Aesthetics of Hate
Encyclopedia
"Aesthetics of Hate" is a song by heavy metal
band Machine Head
from their sixth studio album The Blackening
. Written by Machine Head vocalist and guitarist Robert Flynn
, the song is a retaliation to an article written by William Grim. Grim wrote that late guitarist Dimebag Darrell
was "an ignorant, barbaric, untalented possessor of a guitar", among others. The song was nominated for Best Metal Performance
at the 50th Grammy Awards
.
. Written as a retaliation to an article by William Grim for the web site Iconoclast, the article praised Dimebag Darrell
's murder by Nathan Gale
, while Darrell was performing with the band Damageplan
on December 8, 2004. Titled "Aesthetics of Hate: R.I.P. Dimebag Abbott, & Good Riddance", Grim wrote the article stating Darrell was "part of a generation that has confused sputum with art and involuntary reflex actions with emotion", "an ignorant, barbaric, untalented possessor of a guitar" who looks "more simian than human".
After reading the article, Flynn was furious and wrote "Aesthetics of Hate" as a contempt to Grim's article, and Dimebag detractors. He wrote a message on the band's forum expressing his friendship with Darrell and spoke about Grim:
' rip off. I hated it every time we played it so I was glad to see that part go!" The band entered Sharkbite Studios, in Oakland, California
on August 21, 2006 to begin recording. Production duties were handled by Flynn with assistance from Mark Keaton, and mixing
by Colin Richardson
.
's Don Kaye described the track as "literally breathtaking" and said that the song "channels its title emotion into a blazing volcano of pure speed and furious guitarwork from Flynn and Phil Demmel." Reviewing for France's Hard 'N Heavy magazine, Anthrax
's Scott Ian
felt that the song is "a riff-o-rama showing off Robb Flynn and Phil Demmel's killer guitar work."
Thom Jurek of Allmusic felt "the intense dual arpeggio
s between both guitarists -- Flynn and Phil Demmel on 'Aesthetics of Hate' (as just one example) are among the tightest ever". However, J.D. Considine of Blender
commented that the song "cuts from screaming guitars to an ominously whispered, 'May the hands of God strike them down'. Without oversize hooks, calls for biblical vengeance just sound silly."
"Aesthetics of Hate" received a nomination for Best Metal Performance
at the 50th Grammy Awards
. The ceremony took place on February 12, 2008, with Machine Head being beaten out by Slayer
's "Final Six". Flynn commented on the nomination, "We are completely blown away, and honored by this. It's incredible that the anger of this song has connected with so many people. It proves to Dimebag's detractors the positive impact he had on his fans and fellow bands alike."
On August 8 2008, the song was confirmed to be as part of the "Roadrunner Records" pack in Rock Band
.
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
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 , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
from their sixth studio album The Blackening
The Blackening
The Blackening is the sixth album by American heavy metal band Machine Head. Released on March 27, 2007 in the U.S., The Blackening sold 16,000 units in its first week, and became Machine Head's second highest charting release at number 54 on the Billboard 200, and charted in the Top 20 throughout...
. Written by Machine Head vocalist and guitarist Robert Flynn
Robert Flynn
Robb Flynn is best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist for the heavy metal band Machine Head...
, the song is a retaliation to an article written by William Grim. Grim wrote that late guitarist Dimebag Darrell
Dimebag Darrell
Darrell Lance Abbott , also known as Diamond Darrell and Dimebag Darrell, was an American guitarist. He was best known as a founding member of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan. Abbott also contributed to the album Rebel Meets Rebel, a collaboration between Pantera and David Allan Coe...
was "an ignorant, barbaric, untalented possessor of a guitar", among others. The song was nominated for Best Metal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for works containing quality performances in the heavy metal music genre...
at the 50th Grammy Awards
50th Grammy Awards
The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on February 10, 2008. Kanye West received the most nominations, with eight. Amy Winehouse was the big winner, winning a total of five awards. Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters won Album of the Year,...
.
Background
"Aesthetics of Hate" was written by Machine Head vocalist and guitarist Robert FlynnRobert Flynn
Robb Flynn is best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist for the heavy metal band Machine Head...
. Written as a retaliation to an article by William Grim for the web site Iconoclast, the article praised Dimebag Darrell
Dimebag Darrell
Darrell Lance Abbott , also known as Diamond Darrell and Dimebag Darrell, was an American guitarist. He was best known as a founding member of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan. Abbott also contributed to the album Rebel Meets Rebel, a collaboration between Pantera and David Allan Coe...
