Every Circa Survive album ranked: From worst to best

During their nearly 18-year run as a band, post-hardcore quintet Circa Survive made a substantial impact on the alternative music scene through their seven genre-defining albums. Fronted by the charismatic and dynamic Anthony Green, Circa Survive’s music pushed the boundaries of their core genre by writing inventive song arrangements that meandered between virtuosic guitar and drum work to melodic sensibilities that highlighted Green’s high-pitched and unmistakable vocals. 

Upon the band’s formation in 2004, Green already had a lot of hype surrounding him, having recently and abruptly departed Southern California screamo mainstays Saosin just as they began to take off. Despite the enormous feat of launching a second career in the wake of an already blossoming legacy, Green did the impossible. Circa Survive became and continue to remain Green’s most identifiable and beloved musical project. 

Read more: 15 greatest supergroups across rock, punk, and metal

While the Warped Tour scene initially adopted the band due to Green’s initial tenure with Saosin, the band quickly graduated to new audiences, drawing everyone from post-rock fans to hip indie-rock tastemakers. Unsurprisingly, Circa Survive toured with a wide range of acts and even had a brief yet impactful moment in the mainstream spotlight at the dawn of the 2010s. 

However, the band went on an indefinite hiatus in the fall of 2022 after a series of COVID-19-related delays to their touring schedule and Green’s well-documented battles with mental health and substance misuse. But one thing is for sure: Circa Survive left behind a tremendous legacy. When the time is right, one can only assume they will return more vigorously with a host of compelling new material. 

Every Circa Survive album ranked

Circa Survive

7. Violent Waves (2012)

Circa Survive have always worked with exceptional producers throughout their career, ranging from Brian McTernan (Cave In, Senses Fail) and David Bottrill (Muse, Mudvayne) to Will Yip (Turnstile, Turnover). So, when the band decided to self-produce their fourth record, Violent Waves, they took a considerable risk, and it just didn't pay off. Violent Waves was Circa Survive getting lost in over-reverberated guitars, dragging mid-tempo arrangements and vocals that didn't quite showcase the true scope of Green's majestic talents. Conversely, the album feels like their most distant offering, as if there is a self-imposed wall that prevents those chill-inducing and vulnerable moments you expect from a Circa Survive record. 

Violent Waves has a few standout tracks, including the jazz and funk-inflected "Sharp Practice" and the wild guitar magic of "The Lottery," which features Thursday vocalist Geoff Rickly. Opener "Birth of The Economic Hit Man" is the closest we get to heavy Circa Survive and a moment for Green to let his voice crack with unrestrained emotion. However, the track ultimately gets your hopes wrong, as the album's remainder carries a different weight. Not to mention, the song is over seven minutes long, and like the majority of the record, it comes off bloated and in need of a producer’s opinion. 

Sumerian Records

6. Descensus (2014)

It only makes sense that they ventured into slightly more aggressive territory again when Circa Survive signed to prominent heavy-metal label Sumerian Records for their fifth studio album, Descensus. Upon releasing the album's incendiary lead single, "Schema," it felt like the band would put out a much-needed album of unrelenting post-hardcore bangers. Still, it did not live up to those expectations. While teased as a return to form, the album didn’t offer much of their knack for aggression other than distorted guitars and the occasional wailing vocal from Green. 

Once again, the music feels a tad self-indulgent, especially on tracks such as the nearly nine-minute-long closer "Descensus," which admittedly has a great bass tone, but that only gets a song so far. However, there are still some golden musical moments on the record, including the prog-metal epic "Child of the Desert" (those guitar riffs will kick you right in the teeth) and the dynamic, time signature-bending "Always Begin." "Sovereign Circle" is a fantastic song that has undoubtedly influenced a Dance Gavin Dance track or two in the ensuing years.

Hopeless Records

5. The Amulet (2017)

In a parallel universe, The Amulet is the album Circa Survive should have put out following their sophomore release, On Letting Go, as it possesses a more delicate balance between progressive instrumentation, melody, and lush sounds while still retaining inklings of their post-hardcore and emo past. Tracks such as "Never Tell A Soul," while eerily reminiscent of their earlier material, still are engaging and enjoyable due to the way Green weaves melodies together as if he’s painting a picture. At the same time, the instruments provide a striking canvas. 

