Circus Maximus "Nine (Enhanced CD, Italy, Frontiers Records, FR CD 557)"

Nine is the third full-length studio album by the Norwegian progressive metal band Circus Maximus. The album was released on June 1, 2012.

The album is being described as more melodic and dynamic than the previous album. The album is also more guitar-oriented. "The majority of the material on the new record was written by Mats Haugen and he has taken the music to a kind of simpler and more accessible approach, yet kept the progressive elements and the "nerve" that is Circus Maximus" says Truls Haugen. Circus Maximus will appear live in some selected shows in the summer before launching a full-scale tour in support of the new album. 

Glen Cato Møllen, the bassist of the band, told about the differences among Nine and the other two albums: "Two huge elements in the new material are first and foremost the evolution of the songwriting and the accessibility of the music. When you combine that with a new sound and production, you have a pretty different outcome from what we did on “Isolate”. We have been and always will be super proud of what we accomplished with the previous albums, but I think we’ve taken it to the next level with the new stuff".

Track listing

1. "Forging" (Mats Haugen) – 1:16
2. "Architect of Fortune" (Mats Haugen, Truls Haugen) – 10:12
3. "Namaste" (Lasse Finbråten, Mats Haugen, Truls Haugen, Glen Møllen) – 4:02
4. "Game of Life" (Michael Eriksen, Mats Haugen) – 5:01
5. "Reach Within" (Michael Eriksen, Mats Haugen) – 4:59
6. "I Am" (Michael Eriksen, Mats Haugen, Glen Møllen) – 4:20
7. "Used" (Mats Haugen, Truls Haugen) – 4:52
8. "The One" (Michael Eriksen, Mats Haugen) – 4:00
9. "Burn After Reading" (Mats Haugen, Glen Møllen) – 8:48
10. "Last Goodbye" (Michael Eriksen, Lasse Finbråten, Mats Haugen) – 9:59

Time:  57:30

CD contains a multimedia video (Circus Maximus interview).

North American release date: June 5th.

Official music video:

— "Namaste".

Recording information:

Produced by Circus Maximus

Mastered at Cutting Room, Stockholm, Sweden

Mastered by Björn Engelmann

Circus Maximus "Isolate (Russia, Dark Division, IROND CD 07-DD522)"

Isolate is the second full-length studio album by the Norwegian progressive metal band Circus Maximus. The album was released on October 24, 2007, in Japan, August, 2007 in Europe and September 4, 2007, in the US.

The cover-art for the album as well as a sample track containing an excerpt from the song "Wither", was released by the band on May 29, 2007, on the official Circus Maximus website. Like its former album, Isolate contains the same number of tracks (with the bonus tracks) and also track 4 is an Instrumental ("Biosfear" on The 1st Chapter and "Sane No More" on Isolate).

Isolate is also the first album to feature new keyboardist Lasse Finbråten after Espen Storø's departure at the end of recording of The 1st Chapter. Lasse Finbråten added more keyboard/synthesizer sounds to the album in both soloing and overall use. This is different from the previous album as Espen Storø's sound centered on the use of the piano.

The album entered the Norwegian national charts at number 70 in August, 2007.

Tracklist:

1. A Darkened Mind 05:33   
2. Abyss 05:00
3. Wither 04:46   
4. Sane No More 03:55   
5. Arrival of Love 04:10
6. Zero 04:50
7. Mouth of Madness 12:42
8. From Childhood's Hour... 04:28   
9. Ultimate Sacrifice 09:17

Time:  54:41

Approved for sale, trading and distribution only within Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia). Any resale outside the above mentioned territory is explicitly prohibited.

Irond Ltd. under the license from Frontiers Records. 

Recording information:

Produced by Circus Maximus

Artwork and layout by Mattias Norèn (Progart Media)

Logo by Anja Sofie Haugen

Mixed & mastered at Jailhouse Studio, Horsens, Denmark

Circus Maximus "Isolate [2019 Reissue, Japan, Rubicon Music, RBNCD-1522]"

Isolate is the second full-length studio album by the Norwegian progressive metal band Circus Maximus. The album was released on October 24, 2007, in Japan, August, 2007 in Europe and September 4, 2007, in the US.

The cover-art for the album as well as a sample track containing an excerpt from the song "Wither", was released by the band on May 29, 2007, on the official Circus Maximus website. Like its former album, Isolate contains the same number of tracks (with the bonus tracks) and also track 4 is an Instrumental ("Biosfear" on The 1st Chapter and "Sane No More" on Isolate).

Isolate is also the first album to feature new keyboardist Lasse Finbråten after Espen Storø's departure at the end of recording of The 1st Chapter. Lasse Finbråten added more keyboard/synthesizer sounds to the album in both soloing and overall use. This is different from the previous album as Espen Storø's sound centered on the use of the piano.

The album entered the Norwegian national charts at number 70 in August, 2007.

Tracklist:

1. A Darkened Mind 05:33   
2. Abyss 05:00  
3. Wither 04:46
4. Sane No More 03:55
5. Arrival of Love 04:10  
6. Zero 04:50
7. Mouth of Madness 12:42
8. From Childhood's Hour... 04:28  
9. Ultimate Sacrifice 09:17  
10. Silence 06:14  
11. Marion 06:12  

Time:  01:07:07  

Recording information:

Produced by Circus Maximus

Artwork and layout by Mattias Norèn (Progart Media)

Logo by Anja Sofie Haugen

Mixed & mastered at Jailhouse Studio, Horsens, Denmark

Circus Maximus "The 1st Chapter [2019 Reissue, Japan, Rubicon Music, RBNCD-1521]"

Circus Maximus is a Norwegian progressive metal quintet from Oslo. They employ symphonic and power metal influences that feature synthesizers. As of 2016, they have released four albums: The 1st Chapter in 2005, Isolate in 2007, Nine in 2012 and Havoc in 2016.

The 1st Chapter is the debut album by the Norwegian progressive metal band, Circus Maximus. The 1st Chapter was released on May 14, 2005 in Norway and on June 7, 2005 in the United States. The ongoing theme of The 1st Chapter is about "the journey" to salvation expressed through the lyrics. Musically, it sports a circus-like theme (that actually can be heard) playing throughout the album.

The lyrics to the song "Glory of the Empire" refer heavily to the 2000 film, Gladiator.

The 1st Chapter contains the longest running Circus Maximus song with "The 1st Chapter" running for 19 minutes and 7 seconds.

Tracklist:

1. Sin 05:53   
2. Alive 05:38
3. Glory of the Empire 10:27  
4. Biosfear 05:22   
5. Silence from Angels Above 04:07  
6. Why Am I Here? 06:05
7. The Prophecy 06:44
8. The 1st Chapter 19:07   
9. Haunted Dreams 07:12   
10. Imperial Destruction 06:45  

Time:  01:17:20

Recording information:

Produced by Circus Maximus.

Recorded by Mats Haugen and Øyvind "Lionheart" Larsen at Lionheart Studios, Oslo, Norway.

Drums recorded by Rudi Mohammed and Børge Finstad at Toproom Studios, Lunner, Norway.

Bass recorded by Glen Møllen at Noisegate Studios.

Mixed and mastered by Tommy Hansen at Jailhouse Studios, Horsens, Denmark.

Artwork by Mattias Norèn (Progart Media)

Layout and logo by Claus Jensen (Intromental Design)