Post-rock
Sargent House · 28 August 2026
Russian Circles have been doing the same job, instrumental and unhurried, out of Chicago since 2004: Mike Sullivan on guitar, Brian Cook on bass and keys, Dave Turncrantz on drums. «Nine» (the title is literal — it’s their ninth album) came out on 28 August, produced by Kurt Ballou between Electrical Audio and God City Studio, with one track, «Arletta», recorded at Rancho De La Luna in Joshua Tree.
Seven tracks and the closer, «Seventh Seal», sum up the method best: melancholic, classic-sounding guitars building until they collide with the rhythm section’s raw weight — a recipe the band themselves trace directly back to the Cliff Burton era of Metallica.
With nine albums and the same trio line-up since 2007 (Cook joined that year, replacing original bassist Colin DeKuiper), «Nine» confirms everything already known about Russian Circles, without opening any new doors.
Rating: 7.8/10