Metal trailblazers, Machine Head, helped Toronto get a kick-start to it’s week as they performed an electrifying set at History on Monday night with In Flames and Lacuna Coil.
Italian gothic metal band, Lacuna Coil, opened up the show and took the crowd by storm with their ‘dueling’ vocalists, Andrea Ferro and Cristina Scabbia (technically they were 2nd on the bill, but I unfortunately didn’t make it on time for Unearth due to rush hour traffic as they hit the stage at 6pm). The way Ferro and Scabbia’s voices compliment each other while being drastically different really left a memorable impression.
Gothenburg’s In Flames hit the stage next and they definitely ignited a fire within the crowds as circle pits started to break out during their performance. Vocalist Anders Fridén also took a moment to acknowledge the crowd singing every word back to him by jokingly saying he won’t have to worry about forgetting lyrics that night as he can just look into the crowd to catch what’s next. One thing I though was really cool was when Fridén gave a shout out to Rodney’s Oyster Bar, and spoke about how the band loves going there. It’s always nice to get random tidbits like this to see local spots become favourites for people visiting Toronto.
As 9:30 rolled around the lights dimmed a brief message asking fans to be present and keep the phone usage to a minimum flash upon the backdrop followed by a massive ‘Machine Fucking Head’, which had the crowd itching with anticipation as they waited for the band to hit the stage. Opening up their set with 2003’s ‘Imperium’ then followed by ‘Ten Ton Hammer’ (1997) and ‘CHØKE ØN THE ASHES ØF YØUR HATE’ (2025), it was evident we were about to go on wild (and welcomed) ride down Machine Head’s discography.
When a band has a career spanning eleven albums there’s always a slight worry from fans that the classic albums will start getting phased out of the setlist completely. Thankfully that doesn’t seem to be the case with Machine Head as they even took us back to their debut album as they performed ‘Davidian’. It was refreshing to see how they’ve embraced every era of the band and have honed in their skills to make every incarnation unique but still undeniably Machine Head. This tour’s set list really showcased that.
Being present worked wonders for this show, and I understand why bands try to encourage it as much as possible as the cellphone era seems to have taken over live events. If they’re giving their fans their all, why would they want to be staring at the backs of phones the entire night instead of making a connection with the people behind it? With that said, this show felt like a whole other beast between the constant circle pits, fans screaming at the top of their lungs and band interaction with the crowd through out the entire night. Vocalist, Robb Flynn, even took a moment between his crunchy riffs and iconic screams to give a shout out to a younger fan in the balcony. In a way, it felt as if the band found the perfect balance for giving their shows an arena feel but still in a decent sized venue where they can foster a connection with all of their fans in the room.
With all of these components, it’s evident as to why Machine Head has stood the test of time and has continued to be influential to many within the metal world.
MACHINE HEAD’s eleventh studio album, UNATØNED, is available everywhere now.
Connect with Machine Head: Website || Twitter/X || Facebook || Instagram
Connect with In Flames: Website || Twitter/X || Facebook || Instagram
Connect with Lacuna Coil: Website || Twitter/X || Facebook || Instagram
Connect with Unearth: Website || Twitter/X || Facebook || Instagram
Be sure to check out Live Nation Ontario to see all of the artists they’ll be bringing to Toronto.
