Burning Circus are a four piece hard rock band from Derby, UK.
The band consists of:
Alex De-Gruchy – Vocals
Chris Else – Guitar
Si Swaby – Bass
Gav Eaglefield – Drums
This morning was just so wet, severe weather warning was out and the rain kept on falling. I’m indoors with fire and Christmas tree going through my reviews in a tray, and trying to not let life get me down. What better way that picking up on a new rock EP. This one has been out since October, and waiting for my attention – it has it now!
Here is the press release first, then my review follows:
“The band formed in 2024 through a shared love of all things rock n roll; think Buckcherry, Guns N Roses, Black Stone Cherry, Rolling Stones and you’re not a million miles away. The band have gigged around the east midlands and are building a fan base through energetic live shows, hook laden songs and memorable guitar solos. So far the band have recorded four singles that have gained radio play around the world.
The new EP “No Moment of the Passing Life” was released on October 20th and is out on all platforms. It has 4 tracks and runs to just under 15 minutes.
My Review-
I know this band has been building up a live following in the Midlands and been gaining some traction generally. It’s still the best place to start, on the road and develop your skills. I think that the desire was to replicate that in this EP. I will note a couple of things. First of all, at a glance , this new band is gaining attention, 17k+ listens for an earlier single on Spotify is good for a new band, as is the 13k+ followers. It’s a decent base to build on. I also am aware that the EP has gained mixed views in some reviews. Remember, reviews are subjective and I would say that in our review policy we state we don’t use stars, but generally review what we are happy to recommend.
“To the Wolves” opens the EP with a kind of raw punky feeling. It is one that I can picture going down strongly live. It has a strong drum beat and there is a chant style to the chorus. I liked the guitars but was less pleased with the production, things needed to be tightened a bit. It actually has a feeling of a live performance that has been taped and put out. There is a spontaneity about it.
“Leave the Bottle” leads with a decent guitar riff and retains, again, that sense of live club and a few beers. I liked the chorus and I also thought the drive of the track was fine. Again, it was let down by a slightly tinny production. I felt the guys really have a strong track that I wasn’t hearing the best of. Strong harmony section mid track and, again, I liked the guitars, strong bass on this one.
“A Man of Few Words” returns to that punky feel, it’s a kicking riff and the strongest of the tracks so far. It’s a track that suits the vocals of Alex De-Gruchy and the track is well constructed, it delivers for sure.
“Too Dumb to Quit” is one of those driving tracks for a trucker to enjoy as he heads down the M1. It kind of came and went a bit, but it was still a strong guitar driven track that would, I’d say, sound strong live.
Overall, “No Moment of the Passing Life” is a solid first step rather than a finished statement. Burning Circus can clearly play, they understand the mechanics of hard rock, and they already sound like a band who know how to work a room. What holds this EP back is less the songwriting and more the production, which doesn’t quite capture the power the tracks are clearly aiming for. With tighter studio work and continued time on the road, there’s plenty here to suggest this is a band still finding their sharpest edge, and that’s no bad thing at this stage.
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You can stream music from Burning Circus here
By Stevie Ritson
Thanks for reading Rock the Joint Magazine, Happy Christmas x