Album Review: Russian Circles - Memorial

The extremity of Russian Circles is more pronounced on album number five, with black metal even sneaking to the fore on a few occasions. While there's a certain starkness to much of this work, there's greater contrast between the band's polarities. As much as the heavier moments are delivered with more punch, so are the quieter moments with what seems like more subtlety and attention, Cheyenne being the greatest example of this. These softer moments, however, only add to the overall sense of sadness and despair that permeates and defines Memorial, another consistent piece to add to Russian Cirles' run of successes.