MOTH CIRCUS – “Sideshow Sweetheart”

MOTH CIRCUS is a band that doesn’t take themselves all too seriously, but their music is something that YOU SHOULD. They have a vibrant chemistry that ranks right up there with the likes of Airbourne, & their songwriting yields a “centripetal force” that draws you in & takes you on one hell of a ride! The Norwegian foursome is comprised of three earthlings & ONE ALIEN…those being Johnny Olsen (vocals/guitar), Tommy Richter (bass/vocals), Glenn Asbjornsen (drums), & “Alien Ken” (guitar/vocals) – who resonate monstrously POWERFUL grooves that are simply outta’ this world. It all came to fruition back in 2008, when a call to the classifieds joined these rabid rockers in Stavanger, Norway. Their “eccentric” promo-kit & unusual musical notions began to turn the heads of various record officials, & in 2009 they were signed to Rocksector Records. The company sent them out on a brief UK tour, & plans were immediately grounded for the band to record a full-length album (which would include TWO initial tracks taken from their earlier demos). “SIDESHOW SWEETHEART” was the outcome, & is a uniquely resourceful collection of raunchy rock‘n’roll abrasion paired with the complexity of multi-point harmony.

Fascinated by the Mothman from Point Pleasant, West Virginia…the band describes their sound as “HARD ROCK WITH A LIBERAL SPRINKLING OF INSANITY & ALIEN INSPIRATION”. It can fit into any guitar-laden hardrock genre, but doesn’t necessarily coincide with any particular style. They are aptly focused on the “thunder” of the music, & the gamut of instrumentation throughout this CD is progressively HARD & melodically SOOTHING all at the same time. This kind of intertwinement is never easy to capture, but Moth Circus have mastered it, & should be highly credited for the disc’s outstanding production. Normally, I would provide a breakdown of each song, but Sideshow Sweetheart contains 14 “LENGTHY” TRACKS with a runtime of FIFTY-ONE MINUTES……yeah, the “Mothmen” truly deliver to their listeners! From the corrosive hum & radiating pound of “Dreamland”, to the obscurity of “Chloe Carlson” & all of it’s sorrowful native beat, the band introduces you to a realm of the human psyche that borders on contradiction…& the darker sides of conspiracy, injustice, & defiance of a corrupt system.

The hooks keep the momentum of the album ALIVE, with industro-licks & bass manoeuvres that sweep through a number of time transitions & mix well with the fresh harmonic tones. Olsen packs a “gruff draw” to his voice that is indicative to the lyrical impact they are trying to create. He is the virtual RING MASTER when he utters “Spit on your halo, burn the garments that keep you down.” (Crimson Glory) or “Open sesame, abracadabra…denial seems to be contagious.” (Little Lo) – coupled by screams, & a number of “f-bombs”, to keep the angst at a maximum threshold. Match this with the gnarled, rippling guitar from “Alien Ken”…& you are on an energetic ROGUE-ROCK carousel of which there is no escape. Many of the riffs mechanize the brain, & (believe me) you’ll find yourself chanting the memorable chorus lines for days to come. Glenn Asbjornsen (drummer) shines on this album, packing mass intensity through EVERY track…& there are moments where Tommy Richter gets to play bass “front & center” to show you just how synched this rhythm section is.

One surprising inclusion, to the Moth Circus CD, is the string/acoustic opening of “Hello, Welcome, Sorry” paired with beautiful harmonies that weave into a south-western vibe. It takes you to a COMPLETELY different place & shows that this band has some blues-inspired roots. Johnny’s softer elements rest nicely against the background contributions of Silje Froystad (she also makes a more notable appearance on “Chloe Carlson”), making you wonder if this could really be the same frontman who can spawn such an EVIL LAUGH on the track prior to it. The rolling pace of “Porter” drives into a feisty standoff with the finale “Death Living”, making it clear that Moth Circus’ ideals are revolutionary…& their unconventional expression is amazingly distinct! With a debut album as magically addictive as Sideshow Sweetheart, these Norsemen are carving out a terrific future for themselves in Europe & abroad.

The struggles & hard times, throughout society, have inspired Moth Circus to become a band “WITH A VOICE”. At this point in their career, they are just trying to reach as vast an audience as possible, & have succeeded through such accolades as being featured on Bruce Dickinson’s “Friday Rock Show” (BBC6) & “PYRO” on Norway’s national P3 Station. It’s a struggle to compete against so many upcoming bands throughout the world, especially in contests where the results can sometimes be mildly “fixed”. The members of Moth Circus have been lucky so far, the only struggles they’ve really encountered have been dealing with under-educated sound people & minor touring snags. “We call our music ‘ALIEN COFFIN ROCK’ & we are probably the ONLY BAND in this genre…&, therefore, THE BEST!” Johnny Olsen laughs, “Seriously…we would like the listeners to understand our music, & that there are several layers to it. Once you get past all the IN-YOUR-FACE rock‘n’roll, there are many other things to explore as well.” Alien Ken chimes in, “I want to influence people…& music is one of the BEST WAYS to share my thoughts & opinions. I have some major anxiety issues, & making music (lyrics) has always been an escape route for me.”

The MC spacecraft takes you to the “Outer Limits” with pulsing beats that rip into rebelliously grinding stings, then hover through a cascade of harmony that can be as light as the air. The refinement of their work displays itself as hit, after hit, after hit…making THIS one of the most remarkable CDs to have in your collection. To HEAR them, is to KNOW them…an inventive rock‘n’roll experiment that is meant to be “dissected”. GET ABDUCTED – FLY ON THE WINGS OF MOTH CIRCUS!