CIRCLE

CIRCLE are one of Finland's most known Psychedelic bands forming in 1991 and being very prolific releasing over 30 studio albums and close to 20 live records since that first release. So it is somewhat concerning that this 2017 release "Terminal" has been the last we've heard from them. Another reviewer mentions that one of the leaders Mika the keyboardist has turned his focus to making movies which has become his passion but I would have thought that Jussi the only original member would have kept this going. If they're done that was quite the run.

I have a half dozen or so of their albums after reading many reviews to see which era of their music most suits my tastes and it was hit and miss but man I have 4 studio albums from this band that I value highly including this one from 2017 called "Terminal". Add the previous record "Pharaoh Overlord" my favourite, then the early 00's with "Guillotine" and "Prospekt" which is where the Mika the keyboardist came on board along with an expanded lineup which they have kept in place.

The make it or break it for most will be the vocals here. I am so impressed with them even though I'm not big on some of the vocal styles they are done so well. We get Rob Halford-like vocals that bring classic rock to mind plus extreme ones of different varieties and then normal ones. Six tracks over 43 minutes. Nice. And this is a heavy record, not stoner rock heavy but more just a hard rocking album with upfront guitars and vocals like back in the day. A lot of Metal fans will enjoy this. Three guitarists and lots of distortion. I place this album with "Guillotine" and "Prospekt" in the sense they have such highs but I'm not in love with them but "Pharaoh Overlord" is that one I do love.

This is fairly consistent as well and while I used to be a pretty big JUDAS PRIEST fan it's those vocal-like tracks that I seem to like the least. The opener with the Finnish title is the longest at 13 minutes and with the extreme vocals in play it's quite the introduction to this band for those who haven't heard them before. He's screaming! The flavour changes here, even the vocal style switches to more of a Halford style 4 minutes in then back to the extreme. The title track has a HAWKWIND vibe to it, yes it's a rocker with somewhat normal vocals.

I like the vocal melodies to start and end "Saxo" they will be extreme in between. "Imperiumi" is more like JUDAS PRIEST especially the vocals which is interesting with him singing in the Finnish language. And the synths are such a welcomed touch here sweeping in creating atmosphere. "Kill City" is a driving piece with different vocal styles and like most tracks the subject matter is serious. The closer "Sick Child" is a highlight with what sounds like native vocal melodies at one point and just a heavy, mid-paced groove with vocals.

Easily a 4 star record for me and if this is their last album they went out on a high with the last two studio albums being some of their best works.

One of so many Circle live albums from their very intensive period. This was recorded from "Space Force One"- festival from Finland. Most of the material could really be from their soundcheck of the evening concert, because you can hear their talking about monitors etc. After last song there is also some handclapping from the audience. This is one of the first gigs after brothers Julius and Pekka Jääskeläinen joined in Circle.

First piece "Kukkakaalia Kapteenit!" is not heard anywhere else. It´s short, very beautiful and melodic improvisational piece. Next "Tuhatsata" has same base as an improvisation in "Tuhat" in "Rakennus"-livealbum, but it´s over ten minutes longer and is also much more intensive. Really a shamanistic trip, but maybe little bit too long. "Virsi" is quite the same way played as in "Rakennus", but hasn´t got the ending vocalpart. Only piece from studio Circle album is their "Satisfaction", "Nopeuskuningas". It´s just too long because there happens nothing more than it´s shorter versions.

This Circle live album is recommend only fanatic Circle fans. The recording quality is better than "Rakennus"-live, but material is weaker. This album also gives a good picture from Circle at it´s wildest in improvisations, but as a start of Circle live records I recommend "Serpent".

This Circle album is recorded in the WFMU-radio station New Jersey during their american tour 2007. I can´t understand why these radio recordings are called live, specially if there is no live audience like in this record. Also they have made overdubs at least in BBC recordings. Anyway these recordings are mostly improvisational although there are pieces they also played quite same way in their tour. In the labels there is funny story written by Jussi Lehtisalo about the WFMU`s host Brian Turner that can´t know is it true at all or just a joke.

"Virsi" starts the album. It´s a little bit different as the version in "Rakennus"-album. After the dramatic sung verse band starts the uptempo trip, but very soon the piece calm down and you hear Mika playing beautiful piano longeings. Song ends to same verse as in the beginning. Next "Rykmentti" has very military feeling, but it could be also the background music of the scifi-movie. It is made by keyboards and drums. "In the name of Rock - Android" is a long, but interesting shamanistic piece with some guitar, shoutings, acoustic sounding drums and effects. "Skiiing" is very quiet, sad piece with Mika´s singing very same way as in "Virsi" but not screaming at all. "Dungeon" is also sad and quiet instrumental. There is some kind of clockwork in the back of it and again very beautiful piano playing. The ending "Murheenkryyni" is quite the same kind of version as in "Rakennus"-album, but little bit longer.

