The Nine Circles Audio Thing

Car Bomb is, in many ways, an anomaly in extreme metal. They've done things on their own terms for nearly twenty years now and with each new album they continue to push not only their own boundaries but the boundaries of extreme metal. The recently released Mordial is yet another shining example of pushing forward and even toppling their fantastic Meta from 2016. Progressive, mathy, grind, bombastic, are all tags that fit the band's sound but still barely touch the totality of their capabilities and they showcase all of this and so much more on this new album.

On the heels of Mordial's release, guitarist and co-founder Greg Kubacki took some time to chat with Josh about the album's development and how important being DIY has been for them over the years. They also spend some time on Metallica and Gojira, a recent trip to Germany's Euroblast, a venture with Holy Roar Records, and a whole mess of other topics. This is their conversation -- jump in and take listen!

Mordial is available now on the band's Bandcamp page and on Holy Roar Records. To keep up with all things Car Bomb, visit their official website.

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

Wretched Illusions, the debut full-length from Dallas, TX's death metal powerhouse Creeping Death landed on September 27th on Entertainment One and it's a screeching old school groove death fest, with more riffs than a Catskill comic and an authenticity that's second to none. The 9C crew has been keeping this on repeat since it came into the old inbox, and we couldn't wait to get the chance to hit the band up for some more info.

Enter our Master of the Microphone Buke, who had the chance to talk to guitarist Trey Pemberton about all manner of things, including the Texas metal scene, the continuing perils of marketing yourself via cave video, and a veritable cornucopia of other things. We now proudly present that conversation to you, the discerning Nine Circles listener. Jump on in and take a listen!

9C LINKS: [Website][5] | [Facebook][6] | [Twitter][7] | [Instagram][8]

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

We're back in classic trio format to cover all the angles for Episode 27 of the Nine Circles Audio Thing! Chris, Vincent and Charles come together like some weird off-brand Voltron to discuss the long-awaited return of Australian black/post/little bit of everything hybrid **Hope Drone** and their new slab of grief Void Lustre - our Album of the Month selection for August 2019!!

Charles obstensibly has the pick this month, but unlike the last time the three of these knuckleheads got together it's a far more harmonious ship, as the gang agrees that - regardless how you label it - what Hope Drone accomplish on their new album is some might fine stuff. The question of genre labeling is brought up, as is the way a piece of music can affect different people in different ways. Much is made of that epic album closer, and the gang brings up a veritable stew of other music they dug in the month of August.

Lots of good stuff on deck, so jump on in and satisfy those nasty cravings with our inane ramblings. Better yet, head over to your favorite streaming site and give Void Lustre a listen...maybe even buy it. Support your favorite music!

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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

With some last minute injuries our Scholar of the First Sin Hera is called from the bench to lead Episode 26 of the Nine Circles Audio Thing! Together with Vincent and Charles depths are plumbed and gauntlets are thrown concerning the many, many virtues of Patterns in Mythology, the latest from black/folk/all kinds of metal Falls of Rauros - our Album of the Month selection for July 2019!

Hera had the pick, but you would've thought it was Vincent - he's the Gilead cheerleader, after all. But everyone is in agreement this time: Falls of Rauros have knocked it out of the park and delivered their best album yet in Patterns in Mythology. The gang talks about integrating different genres into black metal without being disjointed, the dynamic tension between soft and heavy songs, and yeah - there's lots of talk about what else folks were listening to in July.

It's the dog days of summer, but Nine Circles has got your back with killer talk and recommendations. So jump on in and indulge in the succulent opinions contained herein. Better yet, head over to your favorite streaming site and give Patterns in Mythology a listen...maybe even buy it. Support your favorite music!

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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

Episode 25! How the hell did we make 25 of these?! It boggles the mind, but not as much as the production choices on Gold & Grey, the latest from Savannah rocking sludge merchants Baroness and not coincidentally our Album of the Month selection for June 2019!

Buke has the pick this month, and he guides there rest of the crew, including Chris, Hera, Jon and Vincent through the highs and lows of his experience with the album, and much is made of the stunning addition of Gina Gleason to the fold...but dang can we talk about the production? In other news it's also a chance for the gang to wax poetic on their favorite records from the first half of the year, so get your pencils sharpened because there's been a ton of great music released. It's the best kind of homework!

All that, and and a brief crash course in the silliness of early Christian extreme metal. In other words, just another day for the Nine Circles Audio Thing!

So jump on in and enjoy the mischief. Better yet, head over to your favorite streaming site and give Gold & Grey a listen too (or buy it even). Support your favorite music!

