I have spoken recently on this blog, when reviewing Little Feat's strong latest album Strike Up the Band (which can be read here) in particular, about the current trend of veteran bands, some of whom had not released new music for a number of years, suddenly seeming keen to once again write and record. Whilst some older bands have never stopped being creative, with new albums dropping every few years, some slow down. It is understandable if all band-related activity slows down, but when a band continues to tour regularly playing the same old greatest hits set night after night the lack of any new material really starts to become apparent - but, thankfully, some bands start to realise this and force themselves to be creative again, often with positive results. I also recently covered the excellent Walk This Road (which can be read here) by The Doobie Brothers, a band which could have been described as in a creative slump not all that long ago, and today I am turning to another band which has righted such wrongs in more recent years - the Chicago-based rockers Styx. Before 2017, Styx had not released anything new since 2003's Cyclorama. Cyclorama has certainly grown on me, and I like quite a bit of it these days, but it is no classic - and in 2003, a time when fewer people seemed interested in new music from veteran bands, it almost certainly sank without a trace. I imagine that it took the band a while to come to terms with this lack of success - particularly as the 1999 album Brave New World, which saw the band's classic three singer-songwriters reunited, had also struggled to make much of an impact. Styx had a lot of success in the 1970s and 1980s, with even 1990's Edge of the Century a gold-selling album in the US, so it must have been hard to adjust to a lack of big sales. I think this is often the reason why veteran bands stop releasing new music - but those who adjust their mindset and expectations often find an audience for their new albums, and I also think that audiences seem more receptive to new music now than they were a decade or two ago. Styx underwent this change of perspective just under a decade ago, with the stunning The Mission (which I reviewed here) from 2017 honestly rivalling some of the 1970s/1980s classics in my opinion. It brought back some of the band's progressive influences in a big way - and perfectly fused prog rock ideas with pomp rock bombast and pop songwriting. All of the classic Styx hallmarks were present throughout The Mission, and 2021's Crash of the Crown (which I reviewed here) was almost as good. Both were easily better than anything Styx had done since 1981's Paradise Theatre, with The Mission potentially going back further. I was hoping for more, and earlier this year the band surprise dropped their eighteenth studio album Circling from Above. It officially came out last month, but physical copies were available directly from the band prior to this official release - with this old-school approach and focus physical media a welcome one. The Mission will always be a high-point for modern Styx, and Circling from Above is not as strong - but it is another enjoyable album with plenty of memorable moments.
Sound-wise, though, Circling from Above is less bombastic and hard rocking than usual. This is more of an overt pop-prog album, with a good mix of retro synths and organic guitar tones - alongside power pop-esque vocal harmonies and melodies. It still sounds like a Styx album, but it does have its own feel - even if, like the last two albums, it is made up of lots of shorter songs which segue together. There has been a line-up shift since the last album, too, with bassist Terry Gowan having replaced Ricky Phillips last year. He shares bass duties with original bassist Chuck Panozzo here, but I would imagine that Panozzo's contributions were fairly limited - as has been the case for many years at this point due to his health. The other change sees the band's producer Will Evankovich (The Guess Who) credited as an official member this time, contributing guitars, keyboards, and even some vocals. Evankovich was a big part of the last two albums, so him coming on board formally makes sense. As has been the case of late, too, Evankovich makes up a third of the main songwriting triumvirate here - with guitarist Tommy Shaw and keyboard player Lawrence Gowan completing it. Opening with the fairly brief title track, the album gets underway with an organic feel. Shimmering keyboards get things going, with old-school prog tones on show from the off - and even when the rest of the band join in a slow-burning Pink Floyd feel is established with a sombre drum groove, prominent bass playing, and Shaw and Lawrence joining forces vocally. Spacey guitar melodies and prominent acoustic guitar additions only enhance this atmospheric feel - and the song soon transitions into lead single Build and Destroy with some synth melodies and a bit of a change of pace. The song is a bit more up-tempo, with electric piano melodies and synth leads ensuring that the organic feel remains. Lawrence sings this one, his slightly throaty voice adding some grit over the keyboard-heavy sound - whilst occasional crashes of guitar and a prominent bassline create a strong groove. Long-time drummer Todd Sucherman adds to this groove, too, and there is a slight funk edge thanks to the driving electric piano, bass, and drums - but the synth flourishes and big chorus vocal harmonies are full of vintage Styx-isms. A wah-drenched guitar solo sounds like the work of founding guitarist James Young, as it has his hard rock edge, but generally the leads here come from the keyboards. Michigan opens with some buzzing guitar notes and fizzing synth tones - but the smoothness of Shaw's voice acts as a nice contrast. Shaw sounds as good as ever vocally here and his sense of melody is very much intact. His melodic hooks rise above the guitar-driven semi-rocker - which feels rawer thanks to a big acoustic guitar presence, plenty of bass, and less keyboard flash. Chorus vocal harmonies conjure up old-school Styx memories, though, whilst the occasional warmer synth lead also contrasts nicely with the rawer guitar tones and the percussive nature of Sucherman's drumming. It is not exactly hard rock, but little here is - and there is a nice energy to the piece which is welcome.
