When we’re to go into the growing realm of heavy psych, there are simply some names that we cannot ignore. Bands like King Buffalo, Daxma, Spaceslug, Green Lung, and Mothership may be some of the first that come to the minds of many, but it’s year after year that one name keeps coming up just as often if not more so due to their dedication and passion for their intoxicating craft. Hazemaze has been a rising name in the style with every release showcasing their growth and fantastic wonders wreathed is psychedelic fuzz, and it’s arguably their most recent work that earns the crown for their best yet.

It’s always tempting to call whatever the most recent creation from Hazemaze at any given time their best simply because it very much feels that way, but we can’t allow the influence of admiration and wonder cloud our judgement for what reality is. Thankfully, that’s not a problem whatsoever when we take into consideration all the grandeur that’s gone into the very whole of all that’s brought forth in “Blinded by the Wicked”, for not only is it possibly the most compelling creation from Hazemaze to date but also likely the first stupendous creation of the style that this year has thrown our way. With eight tracks of true psych-tinged glory that only holds on its offensive for a gripping and flavorful 2-minute interlude, there’s real magic sewn into the very fabric of “Blinded by the Wicked” that quickly elevates the record above much of the competition no matter what angle you’re looking at it from whether it be in terms of raw intoxication, enticing power, or just simply how well done everything feel right from the very beginning such that the end of the record feels as though it comes far too quickly. There’s no way to dance around the certifiable fact that Hazemaze has crafted a truly all-engrosssing album here with virtually every facet of the creation building off of one another transform the work into something wildly cohesive, layered, and downright enthralling by all standards with the very mysteries of “Blinded by the Wicked” adding to the wonder value of the album to only further heighten its magnificence in virtually every category.

This is the exact kind of material that makes one wonder just what exactly the band in question isn’t capable of, and that certainly goes double for what Hazemaze has made for their newest album with it absolutely taking the crown as their best work to date for its dramatic increase in heaviness, quality, riffs, psychedelia, and intoxication value that all come together beautifully to push this effort far above much of the competition simply by the end of the first track alone. The very glory of “Blinded by the Wicked” can be experienced in full force at any given moment throughout the album with it being all but immaculate in its execution and certifiably gripping even if you were to dissect this creation apart layer by layer to expose the creation for all that it is.

LISTEN to “Blinded by the Wicked” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Hazemaze on Facebook here.