Zu den großen Hoffnungen des metallischen Sommers zählte für mich neben den neuen Werken von Firewind, Blind Guardian, Mercenary, Into Eternity, Wolf und Falconer auch das lang ersehnte neue Konzeptalbum der begnadeten Melodic Progressive Power/Speed-Metaller MANTICORA.

Spätestens seit dem dritten Album „Hyperion“ (2002) gehören die Dänen zum Aufregendsten und Erfrischendsten, was die Szene so zu bieten hat. Nach der Trennung vom italienischen Label Scarlet legte die Truppe als Einstand bei Massacre Records mit „8 deadly sins“ ein grandioses, komplex-verspieltes und spannungsgeladenes Werk hin, das alle Zweifler und Nörgler, die Manticora immer noch für eine mittelmäßige Blind Guardian-Kopie hielten, verstummen ließ.

Nun dreht sich „The black circus Pt. I - Letters“ endlich in meinem Player und ich muss sagen, ich bin völlig hin und weg von dieser Platte!! Wie der Titel schon vermuten lässt, ist „...Letters“ der Einstieg in eine über zwei Alben geplante und von Lovecraft inspirierte Geschichte über einen mysteriösen Wanderzirkus im 19. Jahrhundert. Viel wichtiger ist jedoch, dass Manticora mit diesem Album ihren Stil noch weiter perfektioniert und einen fantastischen Reigen traumhaft geiler Songs komponiert haben.

...Letters“ ist noch vielseitiger, stimmungsvoller, ausgereifter, härter und mitreißender als der bereits mächtig starke Vorgänger. Auch nach bestimmt zehn Durchläufen kann ich noch immer keinen einzigen, auch noch so winzigen Schwachpunkt ausmachen.

Tommy Hansen hat der Band einen hervorragenden, ebenso transparenten wie druckvollen Sound auf den Leib geschneidert. Alle Tracks sind 100% Heavy Metal von der ersten bis zur letzten Sekunde und doch sind sie viel mehr als das, denn sie versprühen eine Mystik und düster-schaurige Romantik wie man sie sonst höchstens von den besten King Diamond-Platten wie zuletzt „Puppetmaster“ zu hören und zu fühlen bekommt.

Die melancholisch-ruhigen Zwischenparts, die an manchen Stellen halt gebraucht werden, um die Geschichte weiter zu erzählen, sind hier tatsächlich mal eine echte Bereicherung und steigern die Spannung und Dramatik noch, statt wie sonst so oft nervös nach der Skip-Taste fingern zu lassen. Ganz große Melodien und Hooklines sorgen für Gänsehaut, Frontmann Lars singt mehr denn je wie ein junger Gott und lebt, liebt, und hasst mit seinen Charakteren, mit ihrer Tragik und ihrer Leidenschaft. Die Atem raubenden Gitarrenabfahrten münden in rhythmisch verschachtelte Parts und energische Speedattacken.

Die Genialität mancher Instrumentalparts bringt mich nahezu um den Verstand, man möge sich bitte mal den Mittelteil des furiosen Knallers „Gypsies Dance Pt. I“ anhören und mit mir auf die Knie sinken. Trotz der großartigen und atmosphärisch sehr dichten und emotional berührenden Umsetzung des Konzeptes ist auch jeder einzelne Song für sich allein genommen ein Volltreffer und ein gnadenloser Killer. Egal ob ich in das kraftvolle Titelstück „The black circus“, „Forever carousel“, die Semi-Ballade „Freakshow“, das wunderschöne, unglaublich vielschichtige, mit betörenden Frauenstimmen unterlegte “Wisdom“ oder das monstermäßig geile Metalbrett „Disciples of the entities“ anklicke, ich gerate immer wieder ins Schwärmen und habe dieses seelige Lächeln auf den Lippen, das nur „Soon-to-be-Classics“ wie diese Göttergabe dorthin zu zaubern verstehen.

