Bay Area metal veterans MACHINE HEAD are streaming a new song, “Killers & Kings” as part of Record Store Day. The band released a 10-inch vinyl single, with the A-side containing the “demo” version “Killers & Kings.” The B-side will be a cover version of the track “Our Darkest Days” from one of MACHINE HEAD’s favorite bands, IGNITE.
Says MACHINE HEAD guitarist/vocalist Robb Flynn: “I remember growing up in the thrash scene and always wanting to hear the demo version of songs. You searched them out. Thankfully, my buddy Jim was a big ‘tape trader,’ and through trading, we had both METALLICA demos, EXODUS demos, bootlegs of songs sometimes ‘years’ before they came out.
“I knew how to play every note of Pleasure Of The Flesh by EXODUS easily two years before the record was out. I had SLAYER’s Reign In Blood three months before it came out. I remember it still had the hi-hat counts starting the songs!!
“My friends and I would debate the merits of each (the demo was always better, LOL!). It’s so much cooler to hear it BEFORE the album is out! So we’re gonna do that for you. I can’t wait for you guys to hear this stuff. Then you can debate it, haha!”
This limited-edition 10-inch single will feature four alternate covers with two specific colors, each limited to 1,000 copies each.
“Killers & Kings” 10-inch single track listing:
Side One: Killers & Kings (demo version)
Side Two: Our Darkest Days / Bleeding (IGNITE cover)