Website: Circle II Circle
Sometimes, the stories behind an album are utterly fascinating. Such is that which accompanies Circle II Circle’s Burden of Truth. The concept feeds from The DaVinci Code and Holy Blood Holy Grail, exploring the idea of a Jesus/Mary Magdalene bloodline and the possible discovery that one is a direct descendant. Now, add in that the album finished recording on 6/6/06, and that the album’s release date is the 699th anniversary of the day when members of The Knights Templar were ousted from France for preaching these beliefs. So fun!
As for Burden of Truth, this couldn’t be a more appropriate idea for a power metal album. Lending coherency, the storyline helps hold the album together and provides intrigue. Circle II Circle’s power metal stylings aren’t necessarily anything above and beyond the norm for the genre (and in fact feel much like band members’ previous work in Savatage), but that seems to work simply in not overshadowing the story. In fact, it provides a rather nice backdrop.
Of course, when a story being told is much more intriguing than the music being made, something’s just not right. Stories should enhance the music, not the other way around. There simply isn’t much on Burden of Truth that hasn’t been heard before, although “Your Reality” is a highlight. But there definitely isn’t anything awful, either. It’s on the better side of average, with the concept rounding it up a notch or two.
It’s interesting. Not so much recommended on the basis of the music (unless you were a Savatage fan, in which case jump right in), but recommended if the entire idea sounds intriguing.
