With the UK’s Progressive/Tech Metal scene growing ever bigger and ever more packed, a band that provides any form of new ideas is surely going to be a welcome addition, right? On paper, Mask Of Judas sounds like an intriguing prospect which should offer some wide appeal with their brand of progressive metal with vocals that range from the recognisable growls to contemporary pop and R&B. The sad reality, however, is that, at very best, debut album The Mesmerist (self-released) can only be described as a mixed bag.

One positive the band has is that the aforementioned vocals, courtesy of Jo Challen, definitely make them stand out and does offer a range and diversity in delivery. However, much like ketchup and ice cream, some things just don’t mix; and for much of The Mesmerist, Challen’s vocals feel more juxtaposing and even gimmicky, rather than fully embedded or natural. This isn’t necessarily aided by an often mismatched musical background, such as on ‘Human’ where it feels like voice and guitars are jostling for space rather than complimenting each other; all of which is a shame as there are to occasional moments such as ‘Gravity’ where things begin to feel a bit more settled and Challen can actually showcase her strong and dynamic vocals with less distraction.

Aside from these vocal clashes, The Mesmerist is lacking in strong ideas and ends up in cookie cutter Tech Metal territory, with plenty of technical showing off and ever-moving fretwork but without producing any real hook or substantial song whatsoever. Even the lead single ‘The Conspirator’ proves utterly forgettable even after many listens.

Mask Of Judas should at least be celebrated for making an effort to stand out from the crowd, but the fact that innovation consists of one, mostly poorly executed idea and nothing else, then maybe these aren’t the ones to take the Progressive Metal world to new heights after all.

4.0/10

CHRIS TIPPELL