learn the ins and outs of music making. After years of covering other artists, they started writing their own music. "Hyper Reels" is the band's third album and is meant to be an exploration of the parallels between consciousness and technological advancement. Well, let's see if we can find our lyric sheet to follow along with Matt Cutrara's screaming for our trip through "Hyper Reels."

The first thing that's bothering me is the vocal style. I know there are several vocalists who switch between clean and scream. It's difficult to pull off. And, unfortunately, I don't feel like Matt Cutrara does a super great job. I love his screaming. He's a good screamer. But every time he switches to clean I kind of want to punch the speakers. I just don't feel like the tone of his clean voice matches the style of the music at all. It's too much of a jump and it disconnects me from the music. It's so distracting.

"Departed" is a great track musically. These guys are playing off of each other perfectly. Having started out as a cover band they would obviously know the mechanics of having those conversations where one says, "okay, while I play widdly widdly wah, you play bah bah ba dah." And being able to have those conversations can make for some beautiful and complex music. I firmly believe that Tomas Haake and Fredrik Thordendal sit and have entire conversations that are nothing but weird instrument noises because they construct some of the most beautifully complex music on Earth. And if you disagree with my assessment of their genius I'll meet you out back and we'll settle this like Men. Hold my pretty purse. I feel like I can definitely tell these guys got their start as a cover band. Their music is bland and I don't hear much style to set them apart from the crowd. Yes, you clearly spent the time and dedication to practice and model yourself after the Greats but you haven't made the instruments your own. That's the difference between skill and Talent. The difference between a mimic and a Great. These guys have skill but no zazz. No Greatness.

I've reached "Flesh Engine" and so far none of the tracks have had me nodding my head or tapping my feet. Lame. Honestly the biggest thing I can focus on is how distracting the vocals are and how I wish dude would just scream and not sing. But I'm also an elitist, nitpicking nerd who prefers instrumental music in the first place so maybe I'm just being a jerk?

Overall, the album is not bad. It's not great. I have no strong feelings one way or the other to tell the truth. The guys are all skilled musicians that play well. The music is well put together and the songs are well written. It just doesn't enchant me. It doesn't give me that excited feeling and you all know what I mean. But I am a complainer by trade. So maybe you should judge MAITREYA and "Hyper Reels" for yourself.