September 2023 "The Sphere" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

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

Tracklisting:

1. Circle of Dust - "Exploration - Redux" from Circle of Dust (1995, 2016 remaster) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

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

3. In This Moment - "THE PURGE" from THE PURGE (2023)

4. Godflesh - "Land Lord" from Purge (2023) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

5. Fear Factory - "New Messiah" from Re-Industrialized (2023) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

6. OOMPH! - "Krüppel" from Wunschkind (1996)

7. Rammstein - "Du riechst so gut" from Herzeleid (1995)

8. KMFDM - "Ultra" from Nihil (1995)

9. Ministry - "N.W.O." from ΚΕΦΑΛΗΞΘ [Psalm 69] (1992)

10. Gothminister - "Star" from Star (2022)

11. Schwarzer Engel - "Requiem" from Kult der Krähe (2018)

12. Omega Lithium - "Hollow March" from Dreams in Formaline (2009)

13. 3TEETH, Mick Gordon - "Merchant of the Void" from Merchant of the Void (2023)

14. Megaherz - "Jagdzeit" from Götterdämmerung (2012)

15. Lindemann - "Platz Eins" from F & M (2019)

16. Red Harvest - "Beyond the Limits of Physical Xperience" from A Greater Darkness (2007)

17. Author & Punisher - "Women & Children" from Women & Children (2013)

18. The Interbeing - "Sins of the Mechanical" from Among the Amorphous (2017)

19. Breach the Void - "Digital Structure" from the Monochromatic Era (2010)

20. Digimortal - "Сто ночей" from Сто ночей (2013)

21. Seth Ect - "Orison" from Godspeak (2011)

22. Combichrist - "We Were Made to Love You" from We Love You (2014)

23. Zaraza - "Heart.ov.the.Goat" from No Paradise to Lose (2003)

24. SKYND - "Katherine Knight" from Chapter II (2019) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

25. Scorn - "Deep In-Eaten Over and Over" from Vae Solis (1992) [submitted by Daniel]

26. Pain - "Season of the Reaper" from You Only Live Twice (2011) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Circle of Dust - "Exploration - Redux" from Circle of Dust (1995, 2016 remaster)

4.5/5. For 30 years, Klayton has pleased fans of electronica and/or metal with his original project Circle of Dust. This band's material makes up to checking out other projects of his like Argyle Park and the more popular Celldweller. Thanks so d*mn much, Klayton! Seriously!

Deathstars - "Tongues" from Termination Bliss (2006)

5/5. In contrast to that speedy opener, this is a slow melodic awesome song to get you pumped for incoming darkness. The deep dark voice sticks with the heavy electronic rhythm. I also enjoy the chorus and the female singing before it.

In This Moment - "THE PURGE" from THE PURGE (2023)

5/5. Maria Brink and co. are back with a powerful hint at their latest addition to their nearly two-decade discography, Godmode! I can hear quite a similar vibe to the more electronic material of Bring Me the Horizon and Motionless in White. The lyrics are quite eerie and fit well with the demonic-ish music. The more classic metalheads might know this band from their single "Black Wedding" featuring Judas Priest's Rob Halford.

Godflesh - "Land Lord" from Purge (2023)

5/5. Another true standout for me, having some killer harmonic bends in the strings.

Fear Factory - "New Messiah" from Re-Industrialized (2023)

4.5/5. There's more of the catchy majesty in this track with an epic chorus, from a revised version of the album The Industrialist.

OOMPH! - "Krüppel" from Wunschkind (1996)

4/5. Here's a song worth talking about! Dero's vocals sound close to growling as he details a story about getting kicked, punched, crippled... basically getting beaten up by vicious bullies. Now this is the Oomph I need in the lyrics that are heavy as the gradually distorted music. The emotion is what makes the song special in its own right. Sadly, there's no later song like that in its original album.

Rammstein - "Du riechst so gut" from Herzeleid (1995)

3.5/5. Another pretty good early example of Neue Deutsche Härte, despite recent allegations against frontman Till Lindemann.

KMFDM - "Ultra" from Nihil (1995)

4/5. Busting through is this nearly flawless track that you might know from the Street Fighter II animated movie.

Ministry - "N.W.O." from ΚΕΦΑΛΗΞΘ [Psalm 69] (1992)

4.5/5. Opening things up in madness, this one starts with a sample of a siren alarm over the first riff, and the band set up the stage.

Gothminister - "Star" from Star (2022)

5/5. Now this one will get you hooked. The melody is an addictive throwback to the band's 2000s era that was more focused on electronics while still having a lot of metal.

