April 2023 "The Revolution" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1yFgscg5HWKGoIy2s0xRfG
Tracklisting:
1. Lorna Shore - "To the Hellfire" from ...And I Return to Nothingness (2021) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
2. We Came as Romans - "Intentions" from To Plant a Seed (2009) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
3. 36 Crazyfists - "We Gave It Hell" from The Tide and Its Takers (2008) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
4. Sikth - "Peep Show" from The Trees Are Dead & Dried Out Wait for Something Wild (2003)
5. From Autumn to Ashes - "The After Dinner Payback" from The Fiction We Live (2003) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
6. Motionless in White - "Slaughterhouse" from Scoring the End of the World (2022)
7. Despised Icon - "Absolu" from Consumed by Your Poison (2002)
8. Make Them Suffer - "Maelstrom" from Neverbloom (2012)
9. All That Remains - "Become the Catalyst" from The Fall of Ideals (2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
10. Upon This Dawning - "Embrace the Evil" from We Are All Sinners (2014)
11. The Amity Affliction - "The Weigh Down" from Let the Ocean Take Me (2014)
12. Killswitch Engage - "Eye of the Storm" from As Daylight Dies (2006)
13. As I Lay Dying - "A Greater Foundation" from Awakened (2012)
14. Any Given Day - "Possession" from My Longest Way Home (2014)
15. Candiria - "Temple of Sickness" from The Process of Self-Development (1999) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
16. The Acacia Strain - "One Thousand Painful Stings" from Slow Decay (2020)
17. Asking Alexandria - "I Won't Give In" from The Black (2016)
18. 108 - "Son of Nanda" from Songs of Separation (1995)
19. Eighteen Visions - "Motionless in White" from The Best Of (2001)
20. Wage War - "Godspeed" from Manic (2021)
21. Defiler - "Fanueil Falls" from A Deity Depraved (2021)
22. All Shall Perish - "The Death Plague" from This Is Where It Ends (2011) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
23. Will Haven - "I've Seen My Fate" from El Diablo (1997)
24. The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Widower" from Option Paralysis (2010)
25. The Chariot - "The King" from Long Live (2010) [submitted by Daniel]
26. Electric Callboy - "Tekkno Train" from Tekkno (2022)
27. Deadguy - "Apparatus" from Fixation on a Co-Worker (1995)
28. Zao - "Man in Cage Jack Wilson" from Liberate Te Ex Inferis (1999)
Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:
Lorna Shore - "To the Hellfire" from ...And I Return to Nothingness (2021)
5/5. Although this brutal opener appeared in Daniel's final Revolution playlist before I started taking over a year and a half ago, I felt ready to once again comment on this song that was previously too intense for me. I'm glad I can stand the deathcore intensity now with this second round. This is perhaps the discovery of deathcore for many listeners, probably including my brother, perhaps from the breakdown alone, which we'll get to soon. It's incredible how rapidly the song's video gained millions of views. The entire band's talent is also beyond incredible, with Ramos taking the front stage with his vocal rage. From this opener, you get the greatest taste of operatic/demonic black-ish deathcore. It's so amazing and better appreciated with headphones. It's hard to believe that this furious breakdown is what caused my bro to convert from alt-metal/pop-punk into full-on epic deathcore right off the bat, but that's what happened. It occurs 5 minutes into the track after some speed metal soloing, with the consuming line of "Swallowed by the womb of death!!!" You would also hear the most demonic shrieks ever! This breakdown is such a f***ing ride with nothing dramatic to precede it.
We Came as Romans - "Intentions" from To Plant a Seed (2009)
4.5/5. RIP Kyle Pavone. His heartful lyrics and beautiful clean vocals are what keep songs like this inspiring since its release. The drumming is also quite creative. All that and the symphonic breakdown add to the song's superb power.
36 Crazyfists - "We Gave It Hell" from The Tide and Its Takers (2008)
4.5/5. This one's super cool. You might think I would listen to this in my high-school-age teens, but NAH. My metal interest was much different back then.
