Metalcatto
Sometimes, I do check those emails random artists send me. Especially if it’s Thrash Metal—my first extreme love. It’s why Maidenhead‘s Maximum Clonage got my attention. The band seemed professional despite the simple email. So let’s see if being polite gets you somewhere in life. Usually it doesn’t, but I’ve gotta make a difference, right?
I’m going to make a few comparisons now. If old Arch Enemy and Oxygen Destroyer had a child that, for some odd reason, loved Megadeth, then it’d sound like Maximum Clonage. I thought this would be pure Thrash, but no—it’s heavy and ugly like a Crypta album. There’s enough technicality for you to respect the craft, but the album remains unapologetic. The artwork does justice to it: raw, aggressive, and slightly unhinged.
One of the elements that caught my attention was the mix. I’m not sure if it’s good or bad, but it feels like it has a crazy amount of reverb. Instead of feeling like a reverberant room, it’s more like a tunnel full of disturbed individuals ready to stab you. The guitars cut through, the drums punch hard, and the whole thing has a chaotic energy that fits the music perfectly. Everyone is doing their best, but jeez—the vocals are violent and truly elevate this whole thing. They’re not just aggressive; they’re genuinely menacing.
My man, all the way to the right, is just happy to be there.
I do have a few complaints, though. The album is ridiculously short, which isn’t a problem per se, but when you have an intro track that adds little to the show, you wonder if we could’ve just gotten a proper neck-breaker instead. I also admit that due to how raw the production can feel, that’s going to disgust some listeners. But overall, you’d be wrong to think these are a bunch of nobodies. I mean, they have half of old Megadeth helping here. That counts for something.
Alright, Maidenhead is the new kid on the block, which means it should be bullied until it learns its place. However, Maximum Clonage showed way more quality than I expected. It’s an album that can easily be put on again. I guess I should check my spamming folder more often—maybe there’s hope withering away in there. Not every band that emails you is worth your time, but occasionally, you find a gem.
Label: Independent
Release date: August 14th, 2026
Website: https://maidenhead666.bandcamp.com/album/maximum-clonage-3
Country: USA
Score: 3.8/5.0 (maybe a 4.0 in the future!)
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