Circle

Circle sounds like a machine built of wood and rusted iron, churning out endless, interlocking grooves in the middle of a Finnish forest. It is music that prioritizes the trance over the song, using the relentless 'motorik' beat of 70s krautrock as a foundation for heavy metal riffs, psychedelic swirls, and strange, chanting vocals. One moment you are caught in a minimalist loop, and the next you are being crushed by a wall of distorted guitars.

What makes them truly distinctive is their sense of conceptual play. They treat genre like a costume, often adopting the leather-and-studs aesthetic of 80s metal while playing avant-garde repetition. There is a dry, Finnish humor beneath the surface, but the musical execution is deadly serious. The repetition isn't just a gimmick; it's a tool used to bypass the rational mind and reach a state of sonic exhaustion or ecstasy.

Start with 'Alotus' for a perfect entry into their hypnotic, guitar-driven world, or 'Forest' if you want to hear their more atmospheric, folk-tinged side. For those who want the full 'New Wave of Finnish Heavy Metal' experience, 'Hollywood' offers a bizarre and brilliant collision of stadium rock tropes and experimental endurance.