ISOLATE

This is in my mind the best album of 2007 so far and the "Abyss" is the best song, all categories! The main difference between Circus Maximus and other prog metal bands is that CM has great melodies and harmonies. It's also an incredibly tight band with Truls Haugen's drumming being the main item keeping the band together. Add to that Mike Eriksen's incredibly clear and sharp voice and you have a mix that beats most of the prog metal out there. This is what DT were when they peaked in the late 90's. You can argue that they don't create anything new and truly progressive, and that they are leaning more towards power metal than prog, but I don't really care since the music sounds sooo good.

Isolate as an album is a logical follow-up to 1st Chapter but slightly better in every aspect. There are no flat spots in the album but all songs are given 4 to 5 stars from me. Standing out of the 9 songs is the second song Abyss. It's a masterpiece that has everything mentioned above and despite 20+ listenings it's still getting better.

If you like Symphony X, DT or any prog metal band with great melodies this is the album for you.