There are few things one can be sure of these days, though one truism that remains is that Russian Circles will continue to reign as one of instrumental music’s supreme champions. These masters of sonic tension and release plan to deliver their seventh studio album August 2nd on Sargent House. Dubbed Blood Year, the LP is less a musical exploration and more a statement of authority, lest there be any doubt that Russian Circles remain a force to be reckoned with on the stage and in the studio.

The Chicago trio has always explored the dynamics of volume and timbre, with their albums often vacillating between caustic attacks and blissful respites. Russian Circles returned to the studio with Kurt Ballou to record Blood Year, but this time they tracked it in Chicago at Steve Albini’s world-famous Electrical Audio. From guitarist Mike Sullivan’s riff-fueled assaults, to Dave Turncrantz’s war machine rack and floor toms and Brian Cook’s meat-grinding bass lines, the sound of Blood Year is that of a band unafraid to flaunt their hard-earned prowess.

Blood Year will be released via Sargent House on August 2 and Russian Circles will be on tour in North America this September, October and November in support of it.  FACS and Windhand will appear on select dates — check out all tour dates listed below.

RUSSIAN CIRCLES – ON TOUR:

May 31 Chicago, IL @ Do Division Fest

September 11 Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon *

September 12 Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Culture Center *

September 14 Bozeman, MT @ Rialto Bozeman *

September 16 Seattle, WA @ Neumos *

September 17 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom *

September 19 San Francisco, CA @ August Hall *

September 20 Ventura, CA @ Discovery Ventura *

September 21 Los Angeles, CA @ The Teragram Ballroom *

September 23 Mesa, AZ @ The Nile *

September 24 Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf *

September 25 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater *

September 28 Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall *

October 18 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Pyramid Scheme

October 19 Detroit, MI @ El Club

October 20 Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace

October 21 Montreal, QC @ Theatre Fairmount

October 23 Portsmouth, NH @ 3S ArtSpace

October 24 Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair

October 26 Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw

October 27 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer

October 29 Washington, DC @ Union Stage

October 30 Richmond, VA @ The Broadberry

November 1 Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall +

November 2 Charlotte, NC @ Neighborhood Theatre +

November 3 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade +

November 4 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s +

November 6 Houston, TX @ The Secret Group +

November 8 Austin, TX @ Levitation

November 9 Dallas, TX @ Deep Ellum Art Company +

November 11 St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall +

w/ FACS *

w/ Windhand +