RISE AND FALL – Our Circle is Vicious

Who would have thought that it would take a hardcore band from Belgium to present hardcore vocals I could actually understand? Reviewing this kind of music really puts the reviewer in a bind as far as what can be said in detail, especially if one is not an avid fan of the genre. Let’s be honest, hardcore music all tends to sound the same. In the case of Our Circle is Vicious, Rise and Fall uses elements from metal to punk and produces an album that truly impresses this novice.

As mentioned above, the vocals are actually audible. Nothing bothers me more than listening to vocals I can’t understand, a constant in the hardcore genre. “It’s a Long Way Down” is a two-minute song that truly highlights the drumming skills of Dann with its fast punk beat. With “In Circles,” they slow it down a bit but continue the unrelentingly brutal vocals of Bjorn. An interesting moment in the album comes during the instrumental track “Stillborn,” a real monkey wrench in the gears to say the least. The last thing I thought I was going to hear was a distorted drum and guitar driven instrumental (although there are some distorted vocals thrown in that are barely noticeable). The overall versatility of this band is what impresses me the most. Musically they are extremely well in tune and tight and their ability to switch up their sound throughout this album makes this a well-executed effort. Hardcore fans should rejoice.

(Deathwish Inc., no address provided)