VICIOUS CIRCLE

What the hell is it with New Jersey? REVENANT, RIPPING CORPSE, HUMAN REMAINS, NOKTURNEL… this state has been responsible for some really twisted, ripping death/thrash. And lest you think that era is long gone, another voice from the past has made itself known in the modern day — VICIOUS CIRCLE, formed in 1989, finally releases their first significantly distributed CD since 1993, and their first new material since 2000.

If you're into any of the above-mentioned bands, it'll have been worth the wait, too. These guys deliver a very tightly-controlled chaos, a universe of speed riffing, off-the-rails beats, snarling vocals and a slightly technical, thrashy take on death metal that is as awesome as it is stubbornly unfashionable. Peers? It's hard to think of anyone else still making this kind of mad music, although the excellent BURNING INSIDE shared VICIOUS CIRCLE's penchant for strange chords and manic shifts in timing. SADUS are in the same ballpark as well, especially with their recent, more stripped-down efforts.

These guys aren't so much "technical" as "busy." There's a lot of stop-on-a-dime changes, fast-picking riffing with churning rhythm variations underneath. Frequently, the song just launches out of nowhere into a demented thrash lope, with Darrell Rapp alternately screeching, whispering, and employing and effects-laden, sardonic growl (the vocal effects occasionally are laid on a bit too thick, but that's a very minor quibble). The overall effect is to create a frantic, chaotic, constantly-shifting listening experience, with plenty of meaty straightforward sections (I hesitate to call them "breakdowns" and give anyone the wrong idea) to sink one's teeth into.

Right from the beginning, "Dead Scent" starts chucking song parts at you, with an opening riff that'll get your blood boiling, and a cascading riff that keeps coming back and adding to the feeling of musical avalanche. These guys understand the power of short songs, too, keeping things constantly moving — for as much as they've crammed into this album, there's not a wasted second, no slack parts to let the listener lose focus. It might all come off like a caffeinated blur upon first glance, but multiple listens will reveal favorite parts, bits of expressive soloing and visceral riffing that make each song memorable.

So why aren't these guys bigger? Maybe it's their moniker, one of the all-time most played out metal band names ever (alongside GROUND ZERO and the many misspellings of STRYCHNINE, three band names probably used up in every town in the civilized world during the thrash years). Or is it a slowness of musical output that'd make SACRED REICH look like eager beavers? Maybe it's the "damaged goods" taint of having been involved with the disastrous JL America label back in the '90s.

Regardless, the fact that this band continues to toil in such obscurity is an ongoing crime. That they're able to make music this crushing, interesting, and eminently headbangable while the world ignores them is a sign of their tenacity and talent. Download "Dead Scent" and "Lord of Shit", then pick your jaw up off the floor and go buy the damn record — it's not like these guys ask for your support very often. "The Art of Agony" is easily one of the year's best albums — I can't recommend it highly enough.