MANTICORA "The Black Circus, Part 1 - Letters" /CD/

The fifth full-length album by Dutch Progressive Power/Speed Metal band.
This is band’s third concept work. The story this time revolves around a 19th-century traveling circus, inspired by a H.P. Lovecraft story.
This CD is one of those wonderful works that starts quite strongly, and keeps getting better, building up to better and better tracks. More than most Power Metal bands out of Europe, Manticora's music is highly technical and dark, allowing for no small shred of romanticism or happiness. There is a Heavy Thrash and Speed Metal influence. If you can imagine Wuthering Heights (who share guitarist Martin Arendal with Manticora) crossed with Heathen and Nile, maybe you have inkling. The plentiful melodies and racing riffs are catchy as all hell notwithstanding the band's moroseness, and the same can be said of the powerful, strident choruses. Mads Volf is easily among the best drummers in modern Power Metal - it is really unusual to find drumming this engaging and varied on a power metal album from any decade let alone today.
Produced by Tommy Hansen (Helloween, Pretty Maids, TNT).
Artwork done by Russian master Leo Hao (Ария, Rage, Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, Demons & Wizards).
Massacre Records/Mystic Empire, 2006 (MYST CD 116). Made in Russia.


Tracklist:
1. Enter the Carnival 02:07
2. The Black Circus 05:26
3. Intuneric I 00:31
4. Enchanted Mind 05:30
5. Intuneric II 01:02
6. Forever Carousel 05:54
7. Freakshow 04:53
8. Gypsies' Dance Part 1 06:34
9. Intuneric III 00:36
10. Wisdom 07:00
11. Intuneric IV 02:00
12. Disciples of the Entities 05:48
Total playing time: 47:21