Here is the entire review, translated and reprinted in full below:
The US band Circuline was founded in 2014. Behind the name are experienced musicians with a clear plan in which direction their collaboration should go. And so it is not surprising that their debut album “Return” was released a year later, followed a year later by their second studio album “Counterpoint”. That was it for a while but with new output, because in the next few years only live recordings were released on CD or DVD (“CircuLive::Majestik” from 2018 and “CircuLive:: New View” from 2020).
There were line-up changes and ultimately a very promising line-up, which produced the current album “C.O.R.E.” played. The core still consists of singer Natalie Brown, keyboardist and singer Andrew Colyer and Darin Brannon. New additions include Shelby Logan Warne on bass (Kyros, Synaesthesia) and the busy Dave Bainbridge on guitars (Iona, Strawbs, duo with Sally Min, daughter of the legendary Gentle Giant keyboardist Kerry Minnear, Lifesigns). Of course that makes you curious.
And the Symphonic Prog fan will not be disappointed! It may take a few listens, but sooner or later it becomes clear that this is a very varied, high-quality album that will hopefully lead to a significant increase in the level of awareness and popularity of this (now multinational) band - this would be deserved anyway.
Plus points can be collected with the vocal melodies and performances. They are quite melodic, although the melodies don't necessarily stick in your ear canals straight away. The interplay between front woman Natalie Brown and singer/keyboardist Andrew Colyer works flawlessly. They are able to sound a bit like Yes, like on ‘Third Rail’. But Moon Safari also comes through in some songs with a lot of background vocals. ‘Temporal Thing’ also contains arrangements reminiscent of Yes, here through the steel guitar and the beautiful Mellotron sound.
'Blindside', on the other hand, shows that they have mastered powerful vocal arrangements that even go as far as gospel-like.
They put the monster track 'Transmission Error' (albeit “only” about ten minutes long) at the end. It would also be a perfect end to a concert, because there is one climax after another. It starts right away with a crisp bass and a fast guitar and shows that they can also cut a good figure with slightly harder tunes. Bainbridge in particular shows his strengths here, and it doesn't have to be a Latimer-like guitar, but rather something completely different, like in this case a short Allan Holdsworth memory passage. But the keyboards are also very versatile here, sometimes as a fine organ, then with beautiful piano playing and finally with a wild synthesizer duel with the fantastic violin by Kansas violinist Joe Deninzon. As I said – a monster track. If you want to get a quick idea of the qualities of this band, listen to this song straight away - then no questions will be left unanswered.
Great album from a great band that has been given an additional breath of fresh air by the new members. Big recommendation for the symphonic rock fan! Rating: 12/15 points
Teapot of the Week “Teapot of the Week” on Supervised Progging in week 38/2024
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Supervised Prog and Juergen – Thank you so much for these kind words.
Highlights | Tempus Horribilis, All, You, Blindside, Transmission Error
For fans of | Landmarq, Darwin, Yes, King Crimson, Big Big Train, ELP, Steve Hackett, 3.2
Appreciation
Two studio albums were followed by two live albums. So it was time for Circuline to come back and present new songs. This is where CORE (Circuline Original Reimagined Evolving) comes in . The North American band is making some changes to its line-up for this new album that has been in the works since 2018. And, without a doubt, this record is well defined by its title and subtitle. This is the interior, the core of Circuline , clearly, its musical core – a prog rock that does not aim for virtuosic displays of galactic abilities in half-hour songs. On the contrary, it promotes a prog rock that is based on the melody and emotion of songs with a strong musical, theatrical and cinematic component. The successive dialogues between the vocalists and between all the instrumentation and harmonies that are created, carry this desire towards a greater goal than simply being technically magnificent (which it is also, let’s say!) – the goal of creating songs that touch and that involve. But always with meticulous attention to detail and, mainly, to the experimental component. And, in this aspect, C.O.R.E., shows us an evolved, mature Circuline , capable of entering both fields (song/emotion and sound exploration). In fact, as the subtitle makes clear: this is an album with originality, with imagination and that marks the evolution of the band and of a style. [88%]
Thank you so much, Billy Yfantis, for this fantastic review of C.O.R.E. !!
Here is the entire review, reprinted in full below:
“Circuline’s album C.O.R.E. is an exciting journey through the sounds of current progressive rock, combining complicated musicianship with an in-depth respect for the genre’s origins. The album, which has eight tracks, illustrates the band’s ability to combine technical brightness with emotional depth, providing listeners with a musically diverse and artistically challenging experience. Here is a short review of every track:
Tempus Horribilis: The album’s first track, “Tempus Horribilis,” has dreamy synth pads similar to Ozric Tentacles. The production quality is excellent, resulting in a deep, realistic soundtrack with each element distinct. The sophisticated orchestration, which is clearly visible in the mix, is enhanced by Moog noises and a strong bass line. The vocal lines echo the spirit of 1970s Yes, particularly the Close to the Edge period, establishing the groundwork for a pleasant and delightful travel through today’s progressive rock terrain.
