April 2022 "The Gateway" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4lGhL1uCp2KwjVbEceKhhF?si=ba47e91677744fe0

1. Linkin Park – Session (2003) Requested by Andi

2. Hum – In the Den (2020)

3. 36 Crazyfists – Better To Burn (2017)

4. Demon Hunter – Infected (2002) Requested by Andi

5. Fire From The Gods – Excuse Me (2016)

6. FEVER 333 – SUPREMACY (2020)

7. Chevelle – Family System (2002) Requested by Daniel

8. Breaking Benjamin – The Diary of Jane (2006) Requested by Andi

9. Tool – Opiate2 (2022)

10. Dog Fashion Disco – Wait (2017)

11. In This Moment – Forever (2008)

12. MAXIMUM THE HORMONE – REREREREREREREREMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMA (2005)

13. Dir En Grey – Unraveling (2013) Requested by Andi

14. Prophets Of Rage – The Party’s Over (2016)

15. Disturbed – Perfect Insanity (2008)

16. Evanescence – Use My Voice (2021) Requested by Andi

17. Atreyu – Save Us (2021)

18. Stone Sour – Rose Red Violent Blue (This Song Is Dumb & so Am I) (2017)

19. In Flames – I, The Mask (2019) Requested by Andi

20. Dope – Survive (2005)

21. Lacuna Coil – Blood, Tears, Dust (2016) Requested by Andi

22. Architects – Black Lungs (2021)

23. Machinae Supremacy – Gimmie More (SID) (2008) Requested by Andi

Saxy, you're really on fire with the assembling of your Gateway and Infinite playlists! I might just be up to commenting on all the tracks, and that's what I'm gonna do:

Linkin Park – Session (2003)

4/5. While this might not work best on its own, I'm glad that it's used as the playlist's intro. "Session" is a two-minute digital-sounding interlude with nice piano and scratching from Joe Hahn. It's Meteora's "Cure for the Itch"!

Hum – In the Den (2020)

4.5/5. This one's a great portal to the nostalgic times this band was reliving. It's more of a spacey alt-rock track in my opinion, but this band walks around with it ends up sounding well-done. 22 years since their last album, and it's as if they never left! This sounds closer to if Danish band Dúné attempted to revive My Bloody Valentine's sound. Sadly, Hum's long-standing drummer Bryan St. Pere passed away a year after this album. RIP

36 Crazyfists – Better To Burn (2017)

5/5. I love this one! I'm glad that I'm finally getting into listening to this band.

Demon Hunter – Infected (2002)

4.5/5. Here's a heavy highlight! It begins with an oil-drum solo before beginning the riff aura, followed by Ryan Clark's growls that sound like rapping. Those rap-growls threaten to deduct points from the song, but the chorus keeps the score high with its catchy flow. A definite album favorite!

Fire From The Gods – Excuse Me (2016)

4/5. Excuse me, but why am I caught in this rap trap?! That's OK because I enjoy some parts including the "I Yearn to Be Free" part that would make you go savage in Fortnite! Still I didn't enter The Gateway for any rapping.

FEVER 333 – SUPREMACY (2020)

3.5/5. Here's some more slightly good RATM-like hip-hop. People have compared the music and lyrics to Blondie's "Rapture", but I think they have a bit of the wrong idea. The audio sounds a bit distorted while still clear.

Chevelle – Family System (2002)

4/5. This one starts with soft guitar and vocals in the intro before exploding into hard rock riffing. Pete's vocals sound rough, a bit close to yelling, throughout much of this song. There's some repetition, but it sounds catchy in this worthwhile track.

Breaking Benjamin – The Diary of Jane (2006)

4.5/5. Ah, a modern classic from my pre-"real"-metal days of listening to my brother's favorite alt-rock/metal music. Good times that haven't gone stale...

