Label: Freefall Records 2016
Review by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom
"As seen on Kerrang and Scuzz TV". That's surely not the best way to promote your debut EP? Let's not dwell on the quality of former great magazines as the Southampton quartet Circle of Reason are coming up with intriguing compositions and quirky arrangements on their brand new album. Musically we are drowning in sub paranoiac kind of rock that can't help but resonate on a personal level. Vivid pictures and soundscapes of emotive and melancholic stuff drawing upon a wide range of influences from the likes of Deftones, Funeral For a Friend, Biffy Clyro, and Mastodon. Never quite as heavy and blunt as the latter though and more towards the work of Coheed and Cambria in my personal opinion.
Artistic endeavor and rhythmic sensibilities make heart-felt metal in which the listener take center stage throughout the record. You're invited to a sonic journey through time and space, faith or theory, and a theme of always feeling as though you're not quite what someone wants. "You always said I could be so much better", sings Simon Osman on the opening track of "Never Enough", and what better way to lure teenagers into checking out your band's music then gloom, doom, and depression? However, there's a positive side to the story and the realization that in the long run you are better off being yourself and doing things your own way. Easier said than done when you're 14 and trying to be cool.
To really get the hang of Faith or Theory, you need to spin this over a long period of time. There's constantly something new and quirky to discover and a message of never judge a book by its cover. Lyrically it's about being more than what people see on the surface and trying to think outside the box for a change. Play this when you're in the mood for some excellent alt-rock versatility and craftsmanship.
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