Circles Redefine Progressive Heavy Metal on 'Ultraviolet'

On Ultraviolet, the tension between heavy brutality and atmospheric grandeur hits a magnificent sweet spot. For me, standout cut "Keeping Score" encapsulates this trajectory best:

Ted Furuhashi’s production lets David Hunter’s organic, punchy percussion breathe beneath razor-sharp, low-tuned riffs, while Rechter’s vocal hook soars effortlessly. Meanwhile, "Ruin" shifts from a brooding, quiet electronic pulse into an explosive breakdown punctuated by Drew Patton’s ferocious screaming accents. Influences like Karnivool, Periphery, and Deftones echo throughout, yet the atmospheric synths and post-rock delay textures on "Assure Me" and "Salt" feel distinctively theirs. What impresses me most is the spatial clarity Luke Cincotta’s mastering provides, ensuring the metallic crunch never suffocates the delicate emotional weight.

(•)> That's all, Folks! Check out Circles on the Pigeon Opinion Playlist