Boston singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Maximilian Wentz, released his 7th single on 9/10/2021 with "The Sixth", pushing total Spotify streams to 478,000. Up until "The Sixth", Max's releases were indie acoustic songs that included guitar, vocals and background vocals. "The Sixth" was the first release with Maximilian performing multiple instruments that transition through many genres including indie, heavy rock and metal. The song which is inspired by the video game "Little Nightmares", is the first in a series of singles to be a part of his first full album titled Mare. When Max was a young teen his band was all in on heavy metal music production and live performances., so this song shows all the sides to Max.'s talent and broad music scope.
"The Sixth" continuously surprises with the song's dramatic instrumental , vocal layering and tempo transitions. Max shows his melodic side at the start of the song with tastefully spaced acoustic and ambient sections, and quickly transitions to eclectic guitar solos, heavy riffs and unexpected episodes of angry ranting growls. The vocals are both quiet yet commanding, soft yet fierce. As the emotions ramp up, the head bobbing tempo makes you feel the entrapment and battle to escape. It carries on like a cosmic avalanche keeping listeners committed to see a return to home and a familiar space. The artwork created by a professional artist, compliments and aligns to the song's mood and intense turmoil.
The lyrics brilliantly capture the struggle within and monsters in view.
I woke up one day
Just to find myself just so far away
Like a bird in a cage
Trapped in an unfamiliar place
I've crawled through the fence
And I've been in the halls.
Avoiding the monsters
They seem to call my name
Don't know where I'm going, but know where I've been
"I've promised not to let what's inside win"
Where is home?
Feels like so long ago
Maximilian was recently nominated for the "New Act of the Year" category for the New England Music Awards. Maximilian blends together his own sound which combines elements of rock, metal, and Latin music with those found in acoustic pop. He has German (Frankfurt) roots on his father's side of the family and Latin roots on his mother's side of the family. Wentz’s lyrical content often speaks about the darkness of the human soul, overcoming struggle, and the state of the world. “Max’s rich tone, poetic lyricism, clever storylines and eerie soulful presence make Maximilian Wentz a distinctively unique performer. who creates his own style and blended genre"-Performers on the Go, LLC
Wentz has performed in numerous venues across New England including the Worcester Palladium, Hard Rock Café, Canobie Lake Park, Food Trucks of America Festivals, Lorettas's Last Call, Hampton Beach Seashell, Sonia and the Middle East. He has also been featured on various radio stations such as Boston Free Radio, Boston Rock Radio, Suffolk Free Radio, and Radio SNHU as a solo performer and with bands. For the period 2018-2021 Maximilian was a lead singer in the Performers on the Go/All You Got Tour headliner session musician band, performing in over 50 shows.
In late 2020, Wentz formed the hard rock duo, 51st State with bassist/keyboardist Conor MacGinnis (Big Mac). The duo has recorded a 3-song EP, (Wentz on vocals, guitar, and drums and MacGinnis on bass and keyboard) which was released in July, 2021..
Maximilian didn't stop writing and recording throughout the pandemic, and his music goals continue to be ambitious with his solo album releasing soon, and his new releases planned with 51st State.