Machine Men reside in Finland and are starting to make a bit of a name for themselves. If the name didn’t give it away, these guys are big fans of Bruce Dickinson solo material namely Accident Of Birth and The Chemical Wedding. Machine Men’s music can best be described as a steroid laden continuation of Bruce Bruce’s 98 masterpiece. Gritty guitar tones, rough meaty riffs, concise melodies and sharp solos, and a singer that can even emulate Bruce Almighty make up the sound of this European metal machination. Circus Of Fools is album number three and second for Century Media. Repeated listens showed me that Machine Men really are starting to come into their own. While they won’t lose the Dickinson comparisons (and probably never will) subtle elements of growth are apparent and manifest themselves in a handful of monster songs.

The title track is typical fare. Aside from an interesting main guitar riff that actually made me think of Slipknot you have the usual suspects: big chorus, drawn out solo section, and swooping vocals. No Talk Without The Giant, despite the wordy title, is the album highlight. A quick steady pace, urgent vocal phrasings, and Captain Crunchified guitars all lead up to the lengthy chorus that once finished, will force you to hit the repeat button on the stereo immediately. If Falling, Dream And Religion, and the solos in Back From The Days merged into one uber beast then that would be No Talk Without The Giant. Tyrannize and Dying Without A Name are close followers in the race for the song of songs yet Giant pulls ahead every time.

The best part about Circus Of Fools though does not lie in an individual song it is the sheer amount of stepping up that Machine Men does. Rather than being a throwback to days long gone, this band insists on bucking metal trends and keep their sound up to date. Just like the Bruce, Machine Men create modern heavy metal that is superior to the vast sea of groups that still play like its 1989 (or even worse 1999) and spend more time getting the right kind of “dated” sound on their gear instead of writing fresh new material. Circus Of Fools is an album that is chock full of heartfelt passionate performances and is a staunch slice of heavy metal credibility. While this will not be a release that will change the causeways of music to put Machine Men in the same breath as metal legends and greats, this is a band to keep your eyes and ears on for Circus Of Fools is indicative of an artist whose star is rising and the ascension looks unstoppable.