July 2022 "The Sphere" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/45Xj4PCyW3LavsE8NMtncN

Tracklisting:

1. Godflesh - "Perfect Skin" from Slavestate (1991) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

2. SPF1000 - "Horror Show" from Witch Hunt (2003)

3. Treponem Pal - "Silico's Return" from Rockers' Vibes (2017)

4. Vanity Beach - "Garden of Cruelty" from Garden of Cruelty (2007)

5. Society 1 - "Nothing" from Exit Through Fear (2003)

6. Deathstars - "Blitzkrieg" from Termination Bliss (2006)

7. Lard - "Forkboy" from The Last Temptation of Reid (1990)

8. Circus of Dead Squirrels - "16-Bit Piece of Shit" from Scary Melodies (2022)

9. Ap2 - "My Sympathies" from Suspension of Disbelief (2000)

10. Spectrum-X - "Gnomes Bones" from Darkest Night Ever (2008)

11. Punish Yourself - "Spin the Pig" from Spin the Pig (2017)

12. Excessive Force - "Blitzkrieg (Sturzkampf)" from Gentle Death (1993)

13. Skrew - "Dark Ride" from Shadow of Doubt (1996)

14. Strapping Young Lad - "Detox" from City (1997)

15. Samael - "The Cross" from Eternal (1999) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. Thorns - "Underneath The Universe 1" from Thorns (2001) [submitted by Daniel)]

17. Dawn of Ashes - "Hexcraft" from The Crypt Injection II (Non Serviam) (2019)

18. Unit:187 - "Threatened" from Out for Blood (2010)

19. Turmion Kätilöt - "Faster Than God" from Universal Satan (2018)

20. Minority Sound - "Cyberkitty" from Analysis (2010)

21. Tanzwut - "Meer" from Ihr wolltet Spass (2003)

22. Metallspürhunde - "Alarm" from Moloch (2011)

23. Neurotech - "Solace" from Solace (2021)

24. Code Orange - "Underneath" from Underneath (2020)

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Godflesh - "Perfect Skin" from Slavestate (1991)

5/5. Ah, the perfect start to this Sphere playlist, continuing the never-ending chain of Sphere playlists containing a Godflesh song. It's amazing how talented Justin Broadrick has been since those days when he was younger than I am currently. All hail the f***ing beautiful sounds of Godflesh!

SPF1000 - "Horror Show" from Witch Hunt (2003)

4.5/5. This would be great for a horror movie franchise like Return of the Living Dead or that Cartoon Network series The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy. A nice cool horror-themed industrial metal tune!

Treponem Pal - "Silico's Return" from Rockers' Vibes (2017)

3.5/5. Welcome back, Silico! Though I might not return to this one.

Vanity Beach - "Garden of Cruelty" from Garden of Cruelty (2007)

4/5. I like this one, sounding like a more industrial HIM.

Society 1 - "Nothing" from Exit Through Fear (2003)

4.5/5. Another slightly old song that shows this band's killer talent still on after all these years. There's a bit of a nu metal vibe that could get this band into Guitar Hero. That along with the Marilyn Manson-like instrumentation and aesthetics.

Deathstars - "Blitzkrieg" from Termination Bliss (2006)

5/5. This is blazing epic techno-metal fire complete with an awesome mix of voice samples, guitar distortion, and driving rhythm. Excellent single and probably the best in its original album and this playlist!

Lard - "Forkboy" from The Last Temptation of Reid (1990)

4.5/5. Lard is a side-project by ex-Dead Kennedys vocalist Jello Biafra and a few Ministry members, most notably Al Jourgensen. They're currently on hiatus, but they might continue the collaboration with a new album in the future. This is a fun riot-starting song to love. Thrash fans might recognize the Flotsam and Jetsam cover. There's a feeling of death and betrayal here, all in a fun listen.

Circus of Dead Squirrels - "16-Bit Piece of Shit" from Scary Melodies (2022)

4/5. Also a fun track, but I have other ways to revisit the 90s then just the lyrics...

Ap2 - "My Sympathies" from Suspension of Disbelief (2000)

5/5. Another awesome side-project of Celldweller's Klayton! Adding some nice touches in the vocal department is Mark Salomon of Stavesacre and The Crucified. Klayton has worked on many different projects, some of which are Christian. This one's much more soothing than the Circle of Dust track from my previous playlist. The vocals sound almost like Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor. There's actually a little more of techno/trance/drum n bass influences here, but it's still metal enough for my enjoyment!

