August 2025 "Metalcore Revolution" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

First Post August 01, 2025 01:12 AM

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

Tracklisting:

1. Eighteen Visions - "Vanity" from Vanity (2002) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

2. Blessthefall - "Mallxcore" from Mallxcore (2025)

3. Trivium - "Dusk Dismantled" from In Waves (2011)

4. Lorna Shore - "Unbreakable" from Unbreakable (2025) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

5. Wolves at the Gate - "Lights & Fire" from Eulogies (2022) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

6. All That Remains - "Six" from The Fall of Ideals (2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

7. Cave In - "Crossbearer" from Beyond Hypothermia (1998)

8. Calva Louise - "Tunnel Vision" from Edge of the Abyss (2025)

9. Dal Av, Jackson Rose - "Colors Collapsed" from Petrichor (2025)

10. A Day to Remember - "Bullfight" from Bad Vibrations (2016)

11. As I Lay Dying - "Confined" from Shadows are Security (2005)

12. Neaera - "...To Oblivion" from The Rising Tide of Oblivion (2005)

13. Born of Osiris - "Activated" from Through Shadows (2025)

14. Underoath - "Thorn" from Voyeurist (2022) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

15. Parkway Drive - "Karma" from Deep Blue (2010) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. Architects - "Blackhole" from The Sky, the Earth & All Between (2025)

17. Deadguy - "The Long Search for Perfect Timing" from Near-Death Travel Services (2025)

18. Coalesce - "A Disgust for Details" from Functioning on Impatience (1998)

19. Stevie T - "Metalcore Song" from Metalcore Song (2013)

20. Demon Hunter - "Ribcage" from The Triptych (2005)

21. August Burns Red - "Bloodletter" from Guardians (2020)

22. Motionless in White - "Undead Ahead 2: The Tale of the Midnight Ride" from Disguise (2019)

23. Currents - "It Only Gets Darker" from It Only Gets Darker (2025)

24. Frontierer - "Corrosive Wash" from Oxidized (2021)

25. Converge - "Vengeance" from No Heroes (2006)

26. Car Bomb - "Rid" from Centralia (2007)

27. The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravanganza - "Passenger 57" from Danza 3: The Series of Unfortunate Events (2010)

28. Psyopus - "Scissor Fuck Paper Doll" from Our Puzzling Encounters Considered (2007)

29. The Chariot - "Back to Back" from The Fiancee (2007)

30. Cult Leader - "Gutter Gods" from Lightless Walk (2015)

31. The Red Chord - "Face Area Solution" from Fed Through the Teeth Machine (2009) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

32. Mental Cruelty - "A Tale of Salt and Light" from Zwielicht (2023)

33. Worm Shepherd - "And at the End of Fear, Silentium" from Hunger (2024)

August 02, 2025 01:54 AM

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Eighteen Visions - "Vanity" from Vanity (2002)

4.5/5. The great title opener of this Eighteen Visionsalbum pretty much lets you know all that's going on in the playlist and its original album. The metallic riffing drives through as James Hart performs not just screaming but also singing. Despite opening a new dimension in the band's sound, the latter vocal style is not as strong as the former. Neither are the lyrics. That's OK because the heavier sections like the great breakdown makes that track the powerful standout it is.

Blessthefall - "Mallxcore" from Mallxcore (2025)

5/5. Blessthefall will be coming back with their first album in 7 years. I can hear the core in this song, but it's not really mall-worthy, and that's what I love.

Trivium - "Dusk Dismantled" from In Waves (2011)

5/5. This highlight continues the heavy path, this time even more furious, darker, and containing only screaming.

Lorna Shore - "Unbreakable" from Unbreakable (2025)

5/5. I think I just found my new ultimate favorite Lorna Shore track, surpassing the likes of "Cursed to Die" and "And I Return to Nothingness". Lots of Parkway Drive-like melody, and the lyrics are so motivational, "And after it all, our hearts are invincible, like diamonds we glow, WE ARE UNBREAKABLE!!!!"

Wolves at the Gate - "Lights & Fire" from Eulogies (2022)

4.5/5. And the motivation continues! That's something to expect from Christian bands, isn't it?

All That Remains - "Six" from The Fall of Ideals (2006)

5/5. Another death metal-influenced song starting off with lightning fast melodeath riffs and blast beats. Then we have more of the breakdowns and clean/shouting vocals. Then in the middle, the song slows down with melodic riffs, a simple drum beat, and a short solo, before the song repeats the intro one more time.

Cave In - "Crossbearer" from Beyond Hypothermia (1998)

4.5/5. My favorite song of this Cave In demo compilation album, already giving you what to expect from this band. There's the usual metalcore structure within the riffing, screams, and occasional cleans. If there's anything to plant the seed for metal/mathcore bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan, 2000s Converge, Botch, and Skycamefalling, this is that. Everything about this song is memorable, from the intro to the clean bridge and the rifftastic chaos in between, with those vocals hooks embedded in your head. Truly an epitome of classic metalcore!

Calva Louise - "Tunnel Vision" from Edge of the Abyss (2025)

4/5. This one starts with a sweet pop intro, then the rest is an alt-metalcore blast often turning into pop and dubstep. Awesome start for that album!

Dal Av, Jackson Rose - "Colors Collapsed" from Petrichor (2025)

4.5/5. A potential insta-classic banger. What else can I say?

A Day to Remember - "Bullfight" from Bad Vibrations (2016)

5/5. Another f***ing standout of a song! The breakdown shall never be ignored.

