I do a lot of black metal records here. I’ll be honest: A lot of them don’t stick with me, and after doing my notes-taking listen, I never hear them again. There’s just so much of it. Going unconventional directions and adding other elements makes the music stick inside brains a little better, and that’s the stuff that tends to get repeat listens here.

Swedish force Circular Ruin is one that I believe will receive plenty of attention beyond this piece. “A Sermon in Tongues” is their debut record, and their fearless brand of black metal brings loads of darkness that will haunt you. Comprised of vocalist Oscar Tornborg, guitarists Daniel Johansson and Henrik Löfgren, bassist Mathias Rask-Andersen, drummer Christian Thunarf, the band blends hues you don’t necessarily expect from this sub-genre, and their explosive heart and emotion push all of that over the top.

“No Solace (Intro)” spills in ominously, mystically, setting a mood for  “The Altering Altar” that ruptures right away (by the way, backing vocals are provided by David Sandström, drummer for MOTHERFUCKING Refused). The playing races as the vocals ravage, the power blasting through mountainsides, sparking delirium. The savagery combines with an icy melodic gust, continuing the intensity to the end. “Perisher” brings guitar fire and hellacious storming from the skies, the riffs darting as the aura hangs like a phantom. A thick black metal fog envelopes as demonic wails scorch flesh, guitars boil and then rain down, and a rising smoke chokes lungs. “The Storm I Keep Within” starts hazily before sparks fly, jolting with relentless speed. Tornborg wails about “dreams of nothingness,” as the playing mangles, increasing the violence as the taste of blood stings the tongue. The pace clubs as the drums gut, Tornborg declaring, “Time to die!” as the final moments warble away.

“Ropes to Salvation” starts with the guitars and bass tangling for the upper hand, howls churning as the soot collects and increases the blackness. Wails warp as the pace is torn apart, drums rousing as the crazed fury gets more dangerous. The pace lulls and gets more mesmerizing, hand drumming tapping, the leads slinking before the volcanic elements return, swarming and tearing everything apart. “Nocturnum” is dizzying with shadows sprawling, throaty wails digging into flesh, the bass absolutely clubbing. Blasts open new wounds as punches land harder, and the stickiness keeps you engaged as while battered. “A Dream of Thirst” closes things, blasting in with grisly growls, jolting electricity, and melodies swimming through murk. The blazing force continues as Tornborg howls, “Already dead, he cannot see!” the soloing robbing everything of light. The power slowly subsides, surfy guitar tones luring, the final moments glimmering and fading.

“A Sermon in Tongues” is a stunning debut full-length for Circular Ruin, and it’s one that should take a torch to black metal’s foundation. This is both feral and stirring, an album that pulls you in and captures your attention for the entire run time, grinding your psyche in a dynamic, devastating fashion. Everything here feels volatile, like it could burst open at any moment and drag bodies along with it.

For more on the band, go here: https://circularruin.bandcamp.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://vendetta-records.bandcamp.com/merch

For more on the label, go here: https://vendetta-records.com/