MAYAN — Antagonise (review)

MAYAN — Antagonise album cover Album · 2014 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
Kev Rowland
There are times that when a band is described as being part of a sub-genre that in itself is part of another sub-genre that one just wants to not bother listening to the album, as how on earth can that be right? Well, back with their second album Mayan prove again just how wrong that idea can be, as what we have here is a Symphonic Death Metal band who are exactly that. Originally this started as a project conceived by Mark Jansen (Epica) and his old friend, Jack Driessen (ex-After Forever), and they put together a band with some guest singers (including current Nightwish vocalist Floor Jansen). Well, Floor is back again for this album, but there has been a firming of the ranks and there are now seven full-time members, three of whom are singers.

Songs such as “Insano” allow soprano Laura Macri to show her paces, but for the most part her role is to provide support to the main leads of Mark Jansen (grunts and screams) and Henning Basse. Musically there is a great deal going on, and the guys aren’t afraid to bring out the acoustic when the time is right, but for the most part this is brutal metal with keyboards being orchestrated to bring an over the top appeal to the material. It is polished, and extremely complex, but there are times such as with “Human Sacrifice” where the symphonic passages are used to highlight just how heavy and strong these guys can be when they want to.

There have been a few albums in this style recently, and when bands get it right I am stunned at just how bombastic and intense this can be. To say that Mayan have it right is something of an understatement as this is everything one could wish for with an album, with great songs, wonderful musical performances and vocals, while the production is also top rate. This is definitely worth discovering. www.nuclearblast.de
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

For Those Who Breathe From Darkness Metalcore
OATHSWAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Terror Butcher Goregrind
TERROR BUTCHER
Buy this album from MMA partners
About Life Sludge Metal
THROATSNAPPER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Bag Seeker Sludge Metal
BORER
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Stygian Rose Traditional Doom Metal
CRYPT SERMON
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Throatsnapper - Brilliant Insane (official video)
THROATSNAPPER
Bosh66· 12 hours ago
Throatsnapper - Getting even (official video)
THROATSNAPPER
Bosh66· 12 hours ago
From Wood To Gallows (official)
THROATSNAPPER
Bosh66· 12 hours ago
Throatsnapper - Why (official video)
THROATSNAPPER
Bosh66· 12 hours ago
Median - Turn Back Time (Official Music Video)
MEDIAN (TRE)
Bosh66· 21 hours ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed