alcest – Nine Circles

The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 333 (4.27.2024)

April 27, 2024April 26, 2024JoshLeave a comment

Happy frickin’ Saturday and welcome to the 333rd edition of our weekly mixtape, aka The Nine Circles Playlist. It’s been an insane few weeks release wise so between that and the nearly infinite possibilities of music picks we’ve got a killer playlist for you here this week. I kick things off with 200 Stab Wounds because…hell yea and an acoustic version of a favorite Periphery song of mine. Spoiler here: I do miss Matt Halpern’s presence behind the kit but this track still rules. Elsewhere, our esteemed team of 9C writers have their own favorites to share which include cuts from Hail Spirit Noir, Alcest, YOB, Zeal and Ardor, Zelenaya, Darkthrone, and a ton more.

Get listening. Stay safe. See you next week. Oh, Chris will probably be back next week. He’s off doing metal stuff in case you were wondering.

—

— Josh

The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 332 (4.20.2024)

April 20, 2024April 20, 2024ChrisLeave a comment

Morning. Depending on your particular predilections, Happy Record Store Day and/or Happy 4-20, man. I guess it could be both (let’s face it, it’s probably both). I’m sitting both out for now as I get ready for a family outing, but in the meantime there’s this new Alcest everyone is crowing about, not to mention the utter obscene amount of good music that just came out from the likes of Couch Slut, DVNE, and High on Fire, to mention a few of the bands I just received physical copies of (not through the site, but through plain old supporting the artist). Oh, and Julie Christmas is coming back with new madness, so prepare your souls!

Our crackerjack team of 9C writers have their own penchants and partialities to share, including sonic riches from Fractal Generator, Hippotraktor and Celeste; a pair of live in the studio cuts from Marriages and Now, Now; more killer cuts from recent releases by the likes of Hekseblad, Atræ Bilis, and Ingested and a lot more. All that and we’re closing out with the return of the mighty Whores. No doubt that one is going to make a few of our EOY lists (me and Josh, at least).

Get listening. Stay safe. See you next week.

—

– Chris

CANTO: Alcest, Inter Arma, Doomcrusher, and More

April 18, 2024April 18, 2024CoreyLeave a comment

I’m starting to sense it… my first trail run of the year is drawing near.

Leading off, the latest from Inter Arma, who have been steadily revealing more material from New Heaven. That album is out a week from tomorrow through Relapse Records, and you can listen to “Desolation’s Harp” here.
Next up, syk. The progressive black and death metallers are dropping eartHFlesh on May 10 through Season of Mist, and “I am the beast” is available for your listening pleasure right now.
Here’s a cool thing. Octoploid, the new project from bassist Olli-Pekka “Oppu” Laine (Amorphis, Barren Earth), will release their debut full-length on July 5 through Reigning Phoenix Music, titled Beyond The Aeons. Check out “Human Amoral” here, a track that features Tomi Joutsen.
Doomcrusher just dropped their sophomore single, “Reflect”, which you can hear (and watch) here. So if you need a dose of heavy in your Thursday… there you have it.
I can think of someone at Nine Circles excited about the upcoming new Alcest album (or, you know, all of us), so let’s end with their new video for “Flamme Jumelle”. As a reminder, Les Chants De L’Aurore is out on June 21 through Nuclear Blast.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 325 (3.2.2024)

March 2, 2024March 1, 2024ChrisLeave a comment

The 325th edition of the Nine Circles Playlist is reasonably sober and trying desperately not to screw up. But it’s so hard when the latest from Pissed Jeans is blasting through your headphones like a Neanderthal with a pickaxe. Not to mention since it’s a new year OF COURSE Haunt have a new album out and it’s just as great as every other release. Oh, did I mention the new Bruce Dickinson album is finally out in the wild? It is, and you can hear his solo version of “If Eternity Should Fail” right here.

We’ve got a lot more than that on deck, though. A quick perusal of the staff’s listening habits have exposed among other things cuts from Dool, Olamut, Hideous Divinity, Cult Burial, Civerous, Heavy Temple, more video game music I am completely lost by (thanks, Dan); more alternate versions of Enslaved tunes (thanks, Colin), and finally because I do love it, I’m allowing the latest single from Alcest to close things out even though we opened with it last week (thanks, Vince).

Get listening. Stay safe. See you next week.

—

– Chris

Donuts & CANTO: Alcest, Darkest Hour, Hand of Kalliach, and More

February 24, 2024February 24, 2024CoreyLeave a comment

Yeah, we’re on the Saturday morning inbox cleaning routine this weekend. Thanks alcohol!

Hand of Kalliach dropped Corryvreckan yesterday, an album I’ve been enjoying so far. So on that note, we’ll lead in with the “Cirein-Cròin” lyric video released to mark the occasion. That album is available through Prosthetic Records.
Wormwitch and Sadistic Ritual are releasing a split EP on March 22 through Boris Records. The blackened and progressive thrash outfits are each contributing three tracks, and “Spells Of Tartarus” and “The Recusant” can be heard now.
Darkest Hour released Perpetual | Terminal yesterday, which I have been told is quite good… I just haven’t listened myself yet. Anyway, they celebrated that with the video for “One With the Void”. That album is out through MNRK Heavy.
Spoken are releasing a new album on March 15 through XOVR Records titled Reflection. Get a sample of what’s coming with “Sleeper”, the third single taken from that upcoming collection, which features Demon Hunter’s Ryan Clark.
It would be foolish to not end this week’s news roundup with Alcest. A new album, Les Chants De L’Aurore, is scheduled for release on June 21 through Nuclear Blast. Check out the first offering from that, “L’Envol”, below.