It's an easy trap for metal bands to fall into: Win a Grammy, meet the beautiful people, soften your image and sound - just enough to make millions. Not Slayer.
As if by rogue Vikings slashing with ruddy axes, the monstrous serpent of 2009's metal releases has been hacked and hewn into a ten-necked, head-banging Hydra.
Zak Stevens (Savatage) and Jeff Plate (Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Metal Church) have formed Machines of Grace and released a self titled debut album.