Experimental metal trio Russian Circles don't need words to get their point across. Since 2006, the instrumental group have combined the slow-rising gothic beauty of post-rock, the sludgy riffs of underground metal and the technical dexterity of thrash. Their songs pack in more unexpected tempo changes and fretboard shrapnel than most metal bands get to in an entire album. In the orchestral build of "Fathom", the restrained circular drum builds of "Vorel" and the mournful melodies and ecstatic, life-affirming shredding of "Mlàdek", Russian Circles let the crescendos do the talking.