first fragment

The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 279 (4.15.2023)

ChrisLeave a comment

playlist - mixtape

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

The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 239 (7.9.2022)

ChrisLeave a comment
playlist - mixtape

Friday night. Bourbon. Metal. This is how we do it here at Nine Circles. I’ve been listening nonstop to the new Wormrot record that came out on 7/8. It’s a monster, and they’re probably the best grind band out there right now, in my humble opinion. But before we hit that up I have some internet surprises that hit me in just the right spot…maybe they’ll hit you, too.

Elsewhere Josh has everyone in a frenzy with new music from Psycroptic and Municipal Waste and Trapped In The Morgue…and then slays with a classic cut from one of my favorite Death records. Vincent is up next and he’s serving some new music from Cloud Rat and the new project from the folks in Yellow Eyes called Sunrise Patriot Motion before hitting some old school sounds from Pianos Become The Teeth. Next up is Angela charing the plains with Amon Amarth, followed by some Telekinetic Yeti and The Chasm. Finally Ian returns and lays down some Woods of Desolation, Svalbard, First Fragment and then a whopper of a track from the Violent Femmes because you know you all love “Blister in the Sun” as much as we do. And since we’re a little short today and it’s what I’m currently listening to as I write this there’s a massive jam from Grand Funk Railroad just to shake things up. Make of that what you will – they were featured in an issue of Decibel SO IT COUNTS!

Get listening. Stay safe. See you next week.

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– Chris

Best of 2021: Zyklonius’s List

Zyklonius2 Comments
Best of 2021

Huh, it appears that I blinked and a whole year went by just like that. Luckily there was metal, a lot of it in fact, to the extent that none of the albums on my list ended up on our staff’s combined list, which shows just how much diversity there is, in terms of releases, genres and our respective tastes and preferences. With majestic hails to the bands whose releases enriched my life in the past 12 months, the following contains my 20 favorite albums of the year. I hope you will find something that intrigues, excites and animates you. 

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Best of 2021: Ian’s List

IanLeave a comment
Best of 2021

Alright, the moment you all (read: maybe three of you) have been waiting for, although with the lists that are already up, I feel like this is going to be underwhelming.  We’re really good at writing, people, and it’s been really awesome to not only be a part of the site but also be a fan at the same time.  So now, the top; the cream of the crop.  Say whatever you want about the year in general (except, you know, that the state of the world was overall pleasant), but as far as music goes, it was pretty sensational.  Maybe that’s because I got to spend another year in the fortunate position of being able to sit and write about music that I love so much.  In fact, that’s almost definitely it, so let me say how humbled and thankful I am to continue to be a part of this family.  Now, on to the goods:

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The Nine Circles Audio Thing: First Fragment was October 2021’s Album of the Month!

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  • First Fragment - Gloire Eternelle

One Zero Zero, baby! Episode 100 of The Nine Circles Audio Thing is here, and after a September break the AOTM is back and covering the sophomore album from Quebec’s First Fragment, “Gloire Éternelle.” Buke rallies the troops including Hera, Ian, Angela, Vincent, and a freshly returned from the wastelands Anton (who had the pick this month) as they discuss tech death’s short shrift in the metal conversation, the joys of fretless bass, and a whole lot more concerning one of the best the genre has to offer.

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