November 2021 "The Infinite" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Wtb5QsNObO9w62f7ThQNF?si=f450d9afdb6c4f4c
Tracklisting:
01. Evergrey - "Misled" (from "In Search Of Truth", 2001) [Submitted by Andi]
02. Enslaved - "Caravans to the Other World" (from "Utgard", 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]
03. Ne Obliviscaris - "And Plagues Flower the Kalidescope" (from "Portal Of I", 2012)
04. Plini - "Pan" (from "Impulse Voices", 2020)
05. Pain of Salvation - "On A Tuesday" (from "In The Passing Light Of Day", 2017) [Submitted by Andi]
06. Dream Theater - "Scene Seven: I. The Dance of Eternity" (from "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory", 1999) [Submitted by Xephyr]
07. Unreqvited - "Autumn & Everly" (from "Beautiful Ghosts", 2021)
08. Imperial Triumphant - "Transmission to Mercury" (from "Alphaville", 2020)
09. Seventh Wonder - "Unbreakable" (from "Mercy Falls", 2008) [Submitted by Andi]
10. Canvas Solaris - "Renormalization" (from "Chromosphere", 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]
11. Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas - "Chevron" (from "Mariner", 2016)
12. Ostura - "Deathless" (from "The Room", 2018)
13. Voivod - "Experiment" (from "Dimension Hatross", 1988) [Submitted by Andi]
14. Rivers of Nihil - "Dreaming Black Clockwork" (from "The Work", 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]
15. An Abstract Illusion - "Drop This Planet of Dust " (from "Illuminate The Path", 2016)
16. Textures - "Reaching Home" (from "Dualism", 2011)
17. Thy Catafalque "Köszöntsd a hajnalt" (from "Vadak", 2021)
Saxy, let me just say, you have done a hail of an incredible job assembling this month's Infinite playlist! This tracklisting has encouraged me to go through the entire playlist and find excellent tracks from bands I already listen to along with different bands in which some of them I feel up to trying some more songs from them. Well done, please keep it up! So without further ado, let's get my track thought journey started:
Evergrey - "Misled" (from "In Search Of Truth", 2001)
4/5. The journey begins where this album's story ends, a straight but not too simple piece of the emotional Evergrey sound spectrum. I chose this as a pleasant way for any newcomers to get used to Evergrey.
Enslaved - "Caravans to the Other World" (from "Utgard", 2021)
4.5/5. An awesome Enslaved track as usual, never droning around. Enslaved has really evolved their sound throughout their 30-year tenure, getting more progressive release after release while keeping some of their black metal roots. The evolution continues in this EP!
Ne Obliviscaris - "And Plagues Flower the Kalidescope" (from "Portal Of I", 2012)
5/5. This one shows what the band's music is about, beautifully sinister words over fantastic music that make time fly for the first 10+ minute epic this playlist has. I'm a little surprised by the small amount of big epics here, but the playlist is still brilliant so far!
Plini - "Pan" (from "Impulse Voices", 2020)
5/5. Ah yeah, jazzy instrumental progressive rock/metal in a similar vein to Animals as Leaders! The best part of this great piece is the saxophone solo that's so saxy (pun not intended, but if it is, I hope you don't mind). I wish I could close my eyes and drift away, but as of writing this comment, I'm in an online history class so I have something that I need to focus on alongside the music. Anyway, this is one of the most incredible songs with a bad-a** mix of guitar heaviness with saxophone jazz. The last two minutes give me crying chills and the urge to become a symphony conductor. F***ing amazing, beyond good! The last minute has superb Dream Theater-like soloing.
Pain of Salvation - "On A Tuesday" (from "In The Passing Light Of Day", 2017)
4.5/5. Smokin' hot astonishing progressive metal! And it all came from the mind of Daniel Gildenlöw during his battle with a life-threatening disease...
Dream Theater - "Scene Seven: I. The Dance of Eternity" (from "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory", 1999)
5/5. The first part of "Scene Seven" is an incredible progressive work of art. It references "Metropolis" Part 1 a lot and has great soloing from guitar, keyboards, and bass. It's Dream Theater's Crusade! Despite the guilt from lying to his brother, Edward decides that love is his greater emotion for Victoria and seduces her to point of vulnerability.
