November 2021 "The North" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Sw9mEcyXo1pGyFHR3znLT?si=ee1231ad4b60480a
Tracklisting:
01. Leviathan - "-" (from "Scar Sighted", 2015)
02. Veilburner - "Lurkers In The Capsule Of Skull" (from "Lurkers In The Capsule Of Skull", 2021)
03. Ereb Altor - "By Honour" (from "By Honour", 2008)
04. Blut aus Nord - "The Territory Of Witches/Guardians Of The Dark lake" (from "Memoria Vetusta I - Fathers Of The Icy Age", 1996) [Submitted by Vinny]
05. Conqueror - "The Curse" (from "War.Cult.Supremacy", 1999) [Submitted by Sonny]
06. Alcest - "Onyx" (from "Kodama", 2016) [Submitted by Daniel]
07. Mayhem - "View From Nihil" (from "Grand Declaration Of War", 2000) [Submitted by Ben]
08. Schammasch - "In Dialogue With Death" (from "Triangle", 2016) [Submitted by Ben]
09. Bestial Warlust - "Death Rides Out" (from "Blood & Valour", 1995) [Submitted by Sonny]
10. Moonsorrow - "Matkan lopussa" (from "Kivenkantaja", 2003) [Submitted by Daniel]
11. Sargeist - "Let The Devil In" (from "Let The Devil In", 2010) [Submitted by Vinny]
12. Vargrav - "The Glory Of Eternal Night" (from "Reign In Supreme Darkness", 2019)
13. Teitanblood - "Sleeping Throats Of The Antichrist" (from "Death", 2014) [Submitted by Sonny]
14. Drudkh - "Українська Повстанська Армія (Ukrainian Insurgent Army)" (from "Кров у наших криницях (Blood in Our Wells)", 2006) [Submitted by Daniel]
15. Horna - "Saatanan Viha" (from "Kuoleman kirjo", 2020) [Submitted by Vinny]
16. Seth - "Métal noir" (from "La morsure du Christ", 2021)
17. Blasphemy - "Blasphemous Attack" (from "Fallen Angel of Doom....", 1990) [Submitted by Sonny]
18. Månegarm - "Preludium" (from "Vredens tid", 2005) [Submiited by Daniel]
19. Immortal - "Unslient Storms In The North Abyss" (from "Pure Holocaust", 1993) [Submitted by Vinny]
20. Kvist - "Ars manifestia" (from "For kunsten maa vi evig vike", 1996)
21. Havukruunu - "Aavevalo" (from "Havulinnaan", 2015) [Submitted by Xephyr]
22. Sarcófago - "INRI" (from "I.N.R.I.", 1987) [Submitted by Daniel]
23. Aorlhac - "Vingt sièges, cent assauts" (from "Pierres brûlées", 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]
24. NONE - "A Chance I'd Never Have" (from "Damp Chill of Life", 2019)
I thought I'd forgotten to post my suggestions, but I've just noticed they are there.
I thought I'd forgotten to post my suggestions, but I've just noticed they are there.
Never fear Sonny. Your entries meant there was no need for me to hunt down War Metal tracks for inclusion. You covered that for me perfectly! I'll add your name now.
There was really contrasting material to include in this playlist, so I decided to spread it all out rather than bunch similar track styles together. I personally enjoy regular shifts in style throughout playlists to add that attention grabbing surprise factor. I still tried to make the tracks flow as much as I could, but I like the feeling of never knowing quite what you're going to get next.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed putting it together. I discovered a few interesting new bands in the process. 
I thought I'd forgotten to post my suggestions, but I've just noticed they are there.
Sorry mate. I must have overlooked that while I was typing out Ben's playlist on the morning of the 1st..... manually..... by hand..... unlike everyone else's playlists which they sent to me in advance to save me the trouble.....
:P
Good looking playlist by the way Ben.
Never fear Sonny. Your entries meant there was no need for me to hunt down War Metal tracks for inclusion. You covered that for me perfectly!
