PYRAMAZE – Epitaph

Strong Effort

Danish Power Metal group Pyramaze has signed with AFM Records for the release of their sixth studio album, Epitaph. This being the third album with their current lineup of Terje Harøy on vocals, Jacob Hansen and Toke Skjønnemand on guitars, Jonah W. on keyboards and Morten Gade Sørensen on the drums. Pyramaze continues to fuse their signature meld of memorable melodies, powerful riffs and catchy vocals to keep listeners coming back for more. This upcoming release looks to be their most melodic and accessible creation to date, featuring guest appearances by Brittney Slayes of Unleash the Archers, and former Pyramaze singers Matt Barlow and Lance King.

The Album

Epitaph comes in at just under 62 minutes with 12 songs (one of which hits the 12 minute mark) that typify modern Melodic Prog Metal, with chunking riffs on a single dominant chord while vocals and keyboards dance over the top. While not breaking any new ground here, Pyramaze have accomplished a smart, well produced album that has many shining aspects that in the end add up to a strong release. As to be expected, the musicianship is top notch on all instruments, and the vocals are clear, melodic and catchy from the first listen.

Top Tracks

The obvious choices are “A Stroke of Magic” which opens the album following the expected keyboard intro, and also “Particle” which were both not surprisingly promoted on video as singles. One of this reviewer’s top tracks is “Transcendence” which features a guest vocal by Brittney Slayes of Unleash the Archers, wailing away in a duet with Terje Harøy. With the album already at 50 minutes, most bands would probably not end on a 12 minute epic, but Pyramaze does on “The Time Traveler” and it’s well worth the listen as former singers Matt Barlow & Lance King return to deliver great vocal performances.

Final Notes

All in all, Epitaph ticks the boxes on what Melodic Prog Metal fans would expect from such a talented group of musicians in Pyramaze. At times the songs can have a bit of sameness in structure that is a little formulaic, but given the strong vocals lines and well produced work it all comes together in a solid album. If you love Prog Metal with big melodies and epic themes, you should add Epitaph to your collection.

Lineup

Terje Harøy – Vocals
Jacob Hansen – Guitars, Bass
Jonah W. – Keyboards
Toke Skjønnemand – Guitars
Morten Gade Sørensen – Drums

Epitaph – Tracklist

01 – Epitaph
02 – A Stroke Of Magic
03 – Steal My Crown
04 – Knights In Shining Armour
05 – Bird Of Prey
06 – Your Last Call
07 – Particle
08 – Indestructible
09 – Transcendence (feat. Brittney Slayes)
10 – Final Hour
11 – World Foregone
12 – The Time Traveler (feat. Matt Barlow & Lance King)

Running time –