May 2025 "Metalcore Revolution" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

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

Tracklisting:

1. Ice Nine Kills - "The American Nightmare" from The Silver Scream (2018)

2. Morning Again - "Turning Over" from The Cleanest War (1996) (based on Hand of the Martyr compilation (2002)) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. Dawn of Orion - "As the Blood Red Moon Rises" from For the Lust of Prophecies Undone (1999) (based on A Celestial Ballad compilation (2023))

4. Avenged Sevenfold - "Chapter Four" from Waking the Fallen (2003)

5. Lamb of God - "Laid to Rest" from Ashes of the Wake (2004)

6. Enter Shikari - "Juggernauts" from Common Dreads (2009) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

7. The Wise Man's Fear - "Carry On" from What Slept Beneath Tarvos (2024)

8. Defamed - "Silhouette" from Silhouette (2025)

9. Whitechapel - "Hymns in Dissonance" from Hymns in Dissonance (2025)

10. The Last Ten Seconds of Life - "The Violent Sound" from The Violent Sound (2016)

11. In Hearts Wake - "Healer" from Earthwalker (2014) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

12. Silent Planet - "Anunnaki" from Superbloom (2023) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

13. Bleed From Within - "A Hope in Hell" from Zenith (2025)

14. Memory of a Melody - "Ultraviolence" from Things That Make You Scream (2011)

15. Undying - "For Liberation" from This Day All Gods Die (1999)

16. ERRA - "Crawl Backwards Out of Heaven" from CURE (2024)

17. Killswitch Engage - "This Fire" from As Daylight Dies (2006)

18. Livealie - "Casting Shadows" from Living in the Static (2024)

19. LEVELS - "REALIGN" from PULSE (2024)

20. Termina - "Spiraling" from Spiraling (2025)

21. Cane Hill - "Scumbag" from Too Far Gone (2018)

22. Candiria - "Remove Yourself" from What Doesn't Kill You... (2004) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

23. Parkway Drive - "Leviathan I" from Deep Blue (2010) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

24. The Number Twelve Looks Like You - "Cradle in the Crater" from Mongrel (2007)

25. Daughters - "And Then the C.H.U.D.S Came" from Canada Songs (2003)

26. Car Bomb - "Cielo Drive" from Centralia (2007)

27. Frontierer - "Heartless 101" from Unloved (2018)

28. The Autumn Offering - "Homecoming" from Revelations of the Unsung (2004) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

29. Living Sacrifice - "Reject" from Reborn (1997)

30. Norma Jean - "Disconnecktie: The Faithful Vampire" from O God, the Aftermath (2005)

31. Trivium - "Leaving This World Behind" from In Waves (2011)

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Ice Nine Kills - "The American Nightmare" from The Silver Scream (2018)

4.5/5. Based on A Nightmare on Elm Street, this track opens the playlist with advice about sleep in a radio broadcast. The insistent drum beat with smooth vocals by Spencer Charnas is followed the loud fast guitar riff and screaming vocals. The high-speed beat, hooks, and vocals alternating between Charnas and Justin DeBlieck create an otherworldly vibe. Another strong solid start!

Morning Again - "Turning Over" from The Cleanest War (1996) (based on Hand of the Martyr compilation (2002))

5/5. Then this song rockets towards you with a metalcore blast, and not much else I can say about this awesome song can do tit justice.

Dawn of Orion - "As the Blood Red Moon Rises" from For the Lust of Prophecies Undone (1999)

4.5/5. This one greatly exemplifies that riffing, filled with true early melodic deathcore. This is the kind of darkness not even In Flames and Soilwork have dived into, having starting to go their own mainstream route in the early 2000s.

Avenged Sevenfold - "Chapter Four" from Waking the Fallen (2003)

4/5. The early 2000s was also when the modern metalcore scene was first starting to really build up. Nice guitarwork there!

Lamb of God - "Laid to Rest" from Ashes of the Wake (2004)

4.5/5. Again I know Lamb of God is more of a groove metal band, but some of their earlier tracks, including this hit that I still enjoy, still have some metalcore vibes. The bass and drums are all really nice. And everything is quite killer. Sick song!

Enter Shikari - "Juggernauts" from Common Dreads (2009)

4.5/5. "The idea of community will be something displayed at a museum." Hopefully this amazing song will be displayed too.

The Wise Man's Fear - "Carry On" from What Slept Beneath Tarvos (2024)

4/5. The guest vocals by Cody Jamison (ex-Until I Wake) add a killer touch to this track. The guitar riffing that starts the last minute is d*mn ethereal. If anyone thinks fantasy lyrics only belong in power metal, they thought wrong. This is absolutely insane! And I enjoy Tyler Eads' vocals and bass as well. It's like my skeleton is on fire while being put out from the inside. Such a phenomenal banger! Starset metalcore, anyone?

Defamed - "Silhouette" from Silhouette (2025)

4.5/5. The blend of fast and dramatic that has covered modern epic deathcore continues on in this banger.

Whitechapel - "Hymns in Dissonance" from Hymns in Dissonance (2025)

5/5. The new Whitechapel album's title track that really stands out amongst the rest. The chorus name-drops several of their earlier songs, and the breakdowns sound almost as djenty as Meshuggah while staying brutal. Their roots really are back!

