Russian Circles are the best live band on the planet
That’s it. That’s the entire review.
Okay, perhaps I’m being a little overzealous. However, after witnessing the absolute crushing wall of sound that is a Russian Circles live experience, I feel like I’d be justified in making any claim that states they’re one of the best live bands around at the moment.
On September 30th, 2026, post-metal legends Russian Circles made their way to Club Soda in support of their latest record, Nine. If you don’t know much about them, they’re a post-metal instrumental band hailing from Chicago, writing music that I can only describe as atmospheric, with a blend of crushing, intricate riffs, all while remaining very grounded in rhythm.
I’d only listened to Nine all the way through once before the show, but it hadn’t grabbed me musically in the same way that their previous two records had (Gnosis and Blood Year).
That was about to change after hearing the new songs live.
But before Russian Circles would hit the stage, the evening opened with Pelican, another band hailing from Chicago that ran in the same scene as Russian Circles, playing “shitty basement shows” together, as their guitarist stated in between songs.
I’d argue Pelican deserves just as much recognition in the post-metal space as Russian Circles. And yet, I admittedly mostly knew them by name only. With the exception of a handful of tracks, I hadn’t really heard much of their discography.
I’d quickly regret the fact that I didn’t know much about Pelican. If Russian Circles are more about atmosphere and tension (I’ll get into that shortly), Pelican are about bringing a balance of crushing riffs and melody to your ears. Despite being an instrumental band, there was something very emotionally charged about their music. The guitarwork was downright punishing at times, and the soundscapes they created were nothing short of entrancing.
Unfortunately, I don’t know much about the songs they played, other than a handful of the titles, but I can say for certain that their closer, “Wandering Mind,” was the highlight of their set. Pelican’s ability to take what is seemingly a simple riff and transform it into the hypnotic passages that they do in their songs is why I instantly became a fan of theirs after this set.
Once Pelican finished their set, I expected the majority of the crowd to take a break and head outside, as that almost always occurs when I attend shows. But that didn’t happen. Club Soda was sold out and you can tell the anticipation was quite high. No one wanted to lose their spot and I certainly don’t blame them.
At 9:30pm sharp, Russian Circles stepped onto the stage and wasted no time ripping into their 10-song set. Unlike Pelican, who have a mic onstage to talk with the crowd a little, Russian Circles are all business. No banter, just music.
The set started with “Seventh Seal”, a blistering track from their latest album Nine. But it was the crushing, groovy riffs of “Conduit,” “Deficit” and “Geneva” that were huge standouts for me. By the time they closed with “Gnosis,” Russian Circles had performed what I truly believe is a masterclass in musical atmosphere.
One of the things that makes Russian Circles so incredible live is the way each musician complements the others. There’s no single focal point. I found myself watching Mike riff away, commanding his guitar with absolute authority, while also darting back and forth between Dave’s meticulously fluid drumming and Brian’s pounding bass grooves.
If you have the opportunity to see Russian Circles live, you’d be doing yourself a great disservice by not attending their show. The towering walls of sound that Mike, Dave and Brian create are thunderous and unrelenting, even during the quieter passages of their songs.
