Album Review: Psychotic Waltz – The God-Shaped Void

In another universe, the technical sorcery of 1990’s criminally overlooked masterpiece A Social Grace would have propelled San Diego prog-metallers Psychotic Waltz along a similar upward trajectory as Dream Theater. In this one, it didn’t, but the pioneering quintet here return from a lengthy hiatus by going bigger and heavier with their fifth outing, The God-Shaped Void, a moniker perfectly befitting the record’s celestial operatics.

Though missing the exuberant eccentricity that coursed through their earlier records, the stellar power behind songs like Devils And Angels and While The Spiders Spin is bolstered by a high-concept grandiosity and an immaculate production. There’s so much precision behind every carefully-crafted blow, particularly from vocalist Devon Graves, that you realise there’s plenty of fight left and also the conviction needed to keep evolving.

A cult concern they may remain, but this simply means Psychotic Waltz are a prog-metal gem waiting to be discovered.

Verdict: 3/5