MaYaN
Quarterpast
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Tracklist:
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01. Symphony Of Aggression
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7:49
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02. Mainstay Of Society
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5:25
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03. Quarterpast
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1:35
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04. Course Of Life
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6:10
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05. The Savage Massacre
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5:28
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06. Essenza Di Te
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2:06
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07. Bite The Bullet
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5:19
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08. Drown The Demon
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5:00
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09. Celibate Aphrodite
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7:20
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10. War On Terror
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4:25
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Release: 20.05.2011
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11. Tithe
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0:52
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12. Sinner's Last Retreat
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7:39
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Label: Nuclear Blast
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Format: Jewelcase-CD
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Line-Up:
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Links:
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Mark Jansen
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Grunts
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MaYaN Homepage
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Frank Schiphorst
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Gitarre
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MaYaN @ Facebook
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Isaac Delahaye
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Gitarre
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Rob van der Loo
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Bass
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Jack Driessen
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Keyboard
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Arien van Weesenbeek
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Drums
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Gastsänger:
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Floor Jansen, Laura Macri
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Simone Simons, Henning Basse
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MaYaN is a new band but consists of well-known musicians. Together with some fellows Mark Jansen (Epica) formed this project at the beginning of 2010. Due to the busy schedule of Sander Gommans and Jeroen Paul Thesseling changes in the line-up were necessary before the release of the CD, but now the band is in its ultimate form and ready to present the songs of Quarterpast live. The CD hit the street on April 20th, 2011, via Nuclear Blast. The album was produced by Sascha Paeth.
The musicians who will be live on stage on May 19th are many and all of them are top-class: the guitarists Mark Jansen, Frank Schiphorst and Isaac Delahaye, bassist Rob van der Loo, keyboarder Jack Driessen and drummer Ariën van Weesenbeek. The Netherlands may have problems when it comes to soccer, but when it comes to music they are great! I leave out the names of the former bands of the guys or the names of the bands where they still play today, 'cause this music mix offers stuff of some bands but isn't comparable at all - this is MaYaN. If you're not able to assign the names to the bands, please scroll down and read the info below this review...
All vocals are sung by guest vocalists. On Quarterpast you can hear Floor Jansen (ReVamp), Simone Simons (Epica), Henning Basse (Sons Of Seasons) and the Italian opera singer Laura Macrì, Mark Jansen is responsible for the screams and grunts. I cannot cope with all screams/grunts - in general and regardless of what term you use for this kind of roaring. As long as I'm able to understand the lyrics, I like it. But if it sounds like a crowd of Orks running through my apartment... no thanks! And why writing lyrics if they are grunt and sound a bit like gobbledygook, impossible to understand? To cap it all off, the bafflegab is sometimes combined with musicians who seem to think "you won't catch the last bus, unless you get a move on!" This is the moment I want to escape and save myself by pressing "stop". But the music of MaYaN doesn't need that! Grunts are presented in different styles and I'm able to understand the lyrics, but have to smile while hearing two of them, 'cause they remind me of Riff Raff from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" or Gollum from "Lord Of The Rings" ;-) I really like it!!!
The genre is called Symphonic Progressive Metal, sometimes Death Metal and, well, sorry, I don't agree. The album offers a very interesting mixture of different sections of metal/rock music. Pretty hard, pretty heavy, with driving drums, booming basses, blasting guitars, superb solos, magnificent riffs, symphonic keyboards. But there are also beautiful and gentle moments, orchestras and piano parts, experimental sounds, opera vibes and a lot more - mostly everything packed in one track 'cause they are often nested into each other, with changing hardness. All are in some way melodic and offer a remarkable length. The great voices of Floor, Simone, Laura and Henning - singing alone, all together, only two of them, etc, combined in several ways, with wild grunts and screams, spoken parts... it always sounds perfect. The mix is hard to describe, you have to listen to it! It's a fascinating blend. A mixture that is always surprising, inspiring, thrilling, that makes you listen closely and don't miss a tune. It's no CD you play quietly in the background and I'm really curious how and if this works live!!!
You should listen to:
Bite The Bullet – this really rocks. Henning Basse is great, all voices and instruments are brought in perfect harmony. This is my No.1 of the album. 5:19 really special minutes!!!
Course Of Life – the changes between a clear voice and the grunts are top-notch, the interaction of the instruments, pretty hard and really soft, many changes in tempo - this is very well done. And here you hear what I already mentioned above... the Riff Raff / Gollum grunts ;-)
The Savage Massacre – this track starts pretty heavy, with brutal grunts, but changes to opera singing and back and in between we have a rendezvous with the other singers supported by excellent guitar parts.
What I don't like: two extremely short tracks that could be the beginning or the end of one of the other tracks. The song Essenza Di Te - that's too much opera style for me, I don't like that, sorry, and I don't like it between the others. I always skip this song.
In summary, this a special listening experience tracked on a very high level. A tremendous first work with plenty of potential. And there will also be a brilliant second album some day...
I rate with>
Rating:
6 out of 7 Ankhs
Marion Ney / Sarkophag Rocks 10.05.2011
Translation by Susanne Blum
Mark Jansen > Epica, ex-After Forever Jack Driessen> ex-After Forever Frank Schiphorst> Symmetry, Marcel Coenen & Friends, Christmas Metal Symphony Isaac Delahaye> Epica, ex-God Dethroned Rob van der Loo> ex-Sun Caged, ex-Delain Ariën van Weesenbeek> Epica, ex-God Dethroned
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