CIRCUS OF SOUND

Circus of Sound is a good modern fusion album. The short pieces focus on melody and on the amazing shredding by Chris Poland (axe-man on two Megadeth albums). The guitar is fluid with that typical sharp metal distortion that you sure know from playing air-guitar to metal solos. For an excellent comprehensive history of this band I can only point to Negoba's review of this same album.

Due to the focus on melody, my enjoyment of each track depends highly of the appeal that the provided leads and grooves have on me. And as can be expected, one piece works better then the other. Photograph is one that does affect me less then say Fun House or System Of A Clown. But there are highlights throughout, The Black Hand is an excellent track that depends a bit less on the guitar soloing and brings the remarkable bass and drum work to the fore.

Overall the approach stays the same for all tracks and it brings down the average level. It is a good album in the contemporary fusion scene but I rounded down to 3 stars because of its dominating focus on shredding (great as it is though) and its repetitive approach. Depending of your affinities with the genre, this is of course something that might displease you less then it does for me.