December 2024 "Metalcore Revolution" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1yFgscg5HWKGoIy2s0xRfG

Tracklisting:

1. Merauder – "Time Ends" from Master Killer (1995) [submitted by Daniel]

2. Structures - "The Worst of Both Worlds" from Life Through a Window (2014) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. Becoming the Archetype - "The Time Bender" from I Am (2012)

4. Lorna Shore - "White Noise" from Psalms (2015)

5. Slaughter to Prevail - "Zavali Ebalo" from Kostolom (2021)

6. As I Lay Dying - "We are the Dead (feat. Alex Terrible, Tom Barber)" from We are the Dead (2024)

7. Wage War - "Stitch" from Deadweight (2017) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

8. Ice Nine Kills - "So This is My Future" from Safe is Just a Shadow (2010)

9. Thrown - "Guilt" from EXCESSIVE GUILT (2024)

10. Jeris Johnson - "Siren Song" from Dragonborn (2024)

11. Oh, Sleeper - "The Siren's Song" from When I Am God (2007) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

12. Atreyu - "Right Side of the Bed" The Curse (2004)

13. Haste the Day - "One Life to Live" from Burning Bridges (2004) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Aviana - "Overcome" from Corporation (2022)

15. Alleviate - "Broken" from DMNS (2024)

16. Out of Vision - "Disintegrate" from Deceiving Lights (2024)

17. Jinjer - "Kafka" from Kafka (2024) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

18. Silent Planet - "Dreamwalker" from SUPERBLOOM (2023)

19. Imminence - "Surrender" from Heaven in Hiding (2021)

20. Monasteries - "Final Note 2 You" from Ominous (2023)

21. Brand of Sacrifice, Will Ramos - "Lifeblood" from Lifeblood (2021)

22. Converge - "Plagues" from No Heroes (2006)

23. Botch - "Swimming the Channel vs. Driving the Chunnel" from We are the Romans (1999)

24. The Chariot - "Then Came to Kill" from The Fiancée (2007)

25. Bullet for My Valentine - "All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me)" from The Poison (2005)

26. Dead by April - "Lost" from Incomparable (2011) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

27. Bleed from Within - "Alive" from Era (2018)

28. Norma Jean - "IV. The Nexus" from Polar Similar (2016)

29. Eighteen Visions - "Dead Rose" from The Best of (2001) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Merauder – "Time Ends" from Master Killer (1995)

3.5/5. Let's start with a nice throwback to the mid-90s, when bands like Madball and Merauder showed us what early metalcore was made of. There's some cool metallic riffing, especially to start the last minute. Quite classic, though a little too f***ing hardcore.

Structures - "The Worst of Both Worlds" from Life Through a Window (2014)

4/5. This was actually the first track of the first very Revolution playlist back in August 2020, so it's a great throwback to that, and a fitting one too. It's the beginning of the never-ending cycle of Revolution playlists, and after being trapped in the headphones of metalheads with personal collections for years, it can finally be shared via Spotify. When that intro strikes, it strikes HARD. And there's great diversity in the vocals and guitars.

Becoming the Archetype - "The Time Bender" from I Am (2012)

4.5/5. One of the best tracks in this powerful Christian technical deathcore album. Instrumentally it sounds like a more deathly Nevermore. The instrumentation is so simple yet brutal, that coming from the same band who made that "Elegy" epic suite featuring Demon Hunter's Ryan Clark.

Lorna Shore - "White Noise" from Psalms (2015)

5/5. Now here's a vicious anthem of deathcore devastation, with drums kicking and smashing skulls like cannonballs launched into the face. Guiding drummer Austin Archey along in the assault is founding bassist Gary Herrera, providing heavy patterns in synchronization.

Slaughter to Prevail - "Zavali Ebalo" from Kostolom (2021)

4.5/5. The lyrics in this one are quite brutal, even the Russian verses. Amazing content! Somehow this is like a blend of Slipknot and Brand of Sacrifice.

As I Lay Dying - "We are the Dead (feat. Alex Terrible, Tom Barber)" from We are the Dead (2024)

4/5. As this band seems close to being dead with its dissolving lineup and more drama coming to light involving remaining member frontman Tim Lambesis, the enjoyment factor starts to slowly wear off. With that said, the guest vocals and f***ing searing guitar work make the song more interesting.

Wage War - "Stitch" from Deadweight (2017)

4.5/5. F*** yeah, Wage War! PICK IT UP!!!

Ice Nine Kills - "So This is My Future" from Safe is Just a Shadow (2010)

5/5. This was what I thought of the coronavirus situation at first, fearing a future of a world of plague and having to stay in our homes to survive. Epic metalcore song!

Thrown - "Guilt" from EXCESSIVE GUILT (2024)

4.5/5. Bands like Thrown, TEN56, and Alpha Wolf can throw brutal heaviness at you for two and a half minutes, heavier than Linkin Park could with "One Step Closer".

