So Circle are back with their thirteenth album in eight days - slackers! This weird bunch of chaps from Finland have gone on a hell bent mission to confuse us all over the last few months changing their name to Falcon and lending Circle to an alleged unrelated death metal band who suspiciously sound like Circle. Now they have the moniker Falcon (Ex-Circle) whilst touring Europe under the name Circle. Anyway, whilst we all baffle each other trying to discuss these events on music forums, we have to ask… has the music that’s seemingly been shat out 100 miles per hour through all this been worth it? Well, yes it has. The death metal albumIncarnation was one of the best things I’ve ever heard and the Falcon album Frontier initially sounded like dad rock pap, but turned out to be a shit load of fun when you got into it. The other albums I can’t remember have also been winners. So, where are we with Leviatan by Circle (Ex-Falcon)? I’m delighted to tell you it’s another unique little diamond to add to the Circle crown.
Circle could release anything and it would not surprise me, they hammer out speed metal, kraut rock or even an experimental lo-fi endurance test without breaking sweat. This time they have gone for a more stripped-down affair, with no distortion and clean vocals. It’s almost like you’ve had one too many mushrooms at Glastonbury, got lost and ended up in the arse end of the hippy bit. It’s not as bad as it sounds and it's actually pretty awesome. As he rants something about "Death to society" over and over again, against repetitive guitar plucking, it becomes increasingly engaging. It’s really hard to make a comparison, but it’s maybe like early Ween with an occasional detour in the Finnish language. What’s not to like?
As with the other 645 Circle albums, the keyboards are more than prominent, which occasionally save it from being a bit too acoustic (a.k.a. boring), but together with the strong musicianship and song writing it really holds your attention. It even has its really beautiful moments like ‘Rakeita’, with hints of bands like Lemon Jelly or Air in the mix.
By the time you have read this, no doubt they will have released another 6 albums and this will probably be but a distant memory in the vast tapestry of this prolific juggernaut of a band. I really hope not though, because this mellow little affair with its trippy originality will make you feel a little better on every listen.
PS: If you get the chance to see them live, grab it with both hands – AMAZING!
