February 2022 "The Infinite" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Wtb5QsNObO9w62f7ThQNF?si=544222339c8346be
1. Animals As Leaders – Thoroughly at Home (2009) Requested by Andi
2. Mastodon – Crack the Skye (2009) (album feature)
3. The Human Abstract – Faust (2011) (27)
4. Meshuggah – The Abysmal Eye (2022) (53)
5. Devin Townsend – Borderlands (2019) Requested by Andi
6. Tetrafusion – Sisyphus (2017) (15)
7. Voyager – Dreamer (2022) (15)
8. Tool – Fear Inoculum (2019) (47)
9. ISIS – Hand of the Host (2009) (17)
10. Gojira – Oroborus (2008) Requested by Andi
11. Caligula’s Horse – Slow Violence (2020) (24)
12. Allegaeon – Of Beasts and Worms (2022) (12)
13. Leprous – The Valley (2013) Requested by Andi
14. Wilderun – Distraction II (2022) (14)
15. Haunted Shores – Hellfire (2022) (24)
16. Opeth – Serenity Painted Death (1999) (23)
Here are my thoughts on some tracks:
Animals As Leaders – Thoroughly at Home (2009)
4.5/5. Cool intro for this playlist, an intense song worth checking out.
Mastodon – Crack the Skye (2009)
5.5. The title track for Mastodon's January Infinite feature release is certainly NOT an instrumental song! Guest appearing as usual in at least song from most Mastodon albums, Neurosis' Scott Kelly does more screaming that would be mostly abandoned in later albums. He dominates the vocals along with Brann Dailor and a little bit of Troy's vocals. The word "Skye" being spelled with an "e" is in memory of Brann's late one-year-younger sister Skye who killed herself at age 14, almost two decades before this album. It's very sad to lose a sibling, and I'm glad to still have my older brother who, like I said before, first inspired my general interest in metal.
The Human Abstract – Faust (2011)
5/5. Oh h*ll yes, neo-classical-influenced progressive metalcore! The arpeggio riff at the 3-minute mark is gold as f***. I'm glad to find more of this killer music I've missed. A.J. Minette is clearly a master at that kind of technique inspired by Bach and Beethoven, and has even covered the entire "Moonlight Sonata" in a later EP from that band. Avenged Sevenfold might have those similar traits but that band has always had heavy metal (metalcore in their earlier albums) as their main sound, whereas The Human Abstract take it all the way, with a bit of the post-hardcore/metalcore of Falling in Reverse. Timing is everything, including how they handled that f***ing addictive breakdown. You can clearly hear the early A7X influences in the chorus that's first heard over half a minute in, and then another half-minute later, the melodic pace. This awesome talent made me remember the band's debut Nocturne that I reviewed as part of the Melodic Metalcore clan challenge and now feel up to checking out again. After that breakdown that starts 4 and a half minute mark, more of those classical influences keep pouring out. The vocals fit so f***ing well with the lyrics. So put aside any classical/metal arguments and appreciate what this band has to offer!
Meshuggah – The Abysmal Eye (2022)
5/5. Meshuggah is back with a song from their new album blasting into your face! H*lla killer sh*t right here! You could reassemble the music and lyrics and it would still be legit Meshuggah. Definitely some heavy fire they still have since Koloss, maybe even Nothing. I just love this groove-ish djent style that you can play loud. I seriously like it! This wakes me up way more than coffee and tea. The ending riff pulls off some sick heavy burn. I recommend this song to djent fans all around!
Devin Townsend – Borderlands (2019)
4.5/5. An 11-minute epic with some of the most organic moments ever made by Devin, though it can't beat "Singularity".
ISIS – Hand of the Host (2009)
5/5. Another super incredible 11-minute epic, this one from Isis' final album before splitting up. RIP this band
Gojira – Oroborus (2008)
4.5/5. Gojira was a band I needed in my life, with moving progressive instrumentation. Awesome song with lyrics about... well, you know what it's about based on the title. However, I've moved on from the devouring death metal this band once had.
Leprous – The Valley (2013)
4/5. A breathtaking masterpiece! Though it's not enough to make your jaw drop, it's enough for a good recommendation.
Opeth – Serenity Painted Death (1999)
5/5. Another killer track with some of the best harsh vocals I've ever heard, especially when they have their own chorus: "White face haggard grin, this serenity painted death, with a halo of bitter disease, black paragon in lingering breath" I definitely like the growl at the end of that last line. The song is so great that if they shorten it to half its length for the radio, I wouldn't be p*ssed off but still prefer the original length. It would've been slightly better to end the playlist with the 10-minute epic "White Cluster", but this still works. I look forward to seeing what everyone else here thinks of this album as this month's Infinite feature release.
By the way, Saxy, what do the numbers mean next to the years in the submissions that weren't requested by me? Here's an example:
1. Animals As Leaders – Thoroughly at Home (2009) Requested by Andi
2. Mastodon – Crack the Skye (2009) (album feature)
3. The Human Abstract – Faust (2011) (27)
4. Meshuggah – The Abysmal Eye (2022) (53)
"The numbers Mason. What do they mean?"
I forgot to axe them when I copy/pasted them into the forum. They're just categorization numbers; basically making sure that I cover relevant content in addition to not just filling a list with obscure acts that no ones heard of before.