Post-metal maestros Russian Circles headline the Fillmore
Cinematic post-metal favorites Russian Circles return to San Francisco Wednesday night, sharing the stage at the Fillmore with fellow Chicago-based instrumental band Pelican.
For the past 15 years, Chicago instrumental trio Russian Circles has been one of the key players if the Midwestern city's fertile experimental metal scene. Founded in 2004 by guitarist Mike Sullivan and original bassist Colin DeKuiper after their math-rock band Dakota/Dakota dissolved, the two musicians recruited metal drummer David Turncrantz and started exploring cinematic sonic territory that nodded to Chicago post-rock pioneers Tortoise.
The group would part ways with DeKuiper in 2008, bringing former Botch/These Arms Are Snakes bassist Brian Cook on board for the recording of their second album, Station. With its line-up solidified, the trio has refined its slowly blossoming style of atmospheric post-metal to majestic new heights. Recording for independent label Sergeant House since the release of the band's fourth effort Empros in 2011, the trio has continued to build on its loyal fan base.
The group took some time releasing a studio follow-up to its elegiac 2019 album Memorial (the band did issue its first concert recording Live at Dunk! Fest a year later), but in 2019 issued Blood Year, its third effort for the established metal imprint. Another brooding and atmospheric exploration of heavy sounds, the album found the trio working at the top of its game.
With the pandemic forcing the band off the road during what likely would have been continued touring to promote Blood Year, Russian Circles would instead focus on writing new material. With COVID keeping the individual members in isolation, the trio eschewed its usual songwriting approach of fleshing out ideas during in-person band practices for a different method with each player making demos of fully formed tunes that were then presented to the group.
The resulting effort Gnosis presents some of the most aggressive and emotional songs Russian Circle has recorded yet, channeling the frustrations, fears and anxieties of pandemic existence into a taut and cathartic 40 minutes of music that stands with their best work. For this headlining show at the Fillmore Wednesday, the group is joined by Chicago heavy instrumental compatriots Pelican.
Formed by members of experimental grindcore outfit Tusk, guitarists Trevor de Brauw and Laurent Schroeder-Lebec and the sibling rhythm section of drummer Larry Herweg and bassist Bryan Herweg began exploring their moody mix of ethereal drones and crushing riffs on their first demo that would be released as an EP by Hydra Head Records in 2001. Pelican quickly established their unique musical chemistry with the band's proper debut album Australasia featuring the extended exploratory tunes "Nightenday" and "Angel Tears" as well as the more complex and layered 2005 follow-up The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw
The band has continued to mine its sound on subsequent albums, including its most recent effort in 2019 entitled Nighttime Stories that found the quartet moving towards tighter, more concise song structures. Fans can expect a preview of new music from Pelican's forthcoming recording Cascading Crescent set to be released in May.
Russian Circles with Pelican
Wednesday, March 12, 8 p.m. $45
The Fillmore