's murder by Nathan Gale
Nathan Gale
Nathan M. Gale was a former American Marine who is known for having murdered former Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell and three others during a Damageplan concert at the Alrosa Villa club in Columbus, Ohio, on December 8, 2004.-Life:Nathan M. Gale was born in Calumet City, Illinois, and raised...
, while Darrell was performing with the band Damageplan
Damageplan
Damageplan was an American heavy metal supergroup from Dallas, Texas that formed in 2003. Following the demise of their previous group Pantera, brothers Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul Abbott wanted to start a new band. The pair recruited former Halford guitarist Pat Lachman on vocals, and later...
on December 8, 2004. Titled "Aesthetics of Hate: R.I.P. Dimebag Abbott, & Good Riddance", Grim wrote the article stating Darrell was "part of a generation that has confused sputum with art and involuntary reflex actions with emotion", "an ignorant, barbaric, untalented possessor of a guitar" who looks "more simian than human".
After reading the article, Flynn was furious and wrote "Aesthetics of Hate" as a contempt to Grim's article, and Dimebag detractors. He wrote a message on the band's forum expressing his friendship with Darrell and spoke about Grim:
Recording
In February 2005, Machine Head had penned a rough version of "Aesthetics of Hate". A 13-track November 2005 demo featured the song, although it contained what Flynn described as a "totally fucking lame 'Angel of DeathAngel of Death (song)
"Angel of Death" is the opening track on the American thrash metal band Slayer's 1986 album Reign in Blood. The lyrics and music were written by Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman and are based on Nazi ″physician″ Josef Mengele, who conducted human experiments at the Auschwitz concentration camp during...
' rip off. I hated it every time we played it so I was glad to see that part go!" The band entered Sharkbite Studios, in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
on August 21, 2006 to begin recording. Production duties were handled by Flynn with assistance from Mark Keaton, and mixing
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
by Colin Richardson
Colin Richardson
Colin Richardson is a British record producer, mixer and recording engineer. He has worked on over 100 albums, and is most frequently associated with heavy metal and its subgenres such as:*Anathema*As I Lay Dying*Behemoth*Bullet for My Valentine...
.
Critical reception
"Aesthetics of Hate" received positive reviews from music critics. Blabbermouth.netBlabbermouth.net
Blabbermouth.net is a website dedicated to heavy metal and hard rock news, as well as album and music DVD reviews. Blabbermouth.net was founded and is run by Borivoj Krgin. The first version of the website was officially launched in March 2001...
's Don Kaye described the track as "literally breathtaking" and said that the song "channels its title emotion into a blazing volcano of pure speed and furious guitarwork from Flynn and Phil Demmel." Reviewing for France's Hard 'N Heavy magazine, Anthrax
Anthrax (band)
Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
's Scott Ian
Scott Ian
Scott Ian Rosenfeld , better known by the stage name Scott Ian, is an American musician, best known as the rhythm & lead guitarist for the heavy metal band Anthrax. Ian is also the guitarist and a founding member of the crossover thrash band Stormtroopers of Death...
felt that the song is "a riff-o-rama showing off Robb Flynn and Phil Demmel's killer guitar work."
Thom Jurek of Allmusic felt "the intense dual arpeggio
Arpeggio
An arpeggio is a musical technique where notes in a chord are played or sung in sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously...
s between both guitarists -- Flynn and Phil Demmel on 'Aesthetics of Hate' (as just one example) are among the tightest ever". However, J.D. Considine of Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
commented that the song "cuts from screaming guitars to an ominously whispered, 'May the hands of God strike them down'. Without oversize hooks, calls for biblical vengeance just sound silly."
"Aesthetics of Hate" received a nomination for Best Metal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for works containing quality performances in the heavy metal music genre...
at the 50th Grammy Awards
50th Grammy Awards
The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on February 10, 2008. Kanye West received the most nominations, with eight. Amy Winehouse was the big winner, winning a total of five awards. Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters won Album of the Year,...
. The ceremony took place on February 12, 2008, with Machine Head being beaten out by Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
's "Final Six". Flynn commented on the nomination, "We are completely blown away, and honored by this. It's incredible that the anger of this song has connected with so many people. It proves to Dimebag's detractors the positive impact he had on his fans and fellow bands alike."
On August 8 2008, the song was confirmed to be as part of the "Roadrunner Records" pack in Rock Band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
.
Personnel
- Robb FlynnRobert FlynnRobb Flynn is best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist for the heavy metal band Machine Head...
– lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Dave McClain – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Adam Duce – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Phil Demmel – guitar