King of Love is the only song here which features vocals from Young. Young's input in Styx's new material seems fairly limited, with this album the second in a row without a Young writing credit, and his vocal presence has also reduced. In truth, his voice is not what it was, so this is probably no bad thing - but his deeper croon does suit the slightly sultry vibe of the song. Again, there are strong grooves here. The drum and bass playing is a bit different from the norm - whilst a big chorus returns to more of a bombastic sound thanks to some rumbling Hammond organ, huge vocal harmonies, and Shaw's heroic vocals. Young takes the verses and Shaw takes the chorus, then, whilst another pretty busy guitar solo is also likely from Young - showing that he still has plenty to offer. Synth runs add plenty of melody elsewhere, too, and the track is a highlight. It's Clear reins in the energy of the last track, and it instead opens slowly - with building synths and Lawrence's gritty vocals. I have always loved his tone, and he suits the atmospheric opening of this track nicely - whilst percussive drumming and flashy synth melodies fade in and out, again creating a progressive feel. Shaw takes over for the chorus, which is more pop-focused and fast-paced. The two main singers have really gelled over the past couple of decades - but especially on these newer albums. Their harmonies are tight and lush - and Lawrence adds plenty to the chorus here despite Shaw dominating. A harder rocking bridge, more synth flashes, and a country-tinged closing section all contribute to the track being another strong one. Forgive is more of an acoustic number, at least early on, with big acoustic guitars dominating, subtle organ washes, and gentle percussion creating an initial bed for Shaw's plaintive vocals. Lawrence sings quite a bit of the song, but the two go back and forth throughout - with Lawrence later expanding the overall tapestry with some piano melodies. The song continues to grow throughout, though, and it is another which has some Pink Floyd vibes in the second half as the scope widens quite significantly. Allowing for a jauntier sound, Everybody Raise a Glass feels rockier than the previous song, with driving piano from Lawrence the core of the piece whilst early Queen vibes fade in and out. Flamboyant vocal harmonies, vaudeville rhythms, and a sunny disposition - the song is a lot of fun. It is quite different for Styx, but the band have often had a theatrical side - and it is certainly on show somewhat here. There is less of the prog instrumentation here, with jaunty piano and guitars instead backing Lawrence's powerful vocals throughout. Blue Eyed Raven is different again, with Shaw leading throughout and the song having an infectious country/bluegrass feel. Acoustic guitars dominate throughout, with simple percussion backing the thrashed acoustic chords - with Shaw's urgency apparent throughout. The percussion adds a lot here, as do Lawrence's subtle vocal harmonies, but the guitar and Shaw's voice drive everything for the most part - with a busy acoustic guitar solo later adding plenty of melody. A hooky chorus refrain keeps the song interesting given the stripped back vibe - but later on the band do join in in a more meaningful manner, with a fiddle solo added by session player Aubrey Haynie. The final chorus feels bigger, too, and the song is a lot of fun thanks to its sense of urgency and melody.
She Knows is the first Styx song to feature lead vocals from Evankovich - and his voice sits somewhere between Shaw's and Lawrence's. He has a bit of a gritty edge like Lawrence, but he lacks the drama - as there is also a hint of Shaw's smoothness. I am not sure that his voice adds anything to the song which Shaw or Lawrence could not add - but he has a pleasing voice and given his big part in making Styx creative again it is nice to hear him sing. The piece is also quite acoustic-driven, but there is more of a band feel from the off and there is also a lot of piano throughout - with Lawrence adding harmonies when needed. Big acoustic guitars, cinematic drumming, and synth flourishes add depth. The short Ease Your Mind is essentially a piano bridge with Lawrence taking the lead - and it acts as the intro to The Things That You Said, which opens with staccato piano melodies and Shaw's smooth voice. Like many of the songs here, Sucherman's drumming is quite percussive here, with lots of tom work to create some strong grooves - whilst the piano generally acts as the driving force. Subtle strings later add a grandness, whilst some Queen-like melodies during some more cinematic moments create bombast - as does a flashy synth solo which dominates later on, before Queen is again referenced with some thin guitar leads. The last moments of the song are much rockier, too, with heavy guitars building on the piano of earlier to create a big sound as the song comes to a close. We Lost the Wheel Again also features Evankovich on vocals, with the track feeling more upbeat and organic - thanks to some strident acoustic guitar chords, busy bass playing, and crashing drumming. There is a bit of a Who vibe here thanks to the strutting nature of the rhythm section and the brash acoustic guitars - and Evankovich's voice suits the track, as he leans into his grittier side a bit more here. It is another somewhat different song for Styx - as it lacks most of the band's usual flair and bombast early on. Lawrence does take over vocally during a bridge section, which features piano playing and more of a lush feel, but once a big guitar solo kicks in the song returns to its more organic base. The album then comes to a close with Only You Can Decide. Shaw sings this closing number, whilst slow-moving acoustic guitar and piano melodies sit beneath him. Again, there are shades of Pink Floyd here - especially when Sucherman's drums come in to create a sombre vibe. Spacey synths are added at the same, too, with the vocal harmonies from Lawrence adding some class - even though Shaw is the dominant force here. A cinematic guitar solo builds on this further, taking the song to the next level, but I like how things soon return to how things opened initially after that - with the acoustic guitars and piano seeing the song to a close, albeit with some additional vocal harmonies this time. It may lack some of Styx's usual pomp and bombast, but Circling from Above has certainly grown on me quite a bit - with each listen revealing something new. There are some classic-sounding Styx moments here, but there are also a few songs that do something different - and for a veteran band that is always welcome. There is a dreamy vibe and a retro feel here which I like - and the album shows a bit of a different side to Styx whilst adding another enjoyable album to their catalogue.
The album was released on 18th July 2025 via Universal Music Enterprises. Below is the band's promotional video for Build and Destroy.
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