The Nine Circles Audio Thing

Of all the death metal currently burbling in the cauldrons of 20 Buck Spin, SLIMELORD might be one of the most peculiar...and that's saying a lot!

Mixing vicious cavernous death metal with forward thinking technicality and hints of psychedelia in their brutal attack, the band released their debut full length Chytridiomycosis Relinquished in March.  Guitarist Alexander Bradley sat down with Nine Circles to talk about the new album, the shift in direction from the technical thrash of Bradley's other band Cryptic Shift to the more filthy strains of SlimeLord, his love of From Software video games and their influence on his lyrics, and much more.

A lot of ground is covered in just over 30 minutes, so be sure to check out the conversation and grab yourself a copy of what is sure to be one of the most talked about releases come end of year time!

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

What do you get when you combine members of Generation of Vipers, A Storm of Light and Intronaut, then get their collective creative juices flowing about, well... a lot of really heavy shit? (Think global warming, AI, the slow decay of human society in real time... you know! Fun stuff!)

Well, you get GUILTLESS! (And also, you get one hell of a heavy listen.)

Back in February, the intranational quartet released their new EP, Thorns, via Neurot Recordings, and Buke sat down with guitarist Josh Graham to learn a bit more about it. Throughout their conversation, the duo chat about the band's origins, how they came to work with Neurot, and the long debate they had over whether to release Thorns as an EP or try to stretch it into a full-length. Then, as tends to happen in conversations like these, things diverge. They talk about Graham's "day job" in design, and the increasing creep of AI into his livelihood. They talk about a harsh lesson Graham learned about the music business while performing in an industrial band in high school. They even trade GWAR stories!

It's a short and sweet (by our standards), yet still wide-ranging conversation that you won't want to miss. Check it out!

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

Hard to believe it’s been a decade since Job For A Cowboy graced us with Sun Eater yet here we are on the eve of Moon Healer (Metal Blade) and we couldn’t be more stoked for it if we tried. This band occupies a special spot for most of here on staff as they exemplify our varied tastes in death metal and all things extreme. With this album that statement couldn't be more true as it is wildly all over the map yet cohesive and heavy as lead at the same time. Ian screamed the loudest when the news dropped of a new album so it was the obvious choice to get him on with our podcast maestro Buke to discuss all things Job For A Cowboy with bassist Nick Schendzielos. The guys cover the obvious items but as per usual they cover a whole lot more so get comfy and settle in for a spell. Enjoy.

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

It’s a well known fact that Vitriol slap, as they say. But did you know that they are one of a very few and select bands pushing death metal to new heights? That’s kind of a rhetorical question…more of a fact tidbit for you than anything since their latest effort Suffer & Become (Century Media) is somehow better than anything they’ve touched to date and blows everything out of the water thus far this year. Fitting it is that this album lands at our collective Album of the Month pick and also fitting that it was pretty much unanimous for those in attendance for this chat as well as those absent for this chat. No spoilers beyond the obvious though so you’ll need to grab a piece of floor or something comfy and kick back while we embellish on this album as well as several other highlights from the month and of course all the other places we meander to during these things. Dive in and enjoy.

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

Yep, we’re strongly and firmly in 2024 annnnd late with this by just a bit. But hey, you guys know that‘s our way by now and if not, now you do. Anyway, 2023 was huge for metal and if you’ve followed along on the site, we’ve all plastered our picks for you to peruse, enjoy, and maybe find something new or a nugget you missed. We love list season and that’s whay our normal cast of fam (Angela, Hera, Ian, Colin, and Vincent) led by our MC Buke got together to put the proverbial nail in the “Best of 2023” coffin once and for all. As usual the discussion is all over the place and fun was had by all. With that said, grab a seat or a piece of floor, your favorite beverage, and enjoy! We are already looking forward to doing this again in 2024. Oh and a big THANK YOU is on order from all of us to all of you for visiting and listening, we really do appreciate it!

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

Welcome back everyone! As is customary this time of year, our resident NOT-metal heads, Dan and Chris, are back to discuss their favorite music of 2023. Tune in for a sprawling, but not overly rambly discussion of all things NOT-metal, including country, jazz, Canadian punk, and everywhere in-between!

