Nine Circles

In a few short weeks another year will finally kick the bucket.  At this point most of us are on autopilot, dead-walking through a daze of days gesturing in the fervent hope we can pass as having some semblance of work ethic until the clock turns over and it’s back to the same old song and dance again in the Year of Our (Loud) Lord 2020.

Until then, we managed to pry some choice picks of 2019 from the gnawed fingers of the 9C staff.  We’ve crunched the numbers, tallied the votes, screwed up and tallied them again, and came up with the first ever (unless I’m wrong… it’s too late and I’m too lazy to check) Nine Circles Combined Staff Top 9 for the year.  It’s basically a Nine Circles ov… Nine Circles, v. 2019. So enough procrastinating… hit that link and let’s do this thing.

That’s enough of an intro.  You’re here to read, mock, revile, savage and maybe… just maybe, cackle with glee at our picks.  So without further ado…

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The Nine Circles Top 9 of 2019

9. Swallow the Sun – When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light

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8. Moon Tooth – Crux

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7. Opeth – In Cauda Venenum

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6. Idle Hands – Mana

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5. Numenorean – Adore

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4. Falls of Rauros – Patterns in Mythology

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3. Schammasch – Hearts of No Light

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2. Blood Incantation – Hidden History of the Human Race

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1. Alcest – Spiritual Instinct

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Anyway, there you have it. Here are a couple fun facts behind the data that may only be interesting to me…

• Blood Incantation and Alcest appeared in the most individual lists (8)
• Alcest had the most first place votes (3), and Schammasch came in second with, you guessed it, two. No other album received more than one.
• 113 different albums ended up in our combined list…
• …And 39 ended up in multiple lists. Apparently we don’t listen to the same things.
• Moon Tooth, Wilderun, and Swallow the Sun ended up in a three-way tie for eighth, and the tie-breaker is a complete mystery (but Moon Tooth finishing above Swallow the Sun is 10% correct). Sorry, Wilderun.
• This was a lot of fun and we will definitely do it again next year. Maybe. If everyone follows the rules next time.

Individual lists will follow soon so you can continue to mock, revile, cackle, gasp, and talk smack behind the keyboard about them all. And, while you’re smack talking, grow a pair and let us know what you would have put up here. Bring it. All kidding aside, 2019 has been another stellar year in the metal realm but then again, you’ve read that EVERYWHERE by now so stay tuned while we get list season underway.

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