'Delusions of Grandeur', the latest release from Circle II Circle came as a very pleasant surprise to me. Not that I wasn't expecting great things from this band, after all, their last release, 'Burden of Truth' was by far their best effort to date and saw the band solidifying there brand of melodic Hard Rock/Metal to near perfection. What caught me by surprise is the full on 'Metal' approach the band took with 'Delusions of Grandeur'! From the opening moments of leadoff track 'Fatal Warning' I thought I was listening to Tad Morose, or Brainstorm. Zak Stevens and company certainly didn't rest on their laurels and stay stagnant. Down tuned guitars, double bass drumming, and some really well crafted riffs all play their part in this expanded sound, but overall it still sounds like Circle II Circle. They have really branched out on this album, sounding more modern, heavy, and aggressive. Tracks like, "Dead Of Dawn" and "Echoes" proves that tenfold. Overall I really like the direction Circle II Circle has taken on 'Delusions of Grandeur'. I think they have gotten further away from the 'Savatage' sound and have grown into their own personal sound now. And while it's impossible not to notice the lack of Jon Oliva or Paul O'Neill behind the scenes, the production is good enough to rival their work on ‘Watching in Silence’. I can't wait to see them and Jon Oliva on tour together this fall. 'Delusions of Grandeur' has definitely exceeded my expectations and will certainly rank high on my top albums of 2008 list.
Highly Recommended
