October 2021 "The Infinite" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Wtb5QsNObO9w62f7ThQNF?si=bf11ed49bad74c8c
Tracklisting:
01. Symphony X – “The Damnation Game” (from “The Damnation Game”, 1995) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
02. Carbonized – “My Hate” (from “Screaming Machines”, 1996)
03. Russian Circles – “Arluck” (from “Blood Year”, 2019)
04. Fantômas – “Book 1: Page 4” (from “Fantômas”, 1999)
05. Astronoid – “A New Color” (from “Astronoid”, 2019)
06. Syncatto – “Möbius” (from “A Place To Breathe”, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]
07. OSI – “ShutDOWN” (from “Office Of Strategic Influence”, 2003) [Submitted by Xephyr]
08. Leprous – “White” (from “Tall Poppy Syndrome”, 2009) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
09. Fates Warning – “Fata Morgana” (from “Awaken The Guardian”, 1986) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
10. Between The Buried & Me – “Revolution In Limbo” (from “Colors II”, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]
11. Jinjer – “Mediator” (from “Wallflowers”, 2021)
12. Big Brave – “Half Breed” (from “Vital”, 2021)
13. Evergrey – “Broken Wings” (from “Torn”, 2008) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
14. Scale The Summit – “Narrow Salient” (from “The Migration”, 2013) [Submitted by Xephyr]
15. Faxed Head – “Rest Stop Cleaning” (from “Chiropractic”, 2001)
16. Cleric – “Poisonberry Pie” (from “Regressions”, 2010)
17. Cynic – “Veil Of Maya” (from “Focus”, 1993)
18. Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa – “Liturgy for the Ekzunreh” (from “Corrupted Pillars Of Vanity”, 2021)
19. Dir en Grey – “Reiketsu nariseba” (from “Uroboros”, 2008) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
20. Ænigmatum – “Fracturing Proclivity” (from “Deconsecrate”, 2021)
My thoughts on some tracks:
Symphony X – “The Damnation Game” (from “The Damnation Game”, 1995)
4.5/5. When the opening track of Symphony X's second album and this playlist begins, you know right away that the melodic neo-classical/progressive metal sound is fully formed in a fast pace. Drummer Jason Rullo shows his fantastic skills, and new and current vocalist Russell Allen puts his voice in full power.
Leprous – “White” (from “Tall Poppy Syndrome”, 2009)
5/5. The epic closer of my favorite Leprous album (and the August Infinite feature release), Tall Poppy Syndrome, is the longest Leprous song at 11 and a half minutes. 10 minutes of glorious progressive metal, ending with a couple key transposes and unleashing the band's power before collapsing into a couple minute piano outro. Incredible!
Fates Warning – “Fata Morgana” (from “Awaken The Guardian”, 1986)
4.5/5. This one uses the usual melody and time changes less often, which I really like!
Between The Buried & Me – “Revolution In Limbo” (from “Colors II”, 2021)
5/5. A killer track from BTBAM's stylistic and conceptual comeback album, this one continues blending various characteristics including tricky shifts in instrumentation and catchy hooks, all in brilliant repetition that's never boring. The singing is around as often as the growling, and similarly, the guitars can range from acoustic cleans to violent shredding leads. Drummer Blake Richardson does killer growls in the massive breakdown, which is in return for what happens in the album's next track that's another story...
Evergrey – “Broken Wings” (from “Torn”, 2008)
4/5. Another song I like from when my progressive metal interest was slightly more melodic. With that said, this is a heavy song to headbang to that I like. Frontman Tom Englund knows how to make great progressive music despite some restraints for the band.
Cynic – “Veil Of Maya” (from “Focus”, 1993)
4.5/5. RIP Sean Reinert and Malone. Those two members of the band tragically leaving this world is one of two reasons why I lost interest in Cynic, the other being my death metal departure. It is a work of art that puts its album Focus next to Death's Human on the race to the top of the early 90s tech-death mountain, and I think Cynic has taken the lead. So f***ing good, and its 2004 remix makes the guitars sound clearer and more dynamic than the original. This song also inspired the name of death/metalcore band Veil of Maya. I wonder how the upcoming Cynic album would turn out as the first without the two Seans. RIP...
Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa – “Liturgy for the Ekzunreh” (from “Corrupted Pillars Of Vanity”, 2021)
4/5. A bit of a more tribal and atmospheric-sounding Enslaved, but too blackened-ish for me. Next!
Dir en Grey – “Reiketsu nariseba” (from “Uroboros”, 2008)
4.5/5. A superb blend of the jazz and vocals of Mr. Bungle with Schizophrenia-era Sepultura.
Ænigmatum – “Fracturing Proclivity” (from “Deconsecrate”, 2021)
3.5/5. Is this for real progressive metal? Yes, it sounds progressive, but the style is closer to blackened death metal. Anyway it sounds killer, but with the style I just explained, it's not really my cup of tea. Not really the best way to end the playlist...
I decided this month to make more of an effort with some of the clans playlists and featured releases that I don't always bother with. First effort was The Sphere which was a disaster thanks to that fucking LARD album, so I was hoping that a jaunt into the Infinite would reveal some items of interest. Thankfully, I got more than expected and have now added Evergrey, Symphony X and Russian Circles to my "to do" list. The latter band always struck me as being a bit of hipster act for some reason but that track was solid enough to impress me into checking out the whole album at some point.
Most of the avant-garde/core crossover stuff was lost on me though and just what the hell is going on with the likes of Carbonized and Faxed Head is completely beyond me. Really good to see Ænigmatum on there as this release has fast grown on me in recent weeks and my splatter-effect vinyl has seen a good few spins since its arrival a few weeks back.
Picked up some new listens like I mentioned so overall a decent folly into the unknown.