Circle is a Finnish

experimental rock Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments with the basic elements of the genre. Artists aim to liberate and innovate, with ...

band formed in

Pori ) , website www.pori.fi Pori (; sv, Björneborg ) is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäki River, west of Tampere, north of Turku and north-w ...

in 1991. Their eclectic, ever-changing style has been associated with genres such as

krautrock Krautrock (also called , German for ) is a broad genre of experimental rock Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments ...

, heavy metal,

progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Init ...

, and

ambient Ambient or Ambiance or Ambience may refer to: Music and sound * Ambience (sound recording), also known as atmospheres or backgrounds * Ambient music, a genre of music that puts an emphasis on tone and atmosphere * ''Ambient'' (album), by Moby * ...

. On some albums they have defined themselves as New Wave of Finnish Heavy Metal (NWOFHM).

Biography

Circle was formed in 1992 by bassist and singer

Jussi Lehtisalo Jussi Lehtisalo (born 1972) is a Finnish bassist. In 1991, he founded Circle, a prolific band drawing influences from heavy metal and krautrock to develop a style of repetitive experimental rock. He also runs a record label, Ektro Records, releas ...

, the only member who has been in the band throughout its career. Circle's krautrock-style debut album ''

Meronia ''Meronia'' is the first album by the Finnish experimental rock band Circle. Released on CD and LP in 1994 by Bad Vugum, it was re-released by Ektro Records in 2007. The album showed Circle's tight krautrock-influenced sound, notably the motorik ...

'' was released in 1994 and featured lyrics in a made-up language. A trio of albums, ''Andexelt'' (1999), ''Prospekt'' (2000), and ''Taantumus'' (2001), brought them international attention. Since recording 2002's ''Sunrise'', the core line-up has consisted of Lehtisalo with keyboard player and singer

Mika Rättö Mika is a given name, a nickname and a surname. Notable people and fictional characters with the name include: People known just as Mika * Mika (singer) (born 1983), Lebanese-born British singer-songwriter Michael Penniman, Jr. * Mika (footbal ...

, drummer Tomi Leppänen, and guitarist

Janne Westerlund Janne Westerlund (born 1973) is a Finnish musician, songwriter and visual artist known from such Finnish groups as Circle (with the band since 2001), Pharaoh Overlord, and . His main instrument is guitar but on his solo gigs he plays banjo as we ...

, playing more heavy metal-oriented music though continuously influenced by krautrock band

Faust Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust ( 1480–1540). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroads ...

. Since 2009, Julius Jääskeläinen and Pekka Jääskeläinen have appeared on all recordings by the band. Sound engineer and musician/composer Tuomas Laurila is also credited as a member of the band on a number of releases. Circle member have participated in a great number of side projects and split-offs, including

stoner rock Stoner rock, also known as stoner metal or stoner doom, is a rock music fusion genre that combines elements of doom metal with psychedelic rock and acid rock. The genre emerged during the early 1990s and was pioneered foremost by Kyuss and Sleep. ...

spin-off

Pharaoh Overlord Pharaoh Overlord is an experimental rock (music), rock music band, initially featuring three members of the Finnish group Circle (band), Circle, Jussi Lehtisalo, Janne Westerlund and Tomi Leppänen. Originally begun as a vehicle to indulge their ...

. Rättö and Lehtisalo play as a duo,

Rättö ja Lehtisalo Rättö ja Lehtisalo is an experimental rock-music band, featuring two members of the Finnish group Circle, Jussi Lehtisalo and Mika Rättö (who also performs with Kuusumun Profeetta). Their output is clearly influenced by krautrock acts such as ...

, and as a trio with

Kauko Röyhkä Kauko Röyhkä, (born Jukka-Pekka Välimaa, 12 February 1959, Valkeakoski), is a Finnish rock musician and author. Since the early 1980s he has been a popular rock artist in Finland known especially as a strong lyricist. Röyhkä lived his youth ...

. Other projects featuring members of Circle include

Steel Mammoth Jussi Lehtisalo (born 1972) is a Finnish bassist. In 1991, he founded Circle, a prolific band drawing influences from heavy metal and krautrock to develop a style of repetitive experimental rock. He also runs a record label, Ektro Records, releas ...

, Ektroverde, Janne Westerlund's Plain Ride, Lusiferiinin Armosta,

K-X-P K-X-P is an electronic rock band from Helsinki, Finland. The band consists of Timo Kaukolampi (vocals, electronics and guitar), Tomi Leppänen (drums), Anssi Nykänen (drums), and Tuomo Puranen (bass). For their second album ''II'' the band are s ...

Aavikko Aavikko is a Finnish synth music band, formed in Siilinjärvi in 1995. Their hallmarks include a campy, decidedly "East European" style and plastic-sounding synthesizer themes. The band themselves call their style "''muysic''" (a portmanteau of ...

, Lehtisalofamily, Split Cranium Moon Fog Prophet, and

Doktor Kettu Jussi Lehtisalo (born 1972) is a Finnish bassist. In 1991, he founded Circle, a prolific band drawing influences from heavy metal and krautrock to develop a style of repetitive experimental rock. He also runs a record label, Ektro Records, releas ...

. Whilst recording the album Miljard in 2006 the band was filmed by Esko Lönnberg, and the resulting movie, ''Saturnus Reality'' released as a DVD, by No Quarter Records (2007). Lönnberg's attempt to make the film itself became the subject of another movie, ''The Man With The Video Camera'', filmed by Petri Hagner, which has also been released as a DVD by

Fonal Records Fonal Records is an independent record label from Finland. It was initially founded in the mid-1990s by Sami Sänpäkkilä to release his recordings under his recording name Es. Sänpäkkilä initially ran the label from his childhood home in ...

(2010). The band are also closely associated with the filmmaker

Mika Taanila Mika Taanila (born 1965 in Helsinki) is a Finnish film director and visual artist. His films can be categorized somewhere between the traditions of classic documentary film-making, avant-garde and video art. His most notable films are ''Tectonic P ...

: in 2011 they provided a live soundtrack to his 1998 silent film ''

'' (released as an album, ''Suur-Pori''); and in 2012 recorded several new tracks for '' Six Day Run'', also released subsequently as an album. In 2011 Circle/Pharaoh Overlord were artists-in-residence at Dutch rock festival

Roadburn Festival Roadburn Festival is an international music festival held in Tilburg, Netherlands every April since 1999. It was set up as a spin-off from the Roadburn music blog founded by Jurgen van den Brand and Walter Hoeijmakers. Originally focused on stone ...

. The group made its 32nd full-length album, ''Terminal'', available for streaming on Soundcloud shortly before its official release on Southern Lord Records on 23 June 2017. In November 2021, Circle released ''

Henki ''Henki'' is a 2021 collaborative album by the English singer-songwriter Richard Dawson and the Finnish experimental rock group Circle. The album has seven songs that are all related to the life of plants and trees. The title, according to Circle' ...

'', a collaborative album made with English musician

Richard Dawson Richard Dawson (born Colin Lionel Emm; 20 November 1932 – 2 June 2012) was a British-born American actor, comedian, game-show host and panelist in the United States. Dawson was well known for playing Corporal Peter Newkirk in ''Hogan's Hero ...

, on Weird World (an imprint of

Domino Recording Company Domino Recording Company or simply Domino is a British independent record label based in London. There is also a wing of the label based in Brooklyn, New York that handles releases in the United States, as well as a German division called Dom ...

Discography

Albums

* 1994 ''

'', CD/2LP (

Bad Vugum Bad Vugum is an independent record label originally based in Oulu, Finland. It was founded in 1987 by some of the members of the hardcore punk groups Kansanturvamusiikkikomissio and Radiopuhelimet for releasing the latter's music. The label's n ...

), 2007 CD re-issue (Ektro Records) * 1996 ''

Zopalki ''Zopalki'' is the second album by the Finnish experimental rock band Circle. It was released in 1996 by Bad Vugum Bad Vugum is an independent record label originally based in Oulu, Finland. It was founded in 1987 by some of the members of the ...

'', CD/2LP (

), 2012 CD re-issue (Ektro Records) * 1996 '' Hissi'', CD (Metamorphos /

Captain Trip Records Captain Trip Records is a Japanese music label founded and run by musician Ken Matsutani. The label specializes in experimental music and various subgenres of rock, particularly psychedelic rock and progressive rock. In addition to the publication ...

