Artist: Midnite Club 
   Title: Circus Of Life
   Label: MusicBuyMail Records

Well it's finally arrived, the much anticipated follow up the bands excellent debut ‘Running Out Of Lies’ and once again guitarist Steffen “Seegi” Seeger has enlisted the vastly talented Carsten “Lizard” Schulz as vocalist, along with Bernd Herrman of Sohne Mannheims on drums, Andy Keller on bass, Holger Seeger on keyboard and Ferdy Doernberg who makes a special guest appearance on the Kenny Logins cover ‘Danger Zone’, but more of that later.

This album has taken three years to come into existence with both personal and business problems delaying this fantastic release, but the band have finally etched out a deal with the Music Buy Mail label and Artist Service, and have re-recorded most of the album, again with Seeger mixing the album himself to bring out the best in the Midnite Club sound. 

What you get with Schulz is a vocalist who can lend his vocals to almost anything, the result of which is always 110% power and grace combined.

The album gets underway with ‘Circus’ and instantly Schulz shows why he’s in such demand as a vocalist, not just in Germany but throughout Europe as well, with his unmistakable style and power and with Seeger’s guitar work equally as impressive, this album is a true winner right from the off for me.

The album continues with another slice of pure Melodic Hard Rock with ‘Afraid Of Love’.  Again Seeger gets this one underway as he lays down the riffs for Carsten to follow in his own idiosyncratic way with some masterful vocals.

This album just oozes energy and as things continue with ‘Promises Remain’, a track that brings Holger Seeger keyboards more into the forefront, along with Seeger’s own flamboyant guitar licks and the icing on the cake as usual is Schulz's vocals.

'Behind My Eyes' is the first of two tracks co-written with Schulz’s Evidence One cohort Robby Bobel and is very much one of my highlights of the album with its old school keyboard style, mixed with a more nu-school Hard Rock that is pouring out of Europe at the minute.  This song really ignites the senses of this old heart, great stuff.

It's rocking all the way as the album continues to impress with ‘Heart Of The Dragon’ before that cover I spoke of earlier 'Danger Zone'  Anyone who knows of Schulz's albums knows the guy loves his classic covers.  Once again he has come up trumps as this Kenny Login’s classic gets a Schulz makeover and to be honest this version ROCKS!

It's back to the original material for the remainder of the album with ‘Shelter From The Storm’ another top notch rocker, the semi acoustic tones of the ballad ‘Memories For Sale’ before another of my personal favourites ‘Closer To The Distance’.  The second of those co-written by Bobel.  Once again it's Hard Rock at its finest as the partnership of Schulz and Seegi bring out the best in each other and guitars and vocals are in perfect harmony.

The albums momentum never ceases from track one and with it almost at a close the excellence just keeps on coming with the lick filled ‘Calling For Crazy’.  A real slice of 80’s feeling rock before the album comes to an all too soon close with ‘Crying In A Dream’, a real heart jerker to finish off what is a quite outstanding album. 

What more can I say except it's been three years in the making, but it's sure as hell been worth the wait.  If you thought the bands debut ‘Running Out Of Lies’ was good, then baby you ain’t heard nothing yet.

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