SINAYA is one of those bands that you don’t find…they find you. These Death Metallers hailing from Sao Paulo, Brazil are the real deal, no question. And at various points throughout this disc, they totally reminded me of OBITUARY. That’s a compliment, because they are by no means ripping anyone off. But certain songs, to me, have a vibe and groove that I could totally see those wily veterans coming up with. After their 2013 EP Obscure Raids and some line-up changes, the band has seen fit to grace us with debut album Maze of Madness (August 10, Brutal Records). And I definitely welcomed this one with open arms.
The first thing you’ll probably take notice of (as I did) will be the riffage. It’s crunchy, it’s dirty, and at times it’s downright fucking neck-snapping. This is due to the tandem of Mylena Monaco (who also handles lead vocals) and Renata Petrelli on lead guitar. They will make you wade hip deep into a swamp of bloodsoaked riffs that will have you coming back for more, believe me. The rhythm section of Cynthia Tsai (drums) and Bruna Melo (bass) is equally adept, and the band is truly a cohesive unit.
Song-wise opener “Life Against Fate” is one of the first to inflict the neck damage I was referring to earlier, and “Abyss to Death” will only continue that trend. “Always Pain” starts out in very dark and evil fashion, something I always love, then it flips the selector switch from safe to semi and simply burns you down. My runaway favorite here though, is “Bath of Memories.” Everything about the way this song is executed is right up my alley. If abusing the REPEAT button was a crime, I’d be locked up by now.
“Crowd In Panic” is another bruiser with a pretty vicious right hook, while “Infernal Sight” was easily my second favorite on the record. Monaco’s vocals set a sinister tone, as the band behind her sounds like the score that accompanies you being murdered in a dark alley. “Deep In the Grave” has one of the coolest guitar sounds I’ve heard in a while, and the band sounds locked in and ready to fight. Closer “Buried By Terror” opens up those razor-sharp teeth for one final bite as the band goes for the jugular, aiming to make you bleed out.
So this was my first go ‘round with SINAYA. Suffice to say it will NOT be my last. Maze of Madness is an excellent debut from four ladies who sound Hell bent on taking the Death Metal world by storm. And if they keep putting out records like this one, that is EXACTLY what they’re gonna do. Pick this one up on August 10 wherever you buy your music. You’ll thank me. Plus, when have I steered you wrong, really?
STANDOUT TRACKS: “Bath of Memories”, “Infernal Sight”, “Life Against Fate”, “Deep In the Grave”
RATING: 9/10