The Last Ten Seconds of Life - "The Violent Sound" from The Violent Sound (2016)

4.5/5. I love the riffing in the midway verse. I can definitely hear this song in a horror movie soundtrack. They really blend deathcore with the alt-/nu metal of Alice in Chains, Korn, and Static-X in this album. The breakdown is catchy and heavy, but the cleans are a little odd.

In Hearts Wake - "Healer" from Earthwalker (2014)

5/5. D*mn, this is an incredible soul-toucher! This one also has some slight Static-X vibes here.

Silent Planet - "Anunnaki" from Superbloom (2023)

4.5/5. More of this diverse chaos from these guys, especially in the breakdown!

Bleed From Within - "A Hope in Hell" from Zenith (2025)

5/5. One of my favorite tracks from the new Bleed from Within album. This blend of classic and modern, along with Steven Jones' cleans, deserves more attention.

Memory of a Melody - "Ultraviolence" from Things That Make You Scream (2011)

4.5/5. One of the best songs to combine alt-metal and metalcore! Strangely not getting popular after 14 years since its original album's release.

Undying - "For Liberation" from This Day All Gods Die (1999)

4/5. This track is a mighty battle between the 90s metal/hardcore of Vision of Disorder and Burst and the European melodeath that would later reach bands like Neaera and Omnium Gatherum.

ERRA - "Crawl Backwards Out of Heaven" from CURE (2024)

4.5/5. OH!! Feel those vocals and riffing that will make you want more!

Killswitch Engage - "This Fire" from As Daylight Dies (2006)

5/5. Another popular track. It's short while still great, striking with melodic riffing. So heavy while still catchy. Love it!

Livealie - "Casting Shadows" from Living in the Static (2024)

4.5/5. Simple yet hard-hitting in the riffing. And the verse at the one and a half minute is so f***ing intense while so d*mn beautiful.

LEVELS - "REALIGN" from PULSE (2024)

4/5. It's clear that Bad Omens has paved the way for bands like Levels to make similar f***ing phenomenal bangers. How about some heavy sauce to go with that melodic modern metal meal? Bring it on!

Termina - "Spiraling" from Spiraling (2025)

3.5/5. This song and its music video should really go viral, although the quality is a bit spiraling.

Cane Hill - "Scumbag" from Too Far Gone (2018)

4/5. Nu metalcore at its wildest! I especially like that pleasantly brutal ending breakdown. The guitarwork is f***ing killer. This probably would've been perfect if the vocals weren't too much like Slipknot. The lyrics are basically a well-deserved "f*** you" to Nazis.

Candiria - "Remove Yourself" from What Doesn't Kill You... (2004)

4.5/5. The vehicular crash that occurred a couple years before this album was intense, but luckily the band members survived. This alt-metalcore track is just out of this world and really should've made history.

Parkway Drive - "Leviathan I" from Deep Blue (2010)

5/5. A supreme anthem!! Why is this song never in live shows?! The music is absolutely superb, storming through a winning chorus with better vocals and percussion than anything else in this album.

The Number Twelve Looks Like You - "Cradle in the Crater" from Mongrel (2007)

4.5/5. "Next time you fall asleep look down at us on Earth and realize it may be better to forever count sheep. You're the captain of your ship and star. For today you will shine and be impervious to pain, we have all admired your bravery." Sheer poetry, just like their band name! The lyrics and screamed vocals are all f***ing beautiful. And I'm glad they're still around after their 6-year split. And whether or not you like it, everyone has a different taste in music.

Daughters - "And Then the C.H.U.D.S Came" from Canada Songs (2003)

4/5. A kick-A short grind-ish mathcore track. And there's another song like that to come...

Car Bomb - "Cielo Drive" from Centralia (2007)

4/5. Structured very strongly while staying close to the madness.

Frontierer - "Heartless 101" from Unloved (2018)

4.5/5. While mathcore is already heading into the mainstream, songs like this are still enjoyable. The guitar rising from ambient to djenty is similar to some Meshuggah songs. Then it's the usual electronic noisecore until another melodic dramatic section midway through.

The Autumn Offering - "Homecoming" from Revelations of the Unsung (2004)

5/5. I wish this band was still around and brought back their original lineup. And holy sh*t, the guest vocals by All That Remains' Phil Labonte rules!

Living Sacrifice - "Reject" from Reborn (1997)

4.5/5. Modern metal doesn't have much of the rawness metalcore had in the 90s. The breakdown at over the one-minute mark is so mind-blowing and worth repeated listens.

Norma Jean - "Disconnecktie: The Faithful Vampire" from O God, the Aftermath (2005)

5/5. You don't get to hear many 10+ minute epics in metalcore, let alone one that's perfect. 20 years since its original album's release, and still can be considered a classic!

Trivium - "Leaving This World Behind" from In Waves (2011)

4.5/5. Then the previous song fades into this dark ambient outro that has the same melody as the post-solo bridge in "Dusk Dismantled". Heafy shouts a politician/preacher-like speech and repeatedly says "I’m leaving this world behind, making up for all our crimes" with his voice rising up to screaming, then the outro intensely builds up before coming to a sudden stop. That abrupt ending left me bothered and confused but doesn't affect the rest of its original album.

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 to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!