TERMINAL

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!

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.