On THROUGH THE ASHES OF EMPIRES, Machine Head delivers another potent dose of the group's signature blend of late-1980s thrash & Pantera-inspired alt-metal. This time around, though, the band takes frequent musical interludes from the sonic onslaught--a tinkling toy piano provides " Left Unfinished" with a nicely eerie, horror-film intro, while " Wipe Away the Tears" features a Black Flag-style spoken rant. In a few places, the ordinarily pummeling juggernaut that is Machine Head even gets downr