Cirrha Niva sound like what they are, a prog metal band from the late 90s. If you are a fan of all those bands that popped up around that time, you either already like Cirrha Niva or probably will. Their latest album, “Out of the Freakshow” sounds like most bands around that time. Good or bad? Neither really.

If you were to put them in a lineup with other bands from that time period, The Quiet Room, Divine Regale, Vauxdvihl, Leviathan, Mind’s Eye, I’d have trouble distinguishing any of them. They are very good musicians but the songs are average and lack the depth that I need. The lyrics have too many cliched moments (“Silver Tongues”) or silly gang vocals (“I Guess” and “Time”). Vocalist Lagrand reminds me A LOT of ex-Pallas singer Alan Reed, who had this strange vocal affectation that I never liked.

The good news is that the album ends…with the 2 best tracks. “Reprise of a Beautiful Day” is a nice instrumental with a dual lead that really works. “Just Another Legacy” is a strong ballad that works both musically and melodically. But the words “just another” are accurate. Cirrha Niva are just another prog metal band from the 90s that haven’t progressed.

Rating: 5/10

Tracklist:
1. I Guess
2. From Ego
3. 24/7 Smile
4. Afraid To Bleed
5. Silver Tongues
6. Time
7. Reprise Of A Beautiful Day
8. Just Another Legacy

Website: www.cirrhaniva.nl