Gather round, ye men and women of the heavy. For I have news to share, of the mighty return of Magic Pie, and the veritable cornucopia of virtues that lay within the band’s first album in six years, the masterful Maestro, filled to the brim with incredible guitars, catchy anthemic melodies and soaring choruses and…and…did I mention how great the guitar playing is? Because holy bovine, my friends, the guitar playing is majestic. Too often we turn to extreme music to mirror and reflect how we feel. Well, right now I need music that lifts me up, makes me cheer and rock and smile and feel like there is joy in the construction of a righteous racket. And my friends, my stalwart brethren in metal arms, these Norwegians do just that.

Formed in 2001, the group first came to my attention (via Decibel Magazine, of all things, so you know there’s metal cred) with 2007’s excellent Circus Of Life. Since then the group has been pretty steady with a new record about every four years. Different vibes may come and go, but the major touchstones I hear in the band’s music, led steadily by guitarist and primary songwriter Kim Stenberg is Deep Purple, particularly the stellar later era with Steve Morse on guitar, mixed with more progressive metal leanings from the likes of Dream Theater and Pain of Salvation. Those heavier moments of aggression are very apparent on Maestro, but they’re almost surgical in deployment: a fantastic twisted time signature riff in the overture to “Opus Imperfects Pt. 1″…a wicked churning riff that could have come from Adam Jones and Tool that opens late track “Everyday Hero”…each one fills me with unspeakable horns throwing joy, even as they transform and mutate into more progressive and classic rock forms.

So let’s get into those rock forms. There’s no mistaking this is a prog rock album first and foremost with the opening track, the 18 and a half-minute “Opus Imperfectus Pt.1 – The missing chord.” If you’re a modern prog nerd like me you’ll hear a lot of influences in the opening moments that lay out the various melodic themes – Neal Morse is a huge inspiration here, and as the song moves from its different themes to the first proper verse the band moves into subtle Flower Kings territory, opening up with piano and acoustic guitar as lead vocalist and lyricist Eirikur Hauksson takes the listener on an epic journey questions the relationship between art and humanity. If that sounds hokey, or if references to Morse and the Flower Kings don’t instill metal confidence in you, just wait until the solos. Stenberg is a shredder of the highest order, and his guitar work is some of the best I’ve heard all year.

There’a lot of variety in the six tracks that follow, but all have that touch of progressive classic rock embodied by Deep Purple and Uriah Heep, albeit with a very modern and rock-sharpened edge. “By The Smokers Pole” takes a step back and lets the organ drive this almost-ballad, but the final minute is a rock-god level solo that should drench you in smoke and light your face with the glow of a hundred lighters. “Name It To Tame It” is the ridiculously great rock centerpiece of the album, basically an excuse for the entire band to let it rip. It’s deceptive, starting off what seems like a simple (if perfectly executed) hard rock anthem from the 80s, only to go down a super prog rabbit hole a few moments later letting the whole band get freaky and weird in the best way. The keyboard work from Erling Henanger is fantastic, thick and creamy and all over the arrangements, sometimes laying a foundation, sometimes jumping up and grabbing the spotlight by the throat.

There’s so much more packed into the 50 minutes of Maestro, from the syncopated Dream Theater madness that lies at the heart of “Someone Else’s Wannabe” to the very heavy Purple vibes throughout “Everyday Hero” before closing with the more laid back closer “Opus Imperfectus Pt.2 – Maestro.” But what I really want to leave you with is the sense of joy Magic Pie bring to their specific brand of heavy progressive rock. Sometimes you need more than a mirror to reflect the inner turmoil and emotional morass that extreme metal is so good at: making you feel like you’re not alone in whatever you’re going through.

But sometimes you need more. You need something to lift you up, and – god forbid – put a smile on that face, no matter how it might clash with your black band shirt complete with indecipherable logo. When I listen to Magic Pie and to Maestro in particular, I’m left with a big shit-eating grin on my face: for the incredible solos, for the wicked twists and turns the arrangements bring, but mainly for the exuberance and spirit the band bring to the songs.

I needed that. Maybe you do, too.

— Chris

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Maestro is available now via Karisma Records. For more information on Magic Pie, check out their Facebook page.