Old Psychotic Waltz Reviews

Many thanks to all these supporters of PW in the early days.
(...no, we didn't pay them )

Earliest Aslan Demo Review
German Metal Hammer '88

     "Psychotic Waltz have absolutely nothing to do with speed metal and so forth. Instead, I would without hesitation call the quintet the best I have heard up to now.
      That is largely due to the Queensryche-ish vocals of 20 year old Buddy Lackey, whose voice also sounds like a little like David DeFeis (Virgin Steele), and is most favorably suited to those compositions with complex structure and many interspersed balladesque parts.
      Whoever likes original, melodic, progressive metal should turn to this address....
Blue Meannie Records, 916 Broadway, El Cajon, CA 92021 USA"

PW Demo Review - 1989

    " Some time ago I received a demo from a friend by a band called Aslan that was amazing. I tried to get some info on them for a possible article, but this proved to be very difficult.  All of a sudden, I received a demo from a band called Psychotic Waltz, that I found out is actually Aslan. I don't know what led them to change their name, but what matters is that they are still with us.
      Musically Psychotic Waltz are, I believe, the best band in demo status in the current scene of classy metal... melodic songs, great polished heavy sound, complicated structures, original arrangements and excellent vocals!
     With influences that range from Rainbow to Fates Warning, the outcome is outstanding. All in all, a band with potential, and should not be missed..."

Metal Hammer Demo Review
Stefan Glass - 1989

Review By Mike Keneally
(Frank Zappa Guitarist!) 1990

...A Social Grace trounces Megadeth's past releases, and most other metal at that. Or maybe it's my 70's upbringing as a progressive rock geek returning to haunt me, because this music is art rock if it's anything. The songs are relentlessly episodic. The band plays in 4/4 only grudgingly and only long enough to respectably establish a groove before veering off into multi-metered mania! If you dissect the guitar playing you'll find the ghostly image of Frip a-leering. These conceits may or may not thrill you, but when they're executed this well and recorded this clearly, I don't believe you could walk away unimpressed. It's the eerily symbiotic partnership of guitarist Dan Rock and Brian McAlpin that impacts most astoundingly. Not a lead lick goes by that isn't harmonized in any one of dozens of sophisticated scaler schemes - you couldn't mistake these two for one guy and an Eventide unless you were genuinely ignorant. The egoless interplay between Rock and McAlpin is virtuosic, and their composing is a bountiful pleasure. Ward evans & Norm Leggio on bass & drums tackle the wickedly complex structures with bravado, on the aural evidence they relish the challenge of playing these tunes, and succeed. This band must live to rehearse! - Mike Keneally, San Diego Reader

San Diego Music Magazine

    "Buddy Lackey does not look like the lead singer for what could arguably be the biggest underground band in San Diego history.
     There is nothing flamboyant or pretentious about him. He's soft spoken, comfortably clad in a baggy black shirt and a pair of jeans.
    The songs he sings of which he speaks are his own. Actually, they are his with quite a bit of help from a few lifelong comrades. Together they call themselves Psychotic Waltz.
     ...All hype aside, PW's story is very impressive indeed. The bands 1st demo recorded under the name Aslan sold over 700 copies locally.
     With the help of some friends in Europe, the band's 2nd demo topped the 1500 mark. A Social Grace is even staring to make a little noise as far away as Germany & Japan!"

- Michael Davis, 1990

The San Diego Union Tribune

"For the elf in your life who can't make it to the New Year without a potent dose of heavy metal. The boys serve up everything from Metallica crunchers ("Halo of Thorns), to Jethro Tull tributes ("I Remember") and gloom-rock dirges ("In This Place") with frightening sincerity and impressive skill.
Lackey's lyrics are mostly in the Led Zep/Mythology Lite vein, but the band's hell -bent playing (extra credit to guitarists Dan Rock & Brian McAlpin) more than make up for his comic-book indulgences."

- KP, San Diego Union

Metal Prophet

"My 1st impression?...Psychotic? These guys take Ray Alder (Fates Warning), cross it with Testament-like music with a little grunge, add tambourines, flutes, pianos and African percussion--whatever that is--and blend it all into HEAVY progressive metal with an exotic twist.
There's something for everyone in this band, two thumbs up!!

-- Wendy, Metal Prophet

Slam Magazine

" One listen to this tape was all I needed to see that these guys ate appropriately monikered, "Psychotic Waltz".
The sound is gothic, haunting, and huge, a quintessential cry of tortured souls..."

- Erin McMahan

Life Of Dreams Zine

   "... received your demo tape yesterday and I think it's the absolute progressive killer tape!
     This is no joke! Your tape is the best demo I've received for a long time! Your songs are great, absolute progressive power!
   I think that this is the 1st time that I have been so enthusiastic about a band! You are the new Godness of progressive metal music!!! "

- Markus Bekemeir

Social Grace Responses...

"As far as I'm concerned, a masterpiece!"
- Sigi Emenegger, Iron Pages (Germany)

"Powerful enough to satisfy headbangers & technical enough to please every techno freak"
- Stefan Glas, Underground Empire

"I have to say that this band counts as one of the greatest hopes in the progressive sector"
- Holger Stratman, Rock Hard (Germany)

Early Reviews

Bleeding Reviews

New Reviews

Live Reviews

Interviews

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