CIRCUS MAXIMUS
by Brothers Blood
* If using iPhone tilt your phone horizontally for correct viewing *
CIRCUS MAXIMUS is a full-length rock concept album released in 1996 by the band Brothers Blood.
An Independent, Self-produced album and originally released in limited quantities on cassette and 2-disc CD package, the album included a printed booklet/program of lyrics and original artwork that deepened the unfolding myth of "The Ugly One".
Often described as a “movie for the mind,” Circus Maximus blends powerful rock songs with acted narrative scenes that carry the listener seamlessly from moment to moment. The album is designed as a complete experience—11 songs and 11 narrative interludes working together to reveal the story in full.
Now long out of print, only a handful of original cassette copies still exist.
For it's 30th anniversary, this website was created to preserve and share the experience—allowing anyone to journey through the music and story simply by clicking through the files. For the full effect, we recommend listening with headphones, immersing yourself completely in the multi sensory experience of guitars, drums, songs, sounds, voices, and inner world of The Ugly One.
CIRCUS MAXIMUS was always intended to be experienced from beginning to end—songs and scenes together—each piece unlocking another layer of the narrative. For those who prefer a music-only journey, separate links are also provided at the end featuring the songs alone, in sequence, without the narrative passages. Also, the a full version with songs and dialogue with no interruptions or distractions clicking from track to track.
Enter the story BELOW. Press play. Let the movie unfold in your mind.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN MANY CHILDREN DREAMED OF RUNNING AWAY AND JOINING THE CIRCUS.
STEP RIGHT UP...
WelcomeTo The Show!
A strange tract/booklet is found on the sidewalk of a gritty New York City.
A New York City that no longer exists—a city of rusted fire escapes, flickering streetlights, and forgotten prayers. The booklet is small, its pages stained by rain, soot, and footsteps, as if it has already passed through many hands… and been rejected by all of them.
When you open it, the story begins immediately—without warning, without mercy. As you flip from page to page the story comes to life in words, music, and emotion.
It tells of the birth of a child. A life so physically misshapen, so unsettling to behold, that the world recoils from him at first glance. His presence alone provokes fear, disgust, and violence. From the moment he enters the world, it is made clear that he will not be welcomed, tolerated, or allowed to exist quietly among the so-called beautiful.
Yet the deeper horror is not his form.
As the pages turn, it is revealed that the child’s inner nature—simple, gentle, innocent, and God-touched—is deemed even more offensive than his appearance. His kindness is mocked. His compassion is punished. His faith and purity is misunderstood as weakness. At every step of his journey, those he encounters—preachers, strangers, lovers, authorities, and crowds—label his goodness itself as ugly.
This is not merely his story.
As you continue reading, the lines between character and reader begin to dissolve. You may recognize pieces of yourself in those who turn away… and in the one who is turned away from. The tale holds up a dark mirror, asking uncomfortable questions about mercy, cruelty, faith, and the quiet violence of conformity.
By the time you reach the final curtain, you may feel exposed—unnerved—as if something within you has been seen, named, and judged. The chill that follows is not from the city streets, but from the realization that the true deformity in this world may not be physical at all.
The booklet does not offer comfort. It offers recognition.
And once opened, it does not easily let you go
NOTE: The best way of experiencing the album
A. First Time- THE FULL ALBUM, "A Movie For The Mind"- Listen straight through with all of the songs and narrative scenes and follow along with the booklet pages below. As it was meant to be experienced.
B. THE MUSIC ONLY, Listen straight through, just the songs. No narrative scenes.
C. Select songs or scenes separately to dive in to. Each time one listens, more is discovered.
The Full Album
Listen to the full album from start to finish with all of the music and narrative scenes straight through, as originally released.
Running time- 1:13:37
Music Only
Listen to the music only. All 11 songs from the album with no narrative scenes.
Running time- 50:08
ACT ONE
Side A / Disk 1
**Headphones recommended for best experience.**
Birth
Welcome To the World
We first meet our main character at the moment he enters the world, greeted with horror and disgust—a moment that is raw, chaotic, and irreversible. In the sterile glow of a hospital room, creation collides with judgment. This opening scene marks the beginning of a life… and the first cruelty it will face.
Press Play Below for "BIRTH"
The Show Must Go On
All The World's A stage
To live is an act of courage. Every soul is forced into the arena, bound to the hand it is dealt. There is no turning back. The moment you arrive, the show has already begun.
Press Play Below for "The Show Must Go On"
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
WAITING FOR THE NIGHT TO COME WAITING FOR THE LIGHTS TO SHINE ON THE SHOW MUST GO ON
WAITING FOR THE CLOWNS TO APPEAR WAITING JUST TO FACE YOUR FEARS THE SHOW MUST GO ON
YOU CAN’T HIDE IN THE BASEMENT AIN’T IT TIME THAT YOU FACED IT YOU GOTTA STEP OUT ON THE WIRE PUT YOUR HEAD IN THE JAWS OF THE TIGER NOWHERE TO HIDE, NOWHERE TO RUN
THE SHOW MUST GO ON THE TIME HAS COME THE SHOW, IT MUST GO ON
NO MORE IDLE THREATS NO MORE SAFETY NETS THE TIME HAS COME NO MORE WAITING IN THE WINGS NO MORE FOOLISH GAMES THE TIME HAS COME
YOU CAN’T HIDE BEHIND YOUR MAMMY YOU’VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND ME
YOU GOT TO CLIMB INTO THE CANNON IT’S TIME TO BE A MAN AND IT’S UP TO YOU, YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE
THE SHOW MUST GO ON THE TIME HAS COME AND THE SHOW, IT MUST GO ON
Schoolyard
The Rude Awakening
As a child, if we are lucky, our parents love us and shield us from the harsh criticisms of the world… but there comes a time when we must face the world alone. The first day of school is often that moment—the day we discover we are not loved by strangers the way we are loved at home.
In the schoolyard, The Ugly One takes his first steps into that reality… and the cruelty waiting there is loud, merciless, and unforgettable.
Press Play Below for "SCHOOLYARD"
The Ugly One
Not One of Them
Deciding to never let school get in the way of his education, he studies and he grows anyway. Over time, he begins to understand—and even accept—his uniqueness. But the whispers still crawl behind him like shadows. He knows, deep down, he is trapped among people who will never accept him.
Not because of what he does… but because of what he iss and nd in that realization, he understands the truth: he doesn’t belong here
Press Play Below For "THE UGLY ONE"
THE UGLY ONE
MOMMY AND DADDY ALWAYS TOLD ME THAT I WAS A BEAUTIFUL BOY A SPECIAL CHILD UNIQUE IN MY OWN WAY BUT THEY COULDN’T HIDE THEIR TEARS ONE DAY AT SCHOOL IS ALL THAT IT TAKES A YOUNG HEART BREAKS A MIND IS DESTROYED IT’S A SLAP IN THE FACE TO LEARN WHY YOU WERE RAISED IN A HOUSE WITHOUT ANY MIRRORS
I’M JUST A FREAK TO YOU A SIDESHOW ATTRACTION I SIT AND CRY IN THE CORNER ALONE I’M A FREAK TO YOU A MAJOR DISTRACTION IN YOUR BEAUTIFUL WORLD I AM THE UGLY ONE
STEP RIGHT UP COME ONE COME ALL SEE THE BEAST ON THE STAGE HAVE A LAUGH ON MY BEHALF WELL ISN’T THAT WHY WE’RE ALL HERE I SEE YOU RECOUNT YOUR FINGERS AND TOES AS YOU THANK GOD YOU’RE NOT IN MY CAGE AND AS YOU LEAVE IN DISBELIEF YOU THROW ME A QUARTER YOUR CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR
NOW I CAN SEE WHY YOU LOOK AT ME WITH HORROR AND FASCINATION YOU LIVE LIKE DRONES COMMERCIAL CLONES FACES IN THE CROWD YOUR WORLD’S A PARADE OF MAD CHARADES BLIND TO THE REVELATION THAT I AM UNIQUE AND YOU ARE THE FREAKS AND I HAVE TO LAUGH OUT LOUD
YOU’RE THE FREAKS TO ME SIDESHOW ATTRACTIONS AND I’M PROUD TO STAND ALONE YOU’RE THE FREAKS TO ME A MAJOR DISTRACTION AND IN MY PITIFUL WORLD YOU ARE THE UGLY ONES
The Prayer
To Be In This World But Not Of This World
He had grown used to eyes—stares, whispers, the quiet judgment that followed him everywhere. But this was different. In the steam-filled shadows, a trusted figure stood watching… only watching. No touch —just a gaze that lingered too long. Not cruelty, but something colder. And in that moment, the betrayal of a spiritual father cut deeper than any stare ever had.
Press Play Below For THE PRAYER
Tell Me
The Search For Meaning
Alone beneath a silent sky, he cries out—Tell me where to go… what to believe. Betrayed by every guiding hand, he begs for one true sign to make his next move. He leaves school to join the work force and be a producyive member of society.
Press Play Below For "TELL ME"
TELL ME
Listen to me - don’t say a word let me say just what has to be said I’ve got a feeling burning in me like a fire that needs to be fed
There’s a change in my wind a shift in my dreams it escapes as my soul rips apart at the seams
Tell me Tell me I’m the man that I think I am Show me what I am I know you can
My head is so hot I’m sweating a sea my eyes grow incredibly red I don’t make a move, just sit and observe like and old man confined to his bed
I’m breaking my chains, work will set me free and I’m waiting to see waiting to see how they react to the changes in me
J.O.B.
Jackass Of the Boss
The System Rejects the Standout
Behind a polished desk and a rehearsed smile, judgment is delivered in calm, measured tones. One mistake… and it’s over. His effort, his loyalty—twisted into a problem. He worked too hard, stood out too much, made others uncomfortable. Hired to fill a quota, not to belong. And now even excellence marks him as something unnatural… something to be removed.
Press Play Below For "J.O.B"
Highwire
Balancing The Grind
Under buzzing lights and constant scrutiny, he walks the line—steady, silent, unseen. One misstep, and it’s over. Cigarettes and coffee keep him upright. The grind never thanks him. Every day, a highwire… stretched over the slow fall into nothing.
Press Play Below For "HIGHWIRE"
One Way Ticket
Destination: Anywhere
With nothing left to hold him in his hometown, he steps into the station and asks for escape—anywhere but here. The ticket man studies him, not with fear… but knowing. “Try New York,” he says. “Find a woman. Find love.” A strange kind of salvation… offered by a stranger.
Press Play Below For "ONE WAY TICKET"
Find Some Love
Hope on the Rails
As the train cuts through the night, his mind drifts ahead of him—toward possibility. Could someone be waiting? Someone meant for him? A gift from God? Others have found love… why not him? For the first time, hope feels real—like it might be waiting at the end of the line.
Press Play Below For "FIND SOME LOVE"
FIND SOME LOVE
Oh the night is cold when there’s no one to hold you know you got to find some love
Living alone can turn a man to stone you got to find some love
Find some love and hold on tight keeps you warm in the middle of the night love, warm and tight you gotta find it
When you’re lookin for the girl in a cruel, cruel world it’s such a lonely ride and your going through hell on a carousel with a bottle by your side
Find some love, hold on tight love that woman with all your might love, warm and tight you got to find it
A woman’s got the power in her hands she can make or break a man she’s got the power in her heart to build you up or tear you apart
Find some love hold on tight keeps you warm in the middle of the night love, warm and tight love will make it right
Love
Sidewalk Stories
Applause in the Gutter
On a cracked sidewalk, his voice sparks wonder—children gather, eyes lit by stories only he can tell. Then authority arrives, cold and cutting. “Move it.” Potential dismissed, presence rejected. Driven off like noise… toward the park, where misfits perform and dreams go to survive.
Press Play Below For
"SIDEWALK STORIES"
Washington Square Park
Where Freaks Become Stars stage
By day, laughter fills the air—children play, music drifts, life feels whole. But when night falls, shadows move in. Danger and beauty collide. Yet in the chaos, something electric awakens… a stage without walls, where he might finally belong.
