It is a common belief amongst fans that Anthony Green is the element of success in Circa Survive. He certainly has paved the way for Circa Survive as a stand out band with his unique high pitched, haunting vocals. Yet what has always been the draw to Circa Survive leaving the impression of a very unique and original band, is the music itself backing up Anthony Green. If Anthony Green’s voice is the life, the music would surely be the landscape and oh, does it paint a picture. Debuting with an album entitled Juturna then later a second album, On Letting Go; Circa Survive has created an identity and sound that is dreamy, melodic, and haunting. They evoke images that are as beautiful as they are despairing.
The band’s third full length album, Blue Sky Noise (which was quickly followed up with the EP Appendage) seemed to slightly depart from the first two albums. The album received mixed reviews by fans and critics alike due to its discrete departure. It wasn’t so much Green’s vocal, but it was the music itself that seemed to take Circa Survive into a foreign direction. Gone were the dreamscapes molded out of echoed distortion, they were instead replaced by a much cleaner, brighter sound.
Violent Waves, the fourth and latest album from the band has proved they have by no means “lost the vision” yet have merely been exploring. The band seems to return to their debut sound, yet has trailed into new territory by combining some of the brighter elements from Blue Sky Noise. The addition of Anthony Green also branching out and playing a healthy amount of guitar has also had an influence on the tone of this new album.
The album can be simple, yet finds beautiful moments in the simplicity; the single “Suitcase” illustrates this well with its slow paced build into something epic. “Sharp Practice” showcases elements of a brighter sound with its jazzy and funky composition. The standalone feature of this album: its intense depth and heaviness, songs like “The Lottery” (featuring Thursday’s Geoff Rickly) slide into a pounding yet melodic breakdown followed by a sedated outro that can’t help but linger.
This album gives new hope for Circa Survive. Interviews with the members post-Blue Sky Noise shed light on some creative difference within the band that led them to the brink of destruction. Blue Sky Noise perhaps served as a creative compromise, Violent Waves serves as a solid album from a band that has matured. Green, who cannot possibly be ignorant of his limelight position in the band, does not flaunt. He holds perfect constraint when needed, and erupts into frenzy when needed. The band isn’t trying to complicate things, instead of needlessly showing off talent they slow it down and bring it back to basics in a majestic way.
Circa Survive has always been a band with a strong connection to art. Andrew Esao’s paintings and sketches have always conceptualized the band’s sound with a perfect pairing of imagery. This is the beautiful thing about Circa Survive, they are a band just as concerned with visions and imagery as they are sound. They have invited listeners to go on many melancholy journeys into deep and fantastic lands. This album seems to serve as a message from the band to all: Circa Survive is more than just a band; they strive to be a piece of art in and of themselves.