BATTLECREEK hailing from Bavaria, Germany were formed in 2004. The Thrash Metal outfit release only their third full-length album. It was produced by Chris Schmid and recorded at the Bavarian 48Nord Studios. The album has a length of about 46 minutes, and it was released via German label MDD Records, which has many melodic Death Metal and Thrash Metal bands among their current roster. The album opens with a short acoustic intro accompanied by a spoken word passage leading into “Implosion Of The Sun”. It is a fast traditional Thrash Metal song with tight guitar riffing and crunching basslines. While the verse parts are blisteringly fast, the tempo and rhythm are slowed down a bit for the chorus parts. The mid-tempo break is thunderous and paves the way for an extended lead guitar solo that starts at mid-tempo, but quickly bursts into crazy pace. The vocals are harsh and vary only slightly somewhere between the medium and higher end of the vocal range. A few deep growls are added now and then. “King Of Rats” is a mid-tempo track with a few subtle changes in tempo and rhythm. The vocals sound very similar to the opener, but an extra dimension is added by the background vocals. It is a track with a few Rock vibes in the riffing and in parts of the lead guitar solo. The title song “Maze Of The Wind” is another fast track during the verse parts and mid-tempo during the chorus parts. The guitars provide a typical tight Thrash Metal riffing, while the vocals have a few more tonal shifts towards higher pitched notes. Highlight of the track is the extended lead guitar solo. “Knockout In The First Round” is a mixture of fast and mid-tempo parts, where the verse parts are frantic. The mid-tempo break starts with powerful riffing that includes a few oriental vibes and eventually transitions into another cool lead guitar solo. “Knockout In The First Round” is the official video release, and the YouTube link is provided below.

 “The Cords Of Death” is a short acoustic and atmospheric intro leading into the fast and devastating “Thou Shalt Not Kill”. The riffing is crushing, but also playful. The chorus parts are driven by relentless double-bass drumming. The vocals have again background vocal support, which adds something extra to the main vocals, which are most often one-dimensional. “Slaves To The Virtual God” has a powerful start with thunderous riffing and crunching basslines. It is a track that varies around mid-tempo with a few twists in tempo and rhythm. Very prominent are the strong basslines, which drive the track forward. The extended lead guitar solo is once again the highlight of the track. “Granvilles Hammer” is another fast track with a few twists in tempo towards mid-tempo. The track has many Heavy Metal vibes, because there is a guest vocal appearance of Philly Byrne (GAMA BOMB), who provides a much-needed change in the vocals. “To The Gallows” is an acoustic inter-lude with a lot of neo-classical inspirations. “Pleasures Of The Hangman” is a head-banger at a measured tempo with crushing basslines and powerful riffing. However, that only lasts until the break, where the tempo is raised towards crazy speed and maintained until the end. The chorus parts of the track have a certain catchiness and almost anthemic chorus lines. “Border Patrol” is one of the fastest album tracks with tight riffing. While I have not been overly impressed by the vocals due to their one-dimensionality, here they fit perfectly to the track as they make the track sound very hectic, an attribute which is beneficial for the song. The background vocals add something extra once again. The album finishes with “Goliaths Revenge” and the track starts with a short acoustic intro and dark melodies. It is an instrumental, driven by powerful guitar riffing and the strong basslines at mid-tempo. There are extended lead guitar parts, which have a few classical vibes at times. “Goliaths Revenge” is a good way to end the album.

BATTLECREEK deliver their first album since almost 10 years, and it is a good one. “Maze Of The Mind” is driven by good guitar work in both, the riffing and the solos. In terms of the sound, the tempo, and the melodies, “Maze Of The Mind” has a good variety ranging from fast traditional Thrash Metal towards mid-tempo songs with different vibes. The vocals cannot quite keep up with this as they provide almost one tonality on the entire album. The few growls and background vocals help to compensate for that, but altogether more versatility is something I had hoped for. The album is well produced. “Maze Of The Mind” will have its share of Thrash Metal fans and they will be excited to see BATTLECREEK playing the new material live.