MASQUED were formed in 2014 and they are from Houston, Texas. The progressive, symphonic Metal outfit released their sophomore album "When Demons Call", which has a length of about 59 minutes. The album was released via Romanian label Sleaszy Rider Records, which have many Hard Rock and Metal bands among their current roster. The album starts with "Around The Mountain", which is a mid-tempo song, driven by sharp guitar riffing and the orchestral arrangements. It is a heavy track with a lot of double-bass drumming included. The arrangements are more in the background supporting the overall sound of the track. The vocals of Steffany Johnston are cleans around the medium end of the vocal range with some tonal shifts towards higher notes during the end of the track. Mostly, the vocals are relatively monotone with little variation in "Around The Mountain". Highlight is the excellent lead guitar solo.

"No Slave" starts with powerful riffing and plenty of oriental vibes in the melodies. It is another song driven by the guitars, the drums, and the vocals, where the orchestral arrangements stay in the background. Steffany Johnston has some harsh vocal support by bassist Shane Debuse. There is an extended break introducing another cool lead guitar solo. "No Slave" is in my view an early album highlight. "Out Of Time" opens with thunderous riffing at a measured tempo with a head-banging rhythm. The melodies are grim, and the track is super heavy. Again, "Out Of Time" is driven by the guitar riffing, the lead guitars, and the drums, even if the track as a short and quiet break. "Crucified" is a slow song, which starts very quiet with a tension-building sequence. It is a powerful ballad with dark, but catchy melodies. The voice of Steffany Johnston is perfectly suited for a track like this, as she can show her vocal range and her versatility. "Crucified" is one of the best songs on the album. After an interesting cover version of the FATE WARNING song "Point Of View", "Killing It All" starts with an extended instrumental part driven by the guitars. The song has somehow different vibes compared to the previous tracks. The guitars and the vocals very much dominate the track, where Shane Debuse does much more than backing vocal contributions. The main vocals have more variety compared to many other tracks on the album with many tonal shifts. "Killing It All" has hardly any notable orchestral arrangements.

"Fight To Live" starts quiet, but it does not take long to come to life for the track. It is mostly a mid-tempo track with a few shifts in tempo and rhythm. The vocals include many higher notes, and again, Steffany Johnston has vocal support. "Fight To Live" is not an easy-to-listen track, despite the almost sing-along chorus part. There are many shifts in the melodies and song structure; and the track includes many progressive sound elements. The title song has a quiet start with the guitars, strings, and the vocals for the first verse part. There is a transition to a heavier chorus part with bass and drums joining in, but "When Demons Call" is a quiet song with a few ballad-esque features. The lead guitar solo is certainly a highlight of the track. Although there is no official video release of the album yet, "When Demons Call" is available on YouTube, and the link is provided below. "Fortress" starts with tight and heavy guitar riffing at mid-tempo. It is one of the hard-hitting tracks including a lot of double-bass drumming and crunching basslines. There are few arrangements at times, which contribute very well to the track. Highlight is the versatility of Steffany Johnston, who leads excellently through the track. "Fortress" is in my opinion one of the best album tracks.

The powerful riffing and the piano that acts as a counterpoint during the verse parts drive "Forsaken". It is a track at a measured tempo, where the arrangements have a bit more weight compared to most songs on the album. The song has a complex structure with many twists in the sound. The only constant is the recurring piano theme. "Faceless One" starts with a short piano pre-lude, transitioning into thunderous riffing, supported by the drums that include many short double-bass sequences. The final song of the album is another track driven by the heaviness of the guitars. It is with more than seven minutes the longest track on the album, and there are many subtle shifts in rhythm and tempo. Despite the complexity, the chorus parts have catchy melodies. Highlight is another cool lead guitar solo.

MASQUED deliver a very interesting album. "When Demons Call" is not an easy-to-listen album. The description of progressive, symphonic Metal is not fully justified; it is rather a modern Metal album with a lot of progressive elements and a bit of symphonic support in the sound. It is a guitar-driven album with the riffing and the lead guitars being the strengths of the songs. The sound of the album is in parts complex and Steffany Johnston leads though the track excellently. The album is well produced. "When Demons Call" is not an album for everyone, but it is a high-quality album, which will be loved by progressive modern Metal fans.