December 2023 "The Infinite" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Wtb5QsNObO9w62f7ThQNF?si=ace0f254c3874be6

1. Madder Mortem – Towers (2023)

2. Anacrusis – Sound the Alarm (1993)

3. Nospün - …And Then There Were None (2023)

4. Opeth – Hex Omega (2008)

5. Charlie Griffiths – Dead in the Water (2022)

6. Periphery – Dying Star (2023)

7. Wilderun – And So Open the Earth (Ash Memory Part I) (2015)

8. Star One – Human See, Human Do (2010)

9. Intronaut – Above (2010)

10. Tool – The Pot (2006)

11. Plini – Still Life (Feat. Tosin Abasi) (2023)

12. TesseracT – Of Reality – Eclipse (2013)

13. The Anchoret – Stay (2023)

14. Aviations – Legend (2023)

15. Earthside – The Lesser Evil (2023)

16. Caligula’s Horse – Slow Violence (2020)

17. Wheel – Wheel (2019)

18. Pomegranate Tiger – The Cryptographer (2023)

19. Myrath – Child of Prophecy (2023)

20. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum – Salamander In Two Worlds (2023)

21. TEMIC – Skeletons (2023)

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Madder Mortem – Towers (2023)

5/5. OMG YES!!! This is another perfect playlist opener, this one having opened my ears to an awesome song from an underrated band that has been active for 3 decades yet hidden from my young view. A beautifully powerful sneak peek for their next album! This track has not disappointed me one bit. The frontwoman has a lot of talent within her vocals. I should put this song high up in my best songs of 2023 list. You can almost consider this band a metal resurrection of Siouxsie and the Banshees.

Anacrusis – Sound the Alarm (1993)

5/5. The lower sorrow of Kenn Nardi's cleans can already be found in the dramatic riff-wrath. The pessimistic darkness would continue in later songs from that album, while the mid-paced riffing stays sharp and keeps the bleakness interesting.

Nospün - …And Then There Were None (2023)

4.5/5. And then there's some melodic progressive metal that sounds amazing, but I would've loved this to bits if that side of my progressive metal interest was still dominant.

Opeth – Hex Omega (2008)

4/5. I love it when, 40 seconds in, the music halts until 40 more seconds later when the vocals rise magnificently. Ghost Reveries and Watershed are the band's two last metal albums before the prog-rock sound of Heritage onwards.

Charlie Griffiths – Dead in the Water (2022)

4.5/5. Some more superb melodic progressive metal, but again I've moved on to the more extreme side of the genre.

Periphery – Dying Star (2023)

5/5. This one has a more uplifting vibe, but the band returns to the impressive intricate heaviness. They can really add warm calm color to an ultra-heavy subgenre like djent.

Wilderun – And So Open the Earth (Ash Memory Part I) (2015)

4.5/5. Although my interest in Opeth has mostly faded out, I still have to thank that band for boosting my love for extreme vocals in progressive metal. With that and the folk/symphonic power metal vibes, this Wilderun track has so much color.

Star One – Human See, Human Do (2010)

4.5/5. "Get your stinkin' paws off me, you d*mn dirty ape!" Star One was one of my favorite progressive metal supergroups when I was younger, and I discovered them earlier than Opeth, like 5 years earlier. Still even back then, I enjoy Dan Swano's growling bridge of "SEE NO EVIL! HEAR NO EVIL! SPEAK NO EVIL! DO NO EVIL!"

Intronaut – Above (2010)

5/5. Another blessing from the heavens above, an underrated post-progressive metal band!

Tool – The Pot (2006)

4.5/5. This one shows the bass rhythm being less snappy, instead synchronizing with the beat in a groove-powered breakdown perfect for some live moshing. Maybe that Plankton AI cover would level up the mosh pit even more. Yeah, that version is what my brother was listening to that made me interested in checking out its original album.

Plini – Still Life (Feat. Tosin Abasi) (2023)

5/5. New Plini single, featuring Animals as Leaders guitarist Tosin Abasi?!?! An absolute djent dream! And who knew you can make a lute sound djent?!

TesseracT – Of Reality – Eclipse (2013)

5/5. Altered State is one of my favorite djent albums, and one any modern metal fan should have in their lifetime! Through the last third of this part, the filthy drumming adds to the serene ambience for beautiful heights. But I gotta get out of here before that peak drops....