THE 1ST CHAPTER

I have mixed emotions about this album. As stated in previous reviews, the Dream Theater and Symphony X parallels are blatently obvious, but for some reason one can look past that and enjoy this album none the less. What Circus Maximus have given us is a truly enjoyable prog-metal album. Every now and then one hears a phrase or solo lifted straight from a DT os Symphony X song, but overall the sound is entirely Circus Maximus. I think what makes this more enjoyable for myself are the vocals of one Mike Eriksen. He has a unique voice that not only fits the music, but can appeal to metal heads, proggers, and a mainstream audience. The instrumentalist here are, like many prog-metal bands, top notch. With a plethora of solos, insrumental breaks, driving guitars, soft keyboardl passages, these guys prove that they can play. But unlike other bands of the genre, Circus Maximus have enough reserve to know when and where to place shred guitar solos and speedy keboard passages without having them dominate the music. The entire album moves from heavy riffage to ballad to complete epics (Glory of the Empire, The 1st Chapter). The songs are brilliantly composed, changing from heavy passages to acoustic interludes, altering moods, tempo time signatures, and the like creating an enjoyable listen in a true prog fashion. I highly recommend this album.