Circa Survive
The Amulet


4.5
superb

Review

by Dillon T. USER (10 Reviews)
September 22nd, 2017 | 53 replies


Release Date: 2017 | Tracklist

Review Summary: A beautiful and cohesive experience that is constantly driving forward.

'The Amulet' is a beautiful album. "Lustration" begins everything with a slow, uneasy atmosphere. Quickly, an unfamiliar falsetto serenades the listener as Anthony Green joins the escalating instrumental. When the building tension is finally released we dive into a driving sensation that never fully goes away until the final moments of this record. It is a far cry from Circa Survive's previous release, 'Descensus', which featured a more disjointed collection of songs. In fact, 'The Amulet' may be the most cohesive body of work this band has released since 'On Letting Go' over a decade ago.

The driving, unifying force found here can most easily be attributed to the rhythm section of Circa Survive. There's not a single track that Steve Clifford and Nick Beard don't invigorate with their skillful playing. Be it the fantastic bass line found on "Premonition of the Hex" or the pulsing percussion leading us through "Rites of Investiture", these guys are at the top of their game. That's not to say the rest of the band is slacking however. The guitar melodies on songs like "Tunnel Vision" and "Flesh and Bone" intertwine with an alluring elegance that makes it difficult to stay grounded in reality.

The instrumentals here are truly wonderful and Anthony Green does not let his band mates down in the vocal department either. His unique voice bends to perfectly compliment the music. On top of his excellent vocal performance, the lyricism on display here may be some of his best work to date. Everything on 'The Amulet' comes together like the perfect wine and food pairing which "The Hex" is prepared to demonstrate thoroughly. All of this culminates in the title track which delivers one of the most satisfying conclusions you could ever ask for.

Circa Survive have always been consistently excellent at what they do and each album they put out has its fair share of proponents. It doesn't demand your attention as immediately as their last effort but if you let it, 'The Amulet' will slowly consume you until you find yourself in another place and time. I'd say... let it take you there.



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user ratings (494)
3.8
excellent
other reviews of this album
Sowing STAFF (4.1)
A tightly woven, thoroughly gripping experience that continues to reveal its depth with each success...

Eugene Tymchyk (3.5)
Oh Anthony, you will never disappoint me, right?...



Comments:Add a Comment 
Faraudo
September 22nd 2017


4603 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

AOTY contender.

Sowing
Moderator
September 22nd 2017


43943 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

So I haven't listened to these guys since Blue Sky Noise (which I thought was decent at the time but haven't bothered with since) and really have next to no experience with this band in general, but for some reason I felt the urge to give this a blind purchase. I'm really glad I did - this record is downright stunning. When those screaming vocals on "Never Tell A Soul" came in I was hooked and didn't let go the rest of the way. "Premonition of the Hex" and "The Amulet" also caught my ear as being especially good. It's too early for me to rate this based on two listens but I already can tell that I love it. Hopefully it has staying power because if so it's at least a 4. Good review by the way; a little concise in areas that maybe could have been expounded upon but it's to-the-point and accurately conveys everything I feel about this record early on.

Faraudo
September 22nd 2017


4603 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Glad to hear you liked the record, Sowing! Give their other albums a spin, they're all incredibly solid. Although, this has a bit of an edge over all of them because it's way more cohesive, and way more mature from a songwriting perspective.

3waycrash
September 22nd 2017


263 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Looking forward to giving this a spin. Listened to their first three, but fell off of listening to them after BSN. Feels good to get back into them again though. Been revisiting their albums, and listening through their albums after BSN.

Rickislost
September 22nd 2017


103 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I agree, this is such a lovely and cohesive album, it is a real, joy to listen to.



There are enough driving songs to keep the pace up and some beautiful passages throughout.

Toondude10
September 22nd 2017


15184 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Last album was good, predicting this will be too

Tundra
September 22nd 2017


9626 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

This album is beautiful

Sinternet
Contributing Reviewer
September 22nd 2017


26569 Comments


so so so good

i loved descensus, maybe a lot more than some fans, and this is part 2: the bigger and better edition, could easily see this becoming my fave circa album and possibly a 5

smash69420
September 22nd 2017


9 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

One of the absolute best records of this year. Circa Survive didn't disappoint and this will have a lot of longevity.

Aberf
September 22nd 2017


3986 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

wait what? It's out already.

Dunpeal
September 22nd 2017


4449 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

probably one of the top 5 most consistent bands of all time

Drifts
September 22nd 2017


7 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

There's a lot of guitar work on this thing that sounds like The Edge from U2. I mean that style is highly influential, but really a lot of the riffing and effects on this thing sound like him big time.



This may be AOTY for me so far.

Orb
September 22nd 2017


9341 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Damn this rules

supremejelly
September 22nd 2017


1262 Comments


At Night it Gets Worse is one of my favorite modern-Circa songs. Brings me back to that feel I got from the band back in their Jut-BSN days.

Also the beginning sounds so much like the beginning of Easy Talk by O'Brother lol

bloc
September 22nd 2017


69958 Comments


Sounded good to my ears. Don't listen to these guys much though.

robotmagician
September 22nd 2017


1328 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

man what a performance by green on this album. stunning

Tundra
September 22nd 2017


9626 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

bloc you should check Blue Sky Noise, its their best

TooManyFriends
September 22nd 2017


3495 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

chorus of tunnel vision is good as fuck af

bloc
September 22nd 2017


69958 Comments


Tundra I think I have listened to all of their albums already, but I just never come back to them for unknown reasons. I remember actually liking them too.

robotmagician
September 22nd 2017


1328 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

man at night it gets worse might be my favorite track right now. it just sounds so good



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