The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 333 (4.27.2024)

playlist - mixtape

Happy frickin’ Saturday and welcome to the 333rd edition of our weekly mixtape, aka The Nine Circles Playlist. It’s been an insane few weeks release wise so between that and the nearly infinite possibilities of music picks we’ve got a killer playlist for you here this week. I kick things off with 200 Stab Wounds because…hell yea and an acoustic version of a favorite Periphery song of mine. Spoiler here: I do miss Matt Halpern’s presence behind the kit but this track still rules. Elsewhere, our esteemed team of 9C writers have their own favorites to share which include cuts from Hail Spirit Noir, Alcest, YOB, Zeal and Ardor, Zelenaya, Darkthrone, and a ton more.

Get listening. Stay safe. See you next week. Oh, Chris will probably be back next week. He’s off doing metal stuff in case you were wondering.

Josh

CANTO: Yob, Maul, Tanith, and More


This week weirdly flew by. Also, Kamelot sucks.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
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The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 269 (2.4.2023)

Thanks Fearless Editor Josh™ for holding down the fort last week! I’m back to traveling again for work which means not only was I away in Dallas which was colder than New York last week, but I also picked up the convention crud. But they say nothing cures the crud like a nice whiskey and some metal, so let jump into this the 269th edition of the Nine Circles Playlist, kicking off with some of what kept me entertained while I was away: WuW, which might be in the running for my favorite release of 2023 so far. Their new album L’orchaostre just came out so be sure to jump on that post haste, whodoncha?

From there I’m gonna be generous and let the staff take over. We got some classic prog-infused Enslaved, new music from Fredlös and Lamp of Murmuur, a fossil from Grouper, some classics from Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne to honor the man upon the news of his retirement from touring, and then just a ton of metal, including Boris, Yob, Burial Hordes, Atonia, Maggot Crown, Siege of Power, Terrestrial Hospice, Black Math Horsemen, Thrice + Holy Fawn and a ton more.

Get listening. Stay safe. See you next week…

Chris

The Nine Circles Playlist Vol. 264 (12.31.2022)

That’s it. So long 2022, don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. I just posted my end of year list, and yeah: the #1 pick is a crossover hardcore punk album that incorporates free jazz and noise and everything under the sun…what else did you expect? So let’s kick off the last edition of the Nine Circles Playlist with the mighty OFF! and see what else will help us close out the new year.

To paraphrase The Outer Limits, I will control the horizontal. I will control the vertical. So that means I’m also going to front-load this with the 80s metal I picked up on vinyl and cassette this week. Which means you’re getting dosed with some classic Accept and Satan…you’re welcome. Elsewhere in the Nine Circles universe we’ve got plenty of heavy to ring in 2023, including music from Angerot, Shores of Lunacy and Leper Colony, a blast of bangers from Yob, Mizmor + Thou and Nechochwen, more killer music from Predatory Light (I really need to revisit that) and Moonlight Sorcery, not to mention D. Morris BRINGING IT with some classic Harvey Milk. There’s a ton more, including God Mother, Windhand, Asunojuokei (for once not added by me, so thanks Ian!), and Morrow, among others.

That’s it for 2022. Get listening. Stay safe. See you next year…

Chris

CANTO: Cynic, Lordi, Souldrainer, and More


I officially live in the mountains… just in time for winter.

  • Northwest Terror Fest is returning in 2023, and the lineup is pretty darn stacked. Yob, Wormrot, Horrendous, and obviously many more. That festival is set for May 25 through 27 in Seattle, and tickets go on sale this coming Friday. Get the full scoop here.
  • With Focus turning 30 in 2023, Cynic are paying homage to late members Sean Reinert and Sean Malone, while marking the anniversary of that album, with two special performances. They’ll be performing on the 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise, which is set for January 30 through February 3, and then at ProgPower USA on September 6 in Atlanta. These are their first live performances since the passing of Reinert and Malone.
  • Switching things up fairly aggressively, we have news from Lordi. They’ve just signed on with Atomic Fire Records, so it seems that their next chapter is being written, and new music is on the horizon. We’ll keep our eyes out. For now, if you happen to be in Europe, they’re currently on the road basically through May. (Not really… more like until December, and then again in April and May).
  • Swedish death metallers Souldrainer unveiled a visualizer for the new track “End of the World”. That’s the closing track from Departure, which is out on December 9 through Black Lion Records.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
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