Sans the ill-advised forays into rapcore, The Mayan Factor's "In Lake 'Ch" was an impressive album that quickly built the band a loyal fan base. Taking their time to construct a worthy follow-up, the Maryland-based outfit have now resurfaced with "44", an album that sees them moving into heady territory with a firmer grasp on their rock roots, while simultaneously letting go of the existential prog-rock of days past.

Where "In Lake 'Ch" would often bring about moments of dredg-like euphoria and Tool-reminiscent complexity, "44" instead retains a far more earthy feel. Very organic and distinctly rock and jam oriented, the bulk of the material included here falls in line beside that of Wintersleep, or in some instances, even groups like the Dave Matthews Band. Down home and humble, the subtle finesse employed routinely downplays the majestic undertones the songs seem to thrive upon.

That is not to say that the band have abandoned their love for layered instrumentation or sonic elaboration however, as there is still much in the way of acoustic, piano and percussive bonuses. It's just that that their material now sounds more inspired by groups like Nirvana and Pink Floyd rather than their modern-day counterparts. An engulfing listen to be sure, "44" also carries on the bands somewhat confrontational and socially-aware lyrical style, though one has to listen quite closely to pick up on it.

In the past the band may have been more direct in such an expression, but their greater display of maturity on "44" astutely shows just how far they've come in such a short period of time. Whether haunting with repetition, aggressive with rock n' roll hunger or plodding along with an almost cumbersome amount of depth, the approach taken here is almost always natural and endearing. Admittedly things have been dumbed-down a bit and may now appeal more to an older audience as a result of the influences the group now channel. But "44" is still a thought-provoking listen that should resonate with anyone who prefers to stray from the musical norm.