The Nine Circles Audio Thing

Anton had this month's pick and joins with Ian, and Vincent while Buke once again helms the show. The gang covers the alternative timeline of Form in Motion in different musical context from Autarkh , Autarkh III Roadburn Redux 2021 ( Roadburn Records ). As usual, the group covers this album at length and talks about nearly every facet of it as well as catching up since last chatting together, and...

Corpsessed just released their fourth full length, Succumb To Rot ( Dark Descent Records ), and it is an absolute beast of Finnish death metal that shines a light on where they've been but is a huge step forward in both the songwriting aspect and their heaviness factor as a whole. Buke sat down with guitarist and backing vocalist Matti Mäkelä to discuss the new album and how he feels it's differen...

Creative and unique barely scratch the surface when referring to the electronic metal of Master Boot Record . On Personal Computer ( Metal Blade Records ) the tagline of "100% sythesized, 100% dehumanized" comes full circle as it sounds like what would happen between a war of computers and quite possibly the band's best effort to date. Buke sat down with mastermind Victor Love to discuss the new a...

As far as debuts go, The Word of His Law ( 20 Buck Spin ) from Canada’s Egregore is a masterclass in black and death metal shrouded in mysticism, death, and occult themes. The use of synth, chanting, and even neofolk serve as vessels to enhance the experience and make for a unique outing. Buke recently sat down with Egregore to discuss the new album and how it came to be. They also discussed the b...

Improvisational metal can take many faces, obviously, as it's about as close as you can get to free jazz, but from a metal lens. Abhorrent Expanse not only explore the world of improv metal, but they make it an extreme ride with black and death metal, funeral doom, noise, and yes, free jazz mixed in on their debut Gateways to Resplendence ( Amalgam Music , Lurker Bias ). Buke sat down with Luke Po...

Spiral Skies recently released their second full length, Death Is But A Door ( AOP Records ), and it is an exceptional example of just how good psychedelic doom and classic heavy metal can sound when paired the way this band does it. Buke recently chatted with vocalist Frida Eurenius regarding this new album and how it came to be. They also covered how it was to grow up in Stockholm, Sweden, a cha...

On their ninth full length album, Fenice ( Neurot Recordings ), Ufomammut are all about the finesse of their already well established and powerful, psychedelic doom metal. They continue to push their own boundaries and move the bar even higher for any band trying to chase them. And let's face it, plenty have since Ufomammut have influenced countless others along the way. Just ahead of the album's...

Ignite have had a long journey since their formation in 1993 and a journey that's seen them work harder and harder with every release. On their recently released full length, Ignite , ( Century Media ) they've knocked it out of the park in the punk / melodic hardcore scene and are ushering in a whole new era of fans. Surrounding this album's release, Buke sat down with bassist Brett Rasmussen to d...

Aeviterne 's debut The Ailing Facade ( Profound Lore ) hasn't been out long and has already garnered a ton of favorable press and chatter around the metal world for its unique take on experimental death metal. Wide ranging beast would be one way to put it but that misses the musical genius of this band. Experience it, you must. Buke sat down with drummer Ian Jacyszyn to discuss the new album as we...

Now on a sophomore album run, Undeath have made a huge name for themselves by simply being as death metal as they can be. On paper, that sounds simple but some bands can go a lifetime and never find the groove Undeath has. Mining the meat and potatoes as well as the 'gimme that nasty riff' crowd, It's Time...To Rise From the Grave ( Prosthetic Records ) is a violent beast and a massive statement t...

By now, Khemmis is a household name for any house that counts doomed heavy metal as law. And for good reason, across four full lengths and a handful of EPs and singles they've trod their own path and created something musically that has no equal. It's heavy as lead, super emotional, and about as down to earth as it can be. They've garnered spots on best of lists around the world for each release a...

Skull Fist are a tried and true heavy metal machine. Period. And on their fourth full length, Paid In Full ( Atomic Fire Records ), they fully cement the deal. So, obviously, Buke jumped at the chance to discuss this beast with vocalist and guitarist Zach Slaughter . The pair discussed the new album which will be available April 22, as well as skateboarding and a broken neck, hitchhiking across Ca...

