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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Circle II Circle returns with a new lineup, April 23, 2005
Zak Stevens left Savatage in 2000 in order to take a little break from music and then make a comeback with his own band. I was excited to hear Circle II Circle's debut album Watching in Silence, because Zak has always been one of my favourite singers of all times. Watching in Silence proved to be a very Savatage-like record from songwriting to sound to production to instrumentation. I always thought since it was Zak's first album as a solo artist, the second album would have a more original sound and style. However, shortly after the debut was released, all members except Zak left the band (only to team up with Jon Oliva on his Tage Mahal album) and Zak had to seek new bandmates. Needless to say, this has reflected on Circle II Circle's sophomore disc, The Middle of Nowhere.
The new album certainly tries to steer away from the classic Savatage sound, but at the same time, it retains certain characteristics and musical ideas. This comes as no surprise, as once again eight out of ten songs on the album were co-written by Savatage members Jon Oliva and Chris Caffery. Zak only penned two songs ("In This Life" and "Lost") with Angel Dust axeman Bernd Aufferman. Given the statistics, it is inevitable not to sound like Savatage when you receive so much input from others. Sometimes I think Zak should have never left Savatage, since CIIC obviously functions as an extension of his former band. On this album, according to the liner notes in the booklet, Zak had more control over how things should be done. He produced the whole album by himself and mixed it with Jim Morris. Unfortunately, the production isn't up to par with his debut album or the Sava releases done by Paul O'Neill. One thing that I noticed is the mastering of the album is weak, especially in between tracks. The frequency level of the sounds is a bit annoying when you try to listen to the album on headphones.
The sound, overall, is raw and more in your face. Because there is little to no keyboards or piano on the album, the guitars are way up in the mix. Paul M. Stewart's bass performance is probably the best thing on the album; it's present in every song and very powerful, unlike the debut release. Zak's voice sounds kind of different too. Maybe it's because he wanted to go for a more raw-sounding album, but gone are his crystal clear vocals that we have come to expect from him. This album finds him doing some really gritty vocals; it doesn't sound bad, but then it doesn't sound quite like Zak Stevens either. I don't want to put this album down, but vocal-wise, this will probably be my least favourite Zak Stevens release. There are no counterpoint vocals, not enough soaring vocal harmonies like the ones on "Forgiven" or "Watching in Silence", and certainly not enough piano melodies accompanied by killer guitar runs. The only exception is the title track, as it starts with nice piano work played over really heavy guitar riffs. Towards the end of the song there is a nice counterpoint harmony that is perhaps the most amazing moment on the album.
The songs are generally heavier and faster than the ones on the debut. Like I already said, the bass is fantastic, be it on "All That Remains", "Cynical Ride" or the power-ballad "Faces in the Dark". Andy Lee and Evan Christopher play lots of rhythm-based melodies with occasional guitar solos. It has to be noted though that the solos on this disc pale in comparison to Matt LaPorte's stuff on the debut. Still, you'll hear good melodies on "Open Season", a track that greatly reminds me of Blaze - could it be because of CIIC's extensive tour with him last summer? The solo on "Cynical Ride" is also amazing. Other than that I think the closing piece "Lost" is a nice acoustic track. "Psycho Motor", on the other hand, is perhaps the worst song Zak has ever done. Its hard rock vibe, weak chorus and loose mix simply don't go well with Zak's musical background. Actually the songs on this album would make a fantastic live show; they just don't offer much on CD if you know what I mean.
Bottom line, The Middle of Nowhere is a very good melodic metal release judging by its own merits. However, compared to Zak's earlier efforts, it simply lacks the aestheticism, complex arrangements over spacious production and multi-textured piano melodies woven into searing guitar solos present on Watching in Silence. It's by no means a weak album, just not good enough by Zak's standards.
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Tracklisting: In This Life . All That Remains . Open Season . Holding On . Cynical Ride . Hollow . Psycho Motor . Faces in the Dark . The Middle of Nowhere . Lost
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
one of the best from Sava family, August 17, 2005
This is my first album review in amazon. I never thought I will write one, because I don't have too much time but when I heard this album, I thought that I shall make everybody to listen to this awesome album. I looked at Amazon for reviews and I only saw one! (it's strange that it's from Turkey also) (thanks to the marvellous Circle 2 Circle concert in Istanbul)
We've seen a lot of Savatage albums, and albums from Savatage members. I think after Dead Winter Dead period, this one is the best! It's definite that Zakk puts his all soul into this project. The vocals are incredible. (also different sometimes from what Zakk done before)
The lyrics are... well I think they are not lyrics, they are poems about the emptiness of life.
The sound is perfect. Zak Stevens is also the producer and he had done an incredible work. This album is the best sounding cd in my cd-man. The bass sound is great. The sound is oldschool and modern in the same time.
As a conclusion; this album is way better than the first C2C album. If you like good melodic metal, than you must listen to this album.
Best tracks: In this life, All that remains, Cynical Ride, The Middle of Nowhere, Lost
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Breaking Free, March 13, 2006
The Middle of Nowhere is Zak Stevens' and Circle II Circle's first big step out from under the Savatage shadow. Stevens' former bandmates Jon Oliva and Chris Caffery were heavily involved in Circle II Circle's stellar debut album Watching in Silence, which for all intents and purposes could have been the new Savatage album.
With the Middle of Nowhere, Stevens leads Circle II Circle towards developing their own unique sound. This is no easy feat, since Stevens has one of the most distinctive voices in metal, and hearing it immediately brings to mind all of those unforgettable Savatage songs. Still, I think he succeeded with the Middle of Nowhere. The songs on this album sound far more like Circle II Circle songs than Savatage songs, in part because the keyboards play a lesser role. The album is more guitar-driven and very melodic, and has little of the epic Savatage flair. Paul O'Neill's absence as a producer has a lot do do with this.
While this works in establishing Circle II Circle as its own band, those of us who have a deep love of all things Savatage can't help but be a little disappointed that the Middle of Nowhere doesn't have the familiar sound that Watching in Silence had. It is a good album, but the songs just aren't as memorable as the material on the debut. As hard as I try to keep an open mind, deep down I'm waiting to hear songs that sound like Handful of Rain or Edge of Thorns. Building their own legacy may be Circle II Circle's biggest challenge.
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