"BLIND GUARDIAN is the four of us: me, Andre, Marcus, and Thomen" — Hansi Kursch once said, describing one of the most enduring lineups in heavy music history. Nothing more needs to be added — the band is legendary. The events of 2005 came as a shock to many: one day Hansi published a statement to the fans containing information that clearly indicated Thomen was no longer a member of the band. The stated reasons were rather vague. Very soon a promo single appeared from Thomen's new band — SAVAGE CIRCUS — which, besides Thomen himself, included another well-known musician, Piet Sielck (IRON SAVIOR). The musicians already had experience working together on the first IRON SAVIOR album in 1997. Swedish musicians Jens Carlsson and Emil Norberg from PERSUADER were brought in as vocalist and guitarist.
And so before us lies a nearly hour-long release titled "Dreamland Manor." We won't dwell on the cover — it's the weakest part of the release (the artist essentially plagiarized the cover of a very well-known American prog-heavy band). Let's start listening. We hear the already familiar "Evil Eyes" from the single — what can be said? Above all, the song is written in the unmistakable spirit of Blind Guardian's third album, and most importantly, the vocalist very deliberately copies Hansi's technique, intentionally making his voice rougher. The next song, "Between The Devil And The Seas," is built the same way; here choirs appear in the upper register — yet another Hansi hallmark. "Waltz Of The Demon" — one can confidently say this is the band's own song, free of BG's influence. Although in the solos we again hear echoes of Andre and Marcus, there is a fundamental difference: SAVAGE CIRCUS's songs lack that furious energy, and the vocals lack a certain timbral depth — they're less emotional (recall "Mordred's Song," for instance — that vocal performance cuts to the bone). What else to say about the release? Well, for example, "It - THE GATHERING" shamelessly resembles "Valhalla." Creatively, this release is a continuation, or more accurately a retrospective look at BLIND GUARDIAN's music up to and including 1995. From a technical standpoint, there are no complaints — everything sounds quite good, so the release itself is very solid, but derivative.