It's a new Circle album, with the letters NWOFHM, the "New Wave Of Finnish Heavy Metal" banner right there underneath the disc tray, so I was excitedly anticipating another foray into the band's heavier metallic mode with Katapult. And this new disc definitely delivers, although as we've come to expect from Circle's 16-year career, the band is constantly evolving and mutating with each new album, so while their is definitely a "metal" element to Katapult, it's a bit unlike their previous heavy releases like Sunrise, Andexelt, or Tulikoira, where Circle interpreted the classic heavy metal riffage that they are big fans of through their unique, circular neo-krautrock. The huge rhythmic loop-grooves and driving riffs are there, as well as their wonky space rock effects and keyboards, and some of the metallic riffs are heavier than anything I've heard from 'em before...the label's press release mentions Venom and Celtic Frost as a reference point for where Circle's heads were at when they created this album, and some of the dark thrash riffing on songs like the opening "Saturnus Reality" and the chugging "Understanding New Age" have a raw crunch that definitely reminds me a little of Celtic Frost, but then the riffs are buried in a flurry of throbbing krautrock rhythms and awesome, soaring Tangerine Dream keyboards that timewarp right out of the 80's. And I'm not sure if it's Mika Ratto or Jussi Lethisalo, but one of these guys has adopted a deep, sinister croon for Katapult that sounds like freakin' Andrew Eldritch from Sisters Of Mercy! "Torpedo Star Throne" weaves more spidery thrash metal riffing around a dense tangle of jazzy ricocheting snare drums and synthesizer loops. When "Black Black Never Never Land" starts, you'd almost expect Circle to kick in with a lush 80's metal pop anthem, but instead it turns into an eerie techno-shamanic dopetrance like something offa their Forest album performed on antique electronic instruments. The last song "Snow Olympics" delivers one of their most triumphant riffs ever over trippy cosmic ambience. Utterly awesome psychedelic hypno metal/rock, reaching even further out into the void than ever before but somehow coming back with some of their catchiest, most breathtaking jams to date. And hearing this in advance of their upcoming September '07 East Coast tour has me in a state of fevered fuckin' anticipation. Highly recommended, and hands down the featured release for this week. Vinylphiles should also take note that we've got Katapult on vinyl too, a limited edition LP pressing that looks and sounds amazing. Oh yeah, and the album features some rad artwork from Paul Romano, too.