Oakland, California-based heavy metal band Machine Head recently announced the two new members of the group. Earlier this year, the remaining members of Machine Head announced they were auditioning talent for replacing long time group members drummer Dave McClain and guitarist Phil Demmel, after they vacated the group following a “Farewell” tour late last year. The initial announcement came prior to Machine Head going on their fall European world tour commemorating the 25th anniversary of the debut album, 1994’s Burn My Eyes. According to Consequence of Sound, “…after auditioning the positions, the band has announced that guitarist Vogg Kiełtyka of Decapitated and drummer Matt Alston of Devilment will round out the lineup. Machine Head also shared dates for the second European leg of the tour beginning in spring of 2020.”

Machine Head’s remaining tour line up includes lead vocalist/guitarist Robb Flynn and bassist/backing vocalist Jared MacEachern.  Initial reports suggested that Machine Head was disbanding entirely, but the confusion as to whether the band were to continue was made clear when the band confirmed they would press on with two new members. According to the aforementioned article in Consequence of Sound, Kieltyka the band’s newest guitarist reflected on his elation in the inclusion of Machine Head saying:

“As a 13-year-old, I was learning songs from Burn My Eyes, which is still one of my favorite albums ever,” Kiełtyka wrote in a statement. “That album had a big influence on my playing and my guitar skills.”

Alston, Machine Head’s newest drummer mirrored Kieltyka’s sentiments. Alston had previously worked with the group during their last tour where he shared:

“It was a pleasure working for MH over last year’s world tour,” he wrote, “but now having the opportunity to be playing their songs is something I never would have imagined while growing up and listening to their music.”

Machine Head 2019-2020 Tour Dates

10/05 – Freiburg, DE – Sick Arena Musikclub
10/07 – Tilburg, NL – 013
10/09 – Copenhagen, DK – Amager Bio
10/11 – Wuerzburg, DE – Posthalle
10/12 – Leipzig, DE – Haus Auensee
10/14 – Bochum, DE – Ruhr Congress
10/15 – Munich, DE – Zenith
10/16 – Vienna, AT – Gasometer
10/18 – Gdansk, PL – B90
10/19 – Warsaw, PL – Progressja
10/20 – Budapest, HU – Baba Negra
10/22 – Zurich, CH – Komplex
10/23 – Lyon, FR – Le Radiant
10/25 – Milan, IT – Live Club
10/26 – Padova, IT – Hall
10/27 – Luxembourg, LU – Expo
10/29 – Paris, FR – Le Trianon
10/31 – Brussels, BE – Forest National
11/02 – London, UK – O2 Academy Brixton
11/04 – Manchester, UK – O2 Victoria Warehouse
11/05 – Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy
11/07 – Belfast, IE – Telegraph Building
11/08 – Dublin, IE – Olympia Theatre
12/20 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
01/16 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
01/18 – Albuquerque, NM – El Rey
01/20 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues
01/21 – San Antonio, TX – Azetc Theatre
01/22 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
01/26 – Orlando, FL – House of Blyes
01/27 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution
01/28 – Tampa, FL – Ritz Ybor
01/30 – Atlanta, FL – Center Stage
01/31 – Silver Spring – The Fillmore
02/01 – New York City, NY – Webster Hall
02/04 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
02/05 – Montreal, QB – Corona Theatre
02/07 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
02/08 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
02/09 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Theater
02/11 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue
02/12 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom
02/14 – Detroit, MI – Crofoot
02/15 – Chicago, IL – Metro
02/16 – Minneapolis, MN – Skyway Theatre
02/18 – Denver, CO – The Gothic Theatre
02/19 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
02/21 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
02/22 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
04/19 – Zaragoza, ES – Teatro de las Esquinas
04/21 – Santiago de Compostela, ES – Capitol
04/23 – Oporto, PT – Coliseu de Porto
04/24 – Lisbon, PT – Coliseu de Lisboa
04/25 – Madrid, ES – La Riviera
04/27 – Malaga, ES – Paris 15
04/28 – Murcia, ES – Gamma
04/28 – Valencia, ES – Republicca
05/01 – Barcelona, ES – Razzmatazz
05/02 – Toulouse, FR – Le Bikini
05/05 – Ludwigsburg, DE – MHP Arena
05/06 – Wiesbaden, DE – Schlachthof
05/08 – Hannover, DE – Swiss Life Hall
05/09 – Prague, CZ – Forum Karlin
05/10 – Bratislava, SI – Refinery Gallery
05/12 – Bucharest, RO – Quantic Club
05/13 – Sofia, BU – Universiada Hall
05/15 – Thessaloniki, GR – Fix Factory Of Sound
05/16 – Athens, GR – Piraeus Academy
05/20 – Kiev, UA – Stereoplaza
05/22 – Moscow, RU – 1930 Moscow
05/23 – St. Petersburg, RU – A2
05/25 – Helsinki, FI – The Circus
05/28 – Stockholm, SE – Fryhuset Arenan
05/29 – Oslo, NO – Sentrum Scene
05/30 – Aarhus, DEK – Train
06/01 – Hamburg, DE – Grosse Freiheit 36
06/02 – Utrecht, NL – Tivoliredenburg
06/03 – Lille, FR – Aeronef
06/05 – London, UK – Alexandra Palace
06/06 – Birmingham, UK – Academy

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat