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The heaviest guitar sound of 2023? This studio-shaking Russian Circles live session is a must-watch for distortion fans 

Last year, Russian Circles unleashed Gnosis, their heaviest album yet. But even by those standards, Audiotree’s Chicago studio had no idea what was in store when the trio dropped by for a three-song live session.

Interspersed with interview segments, the 25-minute video offers a rare intimate look at Mike Sullivan, Brian Cook and Dave Turncrantz’s apocalyptic post-metal onslaughts, delivered across three Gnosis tracks: Betrayal, Conduit and Gnosis itself.

The musicianship is jaw-dropping, but Sullivan’s tone even more so: a spiritually aggressive tone that maintains clarity without ever losing its doom-metal edge.

Full article: www.guitarworld.com

 

RUSSIAN CIRCLES: FROM NOTHING AUDIOTREE SESSION 

From the moment they stepped out of their multiple Uhauls, fresh off a half-completed US tour, it was clear how seasoned the men in Russian Circles were to the rigorous load-in load-out process. It was still warm in Chicago, despite it being October. Maybe it was the weather, or maybe the fact they weren’t loading into a venue, but the cheerful nature of this band was palpable. It felt odd, in a way, to hear a band that is known for being instrumental, be so vocal. Their guitarist, Mike Sullivan, was quick to share tour stories, talk about gear, and crack jokes that invigorated his band and the room. The humans behind this loud, heavy, powerful music turned out to be (in many ways) total goofballs.
 
During soundcheck, the amplification literally shook the studio. It’s difficult to translate how loud this band actually is without standing directly in the room. What was most impressive was their precision without the use of a click-track—a common tactic for louder bands—how clear it was that this band were masterful at listening to themselves and each other simultaneously. One breathing unit in harmony with itself.
 
To be this seasoned, have nearly 20 years in the game, and still be able to push the bar with this repetitive loud rock music is a feat. There’s a lot of derivative that has stemmed from this band’s sound, and a lot of new sounds that have been inspired by it. Russian Circles continues to be the force to be reckoned with in post-metal, and demonstrates exactly what it takes to stay in and be the absolute best band they can be.
 
Check out Russian Circles on Audiotree From Nothing!
 
 
 
 

RUSSIAN CIRCLES & CULT OF LUNA 

CO-HEADLINE TOUR 2023 

+ Svalbard supporting 

 

March 17 Copenhagen, DK - Store Vega 

March 18 Berlin, DE - Huxleys (SOLD-OUT)

March 19 Wiesbaden, DE - Schlachthof 

March 20 Utrecht, NL - Tivoli Ronda 

March 21 Brussels, BE - AB (SOLD-OUT)

March 22 Paris, FR - Olympia 

March 23 Stuttgart, DE - Wizemann 

March 24 Lausanne, CH - Les Docks 

March 25 Ljubljana, SI - Kino Siska 

March 27 Vienna, AT - Arena 

March 28 Munich, DE - Muffathalle 

March 29 Prague, CZ - Roxy 

March 30 Krakow, PL - Studio

March 31 Warsaw, PL - Progresja 

 

UK SHOWS

w/ WIEGEDOOD:

August 14 London, UK - Heaven

August 15 Newcastle, UK - University

August 16 Manchester, UK - Band On The Wall

August 17 Bristol, UK - Arctangent festival

 

EU FESTIVALS 2023: 
August 3 Poolbar festival Feldkirch (AT)

August 5 Krach Am Bach festival - Beelen (DE) 
August 9 Brutal Assault - Jaromer (CZ) 

August 13 Alcatraz Festival - Kortrijk (BE) 
August 19 Motocultor Festival 2023 - Carhaix-Plouguer (FR)

Tickets: russiancircles.com


 

RUSSIAN CIRCLES ANNOUNCE UK SHOWS IN AUGUST 2023 

Russian Circles are coming back to UK this summer with Wiegedood as support

Tickets on sale now: www.russiancircles.com

Full 2023 shows list:

RUSSIAN CIRCLES & CULT OF LUNA

CO-HEADLINE TOUR 2023 + Svalbard supporting

March 17 Copenhagen, DK - Store Vega

March 18 Berlin, DE - Huxleys (low tickets)

March 19 Wiesbaden, DE - Schlachthof

March 20 Utrecht, NL - Tivoli Ronda (low tickets)

March 21 Brussels, BE - AB (low tickets)

March 22 Paris, FR - Olympia

March 23 Stuttgart, DE - Wizemann

March 24 Lausanne, CH - Les Docks

March 25 Ljubljana, SI - Kino Siska

March 27 Vienna, AT - Arena

March 28 Munich, DE - Muffathalle

March 29 Prague, CZ - Roxy

March 30 Krakow, PL - Studio

March 31 Warsaw, PL - Progresja

UK SHOWS w/ WIEGEDOOD:

August 14 London, UK - Heaven

August 15 Newcastle, UK - University

August 16 Manchester, UK - Band On The Wall

August 17 Bristol, UK - Arctangent festival

EU FESTIVALS 2023:


August 3 Poolbar festival Feldkirch (AT)

August 5 Krach Am Bach festival - Beelen (DE)


August 9 Brutal Assault - Jaromer (CZ)

August 13 Alcatraz Festival - Kortrijk (BE)


August 19 Motocultor Festival 2023 - Carhaix-Plouguer (FR)

UNKNOWN GNOSIS: AN INTERVIEW WITH RUSSIAN CIRCLES' BRIAN COOK 

Russian Circles' Gnosis is an exploration of space and time: it’s the bedrock blasted to bits to lay the foundation for another Brooklyn condominium. It’s the Earth pulsating around the mouth of a geyser. It’s the cold front moving in from all directions, dropping the temperature below freezing and changing the way we move through the world. The cover of the album depicts two men, isolated on a cubic column of scaffolding. Devoid of background, it leaves the viewer unhinged, but also suggests possibility: you can fill in the blanks and the structure can become whatever you want it to be.  Gnosis is like that: the songs swell and expand, with room to move around. You get the opportunity to fill in those spaces, to wander the hallways of a building that never seems to have an end; to bushwhack through a cold, Northwestern forest, perpetually wet, vision blurred through the fog.

Full Interview HERE

In Search Of Tone: Mike Sullivan Of Russian Circles 

This interview series started as something small I thought I could get advice from a few guitarists on how to play guitar. I did not think I’d be getting actual advice on how to better my tone from one of my all-time favorite guitarists Mike Sullivan of Russian Circles. He taught me how to better set up my stereo rig and to utilize my tremolo pedal as more of a boost. He warned me I’d lose a weekend just playing guitar. Well, I lost a few weekends, hence this interview is a little late.

Full interview via thesleepingshaman.com

DIG BOSTON INTERVIEW WITH MIKE SULLIVAN  

Chicago instrumental post-rock trio Russian Circles are an incredibly loud band. When guitarist Mike Sullivan, drummer Dave Turncrantz, and bassist Brian Cook get together, the decibels are raised to massive levels, the syncopation is tight like a double knot, and the senses are surely going to feel something.

Read the full interview on Dig Boston.

Russian Circles Full Feature in Distorted Sound 

It seems extraordinary to think that RUSSIAN CIRCLES have been playing and creating music for nearly two decades. With seven studio albums and their debut EP going all the way back to 2004, the band have had an eighteen year career that feels like it’s gone by in the blink of an eye. In that time, there’s been a definite development of their style and sound, moulding their heavy, drone soundscapes into monstrous dirges that rage and consume. We caught up with Mike Sullivan about the mindset of the new record Gnosis and getting the barebones of creating music.

Read full feature on Distorted Sound.

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