The Nine Circles Audio Thing

Your Time To Shine (Relapse Records) is Monolord's fifth full length release since exploding onto the doom metal scene back in 2014 with their excellent debut Empress Rising. To say their rise in this genre has been anything other than meteoric would be an atrocity, and even including 'rise' in that statement is misleading since their debut captured fans from across the globe and landed on many best of lists. Their sound has become the new standard in doom metal for anyone looking for something outside the 'paint by numbers' formula that's been around for so long. And, with every album since, their star shines ever brighter. Your Time To Shine continues this tradition and further cements their legacy in doom metal. 

For this discussion, Buke caught vocalist and guitarist Thomas Jäger on the eve of the album's release as he was just starting to see the buzz surrounding the album get louder and louder. The two chat about the new album and how it came together, how they are hoping an upcoming tour will happen, his other profession as a music teacher and full on thoughts about that, whether the afterlife is a thing or not, and the amazing nugget of how the album cover art came together. They also cover the importance of not making the same album twice, having direction and rules within the band and how they enjoy a lack of all those most of the time, the choice to stick to five tracks and why, and a track pick that represents where the band are today. All this and so much more is covered so jump in and enjoy.

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter (X) | Instagram | Bluesky

The Edge of Existence (eOne) is Texas based Creeping Death's third EP, but follows from their bludgeoning 2019 full length Wretched illusions. Death metal had no idea what it was in for when this band formed and called it its own. Their sound is immediately violent yet has a groovy, melodic edge to it that makes for fast kinship amongst fans of metal far beyond just death metal. Reviews came fast and furious for the full length and it seemed the band was an overnight success, rightfully so since said full length was such a hammer to the face of death metal that so many just couldn't get enough of, and us included. 

Just ahead of the EP's release, our maestro of the mic, Buke, had the chance to cross paths, yet again, with guitarist Trey Pemberton to discuss The Edge of Existence and how it came to be. They also discussed how the pandemic shaped the album and how that allowed them time to really focus on the album and their individual mastery of the puzzle pieces, their upcoming tour and what to expect, Trey's MMA training and how that has helped him in so many ways, the passing of Powertrip's Riley Gale and how hard that hit the band as well as fellow Texans and metal fans in general, and how Trey's Mom shaped his musical history since she was a huge metal fan and an absolute shredder on the drum kit. Plus, what song Trey feels perfectly encapsulates the Creeping Death sound off the new EP. All this and so much more is covered in this amazing chat so dive in and enjoy.

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter (X) | Instagram | Bluesky

No doubt you know how this works by now...team members take turns picking their favorite album from a given month and for August 2021, it was a shoe in for Deafheaven's Infinite Granite (Sargent House) across the board. And, while no one on staff disagreed, not everyone was on the exact same page. Since 2010, Deafheaven have yet to make the same album twice or even close to the same album. The way they transition from black metal to shoegaze has made them critical darlings of a controversy that can never quite get its controversy correct. And now that they've gone full on shoegaze, the internet will never be the same. So it seems. The gang covers Infinite Granite and just how different it is as well as how much it rules, the fact that this might well be their "Opeth" moment, lyrics and how good George Clarke is in writing them as well as their impact over the years with certain team members, spooky season, a huge set of birthdays, and, as always, what else tripped our triggers during the month of August 2021 which features lengthy segments on both BTBAM's Colors II and WITTR's Primordial Arcana, obviously. So, do have a pen and paper on hand. 

All this and so much more as we dive head first into our eighth AOTM for 2021!  So jump in and get an earful!

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter (X) | Instagram | Bluesky

With seventh full length, Primordial Arcana (Relapse Records), Wolves In The Throne Room literally have nothing else to prove to anyone. They make their brand of atmospheric black metal for themselves and their own spirits and have gained a massive following since their inception in 2002 due to their extremely nature inspired and spiritually grounded music and the feeling surrounding each release that fans have come to know and love. And, Primordial Arcana is no different yet is its own spirit animal as well as possibly their best release yet. 

On the heels of the album's release, Buke had the chance to chat with drummer Aaron Weaver about the album and its nuances, nature and specifically a piece of it that relates to his upbringing and how it has informed not only his life but his musical choices, how preserving history is important and why, his experience at the Fire In The Mountains Fest and how amazing the Grand Tetons are, how it's been working with Kody Keyworth, and how he stays close to the earth and his interests in early ways of building and surviving. They also cover Aaron's influences and how he either opens up to them or shuts down pending where he is in the creative process for new music, his go to gas station foods, and his song pick off the new album. All this and so much more is covered in this amazing chat so dive in and enjoy.

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter (X) | Instagram | Bluesky

Later this month, progressive / technical death metallers Rivers of Nihil will drop their fourth full length, The Work (Metal Blade Records), and by all accounts this album will be a crowning achievement for them as well as their fans and fans of extreme metal in general. 2018's Where Owls Know My Name really blew the lid off for them and received mountains of praise, as it should have. The Work finds the band at an even higher creative peak and, somehow, heavier than ever. We're foaming at the mouth over it and before long, you will be too.

Just ahead of the album's release, Buke had the chance to chat with vocalist Jake Dieffenbach about the album, creation of it, and how the pandemic actually helped them take their time with it. They also cover other jobs that Jake has had and some local (Pennsylvania) recommendations of must stops when in the area. Jake opens up about a hearing disability and how he's turned that into a positive, how he feels about expectations of new albums from a fan's perspective, upcoming touring plans, and he drops the album pick he feels is truly a showcase track for where they are right now. This is an excellent chat so dive in and enjoy!

