Max Pie – Initial Process CD review

Belgium based Max Pie are a progressive metal act that are only just getting the credit they deserve. Since forming in 2005, the band have gone on numerous tours, played numerous festivals, but unfortunately only waited until 2011 to record their debut album. Now in 2012, Max Pie have finally released their killer debut album entitled Initial Process. An album chock full of Symphony X styled songs, but with a singer who is miles better. By combining fast pounding guitar riffs, catchy as hell songs and a singer who has the wow factor; Initial Process is one of the finest debut releases from a metal band in the past ten years. This is how heavy metal should sound. Fast, heavy and powerful!

First things first is to note how extremely talented singer Tony is. He has an extremely powerful voice, projecting his well distinguished and emotional voice through tracks like ‘A Soldiers Dead’, ‘Like a September Day’ and ‘Come to My Grave’. He is one of the most talented vocalists in melodic metal, giving vocalists such as Fabio Lione, Russell Alan and Nils K. Rue a run for their money. Tony’s voice is suited for all different types of songs. There are lots of different styles of songs on Initial Process, and from the power metal anthem, to the power ballad, Tony puts everything into every note, blowing his lungs out as well as blowing the listeners ears out.

Initial Process is an all killer no filler album, made up of eight extremely catchy melodic metal anthems. From the chant along chorus of ‘Crawlin’, to the pummelling, distorted riffs of ‘Formatted Mind’ and ‘Lords of Darkness’, Max Pie have you eating out of the palms of their hands, hooking you like a snake charmer as you bang your head at 100mph to the heavy, pounding guitar lines in the background.

This is only Max Pie’s first album, and from listening to Initial Process, it is clear that there is a long and bountiful future ahead of Belgium’s prog metal heroes. By writing songs like ‘A Soldiers Dead’ and ‘In the Air’, Max Pie show just how talented they are as musicians and song writers, pushing the boundaries out and making this record an extremely special one. If album one is A* standard, 100% brilliant, then I can’t wait to hear what their next one will sound like……… One thing’s for sure, it’ll make you want to bang your head and throw the horns.

If you get the chance to see Max Pie at the up and coming SOS festival in July – Then do it. This album was written in mind of being played live, and when every single one of these songs drops from the PA, I can’t wait to see the mosh pit rise. Heavy metal has never been so good, and Max Pie are on top form, and this is only album one! [9/10]

About Del Preston

So there I am, in Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, at about 3 o'clock in the morning, looking for one thousand brown M&Ms to fill a brandy glass, or Ozzy wouldn't go on stage that night. So, Jeff Beck pops his head 'round the door, and mentions there's a little sweet shop on the edge of town. So - we go. And - it's closed. So there's me and Keith Moon and David Crosby, breaking into that little sweet shop, eh. Well, instead of a guard dog, they've got this bloody great big Bengal tiger. I managed to take out the tiger with a can of mace, but the shop owner and his son, that's a different story altogether. I had to beat them to death with their own shoes. Nasty business really. But sure enough, I got the M&Ms and Ozzy went on stage and did a great show.