celeste

The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 272 (2.25.2023)

ChrisLeave a comment

playlist - mixtape

Yeah…sometimes life just comes up and not only bites you in the ass, but grabs a hold and throws you down in the ditch, pisses on your head and laughs as it walks away. So this week’s edition – the 272nd – of the Nine Circles Playlist is coming a little later than it should, and that’s all on me. So I’m gonna make the preamble short and just get right into the meat of the matter, starting with a doozy from the new Venomous Concept album. I love the more punk and post-punk elements on it and hope you will, too. Looking through my recent vinyl acquisitions we’re also gonna drop a pair of 90s classics from Eucharist and Amorphis so you can all feel that weird snare and the cold ice blue of Finnish metal.

The rest of the staff will keep things on par with the usual varied insanity. So get your ears ready for music from the likes of Usnea, Klone, Polymoon, Grave Pleasures, Birdflesh, Lotus Eater Machine, Gravpel, Ulthar, Leander Kills, Dååth, Botanist, Big|Brave, Anatomy of Habit, and the newest from VoidCeremony. But that’s not all: you get some old emo from Marietta, some more In Flames love, older tracks from Opeth, Spectral Lore and Madder Mortem and a few more surprises, not to mention the ALWAYS appropriate Joy Division to close things out.

Get listening. Stay safe. See you next week…

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– Chris

The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 220 (2.26.2022)

ChrisLeave a comment
playlist - mixtape

Say goodbye, February. I wish I could say goodbye to the panic, the anxiety, and the fear as well, but tyrants are gonna tyrant, I guess. At least there’s music to keep us from falling over the brink, so let’s just jump into the 220th edition of the Nine Circles Playlist, and do what we can to stay informed, stay sane, and make what small differences we can to make this planet better for everyone.

I’m framing the playlist out with some Scatterbrain, because that describes my mental state at the moment and quite frankly it’s the music I needed to lighten the mood up. Anton brings in Ernia, Mass Worship, and Playgrounded. Josh mixes it up with Analepsy, Atoll, Black Flag and some vintage Dokken, among others. Vincent continues falling for Mitski and toe, but also rages with Worm and the new Falls of Rauros. Angela features the latest from Messa, Celeste, and Trna as well as a banger from Oathbreaker. And Buke? Buke goes with the latest from Spirit Adrift and Evil Invaders, but then hits the wayback button for some Candlemass, Dark Angel, Mercyful Fate, and Megadeth.

Get listening. Stay safe. See you next week.

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– Chris

The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 217 (2.5.2022)

ChrisLeave a comment
playlist - mixtape

If you grew up listening to metal in the 80s, you know just how important the name Johnny Zazula was. If I found a cassette put out by Megaforce Records or otherwise had Johnny Z’s name associated with it, I was buying it. He was a giant in the field of thrash metal, and losing him at the age of 69 is a crying shame. So yeah, we’re kicking off the 2017th edition of the Nine Circles Playlist with a bunch of stuff associated with him. Throw one back for a titan of the genre.

The rest of the crew is all over the map, so let’s get to it. Anton brings the heavy and the new with Absent in Body, Wait, and The Last of Lucy. Ian hits with Celeste who I’ve really been digging lately, and throws in some Warning and Stormkeep to keep it moving. Josh threw me into a timewarp listening to the great first album by Tora Tora, but quickly amps the heavy up with Corpsegrinder, Extinction A.D. and Centinex (oh, and some DMX which is as heavy as anything else on this playlist). Vincent reliably brings The Mountain Goats and adds in some Elle and Cremation Lily. Angela keeps the new train moving with the new single from Messa, the latest from Rolo Tomassi and some Microwave while Buke – perhaps sensing my bringing in enough of the old school – goes decidedly modern and heavy with Dying Fetus, Ihsahn, Arcturus, and Diabolical Masquerade.

Pour one out for Johnny Z. We’ll see you next week.

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– Chris

CANTO: Cult of Luna, Celeste, Abhoria, and More

CoreyLeave a comment

I believe the dust has settled on the misery that has been the last week.

  • Wake have a run of shows coming up in March with End, Portrayal of Guilt, and Yashira. The tour kicks off on March 3rd in Philadelphia, and wraps up on the 26th. Here’s the full story, for those interested.
  • Godflesh & Lustmord revealed the first single from The Others (Lustmord Deconstructed). Check out “Ashen” here, and pick up the compilation through Pelagic Records here. There are a ton of awesome names attached to this effort so… have at it.
  • New Cult of Luna is always worth sharing. Check out “Into the Night”, a track taken from their upcoming new album, The Long Road North. That one drops on February 11th through Metal Blade Records. I know a lot of Nine Circlers have already pre-ordered that one.
  • Abhoria premiered a new single from their upcoming self-titled new album. Check out the clip for “Sunless” over at Decibel. That album is out on February 4th through Prosthetic Records, and can be purchased here.
  • Let’s wrap up with the new music video from Celeste for “Le Cœur Noir Charbon”. The avant-garde black metallers are releasing Assassine(s) on January 28th, and you can pre-order that here.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

Nine Circles ov…2018 in NOT-Metal (so far…)

DanLeave a comment

9CovNotMetal

Around this time last week, our good buddy Chris shared his thoughts on 2018’s best metal to date. And now — surprise! — I’m here to do the same for the NOT-metal side of things.

In my book — with some notable exceptions like Judicator, Amorphis and Wallachia — the metal’s kind been lagging behind all the other stuff so far this year. That’s not to say I’ve heard anything bad from the heavier realm this year; just that I haven’t heard as much that’s really stuck with me as in years past. That, of course, will have cleared up by the end of the year; it always does.

But for now, you’re getting a NOT-metal list and, dammit, you’re gonna like it! Continue reading →