Press Play Below For
"WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK"
WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK
HOT SUMMER NIGHT, NEW YORK CITY MOONLIGHT ICE COLD BEER, HOW THE HELL DID I GET HERE
IN WASHINGTON SQUARE THERES MUSIC EVERYWHERE IN WASHINGTON SQUARE YOUVE GOT TO BE THERE
STAND IN THE CENTER RING, TODAY YOU ARE THE KING BUT THE SUN CRASHES DOWN ON A CRYING CLOWN
IN WASHINGTON SQUARE THERES FIRE IN THE AIR IN WASHINGTON SQUARE YOUVE GOT TO BEWARE
CUZ YOU WALK ON THROUGH IN THE LIGHT OF DAY THE CHILDREN SING AND DANCE AND PLAY BUT IN THE PARK, AFTER DARK, YA GOTTA WATCH YOUR BACK, SHE'LL BREAK YOUR HEART THERE'S A MAN WITH A BAG IN HIS HAND HES GOT SUPPLY ON DEMAND BENEATH THE TREES, A NEW DISEASE, WHAT YOU GET IS WHAT YOU SEE
IN WASHINGTON SQUARE THERES FIRE IN THE AIR IN WASHINGTON SQUARE YOUVE GOT TO BE THERE
ITS THE GREATEST SHOW UNEARTHED BY FAR FIVE DOLLAR HIT AND CHEAP GUITAR YOU CAN BE JUST WHO YOU ARE CUZ EVERYBODY HERES A STAR LOOK TO THE LEFT, LOOK TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE PLAY AND PEOPLE FIGHT THE OLD STREET LAMP IS YOUR SPOTLIGHT AND THE BEAT BOX SCREAMS OUT IN THE NIGHT
EVERYTHINGS GONNA BE ALLRIGHT, CHECK IT OUT
WASHINGTON SQUARE
INTERMISSION
You're half way through the story.
The booklet centerfold photo features the band/bros hanging out in Washington Square Park. The Bros all lived only blocks away from the park as kids.
Washington Square Park in NYC was a place where children played, artists performed, stoners got high and where the climax of our story unfolds.
The romance, the riots, the reckoning, the resolution.
ACT TWO
Side B / Disk 2
The Center Ring
Beauty in the Beholder’s Eyes
Big crowds gather now—his voice commands the circle, his stories holding young and old in quiet awe. But beyond the applause, he feels a gaze that lingers. Not polished, not perfect… yet real. In her eyes, he sees truth. Not appearance, but essence—and for the first time, something like destiny.
Press Play Below For "THE CENTER RING"
She's A Lady
Grace in a World of Noise
Amid the flash and frenzy of the square, she moves differently—quiet, grounded, untouched by the chaos. Not loud, not chasing attention… but undeniable. While others perform, she simply is. And in her presence, he feels it—truth, warmth, something sacred. Not just a woman… but THE ONE.
Press Play Below
SHE’S A LADY
SHE STANDS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF A CROWD SHE AIN’T TOO PRETTY SHE AIN’T TOO PROUD SHE’S A LADY
SHE SLIDES THROUGH THE SQUARE WITH THE GREATEST OF EASE SHES A CARING YOUNG WOMAN WHO’S DYING TO PLEASE SHE’S A LADY
LOOKS GOOD TO ME AND AS FAR AS I CAN SEE SHE’S A LADY I WISH IT WASN’T TRUE, THERE’S NOTHING I CAN DO SHE’S A LADY
THE GIRLS WEAR SPIKES AND LEATHER AND LACE BUT A LADY DOESN’T RUN IN THAT RAT HAIRED RACE SHE’S A LADY
SHE SEES RIGHT THROUGH AND INTO MY HEART I THINK MY LIFE IS ABOUT TO START SHE’S A LADY
LOOKS GOOD TO ME AND AS FAR AS I CAN SEES HE’S A LADY I WISH IT WASN’T TRUE, THERE’S NOTHING I CAN DO SHE’S A LADY
MY LIFE WAS A WRECK FROM THE DAY I WAS BORN THEN SHE FELL FROM THE HEAVENS AND INTO MY ARMS CATS IN THE TRASH SPIN MY HEAD ROUND AND ROUND THROUGH THE GLITTER AND LITTER I FINALLY FOUND A LADY
TV News
Truth Under Fire
Cameras roll as the park turns restless. What once drew wonder now draws outrage. Parents protest, leaders condemn, voices clash. His words—twisted, debated, weaponized. Even as children thrive, the crowd swells with agendas. And truth… begins to drown in the noise.
Press Play Below For "TV NEWS"
Say It Anyway
The Voice That Won’t Be Silenced
As the noise rises against him, he rises louder—not in anger, but in truth. Fear presses in, demanding silence. But he refuses. Every soul has a voice, a story, a fire. Whether loved or condemned… speak it. Because truth doesn’t wait for permission—it demands to be heard.
