April 2023 "The Infinite" Playlist - "Not A Djent" Radio Edition

Link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Wtb5QsNObO9w62f7ThQNF?si=4e2ff549e82f4821

1. Haken – Elephants Never Forget (2023)

2. Between the Buried and Me – Disease, Injury, Madness (2009)

3. Rivers of Nihil – Where Owls Know My Name (2018) 

4. Intronaut – The Unlikely Event of a Water Landing (2015) 

5. In Mourning – Voyage of a Wavering Mind (2012)

6. Periphery – Wax Wings (2023)

7. Leprous – Within My Fence (2015)

8. Avenged Sevenfold – Nobody (2023)

9. Dream Theater – The Court of Tuscany (2009)

10. Rosetta – Ayil (2010)

11. Ne Obliviscaris – Misericorde I – As the Flesh Falls (2023) 

12. Voivod – Planet Hell (1995)

13. The Ocean – Sea of Reeds (2023)

14. Slugdge – Transylvanian Fungus (2018)

15. Scar Symmetry – Scorched Quadrant (2023) 

16. Caligula’s Horse – Capulet (2017) 

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Haken – Elephants Never Forget (2023)

3.5/5. OK, this starting move into a more prog-rock-ish style is a bit forgettable, but still worth enjoying. After a one-minute intro, the band's Gentle Giant influence kicks in, especially in Ross Jennings' vocals. That goes on for a minute until Haken's own classic sound enters, further taken another minute later into their typical chorus. Yet another minute later, it ends sounding closer to a bit of the industrial rock of Nine Inch Nails. At the 7-minute mark is an insane bridge to make up for the earlier drag. This is then followed a minute after by the progressive metal glory that I wish there could be more of without sounding too melodic.

Between the Buried and Me – Disease, Injury, Madness (2009)

4/5. The best song in this BTBAM album has a different execution but the same soft-hard blend. It starts in a progressive deathcore frenzy, then switches to soft and clean, all leading up to an excellent bluesy section in the second half. A unique standout!

Rivers of Nihil – Where Owls Know My Name (2018) 

4.5/5. This one is a bleak yet amazing song from another band that I should've listened to more of. The lyrics are some of the best here, and what makes it beautiful yet slightly laughable is the jazzy saxophone solos, one of them as early as the two-minute mark. Quite a groovy headbanger this track is! It will make you float out or orbit into the astral plane. I think I can hear where some of the more technical aspects of Lorna Shore came from!

Dream Theater – The Court of Tuscany (2009)

4/5. This nearly 20-minute progressive metal epic references a lot of the Thomas Harris novel Hannibal, specifically the eponymous Count of Tuscany. The epic is really solid, though not as much as I would've thought of it about 8 years ago. Still that over two-minute ending proves the band to already be on top of the world!

Rosetta – Ayil (2010)

4.5/5. Rosetta is one of the best bands of sludgy post-metal, and this song is d*mn amazing, like pretty impressive! The vocals remind me of Cave In's Caleb Scofield (RIP).

Ne Obliviscaris – Misericorde I – As the Flesh Falls (2023) 

5/5. Nicely done extreme progressive glory! I look forward to listening to and reviewing the rest of the album, including the second part of "Misericorde".

Voivod – Planet Hell (1995)

4.5/5. Killer bass from temporary vocalist Eric "E-Force" Forrest, along with raging rhythm the late Denis "Piggy" D'Amour. Though Negatron is an underrated album, it doesn't beat most of the albums prior.

The Ocean – Sea of Reeds (2023)

5/5. The Ocean continues to impress me with new singles to pump us up for their new album Holocene. They're another one of the best sludgy post-metal bands besides Cult of Luna. Loïc Rossetti can really execute his vocal ambition that he's had in the band since Heliocentric. That and the drumming by Paul Seidel are what make the band stay progressive. They still can't bring back the dynamic heaviness of Precambrian, and the ambience might remind some of the band Thrice. Nonetheless, they'll never stop their metal side. And the previous singles are slightly more captivating. Maybe there would be more of the earlier harsh vocals and guitars in the album, but we'll see when the album comes out over a month from now if they have them or not.

Slugdge – Transylvanian Fungus (2018)

4.5/5. Slug-themed sludgy progressive death metal, eh? Quite amazing, but not much to say here.

Scar Symmetry – Scorched Quadrant (2023) 

4/5. The Swedish masters of sci-fi progressive melodeath are finally back! This phenomenal sound is like late 90s In Flames modernized and sci-fi-ed. I probably would've loved it perfectly if the chorus didn't sound too much like Madonna's "La Isla Bonita", along with the cleans not sounding too quiet. I gotta check out their upcoming release!

Caligula’s Horse – Capulet (2017) 

3.5/5. Stunning yet a slightly bland soft ending. Still this playlist was a fun ride!