Among the kind of music fans who attend the Warped Tour every summer and read AbsolutePunk.net every morning before heading off to school, expectations for Circa Survive's On Letting Go have been staggering. Supposedly, this record separates the ambitious Philadelphia post-hardcore outfit from its uninspired emo-rock peers. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to the hype.
Yes, when the band channels obvious idols like U2 and The Mars Volta on "The Difference Between Medicine And Poison Is In The Dose," it seems destined to sell out amphitheaters. But far too often, Circa Survive also gets bogged down with lackluster guitar workouts like "Mandala" and "Kicking Your Crosses Down," both of which threaten classic-rock grandiosity, but sadly, never quite deliver.