October 2022 "The North" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
Tracklisting:
1. Gaerea - Deluge (from Mirage, 2022)
2. Satanic Warmaster - Winter's Hunger (from Fimbulwinter, 2014) [Submitted by Vinny]
3. Devil Master - Shrines in Cinder (from Ecstasies of Never Ending Night, 2022)
4. Krohm - I Suffer the Astral Woe (from A World Through Dead Eyes, 2004)
5. Horna - Haudanusva (from Perimä vihassa ja verikostossa, 1999) [Submitted by Sonny]
6. Sear Bliss - Blood on the Milky Way (from The Arcane Odyssey, 2007)
7. Thy Darkened Shade - Elixir of Azazel (from Liber Lvcifer I: Khem Sedjet, 2014) [Submitted by Daniel]
8. Cradle of Filth - Dawn of the Serpent (from Cruelty and the Beast, 1998) [Submitted by Sonny]
9. Beastcraft - Satanist (from Dawn of the Serpent, 2005) [Submitted by Sonny]
10. Deafheaven - Luna (from New Bermuda, 2015) [Submitted by Daniel]
11. Hulder - Sylvan Awakening (from The Eternal Fanfare, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]
12. Lunar Aurora - Vat gëlénva!!! (from Ars Moriendi, 2001)
13. Trhä - Jadështahhdlha nudahhhana dëvét (from Vat gëlénva!!!, 2022)
14. Ash of Ashes - Under the Midnight Sun (from Traces, 2022)
15. Cult of Fire - Samhara Raktha Kali (from Ascetic Meditation of Death, 2013) [Submitted by Vinny]
16. Sainte Marie des Loups - Meurtrières (from Funérailles de feu, 2020) [Submitted by Sonny]
17. Mörk Gryning - Journey (from Tusen år har gått..., 1995)
18. Akhlys - Breath and Levitation (from The Dreaming I, 2015)
I tell you what Ben, this month's playlist was close to a 100% nod of approval over here in the North West of England as I worked my way through the list in a slightly odd fashion of starting at track 11 initially and then once I had got to the end hitting up the correct order for my next run through. Hulder through Akhlys (fuck yeah) all saw the "like" button on Spotify getting a right bashing. Ash of Ashes was perhaps the only track on the back half of the list that I debated whether it would get the green heart or not but it made the cut despite the clean vocals. Sainte Marie des Loups are quite a recent discovery for me and so revisiting that track so soon after thrashing the album for a couple of weeks was a timely reminder of one of my new favourite bands.
The list starts off strong with Gaerea who are one of my favourite modern black metal bands - indeed I am waiting for the vinyl of this one to arrive in the post, and I predict this would be one of the few releases on my end-of-year list in a few months. A curved ball with Devil Master if I am honest but it still felt strong enough for inclusion in the solid start to the list and the inclusion of Krohm and then the mighty Horna soon helped cast any doubt aside. The horns of Sear Bliss were a welcome sound early on a Sunday morning also - all hail Zoltán Pál! This track is the highlight of the playlist for me (even above the mighty Akhlys), majestic and triumphant without getting pissy. Thy Darkened Shade continue to slip past me, even them being the feature release for August didn't see me get around to this album. A lot more interesting than I originally expected so definitely worth venturing further with the whole album.
So barring Devil Master and Deafheaven (who I can sort of get to grips with, just not for ten minutes plus) this was a great month again.