Gifts From Enola

This isn't heart wrenching, emotional instrumental music. While sonically different, Gifts From Enola employ Russian Circles' approach to the voice-less genre: hit hard and fast, and forget about what's left in the melee. The foursome play aggressive rock with peppy riffs, which, unfortunately, cycle on repeat much longer than they should. Songs such as "Lionized" have nice ideas, great drum patterns and interesting guitar parts, but don't go anywhere. That summarizes the album; it's filled with terrific ideas ("Grime and Glass" has a great section, with voices running in the background, and the intro to "Dime and Suture" teases with promise), but the band stretch a single good idea to over seven minutes. Sadly, the good found in small doses can't save the whole.