Psychotic Waltz - A Social Grace (1990)

Before my brain once and for all turns to mush, I must share with you the unearthly delights of the strangely named Psychotic Waltz who are, for all intense and purposes, some type of thrash act that just happen to incorporate flutes, piano's, tambourines and wondrous grooves of psychedelia and prog into their web of sound. Fronted by Buddy Lackey and armed with two mesmerising guitarists in the form of McAlpin and Rock, here's a band that have become a cult, probably attracting more prog fans than thrash heads. Even so, don't miss this cauldron of curiosity but again, like so many albums before, this'll take several listens before one becomes enchanted by the spell. Sure, 'Nothing' has a hint of Slayer in that ominous riff, but the next minute the band sound like a thrashing Zeppelin, mixing the elements to create their own brand of unique oddness. Meklong Delta, Fates Warning and countless othersexist in this alien envirnoment, a place which will feel as cold as Hell to most, but eerily inviting to others. Even when they thrash hard there is a dreamy layer to it all, and it's certainly not the sort of album for a casual listen. hard to pin down a review for this however much I would like to try, so do give it a go, and be rendered a frothing mess at the end. There's nothing more I can say or do...

8/10