![]() ![]() ![]() That lightness even seems to lift up Radigan’s voice, which occasionally (and for the first time on a Magic Circle record) reminds me of Geddy Lee through the playtime of the album.Īll of the performances here are absolutely rock solid the singing is just about perfect, the lead guitar flows above the tight rhythms with beautiful blues rock leads, and the drums and bass lock together in wonderful groove. A sense of lightness pervades, bringing sunshine into even the darkest bits. The base sound here is from the earliest days of doom metal combined with a strong influence from the sorts of bands that influenced Black Sabbath themselves, and the result is powerful slow riffs that rollick into fun rocking ones and back as each song’s evolution requires. With Departed Souls, Magic Circle has played more fully to their strengths than ever before. There have always been mixed influences, some of which have been approached better than others- the first album’s sometimes-attempts at recreating the magic of Trouble fell much flatter than their Sabbath-isms, and some of the heavy metal leanings contrasted oddly with the doom. Nothing about that has changed here- but some of the approach within that box has. Magic Circle from the very start has been marked by vocalist Brendan Radigan’s unique and emotional singing, old school doom metal riffs, great leads, a bluesy hard rock attitude, and pounding drums. ![]() Rumor has it that many more songs have been written for some of their groups that were then abandoned for the sake of having high standards, which is just wild with how busy they stay. These guys are crazy prolific, and somehow, that doesn’t mean that they’re putting quality control to the wayside. Magic Circle are a veritable supergroup at this point (though it wasn’t always that way, unless you’re a hardcore fanatic!), with musicians from bands like Pagan Altar, Torture Chain, Sumerlands, and Innumerable Forms just to name a few of many. Even more exciting is when the material actually lives up to the band’s previous albums, and to the legacy of the members’ collective musical output. An odd hole.One of the most exciting things in music is getting new material from a band you’ve known and loved for years. A Forbiddance that can block level 5 creatures costs the same as a Forbiddance that blocks level 30, rituals are one of the few things in the game that don't have their cost scale. The same problem comes about with things like Forbiddance. It was pointed out before that the spying ritual (forget the name right now) was too short and too expensive to be useful. This does raise a point though on a problem with rituals. All of which can be blocked with Forbiddance. Likewise True Portal and Plane Shift rituals will work, True Portal since it's a teleport and Plane Shift since you're coming in from another plane. Teleport doesn't "pass through", there is no line of effect. It is pretty sick for blocking exits or making safe camp points as most monsters can't teleport. This is what I'm curious to hear more about, what tricks do you use so that ritual has its proper power but isn't seen in every shop and corner of the world. So there are good reasons that wouldn't work. An undead army could have a few living people whose soul (hehe soul) job is to run at the circle, and break it. For example, a city with some wizards could easily make their borders completely immune from an attack by shadow creatures or undead in literally a day or twos time. However, when I think about it, honestly in a world where lots of classes can learn rituals, I would think this ritual should be everywhere, binding against undead if nothing else, or perhaps shadow creatures and the like. I've also set up some circles that were low enough level that my party could pass them without damage. In my game I've allowed the dispel magic power to erase magic circle for some passability. Its the ultimate form of protection.ģe has your permanent walls of force in the like, but nothing like magic circle for its low level availability. With an easy arcana check, my party can ensure that no creature can bypass the circle (including themselves by the strict reading of the ritual) nor can creatures attack through it. I have found magic circle to be the most powerful ritual my party has.from a scale of its power compared to its level. I'm curious to know how people use magic circle in the "metaplot" of their game. ![]()
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