The 1st Chapter

When. Just when does “tinkering” end and “innovation” start? This Norwegian progressive metal quintet has added so many nuances and subtleties to what probably began as a Dream Theater clone sound that it should be classified as original. Some innovations are obvious, and some are more challenging to spot. Circus Maximus know exactly where to put the accessible such that the complex can eventually become just as clear to an attentive listener. In a world where one mention of the word “prog” can spark a senseless diatribe about how excessive and pompous the genre’s musicians are, the Maximus stand out – in a group of standouts, no less.

Both old techniques not used much anymore and ideas not usually seen in progressive metal are part of this mix. For every polyrhythm, there’s a bass drum run; for each keyboard shot, there’s a crushing riff; and for each high note, there’s a lower note. Balance is the key here: it’s easy to see that Circus Maximus have mastered this art already. However, some bands never become particularly good bands even when they’ve mastered balance. A composition might be perfectly balanced, but have its power all concentrated in the middle and cause the song to go absolutely nowhere. I’m no songwriter, but that doesn’t seem like it would be a great result. So why am I rating this album a classic (95 or higher)?


Well, Circus Maximus obviously didn’t just let a mess of ingredients stew – each works harmoniously toward the same goal. The overall theme of “The 1st Chapter” as an album is redemption. A character commits a murder (Sin), repents of his sin and turns away from evil (Glory of the Empire), and the remainder of the album follows the next few days before he is called to salvation (The 1st Chapter). I think I hear some people clicking away from this page right now…well, stay just a little longer. The four-string man Glen Mollen, interviewed by Pivotal Rage, insists their band doesn’t define itself as Christian: “No offence. I’ve heard this before...but noooooooo, no truth to that.” There are veiled references to heaven (instead called “Grand Utopia”), hell, God, Satan, and demons in here, and a Christian could certainly choose to define the lyrical concept just like this. What makes The 1st Chapter much easier for anyone to listen to is that you can define it however you choose: as broad as personal salvation, or as general as just a life struggle. “Tr00” Christian metal bands often make their lyrics too simple for their own good.

While CM has an obvious Dream Theater influence, with inventive progressive riffing, a clear keyboard presence, and some very clear nods to Mr. Petrucci himself in the leads, other influences and ideas in the music can be felt. I hear a bit of Opeth in small passages (guitarist Mats Haugen was listening to “Ghost Reveries” for some time after this album came out), and even some Ayreon in one track, “The Prophecy”. The one big comparison I hear around the Net, other than “This is SO like DT”, is to album rock and some pop ideas. Normally, this would fall flat, but there’s still plenty of metal on this release. The accessible but complex arrangements make it easy for non-metal fans to understand the metal.

Plenty of left hooks are thrown around to ease the listener into the album’s assault. One very common device is the use of a low E/bass drum chug, which propels its way through the songs, particularly the epic finisher, like a double helix. When you hear this, it’s like a sudden burst of acceleration, heightening your awareness of what’s happening around you. It’s there a lot, and sometimes it may seem as if there’s too much of it, but somehow this device manages to work for many different purposes. Another effective tool is a variety of atmospheres, such as the darkened, foreboding sky in “Silence from Angels Above” and a vast arena in “Glory of the Empire”. Each mood shift follows the story directly and clearly, as if the album played out like a movie. The 19-minute title track shows Circus Maximus combining everything they have played so far into one criminally underrated prog epic. Because it is so accurately representative of the album as a whole, the rest of the review covers this song in full.


Right from the start, you get a sense that this is the final song, and it will be a ride. It begins almost like a classical overture, then running into some thrashier riffs, and by 3:13 comes that bass drum chug. Finally, Michael Eriksen comes in with his vocals at 4:20. This voice is fantastic – a distinctive bright quality in the higher registers and a majestic, dark, Matt Barlow tone in the lower range. In this battle of light and dark, not many other vocalists are suited for the job. The lyrics to this song, as explained briefly in the story above, tell of the character’s final, long, exhausting, and epic journey from his upbringing through many lands and terrains towards his goal, the “Grand Utopia”.

Soon after he departs from his home, he is called (by God, just voices, whatever you want to define it as) to follow the path of life. Before he knows it, an earthquake occurs and the specter of his sin from long ago rises through the cracked ground to confront him. Miraculously, he escapes from this, but must now confront the fact that his journey won’t be quite as easy as it seems. Wandering through the desert, accompanied by a more mellow passage, the character reflects on what happened. Based on his miraculous rescue from the demon, he now understands his true destiny.