Lange Rede, kurzer Sinn: Manticora haben mit „The black circus Pt. I – Letters“ ein kaum adäquat zu beschreibendes Meisterwerk abgeliefert, dass alle Maniacs zwischen Blind Guardian, King Diamond und Iron Maiden ins pure Raserei versetzen dürfte und für mich ein ganz heißer Anwärter auf den „Metal-Album des Jahres“-Titel ist. Ersten Hörproben zufolge könnte da höchstens noch die neue Wolf rankommen... Also, Leute, leset und vertrauet dem Master of Disaster, kauft Euch in Scharen dieses Götteralbum und setzt Manticora dort hin, wo die Band hingehört: auf den europäischen Power Metal-Thron!!!

Ik had zo'n voorgevoel toen ik de hoes van de nieuwe Manticora zag. Duister maar toch mooi, luguber en tegelijk spannend, intrigerend en beangstigend of hoe een hoes zoveel kracht kan uitstralen dat je je er niet meer van op je gemak voelt. Sinds “Darkness with tales to tell” had Manticora me wel nog kunnen bekoren, maar de kracht die deze plaat uitstraalde vond ik in de opvolgers niet meer terug.

Niet toevallig was de oorzaak dat men zich voor de volle 100% op snelheid concentreerde en daarmee verdween het mystieke dat “Darkness...” zo uniek maakte. Met “The black circus” vind ik veel elementen terug die een plaat tot een klassieker maken. De band overtreft zichzelf op elk vlak en muzikaal laten ze heel wat concurrenten achter zich, hopelijk weten ze ook het grote publiek te overtuigen. Deze plaat geeft je het gevoel deel uit te maken van het publiek van een angstaanjagend freakcircus, in-druk-wekkend! Muzikaal biedt de band meer variatie dan ooit voordien, snelheid, mid-tempo en semi-ballads met prachtige akoestische begeleiding.

De plaat is bombastisch ingekleed door koorarrangementen, prachtige vrouwenstemmen en is door samples conceptueel fenomenaal uitgebouwd. Je verbeelding de vrije loop laten gaan, geeft een grandioos effect, niet voor gevoelige luisteraars. Uiteraard heb je de typische Manticora riffs en solo's nog, maar nu klinkt het zo veel lekkerder omdat het als nooit voorheen is afgewerkt tot in de perfectie.

Ook zanger Lars F.Larsen is veel overtuigender en verrast vriend en vijand door zijn stem bijna foutloos aan de stemming van het moment aan te passen. De titel laat al vermoeden dat er een tweede deel op komst is en in de power metal moet dit toch één van de beste conceptalbums zijn die ooit op de markt is gekomen. Verplichte kost!

Power metalul a devenit o umbrela tare generoasa, zilele astea. De fapt, e atit de mare inghesuiala si galagia acolo si atit de putini cei care chiar au ceva de zis, incit, cind aud power metal, am o usoara retinere. Circumspectia mi-a crescut dupa ce mi-au ajuns la urechi ultimele (ne)realizari ale unor trupe cindva fruntase: Stratovarius, Hammerfall, Rhapsody of Fire. Incep sa cred ca, incet-incet, genul asta a ajuns sa se ia la misto singur.

Cu aceste ginduri oarecum neprietenoase am inceput eu relatia cu Manticora, pentru ca in cele din urma sa ma mir ca abia acum aud de ei. Faptul ca nu aveam starea necesara pentru a fi rabdator cu ei, adaugat la lipsa de stralucire a albumului la prima auditie v-ar putea duce cu gindul la un inceput nereusit de relatie. Si atunci cum se explica nota mare? Pai se explica. Fara sa convinga din prima, e ceva in muzica baietilor astora care te face sa zici "Hm!" si apoi "Ia sa mai auzim inca o data." Si aia e. Ei isi zic power metal, creca de lene.

Corect ar fi Heavy-thrash-speed-progressive-power metal; cu un sunet agresiv, greu, aproape doom, dar totusi dinamic, melodios si clar, de ti-e mai mare dragul cum curg solo-urile cristaline si armonioase. Atacul thrashist sacadat si lejer bombastic de la inceput (The Black Circus) ar putea duce cu gindul la Blind Guardian, in mare parte si datorita vocii care se invirte intr-un fel rezonabil de personal prin zona Kursch, Warrel Dane si Jan Lubitzki. Si schimbarile de ritm cam tot inspre acolo ar putea indica, cu o disimulata trimitere si spre Nevermore, dar Manticora reusesc sa fie in acelasi timp si mai heavy si mai atmosferici.

