Los Angeles melodic heavy band, Ninth Circle, have been locked away in the studio since November of 2021, working on their, as of yet untitled, fifth album.
Bassist, Frank Forray, provides an update on where the band is currently in their process: “So far things have been going extremely well! Of course, we are working with our long-time engineer and producer, Jeff Prentice which makes the process very familiar and a bucket of laughs! As of this point, Dennis has completed rhythm guitar tracks for 13 of 15 songs and is kicking some serious ass on this record. He has definitely found his “DRB” mojo again, no doubt!”
“Jeff is doing an amazing job on this record by bringing in new concepts around recording and new ideas sonically”, Frank continues. “Before we began recording this new record, Jeff, Dennis and I spent a lot of time discussing what really worked on our past albums, what didn’t work and what we missed and needed more of in terms of making a really kick ass Ninth Circle record. We also took a lot of time to assess how we wanted the band to progress and make a sonically heavier record this time.”
Frank discusses their approach to discovering a new sonic approach, “We experimented with a few new concepts for the band in terms of sonic concepts and I believe, along with the guys in the band, that we have found that new heavier sound that keeps intact what Ninth Circle is all about.”
Frank goes on, “We believe that is great melodic metal songs with harmony vocals and nice guitar structures and solos. I really believe fans are going to be blown away with this new record for a couple reasons that will definitely surprise them! Especially when you’re working on your fifth album, you need to keep in mind your fans, that style of metal you produce which you are known for while still trying to stretch musically and dip your toe, or whole foot, into some new musical territory.”
"We definitely wanted to go for a bigger sound and we got it," adds Dennis.
Richie adds, "Since I'm new to their process, it is very evident that the guys are really looking deeply at how the music is put together, along with the sound and leaving me room to put my touch on them. It's gonna be extremely fun for sure!!"
Does this mean a new style or musical direction? “Absolutely not. But it does mean growing and stretching as songwriters and capable musicians. You can see it in bands like Rush, Van Halen and The Police for example. Reggae was an emerging music scene in the late 70’s and very early 80’s and you could hear bands who were inspired by music at large incorporate those ideas into their songs such as, 'Vital Signs', 'Push Comes to Shove' and 'Walking on the Moon'. I would say the songs on our last record where we took chances were 'Tokyo Nights', 'Then & There' and 'Shadow of Giants'. All great songs. All had that Ninth Circle touch, but just a little bit outside of the Ninth Circle box which our fans have come to expect from us. Undoubtedly, we have a core of music that fans expect from us. We expect it from ourselves. As a musician, if you’re not growing, you’re standing still or dying, and we ain’t gonna die that’s for sure! This record is going to blow our fans away. The way this record is sounding this early in the process is just amazing. Stay tuned!”
"It's as if we took a bit of a detour with the last record”, Dennis adds "We tried some things we hadn't before and it made for a great variety of material. This time, we focused more on our strengths during the songwriting process and the results are impressive! Once these new batch of songs came together, it was all systems go!. Especially with Richie on board, it has been a fun. The way this record is sounding this early in the process is just amazing. Stay tuned!"
Richie adds, "I felt that you guys were doing a bit of musical stretching on the last album too, I know it is not always easy to do that when people have seen you only in one light. It's all a process of growth and you can't please everyone all the time.”
The band is also embarking on live dates to satisfy their need to play live and give their fans what they desperately waited for Ninth Circle shows, “Yes, we need to keep our sanity while in the studio so you are going to start seeing Ninth Circle live very soon. We need it and our fans deserve it especially after that last two years that we have experienced. And to really give our fans a treat we will be doing a “Best Of" tour!"
Frank explains, “We have such a great catalogue of music that we decided this time around we would play our hits live on stage for our fans and just throw a big rock n roll party which I expect should last through the summer. Richie LOVES to play live and really enjoys throwing us curve balls when it comes to picking songs to play, while we're at rehearsal. So be on the look out for new dates coming soon! We will have first show of 2022 April 2nd in Santa Ana, CA at Stages. Be there, it’s going to be a great time!!”
