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July 3, 2009 |
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01. Sin
02. Alive
03. Glory Of The Empire
04. Biosfear
05. Silence From Angels Above
06. Why Am I Here
07. The Prophecy
08. The 1st Chapter
09. Imperial Destruction
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CIRCUS MAXIMUS was founded 5 years ago in Norway and, until today, still includes the following line-up: vocalist Michael Eriksen (CARNIVORA), guitarist Mats Haugen, drummer Truls Haugen (INSENSE), keyboardist Espen Storø (OZZMOSIS) & bassist Glen Cato Møllen. Shortly after getting signed to Sensory Records in 2004, the band went into the studio to record their debut, "The 1st Chapter". The album was mixed at Jailhouse Studios in Denmark with Tommy Hansen (HELLOWEEN, PRETTY MAIDS, FORCE OF EVIL, HATESPHERE).
The opening track, "Sin", is gives you a very good idea about what to expect for the next 59 minutes: A very heavy brand of Progressive Metal in the vein of SYMPHONY X, DREAM THEATER and RUSH! The musicianship is extremely tight with plenty of killer guitar solos and very impressive vocal harmonies enhanced by the amazing voice of Michael Eriksen, whose style is very similar to Lance King's (ex-BALANCE OF POWER, PYRAMAZE).
Not losing any quality from the first song, the very catchy "Alive" and more elaborated "Glory Of The Empire" are also making a huge impression on me without any difficulty. Next is "Biosfear", the complete instrumental track and indispensable to every proper Progressive Metal release, with which the musicians can feel free to demonstrate just how good they really are! Then the ballad "Silence From Angels Above" slows the pace down for a short while before "Why Am I Here" kicks in with full-on adrenaline and power. "The Prophecy" starts out with a mellow, acoustic ambiance before becoming more aggressive towards the end, followed by the epic title track, "The 1st Chapter", which has a deceptively quiet intro leaving you completely unprepared for the thrashing assault coming up later on. This song goes way beyond the 19-minute benchmark. This band reminds me of something like KANSAS on steroids!
Finally the super heavy "Imperial Destruction" (a bonus track on the North American version) finishes things off, and is definitely the most aggressive track on the album.
With such a kick ass production and warm melodies, it's hard to believe that CIRCUS MAXIMUS are not from this side of the Atlantic. These guys are playing complex music, which is very easy to listen to - and very enjoyable. Without a doubt, this is the best Progressive Metal release since ANDROMEDA's "Extension Of The Wish". A pure masterpiece, and this is only the first chapter.
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