US instrumental post-metal trio Russian Circles announce new UK/EU summer shows for 2023!

Chicago instrumental post-rockers Russian Circles have announced new UK/EU summer shows for 2023. The trio added numerous new stops to their previously announced run.

Russian Circles Live:
Jul 28 Karlsruhe, DE – P8 +
Jul 29 Neuensee, DE – Rock Im Wald Festival
Jul 31 Budapest, HU – Durer Kert +
Aug 1 Velenje, SI – Metal Days Festival
Aug 2 Milan, IT – Magnolia +
Aug 3 Feldkirch, AT – Poolbar Festival
Aug 5 Beelen, DE – Krach Am Bach Festival
Aug 6 Tilburg, NL – 013 +
Aug 7 Hamburg, DE – Knust +
Aug 8 Dresden, DE – Beatpol +
Aug 9 Jaromer, CZ – Brutal Assault Festival
Aug 11 Le Locle, CH – Crock’ Alt Festival
Aug 13 Kortrijk, BE – Alcatraz Festival
Aug 14 London, UK – Heaven ^
Aug 15 Newcastle, UK – University ^
Aug 16 Manchester, UK – Band On The Wall ^
Aug 17 Bristol, UK – ArcTanGent ^
Aug 19 Carhaix, FR – Motocultor Festival

Support bands:
+ Crouch
^ Wiegedood

Tickets are available here: russiancircles.com/shows

Courtesy of Sargent House:

Across the span of their previous seven studio albums, Chicago-based instrumental trio Russian Circles traversed a diverse topography of sounds, moods, and approaches with their limited armory of drums, bass, and guitar. It’s difficult to chart an evolution in their sound when their records have always felt like well-curated playlists. It wasn’t uncommon to hear drone-heavy meditations, dazzling prog exercises, knuckle-dragging riff-fests, haunting folk ballads, and tension-baiting noise rock all within the span of one album. Still, it’s difficult to ignore the progression from the pensive and intricate melodies of »Enter« (2006) to the layered distorted dirges of »Blood Year« (2019). It’s been a gradual sonic shift owing to the band’s rigorous tour schedule and a predilection towards playing their more authoritative material on stage. But with their latest album, »Gnosis«, Russian Circles eschew the varied terrain of their past work and bulldoze a path through the most tumultuous and harrowing territory of their sound.

As was the case for so many artists in the age of Covid, the obstacles of geography and isolation forced Russian Circles to reevaluate their writing process. Rather than crafting songs out of fragmented ideas in the practice room, full songs were written and recorded independently before being shared with other members, so that their initial vision was retained. While these demos spanned the full breadth of the band’s varied styles, the more cinematic compositions were ultimately excised in favor of the physically cathartic pieces.

»Gnosis« was engineered and mixed by Kurt Ballou. Drums and bass were tracked at Electrical Audio in Chicago to maximize the natural room sounds of the rhythm section. Guitar and synth overdubs were conducted at God City in Salem, MA to take advantage of Ballou’s vast inventory of amps and effects pedals. Despite the entirety of the album being written remotely, the songs were recorded with the full band playing together to retain the live feel of the material. Owing to the climate of the times and a new writing method, Russian Circles created their most fuming and focused work to date – an album that favors the exorcism of two years’ worth of tension over the melancholy and restraint that often colored their past endeavors.

Russian Circles are:
Brian Cook – Bass
Mike Sullivan – Guitar
Dave Turncrantz – Drums

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well