October 2023 "The Sphere" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

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

Tracklisting:

1. Napalm Death - "Evolved as One" from From Enslavement to Obliteration (1988) [submitted by Daniel]

2. The Kovenant - "New World Order" from Animatronic (1999) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. Strapping Young Lad - "In the Rainy Season" from Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing (1995) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

4. Fear Factory - "Powershifter" from Mechanize (2010) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

5. Static X - "Terrible Lie" from Terrible Lie (2023)

6. Lock the Basement - "Come Back to Life" from Come Back to Life (2020)

7. Pitchshifter - "Genius" from www.pitchshifter.com (1998)

8. Red Harvest - "Symbol of Decay" from Internal Punishment Programs (2004) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

9. Nine Inch Nails - "Mr. Self Destruct" from The Downward Spiral (1994)

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

11. Lord of the Lost - "Loreley" from Thornstar (2018)

12. Omega Lithium - "Breaking" from Kinetik (2011)

13. Code Orange - "Autumn and Carbine" from Underneath (2020) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Scum of the Earth - "Give Up Your Ghost" from Blah...Blah...Blah...Love Songs for the New Millennium (2004)

15. Ministry - "Broken System" from Moral Hygiene (2021)

16. Circle of Dust - "Aggressor - Regressive Mix" from Brainchild (1994)

17. Killing Joke - "Communion" from Pandemonium (1994)

18. Deathstars - "An Atomic Prayer" from Everything Destroys You (2023)

19. Deafkids, Petbrick - "O Antropoceno" from Deafbrick (2020)

20. Raubtier - "A. I" from Överlevare (2019)

21. Zaraza - "Inti Raymi" from Spasms of Rebirth (2017)

22. Samsas Traum - "Tineoidea" from Tineoidea oder: Die Folgen einer Nacht - Eine Gothic-Oper in Blut-Moll (2003)

23. Godflesh - "Locust Furnace" from Streetcleaner (1989) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

24. Celldweller - "Aurora Borealis" from Soundtrack for the Voices in My Head Vol. 01 (2008)

25. Casey Edwards, Victor Borba - "Bury the Light" from Bury the Light (2020)

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Napalm Death - "Evolved as One" from From Enslavement to Obliteration (1988)

4.5/5. Now this is an interesting start to this playlist, suggested by Daniel. It's a song by UK grindcore pioneers Napalm Death, but rather a slow sludgy industrial metal track similar to Godflesh. An instrumental version of this track titled "The Curse" was used for an EP known for its cover art being that famous photograph of a Vietnamese girl running down the streets, suffering from a napalm attack that burned off her clothes. From the intro of that track, you can hear what's different the band's usual death/grind. Also a surprise is, the sludgy guitar is performed by Carcass guitarist Bill Steer. "WEAK MINDS!!!"

The Kovenant - "New World Order" from Animatronic (1999)

5/5. This highlight is a brilliant song that mixes heavy guitars with catchy techno. The chorus sounds so good in both the vocals and lyrics.

Strapping Young Lad - "In the Rainy Season" from Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing (1995)

4.5/5. This one continues to test out the anger that would be shoved up haters' f***ing a**es, adding to the album's general theme. There's also a well-placed clean chorus, an aspect later adopted by Soilwork.

Fear Factory - "Powershifter" from Mechanize (2010)

5/5. Another killer standout, what more can I say?

Static X - "Terrible Lie" from Terrible Lie (2023)

4.5/5. First hint at the next part of Static-X's Project Regeneration, and it's amazing hammer cover of an earlier Nine Inch Nails track. I have a bit of trouble with the deep tone though. Still missing you, Wayne. RIP

Lock the Basement - "Come Back to Life" from Come Back to Life (2020)

4/5. When I assemble the clan playlists, I often get the songs from YouTube and Spotify playlists. With this technique, I'm able to find cool songs like this easily! It's almost like Strapping Young Lad gone Rammstein.

Pitchshifter - "Genius" from www.pitchshifter.com (1998)

3.5/5. This highlight single is more bare but in great effect.

Red Harvest - "Symbol of Decay" from Internal Punishment Programs (2004)

4/5. This song and the rest of its album shows how different Red Harvest is from their awesome past while still being so d*mn good. True sludgy industrial metal right there!