Sikth - "Peep Show" from The Trees Are Dead & Dried Out Wait for Something Wild (2003)
5/5. A brilliant song from a band I can't believe I only just recently discovered. The lyrics are definitely what I love here! The band can take on the beautiful and raging sides coming from the two vocalists in diverse range. The song fits hauntingly well with the autism that I have. I think it can help autistics like myself find pride and hope. The band would go on hiatus after their second album, but I'm glad they returned with more material. The lyrics might sound harsh to some, and I mean the lyrics do sound a bit emo, while still being meaningful, but they're still as awesome as the music. But if anyone tries to harshly put them down, let them know that they have a "flawed opinion".
From Autumn to Ashes - "The After Dinner Payback" from The Fiction We Live (2003)
4.5/5. Another song that needs to be heard more! The singing is so emotional, balancing out with the killer growls. I'm a couple f***ing decades late for when the early 2000s metalcore/post-hardcore scene was rolling, but better late than never. I just love those screams, f*** those who hate it. Too bad the screamer Benjamin Perri left the band before their 4th album and last before their hiatus. Still I'm glad those screams add to the song's heavy aspect.
Motionless in White - "Slaughterhouse" from Scoring the End of the World (2022)
4.5/5. This is a f***ing heavy fun track, featuring Bryan Garris of Knocked Loose. He and Chris Motionless do perfect vocal alternation in the brutal bad-a** breakdowns, alongside political lyrics, "In the land of the free you’re a slave to your wealth". The chorus is slightly out-of-place within the heaviness, but still enjoyable.
Despised Icon - "Absolu" from Consumed by Your Poison (2002)
5/5. An absolute highlight of early deathcore hellfire!
Make Them Suffer - "Maelstrom" from Neverbloom (2012)
5/5. This is an absolute f***ing storm of epic and extreme, and I'm not saying it like a brown-nosing fanboy. This is more true epic deathcore power! A breakdown here might seem simple but it's another one of the most powerful in the album. It is the second of the three 6 and a half minute epics. Once again, the lyrics are so poetic that they can be published as poetry without the music. Those beautiful poetic lyrics are brutalized by the powerful screams of lead vocalist Sean Harmanis with a mighty voice ranging from black metal shrieks to death metal growls. The guitar work here is incredible too. The drumming is great, but it drowns out the bass.
All That Remains - "Become the Catalyst" from The Fall of Ideals (2006)
4.5/5. This one starts with a death growl, fast melodeath riffs, and a simple drum beat. Still the usual fast riffs and drumming, catchy chorus and solos, etc.
Upon This Dawning - "Embrace the Evil" from We Are All Sinners (2014)
4.5/5. Blasting dark metalcore to level up this playlist. I wish this band would be more well-known.
The Amity Affliction - "The Weigh Down" from Let the Ocean Take Me (2014)
5/5. I remember seeing the music video for this song on TV 8 years ago, but I wasn't ready for the noise of metalcore at the time. Now I am, and I'm certainly ready for more of this band! Man, remembering what I found all those years ago makes me feel old, even though I'm currently in my young 20s.
Killswitch Engage - "Eye of the Storm" from As Daylight Dies (2006)
5/5. I also remember this band from around the time that I first saw that Amity Affliction music video, and once again this high-quality melodic metalcore sound hits me much more than it would've back then.
As I Lay Dying - "A Greater Foundation" from Awakened (2012)
5/5. This band I've haven't encountered as early as those two previous bands, but now I recognize their greatness. There's clean vocal insanity to stay in your mind long. The lyrics are so cool! The instrumentation has a bit of a Machine Vibe, though much better performed.