"Tunnel Vision" is another standout song that feels like the lovechild between Radiohead and ’90s emo pioneers Mineral, with Green offering his falsetto vocals. Additionally, "Stay" shows guitarists Colin Frangicetto and Brendan Ekstrom’s locked-in dynamics, resulting in a downright shred fest. Still, even with these high points, The Amulet is simply a good but not great album that doesn’t eclipse the upper echelon of their catalog due to the noticeable absence of big hooks and catchy choruses. Without something easy to latch on to or sing along to, the songs ultimately get lost in the ether after a few listens. 

Rise Records

4. Two Dreams (2022)

Circa Survive's swan song (at least for now), Two Dreams was undoubtedly the most radical departure in the band's career. The album, composed of the two EPs A Dream About Love and A Dream About Death, plays out much more like a Radiohead album a la OK Computer or Kid A than the progressive post-hardcore sound they typically favored. Two Dreams allowed Green to channel his deepest fears and anxieties while continuing to stretch his voice in unimaginable ways. This is clear on the opening track "Imposter Syndrome," a moody yet painfully intimate look into Green's psyche that tackles feelings of self-doubt, guilt, and years of substance misuse in candid detail. 

"Even Better" and "Curitiba" are hands down the best tracks on the album, and with every high-pitched wail that comes out of Green's vocal cords, you can't help but get the chills and feel the weight of every lyric he sings. Additionally, the band's instrumental experimentation is at peak form on tracks such as the breakbeat-laden "Sleep Well" and "Electric Moose," as well as the stuttering acoustic and slide guitar of "Gone For Good," which even incorporates some nostalgic Saosin-era harmonies. 

Equal Vision Records

3. On Letting Go (2007)

Circa Survive played it a bit safe on their sophomore record, On Letting Go. In retrospect, it was a good idea to avoid backlash, but ultimately didn’t earn it the top spot of their discography. While the album wasn’t groundbreaking by any means, it still contains some of their most beloved and exceptional tracks, including "Living Together," which is still the best opening track they have ever written. "The Difference Between Medicine And Poison Is the Dose" should have been a much bigger hit for the band considering it received regular airplay on MTV2 and Fuse in the late 2000s. 

"Mandala" and "Travel Hymn" are also top-tier, and both feel like the band were smoking the right strain of weed during their creation, with their shared hazy and experimental grooves. Plus, the lead guitar riff on "In The Morning And Amazing" has been ripped off more times than anyone can count over the years by other post-hardcore groups. Still, even with these high points, On Letting Go is essentially just their debut album, Juturna, albeit with fewer hooks and more intricate guitar work. 

Atlantic Records

2. Blue Sky Noise (2010)

For their debut Atlantic Records release Blue Sky Noise, Circa Survive enlisted famous rock producer David Bottrill to take their post-hardcore sound to a new level of accessibility without losing any of their core elements. On Blue Sky Noise, Circa Survive ventured into more rock ’n’ roll territory, favoring big choruses and earworm guitar riffs — coupled with juiced-up production and an emphasis on capturing the band's live dynamic. 

The album's lead singles "Get Out" and "Imaginary Enemy" could very well be the most fully realized tracks of their career. They feel like a holy union between the Mars Volta and Led Zeppelin — subsequently proving that you can make radio-ready rock music explode with depth as long as the songwriting is top notch. Additionally, tracks such as "I Felt Free" and "Frozen Creek” show a more tender, reflective side to the band and evoke memories of Sunny Day Real Estate's criminally underrated 1997 LP How It Feels to Be Something On. And while the band primarily avoided heaviness on Blue Sky Noise, "Glass Arrows" and "Through The Desert Alone" satiate the listener and add a touch of grit to what is otherwise a glossy, well-written rock record. 

Equal Vision Records

1. Juturna (2005)

The fate of Green’s career was entirely dependent on the potential success of Circa Survive's debut album, Juturna. After releasing their seminal and genre-defining self-titled EP, Green had recently departed the Southern California-based screamo trendsetters Saosin. Thankfully, Juturna more than delivered and is now almost universally regarded as the band's strongest album. On the lead single "Act Appalled," Circa Survive made their presence known and managed to take left-field post-hardcore and make it catchy as all hell. 

Other notable tracks include the mesmerizing "Holding Someone's Hair Back" and "Stop The Fucking Car," as well as "The Glorious Nosebleed" and "In Fear and Faith," the latter of which would go on to be the name of a now-defunct metalcore act from San Diego. Closer "Meet Me in Montauk" is an exercise in artistic minimalism, centered around a detuned acoustic guitar and Green's vocals processed through a series of chorus and tape delay effects that offer a lullaby-like quality to end the album. Juturna is simply one of those albums that will continue to be talked about for years due to its trailblazing nature, fearless instrumentation, and poignant lyricism.