Album Review: Circles - The Last One

Wow, what a departure, and what a gutsy move. The casual, uninitiated listener checking out Circles' first two releases and then moving on to this, their second album, could very easily be forgiven for thinking it was two different bands.

Listen more closely and you would pick up on the very Circles-esque trademarks that run through both eras of their sound, but The Last One is still a seismic shift. So existing fans, be ready for it.

Of course, the most glaring change is the fact that they have changed vocalists, and that's always going to be a head-snapper. However, there's more to it than that. Their debut EP and album plied quite 'traditional' djent-y melodic progressive rock and metal, delivered with such passion and exuberance it made your hair stand on end. This album takes a hefty step out into left field and explores and experiments with a whole new range of sounds, styles, colours and vibes. And, for the most part, it works. 

It may possibly be likened to a band like Opeth, in the sense that their first foray into a brand new direction was very strong, however, it also hinted at what was to come, and it took them another album or two to truly nail it. Only time will tell if the same happens here, but early signs are ridiculously promising.

Let us hope against hope that this record isn't actually the last one for this band because this scribe, for one, is waiting to see this unfold with breath baited and appetite whetted.