Dangerdog Music Reviews :: © 1999 - 2025 Craig S Hartranft :: All Rights Reserved
No part of this this website, including design and music reviews,
may be reproduced in any form or by any means without
the prior written permission of the publisher.
CELEBRATING 18 YEARS!
- New Music Reviews
- |
- Archives
- |
- News
- |
- Submissions
- |
- About
- |
- |
New Music Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, AOR, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal
Recent Reviews
September 2025
- Primal Fear: Domination
- Glenn Hughes: Chosen
- FM: Brotherhood
August 2025
- Helloween: Giants & Monsters
- Rising Steel: Legion Of The Grave
- Mob Rules: Rise Of The Ruler
- Rust N Rage: Songs Of Yesterday
- Crowne: Wonderland
- Strangers: Boundless
- Jack The Joker: The Devil To Pay In The Backlands
July 2025
- Honeymoon Suite: Wake Me Up When The Sun Goes Down
- Ramonda: The Walls Are Crumbling Down
- Scardust: Souls
- Laguna: The Ghost Of Katrina
- Eternal Idol: Behind A Vision
- Double Vision: Double Vision
April/May 2025
- The Speaker Wars: The Speaker Wars
- Giant: Stand And Deliver
- Sign Of The Wolf: Sign Of The Wolf
- Harem Scarem: Chasing Euphoria
- Cosmic Cathedral: Deep Water
- Beholder: In the Temple of the Tyrant
- Art Nation: The Ascendance
- Laurenne/Louhimo: Falling Through Stars
- Rock Out: Let's Call It Rock N Roll
- The Flower Kings: Love
- Maestrick : Espresso Della Vita: Lunare
March 2025
- W.E.T.: Apex
- Alliance: Before Our Eyes
- Ginevra: Beyond Tomorrow
- Phil X & The Drills:
Pow! Right In The Kisser - IQ: Dominion
- Heart Line: Falling Heaven
- Gotthard: Stereo Crush
- Defender: Dying To Live
- Streetlight: Night Vision
Circus Maximus: Nine
Circus Maximus: Nine
Progressive Metal
4.5/5.0
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Frontiers Records
by Craig Hartranft, 05.27.2012
Here I thought Norwegian progressive metal band Circus Maximus had dropped off the face of the earth. They haven't released a new album in five years. So here's Nine. It's an interesting title as this neither their ninth album, but their third, nor are their nine songs, but ten.
Circus Maximus: click picture to see our feet.
Curiosity of meaning aside, Circus Maximus has not lost their edge or creativity. Nine is another epic platter of melodic progressive metal. To this end signature track here are Last Goodbye, the slightly sluggish Burn After Reading, and immensely satisfying Architect of Fortune. Conversely, there's a certain amount streamlined accessibility here, with Circus Maximus offering catchy, friendly, melodic metal with Reach Within and I Am. Yet, mostly CM packs even shorter songs with diversity and depth as Namaste, and the heavier Used and The One prove.
While some purists might not consider Nine proggy enough, this is certainly signature Circus Maximus. There's lots here to contemplate and, ultimately, enjoy. Very recommended.
Tweet
In Short
While some purists might not consider Nine proggy enough, this is certainly signature Circus Maximus. There's lots here to contemplate and, ultimately, enjoy. Very recommended.
Find A Review
Alphabetical Index
New & Notable
To paraphrase late night talk show host David Lettermen, my next artist needs little introduction. Germany's Helloween are practically the godfathers of traditional European power metal. This year they will the ... [ Read More ]