Review TYMO ‘The Art of a Maniac’

Edmonton, Canada isn’t just the home of one of the best ice hockey teams. The headquarter of thrash metallers TYMO is also based in Alberta. TYMO started in 2014 and released two longplayers to date. These days the third longplayer has been unleashed to excite metalheads all over the world.

TYMO is purely based on dedication and strong commitment to metal music. The band can’t count on the support of a label and released all three longplayers independently. The flipside of not having been signed by a label is the full creative freedom the quartet has and ‘The Art of a Maniac’ reflects this unbound dedication for thrash metal.

In total nine blasting metal tracks is what builds the tracklist of this album. Inspired by the Bay-Area sound of the early days, TYMO reminds in parts of bands like Exodus and it is hard to imagine that the guys started as a hard rock band. Screaming guitars, heavy riffs, aggressive vocals, and a solid speed, that is what describes the songs on ‘The Art of a Maniac’ best. These guys just know the gas-pedal and the brake is totally overrated in their interpretation of music. Listening to the galloping ‘Estrogenocide’ makes you really wonder why this band isn’t signed yet.

Although most of the tracks are pretty fast, TYMO also knows how to handle a slower riff with power and heaviness. ‘War Beneath the Skull’ is with four minutes a rather long track on the album and comes also with a certain progressive factor that almost creates a bit of a contrast to the other blasts on the album.

To sum up: ‘The Art of a Maniac’ is a thrilling thrash metal album that doesn’t reinvent the wheel of metal. It is the pure energy that drives these songs, tracks that unfold their dynamic and powerful vibe right away. It’s just what you need for a good metal party.