Good news for fans of melodic US power metal, as Moonlit Masquerade — the new project of the highly talented guitarist Nick Layton — have just released their debut EP, Wreckage. The EP’s three songs offer a first taste of what’s to come from Moonlit Masquerade, who will surely attract the interest of all lovers of melodic heavy metal! The contributions of Zak Stevens, Christian Liljegren, Jeff Plate and Barry Sparks are remarkable on their own — and especially Savatage fans have plenty of reasons to listen closely to this EP! Myth of Rock, captivated by this first material from Moonlit Masquerade, got in touch with Nick Layton (guitars), who left none of our questions unanswered!
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
How did Moonlit Masquerade come to life as a band?
Nick: I would call this a recording project with guest musicians rather than a band, although we thought it would be best to give the project a cool name, hence Moonlit Masquerade. Basically, the project started out as an attempt to re-record some of my instrumental tracks for a new reissue of my solo album “Storming the Castle”. But I soon had some new ideas that worked better for a vocalist. So, the record label and I decided to scrap the instrumental idea and write an all-new album featuring great vocalists and guest musicians. Glad we did!
How would you describe your sound to someone hearing you for the first time?
Nick: Melodic metal with influences from bands like Savatage, Dokken, Yngwie, Dio, Judas Priest, etc. We added some cool keyboard textures on many tunes as well to give the songs more of an epic feel.
How did the collaboration with Zak Stevens for “Wreckage” happen?
Nick: I wanted to write a song specifically for Zak in a Savatage style, trying to conjure up that magic and spirit. After I wrote the music, we sent it to Zak and he liked the song and agreed to sing on it.
How did it feel to work with Jeff Plate and Barry Sparks on the EP?
Nick: Great! Both super nice and talented guys. It’s an honor to have them on these songs.
“Wreckage” feels very Savatage-inspired—was that your intention from the start? Why?
Nick: Yes, you nailed it! That’s exactly what I was going for. Savatage is my favorite metal band and, as I said above, I wrote this song specifically for Zak with Savatage in mind. My reference was albums like “Gutter Ballet”, “Edge of Thorns” and “The Wake of Magellan”. I know there are many Savatage fans out there and we have been waiting a long time for new music, so I hoped to fill the gap a little with something Savatage inspired until the band records their new album. This one goes out to the Legions!
What was the most challenging part of writing or recording the EP?
Nick: I write music all the time, so that aspect of it wasn’t particularly difficult or challenging, but I think just getting all the different musicians onboard and recording their tracks takes time and patience. But I loved every minute of it!
Which song from “Wreckage” means the most to you personally?
Nick: Definitely the song “Wreckage” because of my love for Savatage and getting to collaborate with Zak.
Why did you choose to re-record “Deceiver” as an instrumental? How different is the new version of “Deceiver” from the original?
Nick: We wanted to make it an epic instrumental as opposed to the vocal version in the original. So, my friend Ted Gardner added a great keyboard-based intro for the song which is completely new, and then we added brand new solo sections for guitars and keys. Barry Sparks also added quite a lot in terms of killer bass playing, and I also replaced the vocal melodies with guitar melodies.
What made you bring Christian Liljegren onboard for “Show Me the Way”?
Nick: I’m a big Narnia fan as well as a fan of Christian’s voice, so I had been wanting to collaborate with him for years. He did a great job!
Do you usually write melodies first or riffs first?
Nick: Most of the time I start with a riff or a chord sequence. Occasionally I’ll hear a melody in my head and then figure out what the chords should be.
How do you approach composing guitar solos?
Nick: I’ll usually start by humming a melody in my head to the backing chords and then improvise around that. Once I have some solid ideas I’ll start putting the final solo together. Occasionally I’ll just wing it and see what comes out, but usually it’s a process.
Are there any artists who strongly influence your songwriting today?
Nick: All of my influences are from my guitar heroes and favorite bands I grew up with. I don’t really pay much attention to new bands unless they sound like my favorite older bands 🙂
How do you balance technical playing with emotion in your music?
Nick: I’ve always been a melody first guy. I’ll take a strong melody over crazy chops any day. However, speed and technical playing can add intensity to the music and that is very important, so I just strive to use speed/technical playing when the song/solo calls for it. My favorite guitarists like Gary Moore, Michael Schenker, John Sykes, Criss Oliva and Vinnie Moore all had a similar approach.
What did you want listeners to feel while hearing the EP for the first time?
Nick: First and foremost, I hope they can feel the passion and care that was put into creating these songs. Secondly, I hope they come away inspired and that the Savatage and Narnia fans love what we accomplished here!
How close are you to finishing the debut full-length album?
Nick: Very close. We just have a couple of songs to finish up and we’ve already begun mixing with Simone Mularoni.
Will the album follow the same style as the EP or go in new directions?
Nick: It will be in the same general style, melodic metal with some epic performances and neo-classical/power metal touches here and there. If you like the EP I think you will LOVE the full album.
Do you prefer working in the studio or playing live?
Nick: I love both. You can’t beat the energy and positive feeling of being onstage interacting with a crowd. At the same time, I’m a studio rat, and can easily spend days on end writing and recording music without getting bored. I love it all!
What is your biggest hope for the band’s future?
Nick: Well, as I said, this is more of a recording project with special guests. My hope is that we’ll do a follow up album and it would be amazing to play some of these songs live with the musicians who helped create them. Let’s see what happens!
What message would you like to send to everyone waiting for your debut Moonlit Masquerade album?
Nick: If you like this little “appetizer” you are going to absolutely love the full album! There are some very special guests and the songs all turned out great! Spring 2026 can’t come soon enough! Thanks for checking out the EP and the “Wreckage” single.
