Circus Maximus (Zyx 2021) CD + DVD

"No one outside their hometown of Wichita (Kansas) noticed when the epic metal legend Manilla Road broke up after the release of their album „Courts Of Chaos“ in the early nineties. Internet for everyone was still a thing of the future and the metal press began to pay more attention to trends like grunge or crossover. Even the French label Black Dragon Records, which had been supplying Europe with the trio‘s albums since „Open The Gates“, had already been on it’s last legs. Mark Shelton looked for two new comrades-in-arms and founded the band Circus Maximus. In this band, each of the three musicians took turns singing. But that was not the only thing that distinguished the project from Manilla Road. The songs by the two newcomers, Andrew Coss (bass) and Aaron Brown (drums), had their own character, while Mark Shelton‘s songs fulfilled more what the long-time fans wanted to hear. Nevertheless, Mark Shelton (who died in 2018) thought this line-up was particularly strong. „I had a hard time keeping up with those two. They kicked my ass pretty well,“ the master admitted many years later. But the new CD, recorded as usual at Miller Studios (Kansas) with Larry Funk (Manilla Road, Stygian Shore, Usher, Rick Ross etc.), was released under the Manilla Road banner, while „Circus Maximus“ became the album title. For many years it was claimed that Black Dragon Records just printed the name on the cover in order to sell more CDs. With the newsletters printed in the booklet, a few weeks before the release, this mystery is also put into perspective. For the fans, however, „Circus Maximus“ has always been a Manilla Road album - just a little different! A few years ago, Mark Shelton found a VHS tape containing two almost complete shows featuring this rare line-up. Amazingly, the quality is good enough to present this material as a bonus DVD. The location, a small bar in Kansas, doesn‘t really meet the band‘s status, but you can experience the furious trio live! In addition to the tracks from the album, you can look forward to a cover version of „Black Sabbath“ and two Manilla Road songs. The album itself has been remastered by Neudi in 2021 and comes with several bonus tracks (were not fixed at the time of this writing). The booklet contains liner notes by engineer Steve Falke and many rare illustrations. The unusual „Circus Maximus“ thus joins the ranks of the „Ultimate Editions“ in the legendary Manilla Road catalogue."

The Manilla Road record that was never meant to be a Manilla Road record...

CD 1 Throne Of Blood
CD 2 Lux Aeterna
CD 3 Spider
CD 4 Murder By Degrees
CD 5 No Sign From Above
CD 6 In Gein We Trust
CD 7 Flesh And Fury
CD 8 No Touch
CD 9 Hack It Off
CD 10 Forbidden Zone
CD 11 She's Fading
CD 12 Lux Aeterna (Demo Recording Shelton/Park/Foxe)
CD13 She's Fading (Rough Mix)

DVD Official Bootleg Circus Maximus Live In Wichita 11/1991
DVD 1 A Touch Of Madness (Incomplete)
DVD 2 Throne Of Blood
DVD 3 Black Sabbath / In Gein We Trust
DVD 4 Flesh And Fury
DVD 5 No Touch
DVD 6 No Sign From Above
DVD 7 She's Fading
DVD 8 Spider
DVD 9 Dig Me No Grave
DVD 10 Murder By Degrees
DVD 11 Hack It Off
DVD 12 Forbidden Zone