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The Stellenbosch four-piece say Part III is being finished and their next concept is already locked in.
The story
Stellenbosch band Doomtrigger have released Circles: Part II, the second instalment of a trilogy built on Dante’s Inferno, on all major streaming platforms. Speaking to AFRICA.ROCKS, the band said this chapter covers the circles of greed, anger and heresy, with the short pieces ‘Hoarders & Spenders’ and ‘False Teachers’ acting as segues into each circle.
Doomtrigger began as Ken Loubser’s lockdown studio project and grew into a four-piece with frontman Jason Smith, Robbie Blair and Etienne Nel. The band say the Circles material is deliberately heavier than their earlier EPs, including Dark Continuum, while keeping melody and groove. They have toured Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Gqeberha, and say Circles: Part III will close the trilogy, with the next concept already decided.
Artwork: Doomtrigger, Circles: Part II
We wanted to push ourselves and see how brutal we can go.
Etienne Nel, Doomtrigger
Get it: Doomtrigger
- Stream Circles: Part II on Spotify, Apple Music and the other major platforms.
- Start with Circles: Part I (2024) if you are new to the trilogy.
- Catch them live: the band play regularly at Aandklas in Stellenbosch and tour nationally.
Our take
Splitting a concept across three releases is a smart play for an independent SA band: each part is a new reason to tour, pitch press and stay visible, without the cost of one large album. It also suits streaming, where steady drops beat long silences.
The interview is also a useful map of how the scene works now. The band credit promoters and DIY crews such as Emalyth, Breakneck Bookings, Cape Town Metal Realm and Devilnest for connecting cities, and their national touring shows that a Western Cape band can build an audience in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. That is how the next generation of SA metal gets to Wacken Metal Battle level.
Bottom line
For fans of melodic death metal and concept records. Stream it now, and watch for Part III: a trilogy finale plus a launch show is the moment to buy merch and support directly.
Release sheet
| Band | Doomtrigger (Stellenbosch) |
| Release | Circles: Part II |
| Series | Circles trilogy, after Dante’s Inferno |
| Themes | Greed, anger, heresy |
| Line-up | Jason Smith, Ken Loubser, Robbie Blair, Etienne Nel |
| Listen | All major streaming platforms |
The original
Doomtrigger: “We wanted to see how brutal we can go”
Issued by AFRICA.ROCKS (interview by Joel Costa)
