The Divine Madness

The Divine Madness five-song EP ‘Precious’ is a great blend of haunting lyrics and at times hard electronic rock guitar that helps define the band’s sound.

The members include Victoria Mazze, Chris Ride, Cano, Rain, and Johnny Burke, and the band has shades of Concrete Blonde meets The Cure. The group’s sound ranges from alternative club rock to guitar rock.

The Precious EP kicks off with the killer cut Closer – which is a mix of rock and ballad – and then kicks the tempo up with two more songs (Precious and The Future) which continue to display the band’s more rocking side. The fourth song on the EP (Crawl) is an almost “poppy” club song - with a style similar to Blondie or even No Doubt. The last song on the disc (Redemption) is a slow ballad that demonstrates the beauty and power behind Mazze’s voice.

The EP is currently only available online through the band’s website, but will also be available through ITunes soon. - monstersandcritics.com

a Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds

I'd heard the name The Divine Madness thrown about in the past few years but had never heard their music. I must say, this is great stuff.

I'd say they're in the same vein as Plumb, sort of gothic atmospheric rock. Though not quite as loud and heavy as Evanescence, still theatrical.

Victoria Mazze is the lead singer as well as co-songwriter with Chris Cano and Chris Ride and her voice is slithery and mesmerizing.

The songs are well written and expertly performed. The production is also fist class; which is necessary in this type of genre. You have to get all the little sounds in there and this record does.

A short a sweet review for a short and sweet (?) record. I do hope to hear a full length from The Divine Madness soon. - collectedsounds.com

I love this stuff. A stunning vocalist Victoria Mazze surrounded by dark metal lyrics, electronic touches, a gothic feel, and the gentleness of many other genres. The band categorizes it best, The sound is very cinematic and baroque with alot of influences from UK 70's glam to early 80's synth pop.
This is clever stuff. The ending to the title track is dark and soft not an easy thing to do. The Future brings a modern club feel to the bands work, which may turn off some metal ears, but made mine perk up; very catchy. Crawl felt to me like a lost track from the 80s in a good way. If you like that different spin every once in a while this is well worth it. - John Ritonda aka Jalapenopope

Hanging out on MySpace has it's perks. I recently caught wind there of The Divine Madness and while I can't attest to their mental status I can say that I'm enamored with their music.

Fronted by the captivating voice of two time phoenix Victoria Mazze they sound something like a cross between Berlin and Celeste Lear with a bit more lean towards distortion and darkness. Victoria's voice is breathtaking with a curiously original yet familiar timbre that makes me think of a hybrid between Terri Nunn and Lijie.

Victoria Mazze (VOX), Chris Cano (Drums) and Chris Ride (Keys) make up the band. They write and perform their own material and credit "JOHNNY BURKE & RAIN" (Guitars) as "special guest stars".

They currently have one 4 track compilation out with the Precious EP and the debut full length Secrets is due out soon. Last I read it was up in the air but they may be releasing Secrets as a double disc.

A video for the song Closer is included on the DVD for the movie "Bram Stoker's Dracula's Curse" and can also be viewed on their MySpace profile. This is well worth the time even if you're on dialup as it cache's after one run and you can replay it with no streaming glitches after it buffers up fully the first time. - Frank Gualtier

It's too bad it's not still the 80s, because then some smart label like 4AD or Chrysalis would have snapped this band up in a jiffy. As it is, because they are not filled with angst and know how to spell their name and demonstrate no evidence whatsoever of having ever even heard of nu-metal (much less any of the other horrible forms of "music" currently clogging up the biz), they are probably having to work to get noticed. Which is too bad, because they're really, really good. Essentially a trio fronted by gorgeous (visually and vocally) singer Victoria Mazze (the other two guys, both named Chris, play percussion and synths, which should tell you a lot right there; occasionally they bring in a guest for extra accompaniment), their sound has very little to do with what's currently "hot" and everything to do with what sounds good in the world of pop music. Obvious touchstones would include the likes of Depeche Mode, Pulp, Garbage, Tori Amos, Kate Bush, Massive Attack, The Gorillaz, Blondie, Portishead, and the Cure, just for starters, but they certainly don't sound like a pastiche of various bands -- rather, they sound like a trio weaned on high-quality electropop and determined to churn out their own, new version of the same. (And it's a good version, believe me.)

