Black Maria

Opening with a clear, simple piano and airy guitar-driven track that showcases their diversity straight away, the Black Maria gladly turn away the preconceived notions you might have had before listening, mixing together the soft with glimpses of their sound to come. Singer Chris Gray’s voice has a subdued quality to it that is mellow and flows gently alongside the band’s sound, then breaks away with strength and a hurt quality that screams out in a way that changes up the sound and takes it to a higher plain. The third track, "Call to Arms,” opens up with guitars that get you moving even before the lyrics take shape and the call for revenge rings out. This is solid rock with a hardened edge, and these boys from Toronto have got just the right blend of heavy and catchy while still managing to find their own sound and excelling at it.