Review Summary: An abundance of technical riffs, electronic embellishments, and rhythmic syncopation that’s bound to impress any musical being from one aspect or another.
Circles
Infinitas
01. Erased
02. On My Way
03. As It Is Above
04. So It Is Below
05. Another Me
06. Ground Shift
07. Responses
08. Visions
09. Radiant
10. Wheels In Motion
11. The Signal (ft. Kin Twelve Foot Ninja)
12. Verum Infiniti
[11th October 2013]
[Basick Records]
Progressive metal fans are alas, treated to the release of Australian band Circles’ debut album, Infinitas! It’s been a long time coming from the band’s beginnings in 2010 - which saw their Prelude EP quickly find it’s way to the audio devices of many music-loving Melbournians. A few more releases, international tours; and we have ourselves a set of tunes that are well-worth the wait.
Suspense is set within the very first track, ‘Erased’, through a seamless transition from dismal ambiance and harmonized vocals, to the heavy, calculated riffs
Circles are best known for, but it’s not all “same, same”!
A more familiar tune, ‘Another Me’ would have to be a perfect example of their progression in a short amount of time, with the mastering on this single further improved on the album - speaking of which, is entirely self-produced with props to guitarist Ted Furuhashi.
Standout tracks from this album are; As It Is Above, So It Is Below, and The Signal. The pair of songs ‘As It Is Above’ and ‘So It Is Below’ are cleverly incorporated to somewhat act as a reference point to the album’s theme. However, whilst maintaining this, there’s still a variety of theoretical influence that avoids any mundane composition of tracks – which is not only refreshing, but a good quality for albums within such intricate sub-genres of metal.
One would have difficulty flawing Infinitas but for the sake of diverse feedback; ‘The Signal’ featuring Twelve Foot Ninja’s Kin isn’t long enough to have more of a vocal involvement from the equally as talented Aussie frontman! Having said that, the track still stands as one of the most effective pieces in terms of storytelling. It embraces an almost Ancient Middle-Eastern approach through foreign acoustic percussion and strings – preparing us for a smooth exit, with the variety of textures in impressive vocals displayed by Perry Kakridas found in the final track, ‘Verum Ininiti’.
Packed with sporadic tempo changes and the layered time signatures us prog-metal heads go weak at the knees for, this album is an abundance of technical riffs, electronic embellishments, and rhythmic syncopation that’s bound to impress any musical being from one aspect or another.
- BB