The end years of 2000 were very creative years to Circle. In 2007 they released three studio and two live albums, also recorded this in that year. Their improvisations haven´t been always great, but in this album they have managed to create very great music. This album is very near of the greatness of "Miljard"-album, also has lots of same feeling. This is highly recommended to all who love Circle´s experimental albums.

— First review of this album —

This is the second part of the Circle´s live album series under same name. This is recorded from the band´s european tour 2015. It is recorded to 8- and 16-tracks, so the sound quality is really great. Also the covers are great including good pictures from the band´s live gig. As the first part, this is only vinyl release.

This live version of "Pharaoh Overlord"-albums "Koitto" is very near of studio version. Instead of the choir there are Mika´s vocals, also Mika is playing brass parts with his keyboards. Next is medley from two songs, "Imperiumi" and "Kävelen Luiden Päällä". The first is quite same as the studio version in their newest album, but shorter and not as tight played. As usual, Mika hadn´t had Finish lyrics that time so he sung English/German -sounding nonsense. The second has more complex rhythm as in the studio version, it also includes Mika´s vocals in the end of it. "Rakkautta Al Dente" is much longer than studio version. After verses and choruses it goes into really krauttrip with chaotic elements. The ending song "Point" is shorter than the version in "Rakennus"-live and not including the slower part.

This album is highly recommended with "Serpent" to those who wants to have a picture of Circle´s live magic. Really great to know they have played live great "Pharaoh Overlord"-album songs. I really would have liked to hear them also last summer in the Sideways festival where they played. But their gig was shortened because the gig transfers from the main stage, which was closed `cause the storm, so that might be the reason not hearing them.

I was a little worried about Circle´s future. There haven´t been many years Circle hasn´t made studioalbums, but last year there came only live releases. In interviews Mika has told his passion about moviemaking and last year came his first movie "Samurai Rauni Reposaarelainen". I was really glad, when hearing there were coming new Circle album. But quite soon I was also little bit suspicious, taster "Kill City" sounded at first little bit boring, also they told influences taken by Judas Priest and the Stooges and that didn´t sound to me very inspiring. But my worries were unneccessary: Circle has made again really great album!

Album starts in it´s longest song "Rakkautta Al Dente" (= Love with Al Dente). It´s starts with very slow, heavy riff, but gladly albums soundworld is much more from the seventies than these days, so it´s not too heavy. Although album is made mostly with electric instruments, it soundworld reminds a lot their predecessor acoustic album "Pharaoh Overload". Janne starts to sing something really high but not sounds Rob Halford at all. When Mika starts to sing, song also calm down a little. In the middle of the song there is very great musical trip that reminds long improvisations of the end of the sixties. Album tittle song is really great although it´s quite simple. The main riff reminds Stooges "I Wanna Be your dog" but there also a great other part that reminds Sonic Youth´s melodic songs. "Saxo" reminds "Kävelen Luitten Päällä" from the "Pharaoh Overload"-album with it´s shamanistic atmosphere. "Imperiumi" (=imperium) is the most Judas Priest influenced song and also the most different from the other material. "Kill City" opened me in a great way after second listening. It has Stooges-influences, but also very great melodies and very suprising end, so it´s the most prog songs in this album together the album starter. "Sick Child" ends album very great way, it reminds Janne´s bluesy solo works, but is totally made by electric instruments. Janne´s vocals goes very deep into your soul.

Circle has had also internationally attention to it´s great work. I really hope this deserved attention continues, because Circle is these days one of the greatest bands in this whole world. I really hope that I am just old hippie, who doesn´t understand the music of today, but to me most of these days music sounds very cold and too clean. Circle continues to make music that lives!

"Rakennus" (= a building) is another Circle live record from the past. It was recorded from Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, Charlottesville, Virginia during their US tour in 2007. In their wiki sites I read that they`ve have recorded all the gigs from that tour. So I got aswer to my wondering in last review, they haven´t (yet) released all they`ve recorded. It´s of course possible they will release more material from that tour in the future, quite recently they`ve released two albums from their european 2014 tour. This album, like many Circle live albums includes quite much improvised material.

