August 2021 "The Fallen" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rSh9MnfQo9HmPLo2W5MBa?si=7c932b28c04542d5
Tracklisting:
01. Alastor – “The Killer In My Skull” (from “Onwards & Downwards”, 2021) [Submitted by Sonny92]
02. Primitive Man – “The Lifer” (from “Immersion”, 2020) [Submitted by Sonny92]
03. Motorpsycho – “Grinder” (from “Lobotomizer”, 1991)
04. Theatre Of Tragedy – “…A Distance There Is…” (from “Theatre Of Tragedy”, 1995) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
05. Katatonia – “Relention” (from “Discouraged Ones”, 1998) [Submitted by Ben]
06. Saturnus – “Lost My Way” (from “Martyre”, 2000) [Submitted by shadow9 (Andi)]
07. Sentenced – “Crumbling Down (Give Up Hope)” (from “Down”, 1996) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
08. Darkthrone – “Lost Arcane City of Uppakra” (from “Eternal Hails......”, 2021)
09. Isis – “Hand Of Doom” (from “Sawblade” E.P., 1999)
10. Bethlehem – “Allegoria” (from “Mein Weg”, 2004) [Submitted by Ben]
11. Septic Flesh – “Έσοπτρον” (from Έσοπτρον”, 1995) [Submitted by Ben]
12. Swallow The Sun – “Through Her Silvery Body” (from “The Morning Never Came”, 2003) [Submitted by Ben]
13. My Dying Bride – “The Forever People” (from “As The Flower Withers”, 1992) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
14. Trouble – “Victim Of the Insane” (from “Psalm 9”, 1984) [Submitted by Daniel]
15. Gatecreeper – “Emptiness” (from “An Unexpected Reality”, 2021)
16. Blóð – “Energumene” (from “Serpent”, 2021) [Submitted by Sonny92]
17. Earth – “Ouroboros Is Broken” (from “Extra-Capsular Extraction” E.P., 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]
My thoughts on some tracks:
Theatre Of Tragedy – “…A Distance There Is…” (from “Theatre Of Tragedy”, 1995)
4.5/5. Interesting how I felt like submitting a song that's more orchestral, but it still has the despair that can be found in gothic doom albums like this one. So beautiful yet depressive, with poetic lyrics from medieval English. Theatre of Tragedy was one of my favorite gothic metal bands from my earlier epic metal taste 5 years ago (and one of only few back then), and the lovely vocals of Liv Kristine are never to be dismissed. Her singing stirs up a scenario of a fairy held captive in a cage, hopelessly begging to be set free. Simply excellent, and could be a good song for when I'm dying in my bed. This is actual awesome gothic beauty, unlike the less serious emo sh*t. Her amazing voice can lead a wonderful choir! A beautiful soft song of enchantment...
Katatonia – “Relention” (from “Discouraged Ones”, 1998)
5/5. An incredible track with simple lyrics of emphasized despair ("I’m returning from something, to something"), as part of the lyrical theme of a lost search for hope. Worth listening to after checking out this month's Fallen featured release (the album before this one).
Saturnus – “Lost My Way” (from “Martyre”, 2000)
5/5. An awesome song of atmospheric death-doom! Enough said...
Sentenced – “Crumbling Down (Give Up Hope)” (from “Down”, 1996)
4.5/5. I've already given up on this band recently because of their earlier death metal sound, but I still revisit their gothic metal material. This is one of my favorite songs from its album Down, more nicely depressive than their previous transition album Amok. The vocals fit greatly for this band when moving to a more melodic sound. This is a d*mn amazing tune, and sadly, any possible chance of hearing more from this band is lost with the passing of founding guitarist Miika Tenkula. RIP... I'm still thankful for this song to love, probably more than Metallica.
Darkthrone – “Lost Arcane City of Uppakra” (from “Eternal Hails......”, 2021)
4/5. Oh it's that band, Darkthrone, part of black metal's second wave in Norway... The riff in the intro sounds so bad-a** like its from an alt-rock/metal band. It's good, but they seem to focus on raw brutality in the music and cover art more than actual production. A very nice banger, but anyone having listening to their previous album Old Star would be wondering what the f*** just happened. Very good, but some parts are a bit cr*ppy, and I'm still not into black metal, OK?!
Isis – “Hand Of Doom” (from “Sawblade” E.P., 1999)
4.5/5. This is from back when Isis had a more doomy sludge sound than their later post-sludge. This cover of a Black Sabbath classic is quite a doomy headbanger to please both fans of Isis and Sabbath. Horns up!
Bethlehem – “Allegoria” (from “Mein Weg”, 2004)
3.5/5. Not really one of the best songs in the playlist, but it's pretty great, I guess...
Septic Flesh – “Έσοπτρον” (from Έσοπτρον”, 1995)
4/5. Again with Septicflesh! Esoptron is one of the band's more doomy albums, while still having the usual symphonic death metal sound I've moved away from, along with programmed drums. Still a great song!
My Dying Bride – “The Forever People” (from “As The Flower Withers”, 1992)
4.5/5. This is more of an example of fast death metal with no gothic elements with fast tempo and wicked growls for a sinister mood. Good song but there they emphasize the death in death-doom. It's all just destructive death metal territory with nothing delicate. And yet it still fits well with this playlist's death-doom section....