Circle of Animals: Destroy the Light

Sanford Parker (MINSK, HIGH CONFESSIONS and NACHTMYSTIUM) and Bruce Lamont (YAKUZA) Chicago Industrialist's know collectively as Circle of Animals has rolled into town, releasing Destroy the Light, their first full length album proper. For the recording of the album, Parker and Lamont have rotated drummers from all spectrums of the rock world throughout, each track featuring a different drummer including Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth), John Hemdon (Tortoise) and John Merryman (Cephalic Carnage) but to name a few.

The album travels an interesting path, eight tracks that vary throughout, a collection of powerful, hypnotic, brooding, dark, epic and menacing songs. The approach is simplistic sounding in places, taking reference from bands such as Ministry and The Swans, which sonically assault your ears. With this genre it's so easy and tempting for bands to repeat what they think is a winning formula, making it dull and mundane, something Circle of Animals has avoided.

I do like the concept or the rotating the drummers, which does to some degree keep things sounding fresh, adding depth and I guess upping the ante slightly, allowing the musicians to bounce off each other, offering appeal to a slightly bigger audience. The album is layered on so many levels; we have the inimitable power riffs that are associated with this genre, thunderous in places, supported by attitude ridden synth work, angst ridden vocals, cleverly choosing not to travel the avenues on indecipherable lyrics, prowling the world of words with anger and venom. I give all credit to Circle for being brave enough to taken onboard to great effect, the use of varying vocal styles and musical presentation, from the straight forward in your face industrial rock to cinematic soundscape industrial epics.

The standout moments, (and there are many), on the album for my money are "Invisible War" a powerful in your face opening number which bookends the absolutely stunning epic twelve minute "Destroy the Light" which is worth the admission fee alone as it builds to an orgasmic climax, bringing the album to a fitting end. The brooding and menacing Nick Cave with attitude sounding "Seminal Animal" and the earth shattering "Poison the Lamb".

It will be really interesting to see where Parker and Lamont go from here? I think I have found another contender for one of my top five albums of 2010.

Track Listing
1 Invisible War
2 Seminal Animal
3 No Faith
4 All Spirit No Mind
5 ...And Together We Are Forever
6 Lesson Human Suffering
7 Poison The Lamb
8 Destroy The Light

Added: September 29th 2010
Reviewer: John OBoyle
Score:
Related Link: Relapse Records
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Language: english

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