candlemass – Nine Circles

CANTO: Dawn Ray’d, Tribulation, Spirit Possession, and More

March 2, 2023March 2, 2023CoreyLeave a comment

Weird vibes in the air today. No into it!

This is fun. Tribulation released a cover of Blue Öyster Cult’s “Vengeance (The Pact)”. That single is the latest from their new EP, Hamartia, which is out on April 7 through Century Media.
The 35th anniversary of Nightfall is on the horizon, and to mark the occasion Candlemass are releasing a deluxe triple colored LP set. It drops next week, on March 10, through Peaceville, and you can see a trailer for it here.
Portland black metal entity Spirit Possession are releasing their second full-length, Of The Sign…, on March 31 through Profound Lore. Today they revealed the latest from that album, “Orthodox Weapons”, which you can check out here.
Extreme heavy metallers Evil Invaders dropped a live video for “In Deepest Black”, which includes festival footage from last year smashed together with recordings from the release parties for Shattering Reflection. That album is out now through Napalm.
Dawn Ray’d is releasing their third full-length, To Know The Light, on March 24 through Prosthetic Records. So to close out the day, we’ll give “Go As Free Companions” a watch and listen, the latest from their forthcoming album.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

CANTO: Majesties, Rotten Sound, Deathstars, and More

January 25, 2023January 25, 2023CoreyLeave a comment

Major box checked today on the to-do list, which means it’s time to buy some stuff I don’t need.

Leading off, we have the latest from Majesties. I know we’re all excited for Vast Reaches Unclaimed, which is officially out on March 3rd through 20 Buck Spin, so let’s give “In Yearning, Alive” a listen. Unsurprisingly, it’s awesome. I can’t wait to hear this thing in full.
Connecticut-based melodic death/doom band Fires In The Distance have set April 28th as the release date for Air Not Meant For Us, which will be available through Prosthetic Records. Today they’re streaming a lyric video for the new track “Harbingers” over at Knotfest.
Swedish industrial act Deathstars have announced details surrounding Everything Destroys You. Their first release in over eight years will be out on May 5th through Nuclear Blast, and a video for the new track “This Is” can be seen here.
Doom legends Candlemass offered up a lyric video for “Angel Battle”, a track taken from Sweet Evil Sun. That album is out now through Napalm.
Out of Season of Mist, we have some fresh Finnish grindcore to tie this all up with. Check out the video from Rotten Sound for “Suburban Bliss” below. That one is taken from Apocalypse, their eighth studio album set for a March 31st release. The hits keep on coming already in 2023.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

CANTO: Candlemass, Hypno5e, Ulthar, and More

December 16, 2022December 16, 2022CoreyLeave a comment

Weird how Friday has turned into my most productive day of each week.

Candlesmass has announced a small handful of dates on the West Coast next March, starting in Seattle and working their way down to San Diego. Here’s the full schedule.
French avant-garde metal outfit Hypno5e are releasing Sheol on February 24 through Pelagic Records, and today they’re streaming a new track over at Metal Injection titled “Sheol Part II”.
Canadian epic metallers Gatekeeper (yes, I read that as Gatecreeper the first time too) are releasing From Western Shores on March 24 through Cruz Del Sur Music, and today they unveiled the first single in “Exiled King”.
Dead Soul Alliance have set February 17 as the release date for Spiralling to Lunacy. That will be available through Cryptorium9, and you can hear “Products of Pain” right now at this location.
Blackened death metal trio Ulthar are releasing not one, but two new full-lengths on February 17. Anthronomicon and Helionomicon will be out through 20 Buck Spin, and you can hear “Astranumeral Octave Chants” below. That’s the fifth track on Anthronomicon, in case you were wondering.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

Nine Circles ov…Albums We Didn’t Get To in 2022

November 29, 2022November 28, 2022Chris2 Comments

It happens like it does every year: things fall through the cracks, promos don’t arrive, or we simply didn’t have the capacity to cover everything we want to cover, let alone everything that comes out in a calendar year. At this point folks are finalizing end of year lists and maybe – just maybe – some of these records will be represented on them, and so some accounting was in order. Or it could just be that we needed some content this week, so I went through my folder of 2022 music and picked nine albums to briefly opine on for this latest edition of Nine Circles ov…

You decide.

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The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 258 (11.19.2022)

November 19, 2022November 19, 2022Chris1 Comment

I love the phrase “cold comfort”. Taken in its intended meaning, the world may be falling apart, but at least the music’s been good, right? But I also find that with the cold weather comes the deep desire to drown in a wash of the nostalgic, the lived in, the…well, comfortable. So we’re kicking off the 258th edition of the Nine Circles Playlist with the remaster of “Total Eclipse”, rightfully put back in the track listing for Iron Maiden‘s seminal 1982 album, now packaged with the incredible Beast Over Hammersmith live album.

From there we move onto more extreme corners, kicking things off with new Candlemass before going full on throat ripping with Sanguisugabogg, Ribspreader, Psionic Madness, Turbid North, Spider God, and new Nothingness. There are small breaks with classics from Against Me! and Refused before diving back into the filth with Cloud Rat, Wormrot, Falls of Rauros, The Otolith, new Gaupa and a lot more.