephon Taylor – logo design {{col-end}}
==Chart positions== {|class="wikitable sortable" |- !Chart (2011) !Peak<br />position |- |Australian Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Machine+Head&titel=Unto+The+Locust&cat=a|title=Machine Head - Unto The Locust|publisher=australian-charts.com|access-date=October 2, 2011}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|10 |- |Austrian Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Machine+Head&titel=Unto+The+Locust&cat=a|title=Machine Head - Unto The Locust|publisher=austriancharts.at}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|6 |- |Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/album/2a3f6/Machine-Head-Unto-The-Locust|title=Machine Head - Unto The Locust|publisher=ultratop.be}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|19 |- |Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/album/2a3f6/Machine-Head-Unto-The-locust|title=Machine Head - Unto The Locust|publisher=ultratop.be}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|21 |- |Canadian Albums Chart<ref name="machinehead1.com">{{cite web|url=http://machinehead1.com/board_posts/unto-the-locust-hits-22-in-the-us |access-date=May 4, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401231338/http://machinehead1.com/board_posts/unto-the-locust-hits-22-in-the-us |archive-date=April 1, 2012 |title=Machine Head }}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|32 |- |Danish Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=https://danishcharts.dk/showitem.asp?interpret=Machine+Head&titel=Unto+The+Locust&cat=a|title=Machine Head - Unto The Locust|publisher=danishcharts.dk}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|10 |- |Dutch Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Machine+Head&titel=Unto+The+Locust&cat=a|title=Machine Head - Unto The Locust|publisher=dutchcharts.nl}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|20 |- |Finnish Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=http://finnishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Machine+Head&titel=Unto+The+Locust&cat=a|title=Machine Head - Unto The Locust|publisher=finnishcharts.com}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|8 |- |French Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Machine+Head&titel=Unto+The+Locust&cat=a|title=Machine Head - Unto The Locust|publisher=lescharts.com}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|18 |- |German Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/album-details-173046|title=Offizielle Deutsche Charts|publisher=offiziellecharts.de|language=de|access-date=October 27, 2021}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|5 |- |Hungarian Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=https://slagerlistak.hu/album-top-40-slagerlista/2011/39|title=MAHASZ – Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége |publisher=mahasz.hu |access-date=October 5, 2011}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|19 |- |Japanese Albums Chart | style="text-align:center;"|18 |- |New Zealand Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Machine+Head&titel=Unto+The+Locust&cat=a|title=Machine Head - Unto The Locust|publisher=charts.nz}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|19 |- |Norwegian Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Machine+Head&titel=Unto+The+Locust&cat=a|title=Machine Head - Unto The Locust|publisher=norwegiancharts.com}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|15 |- |Spanish Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=http://spanishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Machine+Head&titel=Unto+The+Locust&cat=a|title=Machine Head - Unto The Locust|publisher=spanishcharts.com}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|28 |- |Swedish Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Machine+Head&titel=Unto+The+Locust&cat=a|title=Machine Head - Unto The Locust|publisher=swedishcharts.com}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|14 |- |Swiss Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Machine+Head&titel=Unto+The+Locust&cat=a|title=Machine Head - Unto The Locust|publisher=hitparade.ch}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|10 |- |UK Albums Chart<ref name="ukchart">{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/machine%20head/|title=Machine Head UK Chart History|work=Official Charts Company|access-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|43 |- |U.S. ''Billboard'' 200<ref name="machinehead1.com"/> | style="text-align:center;"|22 |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Machine Head}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2011 albums Category:Machine Head (band) albums Category:Roadrunner Records albums