London's progressive metallers Monuments are on the eve of releasing their fourth full length album, In Stasis ( Century Media ), on April 15 and if you've been paying attention they've come along way since their debut. Their songwriting is more captivating than ever, the band's performances are better than ever, and to add to it all, they've added a technical component here that makes this quite...

Portland, Maine, black metallers Falls of Rauros released their sixth full-length, Key to a Vanishing Future ( Gilead Media / Eisenwald ), on March 25. As you may already be aware, Key earned our Album of the Month honors here at Nine Circles, and it represents a tremendous next step in the evolution of a band for which our staff is quickly running out of superlatives. On the eve of its release, B...

Vincent had this month's pick and joins with Ian, Angela, and Hera while Buke once again helms the show. The gang covers the sixth full length from Falls of Rauros , Key to a Vanishing Future ( Gilead Media ) and unlike last month's pick, most are in agreement that this album is an absolute epic entry in the band's discography. As usual, the group covers this album at length and talks about nearly...

Absent In Body are the absolute epitome of a supergroup with membership spanning Amenra, Neurosis, and Sepultura. Just the thought of these souls coming together for a project brings to mind some of the heaviest, most emotional and spiritualistic filled music on the planet. And that’s exactly what they’ve cooked up on debut Plague God ( Relapse Records ). It’s not unlike anything this group has do...

On their debut Of Rot and Ruin , Hath stunned a crowded death metal landscape with their brutal Opethesque take on it. Now, three years and a pandemic later, All That Was Promised is even better with tighter songwriting, even more razor sharp riffs than before, and an incredibly apocalyptic atmosphere. In two albums, Hath has reached a level that most bands take years to develop. Just on the heels...

Troglodyte are the bigfoot themed death metal band you probably don't know about, but should. They've been around since 2005 and have, with new album The Hierarchical Ecological Succession: Welcome to the Food Chain ( Blood Blast Distribution ), four full lengths of gnarly, meat and potatoes death metal that sounds like a big, bloody slab of top shelf filet mignon tastes. Buke sat down with vocali...

Buke once again had this month's pick and once again helms the episode along with Vincent, Ian, Angela, and Hera in tow. The gang covers the sixth full length from Allegaeon , Damnum ( Metal Blade Records ) and while everyone was absolutely not on the same page, everyone voiced their opinions and why's or why not's for or against. Damnum is galvanizing as it's not the same album as Apoptosis , for...

Vio-Lence may not have the largest back catalog of releases but they're a band that's been around since 1985 and have been a huge force in thrash metal, even through the 29 years since their last full length. New EP, Let The World Burn ( Metal Blade Records ), sounds like they've been steadily releasing work since then, they haven't lost a step and in fact rip it up like never before. As an EP, it...

Crowbar is a band that has long been in legendary status. They've blazed a path in sludge metal since 1990 and have roots as far back as 1979. They've influenced about as many bands as people they've played in front of throughout the world and through all this, and on album number twelve, they are still as heavy and vital as ever. Zero and Below ( MNRK Heavy ) is a beast of an album that is as muc...

What can you say that hasn't already been said about the guys in Blood Incantation ? Whether it's their incredibly deep and sprawling slabs of death metal like Starspawn or Hidden Histories of the Human Race or their other musical endeavors that read like a primer of the best extreme metal of the last 10 years (Spectral Voice, Stormkeep, Wayfarer)...it seems no matter what they put their hands in,...

It's no secret that here at Nine Circles we love some Allegaeon . So, it's obvious we had to get vocalist Riley McShane back to chat about their new album Damnum ( Metal Blade Records ) and how it came together as well as how it was to work with new blood drummer Jeff Saltzman and what he brought to the table. They also cover how touring brings the best and worst out of people, the deeply personal...

Amorphis has had a long and storied career in death metal that has seen the band become influences for so many and one that has produced many exceptional albums. Upcoming album Halo ( Atomic Fire Records ) is yet another feather in the hat of a band that gets better with age. Just ahead of the new album, Buke and bassist Olli-Pekka Laine uncover some backstory on Halo and some of the differences o...

January was atypically strong for metal even with short new release lists. However, Buke jumped all over picking Wilderun 's fourth full length Epigone ( Century Media Records ) as soon as it was announced. Wilderun are no strangers to Nine Circles with a recent interview and album review , we dig them, obviously. So, the normal gang of Buke, Ian, Angela, Vincent, and Hera discuss the album at len...