PSYCHOTIC WALTZ

(UNITED STATES)

INTO THE EVERFLOW

(1992)
LABEL:

METAL BLADE RECORDS

GENRE:

PROGRESSIVE METAL

TAGS:
Experimental, High-pitched vocals, Hovering, Intimist, Psychedelic, Technical
"Destined, in the years to come, to be finally recognized as one of the cornerstones of the genre, here is an absolutely remarkable album, that every progressive metal lover must have in his collection."
VAL (01.07.2009)  
5/5
(0) opinions (0) comment(s)
After the critical success of their first LP, "A Social Grace", and after a few dates in Europe, Buddy Lackey and his band of gentle lunatics were about to go back into the studio in 1991, when Dan Rock almost died climbing, leaving him unfit to play guitar or keyboard for eight months. This was a hard blow for this young band, still fragile on a human level, but one that was overcome by a collective sure of its potential - Dan Rock was one of the magicians behind the album's mix. Supported by a new European label (Dream Circle Records), and with the cooperation of Ralph Hubert (aka Mr. Mekong Delta) as producer, Psychotic Waltz enters the Phoenix Studio in Herne, Germany, with the firm intention of transforming the try.

And it will be done. Through the 8 tracks of the album, the band literally takes off and purifies an already convincing recipe. Dan Rock's accident, and a multitude of other events from their daily life, give the musicians the desire and the inspiration to realize a performance that will not be so much technical as truly artistic. 

'Into The Everflow' is the story of a bygone adolescence, and a jubilant maturity, each of the contributors here contributing to the development of an already strong identity, to bring the band to its best level. It's not by chance that this album remains for fans one of the greatest albums of the genre, while being, like a certain "Images And Words", one of the first. All the elements of Psychotic Waltz's music are indeed present, tenfold, refined, mastered. Lackey, always the main (not to say exclusive) lyricist, uses his haunting voice to write texts alternating sharp words and metaphors bordering on abstraction. Ward Evans and Norm Leggio, rhythmic pillars of a rare solidity, sketch out tortured structures on which Brian McAlpin and Dan Rock develop ambiences sometimes of a darkness they're not used to (the terrible riffs of "Freakshow", "Little People" or "Out of Mind"), sometimes of a divine lightness, almost unreal ("Ashes", "Butterfly"). Their parallel evolutions are the backbone of this album, syncopated and melodic, cascades of notes both dissonant and harmonious. The climax of this approach, of the album and maybe even of the band is in the title track, where after an unexpected break, a strange riff soon doubled evolves into a crazy, dark and tetanizing crescendo. 

4 minutes of anthology that would almost by themselves justify the high rating this album receives today, which not only symbolizes its intrinsic quality but also aims at honouring the memory of a band that will remain, despite this absolute masterpiece, in the shadow. In this respect, we must once again salute the 2004 re-releases on Metal Blade: Into The Everflow comes with a bonus CD containing not only the demos of the album, but also the very first demo of the band, when it was still called Aslan. An initiative that may have allowed some people to enter the Psychotic Waltz universe... Destined, in the years to come, to be finally recognized as one of the cornerstones of the genre, here is an absolutely remarkable album, that every progressive metal lover must have in his collection.
- Official website

TRACK LISTING:
01. Ashes - 05:09
02. Out Of Mind - 04:46
03. Tiny Streams - 05:05
04. Into The Everflow - 08:22
05. Little People - 04:05
06. Hanging On A String - 03:37
07. Freakshow - 05:41
08. Butterfly - 09:21

LINEUP:
Brian McAlpin: Guitares / Gutare acoustique
Buddy Lackey: Chant / Claviers / Flûte, guitare acoustique, piano
Dan Rock: Guitares / Guitares acoustiques 6 et 12 cordes, piano, vibraslap
Norm Leggio: Batterie / Percussions
Ward Evans: Basse / Tambourin
   
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