Artist: Squealer  
   Title: The Circle Shuts
   Label: AFM Records

The name of Squealer and AFM Records will go down in the labels history as founder of the label.  Band member Andy (Henner) Allendorfer set the foundations for the label when there wasn’t any available portal for the band. 

And although Andy was tragically killed in a car crash in 2005, his legacy still grows not only the label but also the band Squealer.

The band have seen a few changes over the years but now in 2008 the band return to their early days with their latest release 'The Circle Shuts’.  Quite an apt title as the circle closes on another chapter of the band and another opens. 

With a new chapter in the bands history comes a new member in the form of the vocals of Norbert Vornam.  Norbert joins Michael Schiel and the rest of the band for another massive Metal explosion that will once again send shivers through the Metal world once more.

Those of you familiar with the band will remember the infamous 'Conformation Street' album, this album release isn’t as aggressive an album as that particular release and is more along the lines of the bands 1999 opus 'The Prophecy'.

The bands love of speed driven guitars is unrelenting on this new album but it’s the vocals of Vorman that really bring the band forward as the opening assault of 'The Source Of Ignition' and 'Mask Of The Betrayer' show so well.

The bands aggressive and angst filled side that shone through on the 'The Conformation' album is felt a little with ‘Theses Urges’, a thrash monster with the twin guitars of Schiel and Lars Doring the main force behind the track, with the double kick tub thumping of Martin Buchwalter not far behind.

The aptly named ‘Thrasher’ is just that, a speed fest of monstrous proportions then it’s the truly massive Metal tones of ‘Martyrs Of The Half Moon’.  A track that builds from humble beginnings of chants and mellow guitars, before it roars into a barrage of drums and huge bass lines, then the might of Vorman’s vocals are unleashed.  This song has a Power Metal edge that once again shows the bands maturity from just a humble Thrash band, to a band that can mix it up without straying too far from their roots.

The albums three remaining tracks are some of the most aggressive slices of Melodic Metal you’ll hear this year.  Starting off with ‘I Came For You’, an all out Power Thrasher, then it’s the heavy riff laden ‘Once Fallen’ with its subtle yet powerful tempo changes that reminds very much of a heavier Queensryche.  Rounding off the album in true Squealer style is the titanic title track ‘The Circle Shuts’, which completes a fantastic return to form and a must for all those fans who fell in love with the band with their first two album ‘The Prophecy’ and ‘Made For Eternity’.

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