Press Play Below For "SAY IT ANYWAY"
SAY IT ANYWAY
LISTEN UP PEOPLE, GOT SOMETHING ON MY MIND I’VE BEEN AFRAID TO SPEAK BUT ISN’T IT ABOUT TIME GATHER ROUND NOW CHECK IT OUT AND YOU’LL FIND AN AGELESS TALE SO TRUE – FORGOTTEN BY THIS MANKIND
I COULD HIDE MY FACE IN SHAME, AND ON THE WORLD JUST PLACE THE BLAME FOR THE PATH I MADE BUT SEE ALL I HOLD IN MY HAND BECAUSE I TAKE A STAND WITH THE WORDS THAT I SAY CEASE FIRE FROM THE WAR WITHIN YOUR SOUL ELIMINATING FEAR IS NOT ONLY FOR THE BOLD TAKE BACK YOUR DREAMS THEY SAID WERE SO WILD AND SEE HOW YOU SHOULD, BE LIKE YOU WOULD AS A CHILD
REMEMBER ME AND MY ADVICE, EXPRESS YOURSELF, ROLL YOUR OWN DICE — SAY IT ANYWAY I TELL YOU MY TALES FOR FREE, I WANT YOU TO SEE HOW WE’RE ALL ON DISPLAY — IF YOU’RE AFRAID TO SAY…
SAY IT ANYWAY — EVEN IF YOU’RE WRONG — DON’T WAIT TOO LONG SAY IT ANYWAY — IF IT’S WORTH THE FIGHT — CUZ YA KNOW YA MIGHT BE RIGHT
YOU CAN TAKE IT ALL IN BUT TAKE IT ALL IN STRIDE OR YOU CAN LET THAT ROLLERCOASTER TAKE YOU FOR A RIDE YOU BETTER GET IT ALL TOGETHER AND SHED THAT SKIN DON’T WANNA TELL YOUR CHILDREN WHAT YOU COULD HAVE BEEN
TO THE MIGHTY AND TO THE MEEK, LET THAT VOICE INSIDE YOU SPEAK IT’LL BE OKAY GET UP AND JOIN IN WITH THE BAND, STANDING HAND IN HAND WITH YOUR FELLOW MAN — YOU CAN MAKE IT
SAY IT ANYWAY - EVEN IF YOU'RE WRONG, DON'TWAIT TOO LONG - SAY IT ANYWAY
CUZ IT'S WORTH THE FIGHT - CUZ YA MIGHT BE RIGHT
“JUST WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE MR. FREAK” THEY SAY “ARE YOU QUALIFIED TO PREACH, TO TEACH OR ENTERTAIN AND FILL OUR CHILDREN’S HEADS WITH YOUR RHYMES — IS YOUR WORD DIVINE, OR IS OUR FAITH IN YOU A CRIME?” SAY YOU LOVE ME THEN YOU HATE ME CURSE ME THEN DECORATE ME — IF THAT’S WHAT MAKES YOUR DAY AS LONG AS IT EASES YOUR MIND — YOU MIGHT FINALLY SEE WHAT I’M SAYING……… SAY IT ANYWAY
Talk Radio
Voices in the Static
The lines light up—rumors spread faster than truth. Strangers call in, tearing him apart piece by piece. A star built just to be broken. Then through the noise… her voice. Shaking, pleading, real. She defends him—but beneath her strength, you can hear it… she’s starting to crack.
Press Play Below for "Talk Radio"
Me And You And Something
Two Souls Under Siege
In a world that never stops watching, he turns inward—to her. No crowd, no chaos, just them. But something always creeps in… doubt, pressure, the world itself. Still, he holds on tight. Because if love is real, a gift from God, it’s worth fighting—even when everything keeps trying to pull them apart.
