September 2022 "The Gateway" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
(Thread posted with permission from Saxy)
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7aY7WjCGySb3Lb4x79Dk5T
Tracklisting:
01. Time, the Valuator - "Ivy" (from Ivy)
02. A Day to Remember - "Miracle" (from Miracle)
03. Katatonia - "Buildings" (from Dead End Kings) (song already in last month's playlist, but I'll let it slide this time)
04. Beartooth - "Riptide" (from Riptide)
05. Hacktivist - "Elevate" (from Hacktivist)
06. CKY - "Sink Into the Underground" (from Infiltrate-Destroy-Rebuild)
07. Coldrain - "Help Me Help You" (from Nonnegative)
08. Twelve Foot Ninja - "Vanguard" (from Silent Machine)
09. Thornhill - "The Hellfire Club" (from Heroine)
10. DIR EN GREY - "Ningen Wo Kaburu" (from The Insulated World)
11. Saliva - "Turn the Lights On" (from Under Your Skin)
12. Nonpoint - "Frontlines" (from Miracle)
13. Disturbed - "This Moment" (from The Lost Children)
14. The GazettE - "BLINDING HOPE" (from MASS)
15. Escape the Fate - "The Aftermath (G3)" (from Escape the Fate)
16. Ektomorf - "I Know Them" (from Destroy)
17. Ill Nino - "Forgive Me Father..." (from Epidemia)
18. Mushroomhead - "Rumor Has It" (from The Righteous & the Butterfly)
19. Infected Rain - "Longing" (from Ecdysis)
20. Primus - "Follow the Fool" (from Follow the Fool)
21. System of a Down - "Bounce" (from Toxicity)
22. Otep - "Rise, Rebel, Resist" (from Smash the Control Machine)
Here are my thoughts on some tracks:
Time, the Valuator - "Ivy" (from Ivy)
4.5/5. Let's start with some new heavy power that barely disappoints at all! I love the instrumentation and vocals lighting up like fire with killer tone and lyrics. The music is so d*mn phenomenal that you would almost wanna f***ing cry. This single would inspire you to believe in breaking the limits of your dreams. This amazing sh*t is a slight step up from "Black Water" from a couple playlists back. These guys bring you good value in time...
A Day to Remember - "Miracle" (from Miracle)
5/5. This song is what really caused me to love this band and look forward to finding more from this band when my brother was listening to this song. I'm glad he's still around to guide me through my Gateway journey. This is a must-have for alt-metalcore fans! I'm glad that my brother drives our family car legally while listening to this song instead of revving it up to a dangerous speed of over 200mph. This song is almost indeed a f***ing miracle! I'm up to checking out this band's earlier material whenever I can. "You might think it’s somethin’ spiritual..."
Katatonia - "Buildings" (from Dead End Kings) (song already in last month's playlist, but I'll let it slide this time)
4/5. I used to really love Katatonia and the vocals of Jonas Renkse before moving away from the more depressive metal styles. The brutal riff-drumming combo at around the one-minute mark is so f***ing good. I still love a few songs like this one from Katatonia and In Flames, kind of like when you break up from a girlfriend but remain friends. I just wish the song didn't have a bit of inconsistent cr*p.
Beartooth - "Riptide" (from Riptide)
5/5. I think I found a new favorite band in Beartooth! Hearing more of Caleb Shomo after leaving Attack Attack! brings joy and excitement into my heart and grows it powerfully similar to near the end of The Grinch. There is hope for me to finally become a Beartooth fan, along with winning a battle against my demons. I just love this f***ing hard-hitter that shows that metal music addiction isn't so bad at all. Though my childhood was pretty good, I had a few traumatic experiences back then, but this helps me overcome them better. This would be a great follow-up to the aforementioned A Day to Remember song if not for the repeated Katatonia track. Some non-metal listeners call metal sick and disgusting, but Beartooth's new track would prove them wrong! I got a lot more to look out for from this band...
Coldrain - "Help Me Help You" (from Nonnegative)
5/5. This anthem will make you rise up and clap along with the intro beat that's like Vena's "Gone" on steroids. The song kick-starts the top-notch power of vocalist Masato, and the rest is worth giving this song a perfect 5 stars.
Twelve Foot Ninja - "Vanguard" (from Silent Machine)
5/5. Same with this song, which comes across reggae rock/metal, but in a way that's f***ing perfect! This would also fit well in The Infinite with its progressive/experimental poetry within the music and lyrics.
Thornhill - "The Hellfire Club" (from Heroine)
4.5/5. This song has a title that could remind some of either Stranger Things or that Edguy album. Yet the music in this track is cinematic alt-metal that can easily fit in a Hollywood film soundtrack.
DIR EN GREY - "Ningen Wo Kaburu" (from The Insulated World)
5/5. It's been over a year since I started listening to this band from Japan. They have great stylistic experimentation, and while you may lose count at the different aspects they have, they're all worth make the journey absolutely worthwhile. They keep their lyrics grounded while in the mix of English and Japanese. This song has the alt-styled heaviness of the mid-2000s material. The lyrics kinda work as a metaphor for someone manipulating hate from the masses with a reflective feeling under the skin.
Disturbed - "This Moment" (from The Lost Children)
4.5/5. This is a killer song from the Transformers movie soundtrack and end credits, possibly inspiring the heaviness of In This Moment.
The GazettE - "BLINDING HOPE" (from MASS)
5/5. Another killer alt-metal band from Japan, with this song being one I love so much that I want more of this band. Sit back, and relax, and enjoy this ride!
Escape the Fate - "The Aftermath (G3)" (from Escape the Fate)
4.5/5. This is a very well-done ending track for its original album. It is the 3rd and the last part of the band's "Guillotine" trilogy of songs and is a lot better than any of the other songs in the album. The starting solo and subsequent scream-vocals sounds so good. The chorus and its vocals sound so nice for once. Kicking off the song's second half is an epic guitar solo. This song should get the band recognized more.
Mushroomhead - "Rumor Has It" (from The Righteous & the Butterfly)
5/5. It's no rumor that this awesome cover is what got me into this band. Incredible!