VICIOUS CIRCLE - THE ART OF AGONY Neoblast Records
Track Listing
1. Dead Scent 2. Neurotic Reminders 3. Lord of Shit 4. I Remain in Filth 5. Live Long and Suffer 6. Phantasia Through Agony 7. Triple Murder Suicide 8. Phantom Pains 9. Unfullfillment 10. Wishing the Djinn Away 11. Spiritual Deformity 12. Written in Flesh
This is a new band to me but their bio says they've been around for more than fifteen years. Where the hell have I been? "The Art Of Agony" is one of those albums that just grabbed my attention and never let it go. A crisp, razor-sounding production helped the frantic, ever changing tunes jump right out of the speakers. Short bursts of "lead riffing" abound on here backed by super, beefy sounding rhythms. Just so much going on without becoming overbearingly technical that I am in awe at how they pulled it off. I love the high speed soloing and well placed use of staccato string plucking all led into battle by a perfect mix of inhuman death/thrash vocals. Man, how much more must I praise this album before you click off this review and seek this disc out!?! Easily contends for my "unknown band of the year" and it's only March.