𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐒 - 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐌 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊 & 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋…
On November 26, 1990, Psychotic Waltz debuted with their independently financed album A Social Grace.
Background:
The bands debut was released in Europe via a licensing deal with the German label Rising Sun Productions. A Social Grace was very well received in Europe, being named album of the month in some European magazines. The situation in the US was more difficult, as the album was released under the band's own Sub Sonic Records label. With practically no promotion and minimal distribution, it remained an extremely underground item.
Psychotic Waltz have a tendency to navigate towards the darker side of things in their lyrical content. A Social Grace is ominous in its message. It is reluctantly courteous to those who are ignorant of what lies ahead.
A Social Grace was initally released on both CD, vinyl and picture vinyl. The CD release features 3 bonus tracks, not featured on the vinyl editions. Metal Blade Records picked the album up for a CD re-release in 2004 packed with the band´s third full-length studio album Mosquito (1994).
The songs on A Social Grace are guitar and vocal driven Prog Metal, with the band leaning towards a Power / Thrash Metal aesthetic, while incorporating Psychedelic Rock influences into their music. The album is keyboard infused without dominating the music on the album (slightly emphasizing the albums atmosphere). The dual guitars compliment each other in the harmony and lead sections. Front and center though, are the dominating and powerful vocals of Devon Graves’ (known at the time as Buddy Lackey), demanding the attention of their listeners.
In May of 1991, in support of A Social Grace the band appeared at the Dynamo Festival in the Netherlands.
After the tour, the band's guitarist, Dan Rock, suffered a near-fatal accident after falling 40 feet (12 m) from the underside of a bridge while rappelling.
About Psychotic Waltz:
Psychotic Waltz started out as 𝗔𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻 in 1985, but changed their name in 1986. The band were initially active in the period 1986-1997 and released four studio albums between 1990 and 1996. They didn´t achieve any noteworthy commercial success in their initial run, but gained a strong cult following, that among other things enabled them to tour Europe several times. Psychotic Waltz reunited in 2010.
Click this link to purchase A Social Grace via Bandcamp: https://psychoticwaltz.bandcamp.com/album/a-social-grace
Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells
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