Third Rail: Beginning with a gentle interplay of piano and violins, “Third Rail” takes the listener into a ballad mood. Although the Yes influence persists, this music tends toward an emotionally charged song with powerful vocals. While complicated, the music encourages further interaction, providing a musical journey that is meditative and sophisticated.
Say Their Name: This tune uses ethereal synth pads and classical guitar to create a dreamy atmosphere. The strong usage of piano contributes to the ballad’s 1970s inspiration, including additional influences from bands such as Renaissance. The track’s peak is the sudden break at 3:19, when military percussion unexpectedly halts the dream, only to be followed by a prog-infused wrath that is exciting.
All: Beginning with a strong bass line, “All” features the band’s distinctive complicated orchestration. The ethereal nature of the synthesizers goes back to early Marillion, proving Circuline’s commitment to carrying the progressive rock torch with enthusiasm and accuracy.
Temporal Thing: The tune “Temporal Thing” begins with acoustic guitar virtuosity and merges jazz and prog elements to create an emotional ballad. The song stands out for its smooth shifts in pace, scale, and mood, showing the band’s variety and musical depth.
You: “You” adds a contemporary touch to the record, with an electric guitar riff inspired by Tool. The orchestration is heavier here, yet it still keeps an enigmatic and mysterious quality, proving the band’s talent to marry conventional prog components with up-to-date sounds.
Blindside: Beginning with a calm piano, “Blindside” offers a lyrical relief with a folk flavor from its acoustic guitar sections. Despite the gentler tone, prog elements remain, resulting in a lovely ballad that adds depth and variety to the record.
Transmission Error: The album concludes with “Transmission Error,” an outstanding prog piece that reflects Dream Theater’s technical genius. The complex guitar work and jazzy rhythms are well balanced by futuristic synth lines, resulting in a multi-layered piece that epitomizes serious progressive rock.
Each track provides a unique experience, ranging from the dreamy and ethereal to the technically challenging and emotionally powerful. The band’s ability to combine the old and new, paying respect to the genre’s greats while establishing their own path, establishing this album a must-listen for anybody interested in the “progression” of progressive rock.”
An addition, Billy personally wrote this to Circuline bandleader Andrew Colyer: “I was listening to your album with headphones so as to understand the sound of the album and the technical details. You have done an amazing work, especially regarding the mix and mastering! In terms of orchestration, the album is like watching an adventure movie as you do not know what comes up next! Congrats man, you are one of the few people around that keeps releasing professional Prog music.”
Billy – we can’t thank you enough for these kind words.
Four years after ” Circulive New View “, the third studio album by the Americans Circuline is released , once again for Inner Nova Music , a New York label founded in 2014 by Andrew Colyer , leader of the band .
The American band’s proposal ranges widely between apparently distant genres, always starting from a clearly progressive basic setting: with ” All “, for example, we navigate in progressive territory, with a proposal balanced between the old style influences of Starcastle and Relayer , groups clearly devoted to the old-fashioned Yes , and, remaining in US territory, the compelling dynamism of Kansas and Spock’s Beard ; “ Tempus Horribilis ” boasts an almost Canterbury-like final direction (unfortunately not sublimated by the initial post-rock , frankly not very contextualized), while ” Third Rail ” presents interesting glimpses of an almost medieval nature and ” Temporal Thing ” and ” Say Their Name ” boast clear and highly appreciated fusion influences.
That said, ” CORE ” certainly deserves attention, looking to the past with renewed interest, always proposed in mature and renewed terms, if not courageous, due to a modus operandi that is never standardized and/or predictable.
For collectors, it should be noted that the work that arrived in the editorial office is sublimated by a beautiful digipack package , embellished with two posters (each measuring 50x30cm) and a slightly smaller insert.
“C.O.R.E. demands your attention…..The advanced track that caught our attention – and the album standout – is ‘All’ and is a very good example of the band’s musicality. A sense of real propulsion, great keyboard (Andrew Colyer) and guitar interplay and evoking prime-time proggers such as bands like Yes and, more recently, Spock’s Beard……Even morphing into semi-Camel territory…..‘Third Rail’ immediately brings to mind Renaissance, circa ‘Ashes Are Burning’-era, whilst ‘Say Their Name’ continues that …..‘Temporal Thing’ also has a jazz rock thing going on……‘Blindside’ is a little more conventional, fronted by Colyer’s vocal and a pleasing and plaintive Bainbridge solo ushering in some Clare Torry-style hollering (from Natalie, not Andrew!)……It’s certainly an interesting pot-pourri of prog …..this should be filed next to another great slice of recent modern prog.”
