judicator – Nine Circles

Nine Circles ov…Albums We Didn’t Get To in 2022

November 29, 2022November 28, 2022Chris1 Comment

It happens like it does every year: things fall through the cracks, promos don’t arrive, or we simply didn’t have the capacity to cover everything we want to cover, let alone everything that comes out in a calendar year. At this point folks are finalizing end of year lists and maybe – just maybe – some of these records will be represented on them, and so some accounting was in order. Or it could just be that we needed some content this week, so I went through my folder of 2022 music and picked nine albums to briefly opine on for this latest edition of Nine Circles ov…

You decide.

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CANTO: Judicator, Currents, Avatar, and More

November 25, 2022November 25, 2022CoreyLeave a comment

I took the day off. So here I am sitting on my couch watching the World Cup.

We’ll open with some metalcore. Currents unveiled a new track today, titled “Vengeance”. Give it a listen here. It also sounds like they have a big 2023 lined up, which includes an early tour with Parkway Drive and Memphis May Fire. Here are those dates, if you’re interested.
Next, we’ll pivot to some gothic rock. Die Oberherren revealed a new single and video, titled “The Blood or the Wine”. Their debut album, Die By My Hand, is set for a January 27 release through Svart Records.
Avatar shared details surrounding Dance Devil Dance, their new album which drops on February 17 through Black Waltz Records. Pre-orders are available here, where you can find the track listing and all that other stuff. Obviously.
The Majesty of Decay was officially released to the world today through Prosthetic Records, so it makes sense to end the week with the new music video from Judicator for the title-track from that new album. Give it a watch below, and I’ll catch ya next week.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

CANTO: Crippled Black Phoenix, Judicator, Vlad in Tears, and More

October 31, 2022October 31, 2022CoreyLeave a comment

Happy Halloween!

Leading off, we have another sample from the upcoming new Judicator album, titled The Majesty of Decay. Give “The Black Elk” a listen over at New Noise. That album drops on November 25 through Prosthetic Records.
Greek symphonic extreme metal crew W.E.B. revealed a new video for “Murder of Crows”. Give it a watch here. That track was taken from last year’s Colosseum, which was released through Metal Blade.
Vlad in Tears are celebrating Halloween with a video for a special version “Wasted Lives”. The original is from their latest album, Porpora, which dropped earlier this month through Metalville.
Closing out the day, we have the new video from Crippled Black Phoenix for “Bonefire”.That track is taken from the recently released Banefyre, which is out now through Season of Mist.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

CANTO: Monster Magnet, Judicator, Black Cross Hotel, and More

October 3, 2022October 3, 2022CoreyLeave a comment

I’m back, and slowly getting caught up in life.

I like Monster Magnet, so let’s start there. The psychedelic/stoner rock legends are releasing Test Patterns: Vol.1 on November 11th through God Unknown Records. This 12″ will feature “Tab” as recorded on the original 1988 demo and 1989’s Forget About Life, I’m High On Dope, as well as a 2021 rerecording. Pretty cool. More please.
Judicator revealed another new track, titled “Ursa Major”, over at Decibel. That’s the latest from The Majesty of Decay, which drops on November 25th through Prosthetic. The response to “The High Priestess” was… mixed, so I’m curious what the reactions are to this one.
More stuff coming November 25th. Italy’s Extirpation have set that as the release date for The Endless Storm, which will be out through Chaos Records. Hear the new single, “Electrocution Strikes”, over at the label’s Bandcamp. If you’re looking for some more black thrash in your life, this is one to keep an eye on.
Black Cross Hotel, the punk/industrial/horror metal collective featuring members of Stabbing Westward, The Atlas Moth, and more are releasing Hex on November 11th. Find preorders over at their Bandcamp, and give “Shape” a listen.
And we’ll close with some instrumental progressive metal out of Paris. Check out the clip for “The Abstract” from Oaks below. That track is taken from Genesis of the Abstract, which is out now through Argonauta Records.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 248 (9.10.2022)

September 10, 2022September 10, 2022ChrisLeave a comment

My work is cut out for me this week. Ladies and gentlemen, today the Brothers Martinek™ celebrate a birthday. Which makes this playlist for them. Which means you’re going to get more Mountain Goats and Broken Social Scene and indie sad alt goodness than either you or I expected or intended.

Don’t worry, though. The others are still around with more extreme offerings…although who’s to say which is more extreme in the context of a metal site’s playlist? Bloodbath or My Bloody Valentine? Rotborn or Ride? Anyway, expect that as well as tracks from A Pregnant Light, Blackbraid, Judicator, Holy Fawn, Cloudrat, Black Anvil, Whitespade, Psionic Madness, Spitpool, Lamentations, as well as a slew of other tracks to kick your weekend off right.