gatekeeper – Nine Circles

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

Second Circle: Black Anvil and Gatekeeper

March 7, 2019March 7, 2019ChrisLeave a comment

second circle - black anvil and gatekeeper

In Dante’s Inferno, the second circle begins the proper punishment of Hell, a place where “no thing gleams.” It is reserved for those overcome with Lust, where carnal appetites hold sway over reason. In Nine Circles, it’s where we do shorter reviews of new (ish) albums that share a common theme.

Ah, the Extended Play. Compact, versatile…few genres really know how to effectively wield the EP like metal does. In today’s edition of Second Circle we take a look at two EPs, used to different ends, but carrying the message of metal loud and clear. So let’s kick things off with the forthcoming tribute from Black Anvil and then cap it off with the early 2019 metal hammer that is the latest from Gatekeeper.
Continue reading →

CANTO: Eyehategod, Overkill, Gatekeeper, and More

January 28, 2019January 28, 2019CoreyLeave a comment

eyehategod band photo

A couple days off because starting a new gig occupies time.

Eyehategod have announced the 4 Strikes… From The Elementary To The Penitentiary Tour with The Obsessed. Mostly April dates in the southern U.S. Not one I’m going to make, I don’t think.
Another tour because those are easy on a Monday. Overkill have announced the Wings Over The USA Tour featuring Act of Defiance and Death Angel. April and May dates. This is one that I am more likely to attend.
Some bummer news out of the Ozzy camp. Just as he was about to kick off his run of European shows with Judas Priest, it was announced that the first four dates would need to be rescheduled due to illness. Looks like Ozzy’s got the flu. Hopefully he can bounce back soon.
Gatekeeper have dropped a new video for “Grey Maiden”. This track will be on the upcoming EP under the same name. If you’re feeling some “true” metal, check it out. Oh, almost forgot. That EP will be out February 22nd.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

Nine* Circles ov…What “Didn’t” Make My 2018 End of Year List (But Could Have)

December 11, 2018December 12, 2018Chris6 Comments

EOY 2018 Header 9C

* SPOILERS: it’s gonna be 20 albums…buckle your seat belts.

I told myself this year I was going to take it easy – do the Honorable Mentions, get the final list out, and put 2018 to rest. On a global, national, and personal front the year’s been pretty much a disaster from the start, and the quicker I can put it in my rearview mirror the better. But the more I tweaked and played with my end of year selections (thank you Trello for making that shit so easy) the more I realized that – like always – music was the thing that propped me up and made every setback if not better, at least tolerable. And when the dust cleared from all the list building I found a huge excess of albums that didn’t make my lists but easily could have on another day. Everything is interchangeable; we are not the people we were even a moment ago, and those experiences constantly inform our perspective on the world, metal albums included. Continue reading →