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)

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This article appears in November 4 • 2011.

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San Francisco native Raoul Hernandez crossed the border into Texas on July 2, 1992, and began writing about music for the Chronicle that fall, debuting with an album review of Keith Richards’ Main Offender. By virtue of local show previews – first “Recommendeds,” now calendar picks – his writing’s appeared in almost every issue since 1993.