Russian Circles - Nine (2026)


I think Nine is a good Russian Circles album, but I don't think it consistently reaches the level of their strongest work.

The main strength is still the rhythm section. Brian Cook and Dave Turncrantz give the music a lot of movement, and that helps the album avoid becoming another sequence of predictable quiet-loud post-rock builds. Empath works especially well because the riff is heavy, direct and easy to remember.

Eluvial is probably the best track for me. The build feels natural, the textures change enough over eight minutes, and the final section has real weight without sounding forced. I also like Seventh Seal because it finishes the album with aggression instead of another oversized atmospheric climax.

The short running time helps a lot. Thirty-nine minutes is exactly right for this kind of music, and Arletta gives the second half a useful break before the final track.

My main issue is that I rarely feel surprised. The synths and nylon-string guitar add some new colours, but the overall language is still very familiar Russian Circles. The band plays it extremely well, but I don't hear enough new ideas or emotional peaks to move it much higher.

I also remember the atmosphere and physical impact more clearly than some of the individual themes. There are strong riffs, but not enough moments that really stay with me after the album ends.

So for me this is clearly above average: compact, heavy, well structured and very well played. I just don't think it is distinctive or memorable enough to push beyond the high 60s.

Pros
Excellent rhythm section
Eluvial and Seventh Seal are strong highlights
Compact running time with almost no filler

Cons
Familiar Russian Circles formula
Evolution feels subtle rather than significant
Atmosphere is more memorable than several individual themes





Genre: Post Rock
Country: US

Final Verdict: 68% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 75th / 655

Highlight: Eluvial


Made me think of:
Pelican
Cult of Luna
Lost in Kyiv

#newalbum #newalbum2026 #albumrelease #newmusic #albumoftheday #nowspinning #NowPlaying #musicdiscovery
#PostRock #RussianCircles #US
#LP #Album #release

 

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