There are pro’s and con’s to adopting a username on the Internet. In my case, I know I’m going to be in charge of reviewing every album that uses the word “circus” in any sort of fashion. I’ve dissected Circus’s “Circus,” for another site mind you, and now it’s seems to be the time to examine Circus Maximus’s aptly-titled “The 1st Chapter.” As the record title relays, this is in fact the debut of this quintet, and it single-handedly catches Norway up with the rest of the progressive metal world. Though “The 1st Chapter” rigidly follows progressive formulas, the aforementioned also manages to compete with subgenre stalwarts such as Dream Theater, Spock’s Beard, and Symphony X.

Circus Maximus chose “Sin” as the opener, which was a great decision in my opinion. The listener is thrust into familiar, progressive territory: edgy riffs, lofty keyboards, melodic clean vocals, rampant rhythmical differentiation, and so forth. Everything after the 3:30 minute mark, of “Sin,” is just plain stellar. Moreover, I can’t imagine anyone doubting the musicians’ capabilities, especially after completing a full listening session. “Alive” could feasibly be mistaken for a Symphony X tune, and the group chase the aforesaid composition with the first of their two lengthy numbers, namely “Glory of the Empire.” The latter scampers for a solid ten and a half minutes; it examines all characteristics currently present in the progressive metal realm (lightness, heaviness, ballad-esque sequences, talent-filled leads, et al). The disc then transitions to “Biosfear,” which sounds similar to prog gods Dream Theater. And, “Biosfear” is actually quite the rousing instrumental.

A thunderstorm clip segues into the shortest, softest opus on “The 1st Chapter” in “Silence from Angels Above.” “Why Am I Here,” though, is the return of distortion-laden instrumentation, and formidable riffs. The mid-section features a ton of cool leads, rhythmical changes, and is – overall – very impressive. The 2:00 minute mark of “The Prophecy” conjured memories of Spock’s Beard for me due to the idiosyncratic tone of the keyboards. Furthermore, an album can’t be labeled under the progressive metal banner unless it boasts a massive, lengthy epic, and that’s exactly what the twenty-minute long “The 1st Chapter” is. Describing the introduction as grandiose is an understatement, but that’s the best I can do. If you reside in Europe, then you’ll receive “Haunted Dreams” as a bonus track. If you call the USA home, though, then the record label will tack on “Imperial Destruction.”

At any rate, Circus Maximus’s debut is approximately seventy minutes worth of finely tuned prog that finally gives Norway some accreditation in said department. The band admittedly has some time to go before they’re able to trump Mount Olympus-dwellers like Dream Theater and Symphony X. However, since my prog days are basically over, I won’t be spinning “The 1st Chapter” too frequently. If you’re a self-proclaimed proggie – or fanboy/fangirl of any of the groups I mentioned in the entire review – then add a point to my score and purchase this CD as quickly as possible.

[This review was first published on the now defunct scandinavianmetal.info webzine]