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Daydream XI: The Circus Of The Tattered And ...
Daydream XI: The Circus Of The ...
Progressive Power Metal
5.0/5.0
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Sensory Records
Review: Craig Hartranft
Added: 13.09.2017
By the time you read this review, Brazil's Daydream XI will have made their North American debut playing center stage at the popular ProgPower USA festival in Atlanta. That performance was in an advance of the progressive power metal band's second and latest album, The Circus Of The Tattered And Torn, and it's a monster.
Daydream XI
If you think the lengthy title suggests a concept album, you would be correct. Not wanting to paraphrase, Daydream XI explains the album this way: "The concept is a metaphor to express that we are drawn to each other more by our weaknesses and our flaws than our strengths and virtues. It's portrayed through a journey, where Phillip, the Circus master, takes his new apprentice, Circe, across the various acts of this Circus. Each song represents a feeling or aspect of human life, channeled by the storyline of each character." Okay, then. Needless to say, you're going to be glad you have the lyric booklet. I didn't have that luxury provided to me.
I said earlier that The Circus Of The Tattered And Torn is a monster of an album. I wasn't kidding. At more than 71 minutes, the progressive metal within is ambitious, expansive and powerful. The album is definitely a significant musical advancement for Daydream XI. I'm not going to make the futile attempt to speak to every song, but instead touch upon some notable songs and their musical elements.
Of those musical elements, across this album, several grab your interest immediately like the rich vocal arrangements, thrilling guitar solos, delicate use piano and synth to carry the melody, and careful attention to that melody in every song. For pure progressive power metal in its best form the album kicks off with Open The Curtains, and a haunting vocal arrangement to start. Even better and more bombastic is A Cup Of Agony, which begins with a thrilling rush of drums, riffs, and speed, and basically doesn't quit. It's also another song that has an immense vocal arrangement, notable in the dense and choral chorus. Overhauling Wounds is both a delicate and powerful song. It laces acoustic guitar through the arrangement, while being propelled by an intricate and exciting drum line with Tiago Masseti's voice following above. Perhaps the most interesting song here is Collector Of Souls, where the music and vocal arrangement takes on a Gospel blues timbre. You couldn't find better vocal harmony in a Southern black Gospel church choir. (Well, actually you could, but you get my point.) And the motif carries into the progressive rock musical arrangement.
So there's a brief, and hopefully satisfying, preview of The Circus Of The Tattered And Torn. As said earlier, Daydream XI has out done themselves with this album. The Circus Of The Tattered And Torn is a powerful, persuasive, and immensely entertaining work of melodic progressive power metal. Don't miss it and put the album on your short list for "album of the year" in the genre. Quite recommended.
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The Bottom Line
Daydream XI's The Circus Of The Tattered And Torn is a powerful, persuasive, and immensely entertaining work of melodic progressive power metal. Don't miss it and put on your short list for "album of the year" in the genre. Quite recommended.
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