Yeah, I'm sorry about that Ben, but as our selections are intended to reflect our listening over the previous month and I had only been listening to war metal for my North-related fix, I ended up submitting only tracks from those albums. I will endeavour to be less of a dick in future as, now I've had a taste of compiling a list myself, I realise that it throws up additional challenges.
I'm completely fine with your approach from last month Sonny. Everyone has their own submission time to do what they please with as long as it's reflective of the clan. That's why I always left some space for an additional person so that I could fill in some of the gaps.
Another great playlist this month, although there was too much war metal on it !!! (Only kidding).
I've got a feeling someone else was kidding with that Månegarm track as well.
I was familiar already with a fair bit of this month's playlist, but it's always great to hear from Mayhem, Kvist, Immortal, Drudkh etc. Of those I haven't heard before the Schammasch track has certainly piqued my interest. Horna are a band I've been meaning to explore but have never got round to yet, but their track here has convinced me that I need to. Need to look further into Sargeist too as I'm only au fait with their first two albums and I enjoyed this track a lot. Veilburner, Seth and Aorlhac I will have to work at a bit and see if they click a bit more with me later.
Nice work Ben, enjoyed this one.
Glad you enjoyed it Sonny. Schammasch was a great find for me too! The three disc album (Triangle) isn't easily consumed, but this band has clearly got the goods. I enjoy including tracks that break out of the norms and challenge people a bit (Veilburner for example). Gotta keep you all on your toes.
I've got a feeling someone else was kidding with that Månegarm track as well.
I wasn't actually. I found that atmospheric piece to be by far the most enjoyable thing on an album that I genuinely struggled with.
I've got a feeling someone else was kidding with that Månegarm track as well.
I wasn't actually. I found that atmospheric piece to be by far the most enjoyable thing on an album that I genuinely struggled with.
The dictionary definition of "damning with faint praise" I think!!
Seriously though, why do so many folk metal bands (especially) think we need to hear the crackle of fires, the gallop of horse hooves and the clash of weaponry? If they were any good at their craft the the music would facilitate us mentally envisioning these things as a matter of course - see a band like Saor for example. If I actually wanted to hear all that shit I'd go to a medieval fair at the local manor house (which sometimes I do!)
I actually don't mind that stuff as long as it's in line with the themes & is well executed. I listen to a lot of ambient music though so I guess I'm probably a little more open to purely atmospheric pieces than your average metalhead. In saying that, your average metalhead is likely going to be more open to the cheesy folk/Viking metal material than I am. Ben's certainly not wrong that I occasionally listen to releases that I'm highly unlikely to enjoy & I do it purely because I like to have a well-rounded knowledge of all metal subgenres. How else am I gonna discover the next Primordial or Dissection if I don't get myself outside of my comfort zone every now & then?
Never really got on with Schammasch (not for want of trying). I find their avant-garde approach to be at the expenses of the bm in their sound as opposed to marrying with it in any regard. This track reminds me of Deathspell Omega to start but soon becomes meandering as it lacks the depth of the aforementioned artist. Similarly, I can't get on with Alcest, just nothing for me to grab hold of to keep me interested. I even prefer that Moonsorrow over the Alcest track, even though it constantly broods and never really gets going.
One of my kittens was in the room when that Månegarm track was one and was well fascinated by the bird and animal noises if not the battle sounds. Entertaining for some at least.
Never heard of Vargrav before but they are very Emperor-like and a little too close to worship for me, nothwithstanding Symphonic bm is a very one-dimensional offering. I don't feel they do anything exceptional though. Great to hear some Drudkh on the list and the furious stabs of war metal punctuated the list pretty well to give a real sense of variety. I need more Teitanblood in my life, just never get around to spending a lot of time with their stuff for some reason even though I have never heard anything by them that I did not like. Like Sonny I just don't gel with Seth; in all honesty I am yet to figure out why but I soon reached for the skip button on this list when they came on as I had tried their album earlier this year to no avail.
The classic bands ruled the roost for me this month with Blasphemy, Sarcofago and Kvist sitting nicely against my familiar band choices.