Russian Circles Announce Nine, Share “Empath,” and Plot Fall Tour
Post-metal trio Russian Circles has announced that their ninth studio album, aptly entitled Nine, will be released on August 28th. The record, which comes 20 years after their full-length debut Enter, is described as continuing the band’s “unhurried evolution and disciplined refinement, leaning into their strengths while pushing at the boundaries of their sound.”
Although the band began in Chicago, its members are spread across the United States with drummer Dave Turncrantz in Chicago, guitarist Mike Sullivan in Los Angeles, and bassist/keyboardist Brian Cook living outside of Seattle.
“The music we make is a collective process of reconciliation, navigation, and reflection upon aging both as individuals and as a creative entity. Life has created very real distances between us, but the band continues to be at the center, and this creative collaboration is a way of charting the passage of time while also giving us a reason to look to the future,” the band elaborates.
Russian Circles is giving fans a taste of the new album with “Empath,” a heavy track introduced in part by Cook’s monstrous bass tone.
“‘Empath’ launches the band into a ferociously concise overview of metal battle tactics – where a Godflesh-style bass crunch and tornado siren drone ushers in trash-inspired guitars, venomous black metal attacks, d-beat forays, a deliciously knuckleheaded hardcore breakdown, and a final scorched earth war metal riff, all in just under five minutes,” a press release states.
Watch the video for “Empath”:
Nine will be out August 28th. Russian Circle will be on tour this fall to support the release. See below for their itinerary.
Nine Tracklist:
- Borehole
- Empath
- Eluvial
- E2
- Meridian
- Arletta
- Seventh Seal
Russian Circle 2026 Tour Dates:
| Date | Location | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 25 | Whitefish Bay, WI | The Argo * |
| Sept. 26 | Chicago, IL | Bohemian National Cemetery * |
| Sept. 28 | Detroit, MI | El Club * |
| Sept. 29 | Toronto, ON | The Opera House * |
| Sept. 30 | Montreal, QC | Club Soda * |
| Oct. 1 | Boston, MA | Royale * |
| Oct. 3 | Queens, NY | Knockdown Center * |
| Oct. 4 | Philadelphia, PA | Union Transfer * |
| Oct. 5 | Baltimore, MD | Soundstage * |
| Oct. 7 | Carrboro, NC | Cat's Cradle * |
| Oct. 8 | Charleston, SC | The Music Farm * |
| Oct. 9 | Orlando, FL | The Beacham Theater * |
| Oct. 10 | Atlanta, GA | Variety Playhouse * |
| Oct. 12 | Nashville, TN | The Basement East * |
| Oct. 13 | Indianapolis, IN | The Hi-Fi * |
| Nov. 4 | St. Louis, MO | Delmar Hall $ |
| Nov. 6 | Denton, TX | Rubber Gloves $ |
| Nov. 7 | Austin, TX | The Far Out Lounge $ |
| Nov. 9 | Phoenix, AZ | Walter Studios $ |
| Nov. 11 | Los Angeles, CA | The Belasco $ |
| Nov. 12 | San Francisco, CA | Great American Music Hall $ |
| Nov. 14 | Portland, OR | Crystal Ballroom $ |
| Nov. 15 | Seattle, WA | The Showbox $ |
| Nov. 16 | Boise, ID | Treefort Music Hall $ |
| Nov. 17 | Salt Lake City, UT | Metro Music Hall $ |
| Nov. 19 | Englewood, CO | The Gothic Theatre $ |
| Nov. 20 | Omaha, NE | Slowdown $ |
| Nov. 21 | Minneapolis, MN | Varsity Theater $ |
* w/ Pelican
$ w/ Primitive Man
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