(Japan)) * 1997 '' Fraten'', CD (Metamorphos) * 1998 ''

'', CD (Metamorphos), 2000 CD (Feldspar (USA)) * 1998 '' Kollekt'', compilation CD (

) * 1999 '' Andexelt'', CD (Metamorphos), 2000 CD (tUMULt) * 2000 '' Prospekt'' CD (Ektro Records), 2002 2LP (Static Resonance) * 2001 ''

Taantumus ''Taantumus'' is the tenth album by the Finnish experimental rock band Circle. First released on CD in 2001 by Bad Vugum, it was re-released by Ektro Records in 2009 with an extra track. Track listing # "Kultaa" (4:27) # "Kekkone" (5:31) # "Valt ...

'', CD (

) * 2002 ''Sunrise'', CD (Ektro Records), 2006 2LP (Headspin) * 2002 '' Alotus'', CD (

Klangbad Faust (English: "fist") are a German rock band from Hamburg. Formed in 1971 by producer and former music journalist Uwe Nettelbeck, the group was originally composed of Werner "Zappi" Diermaier (b.1949), Hans Joachim Irmler (b.1950), Arnulf M ...

) * 2003 ''

Guillotine A guillotine is an apparatus designed for efficiently carrying out executions by beheading. The device consists of a tall, upright frame with a weighted and angled blade suspended at the top. The condemned person is secured with stocks at th ...

'', CD (Ektro Records), 2005 CD (Scratch) * 2004 ''Forest'', CD (Ektro Records), 2005 CD (No Quarter) * 2005 ''

Tulikoira ''Tulikoira'' is the nineteenth album recorded by the Finnish experimental rock band Circle. Released on CD in 2005 by Ektro Records, the album has the band incorporating elements of both drone music and black metal into the krautrock sound of p ...

'', CD (Ektro Records), 2007 2LP + 7" (Headspin) * 2006 '' Miljard'', 2CD (Ektro Records) * 2006 ''Tyrant'', CD (

Latitudes In geography, latitude is a coordinate that specifies the north– south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from –90° at the south pole to 90° at the north pol ...

) * 2007 ''

Tower A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...

'' feat. Verde, CD (Last Visible Dog) * 2007 ''

Panic Panic is a sudden sensation of fear, which is so strong as to dominate or prevent reason and logical thinking, replacing it with overwhelming feelings of anxiety and frantic agitation consistent with an animalistic fight-or-flight reactio ...

'', CD (Ektro Records) * 2007 ''

Katapult Katapult is a free application launcher for the TDE desktop environment. Original development ceased in 2008, but it's been maintained by the TDE developers ever since. Katapult allows the user to quickly launch applications or open files by p ...

'', CD/LP (No Quarter) * 2008 ''

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

'', CD/2LP (Ektro Records) * 2010 '' Rautatie'', CD (Ektro Records) * 2011 '' Infektio'', CD/LP (Conspiracy Records) * 2011 ''Noiduttu'', MC (Ruton Music) * 2011 ''

Rakkaus tulessa ''Rakkaus tulessa'' is the thirty-eighth album by Finnish experimental rock band Circle (Finnish band), Circle, a collaboration with Finnish electronic music pioneer Erkki Kurenniemi. The album was released in July 2011 to coincide with Kurenniemi ...

'' feat.

Erkki Kurenniemi Erkki Juhani Kurenniemi (10 July 1941, Hämeenlinna, Finland – 1 May 2017,Elektronisen m ...

, LP (Full Contact) * 2011 ''Giardino'' feat. Verde, MC (Ruton Music) * 2012 ''Manner'', LP (Hydra Head Records) * 2013 ''Enharmonic Intervals (For Paschen Organ)'', with

Mamiffer Mamiffer is an American band based in Seattle, Washington. It started out as a solo project for former Pyramids and Everlovely Lightningheart member Faith Coloccia that later saw several session musicians and collaborators, most consistently Aaro ...

, CD/LP (Ektro Records) * 2013 ''Incarnation'', CD/LP (Ektro Records) * 2013 ''Frontier'', as "Falcon (ex-Circle)", CD/LP (Ektro Records) * 2014 ''Leviatan'', as "Circle (ex-Falcon)", CD/LP (Ektro Records) * 2015 ''Pharaoh Overlord'', CD/LP (Ektro Records) /span> * 2017 ''Terminal'', CD/LP (

Southern Lord Records Southern Lord is an American heavy metal record label that was founded in 1998 by Greg Anderson. It specialized in experimental metal: particularly doom metal, stoner rock, and drone metal. The label later expanded its line-up to include arti ...

