GHOST CIRCUS

The two men did a fantastic job, despite the huge distance between them, and offer a melodic Heavy Prog album, full of energy, power and grandieur, characterized by the tremendous rhythmic parts, the great solos and the unique vocals of Chris Brown, who's voice actually would be a perfect fit for a Hard Rock band with its hoarse color.You should not expect something too complex from ''Cycles'', the focus here is on furious riffs, sharp synths and dynamic rhythmic passages, however the compositions are more than simplistic structured with three out of the nine tracks clocking at 8 minutes or long, containing some notable variations.The music is basically guitar-driven with a nice supporting role by the keyboards and a few effects and sampled sounds/instruments added for good measure in a typical contemporary Prog field.The overall sound has strong similarities with acts such as ALSO EDEN, NINE STONES CLOSE, PORCUPINE TREE or COSMOGRAF, maybe a bit more on the heavier and more accesible side of things, but the excellent choruses, the shifting climates and the very tight arrangements result an album full of enjoyable moments, that can be emotional, dramatic, sensitive or enraged.The absolute highlights of the album are the dual guitar parts provided by the duo, definitely among the preferences of all fans, who love both Rock and Prog Music.

Really strong debut with an emphasis on the rock content, while the proggy vibes are also numerous.A fantastic addition for all lovers of really energetic and passionate musicianship.Warmly recommended.

Melody is the heart of what they are doing, combined with a real sense of not wanting to stay within any particular style but instead going where the music leads them. This means that a Saga style prog epic such as "Holding On" has a great singalong chorus that will stick in your head and stay there. They even have a 25 minute plus song, and why not!? Accessible, fun and full of balls, this is a great album. www.progrockrecords.com

Songwriting and structure sticks closely to a sort of psuedo-AOR style, which although is wonderfully melodic, lacks the hooks and enthusiasm to ever make it on the radio (fine by me). Instead, "Cycles" enjects that style with an artistic depth of synthesizers and introspective guitar work. There is a lot of variety in dymanics, with rockin', guitar-led choruses playing over layers and layers of keyboards. The sample song here on PA is a good example of the album's upbeat material (and is probably the standout track on the album), but others, like "Trick of the Light" takes its time to build, using almost 3 minutes of synth to get started before dropping the hammer on driving riffing. The album's end result is a cool vibe possessing en electric kick (almost metal in the instrumental "Send-Return") against a reserved and mature backdrop, even though no new ground is broken in terms of composition.

Brown's vocals are smooth and easy to listen to, but probably the least ambitious part of this album. His tenor rarely musters up much gusto, and his range is limited; it feels like he's playing it safe, which sometimes limites the impact of the songs. Lyrical content is passionate and very earnst though, and although the content is clearly the sorts of mundane stuff two middle-aged guys would sing about, they remain engaging.

Considering that these two guys are responsible for every note (although the rhythm instruments are unremarkable), "Cycles" is an impressive release. Recommended for anyone seeking a fun bit of smart AOR crossover and wants to root for a prog-underdog; however, "Cycles" needs more flair and songwriting bravery to get that extra star.

Songwriting: 3 Instrumental Performances: 3 Lyrics/Vocals: 3 Style/Emotion/Replay: 3