Release
date: August
2nd
2019. Label: Sargent
House.
Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Blood
Year –
Tracklisting
1.Hunter
Moon 02:20
2.Arluck
06:33
3.Milano
06:35
4.Kohokia
07:18
5.Ghost
on High 02:34
6.Sinaia
07:30
7.Quartered
06:39
Members
Brian
Cook - Bass
Mike
Sullivan - Guitar
Dave
Turncrantz - Drums
Review
Blood
Year is the 7th album from Post-Rock/Post-Metal
heavyweights – Russian Circles – and it sees the band returning
to their heavier sound they first realised on albums such as Enter,
Station and Geneva. This album does have their trademark and
uplifting anthemic Post-Rock grooves with Ambient sounds being part
of the overall complex sound.
Blood
Year is perhaps Russian Circles most engaging and fully realised
album since Geneva with the band being more focused than ever before.
The album once again is an emotional journey with Mike, Dave and
Brian proving once again why they’re the definitive Instrumental
Post-Rock/Post-Metal band of the genre. Always forward thinking and
creating new sounds that we haven’t heard before.
The
album is full of different styles of Post-Rock/Post-Metal but Russian
Circles make it all seem very easy to listen to at the same time.
Songs such as Hunter Moon, Arluck and Milano all convey a haunting
atmospheric vibe hidden amongst the lush progressive sludge based
melodies. The music drifts from one deeply engaging scenario to the
next with the instrumental work offering a deeply unforgiving sound
that’s very hard to beat.
Russian
Circles don’t hold back on this album with the band having a more
unforgiving nature compared to the most recent albums they’ve
released. Blood Year is quite intense and it’s good to see Russian
Circles have more aggression to their music. I have missed that style
of music from Russian Circles over the last few albums and Blood Year
sees the band retain a sense of fear to their music.
Songs
such as Kohokia, Sinaia and Quartered are perhaps the best songs
contained on the album. As the songs feel fully realized and have a
sense of purpose to them. The Post-Rock/Post-Metal dynamics of these
songs leave you wanting more and they also offer some of the heaviest
sounds on the entire album.
Blood
Year is a wonderfully engaging and beautifully played album with
top-notch production to match. Russian Circles have been together for
15 years now and I’m hoping that they’re together for many more
so they can release more stunning albums such as this.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Rarely
Unable PR for
the promo. Blood
Year is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Sargent House now.
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