)

Live albums

* 1998 ''

Surface A surface, as the term is most generally used, is the outermost or uppermost layer of a physical object or space. It is the portion or region of the object that can first be perceived by an observer using the senses of sight and touch, and is t ...

'', split w. Marble Sheep, CD (Metamorphos /

(Japan)) * 2001 ''

Raunio ''Raunio'' is the eleventh album by the Finnish experimental rock band Circle. The album is a mixed and re-arranged ("manipulated") composite of three live shows on consecutive nights in Turku, Jyväskylä and Helsinki. It was re-issued in 2002 ...

'', CD (Ektro Records), 2002 CD (Squealer Music) * 2004 '' Golem / Vesiliirto'', 2LP (Kevyt Nostalgia / Super Metsä) * 2004 ''Empire'', LP (Riot Season) * 2004 ''

Mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...

'', LP (Kevyt Nostalgia / Super Metsä) * 2005 ''

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

'', LP (Kevyt Nostalgia / Super Metsä) * 2006 ''Arkades'', LP (

Fourth Dimension Records Fourth Dimension Records is a British record label, specialising in international underground music. It was founded by Gary Levermore as an offshoot of his Third Mind label before being taken over by Richard Johnson (aka Richo) in 1984. The l ...

), 2007 2CD (

) * 2007 ''

The Blaze Game Circle is a Finnish experimental rock band formed in Pori in 1991. Their eclectic, ever-changing style has been associated with genres such as krautrock, heavy metal, progressive rock, and ambient. On some albums they have defined themselves ...

'', as "Sunburned Circle" with

Sunburned Hand of the Man Sunburned Hand of the Man are an experimental rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. They are a loose collective known for their frequent line up changes and large discography released on a variety of labels including Eclipse Records, Thurston M ...

, CD/LP (Conspiracy) * 2007 ''

Telescope A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects by their emission, absorption, or reflection of electromagnetic radiation. Originally meaning only an optical instrument using lenses, curved mirrors, or a combination of both to observe ...

'', 2CD (Sunhair) Recorded in 2003 * 2007 '' Rakennus'', CD (Ektro Records) * 2008 ''

Triumph The Roman triumph (Latin triumphus) was a celebration for a victorious military commander in ancient Rome. For later imitations, in life or in art, see Trionfo. Numerous later uses of the term, up to the present, are derived directly or indirectl ...

'', 2LP (

) Recorded in 2007 * 2009 ''

Soundcheck A sound check is the preparation that takes place before a concert, speech, or similar performance to adjust the sound on the venue's sound reinforcement or public address system. The performer and the audio engineers run through a small port ...

'', LP (Full Contact) * 2011 ''Maxim (Circle album), Maxim'', LP (Full Contact) * 2012 ''

Serpent Serpent or The Serpent may refer to: * Snake, a carnivorous reptile of the suborder Serpentes Mythology and religion * Sea serpent, a monstrous ocean creature * Serpent (symbolism), the snake in religious rites and mythological contexts * Serp ...

'', CD (Ektro Records) * 2014 ''Hukkaamiskielto'', MC (Ruton Music) * 2014 ''6000 km/h'', LP (Full Contact)

Collaborations

* 2021 ''

'' with

, CD/2LP, ( Weird World/Domino)

Soundtrack albums

* 2013 ''Suur-Pori'', MC (Ruton Music) * 2013 ''Six Day Run'', LP (Ektro Records) * 2014 ''SSEENNSSEESS'', CD/LP, (Ektro Records)

EPs - 7"

* 1991 '' DNA'', 7" (Seventh Seal) * 1992 ''

Point Point or points may refer to: Places * Point, Lewis, a peninsula in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland * Point, Texas, a city in Rains County, Texas, United States * Point, the NE tip and a ferry terminal of Lismore, Inner Hebrides, Scotland * Point ...

'', 7" (

) * 1993 ''

Silver Silver is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂erǵ-, ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, whi ...

'', 7" (

) * 1993 ''

Crawatt ''Kollekt'' is the sixth album by the Finnish experimental rock band Circle, led by bass guitarist Jussi Lehtisalo. It was released in 1998 by Bad Vugum. It collects the band's early singles, and previously unreleased songs from sessions for their ...