Press Play Below for
"Me and You and Something"
ME AND YOU AND SOMETHING
WHEN I LOOK AT YOU BABY, I CANT BELIEVE MY EYES WHO HAVE THOUGHT SOMEONE LIKE ME COULD CLAIM SUCH A PRIZE
YOU'RE ALL THAT MATTERS, YOURE EVERYTHING TO ME MY DARKEST NIGHTMARES DISAPPEAR, YOURE ALL THAT I CAN SEE
THEN SOMETHING COMES ALONG FROM OUT OF THE BLUE MAD MAGICIANS TRYING TO SAW THEIR WAY THOUGH ME AND YOU
THIS WORLD CAST US ASIDE A LONG TIME AGO SO WHY DONT THEY LEAVE US ALONE, WE WERE DOING FINE ON OUR OWN
ITS JUST ME AND YOU AND SOMETHING SOMETHING KEEPS TRYING TO TEAR US APART BUT WE ALWAYS COME BACK RUNNIN EVERY NEW DAY BRINGS US SOMETHING, BUT IT SHOULD MEAN NOTHING TO YOU AND ME
FAME AND FORTUNE WERE NEVER MY GOAL I JUST WANTED TO FIND SOME LOVE TO HAVE AND TO HOLD I WANNA HOLD WE RAN THROUGH RINGS OF FIRE AND SURVIVED THE LIONS CAGE I WANNA LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER, BUT NOT ON THE FRONT PAGE
ITS HARD ENOUGH JUST BEING US, WERE STRUGGLING WITHIN, JUGGLING ALL THE STONES THEY TOSS THEN SOMETHING COMES AROUND AND SUDDENLY WERE IN A CROWD WHY DO YOU RAISEW YOUR VOICE SO LOUD PLEASE DONT BRING THE CURTAIN DOWN
IM LOOKING AT YOU BABY, YOURE LOOKING FOR A FIGHT YOURE LOOKING FOR A STORM ON A CLEAR BLUE NIGHT A LITTLE SITUATION BECOMES A BIG ORDEAL YOU THINK IT BRINGS US CLOSER BABY BUT THAT AINT HOW I FEEL
ITS JUST ME AND YOU AND SOMETHING SOMETHING KEEPS TRYING TO TEAR US APART BUT WE ALWAYS COME BACK RUNNIN
EVERY NEW DAY BRINGS US SOMETHING, BUT IT SHOULD MEAN NOTHING TO YOU AND ME,
StreetBeat
The Sound of Truth Rejected
The rhythm starts low—drums in the distance, a pulse beneath the city. Then it rises. Voices turn to shouting, shouting to chaos. Glass shatters. Sirens wail. Truth is drowned by fury. He only spoke to lift them… but they answered with violence. And then—gunshots. Silence.
Press Play Below for "Street Beat"
Here We Go Again
All The World's A stage
Submitted for your consideration: a story not bound by time, but condemned to repeat it. Empires rise, truth speaks, crowds turn, and flames follow. Different faces… same ending. You’ve seen this before—you just called it something else. And now, once again, the wheel turns… here we go again.
Press Play Below For
"HERE WE GO AGAIN"
HERE WE GO AGAIN
Hey, people say, love is what makes the world go around but I took a look in the history books and that’s not what I found
There’s fighting in the streets, the writing’s on the wall Rome burned, Babylon learned, now I guess it’s our turn to fall
Oh no, here we go again
We’re fools for fashion with skin-deep vision It’s a sign of the times History does not repeat, but it certainly does rhyme
We built one nation under God then we ripped the roof right down It’s all for none and none for all, here we go again it’s coming around
Can you feel our love breaking down Can you feel our love fading away Can you feel our love breaking down
It’s fading away, here we go again
Can’t we all just get along hard look at the forgotten facts of life When someone speaks the truth, our pain is the proof so we tear down the city with lies
Well I’m tired of getting discouraged and jealous of the courage of the workers and the movers and the shakers We gotta stop taking from the maker and giving to the taker We steal our daily bread and then we butcher the baker
The Downfall
Mr & Mrs J. Sikspaque- Riots rage, blood darkens the streets, and the crowds scream for answers. The average people, those who never look past the headlines condemn without thought. Minds numbed by a life of following sports teams and and TV shows, they choose distraction over truth—fed on bread and circuses while something sacred is crushed beneath the noise.
The Sentencing- Torches flicker as the court convenes, but the verdict is already written. Evidence is theater, truth an inconvenience. The Ugly One stands condemned for speaking forbidden spirit. The judge intones elegant legalisms—polished words masking fear, obedience, and a sentence sealed long before the trial began.
Caged-
Stone walls breathe silence. The Ugly One waits in solitary, years erased, time uncounted. At last, peace—no jeers, no gawking eyes. Then boots approach. A guard whispers of profit, parades, paid stares… and laughs, a low sound that poisons the dark.