Nine Inch Nails - "Mr. Self Destruct" from The Downward Spiral (1994)

4.5/5. And now here's a song from Nine Inch Nails themselves. Although it's from the album The Downward Spiral that's more of an industrial rock album, this track is one of a few from the album that's filled with bad-A industrial metal. This excellent high-quality song sounds beautiful while having a brutal message. No matter how f***ed up the message may seems, it really carries the point of the song smoothly. Pretty cool, huh? "I drag you down, I use you up, Mr. Self Destruct"

Gothminister - "Demons" from Demons (2022)

4/5. This one has poppy synths, along with a catchy chorus that you can't resist.

Lord of the Lost - "Loreley" from Thornstar (2018)

4.5/5. A dark industrial metal song to love. It's quite amazing hearing this tune that's half-Rammstein half-Gothminister.

Omega Lithium - "Breaking" from Kinetik (2011)

5/5. It's really such a shame that this band who made two albums of awesome addictive songs ended up disbanding afterwards. Absolutely underrated!

Code Orange - "Autumn and Carbine" from Underneath (2020)

4.5/5. Anthemic choruses add balance to this intensity!

Scum of the Earth - "Give Up Your Ghost" from Blah...Blah...Blah...Love Songs for the New Millennium (2004)

4/5. It's great hearing something different yet intriguing from start to end in this track. Scum of the Earth is named after a track by former Rob Zombie guitarist Riggs, and this song sounds like some of Zombie's earlier solo work but slower and sadder. Quite mellow while never being mainstream-ish. Lots of dark emotion!

Ministry - "Broken System" from Moral Hygiene (2021)

4.5/5. We are all to blame for the truth that is spoken by Al Jourgensen. "We must! Act!! NOW!!! Are you ready?!"

Circle of Dust - "Aggressor - Regressive Mix" from Brainchild (1994)

5/5. I just love this gothic-ish industrial metal track, especially the whispered screams. I just wish there would be new music from Klayton's 90s project Circle of Dust. And I really need to get into more of his current project Celldweller. "Behave yourself!"

Killing Joke - "Communion" from Pandemonium (1994)

4.5/5. This excellent highlight has more of the Egyptian vibe than before to add more uniqueness to the album's style, as Kevin Walker's chords are in perfect blend with the percussion and violin.

Deathstars - "An Atomic Prayer" from Everything Destroys You (2023)

4/5. Strong groovy bass in this song. That's all that's super notable in this song really.

Deafkids, Petbrick - "O Antropoceno" from Deafbrick (2020)

3.5/5. This part of a collaboration release between Deafkids and Petbrick. Not bad, but it has too much industrial experimentation.

Raubtier - "A. I" from Överlevare (2019)

3/5. Perhaps the only true Neue Deutsche Härte song in this playlist. It's decent, but what catches me off-guard are those haunting robotic horns heard in the background. It's still somewhat good for the NDH future.

Zaraza - "Inti Raymi" from Spasms of Rebirth (2017)

3.5/5. Still slightly low-quality, but not too bad. This is pretty much industrial death-doom.

Samsas Traum - "Tineoidea" from Tineoidea oder: Die Folgen einer Nacht - Eine Gothic-Oper in Blut-Moll (2003)

4/5. This is another Sphere track that also explores The Fallen, in this case atmospheric gothic metal. It's quite a touching song that shouldn't be forgotten. Samsas Traum is German for "Samsas' Dream". I don't need to translate the German lyrics to English when the beautiful music embraces my heart.

Godflesh - "Locust Furnace" from Streetcleaner (1989)

4.5/5. Then into the Locust Furnace, the corpses of the human race are thrown into for their cremation. In that song, Justin continues his shouts of tortured devastation until the end ("FURNACE!!!").

Celldweller - "Aurora Borealis" from Soundtrack for the Voices in My Head Vol. 01 (2008)

5/5. Know what I mean about me wanting to hear more Celldweller? This track has beautiful fire! And it's the perfect setup for a grand finale epic...

Casey Edwards, Victor Borba - "Bury the Light" from Bury the Light (2020)

4.5/5. "Bury the light deep within!!!" Straight from Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition is a motivational cyber metal epic like none other! It's slightly draggy, but nonetheless a grand exit from this playlist. And coincidentally a friend of mine showed me this song shortly before this comment!

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!