Every now and then there’s someone among my friends who keeps bugging me about checking out a certain artist and I say yes and then forget about it. When it comes to Australian prog-metal act Teramaze that has happened on far too many occasions – by the same dude. It’s not that I don’t care, it just slips my mind, especially when promos keeps coming in from left to right. However, after the last bugging I decided to check the band out right away, much because of the fact that the band had just released their brand new album – as it turned out, their 9th full-length record.
Teramaze started out back in 1993 – well, that was the year they changed their name from Terrormaze since they had become born-again christians – but it would take them up until 1995 to release their debut album Doxology. Since the start the band has had many line-up changes, far too many to get into here but the current line-up is: Dean Wells (guitars, lead vocals), Chris Zoupa (guitars), Andrew Cameron (bass) and Nick Ross (drums). Cameron and Ross joined the band in 2017 with Zoupa coming in a year later leaving Wells as the band’s only original member although he took over lead vocal duties only a couple of years ago. With a pandemic making all touring plans impossible Teramaze, like so many other acts, decided on recording music instead so this album came out not even 6 months after their last release Sorella Minore.
The album opens with the title-track and the latest single/video, an upbeat, heavy and progressive metal-bouncer that’s also straight-forward where direct melodies are more prominent than musical show-offs. The song runs for six minutes, it’s musically complex with chuggy riffs but it also brings on catchy vocal-melody hooks and a distinct and memorable chorus that sticks right off the bat. Ok, so this is just bloody awesome, thank you very much. Leading single “Jackie Seth” is a mid-paced, riff-happy yet groove laden prog-metal stomper with a darker atmosphere and a direct main-melody. The prog-metal vibes are once again in bed with some very catchy melodies and a chorus that even brings on some pop-hooks – a marriage made in heaven if you ask me. This could even become a hit on rock radio with a little (a lot) luck. Brilliant.
“Untide” brings on a slower tempo, a darker soundscape and a heavy and meaty rhythm but also big keyboards and a slight symphonic vibe but with incursions of proggier elements here and there. It’s more song-oriented than your standard prog-metal act and it stands clear that melodies are in focus here than anything else which shows real well in the direct and smooth vocal-melodies. This too has a refrain that comes with a slight hit-feel and it works splendidly. Very good indeed. With its nine minutes, “Modern Living Space” is an epic prog-rocker. The song alters between down-beat and laid-back verses on a ballad-route, rhythmic and proggy stomps and more edgy, straight-forward escapades. But just like on the previous tracks we get some memorable melodies, chunky guitars and a chorus that’s effective and distinct. The song reminds me of Threshold at times and that can never be wrong. Magnificent.
The mid-tempo “Blood Of Fools” is both groove-laden, upbeat and held-back with a smoother main-melody but also progressive with some twists and turns where both rhythms and vocal-melodies feels like the bastard child of Dream Theater and Threshold. While there are slower and down-beat passages, the song is held together well and the vocal-hooks makes for another catchy treat. Very good. “Waves” starts out stripped down and earthy but continues on a slow beat when the whole band joins in. The tune holds a warm and comfy atmosphere with melodies that touches on a more modern rock-radio power ballad vibe. A must-mention is the gorgeous guitar-lines, that really hits home for me. This is phenomenal.
“Son Rise” starts out slow and down-beat with acoustic guitar, a silky synth, piano and vocals but soon brings on a more rhythmic beat, still slow paced with the acoustic guitars prominent. The tune holds the structure of a ballad with easily embraced melodies and an affable chorus but it does take on a heavier outlook with a darker ambience. Good one. Faster, direct and rough-edged with a punchy beat “Search For The Unimaginable” holds two faces. On one hand it’s heavy and progressive and Threshold comes to mind again, on the other hand it brings on some softer and laid-bak breaks where Melodic Rock is inserted and there a band like One Desire comes to mind. This is a diverse but metallic track that holds an effective refrain. Great.
The band bid their farewells for this time with “Head Of The King”, a rawer and more earthy prog-metal meets Hard Rock creation. It’s a heavy piece with lots of time-changes and a proggy rhythm-structure somewhat, I guess, influenced by Dream Theater. It contains some astounding guitar-melodies and a terrific vocal performance, it’s upbeat and stompy, it’s melodic and accessible with another infectious chorus. This is great stuff.
I’m not a big prog-rock-metal fan per se. Sure, there a few acts I really dig but most prog-bands float under my radar, I just have issues getting a grip on most of them. The first thing I thought after one spin of this record was why on effing Earth didn’t I check this band after the first bugging? Because this album is brilliant, see. Which in turn means that I have now gone back and checked out their two previous albums. Brilliant as well. I will continue doing so. Teramaze plays the kind of proggy Hard Rock/Metal that I embrace the easiest – melodies and hooks and structured songs in focus but still enough of musicianship with some twiddly-diddly guitars and keyboards, time-changes and rhythmic escapades. Never heard of Teramaze? Then it’s time or I might start bugging you.
8/10
Tracklist:
1. And The Beauty They Perceive
2. Jackie Seth
3. Untide
4. Modern Living Space
5. Blood Of Fools
6. Waves
7. Son Rise
8. Search For The Unimaginable
9. Head Of The King
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