Psychotic Waltz is an American progressive metal band formed in El Cajon, California, in 1988. The band initially performed under the name Aslan, after a character in C. S. Lewis' novel "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe". They recorded a self-titled demo tape in 1986, which gained attention in the European metal tape trading community and received positive reviews from German metal fans. After discovering another band with the same name, they changed it to Psychotic Waltz and recorded a new four-song demo in 1988. This demo helped them build a loyal fanbase in Europe.

In 1990, Psychotic Waltz released their debut album "A Social Grace", financed independently and licensed in Europe by the German label Rising Sun Productions. The album was well received in Europe but struggled to gain attention in the U.S. due to minimal promotion. In May 1991, the band performed at the Dynamo Festival in the Netherlands.

Following the festival, guitarist Dan Rock suffered a near-fatal accident, falling 40 feet while rappelling. After his recovery, the band recorded their second album, "Into the Everflow", at Phoenix Studios in Herne, Germany, produced by Ralph Hubert of Mekong Delta. Released in 1992, the album was well-received in Europe, earning album-of-the-month honors in several magazines. The band was nominated as Best Hard Rock band at the 1992 San Diego Music Awards.

In 1994, the band signed with Intercord in Europe and recorded their third album, "Mosquito", in Los Angeles with metal producer Scott Burns. The album's more conventional songwriting received mixed reviews, as it diverged from the band's earlier, more technical style. Shortly after the album's release, bassist Ward Evans left the band.

Psychotic Waltz recorded their final studio album, "Bleeding", in 1996 with Scott Burns as the engineer. Before touring in support of the album, guitarist Brian McAlpin left due to family commitments and was replaced by Steve Cox. During the recording of a promotional video for the song "Faded", an actress sued the band after a light caused her partial blindness. The resulting legal battle, along with differences in musical direction, led to the band's dissolution. Buddy Lackey, the band's vocalist, also left, and the remaining members briefly attempted to continue without him.

Following the band's breakup, the members pursued different musical projects. Dan Rock recorded two instrumental albums with his project Darkstar, Norm Leggio and Steve Cox formed the band Teabag, and Buddy Lackey went on to form Deadsoul Tribe and later The Shadow Theory, using the name Devon Graves.

In 2010, Psychotic Waltz reunited with their original lineup for a European tour supporting Nevermore and Symphony X on The Power of Metal tour. They also performed at various festivals. Century Media Records released their four albums on vinyl, along with a limited-edition 6-LP box set titled "The Architects Arise: The First Ten Years", which included demo recordings. The band began writing new material for a fifth studio album, their first in two decades.

In July 2019, Psychotic Waltz signed with Inside Out Music and entered the studio to record their first album in 23 years. The album, "The God-Shaped Void", was released on February 14, 2020.

Studio albums
A Social Grace (1990)
Into the Everflow (1992)
Mosquito (1994)
Bleeding (1996)
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