The Nine Circles Audio Thing

One thing is for sure, Memoriam don‘t need us to rekindle their storied history in this band or their members long and legendary careers. Basically, if you don’t know them by now you are on purpose avoiding it…they are just that much a part of death metal. For their fifth album, Rise To Power (Reaper Entertainment), it’s all about diversity and varying up the songs just a bit. And no, that doesn’t mean they’ve done a 180. It simply means, they’re building on what they’ve created over the...

It's that time of year once again! Chris and Dan (K, that is -- we've got more than one Dan now!) are back for another lengthy conversation about their favorite non-metal releases of 2022. With no shortage of terrific records to choose from, the guys highlight everything from Australian pub punk, to Australian dream pop, to Australian prog/jazz/uh... kind of everything? (Australia, as you'll see, had itself yet another tremendous year for music.) But! There was plenty of stuff not from...

List season has been in full swing on our site, as well as across the metal writing sphere, and we still have more fun to be had there. And yes, we love list season in case you were wondering. For this episode our maestro of the mic, Buke, pulls together Hera, Ian, Vincent, Angela, and two new members who have jumped in with both feet: Colin and Dan M., to discuss some of their favorites from 2022 and of course a lot of catching up was had since the last time these folks chatted together....

Album of the Month time again and for November the winner was Dream Unending’s second full length Song of Salvation (20 Buck Spin). The usual gang of suspects, along with some new blood, join in along with our main man on the mic Buke leading the charge. The gang spends time covering how this album compares to their last and why this one somersaults over their last effort. Elsewhere, the gang spends a good portion of the runtime gushing over everything else they listened to since they last...

Supergroups in extreme metal take on a whole other meaning when it's comprised of Dave Witte, Mathias “Vreth” Lillmåns, and Phil Hall. Those names are synonymous with some of the best offerings extreme metal has to offer. And now with Morbikon, this supergroup crosses the threshold of 90s era Scandinavian black metal and melodic death metal on their debut Ov Mournful Twilight (Tankcrimes). To say this album rips would be a gross understatement, but with its membership this should surprise no...

Norway’s In The Woods… have had a much storied trajectory over the spectrum of time since forming in the early 90s. Early on they were black metal to the bone but as many bands have done, they morphed into a progressive rock band with a black metal heart. And it has paid off in spades. One listen to Diversum (Soulseller Records) and it’s clear they have a hard grasp on what it means to age with grace and distinction. It’s an epic journey that begs repeat listens and now that the weather here...

Death, gore, zombies, chainsaws, horrors of all sorts; these are all topics Exhumed have covered over their thirty plus years of existence and across a multitude of releases. The latest of which, To The Dead (Relapse Records), finds these deathgrind masters as blood soaked as ever. You'd think that in that many years there might be misstep or something just out of place, but this isn't the case as every single album is better, and more destructive, than the last. Buke recently sat down with...

Album of the Month time again and for October the winner was Goatwhore’s eighth album Angels Hung From The Arches Of Heaven (Metal Blade Records). The usual gang of suspects join in along with our main man on the mic Buke leading the charge. The gang spends time covering how bad ass this album is as well as the band’s past and their road to the present. Elsewhere, the gang spends a good portion of the runtime gushing over everything else they listened to since they last spoke. That and the...

Denmark's Orm have been active since 2015 and with their last two albums the band have shown a deep understanding of epic and melodic black metal that at times veers close to atmospheric and at other times close to the vicious and raw side. It's a beautiful amalgamation and even more so on their latest, Intet • Altet (Indisciplinarian), where they opt for longer compositions and more time to explore their multi-faceted approach. Buke recently spoke with drummer Adam Bjørn Schønemann-Warming...

Some 40 years and change has seen a lot in the Voivod camp. A handful of genres crossed, a deep discography, and tons of rabid fans that soak up anything and everything they can get their hands on. The Voivod of today makes some of the best sci-fi metal you’re likely to ever hear and on their newest EP, Ultraman (Century Media Records), they offer a stunning tribute to the TV series theme of the same name. As if that’s not enough, the EP also offers some bonus live tracks. Buke recently sat...

