Memorial/Black Vinyl

Description

Perhaps the most striking thing about Russian Circles' fifth album is the range of different emotions it evokes. Oscillating between dark yet soaring melodies and boisterous metal, *Memorial* is an album with multiple personalities. "We've always tried to balance our metal side with more nuanced sounds, more orchestral elements," explains Cook, the guitarist, "but this time, it's much more polarized – the metal parts are more violent, and the soft moments are more restricted, more delicate and more atmospheric." All the songs have been meticulously crafted to have their own personality, and the very structure of the album is original, as the end loops back to the beginning. With Chelsea Wolfe as a guest star on the final track. Many bands try to blend disparate elements and end up with indigestible albums; Russian Circles, with *Memorial*, skillfully navigates the pitfalls of genre amalgamation.