THE GOD-SHAPED VOID

Twenty-four years after the final part of a quartet of monumental albums, Psychotic Waltz returned for another bite at the cherry. It was a long time in the making since the reunion was announced and the subsequent tremendous tour that the fans will remember until the end of their days. As a huge fan of PW I got the album immediately after it was released...but the enthusiasm wasn't remotely close to what I had experienced so far.

My biggest disappointment is the lack of imagination. Most of the rhythmic parts consist of power chords whereas in the past their pallete was much wider and much more colourful. In a sense, they took it up where they left it off on Bleeding minus the versatily the latter was loaded with because here everything is in perfect order and the surprising twists and turns are nowhere to be heard. Surely I don't hold it as a bad album, funny thing is I still spin it quite often as if I'm still hoping that it will reveal me some of hidden qualities. It's just that if I was to compile a best-of album, no track here would make the cut. The King Crimson-esque Demystified always draws my attention a bit more, but I have to stress that there is a clear nod to The Court of the Crimson King. Aside this, everything else is more or less on the same level, nothing awfully bad, but nothing too exciting. A last complaint is that the work on the solos is lacking seriously, too. It would be interesting to know if they have plans for a follow-up where I could draw safer conclusions if it would be better to have left their legacy as it was. I love Psychotic Waltz no end, but if I was ever asked to convert someone into their music, The God-Shaped Void would be out of the picture.

The two stars reflect mostly how much it falls short relatively to their first four albums.

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