Machine Head's first four albums earned the band a growing fan base in Europe, however the band would not have success in their native United States until later releases. The band drew controversy with its fourth album, Supercharger (2001), released three weeks after the September 11 attacks, which resulted in the album's only single, "Crashing Around You", and its music video (which featured burning buildings) being pulled from all media outlets. The band nearly disbanded in 2002 after negotiating off its label Roadrunner Records as a result of the controversy, however the band would eventually re-sign with the label.
Having experimented with elements of groove metal and nu metal in its early releases, Machine Head changed to a more traditional thrash metal sound and longer songs with its sixth album, The Blackening (2007), which drew critical acclaim and was chosen as Album of the Decade by Metal Hammer in 2010; the album's first single, "Aesthetics of Hate", also earned the band its first Grammy Award nomination. The band achieved similar success with its following two albums, Unto the Locust (2011) and Bloodstone & Diamonds (2014), before returning to its nu metal roots with the release of its ninth album, Catharsis (2018).
Machine Head has released nine studio albums, two live albums, one video album, 13 singles and 15 music videos. Four of the band's studio albums have been certified silver in the United Kingdom, and the band's highest peak on the Billboard 200 came with Bloodstone & Diamonds at number 21. To date, the band has sold over three million records worldwide.
Studio albums
Burn My Eyes (1994)
The More Things Change... (1997)
The Burning Red (1999)
Supercharger (2001)
Through the Ashes of Empires (2003)
The Blackening (2007)
Unto the Locust (2011)
Bloodstone & Diamonds (2014)
Catharsis (2018)
Hard Times
Machine Head Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're gonna have to rise above it some day
Organize your life and figure it out
Or you'll go down without a doubt
Hard times! hard times!
Seems I'm bein forced into a mold
Hard times! hard times!
Hard times are coming through
But if your hard they won't get to you
They're gonna try to drive you into the ground
But never surrender, never go down!
Cromag!
Skinhead!
Breakout!
Now!
The lyrics to Machine Head's song Hard Times convey the message that people will inevitably face difficult times, but they have the power to rise above it. The song encourages listeners to organize their lives and figure things out before they go down without a doubt. The lyrics repeatedly emphasize the phrase "hard times," and the chorus mentions being forced into a mold and growing cold. The lyrics also suggest that hard times are coming through and will try to drive a person into the ground. However, the encouragement to never surrender and never go down is expressed in the final lines.
The song Hard Times by Machine Head is a call to arms or a rallying cry for those who are facing great difficulty. The lyrics speak directly to the listener, providing motivation and inspiration, urging them to be strong and to keep fighting. The song is both a warning and a message of hope, as it acknowledges that hard times are coming, but also affirms that they can be overcome with persistence and determination. The song's final words, "Cromag! Skinhead! Breakout! Now!" seem to add to the energetic and intense atmosphere of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Hard times are comin your way
You will face bad situations soon.
You're gonna have to rise above it some day
You must surpass these situations one day.
Organize your life and figure it out
Arrange your life and find the solution.
Or you'll go down without a doubt
Otherwise, you will fail.
Hard times! hard times!
The difficult times are here now.
Seems I'm bein forced into a mold
It feels like my identity is at risk of conforming.
Hard times! hard times!
The difficult times are here now.
Forcin me and I'm growin cold
I feel pressured and losing emotions.
Hard times are coming through
Bad situations are imminent.
But if your hard they won't get to you
If you are strong, these situations won't affect you.
They're gonna try to drive you into the ground
These situations will try to break you.
But never surrender, never go down!
Don't give up, don't fail.
Cromag!
Screaming the word 'Cromag!'
Skinhead!
Screaming the word 'Skinhead!'
Breakout!
Screaming the word 'Breakout!'
Now!
Do it now!
Contributed by Levi K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@apologyisnothepolicy
Dude...this is beyond awesome +The old lineup with Chris Kontos +A Cro-Mags cover +Bobby Hambel singing the chorus +The quality of the video,it's like a dvd! Thank you so much for uploading this
@LaserGadgets
I would still love to see the full cover, studio version!!
@21580anwar
I can feel the energy mannnn
@ostentatiousostrich
Aw shit.. I miss Dynamo Open Air. 1995 was one of the best editions.
@MachineFuckingHate
Biohazard Machine Head and Pantera rules in 90s
@simoncharpentier2405
EgocentricHead metal/hardcore trios of the 90s
@darijanbabic2
Onno CroMag!RIP
@tirano8.835
Isso sim é show de Rock caralhooooo!!!
_\,,/
@noodlehome
nice and rare video !!
@drheim1
leather jacket, dude from Biohazard