CIRCUS PANDEMONIUM

I have, after some writings about it, listened to the Swedish band A.C.T.'s fifth and latest record "Circus Pandemonium". You can't hear that the band is Swedish because they sing in English, so they could have been American or whatever. The band hasn't made a record for some years and now 2014 this is released with Thomas Lejon on drums, Herman Saming on vocals, Peter Asp on bass, Ola Andersson on guitars and Jerry Sahlin on synthesizers.

The cover is frightening but colourful and strong. It seems to display an evil circus trainefr and a poor freak, who is chained on the ground. That motive also is a theme on this concept record. My version of the album doesn't have marks between the different songs so I experienced it such a whole. Some of the passages on this record are really worth hearing. Sometimes the keyboard work is splendid or at least recognizible for prog fans and for example "The End" which nearly starts the record is borth catchy and clever. The vocals on this album are qualitative and varied. Parts of it is like a musical where a woman tries to defend "a freak" from an evil(stereotypical) circus manager. The record is over all well produced and I like it's theme. Many sole songs too are worth hearing at least once.

Though are there a lot of features I don't really like. The album is too heavy for me. I don't often find meaning for its heavyness. A bit too vociferous for me is is as I would consider it. I have also hard to hear originality. This album is good, but not exactly in my style. Three stars!