Optimystikal
The Optimystic Rises
In a cold cell where echoes linger longer than hope, he stands unbroken. Branded by chaos he never chose, yet untouched where it matters most. While others see an ending, he sees a beginning. With gratitude as his rebellion and optimism as his weapon, he whispers to the darkness—this story isn’t finished… not by a long shot.
Press Play Below For "OPTIMYSTIKAL"
OPTIMYSTIKAL
I’VE GOT MY GUARD UP CUZ I’VE BEEN SCREWED SO MANY TIMES AND I’VE MADE MY MIND UP I’VE GOT TO LAY IT ON THE LINE
YOU CAN KNOCK ME DOWN, KICK ME AROUND AND DRAG ME ACROSS THE FLOOR I GET BACK UP AND SHRUG IT OFF AND I COME BACK FOR MORE
OPTIMYSTICAL RUNNIN’ THRU THE RAIN OPTIMYSTICAL SMILIN’ THRU THE PAIN OPTIMYSTICAL THE TRUTH IS VERY PLAIN NO PAIN - NO GAIN
YOU’RE BUILDING BRICK WALLS BUT YOU CAN’T BLOW UP MY PLANS YOU’RE BREAKING MY BALLS STILL, I’M THE OPTIMYSTIC MAN
I SEE YOUR STOP SIGNS AND SO I BLAZE A BRAND NEW TRAIL I’M GONNA KEEP ON KEEPIN’ ON THRU PAIN DEFEAT AND FAILURE
*At the bottom of the last page/back cover, are the final words "PA-RUM-PUM-PUM-PUM".
Like the story of the little drummer boy, we had no gold, no frankincense, no myrrh—no treasure to offer a king. This work was our gift to the Lord.
The Band
Brothers Blood is Bill, Joe and Steve (as pictured here L to R). The name evolved from Blood Brothers to Blood Bros to finally Brothers Blood. Bill and Steve are actual brothers and Joe is their cousin. The name comes from the idea that real family is not based on blood, it's based on a bond of love. They grew up together along with other siblings and simply consider each other "brothers". Writing and recording Circus Maximus proved to strengthen that brotherhood even further.
Band Photo shoot at a traveling circus.
"Some time during the recording and writing of the album, a traveling circus had set up their tent and attractions the next town over from us in New Jersey. we went over to check it out for inspiration and take a few photos. Was a fun experience hanging around the circus grounds and talking to the circus performers and workers." In many cases these circus people were both a featured performer and "worker". A very unique life they live.
Read a review from THE MUSIC PAPER
This review was written during a moment in time when grunge had taken over the music scene with a vengeance, and anything that carried even a hint of metal was being openly mocked or dismissed—often understandably so, as many so-called “hair bands” had become indistinguishable from one another.
That cultural bias is clearly present in the writer’s opening remarks. Even so, and although we don't consider ourselves 'metal" band, the review ultimately recognizes the ambition, creativity, and craftsmanship behind Circus Maximus, and for that, we’re genuinely pleased and proud to include it here.
BROTHERS BLOOD, Circus Maximus (CT11).
Two of my least favorite rock ’n’ roll elements are combined on this release: ’80s-style metal and the “concept album.”
My hat is off to Brothers Blood for their boundless creativity and obvious talent. I never would have believed any band had done this if I hadn’t heard it for myself. All the songs are well-written and the playing and singing are of professional quality. These guys know their metal, and they do what they do very well.
There’s also some extremely entertaining character dialogue. I haven’t heard a band play-acting this well since Tommy. This release really must be heard to be believed. Any fans of concept albums, progressive rock or metal should really get a kick out of this.
The cassette even comes with three “tickets” to the “show,” and the band advises listeners to hear the album “straight through from the beginning to end with no interruption — like watching a movie.” The lyrics, playing and songs are pretty garden-variety heavy metal.
Anyone who never appreciated Queensrÿche or most of what Beavis and Butt-Head say “kicks ass” won’t really be able to appreciate it, but I think it’s a creative and slightly demented work of semi-genius.
— AS
★★★
MORE TO COME
ABOUT THE BAND AND THE ALBUM
*UNDER CONSTRUCTION*
The Band
More info about the members of the band and other previous music, recordings, videos and shows from back in the day..
The Album
More info about the making of the album CIRCUS MAXIMUS. The research, the writing, recording, production.
NEWS
More info on what's to come. New music in the making. New Brothers and Old Brothers entering the fold.
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