After ambient intro from Panic-album they start to play "Uusi Uhraus" (= a new sacrifice). It´s one riff song with Mika singing nonsense. Next comes their satisfaction "Nopeuskuningas" (a speed king) (Mika has said in one interview that he can´t understand why Stones plays Satisfaction all in their gigs. Maybe Circle hasn´t play Nopeuskuningas in all their gigs, but it has stayed in their live set almost twenty years). It is played quite the same way as in studio album "Sunrise", although the end of the song has more intensity than studio version. Then comes "Tulilintu" (=firebird) from "Tulikoira"album, it´s faster but other way quite the same. "Tuhat" is quite beautiful improvisation with Jussi singing nonsense. Next "Virsi" (=hymn) starts like Finnish hymns, but soon listener might think they are making parody of it, but I think they´re totally serious. After festive beginning song goes into very strange, uptempo trip. As far as I know they´ve never made studio version from this very weird song, but it is also in other live records from the same time. "Point" is probably version from their first e.p. song, but I´m not sure because never heard that e.p. The direction goes again to fast heavy. "Murheenkryyni" (=troublemaker) is early version from "Hollywood"-album song "Suddenly" with Mika singing something else. I like it as much as that Hollywood-song. Encore song "Kaappikellon Kummitus" is just a funny piece only keyboards and vocals. It´s quite amazing how audience can clap their hands totally out of beat and Mika still can stay in beat. Also I think Mika´s enthusiastic comments in Finnish have wondered the US audience. He says for example after gig "now let´s put the beer on the machine".

This live album is not Circle at their best but not also their worst. As usual, they play very well. Album is little bit poor way recorded, probably through the microphones on the stage because you can hear also audience talking specially in the silent places. But I like the sound of the album, it´s like they´re playing in my living room. Probably this album interest more punk music fans than proglisteners.

— First review of this album —

This live recording is one of the many live albums of Circle. It´s recorded from Croft club in Bristol. After 2000`s they`ve released almost as many live albums as studio recordings (I have wondered have they released all they have recorded). Albums have become in vinyls, cd:s and quite recently only a cassette releases. Recordings have made in a very strange circumstances: places (church, museum), in the connection of visual art shows, also one live performance is mixed in the studio and replaced live played instruments to synth effects (only cassette release "Hukkaamiskielto"). Circle has always played some of their studio material live, but mostly at least released live material is very much improvised. This album is great exception: all the songs are from studio albums, but naturally some of them has also improvisations in them.

"Lintu Joe" starts the album and is played quite the same as it was released a little later in "Manner"-album. Mika is singing something completely different as in studio version. Next "Vaellus" is also quite same kind as it is in "Rautatie"-album. But the tittle song of "Rautatie" has enlargened in fifteen minutes. After the middle uptempo period band starts to improvise something that sounds little bit southern rock. In the end improvisation changes really free jazz. After there has been silent period with a little noise and Mika´s nonsense talking, band continues the original song like they´ve never been anywhere else. Really great version! "Saturnus Reality" is much more faster than studio version in "Katapult"-album. It´s true black metal! "Lääke" reminds a studio version from "Rautatie". "Blue King" is also played really same way as in forthcoming "Manner" and the rest of the material is also from that album. "New Fantasy" is also as great as studio version, although Mika´s vocals are not as festive. The last Eno-cover "Here Comes the Warm Jets" is even better than their studio version. Unlike studio version, Mika´s singing nonsense.

This live album is highly recommended among the huge Circle live releases (they haven´t all added into progarchives discography). The recording quality is quite good. You can have quite good picture of Circle´s live magic from this record.

After going more to the prog and krautrock direction in two previous albums Circle made also concept album. Album name is the name of their hometown and all the songs are based on the places in the Pori or historical events of it. In this album all the members are same as previous "Fraten"-album. I think this album got much more attention and good reviews when it came as the previous ones.

It would have been possibly that many Circle fans were really suprised when hearing albums first song "Perustamisasiakirja 8.3.1558" (=town´s founding document 8.3.1558). This instrumental song is made by just acoustic instruments and it just sounds contemporary classical music with its atonality. But no, in the second "Vesitorni/kaupunginsairaala (=water tower/ town´s hospital) the direction goes back to the typical nineties electronic Circle. This 5/4 rhythm cheerful piece is with Zopalkis "Valerian" one of my favourite nineties Circle songs. In the end guitar paints really beautiful sounds. The next "Back To Pori" is also albums highlights. Straight and tight guitar starts straight after previous song and continues very intensive feeling. There are again "Meronian"-language singing. When album was released, Mika Taanila directed great video to this song. "Suurpalo" (=the great fire) is little drone piece with some noises. "Kartano"(=manor) is very mystic piece with beautiful singing, have to mention also great female voice in it. In the end of song keyboards and guitars started to play very chaotic sounds. "Promenaadikeskus" (=promenadecenter) has quite same structure as previous song, but it puts together two different rhythms succesfully. This song is maybe little bit too long when there isn´t happening much in the end of song. The next "Kruunu Päähä Pori Kuningas" is very relaxed and has a great quiet period in the middle of it where you can hear beautiful triangle sounds and birdsinging. This song is also maybe little bit too long.