Spre final, o dau si pe gothic, (Wisdom) cu un riff a la Cradle of Filth si un growl timid in fundal, totul incununat cu dialogurile intre vocalul Lars si Karin, invitata special in acest scop. Clape simfonice, coruri, minute de shredding sau de orchestratii aranjate cu grija, chitara acustica si goana dublu-pedaliera: nici nu iti dai seama cind trec cele sapte piese, deloc scurtute. Ideea nu e noua, sa te apuci sa amesteci enspe genuri, dar la Manticora rezultatul este legat, solid, vine spre tine pasind apasat sau alergind in goana mare, gata sa dea jos din picioare.

De obicei nu ma preocupa asemenea aspecte, dar de data asta am remarcat tehnica impresionanta a tobarului si chitaristilor. Nu ma intereseaza rezultatul unei comparatii cu Lombardo sau Petrucci, pentru mine conteaza ca sar scintei din albumul asta de bine ce e cintat. Pina acum v-am povestit de ce i-am dat 9. Inca jumatate de punct se acorda pentru tulburarea pe care mi-a produs-o atmosfera. Vedeti voi, e vorba de un album conceptual, deja al treilea din discografia lor, deci era si cazul sa fie regizori priceputi. O poveste thriller/horror cu un circ ambulant de acum o suta de ani. Exista patru intunericuri pe album, adica momente de respiro si de imersiune in atmosfera sumbra, in care Lars citeste sobru din scrisorile personajului principal spre prietenul sau. In rest, ni le cinta, de-aia albumul are subtitlul The Letters.

Unele piese incep cu cite un "Dear friend", in sensul de "stai asa, s-o mai citesti si pe-asta". Si parca vad cum circul ala de pe coperta prinde viata pe covor in sufragerie si ma uit din cind in cind peste umar sa nu iasa vreounu si sa se apuce sa-mi cotrobaie prin rafturile cu cduri. Pentru mine, momentul de maxima intensitate, adica mi s-a ridicat parul de pe miini, este balada Freakshow. Some of them were amputated, some were mutilated... cinta Lars in aceasta balada, cu atita sensibilitate si empatie pentru respectivii angajati ai circului ale caror conditii de munca le descrie, incit mi se amaraste si ciocolata de pe buze si incep sa reflectez la mizeria conditiei umane.

Noroc ca vine imediat Gipsies Dance si ma ia pe sus. Cam asta e. E altfel, e plin de energie si de melodie si e cintat cu daruire exemplara. Si mai e si cu poveste. Excelent.

The new album is, in staying with their 2 former releases, again focussed around a conceptual idea, being the introduction of the main character into a 19 th century gypsy circus. Musically, the guitarists keep up quite a pace, and in fact one can speak of a (melodic) Speed Power Metal. On the other side, there àre a couple of calmer moments, and that's when often the keyboards come in more clearly, adding a Symphonic touch to the whole (here and there mimicing the sound of – Egyptian? - horns), but also adding a couple of very dark passages (creepy how those keyboards can get the chills running up and down your spine).

The trottle is taken back halfway through the album for "Freakshow", on which even a passage of acoustic Spanish guitar is featured. Vocally, Lars is really top class, comparable to other greats in the genre (take, for instance, Blind Guardian's Hansi Kürsch), even if he occasionally drops a key (but he doés bring some more variety by goin absolutely rough and grunt on a certain occasion).

Then, there's a couple of moments when you get the impression that a choir was used (but possibly it's just a keyboard effect again), and "Wisdom" (one of the longest tracks on the album) is graced with the presence of a misterious female backing & lead singer for a great duet (she's probably also featured in the short "Intuneric III". Oh...and I would almost forget, but there's also narration all over the album, telling the story that binds the songs (which are also often bound by the music: the first 6 tracks are in fact linked that way).

