Shadow Circus - Welcome To The Freakroom


Year of Release: 2007
Label: ProgRock Records
Catalog Number: PRR390
Format: CD
Total Time: 45:23:00

Shadow Circus' debut album Welcome To The Freakroom has already been out for a while and I have been listening to the album for some time now. But, due to personal circumstances, could not review it before now. Since I find this album quite appealing, I really want to share it with you.

Shadow Circus hails from New York and the members have been active in many relatively unknown bands. Since 2006 they have been working on their debut album, and in early 2007 they signed with ProgRock Records, a label known for quality music and supporting new talent. Well, the "talent" part is spot on, as Shadow Circus has delivered a very nice debut album.

From the invitation, in true carnival style, to step up, the band takes you on a ride, and a very pleasant ride I might add. The album holds some very strong songs and they are treading outside the set paths, which is truly progressive in my book. The music is very varied, catchy, but most of all, very captivating. Bobick has a bit of a "rough" voice and of course it is always a matter of taste, but it fits the music in a good way, adding to the ride.

The band makes a good start with opener "Shadow Circus," which is a strong neo-prog song, but as every ride has moments that are not so great, so does the second stop in this ride, "Storm Rider." It is a good song, in the vein of Glass Hammer, but the chorus is repeated too often, which makes it a bit tedious and with almost 8 minutes it just lasts too long. Had it been around four minutes, it would have been a great song.

But the ride goes on and next up is a very strong track: "Inconvenient Compromise." Excellent opening and lots of great piano and synth parts throughout the song. It has a very nice orchestration and is one of the highlights of the album. It is followed by "Radio People," a catchy song that has the potential to be played on the radio. This song breathes the 70s and still sounds modern. The chorus will stick in your brain long after you have ended listening to the album.

Welcome To The Freakroom ends on a high note, with two fantastic songs: "In The Wake Of A Dancing Flame" and "Journey Of Everyman." Musically these are beautiful, progressive gems. However, in the first one the vocals don't do it for me much, but since the music is so great, I can live with that. "Journey Of Everyman" is a real epic; clocking in at 12 minutes and divided into three sections, the ride moves to previously unreached heights. Wow, this is a masterpiece!

It is clear these guys are excellent musicians and they know how to compose good songs. They manage to mix the early 70s prog with modern, neo-prog and therefore have delivered a very impressive debut album. Not the easiest to listen to, as I spent quite a lot of time listening to the album, but in time it reveals all its musical secrets. If you love bands like Spock's Beard and Glass Hammer, you really should give this one a try.


Tracklisting:
Shadow Circus / Storm Rider / Inconvenient Compromise / Radio People / In The Wake Of A Dancing Flame / Journey Of Everyman

Musicians:
John Fontana - guitars, keyboards
David Lawrence Bobick - vocals
Corey Folta - drums
Matt Masek - bass guitar, 12 string guitar, cello, backing vocals
Zach Tenorio - keyboards

Discography:
Welcome To The Freakroom (2007)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin US

Added: December 7th 2007
Reviewer: Marcel Haster
Score:
Artist website: www.shadowcircusmusic.com
Hits: 2097
Language: english

  

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