volur – Nine Circles

CANTO: Völur, Ilsa, Amon Amarth, and More

October 6, 2020October 6, 2020CoreyLeave a comment

Not really sure what to say here today. Where even am I?

Völur have released a new video single for “Inviolate Grove”, taken from Death Cult. That album drops on November 13th through Prophecy Productions and can be pre-ordered at this link.
Ilsa have announced their sixth full-length album will be titled Preyer, and it’s slated for a November 20th release through Relapse Records. The first single from that album, “Poor Devil”, is available for streaming now.
The music world has lost an absolute legend. Revolutionary guitarist Eddie Van Halen passed away at 65, after a battle with cancer. He’s one of the reasons I, and so many others I’m sure, ever picked up the instrument. He will be missed, and our thoughts are with those close to him.
Amon Amarth are celebrating gold certification for 2016’s Jomsviking in Germany with a new video for “Fafner’s Gold”, a track taken from 2019’s Berserker. Give it a watch below.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb

Nine Circles Ov… June 2016

June 28, 2016June 28, 2016Manny-O-War1 Comment

Photograph by our Dæmoness of Design, Jaci Raia. For more of her beautiful work follow her on Instagram or Twitter.

Not surprisingly, as its become a theme in 2016, May was an outstanding month for metal. Well, another shocker: June is just as good. On the larger side of things a new Thrawsunblat LP was released, there was a Blut Aus Nord / AEvangelist split, Vale of Pnath dropped an LP, Aaron Turner’s celebrated sludge project Sumac put out an absolute burner and, thanks to Shadow Kingdom, Tombstalker finally got to release Black Crusades on vinyl. But where June really shocked was in the amount of smaller, quality releases. July is looking to change that fact with a bunch of super high-profile, high-quality releases on the horizon. But we will save those for the end. So, for now, let’s take a look at nine releases from June that knocked our (well at least my) socks off.

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Initial Descent: June 24, 2016

June 24, 2016June 24, 2016DanLeave a comment

forteresse band — Forteresse (Photo by Catherine Leclerc)

Morning, y’all. What a weird world we’re waking up in. #Brexit actually happened yesterday, and while I hesitate to make knee-jerk, YOU’RE ALL FUCKED pronouncements here — I won’t pretend to know enough about the intricacies of it all to do so — it’s admittedly hard not to focus on it in the aftermath. I spent last night glued to Twitter in the wake of it all and didn’t get a ton of sleep, so our weekly whole new-metal distraction is most definitely a welcome one.

So, the new-metal distraction. What’ve we got this week? Well, somewhat appropriately, we start with Thèmes pour la rébellion, the latest from Québécois separatists Forteresse. Beyond that, we’ve got a new album from Mercyful Fate legends Michael Denner and Hank Shermann under their Denner / Shermann moniker, and new stuff from Völur, Kayo Dot and more. Check all that out below. For now, I’m back to the Twitter:
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Album Review: Völur – “Disir”

June 20, 2016June 20, 2016Manny-O-War3 Comments

Somewhere in the malaise of post-rock and folk music lies Völur which accepts influences all the way from King Crimson to Warren Ellis. Yet, somehow, the band remains squarely within the realm of folk metal. Perhaps their influences are so diverse because of their Canadian heritage. Located on the continent of North America the band derives much of it’s quieter side from Americana while their heavier side tends to draw from the United Kingdom area. Regardless, Disir is a serious journey. An album abounding with peaks, valleys and rolling plains. Continue reading →