EP Review: Circles – The Stories We Are Afraid Of | Vol. 1 (Wild Thing Records)

Melbourne’s alt-metal outfit Circles return with their long-awaited new EP ‘The Stories We Are Afraid Of | Vol. 1’, set for release on 25th November via Wild Thing Records.

A bit of Circle’s heavy, progressive and alternative metal is always welcome and with this six-track EP, the band show they are back, and back with a bloody big bang.

An apt title, Wonder gets the blood pumping loudly in the temple as the three-piece get anthemic as only they can. By that, I mean it’s structurally progressive, darkly melodic and with a punchy heaviness that hits nicely in the chorus. An exciting slap to the senses as starts go.

What to make of Bliss though. A track that has choppy rhythm, hip-hop vocals and a sing-along chorus where everything becomes much more dynamic. The midpoint melodic drop is unexpected, but nice, and the heavy outro is cool. A fence-sitter of a track but undeniably interesting none the less.

There are no such fence-sitting problems with Sleepwalking or Echo though. Two tracks filled with different amounts of vigour and no amount of alt-metal anthemic qualities in different ways. Arguably Circles at their most eclectic and refined. Although Dig’s energised guitars and passionate vocals certainly has something to say too.

In fact, to the surprise of nobody, the whole EP has something to say. Portraying the process of piecing together existentialism and identity to rekindle a strong connection with oneself. It’s a theme that resonates loudly throughout and culminates with the explosive finale of Reckoning.

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