Label: ST Productions
Release date: March 7th, 2025
Links: https://www.circu5.com/
Line Up:
Mark Kilminster
Steve Tilling
Lee Moulding
Tracklist:
1. Make No Sound
2. Sing Now
3. Freakshow Train
4. Skin Machine
5. Infinite Lucid Geometric Fever Dream
6. Clockwork Tulpa
7. Violet
8. Change the Weather
9. Don’t Spare Me
10. Scars
11. Scars (acoustic bonus download)
I’d never heard this band before, or the members. I walked in with a clear mind and walked away a fan. No, for real, I mean it.
However, in full admission, it’s not the typical sort of thing I’d listen to. The lack of reverb, delay, and heavy distortion kind of threw me for a loop for what I seem to normally review. I didn’t know what to expect honestly. At first, I struggled to get past what felt like a Contemporary Adult feel. But once I did get past that, the floodgates opened.
Once I found the “groove” so to speak on a deeper level, not just a surface, listening while I work sort of thing, I really began to enjoy it and appreciate it for what it was. It’s damn good, from technical riffs to things anyone can play. The production on the album is great too, and kudos to everyone who worked on this album, because man it sounds REALLY good!
The artwork is neat too. I think that’s something we’ve lost touch with in this digital streaming age. Nice artwork/packaging that accompanies your music truly does enhance the listening experience, I think. I’ve bought and listened to albums based on artwork alone.
Now for the song by song analysis.
Make No Sound – The song starts out pretty ominous, making me think it was going to be a heavier sound, which I was totally prepared for…and then…bam! Just when you think it’s going to be a minor metal sounding song, maybe with a scream, some echo and so on, nope you get a full-on wall of rather happy tones, and a drumbeat that makes you want to dance. I like the chorus, and it has a fun feel to it. I like the bridge part, as the tempo change gives a new feel, and the instruments play around like performers in the circus ring. I appreciate that subtle feeling. The song has a nice structure and tonality.
Sing Now – Immediately off the bat, you’re on the train to Sound Town. I like the bass in this tune quite a bit. The chorus hits and everything drops except guitar and voice, a nice contrast to the verse parts. The harmonies are done really well on this tune, and when we hit the bridge things change again to a more defined 4/4, and the change gives some depth whereas the verses feel a little chaotic. The solo brings us back on the verse, and they do it really well given the movement within the verse.
Freakshow Train – This song has a poppy feel to it, as the upper register guitar riff gives a nice shimmer whereas the beat is pretty straightforward, as is the song. Honestly, it doesn’t seem to change much for the first half, but given the first two songs are a little intense, this is a good change of pace. The harmonies are spot on and really help accentuate the song overall. The bridge switch is nicely done, and you retain the high picked guitar, which helps transition back into the solo/chorus. I like the confluence feel of this section into the guitar-only solo. This song feels like a lazy river to me, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Skin Machine – Another song where the intro has you going one way, and then they switch it up, this time to a reggae/ska feel until the pre-chorus that leads right back into a verse – sidenote: superb job. The chorus is catchy in this one no doubt. This song certainly has its textures and layers and sections, and I’m here for it all. So far, this is by far my favorite song, and it’s only track number four. The more I listen, I can hear a jazz feel too, and that becomes more present as the song goes on. The song isn’t hard to follow either. They do a really good job of transitions in the song.
Infinite Lucid Geometric Fever Dream – A nice head-mover sort of tune. I am digging the mix of harmonies and switching parts keeping the song moving in general. There’s soft, heavy, and all sorts of in between. There’s even a bass solo in the middle of the song, which really opens up the space for other things to grow too. This is a pretty prog song; the first half can feel a little dragging, but once you get to about the 3:45/4 minute mark, the song really begins to open up and you get some prog elements in full force. It feels like it turns to a heavy focus on the more minor character of the instruments, rather than the first half which has a much happier sense of tone.
Clockwork Tulpa – A Tulpa is defined as “a being or object that is created in the imagination by visualization techniques such as in Tibetan mysticism,” and this meaning seems to really fit with this tune. The song starts right away, and the bass kicks in with a really driving line. The chorus melody is damn good. I like how the bridge is pushing the entire time, and the song doesn’t lose any energy throughout, even in the quieter parts. This is one I’d put on repeat no doubt.
Violet – The guitar tone at the beginning is really nice, and it feels totally different than other things. The song actually has kind of a Stone Temple Pilots feel to me. There’s good structure and definitely a noticeable A, B, A, B, C element to this which makes it easier to follow. I like the vocal melody of the song and the guitar the entire time. The song kind of revolves around the main lick you hear right away. The song has this “smooth and cool” vibe to it, and I’m not complaining. I wanted to keep listening and was a little sad when it ended.
Change the Weather – This intro sounds like a riff straight out of the ’90s and late ’00s. After we get past the front door, however, we get into the verse and a fairly attractive drum part where he’s fluttering on the high hat, and we enter into a hallway until we get into the chorus which is like the kitchen of the house, lots of light, and full sound. I keep going back to the interplay of the instruments in this song, as there’s a lot going on. I like how the instrument notes/chords follow the vocal melody in the chorus. I like how the outro is somewhat a cacophony of sound converging into one voice, right at the end for one single word.
Don’t Spare Me – You don’t have the time to spare to let this one just pass by, honestly. You need to follow along, because if you don’t you’ll lose your way around the song. I love the bassline and drum line in this one. Another 5 out of 5 for those vocal harmonies. We get into part after the second chorus, with this really different tempo, and it works really well and naturally, but it does catch you by surprise. The guitar solo has a unique section to it, going back to tone in this one. But wait, we have more prog than we do anything in this song. This is as close to Dream Theater as we’re getting on the album, but embrace it, because they do it perfectly. This is also the longest song on the album coming at 6:12, but the song doesn’t feel that long.
Scars – The Jimmy Buffett on the beach feel is present at the start of this song, complete with saxophone, moving basslines as if we’re all sitting around a fire. Despite my rather picturesque description, there’s actually a lot of texture within the song. It’s more on the edge of adult contemporary prog than some of the songs on the album for the majority of the song, and then we get into the solo, which is pretty long. This could’ve been shorter, as it starts to feel like a jam song, which I suppose fits the theme. In any case, it’s a great ending song.
Written by: Chris Rugowski
Ratings: 9/10
https://open.spotify.com/album/5u1UrG0UD56Wr0VIY1mZw7?si=2KVjPUtESQWg3yNG7FNxJg
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