Circle II Circle - "Seasons Will Fall" (CD)
"Seasons Will Fall" track listing:
1. Diamond Blade
2. Without a Sound
3. Killing Death
4. Epiphany
5. End Of Emotion
6. Dreams That Never Die
7. Seasons Will Fall
8. Never Gonna Stop
9. Isolation
10. Sweet Despair
11. Downshot
12. Only Yesterday
Reviewed by EdgeoftheWorld on February 6, 2014
It is easy to be of two minds about Circle II Circle's "Seasons Will Fall. " On one hand, you've got Zak Stevens' powerful vocals and some superlative shredding by guitarists Bill Hudson and Christian David Wentz. On the other, there's the unimaginative songs that they're put to use in. This is Power/Prog Metal 101 stuff - not that that is entirely a bad thing.
Admirably, the band isn't afraid to put the metal in power metal, with tunes like the opener, "Diamond Blade," flirting with almost thrash-influenced riffs. That said, the lyrics -- like most of the album -- feel pretty weak, even though Stevens delivers them with conviction and style.
In general, it's. The heavier stuff, a la "Never Gonna Stop" and the Sabbath gallop "Isolation" that work the best. Granted, that marginalizes keyboardist Hemming Wanner a little, but the songs featuring more keyboards tend to trend toward balladry, which isn't this album's strong suit. The choice to end the disc with the treacly "Only Yesterday" wasn't a good one.
Production choices are generally good, though Paul Michael Stewart's bass could've been a little higher in the mix.
Power metal fans with an ear for technical perfection will find plenty to love on Circle II Circle's "Seasons Will Fall." Others may find it a bit over-polished and lacking grit in the songwriting area.
Highs: "Diamond Blade" and "Never Gonna Stop"
Lows: A lot of by-the-basics songwriting
Bottom line: The tunes are performed expertly, but the songwriting is a little lacking
Get more info including news, reviews, interviews, links, etc. on our Circle II Circle band page.
