Excellent Sophomore Release
Russian Circles' second album is perhaps even better than critically acclaimed Enter (critically acclaimed in an underground sort of way). These guys are excellent musicians and their arrangments are very interesting and unique. If you are looking to get a taste of it, check out their myspace page and listen to Verses (available on their myspace page at this time - 7/2/2008). This song gives you a taste of what they do - slow build up and almost classical melodies leading up to some heavy riffs in the end. I know that there are other bands out there that create music that blands classical and heavy, but seeing these guys live and what they are able to do with just three instruments made me appreciate their music even more.

If you're new to the genre of post-metal /post-rock instrumental bands, if you are into Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, Tool, Isis or Radiohead, this music may appeal to you.

Also, Amazon's description states that they have shared stage with Daughters. Don't let that confuse you - I find no overlap between the two bands.

humble,sleek,epic,sprawling,vast,shiny,razor sharp, progressive aesthetic metal
This album is amazing. Russian Circles harness a lot of power for a 3 piece. Like Enter this album delivers a suburb crunch when needed but maintains a healthy balance of beauty and aggression. Sophisticated metallic music that bleeds sadness and displays honest emotion. An incredible sophomore release that will be sadly overlooked.

Station: a brief review
In Station Russian Circles play with the expansive sonic concepts they defined in their first album Enter. Songs build intensely only to reach a strangely fulfilling anti-climax. As with Enter the album is best listened to as a whole, allowing the listener to encapsulate the running themes and motifs. I give it a 3.75/5.

Much Needed Youngblood
I just found out about these guys recently and I have to commend them on their musicianship and decision to do instrumental music. They are free from catering to some growling or shrilling vocalist who would undoubtedly wreck this music with bad themes and worse singing. It is about time some bands come forth that are committed to music only. I have been waiting for decades for a band like this to come along. They blend together all the good elements of heavy metal, progressive rock and psychedelia without the disruption of some wailing idiot trying to add his / her 2 cents. In the case of Russian Cirles the music is always headed somewhere and very vibrant. Many of the musical passages they have composed would not have come to be most likely if they were trying to fit in a vocalist. This is exiting and hopefully they don't rethink their formula or be forced to by the short attention span of most music buyers.

From the start of Station you can tell the musicianship is top notch and it is a surprise when you realise they get all this sound as a 3 piece. The guitarist has great taste and a unique way of playing with two hands on the fretboard at times. This gives the illusion of a fourth player and is very well executed, no overkill and all substance. The percussionist is noteably top rate and creative as is the bassist.

Hopefully this form of music will spawn future rock musicians to explore what they can accomplish with instruments only. Russian Cirles will hopefully be looked at one day as pioneers of instrumental rock music and be able to continue their craft in the present. The few bands at the helm of this new territory are critical to pushing rock music forward. One of the key ingredients is that the musicianship is great but not by the amount of notes per second rule that used to apply. This music is about sound, emotion and creativity and has far more impact than the million notes approach. If you like this type of thing other bands to keep an eye on are Red Sparowes , Explosions in the Sky, Grails and Pelican. Hopefully there will be more to come.

Great record guys ! Buy it!

MAGNIFICENT
My gawd, how do these guys do it? Simply amazing album, I been spinning this album since the day it was released. Russian Circles are definitely now my top post-rock band. I hope they play here in Colorado some time. Highly recommended.