Jeris Johnson - "Siren Song" from Dragonborn (2024)

4/5. More of the epic blend of melodic metalcore and power metal in Jeris Johnson's Dragonborn album comes in my favorite track of the album. You may recognize "Greensleeves" as the main melody, and holy f***, it can definitely compete with August Burns Red's "What Child is This?" cover. Merry Christmas!

Oh, Sleeper - "The Siren's Song" from When I Am God (2007)

4.5/5. Then we follow it up with another, more dramatic "Siren Song", with beautiful lyrics. God bless!

Atreyu - "Right Side of the Bed" from The Curse (2004)

5/5. I love the melody in this one! The Curse was the last album before bassist Marc McKnight joined the band shortly after its release and former unclean vocalist Alex Varkatzas started adding his own clean vocals in subsequent albums for the rest of his time with the band. Some might know this song from the racing video game Burnout 3: Takedown. This works as a bridge between the melodeath riffing of In Flames and the metalcore of Bullet for My Valentine.

Haste the Day - "One Life to Live" from Burning Bridges (2004)

4.5/5. One of the most inspiring songs from this band. Enough said!

Aviana - "Overcome" from Corporation (2022)

4/5. Another brutal banger! What else can I say?

Alleviate - "Broken" from DMNS (2024)

4.5/5. Yet another amazing track. Really!

Out of Vision - "Disintegrated" from Deceiving Lights (2024)

4/5. Here's another track with Alleviate vocalist Marius Wedler. A relatable track to listen to!

Jinjer - "Kafka" from Kafka (2024)

4.5/5. A progressive metalcore song inspired by Kafka. Jinjer has great f***ing talent!

Silent Planet - "Dreamwalker" from SUPERBLOOM (2023)

5/5. F***ing killer atmospheric metalcore! This song and several others from their new album Superbloom were inspired by the band's horrifying tour bus crash and vocalist Garrett Russell's near-death experience from that incident. Luckily he's still alive.

Imminence - "Surrender" from Heaven in Hiding (2021)

4.5/5. You just gotta hear how intense this band is!

Monasteries - "Final Note 2 You" from Ominous (2023)

4/5. Monasteries made their final note to technical deathcore fans with their sole studio album before disbanding.

Brand of Sacrifice, Will Ramos - "Lifeblood" from Lifeblood (2021)

4.5/5. Lorna Shore's Will Ramos shows his f***ing berserk vocals in this chaotic banger. The choir towards the end stirs up some more Lorna Shore vibes.

Converge - "Plagues" from No Heroes (2006)

4/5. Then we have this sludgy mathcore track.

Botch - "Swimming the Channel vs. Driving the Chunnel" from We are the Romans (1999)

4.5/5. The guitar leads here are simple yet frighteningly ominous, building up into one of the eeriest songs in metalcore/mathcore. Almost the entire song has just that guitar melody with different variations, accompanied by eerie spoken vocals. Soon the vocals stop, but the guitar melody is still going with the drums that fade out as well. That's quite a timid ambient song...

The Chariot - "Then Came to Kill" from The Fiancée (2007)

5/5. Imagine if Jen Ledger from Skillet contributed her own vocals to an August Burns Red song. This song is it right there! The second half that includes the beautiful vocals of Hayley Williams from Paramore is beyond epic. A match made in metal/hardcore heaven! The Chariot vocalist Josh Scogin still have vocal power from his time with Norma Jean. There's peace in the mathcore chaos!

Bullet for My Valentine - "All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me)" from The Poison (2005)

4.5/5. No solo, but still amazing!

Dead by April - "Lost" from Incomparable (2011)

4.5/5. This was one of the earliest Dead by April songs, having existed before even their self-titled debut. Another amazing song worth appreciating!

Bleed from Within - "Alive" from Era (2018)

5/5. Absolutely kick-A downtuned melodic metalcore with beautiful lyrics!

Norma Jean - "IV. The Nexus" from Polar Similar (2016)

4.5/5. This 10-minute epic begins with a soft Buckethead-ish intro, then after a couple minutes, rises into ambient metalcore similar to late 2000s Underoath. And a couple more minutes later, g****mn this heaviness is really breaking things apart! Finally, as with many good things, it has to end, as the final two minutes are nothing but an ambient drift into nothingness and hard-to-decipher spoken lyrics. Polar Similar is the start of a heavier more atmospheric new era for Norma Jean to follow in their next couple albums. So melodic and hypnotic to go with the rawness! This band shall stay moshing in my metal heart.

Eighteen Visions - "Dead Rose" from The Best of (2001)

5/5. Finally we have this playlist's heaviest way out and my favorite here. Even those most unfamiliar with Eighteen Visions would love it.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any metalcore fan and anyone who isn't into metalcore but is up to getting into a great start for 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!