May 2023 "The Sphere" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/45Xj4PCyW3LavsE8NMtncN
Tracklisting:
1. Psyclon Nine - "Bellum in Abyssus" from Crwn Thy Frnicatr (2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
2. Author & Punisher - "Drone Carrying Dread" from Krüller (2022) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
3. Pitchshifter - "Deconstruction" from Submit (1992) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
4. Samael - "Rebellion" from Rebellion (1995) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
5. Gothminister - "Swallowed by the Earth" from Empire of Dark Salvation (2005)
6. Lard - "I Wanna Be a Drug-Sniffing Dog" from Pure Chewing Satisfaction (1997)
7. Circle of Dust - "Parasite" from Circle of Dust (1995)
8. Excessive Force - "Queen Bitch" from Gentle Death (1993)
9. Nine Inch Nails - "Fist Fuck" from Fixed (1992)
10. Fear Factory - "Martyr - Suffer Bastard Mix" from Fear is the Mind Killer (1993)
11. Strapping Young Lad - "AAA" from City (1997)
12. Godflesh - "Frail" from Songs of Love and Hate (1996) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
13. Old - "Lo Flux Tube" from Lo Flux Tube (1991)
14. Ministry - "The Land of Rape and Honey" from The Land of Rape and Honey (1988)
15. Motionless in White - "Sinematic" from Infamous (2012) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
16. Contracult Collective - "Plunge" from Plunge (2022)
17. Celldweller - "A Matter of Time" from Satellites (2022)
18. Pain - "End of the Line" from Rebirth (1999)
19. Klank - "DFL" from Numb (2000)
20. Turmion Kätilöt - "Totuus" from Omen X (2023)
21. Seth Ect - "B.L.A.S.T" from Godspeak (2011)
22. THE SIN:DECAY - "Deathlike Addiction" from Rehabilitation (2007)
23. Dust in Mind - "Empty" from Ctrl (2021)
24. OOMPH! - "Labyrinth" from Monster (2008)
25. Stahlmann - "Hass mich..Lieb mich" from Stahlmann (2010)
26. Erdling - "Absolutus Rex" from Supernova (2017)
27. Deathstars - "Angel of Fortune and Crime" from Angel of Fortune and Crime (2023)
Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:
Psyclon Nine - "Bellum in Abyssus" from Crwn Thy Frnicatr (2006)
4/5. An interesting noise-ish intro with the "Liberate Te Ex Inferis" sample from Event Horizon (y'know, the one used in a couple songs by metalcore bands Every Time I Die and Zao). Psyclon Nine is an awesome band, and even a couple of their late 2000s albums like Crwn Thy Frnicatr have a bit of metal in them.
Author & Punisher - "Drone Carrying Dread" from Krüller (2022)
3.5/5. This track kicks off the brutal extreme doom before a gradual switch to atmospheric post-metal. This hallucinogenic dreamscape adds to the sharp weight of the work without much change in direction.
Pitchshifter - "Deconstruction" from Submit (1992)
4/5. This one is a different highlight with gravelly vocals and repetitive guitar, hinting at their next album. A sure sign of leaving behind their Godflesh influences.
Samael - "Rebellion" from Rebellion (1995)
4.5/5. A song useful for conquering doubtful situations in war and rebellion. "I know how little is the value of that which has a price." 1995/1996 were the years were Samael were transitioning from black metal to symphonic industrial metal. They were the kind of rising band metalheads at the time needed instead of Korn.
Gothminister - "Swallowed by the Earth" from Empire of Dark Salvation (2005)
5/5. This is a more atmospheric highlight. I wouldn't say it's as atmospheric as bands like The Ocean, but I'm referring specifically to Halfface's keyboard atmosphere, along with wild soloing from those synths.
Lard - "I Wanna Be a Drug-Sniffing Dog" from Pure Chewing Satisfaction (1997)
4.5/5. Another true classic that I would rate slightly higher than the first 4 tracks of the playlist. Just don't sing it out loud if you don't want your parents worried.
Circle of Dust - "Parasite" from Circle of Dust (1995)
5/5. It's only been last year since I first heard Circle of Dust and became interested in one of Klayton's projects. An awesome piece of industrial rock/metal greatness! It's almost like a sequel to this album's intro "Exploration".
Excessive Force - "Queen Bitch" from Gentle Death (1993)
4.5/5. Fast forward to this track where one of the vocalists Liz Torres shines through fast techno rage. Silly yet fun!
