June 2022 "The Revolution" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1yFgscg5HWKGoIy2s0xRfG
Tracklisting:
1. We Came as Romans/Brand of Sacrifice - "Darkbloom" (Reimagined) from Darkbloom (2022) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
2. All That Remains - "Madness" from Madness (2017) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
3. Ice Nine Kills - "Assault & Batteries" from The Silver Scream 2: Welcome to Horrorwood (2021)
4. Currents - "Delusion" from The Place I Feel Safest (2017)
5. Among Them - "Still" from Coming and Going (2018)
6. For the Fallen Dreams - "10 Years" from Six (2018)
7. Northlane - "Colourwave" from Mesmer (2017)
8. Upon a Burning Body - "A New Responsibility" from Fury (2022)
9. Demon Hunter - The Negative" from War (2019) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
10. Dreamwake - "Paradise" from Virtual Reality (2022)
11. Invent Animate - "Shapeshifter" from Greyview (2020)
12. Crystal Lake - "Freewill" from The Voyages (2020)
13. Born of Osiris - "Throw Me in the Jungle" from Soul Sphere (2015) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
14. Employed to Serve - "I Spend My Days" from The Warmth of a Dying Sun (2017)
15. War From A Harlots Mouth - "The Polyglutamine Pact" from MMX (2010) [submitted by Daniel]
16. Converge - "Trespasses" from All We Love We Leave Behind (2012) [submitted by Sonny]
17. The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Calculating Infinity" from Calculating Infinity (1999)
18. Car Bomb - "HeLa" from Mordial (2019)
19. Gaza - "Cult" from I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die (2006)
20. The Contortionist - "Oscillator" from Exoplanet (2010)
21. Enter Shikari - "Adieu" from Take to the Skies (2007) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
22. Polaris - "The Descent" from The Death of Me (2020)
23. Emmure - "203" from Hindsight (2020)
24. Make Them Suffer - "How to Survive a Funeral" from How to Survive a Funeral (2020)
25. Chelsea Grin - "Hostage" from Eternal Nightmare (2018) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
26. Embodyment - "Golgotha" from Embrace the Eternal (1998)
27. Trivium - "Shogun" from Shogun (2008)
28. Motionless in White - "Eternally Yours" from Graveyard Shift (2017) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:
We Came as Romans/Brand of Sacrifice - "Darkbloom" (Reimagined) from Darkbloom (2022)
5/5. Let's start with a killer deathcore-infused remake of We Came as Romans' new epic metalcore single, so I thought I would add it as a tribute to one of my favorite songs from my first assembled Revolution playlist from November. A f***ing amazing banger in the heart of dark fire!
All That Remains - "Madness" from Madness (2017)
4.5/5. This is a heavy groove song that was a good choice for a single. The political lyrics are somewhat repetitive, but the rest of the song is pure heavy metal madness, enjoyed by me and my brother!
Ice Nine Kills - "Assault & Batteries" from The Silver Scream 2: Welcome to Horrorwood (2021)
5/5. The experimentation continues in this track, based on the Chucky series (Child's Play), where after a couple news broadcast samples, child singing adds to the incoming terror. While mostly referring to the first Chucky film, his bride is sometimes mentioned ("stitched back together it seems, by the evil bride of his dreams"), further expanding the concept to the rest of the franchise. I thought the "Hey Andy..." part spooked me a bit, since that's close to my name.
Currents - "Delusion" from The Place I Feel Safest (2017)
4.5/5. Another good band that deserves to be more popular. This is quite d*mn sick as f*** with a good amount to love in this tune, especially the djent soloing in under the 3-minute mark. It's much more deserving than that overrated pop/rap cr*p.
Among Them - "Still" from Coming and Going (2018)
4.5/5. This one has quite some meaning in the lyrics, along with killer depth in the growls and djent influence. This band has potential to go big in fame. Probably the best part is near the 3 and a half minute mark when the guitar harmony and bass have heavy emotion. F***ing sick, man! I should keep my eyes and ears for more modern djenty metalcore like this and listen to them. However, a minute before that best part is the second-best, a brutal yet emotional breakdown. Nice!
For the Fallen Dreams - "10 Years" from Six (2018)
5/5. Now this is an awesome band! Holy f***ing h*ll, I love this furious fire! My brother has listened to a few songs from this band around the time of this album's release, but somehow I never got around there until now.
Northlane - "Colourwave" from Mesmer (2017)
5/5. The breakdown here is one of the best, and it has stirred up a new favorite song and band here. I'm so pumped up for more of this album and band entering my comfort zone. I've reached a good street in the metalcore highway.
Upon a Burning Body - "A New Responsibility" from Fury (2022)
5/5. Let's f***ing roll with another killer band that's a recent favorite of mine!
Demon Hunter - The Negative" from War (2019)
4.5/5. This one's excellent, showing more of the vicious growls/screams in ways never usually heard from the band.
Dreamwake - "Paradise" from Virtual Reality (2022)
4/5. I found this song via a YouTube ad, and I like this quite a bit. Who knew you can add saxophone to an ending metal breakdown?!
Invent Animate - "Shapeshifter" from Greyview (2020)
4.5/5. D*mn, there's a bit of Cult of Luna-like clean ambience while still being upbeat metalcore. This combination with the vocals of Garrett Russell from Silent Planet works like a boss. I especially love the bridge at the two and a half minute mark before the last chorus. The lyrics are slightly heavier than the music and never disappoint. While I enjoy the Garrett's vocals, the rest of the song is still silver and enjoyable. It definitely puts the band near the top trio of Architects, Northlane, and In Hearts Wake, helped out by the middle breakdown. They should go on tour with Polaris!
