As a singer, it's hard to sell me on instrumental bands, but there are a few exceptions, this band being one. Melodic guitar playing and a bit of a metallic drive make them more memorable. I think Pelican was the first band I was introduced to doing this sort of thing, though I was already a fan of Mogwai; those guys were more atmospheric drug music. Russian Circles blends both worlds. Some albums have been heavier than others; some found them almost wanting to lean in a black metal direction, when if they had a burly lumberjack barking in the background, they would be a sludge band. The hammering of the second song, "Empath," lends weight to this theory. The dense guitar sound creates a sonic wall that closes in on you.
At eight and a half minutes, 'Eluvial' leans more toward their atmospheric side, which is more typical of the post-rock genre. But it is kept balanced here and still makes for an effective listen that hooks you in without the benefit of vocal hooks. There is a similar vibe later on with "Meridian," though that one is a little more brooding and melancholic. 'E2" has some cool electronic sounds in its pulse, which finds the band mixing it enough to keep you interested. The only time they drone is on "Meridian"
The last song ends with more of a heavy crunch; the only issue with this is that when I just left it playing, the stream started back on the first song, and I could not tell that it had changed songs which for me as a red flag that the songs sound the same; granted, when it comes to instrumental music, this is one of the more common problems, there were only a couple moments where I felt like they were doing something new, but when they do what they do they do it well, so fans might just have asound they want more than soungs, They are skilled at this and made the album they sought to make so I will give it a 9.5. Not sure how many times I will revisit this album, but post-rock fans should make it required listening.Drops August 28th on Sargent House.
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