Russian Circles are an instrumental post-rock/metal band from the US. This is their ninth album.
Russian Circles can do no wrong. Sorry, but them’s the rules. More seriously, coming off the back of 2022’s fantastic Gnostic, Nine has big shoes to fill, but fill them it does. Across 39 minutes of new material, Russian Circles showcase their considerable talents in no uncertain terms.
Nine provides the listener with a compelling vision for instrumental heavy music, delivered in Russian Circles’ signature style. With a firm grip on dynamics, a keen ability to craft engaging moods, and a wonderful flair for non-vocal-driven soundscapes, the band have infused Nine with a strong, well-realised version of their music.
The songwriting offers up a real treat for fans of the band, and all of the songs on Nine have a flavour of their own. Nine is a record of character, where each track is master of its own domain, but also supports the others in the general flow and holistic feel of the album.
E2 balances a slight electronic feel with sandy stoner and doom vibes, whereas the following track Meridian is imbued with a playful nature, boasting an effervescent melody for much of its duration. As a general rule, melody is used when most strategically important. For example, as a textural centrepiece, such as on the atypical twisting colour of opener Borehole. There is a highly emotive blackened melody during Eluvial that wouldn’t be out of place on an atmospheric black metal song. Eluvial is also Nine‘s longest cut, and is an exemplar of layered atmospheric worldbuilding in its totality. This is contrasted by a song like closer Seventh Seal, which is a high-energy explosion of riffy heaviness. There is an interlude track – Arletta – but this isn’t the total waste of space that such tracks usually are, and sets up the heaviness of Seventh Seal well. Then there’s the album’s lead single Empath; an exemplar of moody heaviness.
Taken as a whole, Nine is an excellent album. It covers a lot of ground that Russian Circles have visited previously, and claims it as its own. Within the band’s chosen framework, it’s a rich and varied release. It carries more melody than some of their output and has an immersive atmospheric depth that’s captivating, while also retaining the thicker heaviness of their more modern work.
Essential listening.
Wonderbox Metal 