January 2026 "Industrial Metal Invasion" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

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

Tracklisting:

1. Fear Factory - "Recode" from Aggression Continuum (2021) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

2. Dome Runner - "Biased Heart Replica" from World Panopticon (2025)

3. Kidneythieves - "Before I'm Dead" from Zerospace (2002)

4. 1914, Ship Her Son, Barney Hines Band - "Invaders Must Die" from Invaders Must Die (2025)

5. The Amenta - "Flesh is Heir" from Flesh is Heir (2013) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

6. Bad Omens - "Left for Good" from Left for Good (2025)

7. Nanowar of Steel, Mikael Sehlin - "Feet & Greet" from Feet & Greet (2025)

8. Fear of Domination - "Endgame" from Endgame (2025)

9. Die Krupps - "On Collision Course" from On Collision Course (2025)

10. Static-X - "Down" from Beneath... Between... Beyond... (2004)

11. Eisbrecher - "All We Are" from Schicksalsmelodien (2020)

12. Hanzel und Gretyl - "Fukken Uber Death Party" from 2012: Zwanzig Zwolf (2008)

13. 3TEETH - "The Fall" from Metawar (2019)

14. Silent Planet - "Under Your Skin" from Under Your Skin (2025)

15. Vibrion - "Aguanta" from Instinct (2002)

16. Neo Inferno 262 - "Sexes" from Pleonectic (2023)

17. Godflesh - "Streetcleaner" from Streetcleaner (1989) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

18. Lord of the Lost - "Bad Romance" from Weapons of Mass Seduction (2023)

19. Circle of Dust - "Deviate (1992)" from Brainchild (1994) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

20. Cyanotic - "Altered States of Consciousness" from Transhuman 2.0 (2007)

21. Vortech - "Posthumanism" from Posthumanism (2009)

22. Malmonde - "Machine" from Malmonde (2003)

23. Mechina - "The Collapse Promised to All" from Bellum Interruptum (2025) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

24. Illidiance, Jot Maxi - "Hack the Hoax" from Hack the Hoax (2022)

25. Turmion Katilot - "Reset 7 (Not to Be Continued)" from Reset (2024)

26. Pain - "The Last Drops of My Life" from Pain (1997) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Fear Factory - "Recode" from Aggression Continuum (2021)

5/5. This maniacal opener begins with a cinematic intro consisting of a Terminator-like speech over dreamy keyboards. Then the massive rapid-fire thrash commences with heavy djenty assault from the guitars and bass, as the keyboards go on in symphonic grandeur to add hope to the desolation. The otherwise mundane verse-chorus structure shows how well-composed the song is when the verses go aggressive and the chorus goes anthemic. A simple structure for this widely-ranged opener of this album!

Dome Runner - "Biased Heart Replica" from World Panopticon (2025)

4.5/5. Dome Runner has just came back with their new second album World Panopticon. This track is one of a few 7-minute epics that have there, and it rules!

Kidneythieves - "Before I'm Dead" from Zerospace (2002)

4.5/5. Many people know this song from the soundtrack of Queen of the Damned, a film starring the late Aaliyah (RIP). I like the instrumentation along with the lyrics ("To see you..."). Nice melodic color to go with the industrial heaviness.

1914, Ship Her Son, Barney Hines Band - "Invaders Must Die" from Invaders Must Die (2025)

5/5. Incredible cover of that hit song by The Prodigy, with added lyrics. 1914 seems like the kind of band I should listen to more of despite their blackened death metal sound.

The Amenta - "Flesh is Heir" from Flesh is Heir (2013)

4.5/5. Bleak doom-ish tremolo melody opens this album's title track that then blasts off into deathly chaos.

Bad Omens - "Left for Good" from Left for Good (2025)

5/5. "Why do I stay in the middle? Why do I say just a little?" I'm glad Bad Omens hasn't left for good, having more of their alt-metal sound in a more industrial direction.

Nanowar of Steel, Mikael Sehlin - "Feet & Greet" from Feet & Greet (2025)

4.5/5. So the masters of parody power metal have collaborated with Amaranthe harsh vocalist Mikael Sehlin to make Electric Callboy-infused foot fetish-core. This is both interesting and disturbing at the same time. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised, considering they have a song with the laughable title of "Armpits of Immortals".

