The Circle and the Blue Door is a worthy addition to any dedicated record collection with respect to the occult/vintage rock and comes as a strong statement in a time where some debate has risen as to whether this retro rock revival maintains its initial spontaneity and quality.
The album may sag a bit in the middle, but there’s always some new trick or folly around the corner to perk up a weary pair of ears.
Though other bands are out there digging into the DNA of heavy metal, few of them deliver an experience as immersing as Purson, who still try to capture that Zeppelinesque sense of mystery in an era where the whole of human knowledge is just a click away.
Dominated by Rosalie Cunningham’s song craft and bewitching nature as a frontwoman, with a few listens, it’s difficult not to fall for their undeniably sinister charm.
As much as it feels obvious that Purson didn’t want to just make a simple-pleasures hard rock album, the results would have very likely have been better if they had, as this mode is their forte.