As I Lay Dying - "Confined" from Shadows are Security (2005)

4.5/5. If we don't think too much about the sh*t Tim Lambesis has gone through, classics like this can still be enjoyed. There are some things to enjoy, like the clean chorus.

Neaera - "...To Oblivion" from The Rising Tide of Oblivion (2005)

5/5. Although this track works better with the "From Grief" intro, the song itself is an awesome melodeath/metalcore monster. And let me tell you, midway through is one of my favorite riffs of the genre.

Born of Osiris - "Activated" from Through Shadows (2025)

4.5/5. Everything experienced so far is put together in a trancey metalcore fiesta. I love the guest vocals by Underoath's Spencer Chamberlain and the saxophone solo that can surpass "Careless Whisper".

Underoath - "Thorn" from Voyeurist (2022)

4/5. This one is a melodic return to the post-hardcore basics of bands like Circa Survive and I See Stars in flowing emotion. It's a special delicate song to make a nice break from the heavier metalcore anthems.

Parkway Drive - "Karma" from Deep Blue (2010)

4.5/5. Another highlight with excellent riffing and a superb solo that would suffocate you with its technical aura before a monumentally memorable moshing breakdown.

Architects - "Blackhole" from The Sky, the Earth & All Between (2025)

4/5. Another f***ing h*ll of a headbanging single with some of the greatest vocal intensity from Sam Carter. Adding to the perfection is the drumming by Dan Searle. That shall get the live crowd going!

Deadguy - "The Long Search for Perfect Timing" from Near-Death Travel Services (2025)

4.5/5. An aptly titled track ending the earlier fans' 30-year search for a song to surpass the debut. I'm also guessing the band was listening to 7 Angels 7 Plagues in the first few years of inactivity.

Coalesce - "A Disgust for Details" from Functioning on Impatience (1998)

5/5. The most furious way to finish its original album. To be honest, I don't think there's a lot fiercer than that track from much of this band's material or mathcore. That's the heaviness to remind me of us where they started in their debut!

Stevie T - "Metalcore Song" from Metalcore Song (2013)

4.5/5. Lately I've been watching some videos by Steve Terreberry, both his music and his more comedic videos. His "Metalcore Song" is more of a joke track, but it's quite a banger that exemplifies metalcore music and lyrics in a nutshell. I enjoy his growls and singing. And he's right, every song needs a techno breakdown and a solo.

Demon Hunter - "Ribcage" from The Triptych (2005)

4/5. This is the last track in its original album to have any heaviness. It starts with a loud rising blast of guitar riffs. The clean chorus is really impressive, but the growls sound a little off.

August Burns Red - "Bloodletter" from Guardians (2020)

4.5/5. This massive track is filled with aggression and over the top breakdowns. It follows the lyrical theme of greedy needs taking over society. The measures are a bit repetitive, but that's just a small flesh-wound of a flaw.

Motionless in White - "Undead Ahead 2: The Tale of the Midnight Ride" from Disguise (2019)

4/5. My favorite song in this MIW album. As if this song being a sequel to an earlier one wasn't the tip-off, it stands out with a lot of the band's earlier metalcore heaviness and a catchy chorus. The instrumentation is so strong, as is Chris' screaming. Just be careful when driving while listening to this song, especially in the heavy breakdown.

Currents - "It Only Gets Darker" from It Only Gets Darker (2025)

4.5/5. If you think the music in this playlist so far is fun and upbeat, well... IT ONLY GETS DARKER. And the screams get better.

Frontierer - "Corrosive Wash" from Oxidized (2021)

4/5. It also gets more f***ing chaotic, and it's quite addictive.

Converge - "Vengeance" from No Heroes (2006)

3.5/5. And how about a couple really short tracks to throw into the mix! The familiarity is too much to hide here.

Car Bomb - "Rid" from Centralia (2007)

4/5. A brief blast through extreme math-grind.

The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravanganza - "Passenger 57" from Danza 3: The Series of Unfortunate Events (2010)

4.5/5. The members all have kick-A talent, especially proven midway through. Seriously, they should really come back.

Psyopus - "Scissor Fuck Paper Doll" from Our Puzzling Encounters Considered (2007)

4/5. F***ing decimating mathcore that is not for the faint-hearted or the inexperienced.

The Chariot - "Back to Back" from The Fiancee (2007)

4.5/5. Quite some heavy energy for a Christian band, the same kind of energy from Blood of the Martyrs. Whatever beliefs you have, you're here to have fun with some music from this band by former Norma Jean vocalist Josh Scogin.

Cult Leader - "Gutter Gods" from Lightless Walk (2015)

4/5. A kick-A track from an 11-track album of chaos and darkness.

The Red Chord - "Face Area Solution" from Fed Through the Teeth Machine (2009)

4.5/5. One last short deathly blast before the grand finale, with some guest growls by The Acacia Strain's Vincent Bennett.

Mental Cruelty - "A Tale of Salt and Light" from Zwielicht (2023)

5/5. This epic finale has the symphonic death metal/core of Ex Deo and early Betraying the Martyrs to make one of the most glorious deathcore tracks ever! However, there's still one track left that would make a grand continuation and conclusion...

Worm Shepherd - "And at the End of Fear, Silentium" from Hunger (2024)

5/5. One of the best track titles I've seen in all of metal. The track itself is another one of the most glorious tracks I've heard in symphonic blackened deathcore. Chaos and triumph reign all over. The soloing is some of the best I've heard from last year, probably greater than even DragonForce's solos! Evilness and grief continues to last until the end, with a final epic orchestral melodeath march rising into some blackened blasts and screams once more, and finally resting in mournful piano. Man, what an ending!

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!