Circa Survive – “The Amulet” [Album Review]

Circa Survive helped move the post-hardcore genre as a whole into more artistic and expressive realms with their debut full-length Juturna, an album that remains firmly implanted into the memory of most kids acquainted with the scene in the mid-00’s onwards. With that debut, the band was able to explore further and further from that point into more melodic and conceptual territory with each subsequent release. The Amulet sees the group delving into what is arguably their most melodic territory yet, while still retaining enough viperous aggression to remind the listener that they are listening to a post-hardcore punk band.

Perhaps one of the most striking things about the album is Circa Survive’s ability to still consistently churn out constant, beautiful melodies. Indeed, on this recording, there is a maturity that seems to enable the guys to take on any sonic landscape while maintaining a cohesive vision. It is humbling to watch them do their thing. And, too, they are able to straddle this line while also delivering some seriously thumping moments on the album, like the intro on “At Night It Gets Worse”.

With that said, The Amulet doesn’t have many tracks that break from the general melodic approach. Perhaps this is in the interest of having a consistent delivery, but it tends to border on running flat. This is not to say that it’s not good: far from it. This is an album that is able to turn up the grit and blow your hair back at points. Take the ending of “The Amulet” for example, with Green‘s trademark tender singing delving into screeching that will summon up welcome memories of “Juturna”-like yowling.

But other than these stand-alone moments, there is a pallor that is cast across the album, as it seems to be more concerned with maintaining a tender approach. Again, this is not a bad thing if this is what you are searching for, but for the more aggressively inclined, this may be too soft a release for your tastes. Overall, if you are a fan of the beauty that Circa Survive is able to deliver rather than their more heated states, then this will be a welcome addition to your rotation.

The Amulet Track Listing:

01. Lustration
02. Never Tell A Soul
03. Premonition Of The Hex
04. Tunnel Vision
05. At Night It Gets Worse
06. Stay
07. Rites Of Investiture
08. The Hex
09. Flesh And Bone
10. The Amulet

Run Time: 42:52
Release Date: September 22, 2017

Watch the band’s music video for their song “Lustration”