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VICTORY – “Circle of Life”
VICTORY – “Circle of Life”
By Colonel Angus
The last time I reviewed a VICTORY disk it was in 2021 for “Gods of Tomorrow”. At the time, it took a decade for new material to be released under that moniker and I remember that I hoped we wouldn’t have to wait another ten tears for a new record. Well, my prayers must have been answered because here we are with a new set of tunes in only a three year time span. I was also happy to see that the same line-up that produced the previous effort returned for “Circle of Life”. I don’t always have to have consistency in a band but when all the pistons are firing, then why change things up? Gianni Pontillo puts in another great performance here and proves that Herman Frank made the right decision in getting him to replace Jioti Parcharidis. Returning rhythm section Malte Frederik Burkert and Michael Stein are a solid as ever and Frank and Mike Pesin manage to come up with a slew of great, chunky riffs that have a ton of melody. As I mentioned earlier, why change things p when the formula is working perfectly.
Let’s get into the meat of this album. “Circle of Life” is a continuation of “Gods of Tomorrow” without being a direct repeat of that record. The tracks all have this infectious grove that literally will make you get up and get your heart pumping. Whether you are in your backyard headbanging with friends or cruising around town with the windows down blaring this record, you will not be able to sit still. Just grab a hold of “Moonlit Sky” or “Count On Me” and I dare you to try and sit still during the those tracks. Even the speedier “Money” will get you off your seat and have you pumping your fist in the air. These tracks were made for the stage and I’m sure they will become concert favorites very soon. “Virtual Sin” follows a similar vibe to “Money” with both having this faster tempo giving “Circle of Life” some variety.
Speaking of variety, they even sneak in a bit of a ballad (and I use that term loosely) in “Reason to Love” which contains some of the most melodic riffing on the record. Pontillo again puts in a great vocal performance, not on just this song but the whole disk. Elsewhere, we get the swagger of opening track “Tonight We Rock” which both musically and lyrically makes a statement of intent and lets you know VICTORY mean business. I’m sure this one will make it into the set lists for their upcoming shows (how about a U.S. tour guys?). “American Girl” has a little bit of THE CULT vibe mixed with their own style which gives “Circle of Life” a well-rounded listen without being a one dimensional record. Later in the disk, the guys throw in another different vibe in “Falling” with its ominous riffing during the verses. Its elements like these that add so much to the album making it a complete listening experience without feeling like you just listened to ten of the same track.
There is so much to like about “Circle of Life” that I’m having trouble finding anything negative to say about any aspect of the record. Also, the production is an improvement over “Gods of Tomorrow” which I thought was good but this record sounds really full without being noisy. Even the cover artwork is great showing that VICTORY pay attention to all aspects of their art. When so many bands “phone it in” knowing their core fans will still buy their records, VICTORY go the extra mile to give their fans a complete experience. 2024 has seen some amazing releases by bands that have been around for a while and “Circle of Life” can stand toe-to-toe with any of them. I’m glad we didn’t have to wait another decade for a VICTORY release and “Circle of Life” proves that Frank and the guys still have a lot of great music to cast upon us.
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