"Seisomakatsomo"(=standing auditorium) is also made by only acoustic instruments and its really beautiful and mystic, one of the albums highlights. Next "Karhun Kansaa 1" (=the bear´s folk 1) is the most oppressive song in this album and reminds much "Zopalki"-album. "Porin Jazzjuhlat -65" (=the Pori Jazz Festival -65) is very funky piece with saxophone. In the end of the song there comes acoustic guitar and interesting sound effects. This year came the first vinyl version of the album and there are also added studio outtake "Yyteri" (=name of the beach near Pori where for example Rolling Stones played in the sixties). This uptempo song is really great, reminding Zopalki songs. Hard to understand why it wasn´t on album in the first place.

I think this album is with "Hissi"-album the greatest Circle nineties albums. But because I like more the 2000 period, when Mika Rättö & Janne Westerlund joined the band, I give only four stars to it although this may deserve five.

This is really my favourite album of Circle´s "metal"-albums. Some have called it their pop-album, but this really isn´t any Madonna or Prince -album. If you think Amon Duul II´s Vive La Trance is pop album, so is this also.

Album starts very slow and heavy in it´s title song (that means railway). Mika´s singing is also really heavy, but in the middle comes upgoing riff and also music starts to run like railway engine. In the end the slow main theme comes back. Lyrics are based on the Juhani Aho´s classic book of the same name. Next Lääke (=medicine) is the only piece sung by Janne. It´s also the lightest song in the album. Even there is not happening much, song carries well its four minutes lenght. Vaellus (=wandering) is one of the greatest Circle songs. It´s really dramatic in it´s fast tempo and Mika singing again very high. For the non-finnish speaking people I have to say like in many Mika´s songs, it´s very hard to find out what he´s singing. Next is Kohtalon Sormi (=the finger of destiny) and it continues very dramatic and deep atmosphere. The end is really sad with crying voice. Somebody might think it´s comic, but to me the whole end sounds very depressive. The next Tähet (=stars) gives a relief to the listener from the previous feelings. There are very strong guitar riff with very tight Mika´s singing. There are noisy sounds from the guitar & keyboards. Lyrics tell a story of a spaceship. This is typical "metal" piece of Circle that makes you smile. Pelkkä Meno (=mere going) is a very rhytmic piece. Mika is repeating some word that really isn´t Finnish. Lautatarha (=woodfarm) is the only true avant-garde piece in this album. Mika is singing again something incomprehensible. The mellotron sound keyboards make me think the seventies experimental pieces of King Crimson. Last Kaasukello (a gasclock) starts also very experimental way, it reminds me also ambient music of the Circle´s great "Miljard"-album. But in the end song changes very hard and heavy ending the album very great way.

Circle really showed with this album they can do catchy albums if they just want to. Even I like Circle´s experimental & spontaneity very much, I really love when they have seemed to make this album very carefully and with thought. I really hope they will make this kind of in a good way more produced album sometime in the future.

This album is one of my favourites among the huge catalog of Circle albums. After they had made many albums much more heavy metal and also ambient styles, this album went back to acoustic and folk style of Forest-album. This was also first album after Circle borrowed it´s name to another band, so there is ex-Falcon in the end of bands name. In this album Janne Westerlund took most of the vocal duties and you can hear Mika Rättös voice only very little in the background. Both Finnish and English is used.

Album starts in very calm and mysterios feelings. Kuohu (means foam) tells a spoken strange story about three rulers named ominous, rebel and chaos. The tale is from Pertti Nieminen´s book. There are also great soundeffects from NASA`s space sounds. The next Huone (means room) is really shamanistic piece, which tells a story about outsider. Same kind of atmosphere continues in Protectorate. Both these songs repeat same riffs through the whole songs, but like in many other songs, Circle can keep the songs interest growing them a little. Post-Kapitalismus (means post-capitalism) is very calm song, including short, but beautiful guitar solo. In the lyrics you may ask, is there lots of difference in capitalism and communism. The next Rakeita (=hailstones) is also calm instrumental with great keyboard work from Mika Rättö. Hiekkaristi (=sandcross) is one of the greatest Circle-songs, again the album direction goes into very deep. Also the lyrics has a profound theme connecting human inner life and the nature. Haavat (=wounds) is a kind of bluesy song telling tale about hobo. Valley is really folk song with heavy chorus singing all the time in the back. Again Mika Rättö does great keyboard work in the end of the song, it sounds like bubbling of a spring stream. Ending Viaton (=innocent) is a calm instrumental where acoustic guitar plays a sad melody. In this song you can also hear some spoken words and breathing from Mika Rättö.

This album is like a one day. When Kuohu starts in very misty morning feelings, Viaton ends it when person already seem to be sleeping in those breathing and few calm words. Also have to mention beautiful cover is painted by Janne Westerlund. Even I like all the styles of Circle, the acoustic albums have been the most favourites of mine. There are no dead moments in this album as there are at least some in the most of the Circle albums I´ve heard.