January 2023 "The Infinite" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

January 2023

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Wtb5QsNObO9w62f7ThQNF?si=ecf18705b6214900

1. Haken – The Alphabet of Me (2022)

2. Caligula’s Horse – The Tempest (2020)

3. Altesia – Amidst the Smoke (2019) 

4. Dream Theater – You Not Me (1997)

5. Ostura – Duality (2018) 

6. Evergrey – The Essence of Conviction (2004)

7. Rototypical - Mycelium II: Rotten Axe (2022)

8. TesseracT – Eden (2011) 

9. Lamentations – Prodigal (2022) 

10. Xanthochroid – The Sound Which Has No Name (2017)

11. Native Construct – Chromatic Aberration (2015) 

12. Fellsilent – Immerse (2008) 

13. Textures – Singularity (2011)

14. Protest the Hero – From the Sky (2020) 

15. Hypno5s – Sheol, Pt. II (2022)

16. Kingcrow – The Moth (2015) 

17. Ne Obliviscaris – Equus (2022) 

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Haken – The Alphabet of Me (2022)

4.5/5. A weird yet very enjoyable start of this playlist, bringing back the wackiness of the band's earlier recordings while maintaining their recent power. Probably the most wonderous and creative electro-jazz-infused progressive metal blend since some of Plini's works!

Caligula’s Horse – The Tempest (2020)

5/5. Caligula's Horse has done their melodic progressive metal sound quite as well as, and even slightly better than, Haken. If you enjoy their earlier pieces like "Into the White", surely you can't miss this.

Altesia – Amidst the Smoke (2019) 

4.5/5. This one starts heavy before changing into beauty with polyphonic vocals. Clément Darrieu sings amazing melodies and great harmonies to combine with the rhythm.

Dream Theater – You Not Me (1997)

4/5. I used to really love this band back when I first started listening to progressive metal, beginning my journey with the genre's more melodic side. Good song, and I especially like the keyboards at the one-and-a-half-minute mark before the second verse.

Ostura – Duality (2018) 

4.5/5. A killer 12-minute progressive piece with a huge stunning sound! It's quite impressive how my 10-year metal journey led me from DragonForce and a small bit of Metallica all the way up to something almost massive.

Evergrey – The Essence of Conviction (2004)

4/5. Another good track from when my progressive metal interest was more melodic.

Xanthochroid – The Sound Which Has No Name (2017)

4.5/5. This is the cinematic finale of that album where the band has mastered it all. This is symphonic black metal within the orchestration, tremolos, and blast-beats, along with vocals ranging from unclean to clean, and the epic progressiveness is added once again to the brutality enough for to be proven worthy in The Infinite.

Textures – Singularity (2011)

5/5. I didn't become fully interested in this band until over a year ago, and I wish I could've found this band much earlier. The metaphorical imagery of water can really be associated with the artwork and lyrics.

Protest the Hero – From the Sky (2020)

4.5/5. This one continues going through the album's theatrics with hefty bass and riff energy taking the stage. A soothing piano section leads up to the song's glorious ending climax.

Ne Obliviscaris – Equus (2022) 

5/5. Ne Obliviscaris is back and staying as glorious as ever! The song and its video is dedicated to the victims of the 2019/2020 Australia wildfires that affected many people and animals there. I look forward to hearing more of this album Exul and all the epicness it has to offer. What better way to end this playlist is there?