This five-song EP is a throwback to the days when bands like the Cocteau Twins and Lush commanded serious attention, and it's a nice reminder of what can still be done with the pop format when the instruments and gadgets are in the hands of people who know what they're doing. The songs are short and to the point, filled with interesting sounds and insistent (but not frantic) beats and synths, all topped off by amazing vocals from Victoria, who often reminds me of Siouxsie Sioux minus the eccentric vocal tics. (This is especially true of "Crawl," which reminds me of TINDERBOX-era Banshees.) All five songs are excellent and hopefully there will more, much more, to follow in the future. - The One True Dead Angel

The Divine Madness debut double album ‘Secrets’ is blend of gothic rock with elements of pop and even a touch of operatic style. The album’s two discs (dubbed ‘Paradiso’ and ‘Inferno’) are a musical trip through “Dante-like” lyrics that is well worth taking.

The band (which at times seems a dark spin on Alice in Wonderland) was formed in 2005 and consists of keyboardist Chris Ride, drummer Cano, vocalist/film composer Victoria Mazze, guitarist Moni Scaria, and bassist Michael Crawford. Founding members Mazze, Ride and Cano first approached the group as more of an “art project” – which led to more creative musical freedom.

The group’s signature sound can best be described as a mixture of classical music, 80’s New Wave, and even some influences from film composers – such as Danny Elfman. In every song, it is easy to see the blending of these influences that create a new sound belonging to The Divine Madness.

‘Secrets’ is described by the band as trip through heaven and hell. If this is true, then Mazze’s voice is the angel that guides the listener on this journey. Ride’s amazing keyboards blend with the singer’s voice creating an almost visual experience for the listener – helping the song’s poetical lyrics to come alive in each track.

Disc 1 (which features 11 tracks) kicks off with the dark toned “Haunted” which sets the pace for ‘Paradiso’ followed by the title track – which screams of Elfman’s influence and makes the album impossible to dismiss. If you are not already sold on the sound of the band, you will be by “Wish” and “Redemption.” The two tracks demonstrate the range of Mazze’s voice and the talent of The Divine Madness. The singer and music are powerful on “Wish” and absolutely haunting on “Redemption.”

Disc 2 (which features 12 tracks) starts with the more electronic dance sound of “Total Addiction” –showing some of the band’s New Wave influence. It is followed by the dark toned “The Future” - demonstrating how hard The Divine Madness can rock. The song is a mix of guitar rock with a chorus (which has a great hook) that raises it to a quasi power ballad. The track is followed by the equally dark rock toned “Precious” – featuring Crawford’s thumping bass lines and Cano’s driving drums. “The Sorrow” once again demonstrates the power of Ride’s keyboards blended with the beauty of Mazze’s voice. ‘Inferno’ ends with the electric-pop influenced “Until the Break of Day.” The song leaves you wanting more from the band, and ready to start the trip all over again with ‘Paradiso.’

I have been a fan of The Divine Madness since hearing their EP release ‘Precious.’ Their new album takes the sound that was established in the EP and in L.A. club scenes (where they have been making a name for themselves) and lifts it to even greater heights.

The group has the perfect combination of rock, pop, and classical influences. They simply have something to offer every listener and I highly recommend taking the chance on their debut double album. ‘Secrets’ is the perfect beginning for the band, and I can’t wait to hear future releases from the group.

Monsters & Critics ‘Secrets’ Album Review
By Patrick Luce - Monsters and Critics

Oozing from the cracks of society and the release of pleasure, The Divine Madness will shoot to the top with a fantastic EP of melodic gothic alternative music. “Precious” opens with the track “Closer”, also the first video. “Closer” starts off with an angelic vocal that rings from the heavens. Victoria’s voice and the subtle keyboards of Chris Ride are exciting, bringing visions of an innocent shy child as they breakout in an elevated style. “Closer” would be something to hear with a full orchestra.

Vocally, Victoria reminds me of a mixture of Natalie Merchant of 10,000 Maniacs and Amy Lee of Evanescence. She will bring attention to the band-not only with her great pipes but also her great beauty. Check out the video and see what I mean!!! “Crawl” caught my attention: while listening, I felt the beat of Gary Glitter's "Do You Wanna Touch Me” (Oh Yeah), a song which later became a favorite of Joan Jett on her “Bad Reputation” CD.

There is not a bad song on this entire EP. The band is currently working on their debut release “Secrets,” and has cut 20 tracks and a new video directed by the visionary Leigh Scott. So keep a lookout for that.
- ROCK EYEZ - Brian Rademacher

The Divine Madness

Q&A with singer Victoria Mazze

Singer/songwriter/composer Victoria Mazze brings her love for all things dark and elegant to an ambitious and enchanting rock band.