In short, if you're into Progressive (Speed) Power Metal with a touch of Symphonic, and a flair for the dramatic, I can warmly recommend you to go and have a listenening session of this album at your local record store. I'm almost sure you'll be as charmed as I was...and I doubt if you'll leave the store without the album.

Det er helt ufatteligt, at lille Danmark har så genialt et band som Manticora, der jo som bekendt gør sig i episk progressivt powermetal, uden der er stjålet med arme og ben fra den typisk tyske eller amerikanske scene. Manticora har helt deres egen lyd og episke stil, hvilket man som dansker kun kan være stolt af.

"The Black Circus - Part 1: Letters" er et af den slags albums, der skal høres igen og igen før alle de geniale detaljer kommer for øre. De fede riffs, de stemningsfulde passager, de episke og smukke melodiske stykker og den bombastiske helhed. Det er smukt, genialt og hammerende godt produceret.

Endnu engang er der tale om et konceptalbum, hvilket ikke gør pladen mindre sammenhængende eller mindre interessant. Umiddelbaret syntes jeg, at der er kommet mere smæk på det musikalske, i forhold til tidligere, hvilket passer mig fint. Manticora har endnu engang overgået sig selv og fortsætter den udvikling tør jeg slet ikke gætte på hvor genialt det bliver i fremtiden med evt. en "The Black Circus - Part 2" som der ligesom er lagt op til...

Her er ihvertfald tale om både kvalitet og musikalsk genialitet. Et album alle bør eje!

When I accidentally run into a band like Manticora, I wonder why the Danish metal is usually underrated. Actually this came for the first time somewhere in 2004, when I accidentally discovered the "sister-band" Wuthering Heights, for whose album, Far From the Madding Crowd, I had an immediate and eternal crush. The gig from Satu-Mare (Romania), to which I hadn't attended and which I regretfully marked as big loss, drew my attention upon Manticora and they rapidly ascended in my favorite list near the above mentioned, to whom Manticora has in common... one of the guitarists.

I have a huge passion for conceptual albums, taste induced mainly by His Majesty King Diamond, but I rarely find one to like 100%. I guess the last one was Kamelot's Black Halo. And when I was almost certain that my 2006 top ten albums had been crystallized, that nothing further could possibly appear to fit it, a band I have found out about three months ago has come to ruin my plans with their fifth album, The Black Circus- part I- The Letters, a musical fantasy inspired by an short story of the odd American writer Lovecraft.

It would have been much better if I read the book or, at least, if I had the lyrics on the album, but the media promos rarely contain this element, though when it comes to a concept album, they would be compulsory. However, the main character describes in a series of letters his meeting with a strolling circus of some European gypsies, circus proved in the end as a space of magic rituals: "they discovered me one evening while I saw something I was not supposed to see. It was a secret meeting at a place of the big tent...I've been invited to the next meeting by the Romany. They call it The Daily Summoning, The Daily Gathering".

I suppose the lovecraftian unleash will belong to the second part, to be released the next year. What have really strike me were the denominations of the interludes. Intuneric, Romanian word for darkness. I have know no idea how the Danish band chose this word, maybe it's been Lovecraft influence as well, but the four interludes describe best the atmosphere of the album, the first of them, only half a minute long having the resonance of a marche funebre, while the second one, recitative and ended with a child voice whispering mysteriously "come on, let's go!", would have fit any release of the horror master, King Diamond. In a world of joy-metal, as power metal is often characterized, the Manticora album truly embodies the concept of dark.

Musically, try to imagine an old Blind Guardian with lots of progressive elements, guitars a la Michael Romeo and a vocal score, if not resembling, at least influenced by Russell Allen (Symphony X). Still, Lars Larsen is such a great vocalist as the frontmen mentioned above, although he succeeds with few impressive scores- as on the epic ballad Freakshow. What's really attractive about this album is lesser the technique, but the unexpected combination of the progressive elements with a pretty heavy shell, the prog side reminding other genius Danish guys, Beyond Twilight, while the power one is a natural inheritance of the 80's German power metal. Slight thrash insertions, mainly on the rhythmic section are stylish masked by choral scores.

