Russian Circles | Audiotree From Nothing

From the moment they stepped out of their multiple U-Haul’s, fresh off a half-completed US tour, it was clear how seasoned the men in Russian Circles were to the rigorous load-in load-out process. It was still warm in Chicago, despite it being October. Maybe it was the weather, or maybe the fact they weren’t loading into a venue, but the cheerful nature of this band was palpable. It felt odd, in a way, to hear a band that is known for being instrumental, be so vocal. Their guitarist, Mike Sullivan, was quick to share tour stories, talk about gear, and crack jokes that invigorated his band and the room. The humans behind this loud, heavy, powerful music turned out to be (in many ways) total comedians. During soundcheck, the amplification literally shook the studio. It’s difficult to translate how loud this band actually is without standing directly in the room. What was most impressive was their precision without the use of a click-track—a common tactic for louder bands—how clear it was that this band w