Magic Pie – Maestro

 

 

Magic Pie – Maestro
Karisma Records – 2025
Rock, Prog, Symphonic, Metal, Folk, Jazz
Rated: ****

We’re lucky, we’re the ones that know about the Heavy Underground. We’re lucky! We’ve got the best music. The best bands. And shit, the best labels! There are many, and they all do their best in bringing great music to our ear. Take Norwegian label Karisma Records for instance, doing own thing, specializing in bringing rock, folk rock and especially progressive rock mostly from Norway to all of your speakers. Tusmørke, Oak, Wizrd, Agusa, Airbag and many more great bands. And then there is the old guard: Magic Pie! Symphonic progressive rock, formed in 2001, by guitarist Kim Stenberg, and about to release their sixth studio album Maestro. Six years in the making, the first with new drummer Martin Utby, this almost fifty minute long magnum opus, starts with Opus Imperfectus Pt.1 The Missing Chord and ends it with Opus Imperfectus Pt.2 Maestro. Two songs that seem to straddle the five tracks in between, almost turning those into a simple dalliance for the Maestro in question. A slower, smoke vibing, atmospheric song called By The Smokers Pole. A raucous, energized hard rocking, blues based, sporting absolute wild guitar work, Name It To Tame It follows. Kiddo, atmospheric and subtle, but producing a serious message for the younger generation. Someone Else’s Wannabe is therefor the natural follow-up to that message but brings the power back into prog. Lucious key work and incredibly catchy, that delivers an exchange between keys and strings later on in the song that’s to beautiful not to have on repeat. Everyday Hero has another one of those duels, starts out almost Tool like, brings you the modern prog in pristine version and turns into this very hooky track. And then we come to the ending track that turned the start into a grandiose finish. And where it opened much more varied, metallic and modern prog and symphonic. This time the track goes into a more seventies styled prog area, storytelling, symphonic and evocative, which does go into more Dream Theater territory as well once the guitar is allowed to explode. Magic Pie remain true to their craft, their sound and their ability to produce beautiful symphonic prog in all shapes and sizes. True Maestro’s!

(Written by JK)

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