Key Tracks: “Maximum Clonage,” “Magia Obscura”

Boston has a long and rich history producing metal bands, including the likes of Converge and Hatebreed. But much of the New England scene was a mutation of the robust 80’s hardcore movement. Lately, there hasn’t been much of a metal scene beyond scattershot groups. Maidenhead are here to change that. The Massachusetts & Rhode Island-based group deftly blends metals death and thrash on their second album, Maximum Clonage. Guitarist and backing vocalist Zack Roberts founded Maidenhead back in 2013, but the line-up on Clonage is all relatively new. Drummer Andre Forero joined in 2017, guitarist Vance Simmons and singer Zeping “Bella” Song came aboard in 2024, and bassist Lawrence Lee is newly in the band as of this year. This updated unit is brutal and tight, and fresh energy allows Roberts to keep things energetic and original.

There are a million and one metal bands out there, because there are fans that are always plumbing the depths for the hot new shit. As metal festival lineups grow larger and even more illegible, bands have to find ways to stand out. Maidenhead do so in one of the most obvious ways – crossing the genre streams. Clonage hops effortlessly between thrash and death metal, in a way that probably makes the genre purists hold their noses. The band incorporates death metal snarls into songs like “Kill Or Be Killed” and “Burst Stream of Destruction,” while tunes like “False Masked Hero” deliver whiplash thrash riffs. “Death March” is maybe the most death metal-aligned song here, complete with an abrupt shift in tone halfway in. “Magia Obscura” even sneaks in some straight hardcore punk, with some street energy, hardcore drumming, and an intro that represents the heaviest bars on the record.

There is something lacking in modern music, even in a lot of newer metal: guitar solos. Don’t worry, Maidenhead have you covered. This is not just extreme metal, they’ve got throwback thrash in here too. “Hero” and “March” grace us with excellent solos, something I didn’t even realize I had been missing. Also, we’re consistently gifted with Song’s unbelievable vocals. She launches these songs into a different platform with her classic death metal snarls and screamed vocals. The title track might be her finest work on the record, just a full vocal assault over the crunching guitars. And the band has not come without some pedigree – Clonage has a number of guest spots, including appearances from former Megadeth guitarists Glen Drover and Chris Poland, and Annihilator bassist Rich Gray. In a sea of ever-spawning and mutating metal bands, getting some backup from some of the most famous guys to do it is a hell of a way to stand out.   

Clonage doesn’t overstay it’s welcome. Counting an intro and an outro, it clocks in at only 8 songs and 30 minutes. In an era of album bloat, especially in metal, a quick assault can be a relief sometimes. The record is a refreshing burst of old-school energy and new-school experimentation, and could very set the ground for a regional metal revival. Maximum Clonage is out on streaming, and can be purchased through Bandcamp or the band’s website.