Interview by Kris Peters
Modern music is expanding in size, sound and complexity in an increasing capacity.
Possibly to do with the sheer number of songs being released and in an effort to stand out, or possibly because musicians are getting better and more skillful at their art or possibly something entirely different.
But whatever the reason there are many - myself included - that often struggle to keep up with the complex nature experimented with by bands of this era.
Not that the music is bad or the band's unoriginal, it's more a case that sometimes band's can make music that is too complex for its own good.
Or, put more simply, difficult to digest. North California progressive metal powerhouse Stellar Circuits are definitely an exception to the rule. While their music ventures down a myriad of rabbit holes and high range progressive elements, it is still easily digested as pure enjoyment without having to be dissected or taken in too deeply.
In short, Stellar Circuits have somehow tapped into a way to make their music both complex yet accessible, a feat often attempted but rarely accomplished. And they have a sensational new album in Sight To Sound to prove it.
Bass player Jesse Olsen and vocalist Ben Beddick sat down with HEAVY to find out more.
"There wasn't really any goals in mind," Olsen measured when asked about going into the album. "It's kind of just a natural progression of our sound. Whatever we're feeling, we write it and I feel like that just comes out. Just a natural progression of things and how they sound."
"Like Jesse said, we weren't really going for anything per se," Beddick added. "We try to write what we hear in our heads and we do our best to put that out.
In the full interview Ben and Jesse talk more about how they improved with this album, putting everything into the band, how this one differs from their debut album Ways We Haunt, the singles released and how they represent the album, the cover image and what relevance it has, the early days of Stellar Circuits and where they fit in, making complex music while still appealing to the average listener and more.