Album Review: Maziac – Test of Time (Self Released)

London, UK alternative and progressive metal 3-piece Maziac are back with their brand-new album, ‘Test of Time’, out on June 28th, 2024.

We’ve been writing about this band for a fair few years now, and enjoyed everything to date, so it’s fair to say that we’ve got high expectations for this new album. Expectations that are well and truly met across eight genre-bending efforts.

Kicking off the album in style, it’s Fear & Fortune. A track with some thrilling groove, plenty of alt-metal fire, and an anthemic chorus rooted in melody. Try as you might, you won’t be able to stop your foot tapping and your head banging to the vigorous rhythms. It’s heavy, but accessible heavy, and it gets stuck in the brain.

Which also applies to the album as a whole. Maziac’s progression as artists has seen them find ways to sound more and more anthemic. All while not losing their progressive detail and heavy ways. It’s what continues to make the album so exciting as Acid gets a little more instrumentally erratic, but also sees the harsher side of the vocals get a bit of extra ‘grr’ to them. Again, the tempo is hot most of the way through it, making for a very energised listen, but even when it slows down near the end briefly, it still thrills. The guitar playing in this, and the following section, is top tier stuff and shows how strong their song-writing skills are.

Continuing into Ameliomantra, Maziac add a grungy feel and get a bit more outlandish with the heavy and melody mix. Followed by the mind-bending Stoic. As progressively weird as it is alternatively infectious, with thrilling ebbs and flows, it’s a track that keeps you on your toes as Maziac constantly find fresh ways to surprise.

Past the halfway point now, and there’s a palette-cleanser to enjoy called Decorating Time. A short piece of dramatic melody and haunting ambience. Before Unseen comes along to showcase a band at their height of their musical abilities. Progressive metal, especially a track with so many layers, is rarely this compelling, and it’s the kind of track you play to a non-fan to get them on board the Maziac train.

Choo choo, mother**kers, there’s no stopping it now. As Nostalgia offers up comforting sounds of nature, morose guitar melody, a nice drum beat, and touching clean vocals. Following perfectly into the stunning Splendour, ending the album on a massive high. All through the sheer power of Maziac at their heaviest sounding, but still as equally anthemic as ever.

Expectations met, but more importantly, expectations surpassed.

Maziac – Test of Time Track Listing:

1. Fear & Fortune
2. Acid
3. Ameliomantra
4. Stoic
5. Decorating Time
6. Unseen
7. Nostalgia
8. Splendour

Links

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