October 2025 "Metalcore Revolution" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

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

Tracklisting:

1. Miss May I - "Pray for Silence" from Pray for Silence (2025)

2. Lorna Shore - "Prison of Flesh" from Prison of Flesh (2025)

3. We Came as Romans - "Dreams" from To Plant a Seed (2009) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

4. Cave In - "N.I.B." from Anomalies, Vol. 1 (2010) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

5. Neaera - "The Escape from Escapism" from Armamentarium (2007)

6. Fear of Domination - "Inner Lies" from VI: Revelation (2021) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

7. Blood of the Martyrs - "The Devil's Grip" from Endgame (2016)

8. Of Mice & Men - "Troubled Water" from Troubled Water (2025)

9. The Pretty Wild - "Paradox" from Paradox (2025)

10. Winds of Plague - "The Impaler" from Decimate the Weak (2008) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

11. Drown in Sulphur - "Buried by Snow and Hail" from Dark Secrets of the Soul (2024)

12. Ice Nine Kills - "Take Your Pick" from Welcome to Horrorwood: The Silver Scream 2 (2021)

13. The Breathing Process - "Metamorphosis" from Odyssey (Un)Dead (2010) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Snapcase - "Caboose" from Progression Through Unlearning (1997)

15. Take the Flame - "One to Lose" from One to Lose (2025)

16. Catsclaw - "Perfect Death" from Perfect Death (2025)

17. DIESECT - "HIDE FROM THE LIGHT" from HIDE FROM THE LIGHT (2025)

18. LEVELS - "Covert One" from Covert One (2025)

19. Frontieres, Joel Holmqvist - "Cybernetic Dream" from Cybernetic Dream (2025)

20. ERRA - "Gore of Being" from Gore of Being (2025)

21. BOI WHAT - "Time's Up" from Time's Up (2025)

22. Kingdom of Giants - "Digital Hell" from Digital Hell (2025)

23. Fit for a King - "Blue Venom" from Lonely God (2025)

24. Killwhitneydead - "She Didn't Look Like She Had a Disease" from Never Good Enough for You (2004)

25. Hope for the Dying - "The Awakening" from Dissimulation (2011)

26. It Dies Today - "Marigold" from The Caitiff Choir (2004) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

27. The Number Twelve Looks Like You - "Paper Weight Pigs" from Mongrel (2007)

28. Psyopus - "Death, I..." from Ideas of Reference (2004)

29. The Chariot - "They Faced Each Other" from The Fiancee (2007)

30. Frontierer - "Bombgnasher" from Unloved (2018)

31. War From a Harlots Mouth - "Uptown Girl... Uptown Girl... I Had a Crush on You, Oh Uptown Girl!" from Falling Upstairs (2006)

32. While She Sleeps - "Gates of Paradise" from So What? (2019) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Miss May I - "Pray for Silence" from Pray for Silence (2025)

4.5/5. A well-done steady start to this playlist, Miss May I's brand new single!

Lorna Shore - "Prison of Flesh" from Prison of Flesh (2025)

5/5. For the songs in the new Lorna Shore album with breakdowns, its opening track with the best one is this grand rollercoaster ride through stampeding deathcore. A killer way to start this offering!

We Came as Romans - "Dreams" from To Plant a Seed (2009)

4.5/5. RIP Kyle Pavone... The lyrics really hit hard and strong, having more Christian tendencies back in those days, really reaching my heart and soul. "Beloved let us love one another, this is my deepest dream".

Cave In - "N.I.B." from Anomalies, Vol. 1 (2010)

4/5. The band this cover as awesome as the original Black Sabbath hit. Somehow turning an early heavy metal classic into atmospheric metalcore works. RIP Ozzy Osbourne

Neaera - "The Escape from Escapism" from Armamentarium (2007)

4/5. Some top-notch melodeath/metalcore right here! We really need more of that in the modern era.

Fear of Domination - "Inner Lies" from VI: Revelation (2021)

4.5/5. This one starts with the sample that begins Strapping Young Lad's "Home Nucleonics" ("The beat starts here"). The song is a shredtastic highlight with more of those heavy verses and melodic chorus.

Blood of the Martyrs - "The Devil's Grip" from Endgame (2016)

5/5. I love the band's talent in this one. This is kinda like Fit for a King with some bits of Slipknot's Iowa, especially in the vocals. And those vocals consist of a perfect balance between cleans and screams. There's also some early 7 Horns 7 Eyes vibes here.

Of Mice & Men - "Troubled Water" from Troubled Water (2025)

4.5/5. Another miracle is coming, and it's the album Another Miracle! I think the Aaron Pauley is underrated compared to the Austin Carlile era that I still enjoy. We still have some killer heaviness, and starting the last minute of the track is perhaps the longest, most intense scream by Aaron. That and the industrial vibes make this song a banger.

The Pretty Wild - "Paradox" from Paradox (2025)

4/5. First there was The Pretty Reckless, then there's The Pretty Wild! I actually enjoying the rapping that goes well with the singing and screaming.

Winds of Plague - "The Impaler" from Decimate the Weak (2008)

4.5/5. Winds of Plague and The Breathing Process are tied as the first two bands to add symphonics to deathcore. I probably wouldn't have been into this band 10 years ago when I was a power metal-loving teen who wasn't ready for brutality and heavy amounts of swearing. Those brutal moments that I now enjoy include the riffing at the 45-second mark and the destructive breakdown over a minute later. Certainly not a song they would be allowed to play in church venues.

Drown in Sulphur - "Buried by Snow and Hail" from Dark Secrets of the Soul (2024)

5/5. This highlight levels up the orchestral elements in the usual brutal speed of deathcore.

