Artist:  Circle II Circle
   Title: Consequence Of Power
   Label: AFM Records

Built around the powerhouse vocals of former Savatage vocalist Zak Stevens Circle II Circle are now on to their 5^th studio album with the all conquering ‘Consequence Of Power’.  Once again Stevens delivers a near perfect Power Metal vocal that fans of Savatage know all too well.  This fifth studio release sets the bar high for the rest of the Power Metal and Heavy Metal bands to follow because, not only is Stevens at his very best, but the rest of the band are pulling no punches either.

From the opening barrage of ‘Whispers In Vain’ and the thumping title track ‘Consequence of Power’, you know that the album is going to rock your very foundations.  The guitars work is just fantastic and the solid beat down of the drums and bass will blow you back in your seat as you listen to the mighty metal melodies.  Yes it's metal with melody ... “with great metal comes great melody “ ... or something like that!

But where Stevens really shines for me is on the slow headier tracks like ‘Out Of Nowhere’ and the thunderous ‘Remember’.  Two titanic metal anthems.  An aspect that has become part and parcel of the whole Circle II Circle sound.

The band really know how to bring the whole Power Metal vibe into the now with metal monsters like ‘Mirage’ and the rip snorting ‘Episodes Of Mania’, but if like me you are a big Savatage fan then wrap your ears around ‘Redemption’, a song that is sure to get the heart pumping.  This track that has similar nuances to the Savatage classic ‘Hall Of The Mountain King’.

If you want to hear Stevens and Circle II Circle at their very best then ‘Take Back Yesterday’ is the track that stands out from the rest of the album.  It's a real corker with it's power driven melodies all round from start to finish,  a real classy track.

There is an almost classic Sabbathesque feel to ‘Anathema’ with a huge bass line driving this one on, then the album closes with the metal ballad ‘Blood Of An Angel’, again with Stevens showing he can bring it down as well as pack a punch, but we Savatage knew this all along.  

This wraps up another great album from a band that deserve a lot more press than they get.  I love Savatage and I know after many interviews with Jon Oliva the band have become legendary and have spawned the mighty T.S.O, Jon Oliva’s Pain and Circle II Circle, how many bands can say they have left such a legacy?

Tracklisting:

1. Whispers In Vain
2. Consequence Of Power
3. Out Of Nowhere
4. Remember
5. Mirage
6. Episodes Of Mania
7. Redemption
8. Take Back Yesterday
9. Anathema
10. Blood Of An Angel

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