the silver – Nine Circles

Missed Connections: Looking Back on 2021

January 14, 2022January 10, 2022IanLeave a comment

Oh hey, you thought lists were all done? Nope, I’ve got one more in the tank and some more albums to talk about. I wrote one of these lists last year, amid a flurry of excitement and trepidation that I had missed something truly great, which is kind of a silly thing to worry about now that I think about it. Of course I did then, and of course I do now. There just isn’t enough time in the world for me to take every great album in, even in the span of a whole year. And, not least of all, new bands and new albums are always being thrown my way thanks to the good folks we have on staff. So, here I sit with some leftovers of 2021, albums that for whatever reason didn’t jump out at me right away but have since found their way into my heart. Don’t consider these throwaways; they stack up to anything on anyone else’s list, and in fact, many of them WERE on other peoples’ list and that’s what brought them to my attention. Just consider it a nice bonus present, post-holidays.

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The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 205 (11.13.2021)

November 13, 2021November 13, 2021ChrisLeave a comment

We’re kicking through November, and I’m here with my usual: a steaming cup of coffee in a cup big enough to swim in, and a playlist of all the metal I’ve listened to in 2021 to start sorting out end of year stuff.

It’s a loooong list.

So to make it easier OF COURSE I’m going to kick it off with some Darkthrone. But the rest of the crew is definitely going to bring you to some uncharted corners for Volume 205 of the Nine Circles Playlist. I don’t know who Thangorodrim are, but they’re bringing the dark vibes on their debut. Jon just has a birthday, so he’s letting loose with some faves like Dethklok and Strapping Young Lad. Josh is over the moon over the news that Death Breath are coming back, and The Halo Effect, aka In Flames 2.0 seem to be moving in a good direction with their debut single. Vincent crosses the border into pop with some good good CHVRCHES but quickly hops back over with the long awaited new song from Nechochwen. And Ian closes us out this week with some Spiritbox, Owen, and Coheed and Cambria. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg in this week’s list, so settle in and give your ears a workout.

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– Chris

The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 204 (11.6.2021)

November 6, 2021November 6, 2021ChrisLeave a comment

The cold weather’s finally kicked in. I’ve got a steaming cup of coffee so big I need two hands to bring its caffeinated goodness to my lips, and I’ve spent the past hour fiddling with parametric EQs to kick my headphones into high gear while listening to newest single by one of my favorite guitarists on this great glob of a world, Wata from Boris. Wherever you are I hope you’re finding some kind of aural and chemical comfort (feel free to pick your own poison; I’ll stick with coffee) right now.

Of course that’s not the only thing we’re blasting in Volume 204 of the Nine Circles Playlist. After thinking they were done Porcupine Tree is back in the saddle and released a new single which feels like Steven Wilson bringing his pop sensibility into the band and the band fighting back, and I love it. Josh brings the filthy death metal with Under the Church and Concrete Winds, while Vincent splits his time between the grace of Alcest and the brutality of Atræ Bilis. Anton revels in the swirling symphonic chaos of Dessiderium, and Buke? Buke is living in the glory his (and my) youth with classics from Twisted Sister, Down, and even some Spinal Tap. Finally, Angela brings it all home with the latest from 9C favorite Emma Ruth Rundle and some new stuff from Monolord. In other words it’s a stacked house, so settle in and enjoy the tunes.

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– Chris

CANTO: Cynic, Opeth, Vile Creature, and More

September 15, 2021September 15, 2021CoreyLeave a comment

I have returned from a long weekend in which I ran way too many miles. Now let’s see how many new singles we can cram into this thing.

Let’s start with Cynic, who have announced new album details and shared a new single. Ascension Codes will be out on November 26th through Season of Mist, and “Mythical Serpents” can be heard at this location.
This is from yesterday, but there’s no doubt I still need to include it. Opeth have announced a fall 2021 tour with Mastodon and Zeal & Ardor. Those dates are in November and early December, and take place at some really cool venues. Hopefully this tour plays out as planned, because I absolutely plan on making this happen.
Vile Creature covered Kittie’s “Paperdoll”, and that sounds like a fun thing to add to the pile today. That’s part of The Flenser’s Send the Pain Below compilation, which you can find a vinyl copy of somewhere in here.
I’m really excited about The Silver, the new group featuring members of Horrendous and Crypt Sermon. So here’s the new track from that project, titled “Breathe”. Their debut, Ward of Roses, drops on October 15th through Gilead Media.
Let’s close with the new video from Aeon, because I’m still excited about their new stuff. Check out the clip for “God Ends Here” below, the title-track from their new album set for an October 15th release through Metal Blade Records.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 193 (8.21.2021)

August 21, 2021August 20, 2021VincentLeave a comment

Good morning and welcome to another Saturday morning mixtape. We’re full to bursting with a bunch of new singles this week, including tracks from two new Gilead Media releases, Succumb, Every Time I Die, and…god this is hard to even type…an Archspire song I really, actually like. I know, it surprised me too. Check all that and more out below.

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