January 2023 "The Sphere" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/45Xj4PCyW3LavsE8NMtncN
Tracklisting:
1. Samael - "Solar Soul" (from Solar Soul, 2007)
2. Circle of Dust - "Waste of Time" (from Disengage, 1998) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
3. Pitchshifter - "Gritter" (from Submit, 1992) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
4. Fear Factory - "Invisible Wounds (Dark Bodies)" (from Digimortal, 2001)
5. Ministry - "Shove" (from Animositisomina, 2003)
6. Marilyn Manson - "Man That You Fear" (from Antichrist Superstar, 1996)
7. Godflesh - "Endgames" (from Us and Them, 1999) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
8. Gothminister - "Utopia" (from Utopia, 2013) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
9. Rob Zombie - "The Eternal Struggles of the Howling Man" (from The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy, 2021)
10. OOMPH! - "Die Schlinge" (from GlaubeLiebeTod, 2006)
11. Old - "Freak Now" (from The Musical Dimension of Sleastak, 1993) [submitted by Daniel]
12. Necromorphic Despair - "The Only Thing They Fear Is You" (from The Only Thing They Fear Is You, 2022)
13. Scorn - "Scum After Death (Dub)" (from Vae Solis, 1992)
14. Excessive Force - "Ride the Bomb" (from Conquer Your World, 1991)
15. Emigrate - "Silent So Long" (from Silent So Long, 2014)
16. Xe-NONE - "Summertime" (from Dancefloration, 2011)
17. Seth Ect - "E.C.T." (from Godspeak, 2011)
18. Code Orange - "A Sliver" (from Underneath, 2020) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
19. Sybreed - "A.E.O.N." (from The Pulse of Awakening, 2009)
20. Eisbrecher - "Verrückt" (from Die Hölle muss warten, 2012)
21. Schwarzer Engel - "Schwarze Sonne" (from In Brennenden Himmeln, 2013)
22. Killing Joke - "Exorcism" (from Pandemonium, 1994)
23. Mnemic - "The Eye on Your Back" (from Passenger, 2007) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
24. Morbid Angel - "Profundis - Mea Culpa" (from Illud Divinum Insanus, 2011)
Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:
Samael - "Solar Soul" (from Solar Soul, 2007)
4/5. Let's start with something so dark yet so bright! The background details such as the short screams really emphasize the song. A pretty great banger! The lyrics are at its best when they tell you to push aside yesterday and tomorrow. Longtime fans would surely have some good memories. Crank up the volume!
Circle of Dust - "Waste of Time" (from Disengage, 1998)
4.5/5. Klayton has been active in the music scene even before his more well-known project Celldweller, and this song is never a waste of time! I especially enjoy the rap-ish metal verse and its lyrics.
Pitchshifter - "Gritter" (from Submit, 1992)
4/5. This is a brilliant favorite of mine from this EP. It brings in some groove momentum and their earlier deathly vibe, the latter caused by crushing downtuned riffing and deep growling vocals. However, it sounds closer to Godflesh than the more deathly Dead World. JS Clayden took over on vocals after his brother MD put his focus on bass.
Fear Factory - "Invisible Wounds (Dark Bodies)" (from Digimortal, 2001)
4.5/5. Another amazing song, having pleased many longtime Fear Factory fans for so many years. The best part is the heavier bridge at over the two-minute mark. Other than that, it sounds closer to some of my brother's favorite alt-rock/metal bands that I've discovered when I was middle-school-age, and it might be good for one of our car rides. This should really be shared to the world!
Ministry - "Shove" (from Animositisomina, 2003)
4/5. Another underrated satisfying track, this one from Ministry. Apparently, Animositisomina is Al Jourgensen's least favorite album alongside their synthpop debut With Sympathy, though obviously both albums are different like chalk and cheese. I don't know what the symbols on the cover art represent, but you can take a guess.
Marilyn Manson - "Man That You Fear" (from Antichrist Superstar, 1996)
3.5/5. "When all of your wishes are granted, many of your dreams will be destroyed." This repeated line has haunted many listeners of this album for over two and a half decades. Call Marilyn Manson what you would like besides industrial metal; grunge, emo, goth, irreligious or even inspiring mass murderers... Unnecessary labels can hurt, but he ain't affected by them. And why bother? Just enjoy the music without harsh criticism.
