Here we have quite the bundle of fun with Savage Circus's Dreamland Manor. Thomen Stauch, ex-drummer for Blind Guardian, was interested in making music that sounded similar to the earlier Blind Guardian material, so he started Savage Circus in 2004 and began planning the music. The early Blind Guardian material was great with its fast percussion and thrashy riffs.

Vocalist Jens Carlsson sounds so similar to Blind Guardian frontman Hansi Kursch, it's almost creepy. The guitarists have even copied the guitar lead sound from Blind Guardian... This may be one of the most thorough "clone bands" ever (or is it a tribute band?) yet their original material in this early Blind Guardian style is extremely well-done, and it's cool to hear this kind of material today.

Admittedly, it is just a bit strange to hear a band that sounds so similar to Blind Guardian, but Dreamland Manor blows A Twist in the Myth out of the water. Savage Circus has inherited the lust for massive vocal layers during choruses, spunky Blind Guardian-like guitar leads and solos, and the tremolo powerchords fans of Battalions of Fear and the like will enjoy.

Although Savage Circus has pretty much recycled the Blind Guardian sound, the production on Dreamland Manor is a step above and much stronger than Blind Guardian's albums. You can feel the depth and punch of the rhythm, bass, and percussion all working together and there is not a lack of low-end in the music or guitar tones. Trying to describe the actual music and songwriting of Savage Circus relative to Blind Guardian is as hard as explaining the difference between a red popsicle and a purple one. It's the same basic design structurally, it just looks different and tastes a bit better.

Dreamland Manor is a treat to behold for power metal / heavy metal fans, and fans of Blind Guardian especially. It's pretty sad that Savage Circus was able to reproduce this sound so perfectly and put the originators to shame. Carlsson even has Kursch's distorted falsetto vocals down perfectly. Savage Circus has got to be one of the best tribute bands of all time, and Dreamland Manor is the best Blind Guardian-sounding album of 2006! (8.5/10)