GRAVE CIRCLES, the Ukrainian Black Metal quartet, has released their second full length “World Within The World”. Their first full length “Tome II” was released six years ago and the band kept on releasing singles and an EP, however this latest release bears a powerful statement forged amidst personal tragedy. This album arrives with a heavy heart, as it’s dedicated to their co-founder and guitarist Kosty, who tragically lost his life very recently on the Ukrainian battlefield. The line-up of Kosty (R.I.P. 2025) on guitars, Dødes kor on vocals, drums, Veksha on guitars and Kate on bass, remains stable as indicated on their recent single releases. However, from the outset, “World Within The World” signals a deliberate shift, as the band consciously moved towards the traditional Black Metal sound with fewer tempo changes, simpler riffs and more straightforward structures than their previous work, “Tome II”. This shift allows the album’s essence to shine through with unadulterated ferocity. As conveyed in eight tracks here, with the beginning of ‘Feral Instinct’, to ‘The Last Of Us’, ‘till the record closer ‘One More Drop’. Tracks like ‘The Last Of Us’, ‘The Die Is Cast’, ‘Antithesis’, ‘One More Drop’ and ‘Yielding To The Embrace Of The Ground’ stand out with the latter encapsulating a “terrifying descent into madness during a bad trip”, offering a glimpse into a near-death experience – as shared by the band in one of their recent interviews. The production has a raw essence and combined with the crushing musical delivery, makes for a truly immersive and at times unsettling listening experience. It perfectly makes sense of why the band’s intention of doing it all by themselves and taking a full year for them to achieve their desired sound through self-mixing and mastering. Lyrically, the album delves into themes that defy easy categorization and surely encouraging listeners to delve into the lyrics themselves and form their own images. This emphasis on individual interpretation aligns with the band’s nonconformist philosophy, viewing Black Metal as “the path of the loner”. The evocative album art, depicting a severed deer head infested with larvae, serves as a grim metaphor for societal ideologies and religions devouring the individual. Altogether, “World Within The World” is a very strong Black Metal album that can be found in recent times and thematically a defiant roar against conformity, a deeply personal exploration of decay and solitude and a powerful tribute to a lost musician in a worst possible circumstance. Released by Schattenkult Produktionen, a label praised for its commitment to physical releases, “World Within The World” should spread the name of GRAVE CIRCLES with their unwavering artistic vision even in wartime. It’s an album that demands attention and rewards repeated listens, inviting you to step into its dark, introspective embrace. Find out more about the band and label here: www.facebook.com/gravecircles, www.facebook.com/schattenkultproduktionen