February 2023 "The Revolution" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1yFgscg5HWKGoIy2s0xRfG
Tracklisting:
1. Lorna Shore - "Immortal" (from Immortal, 2020)
2. Cave In - "Until Your Heart Stops (Segue 2)" (from Until Your Heart Stops, 1998)
3. This Day Forward - "Sunfalls and Watershine" (from Kairos, 2002)
4. Drowningman - "Code Breaking Hearts" (from Rock and Roll Killing Machine, 2001)
5. All Shall Perish - "Never Ending War" (from Hate.Malice.Revenge, 2003)
6. Earth Crisis - "Broken Foundation" (from Gomorrah's Season Ends, 1996) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
7. Botch - "Transitions from Persona to Object" (from We Are the Romans, 1999) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
8. August Burns Red - "Bones" (from Guardians, 2020) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
9. Issues - "COMA" (from Headspace, 2016)
10. Northlane - "Singularity" (from Singularity, 2013)
11. Rorschach - "Traditional" (from Protestant, 1993)
12. Crystal Lake - "Fabricated Refuge" (from The Voyages, 2020) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
13. The Red Chord - "Dreaming in Dog Years" (from Fused Together in Revolving Doors, 2002)
14. Downcast - "System" (from Downcast, 1991)
15. The Browning - "Standing on the Edge" (from Burn This World, 2011)
16. Candye♡Syrup - "Idol of Death (Burst Ver.)" (from iDOL Can Dye Sick Rock!!, 2018) [submitted by Daniel]
17. Annisokay - "Coma Blue" (from Arms, 2018)
18. Impending Doom - "Ravenous Disease" (from Death Will Reign, 2013)
19. Trenches - "Horizons" (from Reckoner, 2022)
20. Vatican - "Reverence" (from Ultra, 2022)
21. The Dillinger Escape Plan - "We Are the Storm" (from Miss Machine, 2004)
22. Dead to Fall - "Villainy and Virtue" (from Villainy and Virtue, 2004) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
23. All That Remains - "The Air That I Breathe" (from The Fall of Ideals, 2006)
24. Trivium - "Shattering the Skies Above" (from In Waves, 2011) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
25. Hatebreed - "Refuse/Resist" (from For the Lions, 2009) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
26. Phinehas - "Dream Thief" (from The Fire Itself, 2021)
27. Sikth - "Philistine Philosophies" (from Opacities, 2015)
28. Kingdom of Giants - "The Ride" (from Passenger, 2020)
29. Living Sacrifice - "Despair" (from Ghost Thief, 2013)
Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:
Lorna Shore - "Immortal" (from Immortal, 2020)
5/5. Right off the bat, the epic powerful title opener of its original album and this playlist is a surefire deathcore highlight! CJ McCreery lets out every vocal style he could possibly do throughout a thick sea of brutal glory.
Cave In - "Until Your Heart Stops (Segue 2)" (from Until Your Heart Stops, 1998)
4.5/5. Then there's a sudden jump into the title track of Cave In's debut album, with the most Slayer-ish riff-fight you'll ever witness, before some last melodic twists and concluding with the noise-ridden interlude "Segue 2".
This Day Forward - "Sunfalls and Watershine" (from Kairos, 2002)
5/5. I can't believe how old this song is, over 20 years old! It makes you think of "constant dreamscapes" and distant memories. Too bad they switched into the post-hardcore of Alexisonfire after this EP, then split up later. It might be easy for me to sing and scream along to this song. It features Thursday vocalist Geoff Rickly, further solidifying the hardcore scene's knowledge of This Day Forward. Anyone who thinks these bands are bad and ruin scenes should listen and let the nostalgia change their minds.
Drowningman - "Code Breaking Hearts" (from Rock and Roll Killing Machine, 2001)
4.5/5. This is a classic highlight, starting with speedy aggression before some more melodic sections, all great when you're along for the ride.
All Shall Perish - "Never Ending War" (from Hate.Malice.Revenge, 2003)
5/5. This is also a thunderous highlight, a 6 and a half minute epic of powerful chords and leads, not to mention the earthquake-including breakdowns.
Earth Crisis - "Broken Foundation" (from Gomorrah's Season Ends, 1996)
4.5/5. This amazing early metalcore track got my attention rolling from the beginning "PAIN!!!!" scream.
Botch - "Transitions from Persona to Object" (from We Are the Romans, 1999)
5/5. This song greatly represents the organic nature of the album We are the Romans. Every riff is played naturally, never forced, as if the riffs are inventing themselves. After an eerie intro melody, the song continues into its awesomeness, riff after riff, all in a perfect groove mood. The heavy riffs lead to high dissonance in a passage that brings back the lower riffs and vocals. The song ends with frantic discord fading out to a drumbeat.
August Burns Red - "Bones" (from Guardians, 2020)
4.5/5. A soaring anthem with a memorable chorus in great pace.
Issues - "COMA" (from Headspace, 2016)
5/5. I just love this one, including all that lyrical meaning. The bridge near the two-minute mark halts the melody with brief heaviness and growls before continuing that in the final chorus. You can consider Tyler Carter a vocal descendant of the Jonas Brothers and Michael Jackson despite his recent...well, issues.
Northlane - "Singularity" (from Singularity, 2013)
4.5/5. Actually why am I mentioning Michael Jackson? If I worry too much about him, I would become disempowered by media icons. Terrence McKenna gave those who have listened to this album up to this track this advice, and it's amazing advice to follow. The instrumental itself gives me warm chills ("warm chills", sounds oxymoronic), it's so beautiful! The message is now more unbelievably relevant than ever.
