FADING AZALEA is essentially the brain child of multi-instrumentalist OLIVIA BING, who comes from Göteborg in Sweden who started the project back in 2013. The Album "Maze of Melancholy" was released all the way back in 2017 through the WORM HOLE DEATH record label. "Reverie Funeste" things off as an instrumental with mix of piano and strings. It then fades into the next song IN THE NAME OF JUSTICE. The song is a good mix with classical and melodic death metal sections. The drums here sound thunderous and you will hear that throughout the rest of this album. This song also features guest vocals from Rafael Basto (FROM UNLIT FACE) which adds a great contrast of vocals with angelic and demonic voices.

Next up is "Heart of Darkness", a song with a real Viking vibe to its metal riffs and a really good blend of synth mixed in as well. "Surface" is another good track, here it sounds like Angelic beauty trying to find its way through all the chaos. Its almost bipolar in the sense that it switches back and forth between clean and calm style to fast, heavy and darkness. "Time to Realize", all I can really say about this one is that its just a really great song with great arrangements. Truly one to check out. "Dying Paraside" feels like a ballad of sorts at times. Its filled with beautiful melodic sections and another highlight listen to on "Maze of Melancholy." Another track to check out is "Here I am Again" a song baring the soul of FADING AZALEA with melody through heavy music.

is just a gorgeous piano ballad with decent vocal work added from Olivia Bing. It sort of sets us up for the closing track which then comes next. Where I Belong" is gloomy with great guitar work including that epic sounding guitar solo. At times this song is very progressive with a very operatic vocal work for its outro. This is the true highlight of the album for me.

"Maze of Melancholy" is an album filled with killer guitar tones, thunderous drums and tender moments from its piano sections. It's a good mix of at times black metal, symphonic metal, gothic, classical, and progressive all mixed into one. Only negative thing I can think of is that for me personally I would like to hear more from the vocals, found them to be a little low in the mix and like them to be higher as to truly represent what a great sing voice is present here. But that being said this is an album filled with some great songs and wonderful arrangements that is a real treat for the listener.