Any Given Day - "Possession" from My Longest Way Home (2014)
4.5/5. I heard my brother listening to this song in one of our car rides last month, and my mind was hooked! Before my brother started listening to this song and a couple others from Any Given Day, the only song I heard from that band was their cover of Rihanna's "Diamonds". For this song, the music is so hammering. This is amazing killer sh*t right here! It was certainly f***ing worth leveling up our city drives. The breakdown at the one-and-a-half minute mark is a brutal surprise. Though the one that occurs two minutes later is legendary, like holy sh*t! Then it all ends with a fading ambient outro.
Candiria - "Temple of Sickness" from The Process of Self-Development (1999)
4.5/5. At over the 4-minute mark is a brutal slam-core breakdown, then a minute later, the vocals reach death-growling while having the mid-paced metalcore of Cold as Life.
The Acacia Strain - "One Thousand Painful Stings" from Slow Decay (2020)
5/5. Destructive deathcore groove with soft pretty vocals from Courtney LaPlante (ex-Iwrestledabearonce, Spiritbox). Keep it up, Acacia!
Asking Alexandria - "I Won't Give In" from The Black (2016)
4.5/5. The dark ages of this band's career are translated into this song with defiant choruses.
108 - "Son of Nanda" from Songs of Separation (1995)
3/5. This song has the best lyrics here of chasing dreams built on emptiness, "Worship the Son of Nanda sweet and become fearless".
Eighteen Visions - "Motionless in White" from The Best Of (2001)
3.5/5. It's so interesting how one of my favorite metalcore bands Motionless in White is named after this song from another one of my favorite bands. Not just any band, but one versatile enough to inspired a new legion of the genre! This song is not really one of the best from this band though.
Wage War - "Godspeed" from Manic (2021)
4/5. D*mn, this one is good and crazy! However, as metal as the song sounds, the clean vocals sound a bit too pop-punky.
Defiler - "Fanueil Falls" from A Deity Depraved (2021)
4.5/5. High-quality ambient metalcore. Enough said!
All Shall Perish - "The Death Plague" from This Is Where It Ends (2011)
5/5. I only discovered All Shall Perish a few months ago, and already I f***ing miss them! An amazing blend of brutal vocals and fantastic guitar, bass, and drums makes this band one of the top 10 of deathcore for me. It would be great if they could continue with a new album. This band can be f***ing creative while staying brutal. In my opinion, this band is more tolerable than Hate Eternal and lightyears better than Suicide Silence. Deathcore is an interesting solid genre that I think shouldn't be hit with so much hate.
Will Haven - "I've Seen My Fate" from El Diablo (1997)
5/5. The grand highlight of this band's debut has the band's signature violence.
The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Widower" from Option Paralysis (2010)
4.5/5. This one has a more open free structure and is one of the band's rare ballads with Greg Puciato's vast vocals alongside piano performed by Mike Garson, best known for performing in some of David Bowie's albums. Then the impulsive riff-barrage returns towards the end.
The Chariot - "The King" from Long Live (2010)
5/5. This one is a 6-minute long epic, a bit like a more experimental heavy Underoath, whose producer Matt Goldman help recorded this album in a live analog technique.
Electric Callboy - "Tekkno Train" from Tekkno (2022)
4.5/5. All aboard!!! This is a train of techno-metalcore innuendo!
Deadguy - "Apparatus" from Fixation on a Co-Worker (1995)
4.5/5. There's rapid metal complexity all over this amazing yet short track.
Zao - "Man in Cage Jack Wilson" from Liberate Te Ex Inferis (1999)
5/5. I'm sure there are over a dozen notable people with that name mentioned in the title. It starts with an Event Horizon sample that includes the original album's eponymous phrase. It's the same sample as the one heard in the beginning of "Prom Song" from Every Time I Die's debut EP and the intro "Bellum in Abyssus" from Psyclon Nine's Crwn Thy Frnicatr. For this song, we have a dark yet beautiful 7-minute sludgy metalcore Crusade to end this playlist.
HOLY SH*T, this is probably close to the best metalcore playlist I've ever done, with every track ranging from 4.5 to 5 stars, except for a few tracks in the middle forming a small bump. 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!