Magic Circle possess the kind of unpolished charm and fathomless sincerity that most traditional doom bands would chop the sleeves off their favourite Solitude Aeturnus hoodie for. Their love for Pagan Altar and NWOBHM’s heavier moments runs deep, and the Massachusetts four-piece have released a self-titled debut album that worships Trouble, gives Pallbearer a run for their weed money, and is essentially everything that Hour Of 13 could have been if they’d managed to get their shit together. Not bad for a bunch of Boston hardcore dudes. Er, wait – what?

“We all got into playing music through hardcore and punk bands because it’s accessible and there’s historically been a big scene for it in Massachusetts,” guitarist Chris Corry explains. His other bands Mind Eraser and Death Evocation (amongst numerous others) seem like the polar opposite of Magic Circle’s masterfully melodic songwriting, and yet, it’s crystal clear that the riffs he writes comes straight from the heart. “Having known everyone in the band at least 10 years, this is a group of people who’ve always listened to a lot of old heavy metal and album oriented rock. We’ve listened to bands like Sabbath and Rainbow and Trouble for a long time, and … Read More