Knowing he can no longer go back, he continues towards the Utopia, and is once again confronted by his sin in the form of a beast. But now, this challenge, though still difficult, is conquerable. In the resulting battle, the character turns out victorious, and shutting the door on Satan, he finally arrives at his destination. As the final lines bring the piece to a brilliant, dazzlingly triumphant finish, the instruments slow down and a keyboard jingle enters….and then it’s over. The remaining 90 seconds let the music fade out, while a circus theme finishes the album. This is supposed to be audible throughout the album in some places, and directs the cycle of salvation back to the start. What a song!


The only reason I’m going to take some points off the score is for the instrumental “Biosfear”. It’s fun, it’s a cool technical workout, but I’m not sure what it’s doing for the album. “The Dance of Eternity”, though being even more bonkers, fit in with "Scenes from a Memory". Except for this small misfire, this is a perfect album. Circus Maximus should be quite proud of this release, and the world needs to respond appropriately. Albums like this bring hope to a world forsaken. This means anyone reading this review right now. You won’t regret this journey by any means, there is almost nobody who wouldn’t like this, and it’s even a good place for new music fans to start. “The 1st Chapter” has everything you could want in an album, and gives you the strength for the journey that life is. See you all in the Grand Utopia.

My friend suggested this band to me a couple weeks ago. I checked out the band's MySpace page and wanted to hear more. I almost immediately ordered the CD and have listened to it multiple times.

Circus Maximus took me by surprise. I hadn't heard anything about them anywhere until my friend mentioned them, and I'm still shocked to see them so relatively unknown. They are an extremely attractive band with a stunning vocalist and supreme musicianship, brought to life by excellent production and songwriting.

The vocals, at first listen, can best be described as a more "human" version of those from Pagan's Mind. On top of an AMAZING range, the singer allows more emotion than what is heard in most power/progressive metal, which really draws the listener in. He's not afraid of rockish hooks and sounding too mainstream. As the listener progresses into the album, a more diverse range of influences is revealed in his singing, which varies throughout his range. I've been able to pick out homage to the vocalists of Styx, Pagan's Mind, Queensryche, Angra, and others. Like many power-esque vocalists, this singer is usually very high pitched, which may turn off some listeners (for instance, your average Pearl Jam fan.) Fortunately, this singer doesn't slip into the huge array of annoying power or progressive vocalists (of which you make your own list) and stands out as one of the most acceptable examples of modern metal singers. His vocals should exceed, or at least meet the standard of most metal fans, if not all.

Circus Maximus, musically, can easily find themselves matched against some of the best in the genre. They got their beginnings as a cover band, covering the works of artists like Dream Theater and Symphony X. They do not stray very far from their roots, as the styles of both bands can be pulled out of The First Chapter by even the most amateur listener. Personally, I've found elements comparable to Rush, Nevermore, and again, Styx.

The guitars in this album are extraordinary... It's just memorable riff after memorable riff from the first track to the last (which differs based on whether you have an American or a European release. Mine is American.) The solos are well written and in moderation. The sound of the guitar is remarkably beautiful and professional, from the heaviest of the electric displays to the mellowest of acoustic works.

Keyboards play a major role in this album, as can generally be expected from the genre. The keyboardist here is simply amazing, and I'm very sorry to find that he's left the band. I love the organ and synth sounds throughout. The horns on the title track are very convincing, although seem kind of alone without a major backing orchestral display, as could be found in epics like The Odyssey or Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. The piano tracks are beautiful in their jazz-like manor.

The rhythm section of the band stands out and makes the songs as wonderful as they are. The drums are written to mirror the guitar parts perfectly. The bassist is right there with the rest of the musicians, and never lets up. My favorite display of the bass work is at the end of "Silence from Angels Above." The effects on the drums really accent that track as well.

The only obstacle for this band musically would be their struggle for originality. I can hear multiple blatant references to YTSE Jam and several Symphony X songs (Listen for cameos of The Odyssey and Church of the Machine in the title track, and part of the chorus from Pharaoh in "Sin.") These aren't exceptionally a downside to the album, as both Dream Theater and Symphony X are very commonly making reference (or just plain rerecording) classical tunes and songs by other artists. Music is all about sharing, however, and although you can find parts of other artists throughout The First Chapter, it doesn't hurt the sound at all. If anything, it helps the sound, as they definitely do justice to the artist of which they make homage to.

I would strongly suggest this album to anybody who loves music, metal or otherwise. It's a very listenable metal album, and once you get pulled in, it just doesn’t seem to last long enough. It ranks up there among the best progressive metal albums, and should be as well known as any of them. I suggest you get a hold of this album as soon as possible, and spread the word: CIRCUS MAXIMUS IS THE NEW FACE OF PROGRESSIVE METAL.


Tidbit: Their logo is written in Megadeth font.