PYRAMAZE
"Bloodlines" (AFM Records; 2023)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
"Bloodlines" is a crushing wall of sound from one of the best progressive metal bands in the world. The music washes over you like floodwater, pulling you into its sound and atomosphere. Roaring guitars join with irresistible rhythms and soaring vocals that constantly beckon you turn that volume knob up, up, up.
This isn't the kind of album you can listen to casually. This music demands headphones, focus and concentration. Not because it's challenging, but because it deserves your full attention. With its rich, complex melodies, its crystal production and its infusion of instruments and styles you don't often hear in metal music (think cinematic), "Bloodlines" is 45 minutes of complete entertainment.
It's impossible to choose my favorite tracks off "Bloodlines" because each song is just as important as the last. Suffice to say, there isn't a track here I'd skip. Each song is a important part of the whole, a chaper in a book.
If you've never heard anything by Pyramaze, do yourself a favor and give "Bloodlines" a listen. There aren't that many bands and releases that surround you as completely as Pyramaze and "Bloodlines" do. And if you're a fan of the band's previous work, I can't imagine your being anythaing but thrilled with this one.
For more information, check out http://www.pyramaze.com.
"Disciples of the Sun" (Inner
Wound Recordings; 2015)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
I cannot believe that this is the first
Pyramaze album to be reviewed here at RoughEdge.com. It's a puzzle to me as to
how that happened. I've been listening to, and enjoying, the band's music for
years. For whatever reason, getting a review on these pages must have fallen
through the cracks. Well, today we rectify that.
"Disciples of the Sun" isn't the band's first album but it's definitely one of their best. Pyramaze plays melodic heavy metal that is so rich, so complex and so absolutely beautiful (thanks to production that is nothing short of stunning) that you'll feel as though you're being transported to another world as you listen.
The musicianship here is off the hook brilliant, with fiery guitar leads, addictive riffs, showering keyboards and percussion that drives it all along. It all gels together in a CD that never lags, delivering a true wall-of-sound experience that is best enjoyed at full volume in a quiet room or with the best pair of headphones you can find.
Pyramaze has undergone a number of personnel changes over the years but, unlike some other bands, they've once again hit a line-up that truly delivers. New vocalist Terje Harvey has an incredible set of pipes and his sound fits that of the band's to a T.
If you're into melodic metal or progressive rock or whatever you want to call it, then you really must pick up "Disciples of the Sun" and allow yourself to be taken to their world.
For more information, check out http://www.pyramaze.com.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2023 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights reserved.
