Band : Midnite Club

Album title : Circus Of Life

Label : Own release

Distributor : Artist Service - Music Buy Mail

Release date : 30/05/2008

Release : CD

Frankly speaking, I'm amazed a band like this even nééds the services of ArtistService (for a detailed explanation, see recent review of Clusterhead's Times Of No Trust album), and is not simply signed to one of the better German labels into the Classic Rock genre!

Started up as a side-project by Midnightsnack and Mr. Hate guitarist Steffen Seeger (a student of guitar virtuoso Joey Tafolla, he already contributed to the critically acclaimed The End Of Never album by Artension uitarist Roger Staffelbach, and produced American guitarist Iain Ashley Hersey's third album Nomad)in 2003, who drew in Evidence One and Domain singer Carsten Schulz as frontman, filling in the rest of the high-profile line-up with Andy Keller (of Shyboy and Scarlet Rose repute), keyboarder Jochen Wingerter (also of Midnightsnack) and drummer Bernd Herrmann (of Hunter and Söhne Mannheims fame) to record the 2003 album Running Out Of Lies, released through the Escapi Musiclabel, and Evidence One and Frontline guitarist Robby Roebel as extra guest.

However, due to several personal and business issues of the people included in the line-up, the project was put on hold. In 2006 the guys decided to give things another try, and recorded their second album. In addition, Seeger decided to produce and mix the whole on himself this time around. On this follow-up, both Schulz, Keller, and Herrmann return, the keyboard position now taken by Holger Seeger (any family relation, perhaps?) of Iain Ashley Hersey's band [except for during the Kenny Loggins cover "Danger Zone", which sees Ferdy Doernberg (of Axel Rudi Pell and Eden's Curse, also formerly of Uli Jon Roth) on the "black 'n' whites"]. Theres also some additional key colourings by one Angelo Vilardo on some 4 of the 11 tracks on the album.

From the "label" info: "...Circus Of Life can best be described as a successful effort to combine the best influences of AOR and Melodic Rock along with the energy of Classic Hard Rock music. The songs are well-structured, providing catchy melodies and huge choruses. The skills of the experienced musicians rounds off this very warm sounding album.". If thàt ain't one of the understatements of the year!!! In the first two songs, the more AOR-oriented song structures somewhat remind you to the keyboard-driven early days of Journey, nevertheless both songs also contain truly sparkling guitar work. In the choruses, I'm suspecting some female interventions as well, a combination which works perfectly well in addition to Schulz' first-rate singing! From the third song on, the keyboard sound shifts to a B3 Hammond organ, which definitely brings up the Classic Rock influence! For the most part, what you get are rather energized songs, something mainly due to the guitarist's truly wonderful play! This energy even exhudes in the semi-ballad "Memories For Sale". Extra info: the tracks "Behind My Eyes" and "Closer To The Distance" were co-written by Robby Boebel, the album mastered by Gerhard Magin (of CrematoryPaganini, and Evereve repute).

End conclusion: this album belongs on a decent label with all the financial possibilities to back the band in their efforts to bring their music on the road, whether that is Europe...or Japan, where record sales are boùnd to be huuuuge, my man! Not surprisingly, I hereby nominate Circus Of Life into that "best Albums of 2008"-list of mine!

98/100

Tony.