Fear of Domination - "Endgame" from Endgame (2025)

5/5. Fear of Domination have their brand-new album Katharsis coming out soon! This epic single from the album seems to emphasize their earlier industrial/trance metal roots more with some slight glimpses of their melodeath side. A hard-hitting masterpiece of a song!

Die Krupps - "On Collision Course" from On Collision Course (2025)

4.5/5. Die Krupps has been active since the early 1980s and are staying strong and heavy. They just fire away with their riffing and keys here. If I was living in Germany, I would've gotten more interested in German industrial rock/metal and Neue Deutsche Harte, maybe also learn the language. We'll look out for when a new album arrives.

Static-X - "Down" from Beneath... Between... Beyond... (2004)

4/5. Oh yeah, let's get a little a bit of Static-X in here. RIP Wayne Static...

Eisbrecher - "All We Are" from Schicksalsmelodien (2020)

4.5/5. I've heard the original Warlock song before when assembling an earlier Guardians playlist. Eisbrecher's cover has great and doesn't spoil anything despite being in a different style. Someone should make a mashup/duet using both versions!

Hanzel und Gretyl - "Fukken Uber Death Party" from 2012: Zwanzig Zwolf (2008)

5/5. Apparently, Hanzel und Gretyl is an American band starting off as NDH before getting more extreme. The samples help make this a rad standout, particularly the Arabic chanting at the start of the last minute.

3TEETH - "The Fall" from Metawar (2019)

4.5/5. A dark melancholic song that would fit well in the similarly titled indie video game.

Silent Planet - "Under Your Skin" from Under Your Skin (2025)

5/5. Bad Omens isn't the only metalcore band going the alt-/industrial metal route. Silent Planet has also jumped in! What's next? Currents? Invent Animate? They still have their metalcore roots while delivering lyrics dedicated to fallen loved ones, "Hallucinations of every friend you couldn’t save, every breath they couldn’t take".

Vibrion - "Aguanta" from Instinct (2002)

4.5/5. Now we're heading to the earlier sludgy industrial metal...

Neo Inferno 262 - "Sexes" from Pleonectic (2023)

4.5/5. ...While making room for some fast industrial black metal.

Godflesh - "Streetcleaner" from Streetcleaner (1989)

5/5. The torturously tremendous title track of Godflesh's breakthrough debut begins with a disturbing sound sample of suffering, then starts the industrial sludge/doom march as aliens clean the streets free from the corpses of those killed in the invasion, announcing the death of humanity.

Lord of the Lost - "Bad Romance" from Weapons of Mass Seduction (2023)

4.5/5. I love this Lady Gaga cover more that the one they made for "Judas".

Circle of Dust - "Deviate (1992)" from Brainchild (1994)

5/5. I actually love this demo version more than in the main Brainchild album, sounding strong, even without the midsection commentary.

Cyanotic - "Altered States of Consciousness" from Transhuman 2.0 (2007)

4.5/5. Excellent eerie way to calm down before we get to the cyber metal part of this playlist.

Vortech - "Posthumanism" from Posthumanism (2009)

4/5. Deathly cyber metal greatness that can fire through walls.

Malmonde - "Machine" from Malmonde (2003)

3.5/5. Another good cyber metal track, but I feel like actual drumming would've made it better.

Mechina - "The Collapse Promised to All" from Bellum Interruptum (2025)

4/5. Although the cheesy 80s synths in songs like this one are part of what made me lose interest in Mechina, they're still underrated and need to be further recognized globally, maybe even listened to while playing games like Starcraft.

Illidiance, Jot Maxi - "Hack the Hoax" from Hack the Hoax (2022)

4.5/5. Same with this band, with a new different direction for their cyber metal sound, including a guest appearance by Jot Maxi of Hacktivist.

Turmion Katilot - "Reset 7 (Not to Be Continued)" from Reset (2024)

4/5. Then we have the 8-minute finale of the new Turmion Katilot album, which has nice dance-y industrial metal, but the Babymetal-like J-pop moments are a bit too much.

Pain - "The Last Drops of My Life" from Pain (1997)

4.5/5. An interesting slow finale. After all that experimentation, we can just calm down with a mostly soft ambient ending.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? 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 to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!