cruciamentum

Best of 2023: Corey’s List

Corey1 Comment
Best of 2023


Well, here we are again. Another year of listening to metal. And then talking about it. Usually celebrating it. Sometimes arguing about it (way too much of that for some of us…). But when you’re embedded in this art on a different, more personal level, as we all are, that kind of comes with the territory. It’s how this blog came to be, what, a decade ago? Crazy how we’ve made it to this point, honestly. So, with all of that said, I’m once again proud to share my favorite albums from the year that was, which you will eventually find below.

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Best of 2023: Chris’s Honorable Mentions

Chris5 Comments
Best of 2023

I think this is the last time I’m doing this.

Not making end of year lists – the act of putting down words to codify the reasons why you love something is a vital part of what keeps me sane, and I can’t see myself stopping that, regardless of whether I’m writing for this site or not (and I have no plans to leave the site). What I’m talking about is the silly distinction of splitting the albums I love into a formal “end of year” list and this, my Honorable Mentions list. I tried to get to the crux of the thing in last year’s intro, where I talked about how every album we bring up is an honorable mention, and as we grow and evolve the concept of where something sits on a list of music that moved us in a given year becomes less and less meaningful. 

I feel that now more than ever. In the last few weeks I’ve been discovering albums that are blowing my mind, and they’re nowhere on this list. Some of the entries on this list have more listens than the ones on my “ranked” list. It all blurs, blends together in an amalgam that is specific to my own journey, reflective of my depression, rage and anxiety as much as my joy and serenity. 

So yeah: this may be the last time I differentiate between honorable mentions and favorite albums. At the end of the day they all sit in my ears, mind, and heart the same way, and isn’t that what matters?

With that being said, let’s do this…one more time.

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The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 311 (11.25.2023)

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playlist - mixtape

Still stuffed from Thanksgiving, I’m gonna keep the 311th edition of the Nine Circles Playlist light on commentary. I’m also going to refrain from adding 311 to the playlist, so now you have something to be thankful for, too.

I am however going to invoke the rights as the writer for the playlist to front-load some of the music I’ve been focusing on as I slowly work up to what will be my 8th round up of my favorite metal of the year, so we’re kicking off with some thick and heavy death metal courtesy of Cruciamentum, some mournful black metal from Blaze of Sorrow, and some hive-fiving hard rock fire from the new High Spirits. From there we have more Panopticon filling the metal hole in your heart, as well as tracks from Neck of the Woods, Angerot, Mære, Valdrin, some classic cuts from Slayer and Mercyful Fate, and a lot more.

Get listening. Stay safe. See you next week.

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– Chris

CANTO: Cruciamentum, The Halo Effect, Necrowretch, and More

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Gonna make this quick so we can all gear up for American Thanksgiving the rest of the night.

  • Leading off with tours has been fun this week, so let’s do that again. Gorod, Wormhole, Hath, and Exist have a string of U.S. dates in January, kicking off on the 12th in Philadelphia. Tickets can be acquired here.
  • And then a few months later you’ll have the opportunity to catch Firewind on the road with Immortal Guardian and Edge Of Paradise. Those April and May dates open near me in Manchester, New Hampshire… but alas I’ll be out of town for that one. Here’s the schedule if you need it.
  • Let’s all take a minute to appreciate how damn good the new Cruciamentum album is. Officially out on Friday through Profound Lore, Obsidian Refractions can be heard in full a little early here.
  • French black and death metal project Necrowretch have announced details surrounding their fifth album. Swords of Dajjal is set for a February 2 release through Season of Mist, and a video for “Numidian Knowledge” can be seen here.
  • The Halo Effect are keeping the momentum up with a new video for “The Defiant One”, which you can see below. That track was a live staple while they were touring Days of the Lost, and serves as a bit of a hold over until new album details emerge.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

CANTO: Cruciamentum, End, Fuming Mouth, and More

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Back at it after an awesome weekend celebrating even better people.

  • I Am kick off their tour with Suicide Silence, Chelsea Grin, and PeelingFlesh tonight, so let’s lead off with the video for “Infernal Panther”. It’s got video games and Corpsegrinder… what’s not to love? That’s taken from Eternal Steel, a 2022 release.
  • End dropped a new video for “Thaw”, material from The Sin of Human Frailty, which is out on October 27 through Closed Casket Activities. They’ve got an upcoming tour as well, kicking off later this month with Full of Hell, Inter Arma, and Wake… dope.
  • We’re only a few weeks from the next installment in the Fuming Mouth catalog, so here’s the second single from Last Day of Sun, titled “I’ll Find You”. That’s a November 3 release through Nuclear Blast, by the way.
  • Wrapping up, a new single and video from Cruciamentum. It’s been eight years since they gave us Charnel Passages, and they’re finally following it up on November 24 with Obsidian Refractions, through Profound Lore. Give “Scorn Manifestation” a listen below.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb