WIZARD OF OZ – Malicia: La Noche De Las Brujas

vote
7.5

• Bands:
  WIZARD OF OZ
• Duration: 01:16:45
• Available from: 10/30/2025
• Label:

• Warner Music Spain

With over thirty years of career behind them and thirteen studio albums published, Mago De Oz have marked an entire era for many rock and metal music fans, particularly in Latin countries. Having reached this point in their very long career, it is quite understandable that the best that the Spaniards could give has already been composed and produced in the past, in that golden period between 1998 and 2006, which saw the publication of immortal albums such as “La Leyenda De La Mancha”, “Finisterra”, “Gaia” and “Gaia II: La Voz Dormida”. Today we certainly cannot expect that the most famous group in Spain will be able to present themselves with records of the same caliber, but we can undoubtedly remain of the idea that Mago De Oz are always capable of composing music of an averagely high quality, so much so that this “Malicia: La Noche De Las Brujas” can also fall into the category of “records that at this point in their career are just worth kissing your hands”.

If on the one hand fans miss the historic and legendary lineup that marked the band's golden era, it must be said that in order to still be able to write records of this quality, perhaps it was necessary to renew the line-up with hungry musicians capable of bringing some new blood into the songwriting too. Today the lineup has changed profoundly, with the new super frontman Rafa Blas, who we already appreciated in the previous “Alicia En El Metalverso”, released at the beginning of 2024, and many other artists surrounding the hard core formed only by Txus, leader and drummer, and Mohamed, violinist.

If in the album released just over twelve months ago, the band tried to build a more gothic and dark sound, certainly less folkish, here we return to the past, in particular by connecting to the “Gaia” trilogy and in particular to the second part, “Gaia II: La Voz Dormida”. The references – which are real self-citations – arrive on a couple of occasions, but in general it is the road traveled throughout this new work that brings those records to mind; from the start entrusted to the longest piece of the work to a more powerful sound in different passages, up to a sound variety that perhaps was not encountered in those records.

In order to be able to present themselves after such a short time with still inspired work, this time the songwriting was delegated to the newcomers, with Txus, the absolute mastermind, appearing in many fewer credits than in the past. Diego Palacio, flautist, signs several of the compositions, but, in general, the whole lineup lent a hand in the writing phase, in particular with the new keyboard player Francesco Antonelli, but also with Rafa himself and the new singer Xana Levay. With over 75 minutes of music (perhaps a little too many!) “Malicia” is not an easily assimilable album, but the ability to insert various influences within it – always dedicated to the classic and recognizable sound signed by Mago De Oz – makes listening very interesting. There is something for all tastes, therefore, starting from the long suite that opens the listening and which seems to move precisely in the wake of the opening track of the 2006 album “Gaia II: La Voz Dormida”; an episode that changes atmospheres in a casual way, starting quickly and floating on the notes of guitar and violin and then running on the double bass of Txus, inserting vocal melodies that immediately warm the soul. But it is also a must to mention the melodic and crackling “Ríos De Lágrimas” – an authentic hit to sing without restraint – “Quiero Ser Libre”, carefree but not banal, or the seventies influences of “La Ruta De Los Sordos”, the power-packed “Halloween (Almas Sin Luz)”, here sung well and with personality by Xana Levay, and the dreamy and orchestral “Siempre Juntos”, ballad that closes listening.

Many references to one's past (even if often intentional), the sound of the drums with a double bass drum that is sometimes almost annoying with that 'helicopter' effect and the female voice of Xana Lavey, which is far too sweet and does not always convince; these are instead some of the defects that one encounters when delving into the new Mago De Oz album. But “Malicia: La Noche De Las Brujas” is a work that, listen after listen, convinces more and more, demonstrating how one can still write quality music after so many years of career and the many difficulties experienced over time. If there is a resilient artist who will never give up, even if left alone fighting against windmills, it is Txus. And he and his band still hit the jackpot!