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Circus Maximus Isolate
Sensory SR3038 September 4, 2007
By Ryan Starr
There is only one word to describe the new Circus Maximus album, rock solid. Well, I guess thats two words, but you get the idea. Isolate is their second major release, and its everything a prog release should be. Michael Eriksens vocals are fantastic. He displays great range without any pitch problems. But the highlight of this album is Mats Haugens guitar work. The riffs are outstanding, and the solos are even better. The tempo they have set provides an upbeat feel, but is slow enough to hear everything, which gives the listener a great chance to fully enjoy and understand whats being played. Sure playing fast is great, but sometimes things get lost when your play 100 notes a second. The key is to know how fast is too fast and its obvious that Haugen has that talent, and its really to his benefit, because it sets the stage for some epic solos.
But while the music is good, its nothing groundbreaking. It reminds me a lot of Symphony X, but with a darker edge to it. Even Symphony Xs trademark dueling guitar and keyboard solos make an appearance. What I would like to see from Circus Maximus on the next album is a little more exploration. Just a little bit of real progression would take these guys straight to the forefront of the genre. But even if they dont, these guys should be ok. Theyre doing what every other prog band is doing right now, and theyre doing a good job. But just a little more, and they can go from great to amazing.
Official Circus Maximus Website
Official Sensory Website
Sensory SR3038 September 4, 2007
By Ryan Starr
There is only one word to describe the new Circus Maximus album, rock solid. Well, I guess thats two words, but you get the idea. Isolate is their second major release, and its everything a prog release should be. Michael Eriksens vocals are fantastic. He displays great range without any pitch problems. But the highlight of this album is Mats Haugens guitar work. The riffs are outstanding, and the solos are even better. The tempo they have set provides an upbeat feel, but is slow enough to hear everything, which gives the listener a great chance to fully enjoy and understand whats being played. Sure playing fast is great, but sometimes things get lost when your play 100 notes a second. The key is to know how fast is too fast and its obvious that Haugen has that talent, and its really to his benefit, because it sets the stage for some epic solos.
But while the music is good, its nothing groundbreaking. It reminds me a lot of Symphony X, but with a darker edge to it. Even Symphony Xs trademark dueling guitar and keyboard solos make an appearance. What I would like to see from Circus Maximus on the next album is a little more exploration. Just a little bit of real progression would take these guys straight to the forefront of the genre. But even if they dont, these guys should be ok. Theyre doing what every other prog band is doing right now, and theyre doing a good job. But just a little more, and they can go from great to amazing.
Official Circus Maximus Website
Official Sensory Website
