EP Review: Stories Untold: Chapter I by Whispers in the Maze (Self Released)

Ottawa’s melodic death metallers, Whispers in the Maze will release their eagerly awaited 2nd EP, Untold Stories: Chapter I on the 29th of July.

Whispers in the Maze released their debut EP back in 2019, titled Threads Unbind so it has been a few years since then and I imagine a tiresome few years, seeing as that gap really spanned the Covid era.

When asked about the EP’s title, the band explains:

“As implied in the title, Stories Untold: Chapter I is mostly a collection of older songs written by previous line ups of Whispers In The Maze. For example, the track Ink is a re-recording of the first demo we ever put out. The exception would be Poisoning Imagination, which was composed more recently by the band in its present form. Chapter I also implies the existence of a Chapter II, which is still in the works at this time. We decided to split Stories Untold into two halves so we could release new material sooner rather than later.”

Whispers In The Maze is Benjamin Bertrand on vocals and bass, Vitto Ortori on guitars, Mike Berrigan on drums and Emine Topcu on vocals and guitars. Lyrics for Poison Imagination are by Benjamin Bertrand with all other lyrics by  Zach Dean. Stories Untold: Chapter I was recorded, mixed and mastered by Dave Sarazin with album art from Augusto Peixoto (Irondoom Design) and band photography by Jessy Dwyer (Beyond the Pit).

Stories Untold: Chapter I gets underway with Poisoning Imagination. Whispers in the Maze don’t mess around, jumping instantly into a wicked riff and very dark, blackened vocals. The bass and drums apply depth throughout while there are plenty of melodic guitar moments bedded into the track. There’s a slightly odd tone to the guitars, not unpleasant, but I am not technical enough to know what it is, only that it sounds a little thinner. I like the solo a lot and the little switch up into a darker melodic section works well in breaking the song up but also in setting it up to come back in. It’s a banger, full of energy and heaviness but with more than enough catchiness to keep it in your head for days.

Ink has a slightly more menacing tone to it but still comes at you on full attack. Some of the lead guitar work alongside those intensely heavy vocals see the track have a more black metal feel at times and it is really neat. I love the drum work in this one, it’s catchy and has power, switching pace up and really keeping your head banging along. The solo feels a little disjointed at first but soon slots into place and the thick bass lines keep that overall tone on the heavier side of things.

Chained Till The Grave has a thick and infectious intro with wicked drums and bass capturing you instantly. The lead guitar comes in and elevates things even higher before those demonic vocals come in. That’s one hell of an intro – really gets you right from the off. The song doesn’t drop off from there either. The pace and rhythm to this one is on point. There is some nice switching of vocal tones as well. Whispers in the Maze are really chucking quote a lot of variety into this EP and you have to respect that. Add in a fiery solo but it’s the overall rhythm and flow of this track that make sit my favourite so far.

Behind Your Eyes is the closing track and the quality on Stories Untold: Chapter I has me feeling we have reached the end too soon. Still, what a way to go out and leave a lasting memory. The effects on the guitar in the intro are really cool and you know how I mentioned creativity and variety? Well here it comes by the truck load. A totally intriguing pace and tempo, sections of clean vocals take part on a trade off with the dark and deathly heavy vocals. It is such a listenable track, really keeping you on your toes and keeping you feely invested. The riffs are strong and again the drums really impress. Great stuff.

Stories Untold: Chapter I is a really strong release from Whispers in the Maze with a ton of creativity and ingenuity played out over 4 tracks. There is more than enough traditional melodeath elements to have you recognising the style. There is also a gratifying amount of new ides and genre blending, especially on Behind Your Eyes. The riffs are strong throughout with some nice bass lines and superb drumming. The guitars are great, hitting you with plenty of melody and some nice solos and the vocals are really strong, with a mix of tones all while staying very much on the death side of melodeath. The only negative is that the guitars, maybe the overall production, occasionally feels a little thin and I felt it could have benefitted by all being a little richer and thicker.

Stories Untold: Chapter I is a wonderful sophomore release and I can’t wait to see what Whispers in the Maze bring with Chapter II.

Whispers in the Maze Links

Bandcamp – Facebook – Instagram – YouTube – TikTok – Twitter