Ice Nine Kills - "Take Your Pick" from Welcome to Horrorwood: The Silver Scream 2 (2021)

4.5/5. This song based on My Bloody Valentine features Cannibal Corpse vocalist Corpsegrinder in probably the most brutal heaviest song of the album, an outright mix of death metal and metalcore (equals deathcore). This collaboration would really hack your face with a pickaxe.

The Breathing Process - "Metamorphosis" from Odyssey (Un)Dead (2010)

5/5. Another standout filled with absolute g****mn fire. Anthemic rage pours from the chords, vocals, and icy keys, making perhaps the most powerful highlight of the album!

Snapcase - "Caboose" from Progression Through Unlearning (1997)

5/5. The perfect anthem to start its original album. Vocalist Darryl Taberski unleashes his screaming power with full intensity. I appreciate the work the band has put in their songs. The lyrics are clear and empowering, without any incohesive rambling. That's what makes the album the energetic masterpiece it is!

Take the Flame - "One to Lose" from One to Lose (2025)

4.5/5. Some killer gems can be found via YouTube ads, the only times YouTube doesn't disappoint me. Amazing riff melodies throughout along with the amazing midsection breakdown. I also like the audible basswork here. More potential for those guys in the future!

Catsclaw - "Perfect Death" from Perfect Death (2025)

4/5. And here's another YouTube ad discovery! This one captivates me with thall-fueled intensity.

DIESECT - "HIDE FROM THE LIGHT" from HIDE FROM THE LIGHT (2025)

4.5/5. HOLY SH*T, this hits hard! It gets me hooked with some industrial vibes within ear-drilling metalcore violence. The downtuned guitars really pack a punch.

LEVELS - "Covert One" from Covert One (2025)

4/5. This band really fires things up sounding similar to Northlane, Bury Tomorrow, and ERRA. Well-done lyrics in this banger!

Frontieres, Joel Holmqvist - "Cybernetic Dream" from Cybernetic Dream (2025)

4.5/5. I almost thought this was that mathcore band Frontierer when I first encountered this song, but this is still top-notch metalcore to love. I also hear a bit of Crystal Lake within the music, especially in the growls by Joel Holmqvist of Aviana. Even when the chorus is clean, it's filled with destructive rage.

ERRA - "Gore of Being" from Gore of Being (2025)

5/5. Jesse Cash needs to be recognized more for his talent in both guitar and cleans. This highlight continues the modern sound of their self-titled album and Cure.

BOI WHAT - "Time's Up" from Time's Up (2025)

4.5/5. Here's another banger from this Plankton AI metal project, and it's more cinematic than his other songs.

Kingdom of Giants - "Digital Hell" from Digital Hell (2025)

4/5. I enjoy the synths in this one, sounding like it's borrowed from Mechina. Good to see Jonathan Reeves doing well in both this band and The Amity Affliction.

Fit for a King - "Blue Venom" from Lonely God (2025)

3.5/5. Interesting vibes from Currents and the heavier side of I Prevail. I just wish this banger was longer.

Killwhitneydead - "She Didn't Look Like She Had a Disease" from Never Good Enough for You (2004)

3/5. This is only one of two tracks I like in this album, and what a surprise! Here they go full-on power metal/grind/deathcore, with some clean falsetto singing! Who knew that was even a thing?!

Hope for the Dying - "The Awakening" from Dissimulation (2011)

5/5. In this glorious 15-minute 3-track suite, each part has different focus on an aspect, with the title track of the suite emphasizing the piano and strings.

It Dies Today - "Marigold" from The Caitiff Choir (2004)

4.5/5. It's hard to believe that I didn't start listening to metalcore until I was already a young adult, whereas most metalcore fans started out in high school or even middle school. Amazing music and lyrics here!

The Number Twelve Looks Like You - "Paper Weight Pigs" from Mongrel (2007)

4/5. I'm glad this band can continue to strive after their temporary split. Midway through is a brief heavy breakdown worth repeating.

Psyopus - "Death, I..." from Ideas of Reference (2004)

4.5/5. Mathcore bands like Psyopus can be quite impressive when they can pull off riff technicality and experimentation within 3 to 5 minutes in song length. Everything explodes into fast chaos, including the vocals that I think fit the music well, despite others disagreeing. You can just dissect a Tool or Deftones song and add it to grind/metalcore to make something brilliant. The acoustic intro may seem easy to play but it has turned out to be harder than anything else, particularly when it's actually multiple guitars play at once. Quite a mathcore trip, I would say!

The Chariot - "They Faced Each Other" from The Fiancee (2007)

4/5. I'm happy to hear some great math/metalcore here. I can even hear some of the heavier side of Oh Sleeper!

Frontierer - "Bombgnasher" from Unloved (2018)

4.5/5. Right from the intro riffing, you're in for a f***ing wild ride! This mathcore sound also has some funk and thrash here and there.

War From a Harlots Mouth - "Uptown Girl... Uptown Girl... I Had a Crush on You, Oh Uptown Girl!" from Falling Upstairs (2006)

4/5. NO this is not a cover of that Billy Joel/Westlife song. Some of the most chaotic music and lyrics come from the first minute. The kind of chaos fans of the genre have heard since their high school years, unlike when I was listening to power metal in my teen years before getting into metalcore.

While She Sleeps - "Gates of Paradise" from So What? (2019)

4.5/5. And finally, we end this playlist with the closing track of this While She Sleeps album. This can make anyone sing/scream along to this song, at the risk of saying the F-word where people can hear.

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!