Timecodes:

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (04:18) - Shared Picks / "Top Two"
• (16:50) - Chris: "We're in the Rock category"
• (28:54) - Dan: Punk
• (35:39) - Chris: "Just Left of Rock"
• (46:15) - Dan: Country
• (53:46) - Chris: "We've moved off the Rock Highway"
• (1:06:50) - Dan: Pop (in its various guises)
• (1:21:44) - Chris: "I'm Lost" (Off the Rock Highway, Pt. II)
• (1:31:19) - Dan: The "Don't Get My Own Category"s
  (1:39:57) - Honorable Mentions
• (1:50:19) - New Old Music of 2023 (Chris)
• (1:54:23) - New Old Music of 2023 (Dan)
• (1:58:12) - Closing Thoughts

Artists and Albums Discussed:

• Jason Isbell - Weathervanes
• The Dirty Nil - Free Rein to Passions
• Jeff Rosenstock - HELLMODE
• Osees - Intercepted Message
• The Damned - Darkedelic
• Uriah Heep - Chaos & Colour
• Brutal Youth - Rebuilding Year
• Fucked Up - One Day
• Sweeping Promises - Good Living is Coming for You
• Mike Keneally - The Thing That Knowledge Can't Eat
• Paramore - This is Why
• Margo Price - Strays
• Lucero - Should've Learned By Now
• Sufjan Stevens - Javelin
• Lana del Rey - Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd?
• Everything But the Girl - Fuse
• Blonde Redhead - Sit Down for Dinner
• Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
• Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!
• Gunship - Unicorn
• Disclosure - Alchemy
• SZA - SOS
• Sunwatchers - Music is Victory Over Time
• The Reds, Pinks and Purples - The Town that Cursed Your Name
• Questlove, David Murray & Ray Angry - Plumb
• Parannoul - After the Magic
• Grave Pleasures - Plagueboys
• Rodrigo y Gabriela - In Between Thoughts... A New World
• Beach Fossils - Bunny
• Danny Brown - Quaranta
• DOMi & JD Beck - NOT TiGHT (2022)
• Owane - yeah whatever (2018); Chapter One: Shredemption [w/ Jack Gardiner] (2021)

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Welcome back one and all to the final AOTM (Album of the Month) pick discussion for 2023 with Panopticon’s The Rime of Memory (Bindrune Recordings). It’s safe to assume our regular readers, and listeners, know our feelings on Panopticon at this point but to cut to the chase, we love the project and everything that has come from it. And The Rime of Memory is no different, hence why it ended up here in this discussion. We won‘t spoil any of the actual chat though so hit that play button to hear all about it as well as a follow up discussion on everything else that stuck out during the month of November. All that and a ton more is covered so grab a drink - or twelve - and settle in for the long haul. Enjoy! Oh and we’ll see you next month…ish for the Best of 2023 chat.

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

By now, and as one of 20 Buck Spin’s longest running acts, the death metal institution Vastum needs zero intro from us, or you for that matter. Album number five, Inward To Gethsemane, continues the stomach churning filthiness they’ve so readily displayed but this time the songwriting and delivery has some incredible punch to it. The band has been long time favorites of most of us on staff but none moreso than our very own Buke who got the opportunity to chat with guitarist, vocalist, and synth master Leila Abdul Rauf and vocalist Daniel Butler about the album, some band history, and tons of other stuff along the way. Needless to say he was excited, as we are to bring you this conversation so grab your beverage of choice, a seat, and enjoy. 

Huge thanks to Leila and Daniel for their time!

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram. 

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

This was the first time of 2023 that we picked a favorite the fastest and the most solidified. We've all been fans of Wayfarer's Wild West black metal since their debut and with American Gothic (Profound Lore) this love has grown deeper. It's a fantastic album but I'm sure by now you already know this so we won't bore you with frivolity here. The fam got together with our man on the mic, Buke, to discuss this album, why it's our collective favorite of the month, other albums that grabbed our attention and should have your attention as well, and a ton of other stuff is covered. Fun was had by all as the convo went literally all over the place so grab a comfy seat, your preferred beverage, and enjoy. 

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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

For anyone following along in the Nine Circles universe, it comes as no surprise that Autarkh is a huge favorite pretty much across the board. Form In Motion was, and still is, very high on our revisit list as it was unlike anything out there in the metal spectrum at the time. Progressive, epic, monumental, challenging are but some of the words to describe that first effort but even those barely scratch the surface. And now, they’re back with their sophomore outing, Emergent (Season of Mist), and yet again will change the face of metal as we know it. Anton and Buke were both ecstatic when presented with the opportunity to chat with 75% of the band (Michele Nienhuis (vocals, guitars), Tijnn Verbruggen (synths, beats), and Desmond Kuijk (bass)) for the second time and wasted no time getting into the new album, what’s been going on since they last spoke, and so much more. We now bring you this conversation in its entirety so grab your beverage of choice, a seat, and enjoy. 

Huge thanks to Michele, Tijnn, and Desmond for their time!

9C LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram. 

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