The ultimate masterpiece of the album is Wisdom, which, beside an absolutely amazing score of Larsen's, brings in a female vocal score to complete an epic-progressive scenery empowered by a solo maybe not so complex, but amazingly expressive in the darken context. I would have also included Gypsies Dance in the masterpieces area if it wouldn't have made me think that the vocalists pushed his natural limits a little bit by trying a classical power metal score which- honestly- doesn't sound too great and seems somehow artificial.

The closing song, Disciples of the Entities, leaves aside any progressive sparks bursting out into an energetic power metal, giving me great expectations for the second part of the story. When you spin a CD in heavy rotation, sometimes five or six times a day, you can tell that album is either way too complex and you struggle to understand all its technical elements or its atmosphere caught you for good.

I guess the second one was Manticora guys' goal and, as far as I'm concerned, they have fully achieved it. Therefore, if technically speaking and compared to albums I had related to, I'd find a minus or two in the final ranking, I'd certainly offer the highest ranking compositionally. So- a realistic- I hope.

Manticora: Groupe encore inconnu il y a peu, de votre serviteur. Enfin pas si inconnu que cela car j'en avais entendu parlé mais ayant eu une petite overdose de Métal Symphonique avec les Blind Guardian, Sonata Arctica, Kamelot, Stratovarius, pour ne citer que les plus grands, ce genre d'aventure m'avait amené à passer mon chemin et à contourner l'obstacle.

La faute à des guitares dont la vitesse d'exécution frise le dégoût, avec le tacatac typique de la batterie et les cris stridents des chanteurs, m'avaient vite fait passer l'envie. Et là coup de tonnerre et coup de coeur porté avec ce premier volet (suite et fin en été 2007) du concept album des Danois de Manticora, "The Black Circus Part 1 - Letters".

Le groupe s'est encore lancé dans un concept album retraçant l'histoire d'un cirque ambulant à la Nouvelle Angleterre en 1896. Notez aussi une superbe pochette de Mattias Noren qui décidément me ravit à chaque artwork qu'il créé. La musique de Manticora est vraiment très différente de ses compatriotes. On est toujours en effet sur le Speed Mélodique, mais très intelligemment on constate aussi de nombreux passages Power, Métal Progressif et Death.

Un Métal à la Manticora qui se veut être moderne et tout cela est lié à la voix très forte de Larsen F. Larsen. "The Black Circus" est musicalement très agressif et il reprend bien évidemment le concept double grosses caisses qui tambourinent à fond mais en incorporant ce petit côté Death. Et les guitares envoient la sauce sans trop nous déverser des torrents de notes. Ce morceau impressionnant et très technique par sa rapidité d'exécution. Bien sûr là aussi le côté épique et symphonique est présent. Mais on passe très vite à l'hallucinant "Enchanted Mind" qui se veut très Métal Prog. C'est franchement le morceau phare de l'album. Celui qui va nous montrer la tournure que va prendre l'album. Surprenant ! Une superbe orchestration sur "Freakshow" avec l'apport de la guitare acoustique qui rappelle un peu le côté gitan du concept. Le morceau le plus calme et la voix de Larsen F. Larsen prend toute son ampleur et pas de doute, il sait chanter.

Mais je vous rassure il est talentueux sur les 71 minutes que compte l'album. L'apparition d'une voix féminine ainsi que des choeurs sur "Wisdom" nous donne une dimension mélodique bien plus prononcée qui est cassé par moment par la voix Death de Larsen. Et ces minutes passent vite car une deuxième écoute n'est pas trop pour emmagasiner le tout.

Les trois parties de "Intuneric" sont conté dans la pure tradition épique avec une voix grave et des orchestrations. Les autres morceaux sont quant à eux un peu plus heavy comme "Forever Carousel" emmené par les riffs de guitares et un solo qui nous montre que le petit frère, Kristian Larsen, n'est pas vraiment manchot.