Spectrum-X - "Gnomes Bones" from Darkest Night Ever (2008)

4.5/5. This song is different and catchy. I love the vocals and lyrics here that are weird yet good. This might be great for some RuneScape gnome-slaying! The chorus is quite funny to hear, "the gnomes are coming, they want to steal your pony, they'll take your heart and tear it all apart". As amazing as their doll-like aesthetics!

Punish Yourself - "Spin the Pig" from Spin the Pig (2017)

3.5/5. I enjoy a lot of the music scenes from the Western side of the world (American, French, and German), and this track has a slightly similar sound to Treponem Pal. I might not give this a lot of spins though.

Excessive Force - "Blitzkrieg (Sturzkampf)" from Gentle Death (1993)

4/5. Excessive Force was a short-lived side-project to KMFDM, with some sick kicks and licks from former KMFDM guitarist Günter Schulz and great industrial power from the rest of the crew. "Leather-clad warrior!"

Skrew - "Dark Ride" from Shadow of Doubt (1996)

3.5/5. A little too deep in darkness there. Next!

Strapping Young Lad - "Detox" from City (1997)

4/5. The heavier metalheads wanting to try some industrial might like this track from Devin Townsend's former project Strapping Young Lad. You just want to scream along to those lyrics. "Hey! Devo!"

Samael - "The Cross" from Eternal (1999)

4.5/5. People seem to mistake this song as a Christian hymn, even though the band was going for the opposite. A good reason for me to leave behind all of black metal earlier this year. Will I someday return?...

Thorns - "Underneath The Universe 1" from Thorns (2001)

5/5. Perhaps I might! The spooky atmosphere fits well for this mostly ambient industrial piece, which serves as a contrast to the black metal of Part 2 and the rest of this album. Thanks for this, Daniel!

Dawn of Ashes - "Hexcraft" from The Crypt Injection II (Non Serviam) (2019)

4.5/5. I give this song a good amount of points for the epic orchestral intro, then subtract some for the anti-climatic switch into what's basically metalized industrial techno. It's still very great though!

Unit:187 - "Threatened" from Out for Blood (2010)

4/5. I like this one, loading up some great industrial metal fury, though probably closer to the style of Front Line Assembly.

Turmion Kätilöt - "Faster Than God" from Universal Satan (2018)

3.5/5. Some really hard work they've made in this track, though running a little too wild.

Minority Sound - "Cyberkitty" from Analysis (2010)

3/5. Kinda overdosing on the cyber elements here, but fine.

Tanzwut - "Meer" from Ihr wolltet Spass (2003)

3.5/5. An interesting timeless mix of Neue Deutsche Härte and medieval folk. A pretty cool song to impress the industrial metal diehards, whom I would be happy to recommend this song to. These guys have worked things out quite well. Unfortunately, I still have trouble getting used to the whole Neue Deutsche Härte business. However, it's still a good song to like and that thought counts.

Metallspürhunde - "Alarm" from Moloch (2011)

3/5. I like this song where all the instrumentation and vocals fit like a glove, though I still struggle with the subgenre.

Neurotech - "Solace" from Solace (2021)

3.5/5. The title track of one of Neurotech's albums, I enjoy slightly better than the other subgenre tracks here. It's a good 8-minute cyber metal epic that listeners would have on repeat. It's almost close to uplifting rock trance! The starting guitar and bass is insanely cool! Some parts might be anti-climatic, but once it builds into the crescendo at over the 5-minute mark, the climax is filled with aggressive divinity. Some cyber metal listeners might be reminded of SyBreed. I think the remaining essential sci-fi industrial metal band I still haven't gotten a grasp on yet is Fear Factory, and perhaps I can when the next playlist assembly is in command.

Code Orange - "Underneath" from Underneath (2020)

4/5. This sounds almost as poppy as Nine Inch Nails. Still it's quite a satisfying ending to this futuristic industrial metal adventure.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? Despite a few slight bumps in the second half... I sure would recommend this to any industrial metal fan and anyone who isn't into industrial metal but is up to getting 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!