Victoria Mazze began playing piano at the age of seven, but her decision to make a life in music was slow in coming, though her natural talent would seem to have made it an easy and obvious choice. After leaving high school behind, during which she determinedly expressed her love of creative eccentricity through music and fashion, she attended BYU and graduated with a Bachelor's in Music Media and Sound Engineering.

Her childhood was an unusual one for a girl who would become such a glowing example of the most elegant and classically influenced artists in gothic music, growing up in a secluded desert compound in the vicinity of the infamous Area 51 with only her siblings as companions.

Her earliest exposure to popular music was through singer-songwriters like Simon and Garfunkel and Sarah McLachlan, with a dose of bands like Depeche Mode.

With experience as a model and a film composer in the recent past, her current focus and passion is for the success of The Divine Madness, an ambitious musical project that Victoria describes as Gothic with added influences from the music of the 80's, most notably Berlin and vocalist Terri Nunn.

Q and A times 10 with Victoria Mazze

DR: How did you come to create a double concept album?

Victoria Mazze: Our “Secrets” double album is the unleashing of years of longing, frustration, desire, passion, loneliness and love. It is as if, like star-crossed lovers, every moment before was just waiting; waiting to mean something and create something that would last. And, naturally, a massive undertaking began.

I remember when we were mixing the songs for the album; there were so many of them, it was very intimidating even to ourselves. But some things just make sense no matter how impossible. The naming of the two discs, (‘Paradiso’ and ‘Inferno’), stand for the dichotomy in our band stylistically as well as within us.

How does the live show differ from the CD?

VM: The show is a chance for everyone in the band to show off their chops. Combine Cano’s solid drumming, Chris Ride’s keys at the speed of light, Moni’s command of a stage, and Mike Crawford's grooves, and you’ve got quite a show. There is also such a strong bond between us that I think comes across in the performances. And, similar to the album, our shows have a lot of variety; we move seamlessly from “Crawl” to “Redemption,” that flexibility that is very rare.

Is fashion and presentation equally important to all of you?

VM: (smile) Well, the music is first and foremost but from there we create a world that showcases who we are. But there is another way to look at it; visuals are an art form all their own; there is meaning hidden behind the surface. That, I think, is why we love to make videos and have built a reputation for being so visual. For ‘The Rapture’ album we are working with an artist that we love and respect, Davey Jones. He is creating art pieces that are inspirited by the music; they will be magnificent. I am very excited to see where he takes it.

Have you ever been a solo performer?

VM: Strangely, not really. I was and still am a film composer, but it can get very lonely; I guess I just like collaboration too much. To work with other artists that take you and your abilities to another level is the real joy of what we do.

"some things just make sense, no matter how impossible"

Who are your historical muses?

VM: Queen Elizabeth, Thomas Edison, Ludwig van Beethoven, Edgar Allan Poe, Julius Caesar, Emily Bronte, Sylvia Plath, Socrates, Ben Franklin, William Shakespeare, Hildegard of Bingen, and too many to count.

Which contemporary songwriters inspire you?

VM: Not many. I mean, there are a lot of contemporary artists whose CD I will buy and have it playing while I am eating dinner and such. Have you ever tried to eat while playing The Doors? It just doesn’t work; the walls start coming alive, your heart starts racing, and you feel at any moment you will no longer have control of your body as it separates in all directions. I guess there are many that I respect but few that can possess me.

Which songs on the albums excite you the most, and why?

VM: I love how ‘out there’ many of the songs are; for example, having a harpsichord or an autoharp as the grounding instrument in a rock song is kryptonite to the “industry” folk. But we did so in “Secrets” and “Blessed."
I really like the fact that we don’t know any better. I keep telling myself, ok, we have to make this song tangible to listeners that aren’t musicians and are used to what is on the radio, but we can’t.
It might be insanity, perhaps arrogance, naiveté, or maybe just a combination of all of the above. I can’t tell you how many times we have heard, “You are not radio friendly." I guess that’s a bad thing. We are however imagination friendly; the Anti-Christ of the industry has arrived!

Who are your favorite classic composers? poets?

VM: Claude Debussy, Sergey Prokofiev, Dmitri Shostakovich, Arnold Schoenberg, Franz Liszt, Rachel Portman, Danny Elfman, David Bowie, Grimm Brother’s Fairy Tales, Emily Dickinson, T.S. Eliot, Henrik Ibsen, George Bernard Shaw, Bram Stoker, and Mary Shelley.

Have you opened for any well-known bands yet?

VM: Not yet, but it might be fun; we almost opened for Berlin, which would have been awesome because we have so much in common. Give us a few months.

Are you sponsored by anyone?

VM: Nope, just the best fans in the world.. - www.darkromance.com