Released in 2017 on Greg Anderson's legendary Southern Lord label, Terminal is the 32nd studio album by the legendary Finnish psych-rock pioneers, Circle. Far from being a typical retro-rock record, this album is a mind-bending, six-track journey that seamlessly fuses the hypnotic pulse of 1970s krautrock, the heavy sludge of Black Sabbath, and the raw swagger of The Stooges. The most thrilling hook for your first listen is the wild vocal acrobatics of frontman Mika Rättö, who dramatically shifts from theatrical, high-pitched classic rock wails to deep death-metal growls, occasionally sounding like a demonic priest leading an occult ritual. Known for decades as the eccentric "madmen of Pori" who used to perform in spandex and sing in a completely invented language called Meronian, Circle breaks new ground here by using real lyrics in Finnish and even delivering a doom-blues closer in English on Sick Child. Turn up the volume, abandon all expectations, and prepare for a brilliant, unpredictable trip into one of modern underground rock's most fiercely original minds.

Black magic and fuzz guitars are back! The British outfit Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats returns with their seventh studio album, Shapes Of Midnight, released via Killer Candy Records. Mastermind Kevin Starrs describes the record's concept as taking place in an "alternate universe to our own where everything feels a bit 'off' and twisted." Pushing their signature "Evil Beatles" sound to its absolute limit, the band pairs paperback horror lyrics with massive '60s-era garage pop melodies, heavy-synth Krautrock, and raw NWOBHM grit. To capture this dark, analog warmth, the album was tracked completely live to tape at the legendary Abbey Road Studios using original 1960s EMI console technology. Engineered by Chris Bolster and mastered by Noel Summerville, this 45-minute sonic nightmare is an absolute must-hear for any fan of heavy, psychedelic occult rock.