Creating and recording new music is often considered the lifeblood of any band — an ethos AOR torchbearers STYX continue to embody with the highly anticipated release of CIRCLING FROM ABOVE, the 18th studio album in their formidable catalog via the band’s label, Alpha Dog 2T/UMe. Spanning 13 tracks, the album navigates the complexities of the human experience through the intersecting lenses of technology and nature.

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”), guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, original bassist Chuck Panozzo, longtime drummer Todd Sucherman, keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan, guitarist/vocalist Will Evankovich and bassist Terry Gowan.

CIRCLING FROM ABOVE is a dynamic collection that reflects the full emotional and stylistic range of the Styx canon. It’s muscular yet introspective, theatrical in moments and layered in sincerity at others — balancing progressive leanings with deeper, thought-provoking messages.

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. A masterclass in storytelling, it blends signature STYX hallmarks with bold steps forward — building on the creative momentum of recent releases THE MISSION (2017) and CRASH OF THE CROWN (2021).

The album was produced by Evankovich, who also helmed the band’s previous two records before becoming an official member in 2022. All 13 songs were penned in various combinations by the band’s songwriting triumvirate of Shaw, Evankovich and Lawrence Gowan. Referencing the trio’s creative spark, Lawrence Gowan says it’s not a simple case of majority rules but rather a true collaborative endeavor.

Midway through writing the album, a loose theme began to orbit the band’s creative process — a gravitational pull, if you will, guiding them down the straight road Shaw describes. In a moment of studio serendipity, talk turned to an app that tracks abandoned satellites, those silent relics of once-lofty ambition. From that spark, the opening tracks — including the title cut and “Build and Destroy” — took shape, tracing the tension between human ingenuity and the dreams we sometimes discard in its pursuit.

1. Circling From Above
2. Build and Destroy
3. Michigan
4. King of Love
5. It’s Clear
6. Forgive
7. Everyone Raise A Glass
8. Blue Eyed Raven
9. She Knows
10. Ease Your Mind
11. The Things That You Said
12. We Lost the Wheel Again
13. Only You Can Decide