Machine Head Plays At Norway’s Tons Of Rock Festival With Fill-In Guitarist Zack Ohren (Video)

Bay Area metal titans Machine Head roared into their summer 2025 European tour on Saturday, June 28th, with a powerful kickoff performance at the Tons Of Rock festival in Oslo. The show marked the beginning of an anticipated touring cycle, featuring a notable, albeit temporary, lineup adjustment as longtime producer Zack Ohren stepped in on guitar. You can see the footage down below.

Ohren‘s presence on stage came as Reece Alan Scruggs, Machine Head‘s regular guitarist, announced earlier this month his decision to sit out the summer tour. Scruggs revealed a deeply personal reason for his absence: he is staying home to be with his father, who has recently been diagnosed with lung cancer. Scruggs shared his appreciation for the band‘s understanding, stating: “With the support and understanding of Robb [Flynn, Machine Head frontman], the band, and management I’ve chosen to get off the road and step away for a while to be with my family. When I received this news I knew I had to make a sacrifice in favor of my family.” Machine Head has publicly affirmed their absolute support for Scruggs, asking for privacy for him and his family during this challenging time.

Following their electrifying Oslo set, Machine Head shared their enthusiasm on social media. “ØSLØ: TØNS ØF RØCK? More like TØNS ØF CRØWDSURFERS! What a great way to start off this tour, in a country that has taken us to their hearts for our undying love of the Norwegian Ø!” the band posted. They extended a “Big shout out to Zack Ohren for stepping up like a true champ standing in for our brother Reece Scruggs. You kicked a**, Zack!”

For the remainder of the summer tour, Machine Head has arranged for a dual-fill-in strategy. ‘Vogg’ Wacław Kiełtyka, guitarist for Decapitated, will handle the majority of the upcoming shows, while Zack Ohren will continue to cover select dates where Vogg‘s schedule with Decapitated has prior commitments.

At the Tons Of Rock festival, Machine Head delivered an intense setlist that ignited the Norwegian crowd. The songs performed were:

• “Imperium“
• “Ten Ton Hammer“
• “CHØKE ØN THE ASHES ØF YØUR HATE“
• “Now We Die“
• “Is There Anybody Out There?“
• “ØUTSIDER“
• “Locust“
• “BØNESCRAPER“
• “The Declaration“
• “Bulldozer“
• “From This Day“
• “Davidian“

With the successful kickoff in Oslo, Machine Head is now looking forward to their next stop in Helsinki, continuing their highly anticipated European run.