We wanted to post this review a couple of weeks ago and apologize for the delay. Fact is, I wasn’t able to get out of my chair, since Dhyana blasted me into it. Dyana is MaYaN’s third album and hardly disappoints. Even after listening a couple of times, the record keeps me mezmerized and entertained througout. This is all thanks to the complexity and diversity of the album.
Naturally, MaYaN has their own sound, with a diversity of band members. Sometimes it’s easy to link song in style to different bands. Yet during Dhyana, I was reminded of Fleshgod Apocalypse, Epica, Ayreon, Therion and more. And sometimes this even happened during just one song. Right from the start, ‘The Rhythm of Freedom‘ doesn’t give you time to sit back and relax. It starts off with an ominous instrumental, after which fast paced drums and heavy guitars throw you back into your chair. Once Henning Basse sings “I have the Pooooooweerrrrrrr”, it’s hard not to lift your fist into the air and act accordingly.
Maybe that’s the best way to discribe Dhyana, during the whole record, you feel like you could be in the middle of a powerful theatrical play, with tons of things happening around you. That’s because the album has so many layers and dynamic plays.
Between all the power and heavy hitters, we get a slow break in the form of title track ‘Dhyana‘. Especially when Laura Macri and Marcele Bovio join forces, goosebumps appear. Only to be brought back into the aggressive tone and fast pace of ‘Rebirth from Despair‘. Yet somehow, this song is so perfectly built up with simple touches as some classic female singing, a slow bit with clean vocals and back to the raw grunting power.
For me, ‘The Power Pricess‘ was one of the lesser songs on the album. It feels a bit simple compared to the rest. It still fits into the journey Dhyana is taking you on. Before you know it, the album has come to an end with ‘Set Me Free‘, and the songs actually feels like it’s the end of a theater play.
Dhyana is one big journey in which there are so many aspects to be discovered. The combination of the orchestra, grunts by Mark Jansen and George Oosthoek, other vocalists and composition of the tracks truly make this a masterpiece.
Words by Michael B.
Label: Nuclear Blast
Release date: Sept 21, 2018
Rating: 95/100
Tracklisting:
1. The Rhythm of Freedom
2. Tornado of Thoughts (I Don’t Think Therefore I Am)
3. Saints don’t Die
4. Dhyana
5. Rebirth from Despair
6. The Power Process
7. The Illusory Process
8. Satori
9. Maya (The Veil of Delusion)
10. The Flaming Rage of God
11. Set me Free