Album Review: The Elegant Chasers – To Live In Colour

Review By Halina Wegner

(Release Date: December 6, 2024)

Marios “Maz” Loizou, the mastermind behind The Elegant Chasers, returns with To Live In Colour, a sophomore album that blends raw emotion, rich storytelling, and a kaleidoscope of influences. With its deeply personal themes and genre-hopping soundscapes, this album doesn’t just ask listeners to reflect—it dares them to dream in multicolor. The album’s opening track, “Cruel Agenda”, sets the tone with fiery riffs and biting lyrics about the manipulative powers at play in society. It’s a track that doesn’t hold back, delivering a gut-punch straight out of the gate.

The title track, “To Live In Colour”, provides a moment of uplifting reflection, celebrating healing through love and self-discovery. Featuring the sweet backing vocals of Maz’s daughters, Penny and Phoebe, it’s a warm, heartfelt anthem that feels like a bright splash of paint on a dark canvas. Tracks like “Cracks In The Soul” and “Confidence“ delve into Maz’s past struggles with self-doubt and mental health. The former is a Britpop-inspired letter to his children, offering advice on resilience, while the latter channels the punchy energy of Foo Fighters, turning personal pain into a call for self-empowerment.

The rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle comes under scrutiny in “My Medicine”, a hard-hitting account of indulgence and its lasting consequences. Meanwhile, “The Hungry Ghost” explores the never-ending hunger for fulfillment, wrapped in haunting melodies and introspective lyrics.The instrumental “Anhedonia Mountain” is a hazy, ambient interlude that captures the fog of depression, while “Regretamin” bursts through with Faith No More-inspired fury, channeling anger and regret into a cathartic explosion.

“Running Around The Sun” is a standout, blending Depeche Mode-style synths with Paradise Lost-esque guitar riffs. Its lyrics, reflecting on inequality and the longing for freedom, resonate deeply in today’s fractured world. The album’s grand finale, “We Fade Away”, is a grungy, Alice in Chains-esque meditation on mortality. It’s haunting, epic, and bittersweet, closing the album with a lingering question: can we truly live in color forever, or are we destined to fade?

To Live In Colour is a bold, introspective work that doesn’t shy away from life’s complexities. Maz’s ability to pair deeply personal lyrics with dynamic instrumentation makes this album a deeply engaging experience. It’s a journey through pain, resilience, and hope, painted with a rich sonic palette. Cruel Agenda, To Live In Colour, Running Around The Sun, We Fade Away For Fans Of: Foo Fighters, Depeche Mode, Alice in Chains, Faith No More

“To Live In Colour drops December 6, 2024. Immerse yourself in this multi-dimensional masterpiece and rediscover what it means to live in color.”