Schwarzer Engel - "Requiem" from Kult der Krähe (2018)

4.5/5. Neue Deutsche Härte and gothic doom metal actually make a very cool mix. Keep it up!

Omega Lithium - "Hollow March" from Dreams in Formaline (2009)

5/5. The industrial/gothic metal blend is still on, albeit in a quick epic pace. D*mn, this band is so underrated!

3TEETH, Mick Gordon - "Merchant of the Void" from Merchant of the Void (2023)

4.5/5. Industrial fans are going crazy over this impressive collaboration between 3TEETH and Mick Gordon. Smashing!

Megaherz - "Jagdzeit" from Götterdämmerung (2012)

4/5. Some more kick-A NDH similar to their popular peers Rammstein.

Lindemann - "Platz Eins" from F & M (2019)

3.5/5. Speaking of Rammstein... Another song with Till Lindemann?!? Well, I already made this clear: Separate art from artist! F&M is different from the project's debut Skills in Pills, reverting back to Rammstein's NDH, instead of English-speaking industrial metal. This might have potential to be used in one of Seth MacFarlane's cartoons.

Red Harvest - "Beyond the Limits of Physical Xperience" from A Greater Darkness (2007)

4/5. SO DARK!!! Enough said...

Author & Punisher - "Women & Children" from Women & Children (2013)

3.5/5. And there's more of that freaky doomy darkness, this time from this one-man band formed by Tristan Shone.

The Interbeing - "Sins of the Mechanical" from Among the Amorphous (2017)

4/5. Although Sybreed, Mnemic, and Raunchy (sort of) are gone, this band The Interbeing has made up for that and gotten fans of those earlier bands f***ing mind-blown. There's even some atmospheric meat here! Of course, you can thank The Kovenant for inventing the subgenre this band has, cyber metal. And this song's original album isn't the f***ing last of this band, as there's another album released recently.

Breach the Void - "Digital Structure" from the Monochromatic Era (2010)

4.5/5. This almost reaches the top with those golden drums and vocals! Breach the Void is another band in the modern cyber metal league led by Sybreed, with ex-Sybreed drummer Alex Anxionaz being part of this band. And it makes me feel more energized than when I had my peanut butter sandwich for lunch earlier today (as of this comment). As much as I would consider this song a pinnacle of modern industrial/cyber metal, the only problem that keeps this away from perfection, the clean vocals sound a bit inferior to the guttural ones. Nonetheless, the band has some original talent right there!

Digimortal - "Сто ночей" from Сто ночей (2013)

4/5. Now this track is a tribute to the K-141 submarine tragedy. This song has some wonderful power, I must say. It will leave your soul in tears, that's how strong it is! The chorus stands out well and fits in with the terrible disaster detailed in the Russian lyrics. One other band that can make such a tribute is Finnish doom metallers KYPCK.

Seth Ect - "Orison" from Godspeak (2011)

3.5/5. This one's also underrated with pretty good lyrics.

Combichrist - "We Were Made to Love You" from We Love You (2014)

3/5. OK, this song deserves a bit of attention for its attempt to mix breakdowns of both metal and dubstep. However, despite the vocals having the right level of grittiness, the vocals come out as unclear sh*t. Still it should've fit well in the Avengers: Age of Ultron soundtrack. I wouldn't say this is the worst song I've ever heard, but it's the lowest point of this playlist in my opinion.

Zaraza - "Heart.ov.the.Goat" from No Paradise to Lose (2003)

3.5/5. You might think this track would continue that lowness streak, considering it's more of an experimental spoken word track. But it's a nice transition in the middle of this part of the playlist that I would consider the "dark love trilogy", and I would give it some pointage for that. That Combichrist song is the first part of the trilogy, of course.

SKYND - "Katherine Knight" from Chapter II (2019)

4/5. The emotional last third of both its original EP and my aforementioned "dark love trilogy" has a bit of a Lady Gaga-like pop vibe. It's based on a woman who murdered her husband and was intending to make herself and her children cannibals to that man. So crazy, yet the song mesmerizes me.

Scorn - "Deep In-Eaten Over and Over" from Vae Solis (1992)

4.5/5. This exceptional song is one of the most dreadful-sounding tracks I've heard in industrial metal, almost like funeral doom before the genre was fully developed, though some might be reminded more of Swans than Skepticism. The solid departure from the earlier fast pounders of this playlist continues. Thanks for this submission, Daniel!

Pain - "Season of the Reaper" from You Only Live Twice (2011)

5/5. You know how much I love this band Pain, and g****mn, what a way to end this playlist and its original album!

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!