Good morning, thank you very much for answering these questions, how is everything going in Hameln?
Stan: Thanks for having us here. I am doing fine
1. Although you have already released a couple of albums under the name of The Circle, the past of the band must be found in the band Vagrant, with which you came to release an album, why did you decide to change your band name and even in style after four years working as Vagrant? Why did you decide on the name The Circle and what do you want to refer to with it?
Stan: I would say the reason of changing the name and rebranding the band was, that I decided to take the band into a new direction. The Vagrant album was the first one I have ever written with being 16 and I did not full know who I was at that time. During writing new music, I more and more found myself and what I Want to express with art and that was the birth of The Circle. The Circle is not only the band name and the band directly. It stands for the whole community and the follower of our music. It can be seen as a cult. The Cult around The Circle which we started wioth our music.
2. In 2021 you released your first album as The Circle, I suppose it would be a somewhat complicated album to record and compose since you were in the middle of a process of change, what can you tell us about how important the release was for you? of this first work under the name of The Circle?
Stan: Actually it was very easy and fast process of writing the music. After the first song was done and the concept was clear, the rest went by in a matter of weeks songwriting wise.The change of the band name and concept came across after we finished tha album and it felt only natural then.
3. Your second album "Of Awakening" will be released shortly, how has the writing and recording process of this new album been? Have you finally found the sound you wanted as a band? What brands of instruments have you used on for the composition and recording process?
Stan: The 2nd album was written already in 2020 actually right after finishing Metamorphosis. It was more complexe and difficult since we had grown into a full band with everyone contributing their part into the songs. But that paid of and we are all over proud of how we developed our sound. The journey of finding your sound truely never ends and we try to get better and better with every album to find ourselves. Instrument wise, I can only talk for myself. I used for three songs an Ibanez RGD modell and for the last two songs a borrowed BC Rich 7-String model.
4. In your sound, different styles come together within extreme metal, the weight of black metal in it is undeniable, but the weight of styles such as doom, symphonic black or progressive is no less so, you refer to this Sound like art metal, where does this concept of art metal come from? What influences from bands and styles have helped you shape your sound?
Stan: Art Metal describes not only the genre of music. Its everything around it. The Music, the lyrics, concepts of our stories we tell, photos and videos. How we present us in any form of art is very important to present the viewer a full piece of art based on small pieces in visual and music based aspects. Its albout high artistic expression. Influence wise, it is very difficult to tell. The biggest one we had is outside of the metal genre. Akira Yamaoka, the composer of the soundtrack for Silent Hill had a big impact on the way I write. The atmosphere he is adding to his compositions is what I wanted to have for The Circle. His dark sound transfered into a more extreme Metal sound.
5. If I'm not mistaken, this “Of Awakening” is a concept album about destructive behaviors that can lead to a higher level of self-realization, where did the ideas for these concepts come from and why did you decide to create an album about it? the same?
Stan: I think to put it short is best. Life. Everyone makes experiences in life and that leads to inspiration and expression through art. The Concept is always there first. I need to have a feeling/theme first to see how to shape an album and son.gs around it. The feeling and vibe needs to be there first in order to write songs
6. One of the aspects that give your sound a differentiating air is the presence of string elements from Lisa Wende and Tim Charles. When did you decide to have these musicians for the sound of the new album and what do you think? What have they contributed to the end result?
Stan: That all came by during the recording process. I wrote with synthetic strings first and then Asim and our drummer Philipp came across with the idea of recording the strings. And so the connection was made and it turned out more raw and organic I would say, which gives the album more life.
7. For this new work your bassist Alex Wirt could be said to have left the band, with a sound for this new album that is somehow linked to doom, how important was it to have the presence of bassist Jaakko Nikko for carry out the sound you wanted to offer?
Stan: Jaakko played an important role. I am not a bassplayer myself and he was the right choice. I gave him guidelines, but he truely came up with his own versions of it fitting totally the vibe. A good bassplayer adds groove and melody plus a lot of dynamics and that is exactly what he did.
8. Although you have recorded and produced the album yourself, Miiro Varjus has been in charge of the mixing and mastering, why did you decide to work with Miiro and what do you think he has contributed to the final sound of the album?
Stan: We already worked with Miiro on the first album and he is easy and fast to work. He gets your ideas and wishes and knows how to add them into a mix. And in some places he came up with some own things and effects for certain sections, that lifted up the songs really.
9. Awinita Alm has been in charge of the design of the album cover, in it we see a strange presence wandering through an ethereal place, this figure also appears on the cover of your previous album, why did you decide to work with Awinitia? How Is the cover related to the content of the album? Is this ghostly figure going to become your hallmark as a band?
Stan: We wanted to have a hand painted raw looking artwork. And thats why we choose her. She just painted it by hand, no edits and then send it over to us. It looks very raw and ‘messy’ which adds a lot of character and human element. Her landscapes looks like from a dofferent dark world, that is falling apart. We tried to include the main lyrical themes of all songs in the Cover. The Ruins, Ocean and sea and the black sun which also represents The Circle in one way. The sun was also part of the first cover as well. Regarding the ghostly figure, it will surely apear in future albums. But developed in new directions
10. In the past you had counted on AOP Records for the reissue of your first album, however for the release of “Of Awakening” you are already going to work with them from the beginning, how did this link with AOP Records come about? Do you think AOP Records will help you grow as a band and reach a larger audience?
Stan: The conncection was done in 2021 with AOP. I wrote them already way before the first album was released. During time, they found our mail, gave our material a listen and they got in touch with us. We think that they work with passion like only a few do in the business and thats why it was the right choice.
11. You come from the German city of Hameln. What is the black metal scene like in your area? Is there still a tourist or cultural link in your city with the story of the “Pied Pipers of Hamelin”?
Stan: To make it short, the black metal scene is non existend here. The Metal scene in genral got really small, the small underground we had died during covid and the last years before. The pied piper history of Hameln is probably the only reason why people come here, so yes it is popular still.
12. Do you have plans to offer a concert to present the songs from the new album live? With which bands would you like to share a mini tour?
Stan: There are no fixed plans for it yet, but we would like to do so in the future. The lineup is there for it. Probably bands like Ne Obliviscaris, Mgla or with label mates like Harakiri for the sky, Ellende or Heretoir. But we will see what the future brings
13. How were your beginnings in music: first concerts you attended, first albums you bought? What event in your lives pushed you to want to be musicians?
Stan: I dont remember actually what albums I got first, but first concert was Exodus like ten years ago. Basicly my first good guitar mentor Teemu Mäntysaari made me want to become a full time musician. His dedication and dicipline was an inspiration for me.
14. What albums represent for you the essence of black metal? What last albums have you bought?
Stan: I am not much into the classics, more the modern takes on it. Mgla Exercise in futility, Aquilus Bellum I and Gaerea Limbo are some of the ones I prefer listening to.
15. Thank you very much for taking the time to answer these questions for Black Metal Spirit, if you want to add something for The Circle fans this is the place. I hope the questions are to your liking.
Stan: Thanks for having me, it was a pleasure to be here and answer your question. We as The Circle hope that you all enjoy our upcoming album.
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