Ektro Records

When I first heard the music of this band [and regrettably that was already a couple of months ago, but all kinds of elements – such as conditions at work (where I gather the extra info needed for my reviews) worsening, new batches of releases delivered to me by the editor-in-chief containing stuff taking priority, getting ill a couple of times, and generally having less time (again due to work conditions weighing thru') – have delayed my starting on this here article], I could not help, for some obscure reason, thinking of a somewhat raw version of UK's Amebix.

In reviews of albums by the Finnish Circle, I already mentioned the prolific career of that band's leader/ bassist, and touched on the other members' activities...and I am therefore quite happy to finally be able to go into the “extra-curricular” activities of singer, guitarist Janne Westerlund whom, besides playing in Circle, is also known from Pharaoh Overlord, Chainsmoker, Sweetheart, and Plain Ride, which he started as far back as 2004!

This minimalist instrumental Boogie Blues act is the brainchild of Laja Aijala, formerly the singer of Terveet Kadet, one of Finland's more infamous Crust Punk acts, and obviously quite a change from what he did with his other band.

Gee...how does one start up a review on this band, now longtime defunct? Well, best to simply state the fact that X_X (pronounced 'ex blank ex') were only in existence for 6 months during 1978, but during that time tore through their native Cleveland “like a Dadaist cyclone” (taken from the info sheet that came with the promo download of this anthology album which compiles a couple of singles with some live and rehearsal recordings).

Following their shameless exploitation of the brutal capitalistic mindset behind the Super-Rock idiom with their Falcon (ex-Circle) album Frontier, and some live dates as Circle in collaboration with visual artist Mika Taanila (for his Time Machines exhibition) which resulted in the March 2, 2014 released live album Sseennsseess (review by yours truly posted...see for yourselves!), the band members behind Finland's Avant-Rock explorers Circle (currently re-named to Circle (ex-Falcon)

Ooh my, these are exhilarating times, when almost 30 years after the fact we're allowed to get ourselves a vinyl copy of this quite unique album by the somewhat insane outfit known as Jesters Of Destiny! I mean, I completely missed out on getting a copy when it was first released, back in 1986, you see!?

And straight after the new Circle album Sseennsseess, or rather, at the same day, we get a re-issue of the band's Hollywood album, originally released on CD in 2008, now put out on double LP with bonus tracks.

Well, well...a new album by Finland's Circle, but one with the original outfit...nót the members from various Finish Metal acts which last year recorded and released the Incarnation album, a review for which was posted by yours truly.

Heikki Hautala is a visual artist (with apparently quite a few exhibitions to his name – check some of his work at (www.) heikkihautala.wordpress.com) whom is also the frontman of the Finish blind-rage noisy Punk band Sokea Piste, who thus far released one 7-inch single (July 2011's Oire), and two 12-inch albums (July 2011's Ajatus Karkaa, released a day prior to the single; and Jan. 2013's Vätikäsi), the latter of which was also released on CD by Ektro.

And now, for something completely different! Uh...nah, not the Monty Python Flying Circus show! There's really nothing to laugh about here...except perhaps for a small contented smile on the face of our Jazz-lovin' readers, you'll ….darn...I let the cat out of the bag!