October 2022 "The Gateway" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
(Thread posted with permission from Saxy)
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7aY7WjCGySb3Lb4x79Dk5T
Tracklisting:
01. Destrage - "Venice Has Sunk" (from SO MUCH. too much.)
02. Attila - "Shots for the Boys" (from About That Life)
03. Karnivool - "Fear of the Sky" (from Themata)
04. Devin Townsend Project - "Bastard" (from Ocean Machine - Live at the Ancient Roman Theatre Plovdiv)
05. Bad Wolves - "Run for Your Life" (from Disobey)
06. Killer Be Killed - "Dream Gone Bad" (from Reluctant Hero)
07. Mushroomhead - "Carry On" (from A Wonderful Life)
08. Chevelle - "Point #1" (from Point #1)
09. Dope - "1999" (from Blood Money)
10. Northlane - "Carbonized" (from Obsidian)
11. Static-X - "Cold" (from Machine)
12. Coldrain - "GONE" (from VENA)
13. Abrahma - "Neptune of Sorrow" (from Through the Dusty Paths of Our Lives)
14. Dead by April - "Freeze Frame" (from Let the World Know)
15. Kittie - "Paperdoll" (from Spit)
16. Saliva - "Unshatter Me" (from Love, Lies & Therapy)
17. DIR EN GREY - "THE DEEPER VILENESS" (from THE MARROW OF A BONE)
18. FEVER 333 - "Walking in My Shoes" (from Made an America)
19. Machinae Supremacy - "The Greatest Show on Earth" (from A View From the End of the World)
20. Parkway Drive - "The Greatest Fear" (from Darker Still)
21. End of Green - "Like a Stranger" (from Void Estate)
Saxy, let me just say, you have done such as incredible job assembling this month's Gateway and Infinite playlists! This tracklisting has encouraged me to go through the entire playlist and find excellent tracks from bands I already listen to along with different bands in which some of them I feel up to trying some more songs from them. Well done, please keep it up! So let's get my track thought journey started:
Destrage - "Venice Has Sunk" (from SO MUCH. too much.)
4/5. Good start, though the experimentation can be SO MUCH.
Attila - "Shots for the Boys" (from About That Life)
4.5/5. This is one of the best songs of this album where Attila took a turn for their metalcore/deathcore sound to add in some rap/nu metal. This direction has worked much better than most other rap metal bands out there. That Gateway side of them aside, Attila is one of the best Revolution bands alongside Oh Sleeper. That's proven by the breakdown almost a minute in, sounding closer to their earlier material, that alcoholics can headbang to while splashing beer in a bar, and they only drink straight shots ("If you don't like to take straight shots, well shut the f*** up, we only take straight shots"). I would never drink, but bottoms up for those who do!
Karnivool - "Fear of the Sky" (from Themata)
5/5. This one adds odd time signatures for the heavy guitar in the same vein as late 90s Incubus and A Perfect Circle at that time. These guys never f*** up this sound, unlike other such albums that end up being a blur. Karnivool have their multi-flavor identity to keep your attention span high.
Devin Townsend Project - "Bastard" (from Ocean Machine - Live at the Ancient Roman Theatre Plovdiv)
5/5. Interesting choice here. I've never really expected a Devin Townsend song in the Gateway playlist (unless it's a song from the Project album Addicted which has recently been removed from Spotify) nor a live track here. But that's OK because it's one of my favorite songs originally from one of the best Devin Townsend albums, visualizing a deadly night voyage through a stormy ocean. More about that scenario in my review for the original Ocean Machine album.
Bad Wolves - "Run for Your Life" (from Disobey)
4.5/5. This songs shows an example of humanity working and giving until the end of their lives without a break, and the slaves trying to run from that vicious cycle so they can live a free life. The music adds color to the story!
Killer Be Killed - "Dream Gone Bad" (from Reluctant Hero)
5/5. More like a "Dream Gone Good", if you ask me! This killer song is made by a great team of members from bands Soulfly, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Mastodon, and Converge. F***ing mind-blowing!!!
