CIRCUS OF ROCK – Lost Behind the Mask

King Company drummer Mirka Rantanen impressed me a couple of years ago by means of his Come One, Come All album under the Circus of Rock banner, and this latest effort of his very much follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, which means that you get ridiculously catchy hard rock/heavy metal with more rousing choruses and fist-pumping riffs than you probably deserve.

Having a different vocalist handle each track makes this a nicely varied and unpredictable offering that consists of many different shades and nuances, and its first five compositions in particular are muscular, massive-sounding affairs that make for a terrific listen. ‘Nine Lives’ featuring Mr. Lordi and the derivative ballad titled ‘All I Need’, which is sung by Pinja, more or less kill the momentum and constitute the low points of the LP before Rantanen and his friends kick things into high gear again with ‘Truth or Consequences’. ‘Is It Any Wonder’ is a proper gem that almost sounds like a pop tune with loud and crunchy guitars and where David Readman chimes in with a superb set of vocals. ‘Fix’ is another standout moment on the disc and akin to a joyous, old-school heavy metal song. Simply put, there is a rough-and-ready quality to this sparkling and vibrant LP that makes it a real pleasure to listen to.