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter (X) | Instagram | Bluesky

Burial In The Sky's third full length The Consumed Self (Rising Nemesis Records) is an absolute beast of progressive and technical death metal that easily stands out from the crowd with its clarity, punch, and originality. And, it blasts past their last two albums even though both of those were no slouches. This one is the culmination of all their hard work to date and should, by all accounts, make them household names for any fan of the extreme spectrum of metal.

Just on the heels of the album release, Buke had the chance to chat with James Tomedi, Brad Hettinger, Jorel Hart, Sam Stewart, and Zach Strouse about the new album and the state of their world post-release. They also cover how the pandemic shaped releasing it, what drove the members to the prog-tech spectrum of death metal, how they've evolved since forming, using the saxophone and a quick discussion on Kenny G, mechanics of songwriting within the band and lyrical content surrounding a story. Then they move into a history lesson and the importance of networking as well as their chemistry when playing. Unfortunately, we suffered technical difficulties near the end and lost them, but made the best of it in closing. Even with that, this was an excellent chat so dig in and enjoy!

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter (X) | Instagram | Bluesky

No doubt you know how this works by now...team members take turns picking their favorite album from a given month and for July 2021, Cat (Hera) yelled the loudest over Year Of No Light's Consolamentum (Pelagic Records).  And, based on their heavy history, no one on staff disagreed. Since 2001, Year Of No Light have been churning out some of the heaviest post-metal by way of sludge, doom, and drone anywhere and this release finds them at their most vulnerable yet heaviest of the bunch in their discography. It's been said that any band choosing to go the instrumental route better have plenty of meat to make a statement and this band has the whole damn cow on the grill. The gang covers Consolamentum and how it stacks up to their past while standing completely on its own, comparisons to like minded bands and how Year Of No Light are 100% unique, how Hera's virtual Roadburn experience colored this pick as well as how this one fits in her spiritual tear as of late and the color she sees when listening to the album, new homes for certain staff, the relentless heat, branching out with different genres of music due to the pandemic, whether to move to the West Coast or not, Egypt and our resident Egyptologist, and, as always, what else tripped our triggers during the month of July 2021. So, do have a pen and paper on hand. 

All this and so much more as we dive head first into our seventh AOTM for 2021!  So jump in and get an earful!

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter (X) | Instagram | Bluesky

Between the Buried and Me have blazed their own path  and done things their own way now for some twenty years and change. So with a pandemic raging and nothing much else to do, they decided to record the follow up to their 2007 opus Colors, lovingly titled Colors II (Sumerian Records). Whether you go the Wikipedia route and call it new wave polka grunge or the band's route and call it adult contemporary progressive death metal, it kind of all fits and this is why the band is so endeared by its fans or, on the flip side, at arm's length to outsiders. Either way you slice it, Colors II is epic, colorful, and wildly entertaining. 

Just ahead of the August 20 release date, Buke had the chance to chat with vocalist and keyboardist Tommy Rogers about the new album, how it came to be, and behind the scenes. They also take a look back on Colors as well as band history and Tommy's background in music, becoming a vocalist, and how he came to play the keyboard. Time is spent on how the band doesn't pre-plan going into a new album and just how much time and effort goes into getting everything just right and sounding good, length of albums and the band's position on folks that say their music is too hard to get into, Tommy's solo work, and a discussion on their upcoming tour called An Evening with Between the Buried and Me. This is an excellent chat so dig in and enjoy!

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter (X) | Instagram | Bluesky

Allegaeon has fast become a household name in the tech death metal arena, and for good reason. Their last album Apoptosis (Metal Blade Records) was a beacon in the tech-melodic-death-metal arena and placed the band on the same wavelength as the giants in this genre. And maybe even head and shoulders above their competition. Eye of the beholder sort of thing, obviously, but these dudes are the real deal. Period.

In close proximity to Riley McShane's voiceover in the Resident Evil series, our maestro of the mic, Buke, had the chance to dig into the whys and hows of this voiceover, Riley's gaming background and favorite platforms, Riley's video game publishing platform and future releases, Cannibal Corpse vs Six Feet Under vocalists, a section on Apoptosis and the creative process surrounding that album, cover songs, and a ton more! Dive in for an excellent chat.

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter (X) | Instagram | Bluesky

You know how this works...team members take turn picking their favorite each month and this month was technically a landslide between the 9C members joining and the others not able to due to life and whatever else got in the way. De Doorn from Amenra is the band's fifth full length and first for new label Relapse Records who scooped them up on the strength of their discography, and what a strong discography it is! The fact that this is only their fifth full length misses the fact that they've put out six volumes of their out-of-body-religious experience Mass series and all the one-offs, splits, and EP's that are just as powerful. Amenra are all about the experience and each and every effort speaks volumes to how much they put into their music and to see them live is truly an otherworldy experience. The gang covers De Doorn and how this album stacks up to their previous works and how much of an impact the spoken word approach (in their native language) makes, the Church of Ra and its collective, and correct pronunciation of the band name. Following that is a "what else tripped our triggers" in June on the metal landscape which features several albums you'll want to take note of.

All this and so much more as we dive head first into our sixth AOTM for 2021!  So jump in and get an earful!

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter (X) | Instagram | Bluesky