Russian Circles

"Post-rock" may not be the most ridiculous descriptor in contemporary music; I'd cast my vote for either "sadcore" or "neo-prog." Still, the term means next to nothing when it's applied to a band like Russian Circles, which co-stars on this roster with Daughters and Young Widows. On 2006's Enter and the just-issued Station, the three, currently comprising guitarist Mike Sullivan, drummer Dave Turncrantz and new bassist Brian Cook (of These Arms Are Snakes notoriety), use rock rudiments in the service of vast instrumental opuses encompassing both metallic workouts and serene, bucolic passages that are almost orchestral in nature. The combination sounds pretentious, and it is, to some degree. Yet the juxtapositions tend to keep at least some of the indulgence at bay: Just when a segment starts seeming overly sweet, monstrous riffs expunge any and all hints of treacle. And that's good, whether Russian Circles' music is post-rock, pre-rock or anything in between.