MINDMAZE - Resolve

May 22, 2017, 6 years ago

(Inner Wound Recordings)

Kelley Simms

Rating: 7.0

review heavy metal mindmaze

MINDMAZE - Resolve

Pennsylvania-based power/prog metal band Mindmaze, led by siblings Sarah Teets (vocals) and Jeff Teets (guitars), proves that third time’s a charm with its third full-length album Resolve. Although it’s considered a concept album, it’s not in the typical story-telling rock opera vein, but displays more personal, introspective moods and phrasings that convey an ongoing theme throughout its 13 tracks. Sarah’s soaring, high-pitched vocals cut through like a hot knife through butter; smooth and slick, which are accompanied by some fantastic guitar work from her brother Jeff and excellent instrumentation from the rhythm section consisting of bassist Rich Pasqualone and new drummer Mark Bennett. 

Mindmaze’s musical influences splendidly surface to the top on the Rush-ish “Drown Me” and “Fight The Future,” the Savatage-esque “One More Moment” as well as “Sanity's Collapse,” and the tasty ’70s proginess of early-era Genesis and Kansas on several different passages while “Release” shows off its Queensrÿche influences. The band’s edgier approach on tracks “Abandon” and “Twisted Dream” works well, while instrumental tracks “Reverie,” which is a bold statement to start the album off with, “In This Void” and “Sanity's Collapse” provide a musical interlude between the album’s storyline. With 13 tracks and a 68-minute runtime, the album is in danger of losing its energy level, but fortunately it never does. Even the 11-plus minute album closer “The Path To Perseverance” manages to keep the listener’s interest throughout its duration and ends with that familiar acoustic guitar strumming that began the album. Mindmize is just getting its feet wet and still have some maturing to do, but If you’re looking for a new modern prog metal band with great potential, then picking up Resolve is a step in the right direction.



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