Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn (vocals, guitar), Duce (bass), ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel (guitar), and Dave McClain (drums). Machine Head is one of the pioneering bands in the New Wave of American Heavy Metal.
Machine Head was formed by member Robb Flynn, previously part of the bands Forbidden and Vio-lence. Flynn felt musically unfulfilled with Vio-lence and requested to start a side project. When his request was denied, he left the band and formed Machine Head in 1992 with Adam Duce, Logan Mader and Tony Constanza. Though the band's first album, Burn My Eyes, was a big success in Europe where it garnered attention on MTV's Headbangers Ball, in America (with HBB taken off the air during the grunge movement) Machine Head would not have success until later albums.
The band nearly disbanded in 2002 after negotiating off its label, Roadrunner Records, when controversy surrounding Machine Head's fourth album Supercharger (released 3 weeks after September 11, 2001) resulted in their songs and their then-current video for the song "Crashing Around You" (which featured burning buildings) being pulled from all media outlets. The band re-signed with Roadrunner soon after and has released three albums since, 2003's Through the Ashes of Empires, 2007's The Blackening (which earned Machine Head its first Grammy Award nomination) and 2011's Unto the Locust. Machine Head have sold more than 2.4 Million albums worldwide since their album debut in 1994