Une section rythmique un peu moins ravageuse mais tout aussi puissante. Mandicora a signé là dans l'ombre, une magnifique première partie qui donne vraiment envie d'attendre avec impatience sa deuxième. En attendant régalez vous avec "The Black Circus Part 1 - Letters": Il constitue un must, vraiment !

In dark and dismal corners of Denmark lies a well kept secret. This secret is called Manticora and it can only be revealed to the explorer who knows exactly where and when to search. Rumours are saying that Manticora is a band of such calibre that only few bands in the world are able to match their intensity and skills.

It is also said that their latest release The Black Circus Part I - Letters is holding a dark, scary and powerful story of mystical happenings in a world that will reveal itself to the listener as the album takes shape. But instead of revealing the story to you, my dear reader, I will only urge you to mark September 8th in your calendar and make an investment in the new album from Denmark's undoubtedly finest heavy metal band.

The guitars are fast and their Blind Guardian inspired sound gives you the chills when vocalist Lars Larsen bids you welcome to the show. And from that point the guitars are racing side by side with 100 miles an hour. When describing the music of Manticora it is inevitable to mention the bands obvious inspiration source in Blind Guardian. Especially the vocals are very Blind Guardian inspired, the guitars are more furious than Blind Guardian ever was.

The tempo is fast and it takes lots of dedication to discover all the small details that are hiding in each song. These details are hiding themselves in violins and trumpets which create a perfect sound when it is combined with those inhuman drums that I doubt many drummers are capable of. [Just listen to "The Black Circus"].

The fantasy world Manticora is trying to describe through their lyrics is truly brought to life during the guitar solos and violin-parts. I believe that this is the first concept-album where I truly see the entire happening appear in my mind.

As more and more American metal acts take center stage, from Lamb of God and Intronaut to Mastodon and the regrouping of the original Slayer, it's easy to forget the contributions made by the European acts that owned the 1990s and early part of the 21st century.

On American shores, Danish metal band Manticora are underground. They shouldn't be; perhaps it's because of the conceptual nature of their material — concept albums have become a staple with them and this is their third in five releases — or their willfully over the top musicality that blends in elements of prog with their power metal approach. Whatever the case, this act is one of the more inventive and memorable in the entire genre. Black Circus is based on a narrative of H.P. Lovecraft, and is spread over two different recordings. Pt. 1: Letters basically sets up all the strange details of the journey of a traveling American circus in 1896, told through the point of view of a young man who has been hired as its janitor. It is his dream job to be sure, but there is something very wrong with this circus.

Pt. 2 will offer the filled-in narrative. In any case, the band — Martin Arendal (guitars), Kasper Gram (bass), Kristian Larsen (guitars), Mads Volf (drums), and Lars F. Larsen (vocals) — is ambitious, pretentious, and utterly skilled at both composition and execution. This is part power metal, part thrash metal, part prog rock, and utterly inspired. As a vocalist, Lars Larsen pushes himself to the very brink of his abilities. There is no cookie monster crap on Manticora albums.

This is a vocalist who has studied. Woven through his parts are a choir — orchestrated and performed by the band and producer Tommy Hansen — and singer Karin Brom's gorgeous classical stylings. As is now typical of Euro-metal groups, keyboards are threaded into the mix as well. The bottom line: this is dynamic-laden, dramatic, theatrical epic metal. It's florid but packs a wallop. Its musicality detracts not one iota from its depth and power. This is a mature band that is extending the genre without watering it down.

Manticora aspire to nothing other than excellence in their chosen mode of rock & roll expression. There are five brief interludes that break up the narrative, urging the listener down into the rabbit hole further and further. The rest is seductive, pummeling, and kitschy music — think about Queen if they had stayed the course of their first three records and had heard black metal and the San Francisco metal of the '80s and '90s. The standout cuts are the title track, "Enchanted Mind," "Freakshow," and the amazing "Gypsies Dance, Pt. 1."

Manticora bring back the myth, mayhem, and madness, the horror show fun to heavy metal, played with the vengeance of junkyard dogs and the visionary zeal of aesthetes. If your kid brings this record home, sit down and listen to it with her or him; you might rediscover what was magical about rock & roll in the first place.