'', 7" (

VHF Records VHF Records is an American record label, known for their extensive work with several major experimental artists. The label is based in the Washington, DC suburb of Fairfax, Va., and it initially focused on indie and experimental bands from that reg ...

) * 1995 ''Ghatarian'', 7" (

) * 1996 ''Kitin'', split w. Psychoplasma, 7" (Metamorphos) * 1998 ''Valas'', split w. DisCo., 7" (Zerga) * 2002 ''Tour'', split with

Acid Mothers Temple Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O., commonly shortened to Acid Mothers Temple or AMT, is a Japanese psychedelic rock band, the core of which formed in 1995. The band is led by guitarist Kawabata Makoto and early in their career feat ...

, 7" (Verdura) * 2003 ''Elcric'', 7" (

) * 2006 ''

Earthworm An earthworm is a terrestrial invertebrate that belongs to the phylum Annelida. They exhibit a tube-within-a-tube body plan; they are externally segmented with corresponding internal segmentation; and they usually have setae on all segments. Th ...

'', CDEP (No Quarter) * 2006 '' Void Star'', 7" (DotDotDot) * 2007 ''Vaahto'', 7" (

Trensmat Records Trensmat Records was an independent record label based in Ireland. It specialised in drone, noise music, krautrock and grooves. All releases were on vinyl in limited editions. The label's name was a made up word, based on "transmit." Making up a ...

) * 2009 ''Odottamaton'', 7" (

Sub Pop Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement. They are often ...

) * 2011 ''Mylläri'', 7" (

Svart Records Svart Records is a Finnish independent record company focused on heavy metal music, especially doom metal. It concentrates mostly on releasing LP reissues of albums previously unavailable on vinyl. Discography * Callisto, ''Providence 2LP'' (S ...

) * 2012 ''End of Time/God Told Me To'', 7" (Ektro Records) (Cover versions of two songs by Jesters of Destiny) * 2013 ''Beer and Ribs'', as "Falcon (ex-Circle)", 7" (Full Contact) * 2014 ''Kumiluoti'', 7" (Full Contact) * 2017 ''Kummitus'', 7" (Full Contact)

Compilation appearances

* 1995 ''Yllättäviä kohtaamisia / Surprising Encounters'', LP/CD, (

) (Features the Circle tracks "Öja" and "Surrounding") * 1998 ''MetaZoon'', CD, (Metamorphos) (Features the Circle tracks "Friitalan Nahka" and a cover version of

King Crimson King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...

's song " The Talking Drum") * 2000 ''Tuonen Tytär - A Tribute to Finnish Progressive'', CD, Mellow Records (Features a cover version of Haikara's song "Kun Menet Tarpeeksi Kauas Tulevaisuuteen, Huomaat Olevasi Menneisyydessä") * 2002 '' Klangbad First Steps'', CD, (

) (Features the Circle tracks "Scotch" and " Northern Sky") * 2003 ''Painted Black'', CD, ( tUMULt) (Features a cover version of

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...

' song "

Paint It Black "Paint It Black" is a song recorded in 1966 by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. A product of the songwriting partnership of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it is a raga rock song with Indian, Middle Eastern, and Eastern European infl ...

") * 2006 ''Innature'', CD, (Barge Recordings) (Features the Circle track "No Battle, No Fire") * 2006 '' SuperSonic 06'', CD, (Capsule)'' (Features the Circle track "Nöyrä Ninja") * 2008 ''Like Black Holes in the Sky: A Tribute to

Syd Barrett Roger Keith "Syd" Barrett (6 January 1946 – 7 July 2006) was an English singer, songwriter, and musician who co-founded the rock band Pink Floyd in 1965. Barrett was their original frontman and primary songwriter, becoming known for his ...

'', CD, (Dwell Records) (Features a cover version of Syd Barrett's song "

Rats Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus ''Rattus''. Other rat genera include ''Neotoma'' (pack rats), ''Bandicota'' (bandicoot ...

") * 2009 ''Every Noise Has a Note'', CD, (

) (Features the Circle track "Vaahto")

References

External links

Circle homepage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Circle Finnish musical groups Musical groups from Pori Tumult Records artists Finnish experimental rock groups