By: Eeli Helim
Album Type: Full-length
Date Released: 02/08/19
Label: Sargent House
”Blood
Year” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1.
Hunter Moon
2.
Arluck
3.
Milano
4.
Kohokia
5.
Ghost on High
6.
Sinaia
7.
Quartered
The Review:
"Blood
Year" is Russian
Circles' seventh
album and fourth released by Sargent
House. Three years after the instrumental post-metal-ish acts' last
album "Guidance", the trio returns in a stronger and more vivid
form, matching and even surpassing all the expectations one could've possibly set
for the new album.
Whenever
bringing up the subject of contemporary, metal-rooted instrumental music, it's
practically impossible to survive through the discussion without mentioning Russian Circles. The
band's influence on the scene is indisputable, having released a strong and
powerful set of albums with unbroken quality standards within the past fifteen
years. "Blood Year" provokes haunting imagery of empty streets and
post-apocalyptic ruins, much like their earlier albums, but with a more dismal
and moving elegance.
After
the intro track "Hunter Moon" built entirely on ambient
guitars, a rhythmical drum beat and bass lead set off the second track "Arluck",
also giving the tone for the rest of the album. Built on simple movements and
easily comprehensible patterns, the band demonstrates their stronger output
right from the beginning, lifting the track amongst the prime picks of "Blood
Year". The atmosphere is eerie, even more so than it has been
before. This continues on the following pair "Milano" and "Kohokia".
The flow is consistent and flawless, and the tracks are structured to appear
both interesting and sensible throughout. I also appreciate the fact that they
experiment and play around with tones very little; the main weight is on good
and clever compositions and organic, natural emotions caused by just that.
"Ghost
on High" is an intermission piece similar to
the first track, leading seamlessly into "Sinaia", the
longest, most varied, and bleakest of the bunch. At this point it's noteworthy
to mention that the whole album has its own distinct feel and characteristics
that separate it from Russian
Circles' past
albums. While the melancholic aspects are there, the sadness never gets
overwhelming, not on this record at least. "Sinaia" is a
genuine post-metal track that despite it's own moments, doesn't leave as
permanent mark to your memory as the other tracks. The course is still kept
steady, and the final track is guaranteed to floor you completely. "Quartered"
seems to partly abandon the emotional side and fill the spot it left with more
violent and pummeling drive, bringing the album to end completely somewhere
else in contrast to where it began. The track also excels to mirror its name,
inducing sensations of having your limbs torn apart for one reason or the
other.
The
overall feeling is what sets this album well apart from the others, relying on
something else rather than your run-of-the-mill aesthetics. It's hard to say if
"Blood Year" is Russian Circles' best album to date, but it sure as hell is worth all the
repeats and time it takes to listen to it. Reverting back to what I wrote
earlier, the level of quality is still higher than most and stays unshaken.
”Blood
Year” is available HERE
Band
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