April 2021 "The Infinite" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1c77VEkEfJkIDBTc07UHJa?si=LkQlKPNcS2yW4FUKRiNpUQ

Tracklisting:

01. Opeth – “The Funeral Portrait” (from “Blackwater Park”, 2001) [Submitted by Xephyr]

02. Five the Hierophant – “Leaf In The Current” (from “Through Aureate Void”, 2021)

03. Astronoid – “Up & Atom” (from “Air”, 2016)

04. Sieges Even – “Steps” (from “Steps”, 1990)

05. Ayreon – “Day Eleven: Love” (from “The Human Equation”, 2004) [Submitted by shadowdoom9]

06. Fates Warning – “Guardian” (from “Awaken The Guardians”, 1986)

07. Distant Dream – “Sleeping Waves” (from “It All Starts From Pieces”, 2017)

08. The Contortionist – “Follow” (from “Our Bones” E.P., 2019) [Submitted by shadowdoom9]

09. Cara Neir – “Floodgates Of Doom” (from Phase Out”, 2021)

10. Animals As Leaders – “Song Of Solomon” (from “Animals As Leaders”, 2009) [Submitted by shadowdoom9]

11. Neurosis – “Souls At Zero” (from “Souls At Zero”, 1992) [Submitted by shadowdoom9]

12. Ne Obliviscaris – “Forget Not” (from “Portal Of I”, 2012) [Submitted by Xephyr]

13. Evergrey – “Leaden Saints” (from “Escape Of Phoenix”, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]

14. Wintherfall – “Tempest” (from “Curse of Autumn”, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]

15. Doom – “Complicated Mind” (from “Complicated Mind”, 1988)

16. Meshuggah – “Marrow” (from “Koloss”, 2012) [Submitted by shadowdoom9]

17. Pan.Thy.Monium – “Lava” (from “Khaooohs”, 1993)

18. Iotunn – “Waves Below” (from “Access All Worlds”, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]

My thoughts on some tracks (including my suggested ones):

Opeth – “The Funeral Portrait” (from “Blackwater Park”, 2001)

4.5/5. A brutally good song with crushing progressive riffs from one of the greatest progressive metal albums to begin the 21st Century. Yet another great way to start a playlist that would contain other good and better songs!

Ayreon – “Day Eleven: Love” (from “The Human Equation”, 2004)

5/5. A marvelous song with manic serenity! There's an amazing story told throughout this song and concept album, but I guess you would have to listen to the album on your own to find out the whole story.

The Contortionist – “Follow” (from “Our Bones” E.P., 2019)

4.5/5. The Contortionist is one of those progressive metal bands that started extreme (djent or otherwise) then the extreme part starts to fade into something more melodic. Fortunately, this song shows that The Contortionist still have a bit of their earlier heaviness while having progressive melody. Hope their fanbase is still following!

Cara Neir – “Floodgates Of Doom” (from Phase Out”, 2021)

3.5/5. HORSE the Band gone post-black/experimental noisegrind? Sounds pretty killer, but f*** it! Let's move on...

Animals As Leaders – “Song Of Solomon” (from “Animals As Leaders”, 2009)

5/5. Now this is a much better song, filled with jazzed-up heaviness and synth patterns. Whoever this Solomon dude is, he would be so proud of this band for such a gift. Still looking forward to getting the rest of their discography!

Neurosis – “Souls At Zero” (from “Souls At Zero”, 1992)

4.5/5. A great song to play from your surround sound system until the police tell you to turn it down to not disturb the peace! Neurosis need more recognition after starting a new revolution, the beginning of post-metal and post-sludge! Also, anyone else think the main riff in the intro and outro sounds like that of "Carol of the Bells"?

Ne Obliviscaris – “Forget Not” (from “Portal Of I”, 2012)

5/5. The title of this track is the English translation for the band name Ne Obliviscaris. The first half is a long quiet atmospheric passage that tries to build up to heaviness but ends up falling back down. Then in a second attempt, it gets up much higher and closer to metal, and by the midway point, it made it! The violin stops and let the instrumentation and vocals do their work for the rest of this song.

Evergrey – “Leaden Saints” (from “Escape Of Phoenix”, 2021)

5/5. AMAZING SONG!!! More about it in my review for this album...

Meshuggah – “Marrow” (from “Koloss”, 2012)

4/5. This one is predatory eccentricity. Maybe a little too eccentric to be my absolute favorite song of this album. Either way, this is a good introductory song for anyone stumbling upon Meshuggah and wanting to hear more of the band.