Empros – Russian Circles

Empros is the fourth studio album by Russian Circles, released on October 25, 2011. The album delivers a striking blend of ambient expansiveness and post-metal weight, executed with precision and power. Every transition—from soaring melodies to crushing riffs—is confidently composed, creating a dynamic underground instrumental epic that feels both meticulously crafted and emotionally resonant. Critics praised its refined evolution, highlighting a new level of compositional ambition and heavier sonic impact compared to earlier work.

This album marks a defining moment in the band’s trajectory, where light and dark, serenity and ferocity, coalesce with effortless dramatic effect. Russian Circles achieve a seamless flow across its six tracks, crafting immersive atmospheres as effortlessly as they deliver heavy, rhythmic pulses. Empros showcases their mastery of instrumental storytelling—raw, nuanced, and immersive—cementing its status as a landmark release in modern post-metal.

Reviews

"A balancing act on a cosmic scale, Empros… marries light to dark, order to chaos." – Paul Thompson, Pitchfork

"Empros swings from the exceedingly beautiful to the punishingly physical in seconds flat." – Paul Thompson, Pitchfork

"Forsaking subtlety in favor of immediacy, Empros is the album that fully realizes Russian Circles' potential." – Ignimbrite, Sputnikmusic

"Empros is the album Russian Circles have been striving to concoct since the band’s inception seven years ago." – Chris Kies, Premier Guitar

"Russian Circles’ transitions are seamless, their set-ups patient. The coupling of Schipol and Atackla centralize the band’s lush instrumentals and heightened sounds." – No Ripcord