Vicious Circle are an Australian
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier p ...
band, which formed in 1983 and included founding members Paul Lindsay on lead vocals and Les Rumincik on lead guitar. They disbanded in 1990 and Lindsay and Rumincik formed Rue Morgue in the following year. Rue Morgue issued two albums, ''Soul Museum'' (1993) and ''Freak Nation'' (1995), before Lindsay and Rumincik revived Vicious Circle in 1995. That group's albums are ''Price of Progress'' (1985), ''Reflections'' (1986), ''Into the Void'' (1988), ''Reactivate'' (compilation album, 1995), ''Internal Headstrength'' (1997) and ''Perfect World Disaster'' (1999).
History
Vicious Circle formed in late 1983 as a
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier p ...
band in Melbourne by Alby Brovedani on bass guitar and guitar (ex-Politburo), Paul Lindsay on lead vocals, Les Rumincik on lead guitar (ex-Politburo) and Michael on drums.
[* 1st edition:
* 2nd edition: ] Michael was replaced on drums by
Russell Hopkinson in 1984.
Two early tracks, "Blood Race" and "Police Brutality" appeared on a Various Artists compilation album, ''Eat Your Head'' (1984) via No Master's Voice,
which was re-released on CD in 1997 by
Au Go Go Records.
The group's debut five-track extended play, ''Search for the Solution'', appeared in early 1985 via Reactor Records, which was owned by Phil McDougall.
The hardcore group followed with their first studio album, ''Price of Progress'', in September 1985 also on Reactor.
According to Australian musicologist,
Ian McFarlane, it was "a ground-breaking release in the annals of the local hardcore scene."
The album was also issued by Children of the Revolution record label in the United States and Europe.
From their US contacts they teamed up with American
punk rockers,
Youth Brigade to issue a
split album ''Epitaph''/''Care'' in April 1986.
They released their first single, "A Nightmare so Quick", in that month. By that time David Ross had replaced Hopkinson on drums and Keith Chatham joined on bass guitar to allow Brovedani to focus on rhythm guitar.
''Reflections'', Vicious Circle's second album appeared in October 1986 via Reactor in Australia and on
Boner
Boner may refer to:
People with the name
* Boner (surname)
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Boner Records, a California-based independent label
* Boner Stabone, a recurring character on the TV series ''Growing Pains''
* ''Boner's Ark'', a comic ...
in the US.
McFarlane noticed it had "elements of melody seeping into the band's all-out thrash approach."
The Australian hardcore band toured the US for three months, supporting gigs by
GBH,
Agnostic Front
Agnostic Front is an American hardcore punk band from New York City. Founded in 1980, the band is considered an important influence on the New York hardcore scene, as well as a pioneer of the crossover thrash genre.
History First era (1980–1 ...
,
MDC or
Attitude Adjustment.
Upon return to Melbourne at the end of that year Ross was replaced on drums by James Lynch.
The group's last work for Reactor, ''Hope and Wait'', was an EP issued in September 1987.
They were signed to Sydney-based label,
Waterfront Records
Waterfront Records was an independent record label based in Sydney that released recordings by Australian bands during the 1980s and 1990s.
History
Waterfront records was started in 1982 by Steven Stavrakis who at the time was an employee of ...
in 1988, Lindsay explained, "the decision to go to Waterfront was made whilst
cDougallwas still running Reactor, I know because I told him."
Vicious Circle's studio album, ''Into the Void'', was released on Waterfront in February 1988.
RebelSynner of ''The Corroseum'' observed, "
it's
English auxiliary verbs are a small set of English verbs, which include the English modal verbs and a few others. Although definitions vary, as generally conceived an auxiliary lacks inherent semantic meaning but instead modifies the meaning of an ...
perhaps the most enjoyable
lbumfor Metal fans".
The group continued until 1990 when they disbanded.
Rue Morgue years
Rue Morgue were formed by Lindsay and Rumincik in 1991 as an "eclectic mix of hardcore punk,
death metal and
skate-core."
Other members were Danny O'Callaghan on drums, Gary Proghoulis on bass guitar and Peter on guitar.
They provided the track, "Romance of Death", for the Various Artists' compilation ''Redrum'' (June 1993) via the Australian branch of
Roadrunner Records.
''Soul Museum'', their debut album, was issued late in 1993 via Def Records.
A second album, ''Freak Nation'', followed in January 1995 but Lindsay and Rumincik re-established Vicious Circle in mid-year.
Reformation and later years
With Vicious Circle's reformation they released a compilation album, ''Reactivate'', in July 1995 on Def Records.
They followed with a four-track EP of new material, ''Fixated'', on Spent Records/
Shock Records in March 1993. ''Internal Headstrength'', their first album after the reunion, appeared in June 1996 with Lindsay and Rumincik joined by Gary on guitar, Chris on bass guitar (ex-Buttjuice) and Stu on drums. Their next album, ''Perfect World Disaster'', was issued via Resist Records in 1999.
For the album, ''Born Yesterday'' (2006), the line-up was Lindsay, Proghoulis, Rumincik and Daniel Ostojic.
By ''Don't Lose It'' (2012) Lindsay was joined by Adam Shirley on guitar and vocals and Ash Newman on drums.
Members
* Alby Brovedani – bass guitar, rhythm guitar
* Paul Lindsay – lead vocals
* Les Rumincik – lead guitar
* Michael – drums
*
Russell Hopkinson – drums
* Keith Chatham – bass guitar
* David Ross – drums
* James Lynch – drums
* Gary Proghoulis – guitar
* Chris – bass guitar
* Stu – drums
* Ash Newman – drums
* Adam Shirley – guitar, vocals
Rue Morgue
* Paul Lindsay – lead vocals
* Danny O'Callaghan – drums
* Gary Proghoulis – bass guitar
* Les Rumincik – lead guitar
* Peter – guitar
Discography
Albums
* ''Price of Progress'' (September 1985) – Reactor Records
* ''Epitaph''/''Care'' (
split album, April 1986) – Reactor Records
* ''Reflections'' (11 February 1986) – Reactor Records
* ''Into the Void'' (10 February 1988) – Waterfront Records
* ''Reactivate'' (compilation album, July 1995) – Def Records
* ''Internal Headstrength'' (13 June 1996) – Spent Records
* ''Perfect World Disaster'' (1999) – Resist Records
* ''Switched On'' (2000) – Circlework Records
* ''Born Yesterday'' (2006) – Circlework Records
* ''Only the Brave'' (2008) – Circlework Records
* ''Don't Lose It'' (2012) – Circlework Records
* ''Knucklehead'' (2013) – Circlework Records
* ''Never Give In'' (2015) – Circlework Records
* ''Born to Destroy'' (2017) – Circlework Records
Extended plays
* ''Search for the Solution'' (February 1985) – Reactor Records
* ''Hope and Wait'' (September 1987) – Reactor Records
* ''Fixated'' (March 1996) – Spent Records/
Shock Records {{small, (0010)
References
1983 establishments in Australia
Australian hardcore punk groups
Musical groups established in 1983
Musical groups disestablished in 1990
Musical groups reestablished in 1995
Musical groups from Melbourne