dødheimsgard – Nine Circles

The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 283 (5.13.2023)

May 13, 2023May 13, 2023ChrisLeave a comment

I’m not sure what the Venn Diagram looks like for metal fans, video game fans, and zealots fawning over the just-released new chapter in the Zelda franchise, Tears of the Kingdom but I know for a fact we have staff firmly in that cross section, which is why I am kicking off the 283rd edition of the Nine Circles Playlist not with my picks, but with Dan K’s. You’re welcome, Dan. I hope you’re playing your heart out today.

From there we kick things off proper with new music from Danava and a quartet of “S” bands: Sunrot, Shodan, Sisyphean, and Sarmat. Then it’s brutal fun from the likes of Werewolves, Jesus Chrüsler Supercar, A Pregnant Light, Spectral Wound, Body Count, new music from Blackbraid, a classic Opeth track finally brought to life live, and of course the new Paul Cauthen. Plus more than a few surprises.

Get listening. Stay safe. See you next week…

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– Chris

The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 279 (4.15.2023)

April 15, 2023April 15, 2023ChrisLeave a comment

Italian wake last night. Imagine the stereotype, then add legit anguish and cover it in the stifling scent of too many flowers and cologne. Leaving for the burial today, and thank god it was such a killer week for new metal. I’m kicking this off with the new releases that have kept the last 24 hours bearable, including Overkill, VoidCeremony, Metallica, Jesus Piece and Stillbirth – all of which came out this past Friday.

From there the 279th edition of the Nine Circles Playlist has your back with the staff picks: new music from Dødheimsgard, Thantifaxath, Fen, Aodon, Lunar Chamber, Pupil Slicer, and a whole lot more. But I gotta get out of here so the only way you’ll know is to dig in and find out for yourselves.

Get listening. Stay safe. See you next week…

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– Chris

Album Review: Dødheimsgard — “Black Medium Current”

April 11, 2023April 11, 2023Colin2 Comments

Avant-garde metal is by definition unrestrained, experimental, and innovative. Perhaps more so than in other metal subgenres, legacy avant-metal bands might have a harder time outdoing themselves through fear of retreading old paths or simply going in an uninteresting direction. Dødheimsgard make a triumphant return with their first material in eight years with Black Medium Current; this is DHG once again pushing their sound forward with full force in ways blackened as much as avant-garde, and the result is one of the finest albums of the year so far.

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Initial Descent: April 9 – 15, 2023

April 10, 2023April 7, 2023JoshLeave a comment

Here’s the thing: if you’re a band seeking coverage for an upcoming album, the worst thing you can do is go on a site’s socials and leave a shitty comment / get your panties in a wad / be a dumbass about an album review from another band. Pro tip: don’t be that dumbass. Got it?! Alright then… Metallica are BACK, in rare form, and we’re damn excited about it. But, if you’re not as excited as we are, there’s several more excellent choices this week starting with the always wild and eccentric Dødheimsgard, Out of the Mouth of Graves scratch that death metal itch, and All Hell goes all out on a quick blast of blackened thrash. As always though, there’s many more in the list below so get to digging and see you here throughout the week.

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The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 276 (3.25.2023)

March 25, 2023March 24, 2023ChrisLeave a comment

I tell you what, man. All this fawning over mediocre pastiches and pale imitations of older, better music is slowly killing me. I am just not hearing what others are in some of the big names getting all the buzz out there. Sure, that’s a “me” problem but since I write this weekly thing I’m entitled to a) bitch when I want to and b) kick it off how I want to, so this, the 276th edition of the Nine Circles Playlist is going to rip with a new Ihsahn track because that’s where my soul is musically right now. Then the new one from Immortal because with or without Abbath, Demonaz knows how to craft a gnarly tune, and finally the latest from Mork, who frankly ran circles around the other popular black metal release that came out this week.

Fight me.

Don’t worry. If you don’t give a crap about my whingeing, the rest of the staff has some metal to offer up, and sone of it is even good! There’s awesome new music from Gozu, Dødheimsgard, and The Ocean which you KNOW we’re most likely gonna ramble about. Plus new tracks from Harboured, Heretoir, Blaze of Sorrow, A Pregnant Light, Foretoken, and Acid King. Plus music from Powerwolf, Estoner, and since I screwed our own Dan Morris by missing his picks last week, we’re going to close with the astounding Roxy Music, because this week marks the 50th anniversary of For Your Pleasure, and that’s a fucking album for the ages.