Unreqvited - "Autumn & Everly" (from "Beautiful Ghosts", 2021)
4.5/5. Similarly with Lantlos, this band mixes orchestral post-metal with genres other than sludge metal, in this case with blackgaze, a genre I'm still not really up for. Nonetheless, that's the kind of great beauty I feel up to hearing in the afternoon. Dark Autumn aggression is mixed with delicate Winter poetry. Eternal glory is delivered spiritually even during these dark times on Earth. So wonderful that I'm speechless! Even the cover art is beautiful.
Imperial Triumphant - "Transmission to Mercury" (from "Alphaville", 2020)
4/5. This is a bit killer, but mixing technical death metal with avant-garde black metal doesn't quite cut it for me. Let's see what's next...
Seventh Wonder - "Unbreakable" (from "Mercy Falls", 2008)
4.5/5. Another song that makes me jump for joy! It has a happy chorus, plus a soft part with a very good bass solo.
Canvas Solaris - "Renormalization" (from "Chromosphere", 2021)
4/5. Cool jazzy progressive rock/metal in a similar vein to Plini, but with more speed ahead.
Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas - "Chevron" (from "Mariner", 2016)
4.5/5. This one is more equal-sounding in terms of involvement. In this song, Julie Christmas' vocals warps from girlish singing to coherent shouting, as if Avril Lavigne joined a post-sludge band. Yet there's plenty of space for Cult of Luna's illustrative grooves and luminous electronics.
Ostura - "Deathless" (from "The Room", 2018)
4.5/5. There are songs that are so good that they deserve more attention. This is one of them, to be heard by the progressive/symphonic metal community. Don't confuse it with progressive DEATH metal band Obscura! Basically, it sounds like a mix of Savatage, Ayreon, Dream Theater. I've especially included Ayreon because a guest vocalist for some of that project's albums, Mike Mills does the majority of vocals in this song. Great song, though probably too close-sounding to my earlier more melodic taste. Marco Sfogli does amazing guitar here to turn a chaotic mess into a something beautiful. Absolutely great progressive/symphonic metal single! I love it, though my hat of full-on melody is off. If I recommend this song to the rest of you, Saxy and I shall say "You're welcome!"
Voivod - "Experiment" (from "Dimension Hatross", 1988)
4/5. The experimentation continues after this song's turbulent intro, and while not the best, it's something Voivod fans should be familiar with.
Rivers of Nihil - "Dreaming Black Clockwork" (from "The Work", 2021)
4.5/5. This is the extreme tech-death riff-wrath to enjoy! However, after only over a minute of that, the soft instrumentation returns to unfairly steal the spotlight. But hold on to your seats, because there's still more extreme to the prog to continue, while switching back and forth. A killer highlight!
An Abstract Illusion - "Drop This Planet of Dust " (from "Illuminate The Path", 2016)
4.5/5. I love the clean vocals when they blend well with the progressive melodic black/death elements, especially that dimensional section from the 4 and a half minute mark onwards. I might get tired of it if I over-listen, but there are fantastic progressive influences from Omnium Gatherum and Persefone that would inspire me to do my album review marathon for the latter band. Delightful melodeath-inspired progressive metal!
Textures - "Reaching Home" (from "Dualism", 2011)
5/5. One of the most awesome captivating songs without a chorus! Perhaps this could be a shining moment to get into this band after a few attempts over the years. I have my fingers crossed for this hope.
Thy Catafalque "Köszöntsd a hajnalt" (from "Vadak", 2021)
3.5/5. Again, avant-garde black metal isn't my kind of thing, especially when there's Hungarian lyrics and folk elements. Not quite the expected ending, but I'm still grateful...
Glad you enjoyed my inaugural list Andi! I'm super excited to fill out the rest of the list alongside yours and Xephyr's recommendations. It has been enjoyable listening to these tracks and finding new music to enhance my own expanse, especially in the Infinite clan. Maybe next month we can find some avant-garde music that is more up your alley...
Maybe next month we can find some avant-garde music that is more up your alley...
Yeah, I hope so too. Maybe something similar to Maudlin of the Well or Dir En Grey...