"That was like Van Halen reincarnated," said Howie Mandel before adding, "You wouldn't think it would come from you. You're a surprise. You're amazing!"
Even frequent dissenter Simon Cowell gave Maya high praise and also took a moment to acknowledge the source material. "A big thank you to Metallica for giving you that song, that doesn't happen very often," he said.
Maya continues her AGT ascent after previously catching our attention - and that of some notable metal guitarists such as Tool's Adam Jones - over the past couple years with her YouTube videos, including an amazing 22-song Tool medley.
Backed by a house band of metal musicians and wearing a huge smile, Maya stood centerstage and took over lead guitar duties, steering the track through its iconic central riff.
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