August 2023 "The Sphere" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

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

Tracklisting:

1. DAGames - "Born Champion (Overwatch Song)" from Born Champion (Overwatch Song) (2016) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

2. King Satan - "The Faces of the Devil" from The Faces of the Devil (2022)

3. Gothminister - "Monsters" from Empire of Dark Salvation (2005) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

4. Deathstars - "Motherzone" from Termination Bliss (2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

5. Clawerfield - "Emotion Zero" from Engines of Creation (2014)

6. Black Comedy - "Sum of All Shit" from Instigator (2008)

7. Black Light Discipline - "Walls Inside Us" from Against Each Other (2012)

8. Fear Factory - "Genexus" from Genexus (2015) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

9. Treponem Pal - "Screamers" from Screamers (2023)

10. Lard - "70s Rock Must Die" from '70's Rock Must Die (2000)

11. Decree - "Fateless" from Fateless (2011)

12. Mortiis - "Doppelganger - Die Krupps Extended Version" from The Great Corrupter (2017)

13. Mick Gordon - "BFG Division" from DOOM (2016) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Samael - "Ailleurs" from Eternal (1999) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

15. OOMPH! - "Sex" from Sperm (1994)

16. Ministry - "Thieves" from The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste (1989)

17. Pitchshifter - "Please Sir" from www.pitchshifter.com (1998)

18. Old - "Citient Null" from Lo Flux Tube (1991)

19. Waltari - "Prime Time" from Space Avenue (1997)

20. Rammstein - "Bück dich" from Sehnsucht (1997)

21. KMFDM - "A Drug Against War" from Angst (1993)

22. Godflesh - "Jesu" from Hymns (2001)

23. Final Light - "In the Void" from In the Void (2022)

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

DAGames - "Born Champion (Overwatch Song)" from Born Champion (Overwatch Song) (2016)

4/5. Let's start this playlist with a solid catchy tune inspired by the video game series Overwatch. Such a great hard-hitter!

King Satan - "The Faces of the Devil" from The Faces of the Devil (2022)

4.5/5. H*ll yeah! Even the most satanic music doesn't have to be black metal. I mean I don't usually like the more satanic bands, but this is a f***ing house-shaker. It almost makes me want to say "Hail King Satan", though saying that wouldn't sound right for my standards. Can I get a "John 3:16" up in here?!

Gothminister - "Monsters" from Empire of Dark Salvation (2005)

5/5. The best track for me here, worth adding gothic-ish industrial metal to a club.

Deathstars - "Motherzone" from Termination Bliss (2006)

4.5/5. This one's amazing, but feels a little bothersome. I mean I love the warm chorus, but the change from techno groove to violent heaviness is abrupt.

Clawerfield - "Emotion Zero" from Engines of Creation (2014)

4/5. F***ing powerful cyber metal! What else can I say?!

Black Comedy - "Sum of All Shit" from Instigator (2008)

3.5/5. Ditto with this one, though some parts might be slightly sh*tty.

Black Light Discipline - "Walls Inside Us" from Against Each Other (2012)

4/5. F***ing beautiful electro-industrial/cyber metal from a practically unknown yet underrated band! As much of a banger this is, I have to say that I really like the lyrical phrase "Unstoppable oblivion".

Fear Factory - "Genexus" from Genexus (2015)

4.5/5. With more of that precise speed in this track, it fits well with Dino Cazares' crushing riffing.

Treponem Pal - "Screamers" from Screamers (2023)

4/5. Explore the wonders of industrial revolution with this sweet track! The beastly guitar talent is worth good respect. Think about this song as Ministry-style industrial metal with some riffing close to what Van Halen could do.

Lard - "70s Rock Must Die" from '70's Rock Must Die (2000)

3.5/5. This track is, in a word, HILARIOUS. Let me tell you, this is the band's attempt to parody the cheesy classic 70s rock of Aerosmith and AC/DC. The lyrics are quite ridiculous, especially the chorus that keeps declaring that this kind of sound must die. Biafra seems to do a good job impersonating Axl Rose of Guns n' Roses. You never usually hear something both headbanging and hilarious at the same time, and people say only Spinal Tap could do something like that. It's definitely a break from the punky attitude of bands like Dead Kennedys (Jello Biafra's former band). It's just so d*mn funny. I'm not sure what I was thinking adding that song to this playlist, but it's still good.

Decree - "Fateless" from Fateless (2011)

4/5. Apocalyptic industrial rock/metal to dive into a soundscape of dystopian Hell.

Mortiis - "Doppelganger - Die Krupps Extended Version" from The Great Corrupter (2017)

3.5/5. Somewhat of a thematic continuation from the previous track, though it could've honestly had some improvement.

Mick Gordon - "BFG Division" from DOOM (2016)

4/5. This man has never ceased to blessed fans of DOOM and/or its soundtrack with his music. A collaboration with Hans Zimmer would totally go beyond space and time!

Samael - "Ailleurs" from Eternal (1999)

3.5/5. This one will have you dancing along. It's almost close to the cyber metal sound The Kovenant would pioneer in Animatronic! Though some might also be reminded of Front Line Assembly.

OOMPH! - "Sex" from Sperm (1994)

3/5. One of only a few tracks in this album stand out for me. Enough said!

Ministry - "Thieves" from The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste (1989)

3.5/5. This one starts with a hyper guitar riff over a dance beat, then the verse has Al Jourgensen's distorted screams of "THIEVES AND LIARS!! MURDERERS!!! HYPOCRITES AND B****RDS!!!!" Then the chorus stops for a stretched guitar chord until one more scream of "THIEVES!!! LIARS!!!" Then the drums go full-on thrash, but they should've used real drums instead of programming. I'm guessing they couldn't find any drummers going that fast.

Pitchshifter - "Please Sir" from www.pitchshifter.com (1998)

4/5. This dark track has a black metal-sounding intro chord that makes that song the most enjoyable in its original album.

Old - "Citient Null" from Lo Flux Tube (1991)

4.5/5. An excellent track from an industrial/avant-garde metal classic album. To those looking for extra-terrestrial experimental metal, the search is over!

Waltari - "Prime Time" from Space Avenue (1997)

5/5. This favorite track of mine rocks out with heavy mid-paced groove before incredible hyper-thrash soloing. And it all starts from an 8-bit video game-sounding intro.

Rammstein - "Bück dich" from Sehnsucht (1997)

4.5/5. The masters of Neue Deutsche Härte have revolutionized modern metal in Germany, though they're currently in hot water due to some sexual allegations against vocalist Till Lindemann.

KMFDM - "A Drug Against War" from Angst (1993)

4/5. Also developing industrial rock/metal in Germany in the 90s is KMFDM. Although the band didn't make a full breakthrough until 1995's Nihil, this song from their 1993 album Angst is an early hint at their faster metal direction. Quite innovative!

Godflesh - "Jesu" from Hymns (2001)

4.5/5. Not many industrial metal songs can surpass this one, it's so beautifully haunting. The beauty is especially found in the clean hidden track, a good hint at the project Jesu, which Justin Broadrick would start in the aftermath of losing everything including his main band, money, house, and marriage, but with that project, he would slowly get his life and Godflesh back on track.

Final Light - "In the Void" from In the Void (2022)

4/5. One final track in this playlist is from a one-time collaboration project between Perturbator and Cult of Luna vocalist Johannes Persson. Although slightly too electronic and ending the playlist a little abruptly now that I look back at it, it will never disappoint fans of both artists. Long live the Cult!

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? Despite some bumpiness in some places. Anyway, I recommend this to any industrial metal fan and anyone who isn't into industrial metal but is up to getting into a great start for 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!