Rorschach - "Traditional" (from Protestant, 1993)
5/5. This highlight takes on the hardcore thrash that sounds like Voivod's first two albums in interesting dissonance, often twisting into violent bashing.
Crystal Lake - "Fabricated Refuge" (from The Voyages, 2020)
4.5/5. I hear a bit of a Slaughter to Prevail vibe in this song despite it being mostly amazing metalcore.
The Red Chord - "Dreaming in Dog Years" (from Fused Together in Revolving Doors, 2002)
5/5. This is perhaps the best song of its original album. After an odd 5-second intro, it explodes into absolute mayhem, great for a live setting. And coincidentally, that song is also in this month's Horde playlist.
Downcast - "System" (from Downcast, 1991)
3/5. While this song has helped in the band's attempt to create metalcore that is better off made by those bands, you might wanna check out my review for its album to find out what I really think there.
The Browning - "Standing on the Edge" (from Burn This World, 2011)
3.5/5. Not bad, but not as fantastic as the songs from the album that got me into The Browning, Geist.
Candye♡Syrup - "Idol of Death (Burst Ver.)" (from iDOL Can Dye Sick Rock!!, 2018)
4/5. This is an interesting mind-blower, screaming crust-ish deathcore verses mixed with cute Babymetal-like choruses. Good one, Daniel!
Annisokay - "Coma Blue" (from Arms, 2018)
4.5/5. Christoph Wieczorek is one of the most amazing clean vocalists in metalcore, though this band is not super popular. The bass especially rules in the instrumentation. My metalcore obsession has bled a bit into my brother's music interest that is enough to turn him into a headbanger like I am. The background orchestration is unique!
Impending Doom - "Ravenous Disease" (from Death Will Reign, 2013)
5/5. A brutal part of the Killing Floor 2 soundtrack, which I really enjoy. I need more of this kind of deathcore in my life after gaining more leeway all these years, but don't expect to descend into the depths of Infant Annihilator. The soloing near the 3-minute mark makes me let out a small sinister smile.
Trenches - "Horizons" (from Reckoner, 2022)
5/5. This one continues the intense heaviness while planning out its transition in softer melody, hinting at how melodic its original album would become as you get further.
Vatican - "Reverence" (from Ultra, 2022)
4.5/5. This has more of the heavy rage expected by fans of metalcore. It's also the first song of its original album to be a single and include clean vocals. Yeah, the singing appears sporadically throughout the album, hinting at Deftones-esque ether among the rage.
The Dillinger Escape Plan - "We Are the Storm" (from Miss Machine, 2004)
4/5. This track returns to the band's signature sonic storm attack of atoned chaos. This may be annoying for some of the lighter listeners, but being a heavy metalhead myself, I don't mind at all. There's a nice mellow guitar passage subdued into the next section, but it's a little draggy. Then the chaos returns in the last minute.
Dead to Fall - "Villainy and Virtue" (from Villainy and Virtue, 2004)
4.5/5. I love this band, and how can I not? I'm quite the metalcore addict! I wish they would make more bad-a** material like this. F***ing killer lyrics here, "THE DEPTH OF YOUR COMPASSION IS AS SHALLOW AS YOUR THOUGHTS!"
All That Remains - "The Air That I Breathe" (from The Fall of Ideals, 2006)
5/5. This is a very recognizable track that breaks the formula of its original album with a lot of different things, including the key signature being B minor instead of D and/or G, and a swift solo in the intro. Other than that, the riffs are still slightly the same but the lead melodies are more harmonic.
Trivium - "Shattering the Skies Above" (from In Waves, 2011)
5/5. Absolutely kick-A song from the God of War video game series soundtrack. Enough said!
Hatebreed - "Refuse/Resist" (from For the Lions, 2009)
4.5/5. I like this killer cover of a Sepultura classic, sounding similar while never really a clone "SILENCE BECOMES DEATH!!!"
Phinehas - "Dream Thief" (from The Fire Itself, 2021)
4.5/5. Phinehas (and Ferb. lol) are the masters of reviving the melodeath-ish metalcore scene from the second half of the 2000s. Riffing, soloing, breakdowns... This band has it all here. And great lyrics too!
Sikth - "Philistine Philosophies" (from Opacities, 2015)
5/5. Sikth will never disappoint. They still have the power from their initial run. The vocals are a perfect match to the music that sounds close to Animals as Leaders. F***ing mind-blowing guitar here! Over the two-minute mark, after an awesome verse of "falling like dominoes", the chorus is what I really love is pretty much any of rock/metal. I definitely wish for more of that!
Kingdom of Giants - "The Ride" (from Passenger, 2020)
4.5/5. The huge breakdown rules in this song, alongside the screams and cleans by Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox in a stunning guest appearance. So beautiful in this awesome song without a doubt! The band is really on fire with the clean/growl vocal variety and lyrical strength. The synths are quite pleasing. If the world ends up f***ing you up, you can't let yourself be lost, you gotta stay in the ride. Interesting Wu-Tang reference there, "CASH RULES EVERYTHING AROUND ME!" The ending breakdown multiples the power twice, sounding close to Void of Vision.
Living Sacrifice - "Despair" (from Ghost Thief, 2013)
5/5. Let's end this playlist with one more fantastic song, featuring the great Dave Peters of Throwdown. It's so brutal while maintaining this band's religious reputation. Now that's metal art! The opening solo sounds close to Slayer, and makes the rest remind me of another swan song for a band's career, the title track of the last Nevermore album The Obsidian Conspiracy. And this song's another one from the Killing Floor 2 soundtrack. "I HAVE TAKEN YOUR DESPAIR!!"
HOLY SH*T, this is probably one of the best metalcore playlists I've ever done, with almost every track ranging from 4.5 to 5 stars. I sure 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!