Bay Area metal titans MACHINE HEAD have ignited fresh controversy following the release of their latest album Unatøned—not for the music itself, but for their fiery response to a blistering review. After UK metal publication Metal Forces gave the album a scathing 3/10 score, the band took to Facebook to share the review with a blunt caption: “GO F**K YOURSELVES!!!”
The review, written by Metal Forces contributor Neil Arnold, is unapologetically critical. While it opens with some nostalgic praise for MACHINE HEAD’s 1994 debut Burn My Eyes, it quickly pivots into an indictment of the band’s career trajectory. Arnold accuses frontman Robb Flynn of genre-hopping and lacking authenticity, calling out previous albums like Supercharger and Catharsis as “audible monstrosities,” and describes Unatøned as “dull and soulless.”
Despite briefly acknowledging promising moments—like the opening track “Atømic Revelatiøns”—Arnold dismisses much of the album as derivative, unfocused, and lyrically cringe-worthy. He takes particular aim at tracks like “Bleeding Me Dry” and “Addicted Tø Pain,” calling the former “cheese with an even cheesier topping” and labeling the latter as one of the worst lyrically in the band’s catalog. Even the album’s sonic variety—flashes of metalcore, nu-metal, and orchestral elements—is framed as disjointed rather than innovative.
This isn’t the first time MACHINE HEAD and critics have clashed, and Arnold references a past altercation with Flynn, where the frontman reportedly replied to criticism with the jab, “It must suck to be you!” Flynn’s combative nature has long been part of his public persona, but the Facebook outburst has reignited debate among fans about whether such responses help or hinder the band’s reputation.
Interestingly, the controversial Facebook post has since been removed—though not before screenshots (see below) made the rounds in fan circles and metal forums.
Whether Flynn’s public takedown of Metal Forces will rally fans or alienate them remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: MACHINE HEAD is not going quietly, no matter what the critics say.
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.