The second album is for many bands actually harder to records than the first one, and the phrase; 'make it, or break it' is often very fitting. Circus Maximus has with 'Isolate' recorded a mature, well produced and well executed album, which compared to their first one 'The 1st Chapter' sadly, falls a bit short.

While the first album convinced me from start to finish, this one leaves me a little bit disappointed. Not that there is anything wrong with the recording, the performance or the musician ship - all of those details are top notch and all nine songs have a very high standard. But only a few songs - see below - really leaves a lasting mark, to me it seems like they are taking the safe road here.

What I miss is the magic, the special something that would have made this album outstanding and reaching the stratosphere their debut album did. I wish they'd taken a couple of risks like they did on their debut album. Take the instrumental "Sane no More" or the ballad "Zero" both of them are great songs, but neither quite reaches their counterparts on the debut album: "Biosfear" and "Silence from Angels Above". Or take the two epics: "Mouth of Madness" and "Ultimate Sacrifice" - in their own terms very good songs, but both falls just a little bit short of the title track from their first album.

'Isolate' is still a very good progressive metal album, with lot's of fine pieces, a flair for a good melody, catchy songs and a very good vocalist. I have no doubt in my mind that Circus Maximus will be joining the elite of Scandinavian progressive metal scene with this album.

Maybe my own expectation was too high - but let that scare you off, because this album does have the quality and potential to take them to better and bigger places...

Recommended tracks; "Abyss", "Mouth of Madness" & "Ultimate Sacrifice".