Decompositions: Volume Number One is the second studio album by American band Circle Takes the Square. The album was released digitally on December 21, 2012 through Gatepost Recordings. Decompositions: Volume Number One is the first studio album released from Circle Takes the Square since 2004's As the Roots Undo.
| Decompositions: Volume Number One | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | December 21, 2012 | |||
| Genre | Screamo, grindcore, post-metal, folk | |||
| Length | 55:30 | |||
| Label | Gatepost | |||
| Producer | Anthony Stubelek, Circle Takes the Square | |||
| Circle Takes the Square chronology | ||||
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Release
editCircle Takes the Square released the first chapter of Decompositions as a stand-alone, promotional EP on August 23, 2011, and intended to quickly follow up this release with Decompositions: Volume Number One three months later in November 2011.[1][2] The album was, however, not released until over a year after this projected release date on December 21, 2012 through Gatepost Recordings—coinciding with the alleged 2012 Mayan apocalypse.[3] Decompositions: Volume Number One was originally released digitally through the band's Bandcamp profile with a pay what you want pricing scheme. The limited-time pay what you want price expired upon the release of physical LPs and CDs in January 2013, but has since been reinstated.[3][4]
Musical style
editBrian Shultz of Alternative Press wrote that the band's "self-described bout of 'apocalyptic punk rock'" features "haunting and difficult, almost chokingly dense songwriting that blends practically every type of DIY punk movement of the last two decades and then some into epic, sprawling orchestrations. There are the throat-shredding spasms of early screamo...; grueling, crustcore atmospheres; sludgy, post-metal chugging; erratic, Calculating Infinity-like time changes, dizzying guitar riffs and grindcore drum fills; and even shockingly major-key, inherently melodic folk".[5] According to Doug Moore of Invisible Oranges, the album is more in line with heavy metal than As the Roots Undo in terms of production, and employs elements of hardcore, grind, post-rock, emo and black metal.[6]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Alternative Press |   [5] |
| Exclaim! | (8/10)[7] |
| Sputnikmusic |  [8] |
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Enter by the Narrow Gates" | 6:55 |
| 2. | "Spirit Narrative" | 2:46 |
| 3. | "Way of Ever-Branching Paths" | 8:57 |
| 4. | "The Ancestral Other Side" | 4:27 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 5. | "Prefaced by the Signal Fires" | 5:25 |
| 6. | "A Closing Chapter (Scarlet Rising)" | 4:54 |
| 7. | "Singing Vengeance into Being" | 6:48 |
| 8. | "Arrowhead as Epilogue" | 4:24 |
| 9. | "North Star, Inverted" | 10:54 |
| Total length: | 55:30 | |
Personnel
editCircle Takes the Square
- Drew Speziale – vocals, guitar
- Kathy Stubelek – vocals, bass
- David Rabitor – guitar, backing vocals
- Caleb Collins – drums, backing vocals
Production
- Anthony Stubelek – recording, mixing, mastering, production
- Circle Takes the Square – production
References
edit- ^ Gotrich, Lars (August 19, 2011). "Circle Takes The Square: Hymn-Like, Labyrinthine Chaos". NPR. Archived from the original on July 24, 2012. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
- ^ Yancey, Bryne (August 16, 2011). "Circle Takes The Square's 'Decompositions: Volume 1' coming in November". Punknews.org. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
- ^ a b McGovern, Kyle (December 21, 2012). "Circle Takes the Square to Release 'Pay What You Want'-Priced Album Tonight". Spin. Buzz Media. Archived from the original on January 28, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2012.
- ^ "Decompositions:Volume Number One | Circle Takes the Square". Archived from the original on 2014-12-28. Retrieved 2015-01-20.
- ^ a b Brian Shultz (January 10, 2013). "Circle Takes The Square - Decompositions:Volume Number One". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
- ^ Moore, Doug (January 7, 2013). "Circle Takes The Square – 'Decompositions Volume Number One'". Invisible Oranges. Archived from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
- ^ Natalie Zina Walschots (December 21, 2012). "Circle Takes the Square Decompositions: Volume One - Metal Reviews". Exclaim.ca. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
- ^ Kleman, Eli (January 3, 2013). "Album Review - Circle Takes the Square: Decompositions: Volume Number One". SputnikMusic. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2017.