Godflesh - "Endgames" (from Us and Them, 1999)
4/5. This one has something I might enjoy in Godflesh's most controversial album, with dark layers of bass textures.
Gothminister - "Utopia" (from Utopia, 2013)
4.5/5. I definitely prefer to get my gothic-infused industrial metal from Gothminister, and this song is a great example.
Rob Zombie - "The Eternal Struggles of the Howling Man" (from The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy, 2021)
4/5. I would recommend this sick track to fans of Rob Zombie and his material. AAHHOOO YEAH!!!
OOMPH! - "Die Schlinge" (from GlaubeLiebeTod, 2006)
4.5/5. Apocalyptica fans can thank Oomph! for featuring that cello metal band in this track. It's really great!
Old - "Freak Now" (from The Musical Dimension of Sleastak, 1993)
5/5. More of the experimentation commences in this freaky highlight. That song was used in the soundtrack for the film Brainscan.
Necromorphic Despair - "The Only Thing They Fear Is You" (from The Only Thing They Fear Is You, 2022)
4.5/5. You know that song from the DOOM Eternal soundtrack? I found a cover of that track by Necromorphic Despair, with lyrics and growls added. It's so f***ing brutal! Necromorphic Despair is not yet in RYM, but I can definitely hear this as deathly industrial metal at its finest.
Scorn - "Scum After Death (Dub)" (from Vae Solis, 1992)
4/5. Napalm Death fans might recognize the opening bass from their song "Scum", and it makes sense since the 3 musicians who performed in the first side of that album perform here. The 3 voice samples that appear in the song are all from I Drink Your Blood: "Do we pray?" "Satan was an acid head." "Together we'll all freak out!"
Excessive Force - "Ride the Bomb" (from Conquer Your World, 1991)
3.5/5. The only decently great track from a sh*tty dance album that has blown me off instead of blown me away....
Emigrate - "Silent So Long" (from Silent So Long, 2014)
3/5. This isn't really a song I love, though I like the 80s-sounding solo and the guest vocals from Jonathan Davis from Korn. However, some lyrics are in Latin, specifically in over the 3-minute mark, and most of the riffing Richard Kruspe is at a low level. Bummer...
Xe-NONE - "Summertime" (from Dancefloration, 2011)
3.5/5. This one's slightly better, with the cyber metal instrumentation and vocals leveling up like a boss.
Seth Ect - "E.C.T." (from Godspeak, 2011)
4/5. Anyone having trouble finding a killer cyber metal bands? The search is over! This band has a bit of f***ing talent!
Code Orange - "A Sliver" (from Underneath, 2020)
4.5/5. This one shows that Gojira is not the only band in the world that can mix melodic ambience with extreme heavy matter so easily, though obviously not the same style.
Sybreed - "A.E.O.N." (from The Pulse of Awakening, 2009)
4/5. Good cyber-industrial metal genius talent from Switzerland! The synth-ambience really adds some that cyber effect.
Eisbrecher - "Verrückt" (from Die Hölle muss warten, 2012)
3.5/5. It's hard for me to understand German, but the music is quite enough for the radio.
Schwarzer Engel - "Schwarze Sonne" (from In Brennenden Himmeln, 2013)
4/5. Real superb addition of symphonic gothic metal elements while staying in Neue Deutsche Harte. The operatic female verse at the one-and-a-half-minute is the best part with flowing texture, probably more than Tarja.
Killing Joke - "Exorcism" (from Pandemonium, 1994)
4.5/5. An astounding tune from one of Killing Joke's heavier releases. Jaz Coleman encourages listeners to "Let it out, let it rise, let it-" (literally coughs and wheezes, f***ing amusing). The theme of exorcism can be associated with Babylonian religion.
Mnemic - "The Eye on Your Back" (from Passenger, 2007)
5/5. Making up a lot for the slight bit of mediocrity, the closing epic is bound to keep you awake with its cycling through some of the best vocals, keyboards, and riffs in this offering. The power that makes up most of Passenger is revisited, while not as Meshuggah-infused as their earlier albums.
Morbid Angel - "Profundis - Mea Culpa" (from Illud Divinum Insanus, 2011)
4.5/5. The closing song of this playlist is the best track in its original album. The industrial rhythm and metal complexity are combined very well, David Vincent's vocals are very captivating, and there's none of that sh*tty rock in sight.
Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? Despite a few slight bumps throughout... Anyway, 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!