Mushroomhead - "Carry On" (from A Wonderful Life)
4.5/5. Have I mentioned how much I like Mushroomhead more than Slipknot, both musically and aesthetically? Lots of great tracks in their new album, especially this one that's beautiful and addictive. It's almost entirely clean vocals here, and I like it as much as other tracks. Great music! The band sure know how to build back up after their split from founding members keyboardist Tom Schmitz and vocalist Jeffery Hatrix. It's so riveting! I feel like this is a continuation of the dedication to the loved ones they lost that started with their previous album The Righteous and the Butterfly. Keep calm and do what the song says!
Chevelle - "Point #1" (from Point #1)
4/5. You know what's interesting? I submitted just the "Open" intro because I felt like including a song from this album, but I was running out of space for my suggestions. Then the song that leads to has appeared here instead, and it works out quite well. A solid song in the beginning of Chevelle's tenure!
Dope - "1999" (from Blood Money)
3.5/5. My first year of being alive! I like this one, though it sounds a little too angry, especially the "F*** IT" parts.
Northlane - "Carbonized" (from Obsidian)
4/5. This one is another single, this one starting with grungy experimentation in the intro. The screams giving you a moshing urge. The moods often change. Then the chorus adds more life with Marcus Bridge's d*mn beautiful singing.
Static-X - "Cold" (from Machine)
4.5/5. This one is kick-A for those who wanna take a f***ing trip through a lifestyle of strip-club viewing and fast-racing. RIP Wayne Static
Coldrain - "GONE" (from VENA)
4/5. Staying innovative as ever, the groove and clapping unexpectedly add rock anthem traditions to the lament of a walkaway love.
Abrahma - "Neptune of Sorrow" (from Through the Dusty Paths of Our Lives)
4.5/5. Another great catchy tune, though slightly away from being a total groundbreaker. The mid-tempo pace shows that you don't need a fast thrasher for full-gear headbanging. The slight weakness is in the muddy mastering that needs to be tightened.
Dead by April - "Freeze Frame" (from Let the World Know)
5/5. "Everything is gonna be just fine." Well it's way more than fine! It's songs like this that made me love this band.
Kittie - "Paperdoll" (from Spit)
4.5/5. I love the cool beautiful voice of Tanya Candler. I also like the amazing bass she performs. Is it wrong for me, a grown man, to keep praising a 16-year-old girl (that she was back in 1999) like that? But since she's older now, does that even matter? Quite a confusing paradox... Apparently, Tanya left the band after this album's recording and was replaced by Talena Atfield, with whom the band re-recorded the track. There's also a sinister laugh in the last 20 seconds of the song.
Saliva - "Unshatter Me" (from Love, Lies & Therapy)
4/5. I like how beautifully haunting this song sounds. It's also a good metaphor for undying love mending back together a shattered heart, including loved ones who have passed. That's how good the lyrics are.
DIR EN GREY - "THE DEEPER VILENESS" (from THE MARROW OF A BONE)
4.5/5. This song is from the earlier part of their ongoing metal era, and it has a lot of raw passion especially in the screaming. Listen before you judge.
FEVER 333 - "Walking in My Shoes" (from Made an America)
4/5. I'm glad to hear some killer greatness in this song, despite this trap-metal sound combo.
Machinae Supremacy - "The Greatest Show on Earth" (from A View From the End of the World)
4.5/5. One of the most awesome songs, and possibly my favorite, from this album. F***ing heroic! This band has gotten more popular throughout the years thanks to online sharing and other means of support. This song would encourage you to head out and enjoy life. Don't confuse it with Nightwish's 24-minute epic!
Parkway Drive - "The Greatest Fear" (from Darker Still)
5/5. This shows a different, more epic direction for the band, beginning with a church organ and an angelic choir. Then melodic riffing marches in to make you think of Iron Maiden then it's twisted into the groove of Rob Zombie in the verses. In the bridge, we hear a Gregorian-like choir singing the "hymns of nevermore" and then they're replaced with a moshing breakdown. Probably one of the best of the album for me and my brother whose listening to the song reminded me that I needed to get into the action.
End of Green - "Like a Stranger" (from Void Estate)
4.5/5. We've reached the end of the journey with some of the best lyrics in this playlist. They really nailed the message of an ex-relationship. A sad yet powerful finale....