Styx has released their 18th studio album, Circling From Above, a 13-track, 41-minute project. The album examines the human experience through the lenses of technology and nature, building on the creative momentum of their recent records The Mission (2017) and Crash of the Crown (2021).
Circling From Above features all seven current members—Tommy Shaw, James "JY" Young, Chuck Panozzo, Todd Sucherman, Lawrence Gowan, Will Evankovich, and Terry Gowan. Produced by guitarist/vocalist Will Evankovich. Songs were co-written by the trio of Shaw, Evankovich, and Lawrence Gowan in a collaborative environment. Inspired, the album explores the tension between human creation, ambition, and environmental stewardship—symbolized on the cover art by a flock of starlings forming a single bird over a broken satellite dish.
Creating and recording new music is often considered the lifeblood of any
band — an ethos AOR torchbearers Styx continue to embody with the release of Circling From Above, the 18th studio album in their formidable catalog. Spanning 13 tracks, the album navigates the complexities of the human experience through the intersecting lenses of technology and nature. The album, the band’s third in eight years, delivers a 41-minute, end-to-end listening experience that is both thought-provoking and exhilarating.
Styx has remained a touring juggernaut for the past 25 years, but according to guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, the band’s current streak of artistic resurgence in the studio is due to multiple factors tethered to a deep sense of harmony.
“There’s just a lot of positive flow right now,” says Shaw. “There’s a lot of people playing great, and there’s a lot of love, respect and excitement about each other’s talents. Bands can go lifetimes and never have this kind of rapport and chemistry.”
Circling From Above features contributions from all seven members of the band, including founding guitarist/vocalist James “JY” Young (affectionately known as “The Godfather of Styx”), Shaw, original bassist Chuck Panozzo, drummer Todd Sucherman, keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan, and newest members Will Evankovich (guitars and vocals) and Terry Gowan (bass).
