February 2023 "The Sphere" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

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

Tracklisting:

1. Godflesh - "Spite" (from Pure, 1992) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

2. Celldweller - "Into the Void - HARD BOX Remix" (from Into the Void (Remix Contest Compilation), 2022)

3. 3TEETH - "President X" (from Metawar, 2019)

4. Mnemic - "Tattoos" (from Mechanical Spin Phenomena, 2003) [submitted by Daniel]

5. Excessive Force - "Divebomb" (from Gentle Death, 1993) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

6. Ghostemane - "Hydrochloride" (from ANTI-ICON, 2020)

7. Static-X - "Hollow (Project Regeneration) (from Project: Regeneration Vol. 1, 2020)

8. Ministry - "Disinformation" (from Moral Hygiene, 2021)

9. Northlane - "Talking Heads" (from Alien, 2019) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

10. Motionless in White - "Not My Type: Dead as Fuck 2" (from Graveyard Shift, 2017) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

11. 1000 Homo DJs - "Apathy" (from Supernaut, 1990)

12. Pitchshifter - "New Flesh P.S.I." (from Submit, 1992)

13. Gothminister - "Nachtzehrer" (from Empire of Dark Salvation, 2005) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Crossbreed - "Stem" (from Synthetic Division, 2001)

15. Strapping Young Lad - "Almost Again" (from The New Black, 2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. Combichrist - "Hate Like Me" (from One Fire, 2019)

17. Omega Lithium - "Stigmata" (from Dreams in Formaline, 2009)

18. Nine Inch Nails - "March of the Pigs" (from The Downward Spiral, 1994)

19. Fear Factory - "Disobey - Disruptor Remix" (from Recoded, 2022)

20. Lindemann - "Skills in Pills" (from Skills in Pills, 2015)

21. Ludovico - "Burn Everything" (from Haunted People, 2022)

22. Deathstars - "Death Dies Hard" (from Night Electric Night, 2009)

23. ASP - "Krabat" (from Zaubererbruder: der Krabat-Liederzyklus, 2008)

24. The Mad Capsule Markets - "Island" (from OSC-DIS, 2001)

25. Author & Punisher - "Glorybox" (from Kruller, 2022)

26. Neurotech - "Through Hardships" (from Stigma, 2015)

27. Rammstein - "Adieu" (from Zeit, 2022)

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Godflesh - "Spite" (from Pure, 1992)

4.5/5. The opening track of this playlist can be the sign of a shining gift.

Celldweller - "Into the Void - HARD BOX Remix" (from Into the Void (Remix Contest Compilation), 2022)

5/5. But not as much as this remix! Klayton continues his over 3-decade career of industrial metal entertainment that I can't believe I didn't get into until just recently. Such a killer remix, and while the electronics are obviously there, it's in a great amount, not too much or too little. I believe this remixer can really REGENERATE.

3TEETH - "President X" (from Metawar, 2019)

4.5/5. "I'm your same old hex, I'm President X, replace me, I'll be next!"

Mnemic - "Tattoos" (from Mechanical Spin Phenomena, 2003)

4/5. This one has a bit of a Mushroomhead vibe while staying industrial.

Excessive Force - "Divebomb" (from Gentle Death, 1993)

4.5/5. You'll especially find greatness in this track that at one point makes a subtle brief turn into the "Hall of the Mountain King", almost like what Savatage did in their 1987 album. I love it!

Ghostemane - "Hydrochloride" (from ANTI-ICON, 2020)

4/5. This one is an edgy hard-hitter of noise. "I DON'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE!!!"

Static-X - "Hollow (Project Regeneration) (from Project: Regeneration Vol. 1, 2020)

4.5/5. Static-X knows how to maintain the sound they've had since their earlier albums even after the untimely passing of Wayne Static, thereby doing him great justice. RIP Wayne and Tera... This really does sound close to what the band had in the early 2000s. That's quite a bad-a** tribute to their lost leader.

Ministry - "Disinformation" (from Moral Hygiene, 2021)

4/5. "Fake news. SAD!" A nice song to remind us of the plague of false information.

Northlane - "Talking Heads" (from Alien, 2019)

4.5/5. One vocalist ruling with 10 techniques! The sludgy nu metal part of their cyber metalcore sound has really expanded in their recent albums.

