April 2023 "The Gateway" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

Link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7aY7WjCGySb3Lb4x79Dk5T?si=cc4eed6858c94059

1. Exotic Animal Petting Zoo – Ira Lore (2008)

2. Stellar Circuits – Witch House (2023)

3. Disturbed – Indestructible (2008)

4. Gone Is Gone – Roads (2017)

5. Katatonia – Austerity (2023)

6. Linkin Park – Numb (2003)

7. Avatar – Dance Devil Dance (2023)

8. Breaking Benjamin – Next to Nothing (2002)

9. Dog Fashion Disco – Love Song for a Witch (2003)

10. System Of A Down – Vicinity Of Obscenity (2005)

11. Nonpoint – The Truth (2004)

12. Klone – Home (2004)

13. Atreyu – Do You Know Who You Are? (2015)

14. He Is Legend – Time To Stain (2014)

15. Pop Evil – Deal with the Devil (2013)

16. Bad Omens – ARTIFICIAL SUICIDE (2022)

17. Stuck Mojo – Violated (1996)

18. A Pale Horse Named Death – When the World Becomes Undone (2019)

19. Chevelle – Jawbreaker (2014)

20. Mudvayne – Scream With Me (2009)

21. (Hed) P.E. – Bartender (2000)

22. Korn – Start The Healing (2022)

My track submission wasn’t considered for inclusion this month Saxy?

You know what? You're right Daniel. I don't know why, but I guess I just lost it in the shuffle of this past month. There was no intention on leaving it out on my part so I will take an L here. I'll be sure to include it plus your other selection for next months playlist.

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Disturbed – Indestructible (2008)

5/5. The 4th Disturbed album's title track starts off greatly with background gunfire and war sirens. It's as if you're dragged into this battlefield where you become an army soldier ready for war, and when the drums and guitar enter, you're all pumped up for a new intense experience. I'm guessing that's how my brother felt when he first heard this song that caused him to convert from our earlier sh*tty radio pop interest into the more enjoyable (for us) rock/metal. Amazing catchy chorus, impressive guitar solo, mighty vocals... I totally understand and enjoy how this brand-new world of metal opened up for my brother and eventually me. Thank you for that, Disturbed!

Gone Is Gone – Roads (2017)

4.5/5. You ever think about a cover that's f***ing greater than the original? This is one of them, with haunting guitars! Recreating a Portishead hit, this is good for one of my brother's drives. Wow, this is like alt-metal/rock sounding as doomy as Type O Negative or Katatonia! The sound could've been slightly better though, particularly the vocals. Other than that, excellent cover from this band featuring Mastodon bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders!

Katatonia – Austerity (2023)

4/5. Dropping in right away is an incredible 4-minute track of progressive force, complex in the riffing and rhythm while staying melodic. Drummer Daniel Moilanen makes his way through an impossibly big amount of time signatures. Bassist Niklas Sandin impressively keeps up with fast technicality, into a bridge of mellow jazz. Guitar duo Anders Nyström and Roger Öjersson are the masters behind the riff complexity, with the latter performing a beautiful soloing. Of course, we can't about Jonas Renkse's warm vocal melodies, but while the unpredictability of the vocals can level up the impact, right from the beginning, it might catch you off guard at times.

Linkin Park – Numb (2003)

4.5/5. This is the second-best song of its original album, and probably Linkin Park's most successful song ever! The song can be found anywhere in the public, and even my friends from the outside world like it. Chester does melodic singing throughout the verses and chorus while getting rough in the bridge. The piano is awesome. The guitar sounds a bit weak, and it may be considered by some overrated, but I don't care. "Numb" is Linkin Park's ultimate anthem!

Avatar – Dance Devil Dance (2023)

4/5. Stomping right in is the opening title track with a thunderous country-like march. Though the riffing is repetitive, the song is redeemed by the solid Judas Priest-like chorus where vocalist Johannes Eckerstrom really shines. Perhaps my favorite since the title track of Hail the Apocalypse!

Breaking Benjamin – Next to Nothing (2002)

4.5/5. The best song of Breaking Benjamin's debut Saturate for me, despite sounding softer, which deserves as much fame as that album's 3 singles.

Dog Fashion Disco – Love Song for a Witch (2003)

5/5. This awesome song opens as a fast pounder, creeping in with keyboards. The guitars and drums go almost as fast as thrash!

Atreyu – Do You Know Who You Are? (2015)

4.5/5. Amazing marching anthem, though the lyrics might need some slight improvement.

Chevelle – Jawbreaker (2014)

4/5. A great song in the lyrics can actually fit well in one of the Saw films.