The Maze: Armageddon 1968

 

(An obscure San Francisco-area group that cut one extremely rare album in 1968, Armageddon (recorded at Leo Kulka's Golden State Recorders, and issued on MTA), which is highly valued in some collector circles. Actually, they don't rank as a very impressive find, in fact epitomizing some of the period's least enduring excesses. They originally recorded under the name Stonehenge, with a

female vocalist, before assuming their more familiar name, and left behind a good deal more than an album's worth of tracks, some of which turned up on the 1995 Sundazed CD reissue of Armageddon. Their all-original material emphasized heavy organ, long, drawn-out fuzzy guitar solos, despondent stoned vocals, and minor-key melodies, somewhat in the mold of Iron Butterfly, though not as bombastic. An alternate take of "Whispering Shadows," written by Wayne Gardner -- who composed all but two of the ten songs on Armageddon, fellow members J. Jensen, C. Boyd, and Richard Eittreim dividing two songs between the three of them -- was included on Gear Fab's 1997 Psychedelic Crown Jewels, Vol. 1. By Richie Unterberger)
               

                                                 

The advent of ear-splitting, cortex-skewering bands like the Maze really did signal the end of the sixties. But just like that ultimate orgasmic blast during the finale of a great fireworks show, what a perfect way to go. A true rarity among 60's psych collectors, tracks 1 through 7 appeared on the original Maze release, recorded at various studio sessions from September 1967 to March 1968 at Leo Kulka's

Golden State Recorders in San Francisco. In addition to this original album, we've added six unissued bonus cuts! The earliest of these tracks, "Right Time" and "Rumours" were recorded on April 21, 1967 under the groups' previous moniker, "Stonehenge."  The cool, folk-rock sound of "Stonehenge" is period Bay Area, complete with requisite female vocalist and chiming Rick 12-strings. Other previously unissued tracks here include instrumental backings of "Dejected Soul" and "Kissy Face."  They are, essentially, extended, fuzz-guitar filled rehearsals for what would, several takes later, become the master backing tracks upon which vocals would then be overdubbed.
                               

Bay Area four-piece the Maze began life as folk rock band Stonehenge before changing both its name and musical direction and releasing the insanely rare Armageddon in 1968. A deservedly desirable masterpiece of dark, heavy psych, Armageddon is waist-deep in slithering bass, swirling, watery, minor-key organ, singeing fuzz guitar, and mournful, reverb-drenched vocals.  

THE MAZE

 
               

William Gardner - Organ, Vocals
Jeff Jensen - Guitar, Vocals
Kit Boyd - Bass
Rick Eittreim - Drums

The Maze – Armageddon
Label: Sundazed Music – SC 6060
Series: Yesterdazed Series
Format: CD, Album, Stereo, Reissue 1995
Country: US
Released: 1968
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock

TRACKS

                                     

01. The Maze  –  Armageddon   7:11
Written-By – W. Gardner
02. The Maze  –  I'm So Sad   7:01
Written-By – W. Gardner
03. The Maze  –  Happiness   2:07
Written-By – J. Jensen, C. Boyd
04. The Maze –  Whispering Shadows   4:20
Written-By –  W. Gardner
05. The Maze  –  Kissy Face   3:03
Written-By – W. Gardner
06. The Maze  –  Dejected Soul   2:30
Written-By – R. Eittreim
07. The Maze  –  As For Now   2:39
Written-By – W. Gardner
08. Stonehenge  –  Right Time   2:18
Written-By – W. Gardner
09. Stonehenge  –  Rumors   1:55
Written-By – W. Gardner
10. The Maze  –  Whispering Shadows [Alternate Version]   3:17
Written-By – W. Gardner
11. The Maze  –  Dejected Soul [Instrumental]   3:00
Written-By – R. Eittreim
12. The Maze  –  As For Now [Alternate Version]   2:27
Written-By – W. Gardner
13. The Maze  –  Kissy Face [Instrumental]   3:51
Written-By – W. Gardner   

Tracks 8-13 previously unreleased.
Tracks 1 through 7 on this disc (all of the cuts that appeared on the original Maze album release), were recorded at various studio sessions from September 1967 through March 1968, at Leo Kulka's Golden State Recorders, in San francisco.

MP3 @ 320 Size: 112 MB
Flac  Size: 291 MB