September 2022 "The North" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
Tracklisting:
1. Blackbraid - Barefoot Ghost Dance on Blood Soaked Soil (from Blackbraid I, 2022)
2. Antaeus - Gates to the Outside (from Blood Libels, 2006)
3. Alcest - Ecailles de lune, Pt. 2 (from Ecailles de lune, 2010) [Submitted by Daniel]
4. Saidan - I Am the Witch (from Onryo II: Her Spirit Eternal, 2022) [Submitted by Xephyr]
5. Sargeist - To Make Wolves of Men (from Death Veneration, 2019) [Submitted by Vinny]
6. Moonsorrow - Jumalten Aika (from Jumalten Aika, 2016)
7. Sühnopfer - Vikingligr veldi (from Offertoire, 2014)
8. Enslaved - Vetranott (from Vikingligr veldi, 1994) [Submitted by Daniel]
9. Denial of God - Funeral (from Death and the Beyond, 2012) [Submitted by Vinny]
10. Haunter - Overgrown With the Moss (from Discarnate Ails, 2022)
11. Profane Order - Frostbitten (from Slave Morality, 2019)
12. Grima - Giant's Eternal Sleep (from Frostbitten, 2022) [Submitted by Xephyr]
13. Strid - Nattvandring (from Strid, 1994)
14. Panopticon - Merkstave (from Collapse, 2009) [Submitted by Vinny]
15. Scarcity - V (from Aveilut, 2022)
A solid month. Would go as far as to say my favourite month to date. Even the usually drab majesty of Alcest could not detract from my enjoyment of the playlist this month. Far and away the standout track is that Enslaved one that Daniel nominated. It feels like it goes on forever, only in a good way. So powerful and majestic without being polished. That and Strid really owned the list for me this month. I approached the Scarcity track with some trepidation following Sonny's review (I often find Sonny's descriptions to be spot on and not often far off mine) but I heard little wrong with that track and it is a straight toss up between Scarcity and Strid for whom I will move onto checking a full length release from. My only gripe is with the Denial of God track that I chose which I found quite boring upon reflection (which sort of sums up how I feel about the album right now). Corpse paint covered hi-fives all round North clan!
Glad you enjoyed it Vinny. For me, I think the biggest takeaways were Blackbraid (def need to listen to the full length), Strid (who I'd never heard before and was impressed) and that Panopticon track (I didn't realise the earlier material was more traditional black metal). Will spend more time with Grima too.