Tool – Opiate2 (2022)

4/5. On the EP's 30th anniversary, Tool made a 10-minute re-recording of "Opiate". This would definitely be the bomb for Tool fans wanting to hear their older material remade but this still hasn't opened my eyes to this band despite how cool this sounds.

Dog Fashion Disco – Wait (2017)

5/5. My second attempt at getting into this underrated amazing band, and this brilliant piece might just be the key I needed! Like that previous Tool song, this one is a re-recording, from a recent 20th anniversary remake of their debut Erotic Massage. I might try more of this band along with side-project Polkadot Cadaver. I think they even changed the lyrics for this track to be more appealing to the modern audience. Todd Smith and co. are still at their game, delivering the kind of disco I prefer. So thunderously beautiful! I might just get this album on my own for better quality. This should've been high in the alt-metal reign instead of System of a Down. Good work, guys!

In This Moment – Forever (2008)

5/5. From the opening riff, I see some more alt-metal greatness coming! That along with soft verses and dramatic chorus what makes this song epic in the vocal and guitar department. I'm loving this awesome song and I want more of this amazing band! If they could use this as an anime theme, it would leave an awesome impact. This was when In This Moment was an actual alt-metal band before they ended up adding more experimentation. Maria Brink might just f***ing surpass Bonnie Tyler by far. So cool!

MAXIMUM THE HORMONE – REREREREREREREREMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMA (2005)

5/5. This one's quite entertaining as f***. The bass and lower guitar tone along with the snare-less drums fit perfectly well for an anime. This is a motherf***er of funky nu metal sound the way I like it!

Dir En Grey – Unraveling (2013)

4.5/5. Another alt-metal band from Japan. Kyo's raw vocals really sell it!

Prophets Of Rage – The Party’s Over (2016)

4/5. At the time this song came out, Donald Trump was in the presidential race that he eventually won and became president. Then in 2020, the party was over for both Prophets of Rage and Trump's time as president. Good track, but I'm still not up to joining the rap metal party.

Disturbed – Perfect Insanity (2008)

4.5/5. This insane song is one of my favorites from Disturbed. It's actually a re-recording of a song from 10 years before Indestructible, even before The Sickness. I wonder what my brother thinks of that one...

Evanescence – Use My Voice (2021)

4/5. This was inspired by the Stanford sexual assault cases and trial, and is the ultimate anthem in fighting back against those atrocities of the world. What makes it even more of an anthem is the amount of female vocalists singing in the background including Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation), Taylor Momsen (The Pretty Reckless), Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), and Lindsey Sterling.

Atreyu – Save Us (2021)

5/5. Turn this sh*t up! A great song that I love from another band I just started getting the hang of. It reminds me of another song that I like, Parkway Drive's "Crushed". This I also gotta show to my bro.

Stone Sour – Rose Red Violent Blue (This Song Is Dumb & so Am I) (2017)

3/5. ... There's some good potential in this song, but I'll let you guess what I really think about it.

In Flames – I, The Mask (2019)

4.5/5. Most metalheads started listening to this band in their teens or early 30s, but I was somewhere in between. I still enjoy this killer song despite my move away from this band as part of my death metal departure.

Dope – Survive (2005)

4/5. Cool song. Not my style, but I would recommend this to my recent Discord friend.

Lacuna Coil – Blood, Tears, Dust (2016)

4.5/5. This was one of my favorite songs from this gothic metal-turned-alt-metal band before dumping the darkness of the former genre. The fire burns especially in the breakdown at the two and a half minute mark.

Architects – Black Lungs (2021)

5/5. D*mn, I would recommend this song to anyone wanting to get into alt-metalcore, along with recommending this band to myself!

Machinae Supremacy – Gimmie More (SID) (2008)

4.5/5. What better way to head out than with a Britney Spears cover! Converting this song into 8-bit alt-power metal adds some bad-a** fire. Very nice for sure. This playlist may be over, but the Gateway is still open for me, and most of my comments here prove it!