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Circle Of Crows have been tearing up a storm in the South West over the past year. Their exhilarating live performances, packed with engaging hooks and muscular riffs, have earned them a sizeable fanbase, and with the coming release of their debut EP, ‘Everything Comes After Zero’, I was about to find out why. Circle Of Crows certainly aren’t pulling any punches! From the first bars of ‘How To Wait For Nothing’, these guys mean business. The song kicks in with an impressive punchy riff, backed by an intricate bass line that you just can’t help but move to. Gormley’s confident vocals step up to the plate with some remarkable leaps in intensity! Perhaps what is most striking here is the contrast between Gormley’s vocal strength, and the vulnerability of the lyrics he sings, “Life goes on? Yeah, try and say that when you are lost as much as me.” When you feel as lost and as trapped as the lyric implies, the mere notion of moving on is paralysing. The band also reflect this feeling later on with, “I think I lost my way, but I don’t think I wanna leave it all behind“. An impeccable solo and hype-worthy breakdown ends the song and leaves you begging for more. Which I guess is quite handy really, because there are five more amazing songs to sink your teeth in to! ‘Into The Sun’ has a much more chilled vibe. The song hovers over similar themes to those in ‘How To Wait For Nothing’, but instead focuses on progression, as opposed to stasis. Ideas of risking everything to push forward are given real gravitas by means of mythological imagery, which frankly, I am living for, especially as the tale of Icarus is such a foreboding one! Nowhere is this more apparent than at the song’s lyrical peak, where Gormley sings, “When I find my wings I’ll rise above it all. I’ll fly into the sun, and even if I fall I will not look back on who I used to be“. The tensions Circle Of Crows have created between fear, apathy, and optimism are sublime! They also do a fabulous job of reflecting such themes instrumentally. The introduction of ‘Into The Sun’ is very much pared back, allowing the vocals to shine, but towards its conclusion, the instruments all come together in a wave and give the song its optimistic authority. Special mention here goes to Sudlow on drums. Damn, can he hit those skins! Following this is ‘Everything Comes After Zero’. When there’s a title track, you expect something pretty special, and fear not my friends, this song really does kick ass! From the first few bars the song is positively aggressive, and has a unique, infectious energy. It tells you to “Sit down and shut up. No one gives a fuck what you think“, but effortlessly jumps to “Fuck that, stand up and speak your mind. When was the last time you thought for yourself?“. Sudlow’s drumming fights with a forceful riff in the most sinfully delicious way, especially throughout the song’s breakdown. Circle Of Crows sound massive. ‘Everything Comes After Zero’ is an impeccable EP, and an incredible debut for Circle Of Crows. The band are a joy to listen to. Given the phenomenal reputation they are building, anyone in their right mind will be snapping up this EP, and snagging tickets to the inevitable following shows! They’re just that good. Everything Comes After Zero is available on 17th August 2018. More information here. Review: Amy Jefferies.]]>
