Circa Survive's sixth LP, The Amulet, comes off the heels of what many consider to be their heaviest release, Descensus. While that album showed just how enraged the band could sound without altering their core tone, it was also a high water mark in the band's career that would prove hard to follow up. The Amulet manages to do this extremely well in a way many weren't expecting: by toning down the anger and bringing beauty and pain back to the forefront.The music here has a little something for every Circa fan. Like the groove laden energy of Descensus? Check out Never Tell A Soul or the groove centric Rites of Investiture. A fan of the more straightforward songwriting of Blue Sky Noise and Violent Waves? The spooky prod of Lustration and The Amulet have you covered. One of the many Circa fans that fell in love with Juturna/On Letting Go? Try Premonitions of the Hex and It Only Gets Worse At Night. No matter the style the band's instrumentals are as tight and melodic as ever, with plenty of feather-light guitars, thumping bass and spazzy jazz drumming accenting the LP.Anthony's vocals have made a bit of a change on this album, being blended into the soundscape and functioning almost like a fifth instrument. That isn't to say he doesn't shine like always, however. From the first falsetto lines of Lustration to the subdued screams that close the title track, Green keeps his vocals airy but commanding throughout. Lyrically The Amulet lends itself more to engaged conversation than a quick summary, but that's most always been the case with Anthony's surreal lines. A quick nod MUST be made to Premonitions of the Hex and its lyrics of vivid pain and stunning imagery (You never see what's coming/unlock your fingers from my hand/slice up and not across when/you try to make the deepest cut).The Amulet is a challenging listen on the first few spins with just how subdued a lot of these songs are, but it will reward you greatly with repeated listens. Not as immediate as their early work or as structured as their mid-period, the Amulet is a natural progression for Circa that will undoubtedly be dissected by their fanbase for years to come.For fans of; Thrice, Thursday, "Swan-Core"Choice Jams; Premonitions of the Hex, It Only Gets Worse..., Rites of Investiture