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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

It's a crowded house, but not Crowded House because we're a metal site and I can't get anyone to do a retrospective on the genius of Temple of Low Men. Anyway, if you're reading these words you know it's Album of the Month time and - as usual - it's right under the wire. But when you have a new album from Darkthrone you're damn right we're gonna want to talk about it. That's right, folks...Old Star is our Album of the Month selection for May 2019!

Chris has the pick this month, and his unbridled enthusiasm threatens to overwhelm the show. Luckily both Charles and Buke are on hand to cool the waters a bit, but since Chris also produces the podcast he can he can cut out any anti-Darkthrone language (don't worry - he didn't). Dan returns from the abyss to add his two cents about the album and to rally the troops around the best power metal album of the year, and Vincent? Well, Vincent's just here toss out choice bon mots sure to anger the online metal community.

In other words, just another ordinary episode of the Nine Circles Audio Thing!

So jump on in and enjoy the hijinks. Better yet, head over to your favorite streaming site and give Old Star a listen too (or buy it even). Support your favorite music!

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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

Ascension, the debut full-length from Atlanta, GA's power/thrash outfit Paladin landed on May 17th on Prosthetic Records and it's a barn burner with more chops than a Shaw Brothers film. Seriously, this one is a rager, one the whole 9C crew is head over heels for, hitting old and new school sensibilities alike.

Over Memorial Day Weekend vocalist and guitarist Taylor Washington sat down to chat and ring the inaugural bell with the newest feather in Nine Circles's cap, Matt, about all manner of things, including the plethora of influences the band wears on its sleeve, the perils of making a video in the modern metal age, and a host of other things. We now proudly present that conversation to you, the discerning Nine Circles listener. Jump on in and take a listen!

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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

We're back, and in (almost) trio format! Think of it as Rush when they were a blues band, or like a bunch of folks with no idea what they're doing but enthusiastic about it anyway, the Album of the Month series keeps on a-rolling, with Allegaeon taking the honors thanks to their unbridled guitar-wheedling fury that is Apoptosis - our Album of the Month selection for April 2019!

Charles has the pick this month, and he takes Chris and Vincent on a wild ride through the twisted progressive tech death that is the fifth offering from Allegaeon. Charles loves the 20-ideas-a-minute riffage, Chris has a hard time getting past the first song, and Vincent? Well, let's just say this isn't in his wheelhouse!

All that plus a ghostly visit from beyond the ether courtesy of our Scholar of the First Sin Hera, who has her own strong (re: explicit) views on the album. Will she like it? Will anyone come out alive after this thing is over? You'll have to tune in to find out on the latest edition of the Nine Circles Audio Thing!

So jump on in and enjoy the hijinks. Better yet, dead over to Bandcamp and give Apoptosis a listen too! Support your favorite music!

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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

It's almost as if we kinda know what we're doing! Like an elephant bashing the drums with a gorilla on guitar, the Album of the Month series continues its ramshackle adventure into the heart of metal, this time crowning Devin Townsend and his solo opus Empath as our Album of the Month selection for March 2019!

Once again it's (almost) all hands on deck as Chris, Hera, Dan, Jon, and Anton jump into the twisted journey that is Hevy Devy's latest offering, out March 29th through Inside Out Records. Much is made about Empath's sonic summation of Townsend's career to date, and the gang wander into many different corners of the man's creative powers. We talk about genre mashing, the many, many guests on the record (Chad Kroeger, really? Yes!), the question of where someone who has been as unfettered creatively as Townsend goes next, and we even take some time to talk about other albums that rocked the boat in the month of March.

All that plus more tangents, asides and rambling anecdotes than you can shake a stick at! So jump on in and enjoy the hijinks. Better yet, head on over to your service of choice and give Empath a listen, too!

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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

On March 24th, 1999 the heavens parted and the world was gifted the glory of "Crack the Skye," the fourth album from Mastodon. Their second outing on a major label, it's a sprawling prog-rock opus, sparing no expense to craft majestic riffs and killer hooks that ten years continue to reveal nuances and intricacies folks are talking about.

Or at least we are. Chris, Dan, and Josh sit down to talk about the role the album and the band had on their lives, the introduction of Brann Dailor as a major vocal contributor, and the evolution of Mastodon from "Remission" all the up to 2017's "Emperor of Sand." Much is made about opening and closing tracks, references to Judas Priest are made, and rankings are established for you the public to rail against. We also get to hear Josh's daughter accompany the podcast on piano.

Agree? Disagree? Either way, this chat was a ton of fun for us and we hope you enjoy it, too. Jump on in and take a listen!

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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