November 2022 "The Gateway" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

(Thread posted with permission from Saxy)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7aY7WjCGySb3Lb4x79Dk5T

Tracklisting:

01. Atomship - "Mothra" (from The Crash of '47)

02. Carpenter Brut - "Imaginary Fire" (from Leather Terror)

03. Reliqa - "The Ritualist" (from I Don't Know What I Am)

04. Alter Bridge - "Fable of the Silent Son" (from Pawns & Kings)

05. Faith No More - "Malpractice" (from Angel Dust)

06. Cave In - "Wavering Angel" (from Heavy Pendulum)

07. Katatonia - "Atrium" (from Atrium)

08. Poppy - "Fill the Crown" (from I Disagree)

09. Chevelle - "Take Out the Gun Man" (from La Gargola)

10. Disturbed - "Hey You" (from Hey You)

11. Clawfinger - "Hate Yourself with Style" (from Hate Yourself with Style)

12. Exotic Animal Petting Zoo - "You Make Wonderful Pictures" (from Tree of Tongues)

13. From Ashes to New - "Through It All" (from Day One)

14. Yakui the Maid - "Goodnight World" (from Goodnight World)

15. Bloodsimple - "Blood In Blood Out" (from A Cruel World)

16. Parkway Drive - "Darker Still" (from Darker Still)

17. (Hed) P.E. - "Represent" (from Only in Amerika)

18. Wednesday 13 - "Put Your Death Mask On" (from Skeletons)

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Atomship - "Mothra" (from The Crash of '47)

5/5. One of my favorite kinds of alt-metal is when it's mixed with progressive metal, sounding more progressive while staying alternative, and this has suddenly become one of the best examples of that kind for me. Underrated kick-A art! RIP Nathan Slade and Joey Culver...

Carpenter Brut - "Imaginary Fire" (from Leather Terror)

4.5/5. Darksynth master Carpenter Brut gone alt-metal with vocals by The Dillinger Escape Plan's Greg Puciato! Who would've thought, right?! After the brutally beautiful intro, the vocals help animate the jam. The last 40 seconds or so is where the vocals reach their sick killer point.

Cave In - "Wavering Angel" (from Heavy Pendulum)

5/5. This song can catch Gateway listeners off-guard because of the 12-minute length, but as the more progressive fan I am, I'm quite used to that kind of length. The bass is crystal clear and the opening chords are so d*mn good. The song itself is the perfect ending epic for Cave In's recent album, so it's an amazing reward for someone like me who only found this band about 20 years after their highest peak of success. This recording can surpass even Soundgarden for me, and I can consider this song probably my personal alt-metal track of the year. Absolute perfection! Caleb Scofield would be proud. RIP

Katatonia - "Atrium" (from Atrium)

4.5/5. Another band I've only started listening to about 20 years after their highest peak of success, but one that I've taken a break from listening to for a year. A great dark throwback to their late-90s albums.

Poppy - "Fill the Crown" (from I Disagree)

4/5. If you think Poppy would be the kind of alt-metal artist I would be interested in, let me tell you... I DISAGREE. Though this experimental mix of metal and dark pop is unique enough to make her a modern legend.

Chevelle - "Take Out the Gun Man" (from La Gargola)

3.5/5. The mix kicks a**, but it sounds more like TOOL with lyrics sounding a little too obvious. Moving on...

Disturbed - "Hey You" (from Hey You)

4/5. Disturbed is probably one of the first ever bands I've listened to with all their albums qualifying as metal here, as part of the alt-rock/metal league of bands I was listening to 10 years ago that my brother likes. There's f***ing great bad-a** power in the band's first single from their upcoming album Divisive, reminding me of the late-2000s era of this band. It's definitely an original song instead of a cover for a certain Bachman Turner Overdrive song. Thumbs up for that! There's a divisive line in heavier alternative music between the metal of this band and the rock of Shinedown, and I prefer to stay in the former side. But the real division is what this song describes in the lyrics, such as ongoing wars and protests, so wake up and fight the division!

Bloodsimple - "Blood In Blood Out" (from A Cruel World)

4.5/5. This was one of my playlist submissions from a few months back, but I don't mind a repeat of this killer song. Bloodsimple is a band that deserves to continue making these kinds of metal rampages from the crime-filled streets of New York. This is a black hole that only the strongest (like myself) can survive. This album continued the alt-metal twist from Tim Williams' other band Vision of Disorder's alt-metal twist. Might remind some of Dope!

Parkway Drive - "Darker Still" (from Darker Still)

5/5. This centerpiece, surpassing the previous album's "Chronos" as the longest and probably most epic song by the band, is a prime example of reinvention for the band. It's basically filled with pieces of acoustic balladry and whistling, with Winston singing some Nick Cave-like cleans. It's obviously not as heavy as the more metallic tracks, but there's deeper texture glory than before!