Russian Circles
American instrumental post-metal band from Chicago.
Russian Circles is an instrumental post-metal band from Chicago, Illinois. The group started when childhood friends Mike Sullivan and Dave Turncrantz, who both played ice hockey growing up in St. Louis, teamed up after their earlier bands fell apart. Their original bassist, Colin DeKuiper, left in 2007, and Brian Cook took over permanently. The trio built a strong reputation through well-received albums and heavy touring around the world. Their name comes from a hockey drill that Sullivan and Turncrantz knew from their youth.
- formed
- 2004
- origin
- Chicago, Illinois, United States
- field
- Instrumental post-metal
- known_for
- Critically acclaimed instrumental albums and extensive international touring
- label
- Sargent House (from 2011)
Lore & Background
Russian Circles was formed in late 2004 by guitarist Mike Sullivan and bassist Colin DeKuiper, both formerly of instrumental band Dakota/Dakota. They quickly recruited drummer Dave Turncrantz, formerly of St. Louis band Riddle of Steel. The band's name is taken from a drill exercise used in ice hockey, a sport Sullivan and Turncrantz grew up playing in St. Louis. Their debut album Enter was released in 2006 on Flameshovel.
In autumn 2007, the band parted ways with Colin DeKuiper. Bass tracks on their second album Station (2008) were handled by ex-Botch/These Arms Are Snakes bassist Brian Cook, who then joined permanently. Geneva (2009) reached No. 24 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. In 2011, the band signed to Sargent House, which had previously released their albums on limited edition vinyl. Empros (2011) was followed by a tour with Deafheaven. Memorial (2013) featured a guest vocal by Chelsea Wolfe, and the band co-headlined a UK/European tour with her.
Guidance (2016) was produced by Kurt Ballou of Converge. Blood Year (2019) was recorded at GodCity Studio and Electrical Audio, again produced by Ballou. Gnosis (2022) was also engineered and mastered by Ballou. The band's ninth album is titled Gnosis.
Reader's Guide
Russian Circles occupies a significant place in the instrumental post-metal landscape, known for their dynamic compositions that blend heavy, riff-driven passages with atmospheric textures. Their consistent output over two decades, beginning with Enter in 2006, has built a dedicated following and critical acclaim. The band's stability—anchored by the core duo of Sullivan and Turncrantz, with Cook on bass since 2007—allowed them to refine a sound that is both aggressive and melodic. Their partnership with producer Kurt Ballou on three albums (Guidance, Blood Year, Gnosis, and Nine) helped define their later work. The band's extensive international touring and festival appearances, including co-headlining tours with Deafheaven and Chelsea Wolfe, expanded their reach beyond the United States. Their name, derived from an ice hockey drill, reflects the personal history of its founding members. Russian Circles' legacy is that of a reliable, evolving instrumental act that maintained artistic integrity while achieving commercial success on independent labels.
Did You Know?
- The band's name is taken from a drill exercise used in ice hockey, a sport Sullivan and Turncrantz grew up playing in St. Louis.
- Bassist Brian Cook joined after handling bass tracks on the album Station, following the departure of original bassist Colin DeKuiper in 2007.
- The album Memorial (2013) featured a guest vocal by Chelsea Wolfe.
- Kurt Ballou of Converge produced the albums Guidance, Blood Year, and Gnosis.
More in American post-metal musical groups 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record