Nine Inch Nails - "Fist Fuck" from Fixed (1992)
4/5. The second remix for "Wish" has samples of Timothy Leary. I actually love it better than the first remix!
Fear Factory - "Martyr - Suffer Bastard Mix" from Fear is the Mind Killer (1993)
4.5/5. Another remix, and one the way it's supposed to sound, more industrial while staying metal. Fear Factory can really maintain their extreme industrial metal in these remixes. H*ll, this is probably close to proto-cyber metal! A great throwback for longtime Fear Factory fans.
Strapping Young Lad - "AAA" from City (1997)
5/5. F***ing h*ll, this is brilliant groove-ish industrial metal, right from the sick intro. One of my favorites from one of the first industrial metal bands that I've encountered and truly like. Need some batteries for this grand song? The riff near the 3-minute mark has massive f***ing heaviness for half a minute, then this killer sh*t really goes off. Now imagine singing along to this in the bus, annoying the other passengers. "No one hears so no one knows and... NO ONE! NO ONE F***S WITH MEEEE!!!" I guess you can kind of consider this Korn gone Meshuggah.
Godflesh - "Frail" from Songs of Love and Hate (1996)
4.5/5. My favorite song in this album is practically close to post-metal with the ethereal atmosphere. It fits much better in Hymns, but that's my only complaint there.
Old - "Lo Flux Tube" from Lo Flux Tube (1991)
5/5. Incredible electronic noise metal, mixing beautiful peace with distorted war! Some might find this torture, but it's best to listen to with an open mind.
Ministry - "The Land of Rape and Honey" from The Land of Rape and Honey (1988)
4.5/5. This one is a menacing crawler, standing out with its creepy vibe.
Motionless in White - "Sinematic" from Infamous (2012)
4/5. Probably the darkest song here, but of course, dark doesn't always mean heavy. Emotional melody from the keyboards, guitars, and vocals, certainly make the atmosphere more cinematic. Chris continues expanding his clean vocal range, a nice break from the earlier growling.
Contracult Collective - "Plunge" from Plunge (2022)
4.5/5. I love how f***ing sick and heavy this is! Though it's a little too Marilyn Manson-like for me.
Celldweller - "A Matter of Time" from Satellites (2022)
5/5. Techno-rock/metal?!? FANTASTIC!!! Another Celldweller favorite that continues to motivate me to find more of Klayton's projects. Absolutely intriguing!
Pain - "End of the Line" from Rebirth (1999)
5/5. Another one of the best techno-industrial metal songs ever that makes up for more of this Swedish industrial metal project!
Klank - "DFL" from Numb (2000)
4.5/5. Amazing song, but I'm not down for this band. Moving on...
Turmion Kätilöt - "Totuus" from Omen X (2023)
4/5. Hearing this band after listening to some Electric Callboy makes me think too much of that other band. Still, keep it up, guys!
Seth Ect - "B.L.A.S.T" from Godspeak (2011)
4.5/5. Some f***ing extreme industrial/cyber metal insanity right here, holy sh*t!
THE SIN:DECAY - "Deathlike Addiction" from Rehabilitation (2007)
4/5. Another pretty great industrial/cyber metal song, and one that isn't noise ridden.
Dust in Mind - "Empty" from Ctrl (2021)
3.5/5. Kinda like a more industrial Lacuna Coil, with some great groove-ish riffing.
OOMPH! - "Labyrinth" from Monster (2008)
3/5. I didn't realize there is an English version of this song! I would've loved that version more and used it here. D*MN IT!!! This German version is still quite decent though.
Stahlmann - "Hass mich..Lieb mich" from Stahlmann (2010)
3.5/5. This one has more wonders, but not much to write home about. Still not getting the appeal from this band or Rammstein.
Erdling - "Absolutus Rex" from Supernova (2017)
4/5. The vocals here are great, compared to the other two Neue Deutsche Härte songs here.
Deathstars - "Angel of Fortune and Crime" from Angel of Fortune and Crime (2023)
4.5/5. And what better way to end this playlist with another one of the 3 singles from the upcoming Deathstars album Everything Destroys You, their first album in almost a decade! They've really made up for their time away with these singles. It throws back to their earlier Synthetic Generation era! I definitely wants more of this album once it comes out, maybe later this month, when my schedule clears up...
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!