Why these Norwegians picked such a quirky and non-metal name is beyond anyone, yet their enticing brand of suave progressive metal is so lush and pure, it makes the poor name choice forgivable. The occasional nod to prog-lords Dream Theater is made more than once, but what ultimately surfaces from The First Chapter is sheer progressive metal grace, bolstered by one of the finer new vocalists to emerge onto the scene in the form of Michael Eriksen.

Eriksen’s voice is smooth, yet piercing, never completely hitting the rafters like so many other progressive metal throats try to. His vocal choices in album standout (and prog metal hit if there ever was one) ‘Alive’ are simply audacious. With three brilliantly sung sections in a row including a mesmerizing chorus, Eriksen takes ‘Alive’ to the levels of past progressive metal hits like ‘Pull Me Under’ and Fates Warning’s ‘Life In Still Water.’

The musical canvas of Circus Maximus employs a wealth of styles, including thrash, spacey prog, and AOR rock. The solemn keyboard interludes in ‘Glory Of The Empire’ allow for some delicious mood changes, while the deft and odd-timed ‘Why Am I Here’ showcases the considerable talents of guitarist Mats Haugen and keyboardist Espen Storo.

A scene that is full of many contenders and quality acts; Circus Maximus should be able to establish a strong foothold into the discerning progressive metal scene. It could be said that no subgenre in metal has a more devoted and fanatical fanbase than prog, making the marriage between Circus Maximus and Dream Theater/Rush aficionados heavenly.

» circusmaxiumussite.com