Bayley, Blaze: Circle Of Stone

Having delivered a slew of excellent albums over the last ten to fifteen years, it really looked like things were on the up for ex-Iron Maiden and current Wolfsbane frontman Blaze Bayley. A string of headline shows across the UK at the tail end of 2023 confirmed things as so, but as is so often the way, fate had other ideas. Thankfully Blaze quickly recovered from a very serious health condition and in quick sharp time was back on stage, releasing a live record and then announcing a new studio album, Circle of Stone. One of the main factors in this prolonged upturn in fortunes for the singer was teaming up with the Appleton brothers on stage, in the studio and behind the scenes. Thankfully that teaming of Blaze and the Appleton’s band Absolva as his backing outfit and writing partners continues here and not only does that offer a continuity from album to album, but also a reassurance of quality throughout.

Opening with the insistent “Mind Reader� is a clever move, the memorable guitar lines that run through this track building the perfect base for a confident, powerful vocal from the man himself. As he often does, Blaze is taking us into a journey of relying on inner strength, compassion and self belief to overcome the naysayers, and it’s a theme visited regularly on this album. With “Tears In The Rain� bolstering the strong beginnings with a staccato vocal onslaught, “Rage� changes the focus by reducing the pace but building the intensity. However, it’s “The Broken Man� that really alters the approach, the attack remaining confidently considered and with less bombast than can be found elsewhere.

“The Call Of The Ancestors� acts as an opener to side two (if vinyl is your thing) as howling guitars match up against bagpipes in what is an effective scene setter, before the title track bursts into view. From these two songs forward the album’s focus changes as we follow a mystical, forgotten tribe searching for answers and retribution within the Circle of Stone, and for me the album, which was already good, moves up a gear. The bulging riff of “Absence� is hugely impactful, while the guest vocal contributions from Nikals Stalvind (of Wolf and who appears on three songs in total) add a clever counterpoint to Blaze’s excellent contributions. With “The Path Of The Righteous Man� a trademark Blaze Bayley barking, roaring, romp, it leaves “Until We Meet� to close things out in a truly unexpected way, Tammy-Rae Bols duetting with Blaze on this violin infused piece of folk rock, with the pair’s vocal harmonies really rather wonderful.

As we’ve come to expect, Blaze Bayley doesn’t muck about when he delivers a new album, the snarling biting metal he’s known for truly now his calling card. Cleverly, as this album evolves, so are new and different colours revealed that take a release that could have been in danger of being seen - excellent though it is - as more of same from this man and turns it into a varied and truly rewarding journey.

Track Listing
1. Mind Reader
2. Tears In Rain
3. Rage
4. The Year Beyond This Year
5. Ghost In The Bottle
6. The Broken Man
7. The Call Of The Ancestors
8. Circle Of Stone
9. Absence
10. A Day Of Reckoning
11. The Path Of The Righteous Man
12. Until We Meet Again

Added: February 23rd 2024
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Blaze Bayley online
Hits: 890
Language: english

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