August 2022 "The Infinite" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

(Thread posted with permission from Saxy)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Wtb5QsNObO9w62f7ThQNF

Tracklisting:

01. Between the Buried and Me - "Specular Reflection" (from The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues)

02. Dream Theater - "Hell's Kitchen" (from Falling into Infinity)

03. Leprous - "Restless" (from Bilateral)

04. Seventh Wonder - "Victorious" (from Tiara)

05. Veil of Maya - "Doublespeak" (from False Idol)

06. Threshold - "Silenced" (from Silenced)

07. Cynic - "Infinite Shapes" (from Kindly Bent to Free Us)

08. Periphery - "The Walk" (from Periphery)

09. Voyager - "Submarine" (from Submarine)

10. I Am Abomination - "Heir to the Throne" (from Passion of the Heist II)

11. Soulsplitter - "Gratitude" (from Connection)

12. Anubis Gate - "Chromazone" (from Covered in Colours)

13. Mastodon - "More Than I Could Chew" (from Hushed and Grim)

14. Novembre - "Jules" (from Materia)

15. The Ocean - "Triassic" (from Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic)

16. Mother of Millions - "Rome" (from Sigma)

17. Indukti - "Ninth Wave" (from Idmen)

18. Protest the Hero - "The Canary" (from Palimpsest)

19. Burden of Life - "Geistesblitz" (from The Makeshift Conqueror)

20. Ashenspire - "Apathy as Arsenic Lethargy as Lead" (from Hostile Architecture)

Wow, Saxy, it's incredibly nice of you for me that you've placed all 5 of my suggestions first before the rest of the playlist. Thanks for that! However, I'm still kind of straining from some of the more melodic genres, such as the melodic side of progressive metal, but don't worry, I'm still staying in The Infinite, I just need to pace myself if I want my time in the clan for be more bearable for me. I still look forward to submitting track suggestions for next month's Infinite playlist, and I have a special amount planned for then. In the meantime, here are my thoughts on over half of the tracks here:

Between the Buried and Me - "Specular Reflection" (from The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues)

4.5/5. Ah, one of my favorite BTBAM epics when I was still listening to that band. This can be reduced to a 7-minute radio edit and still be brilliant! The melodic and aggressive chills are a nice step up from the previous album The Great Misdirect. The clean singing sections can remind some of Circa Survive.

Dream Theater - "Hell's Kitchen" (from Falling into Infinity)

4/5. This instrumental is, contrary to the title, like transcending through Heaven's gates in magnificent mind-space. Still it did not beat the other Dream Theater instrumentals I liked when I was still enjoying this band, especially "Stream of Consciousness" which takes its title from a lyric in the epic coming after this track, "Lines in the Sand".

Leprous - "Restless" (from Bilateral)

4.5/5. A short catchy song with Einar Solberg's vocals ranging from peaceful to, that's right, restless!

Seventh Wonder - "Victorious" (from Tiara)

5/5. There's another reason why I would never forget Kamelot, and that's because of the powerful vocals of Tommy Karevik, who's also in this band Seventh Wonder. It's songs like this that make me enjoy the best of both worlds reigning victorious!

Veil of Maya - "Doublespeak" (from False Idol)

5/5. This song is aptly named because of both the singing and the growling playing out well in the lighter instrumentation. The chorus filled with singing really creates a beautiful aura along with rising drumming. The guitar tone lingers through heavy verses before the delicate chorus.

Threshold - "Silenced" (from Silenced)

4.5/5. I've practically forgotten about this band in the two years since I've given up interest in them after a mere two months, but now I remember them again with this excellent new song. Welcome back, Threshold! Absolutely sensational and could almost make an instant classic.

Cynic - "Infinite Shapes" (from Kindly Bent to Free Us)

4/5. Interesting choice, since this is from Cynic's small break from metal in Kindly Bent to Free Us. With that said, this was one of my favorite tracks from the album with the best lyrics there. So beautiful, especially the g****mn synthesized wolf howling at over the 3-minute part that then transitions into guitar. This is also the final album with the two Seans before their untimely passings in separate ends of 2020. RIP...

Mastodon - "More Than I Could Chew" (from Hushed and Grim)

4.5/5. A killer track from Mastodon's recent offering that marks their first double album. So f***ing beautiful, but what else can I say?

Novembre - "Jules" (from Materia)

5/5. An astonishing blend of progressive metal with gothic/doom influences, similarly to Green Carnation in the early 2000s. I think I might've found a decent re-entryway into gothic/doom metal, thanks to this track!

The Ocean - "Triassic" (from Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic)

4.5/5. This one has heavy dynamic groove and stays in a between clean soft melody and harsh aggressive riffing. They haven't unleashed their contained destruction yet until later on in that album.

Protest the Hero - "The Canary" (from Palimpsest)

5/5. This song shows intricate groove hooks alongside the captivating narrative. The charging pace and epic dramatic chorus really makes that song a sweet highlight.