November 2020 "The Infinite" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2BDIUEMLltC7LighqL5v5i?si=oeYlg7QXQVarpDe1y8oYkw
Tracklisting:
01. Disillusion – “The Sleep Of Restless Hours” (from “Back To Times Of Splendor”, 2004)
02. DGM – “Daydreamer” (from “The Passage”, 2016) [Submitted by Xephyr]
03. Shadow Gallery – “War For Sale” (from “Tyranny”, 1998)
04. Mr. Bungle – “My Ass Is On Fire” (from “Mr. Bungle”, 1991)
05. Ark – “Resurrection” (from “Burn the Sun”, 2001)
06. Intervals – “Slight Of Hand” (from “The Shape Of Colour”, 2015) [Submitted by Xephyr]
07. Fates Warning – “Silent Cries” (from “No Exit”, 1988)
08. Juggernaut – “Juggernaut” (from “Baptism Under Fire”, 1986)
09. Seventh Wonder – “The Promise (Studio Version)” (from “Welcome To Atlanta Live 2014”, 2016) [Submitted by shadowdoom9]
10. Vulkan – “This Visual Hex” (from “Technatura”, 2020)
11. Dan Swano – “Uncreation” (from “Moontower”, 1999)
12. Amorphis – “Heart Of The Giant” (from “Queen Of Time”, 2018) [Submitted by Xephyr]
13. Jesu – “Silver” (from “Silver” E.P., 2006)
14. Lychgate – “Incarnate” (from “Also Sprach Futura” E.P., 2020)
15. Ne Obliviscaris – “Intra Venus” (from “Urn”, 2017) [Submitted by shadowdoom9]
16. Uneven Structure – “Awaken” (from “Februus”, 2011)
17. Cloudkicker – “What They Do Is Not Art” (from “Solitude”, 2020)
18. The Contortionist – “Flourish” (from “Exoplanet”, 2010) [Submitted by shadowdoom9]
19. Infant Island – “Stare Spells” (from “Beneath”, 2020)
My thoughts on some of the tracks (including my suggested songs):
Seventh Wonder – “The Promise (Studio Version)” (from “Welcome To Atlanta Live 2014”, 2016)
10/10. I already told you this before but Seventh Wonder is the band vocalist Tommy Karevik was (and still is) before becoming the new lead singer for Kamelot. I definitely enjoy Seventh Wonder's epic pieces like this one, "The Promise". I love the production balancing the bass audibility with the guitar volume. Besides production, the harmonics are melodies are also great and enjoyable. This band sure knows how to remove the rain from my heart and replace it with sunlight. I'm glad Tommy is able to be part of both Seventh Wonder and Kamelot. Not a lot of metal musicians/singers can handle two bands at once. In fact, this has caused Tommy to have better passion and greater vocal ability than ever before. Awesomeness overdrive!! This would be followed a couple years later by their new epic concept album Tiara, released in 2018, the same year as Kamelot's The Shadow Theory, and I already know which one of those albums is a massive work of art (hint: NOT Kamelot). Seventh Wonder might be the Wintersun of progressive power metal, both because of how epic the band is and all that "Development Hell" they've gone through. Let's hope we don't have to wait until 2023 for their upcoming album after Tiara. I would jump off a plane and parachute down to an ongoing Seventh Wonder outdoor concert if I could. This fantastic track is probably my favorite of all of 2016, a great tune reminiscent of the true epic progressive metal age 10 years prior. I definitely love the second half starting at the 5-minute mark, including the guitar/keyboard soloing duel and the long outro before fading out, Tommy's screamed notes before each part blowing you away. Super killer! This is one of their best songs, alone greater than double-albums like Dream Theater's The Astonishing. An awesome song of fantastic arrangement, amazing technique, beautiful melodies, and Tommy's perfect voice! Some might say the beginning sounds similar Stratovarius' "Anthem of the World" and Dream Theater's "Ytse Jam", but I think this combination has been made greater and more epic. Long live the greatness of the progressive power metal kings! It's super incredible how Tommy's vocals helped out both Seventh Wonder and Kamelot's concept albums. They really progress through great quality! I'm a newer fan of Seventh Wonder than Kamelot, the latter I've listened to much longer. Once again, Tommy is amazing in both bands! The guitar mix and drum tone could've been better, but the song is still stunningly terrific! "The Great Escape" would've also been a great song choice, but hey, no song over 20 minutes! Either way, thanks Daniel for including this masterpiece "The "Promise" in this playlist for other members to hear.
Ne Obliviscaris – “Intra Venus” (from “Urn”, 2017)
9/10. A great attention-seeker that has the best dueling vocal moment at the end! However, if one of the two-part suites like "Libera" or "Urn" are in one track instead of two, I probably would've chosen one of those epics instead, but never mind.
The Contortionist – “Flourish” (from “Exoplanet”, 2010)
8/10. This is a heavier one, sounding closer to progressive deathcore/djent, but there are beautiful moments like the instrumental breakdown and that shoegaze-like solo. After that, close to the 5-minute point, they turn back to the sharper djent sound. Its album Exoplanet was remastered in 2015, and even though the remaster caused some mixed reactions, I still think this song has cool djent on both versions.
Infant Island – “Stare Spells” (from “Beneath”, 2020)
7/10. Of course, I've learned to comment on at least one song that isn't one of my suggestions. This one didn't work quite right for me. I'm just not into the experimental hardcore screamo stuff like this band and Strawberry Hospital. Never really the best ending for this playlist. Anyone who wants more of this sound but isn't up for the earlier selection of progressive metal might have to look someplace else...
My thought on one more track:
Disillusion – “The Sleep Of Restless Hours” (from “Back To Times Of Splendor”, 2004)
12/10 (not exaggerating). It's a little odd starting this playlist with a 17-minute epic meant to be a grand finale for its original album, but it's an epic way to summarize the progressiveness to come in the rest of the playlist, so let's talk about it. This glorious track starts by building up an acoustic riff into fast heaviness, leading to the furious energy of the harsh vocals from Vurtox before a catchy beautiful chorus. After a few minutes of aggressive riffing, it all pauses for a soothing acoustic part before starting another chorus, this time with every bit of strength from Vurtox's clean singing, creating one of the greatest choruses ever heard in existence. After that chorus, the song halts into almost complete silence with very faint static. You might think that song is over already, and you're about to get ready to leave and think of what a glorious journey that was. But NOPE!! Opeth-like acoustic guitars build the song back up to a powerful mighty 4-minute outro. The band uses all their instrumental energy to create this crushing ending. Even when it fades out, this is not only the grand finale for this song, but also for its original album, a bit like Between the Buried and Me's Colors ("White Walls"). You'll definitely be wanting more after this adventurous epic!
Nice pick on the Cloudkicker song Daniel, I didn't realize you included it in the playlist and, by coincidence, I've been listening to Solitude for the entire week so far, I think it's incredibly good.