Band:	When Icarus Falls
Album:	Circles
Style:	Post-metal
Release date:	February 04, 2014
Guest review by:	musclassia

01. Erectheion
02. The Great North
03. Celestial Bodies
04. Nyx [remix]

Since the genre's initial surge in popularity during the early-to-mid-2000s, the 'founders' of atmospheric sludge/post-metal have gradually built up a small army of followers and imitators. Whilst many of these groups produce high-quality, engaging music, the sheer number of bands, combined with the relative lack of innovation or diversity, has arguably led to an over-saturation of the genre, making it tougher for new groups to stand out. One might even start questioning whether this excess of music makes upcoming bands that follow the general template of the style redundant. However, songs as well-composed and compelling as those encountered on this EP offer evidence that innovation isn't always necessary for relevance when you can achieve something of this high quality.

When Icarus Falls, a Swiss quintet, offer up their third release and second EP since their inception in 2007, presenting us with a little over 30 minutes of new music. Said music follows most of the standard tropes of the genre - lengthy songs built around atypical structures, shifting between softer and harsher sections often via subtle crescendos and climaxes, harsh vocal roars, and so on. However, each song manages to achieve a distinct identity; for example, whilst most of the tracks involve at least some example of dynamic/intensity shift, "The Great North" maintains a steady feel throughout but focuses on playing around with riff templates and adding different overlaid guitar lines. Also, whilst "Erechtheion" has (particularly towards the end) a bit of a dark and sinister feel, "Celestial Bodies" is more uplifting and somewhat ethereal.

When it comes to finding negative points, the only real one I personally have is the unnecessary narration on "Celestial Bodies" that could easily be discarded. Other points of contention are more likely to result from your own personal tastes. For instance, whilst I find the high-pitched, pained extreme vocals on the album rather interesting, some might lament the absence of either clean singing or other extreme vocal styles. Moreover, although the main voice is rather intense, the music on Circles never approaches any particularly extreme depths, instead remaining within a fairly small heavy-yet-accessible tonal window, and often accompanied by quite melodic guitar accompaniments. The one exception is a rather foreboding intro into "The Great North" with particularly tortured vocals layered on top that remind me of a peed-off Cult Of Luna. However, whilst they clearly like to stick with a set tonal feel and not branch far outside it, they pull it off especially well, with finely crafted songs that always deliver the appropriate amount of punch. Finally, I'd like to mention the excellent production that complements the often rather full sound of the band very well.

So, to finish, whilst this band/release don't offer anything new to a well-established and mimicked sound in terms of ideas, what When Icarus Falls do offer is great song structuring, delicious guitar arrangements, and an all-round high-quality feel that makes you eager for more once its limited runtime is over. Whether Circles could convert a post-metal naysayer I have doubts, however anyone looking for their next big "post-" hit should look no further than this.