Motionless in White - "Not My Type: Dead as Fuck 2" (from Graveyard Shift, 2017)

4/5. This is my type of alternative/industrial/metalcore from the masters of that blend, Motionless in White!

1000 Homo DJs - "Apathy" (from Supernaut, 1990)

3.5/5. Fun early industrial rock/metal, though a bit repetitive.

Pitchshifter - "New Flesh P.S.I." (from Submit, 1992)

3/5. This next track is an early-Godflesh-infused remix of a song from their debut Industrial. Not the best, but it works well for most other industrial metal fans.

Gothminister - "Nachtzehrer" (from Empire of Dark Salvation, 2005)

3.5/5. A weird yet satisfying gothic-infused industrial metal treat.

Crossbreed - "Stem" (from Synthetic Division, 2001)

4/5. I can give a thumbs-up to what is considered an industrial/nu metal classic. The verses are far more tolerable than the verses of songs by, say, Lady Gaga. A bad-a** twist in the sound of the aforesaid Static-X.

Strapping Young Lad - "Almost Again" (from The New Black, 2006)

4.5/5. Drummer Gene Hoglan deserves some praise for his mighty drumming blasts, but you know who else? Devin Townsend for his fine lyrics and raw vocals, not to mention founding this band! Is it just me or does the guy in the last 10 seconds of the song screaming and collapsing sound like Hoglan after all this impressive work? Hmm... At least he will be well-suited for a drum soloing battle with Meshuggah's Tomas Haake.

Combichrist - "Hate Like Me" (from One Fire, 2019)

4.5/5. This is worth listening to for some f***ing amazing energy. Those vocals are h*lla powerful.

Omega Lithium - "Stigmata" (from Dreams in Formaline, 2009)

5/5. I love this awesome song, and it makes me wish Omega Lithium would one day reform. Mya Mortensen is really pretty, and pretty talented in the industrial/gothic metal scene. You can almost consider her the Lady Gaga of metal! I can thank my brother for showing me this song.

Nine Inch Nails - "March of the Pigs" (from The Downward Spiral, 1994)

4.5/5. Besides this song being one of the heavier tracks of its album, metal enough for inclusion in this playlist, HORSE the Band's cover of the song intrigues me. It works as a soundtrack to a panic attack. And halfway through, just when you think it's over early, it starts up again!

Fear Factory - "Disobey - Disruptor Remix" (from Recoded, 2022)

5/5. HOLY SH*T, another cyber-techno remix of a fantastic song, that still rules?!? We need more of this!

Lindemann - "Skills in Pills" (from Skills in Pills, 2015)

4.5/5. Interesting song about pills, drugs, and booze. All part of Rammstein vocalist Till Lindemann's solo project of Peter Tägtgren from Hypocrisy and Pain.

Ludovico - "Burn Everything" (from Haunted People, 2022)

4/5. Emotions of frustration and loneliness can be let out via dark music. Even when the screams sound closer to whispering, they still have quite the power. The feeling is relevant for the earlier time of the virus.

Deathstars - "Death Dies Hard" (from Night Electric Night, 2009)

3.5/5. This one hits hard, sounding good like a descendent of Marilyn Manson, Rammstein, and Nine Inch Nails, in a way that I actually like. Hate what you want, but cheers to this band for carrying on!

ASP - "Krabat" (from Zaubererbruder: der Krabat-Liederzyklus, 2008)

3/5. The violin is beautiful, adding some pleasant folk vibes to an otherwise mediocre Neue Deutsche Härte track.

The Mad Capsule Markets - "Island" (from OSC-DIS, 2001)

3.5/5. A quite funny song. While staying in industrial metal territory, the verses frolic happily before a raging hardcore chorus.

Author & Punisher - "Glorybox" (from Kruller, 2022)

4/5. The shoegaze-ish direction for this band is especially true in this convincing Portishead cover. Sounds weird but I love it!

Neurotech - "Through Hardships" (from Stigma, 2015)

4.5/5. This is quite an epic standout to this last leg of this playlist. You can marvel through all the hardships you wanna overcome! Amazing, huh?! Quite an astonishing motivational message. "You're not alone." "Things will get better."

Rammstein - "Adieu" (from Zeit, 2022)

4/5. This marching finale has reflective piano and a sign-off message, "You have to go the final way alone", rather ironic compared to the previous song's message.

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!