RED CIRCUIT - Trance State
When you throw around with superlatives, you should take care because people will listen more closely to what you actually perform. Red Circuit call themselves a "true prog metal supergroup", because their vocalist used to sing with Avalon and Firewind, and their keyboarder once was a member of Sheela. Oh, and their bass player was in Zeus. If all these names leave you clueless, don't worry, I felt the same. Asia and UK were prog superbands, and further back even ELP were one, but just because you played in moderately successful or even totally unknown (at least to me) prog bands doesn't mean that much.
My first impression of Red Circuit's debut album Trance State was one of anticlimax. If adding discreet keyboards means you're a prog metal band, then by all means they are. If you strip the songs to their general structure, you're left with well made but very traditional melodic metal. The arrangements sound very German, and even the vocals have that Teutonic touch. Their singer may be Sri Lankan born, but he still sounds like Klaus Meine's nephew.
Red Circuit's biggest mistake is that they set too high expectations that they just can't fulfil. Prog metal fans are better served with Dream Theater and Fates Warning. Those who like their metal very tame should still risk an ear, because Trance State is a well enough done piece of melodic metal that's absolutely suitable for the more conservative minded hard rock fans.