Crystal Lake - "Freewill" from The Voyages (2020)
5/5. I can't put to words how perfect this is. Listen for yourself!
Born of Osiris - "Throw Me in the Jungle" from Soul Sphere (2015)
4.5/5. This one has some of the most varying vocal styles in a Born of Osiris song; lows, mids, highs, cleans, you name it. However, the harsh/clean dueling chorus is a little flat and the lyrics can be a bit confusing, but that doesn't affect the rest of the track.
Employed to Serve - "I Spend My Days" from The Warmth of a Dying Sun (2017)
4/5. Another automatically recommendation, this time from Spotify when I was assembling this playlist. D*mn, this sounds almost as f***ing brutal as Gojira. Some pretty good bad-a** sh*t right here!
War From A Harlots Mouth - "The Polyglutamine Pact" from MMX (2010)
4.5/5. This is definitely the best track here with riffs crushing through frantic drumming. Great choice, Daniel!
Converge - "Trespasses" from All We Love We Leave Behind (2012)
4.5/5. This one punches in a full assault of blazing percussion, indecipherable screaming, and intricate guitars and bass. The ugly and nasty production gives the track an excellent advantage. The tremendous speed works much better than the earlier calculated rhythm.
The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Calculating Infinity" from Calculating Infinity (1999)
4/5. This interlude is softer with some guitar crunch before building up building into the maximum tension needed for the later tracks.
Car Bomb - "HeLa" from Mordial (2019)
4.5/5. This is a basic mathy metalcore song that's isn't bad at all. Good break from the unique heavy intensity while keeping a bit of it.
Gaza - "Cult" from I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die (2006)
4.5/5. Also not as highly insane as the first two mathcore tracks, but it does have some funny lyrics ("Hey kids, the Jesus-reaper wears a cowboy hat!!!!") and a guest appearance Trevor Strnad of The Black Dahlia Murder with his own shrieking verse. RIP...
The Contortionist - "Oscillator" from Exoplanet (2010)
5/5. This is the only re-recording from this band's EP Apparition to keep the original title and practically be the same as the original, yet it has better production that further lightens up the drum talent and the song's epic outro lead solo.
Enter Shikari - "Adieu" from Take to the Skies (2007)
4.5/5. This is one of the most beautiful ballads from a Revolution album I've heard. This band is the best at making pleasant surprises for the listeners. A beautiful soft break from all that intensity before it makes a sinister return in the next song...
Polaris - "The Descent" from The Death of Me (2020)
5/5. The metalcore power returns, hitting you like a bullet-train. F***ING INCREDIBLE!!! It's moments like the last third of the track that makes you wonder why this band isn't so highly popular. Absolutely underrated!
Emmure - "203" from Hindsight (2020)
5/5. This is the kind of music I can probably make when I start making my own metal compositions, simple yet deep in the meaning while giving you a dark blast in the face. I love this one and there's more I gotta find from this band!
Make Them Suffer - "How to Survive a Funeral" from How to Survive a Funeral (2020)
4.5/5. This track's drum beats, piano melodies, and soft vocals show a different side of Make Them Suffer, as if it's something new yet something old. I'm OK with that! All those dynamic changes integrated sound greatly thought-out to the point where the next album should have deeper experimentation, just as long as they stand by the sound that they've been known for.
Chelsea Grin - "Hostage" from Eternal Nightmare (2018)
4.5/5. This is some sick deathcore in this song for you to fight the world at war. At the two and a half minute mark is a short soft ambient section that would work for a trap remix, not that I would ever be a fan of trap music. The new vocalist f***ing rules! Do you see your demons?!
Embodyment - "Golgotha" from Embrace the Eternal (1998)
5/5. This is another song re-recorded from a demo. It really stays true to the deathcore sound this album has spawned, and is one of the best here.
Trivium - "Shogun" from Shogun (2008)
5.5/5 (not exaggerating). The title track of Trivium's 4th album Shogun is the longest track they've ever made at nearly 12 minutes. It is the most epic and progressive song of the album, pretty much partly inspired by Dream Theater. The guitar work in the verses is a little sludgy, but once again contains some battling contrasts between clean vocals and screams, and the chorus is as well-done as steak. Then after a few minutes of soft vocals and soloing, the song builds up to an epic climax featuring lightning fast soloing, chaotic drums, and Heafy's vocals become more powerful than ever before. Then it's back to the chorus followed by the repetitive yet still nice outro. Here's how I would describe the song in an epic fantasy tale: 0:00-3:54 - A knight goes on a huge journey to track down an evil overlord and his army threatening to destroy the land. The knight fights some monsters on the way. 3:54-7:13 - The knight reaches the overlord's lair and goes around finding some allies willing to form an army for the knight. 7:13-7:43 - The knight and his assembled army are ready to fight the overlord's army. 7:43-9:40 - An epic battle commences between the two armies and between the knight and the overlord. 9:40-end - The overlord and his army are defeated, the knight's army wins in victory, peace is restored, and the knight heads off into the unknown.
Motionless in White - "Eternally Yours" from Graveyard Shift (2017)
5/5. Then the knight finds the princess of the kingdom and elopes with her, living eternally ever after. Very much some alt-metalcore fire before calming down for a final outro to pleasantly end this playlist.
Holy wars, this is probably the best Revolution playlist I've assembled, with all songs reaching 4 to 5 stars! To make sure my opinion doesn't sound selfish or bad form, I would recommend this to any metalcore fan and anyone who isn't into metalcore but wants to get into a great start in enjoying the genre. Thanks Daniel for accepting this and your help with your submission, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!