Russian Circles
Empros (Sargent House)
Reviewed by Raoul Hernandez, Fri., Nov. 4, 2011
Russian Circles
Empros (Sargent House)Rather than a continental drift, Empros maps the Earth when it yielded a single landmass. The Chicago instru-metal trio's fourth LP coalesces suitelike from sea to sea, beginning with the dive-bombing doom of nine-minute opener "309." Big-gun recoil in the seventh and final minute of the succeeding "Mládek" (Czech music tribute or Slavic evocation?) fades into the blue vista of "Schiphol" (Amsterdam), itself outlined in atmospherics building to tsunami. Likewise the chamber echoes mounting an "Atackla." "Batu" (Indonesia) circles but never lands, while closer "Praise Be Man" gurgles the end too early, but this hot comet Empros is anything but Greek. (Fri., 6:30pm, Black stage)