Texas is known for a lot of things, and metal is one of those things. San Antonio in particular is home to none other than melodic black / death metallers Scars Of The Flesh who are about to release their third full length In Darkness Alone (pick it up here). Debut Harvest Of Souls was a barnburner and follow up Reaching Into The Void was a projectile of incendiary violence that far eclipsed the debut in many ways. In Darkness Alone stands to be the album that truly puts this band on the map...

Once again it's Album of the Month time and for September it was pretty much unanimous that Survival Of The Sickest (Napalm Records) from Sweden's death metal masters Bloodbath got the pick. The usual gang of suspects are present for the discussion as well as MC Supreme Buke leading the charge. Much is made of just how good Bloodbath are this far along in their career and how they still reign supreme in any discussion surrounding Swedeath. Elsewhere, the gang spends a good portion of the...

North Dakota's Phobophilic may be a new name to some but they've been mining the death metal underground since 2016 in the form of demos, EP's, and fast moving recommendations from those 'in the know.' But now, they have a vicious debut full length, Enveloping Absurdity (Prosthetic Records), and are set to turn heads all over the death metal sphere. Buke recently spoke with guitarist Josh Poer about the new album, how it came to be, some backstory, and a ton more. We now bring you this...

It’s been awhile since last hearing from Daeva. Five years to be exact. And since that time they’ve taken their brand of sweaty, priest burning black / thrash metal to a whole new level. Their EP, Pulsing Dark Absorptions, was a lightning rod, but debut full length Through Sheer Will And Black Magic… (20 Buck Spin) will turn heads far below the southern end of the cross. To put it in quick layman’s terms; imagine Mayhem and GG Allin in a knife fight and you’re in the realm of what’s included...

Goatwhore started out, at least for me, as the band you wanted to hear but couldn't get your hands on any material. That was then. And now with their eighth full length Angels Hung From The Arches of Heaven (Metal Blade Records) these dudes are a household name in any house that lifts up damn good metal. Call it blackened thrash or thrash and death with a splash of black metal or whatever you want to call it, bottom line is this band rules and that's all there is to it. Ahead of the new...

Four albums in with From the Fathomless Deep (Ripple Music) and Behold! The Monolith are heavier than ever. Call it sludge with black metal and progressive tendencies, call it metal with a nasty attitude, or call it whatever you want; these guys hit and hit hard. There's no denying that fact. Buke sat down with guitarist Matt Price for a wide ranging discussion surrounding their new album, some band history, and so much more. We now bring you this conversation in its entirety so grab your...

It's been five years since Acephalix last graced the death metal scene and a lot has happened in that stretch of time. But, the band's upcoming fourth full length, Theothanatology (20 Buck Spin), is the kind of barbaric brutality we've come to think of from the now quintet, yet better, more furious, and nastier than ever. While it's true we'll have to wait just a bit longer to hear it in full, Buke sat down with bassist Erika Osterhout for a wide ranging discussion surrounding this new...

Once again it's Album of the Month time and for August it was a little crazy. We had a pick, or not, and then had another, or not, then we put it to a vote to decide once and for all. In the end Gnosis from Russian Circles (Sargent House) ended up getting the most votes, and for good reason. The usual gang of suspects are present for the discussion as well as MC Supreme Buke. Much is made of just how good Russian Circles’ brand of post-instrumetal still is this far along and elsewhere the...

Since forming in 2006 and presenting their debut in 2011, Finland's Brymir has captured lightning in a bottle with their symphonic laced and hard hitting melodic death metal. And now with their fourth full length Voices In The Sky (Napalm Records) the band is in juggernaut mode with their best songwriting and heaviest yet most epic songs to date. Buke sat down with frontman Viktor "Storm" Gullichsen for a wide ranging discussion surrounding this new album, what it's like to handle vocals,...

Since 2006, Boston's Revocation have churned out some of the most progressive and highly technical death metal. Now, with Netherheaven (Metal Blade Records), the band's eight full length, they still walk that line but have one of their most 'straight forward death metal' albums they've ever done. And it is GLORIOUS. Buke recently sat down with guitarist and vocalist David Davidson for a wide ranging discussion surrounding the new album, how it came to be, how David ended up in the engineer...