Circle - Incarnation

Artist: Circle

Album: Incarnation

Label: Ektro Records

Genre: death metal

Release Date: November 22^nd 2013

Incarnation is the 27^th full CD of the Finnish band Circle. As Circle, these Finnish musicians have been steadily releasing musical efforts in styles ranging from progressive, ambient, Krautrock and heavy metal to avant-rock. “Ever changing, ever Circular”, is how they describe themselves.

With Incarnation, Circle have gone to a deep and dark place within themselves. This record could best be described as death metal – but it wouldn't be a Circle record if something wouldn't be kind of different to the typical death metal.

As always with Circle, the music on Incarnation is a vortex of recurring sounds and themes, of which we only with difficulty can distinguish beginning or end. Their choice of rhythms and textures is unlike most death metal, and it has the enthralling, circular quality that is so typical for Circle, regardless of the genre that they are attempting.

Incarnation is very different from Circle's previous effort, Six Day Run – but the recurring them of hard, chilly repetition is prominent in both albums. Both albums manage to lift the listener out of the everyday and pull him into a stream of (un)consciousness.

The music on Incarnation is catchy and cool stuff. It reminds me at times of 80s thrash metal (think Sepultura and Slayer), while the main theme is death metal.

On “Transcending” the listener is drawn into something that sounds like an ancient rite of passage – this track stands out on the album. The final track, “Burden” is an epic composition of over 11 minutes, in which the vocals aim at dislocating us. Sometimes the vocals are gnarled and shouted as in punk music, and afterwards the vocals slide back to the background where they become random babbling, which unfortunately sounds quite distracting from the music – as if someone is just talking next to you while you are trying to listen to Circle's music.

Overall, if you like metal or the Finnish underground, Incarnation by Circle is a record you should check out. It is dark, menacing and at the same time refreshingly modern.

Listen to Incarnation by Circle on Soundcloud.