May 2023 "The Gateway" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7aY7WjCGySb3Lb4x79Dk5T?si=7511337717954c35

1. Soundgarden – Loud Love (1989)

2. Spiritbox – The Void (2023)

3. Loathe – New Faces in the Dark (2020)

4. Avatar – Hail the Apocalypse (2014)

5. Tremonti – If Not For You (2021)

6. Days of Jupiter - Ashes (2015)

7. Alpha Wolf – Bleed 4 You (2020)

8. Haji’s Kitchen – Twenty Twelve (2012)

9. Disturbed – The Curse (2008)

10. HELLYEAH – Welcome Home (2019)

11. Sleep Token – DYWTYLM (2023)

12. Five Finger Death Punch – Cold (2013)

13. Linkin Park – Crawling (2000)

14. Tallah – The Impressionist (2022)

15. I Prevail – RISE (2016)

16. Nonpoint – Rabia (2004)

17. Lacuna Coil – Hostage to the Light (2014)

18. Sevendust – Angel’s Son (2001)

19. Parkways Drive – Prey (2018)

20. Smallman & Ivan Shopov – Rhodopes (2016)

21. The World Alive – New Reality (2023)

22. Breed 77 – Insects (2009)

Saxy, let me just say, you have done such as incredible job assembling this month's Gateway playlist! 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:

Soundgarden – Loud Love (1989)

4/5. Let's start with the strongest track of its original album! Though it's a bit creepy.

Spiritbox – The Void (2023)

4.5/5. Spiritbox is a band that the modern metalheads should never miss. They know just how to hit with all their power!

Loathe – New Faces in the Dark (2020)

4/5. Quite a banger with a killer ending breakdown! Though the one at the one-minute mark is good for headbanging too. This band has underrated atmosphere. You can think of them as Chevelle gone Meshuggah, plus a bit of recent Wage War.

Avatar – Hail the Apocalypse (2014)

4.5/5. This is the song my brother was listening to that got me interested in Avatar. It really blew my mind, and in a time when I still had my mind set on melodeath, it was love at first listen. They made raging riffing and sick soloing in the albums before this one, when they were just a typical melodeath band. I still think of this song as some f***ing amazing sh*t! They've done their bada** job quite well. They seem to have similar physical aesthetics to Rob Zombie and King Diamond. When the first verse starts after the 30-second intro, you know you're in for a wild ride. HAIL THE APOCALYPSE!!!

Tremonti – If Not For You (2021)

5/5. Lots of d*mn power in this one. I love it! I hear a bit of Skillet vibes here.

Days of Jupiter - Ashes (2015)

4.5/5. Another song my brother loves! It fits well for an action film soundtrack. The guitars and drums are nice and hard. It sounds similar to Breaking Benjamin's "Diary of Jane" which is a good reason for my brother to like this song. I actually find this sound to have some Disturbed vibes, maybe even the more "alternative" side of Demon Hunter. It's all in good arrangement!

Alpha Wolf – Bleed 4 You (2020)

5/5. Scr*w the complainers, this is absolutely well done! It's so mellow, yet with f***ing massive diversity and emotion. I actually like the chorus more than the breakdown, which is still a headbanging puncher. The heaviness descends into oblivion for the female vocals by Lizi Blanco and then rises up again.

Haji’s Kitchen – Twenty Twelve (2012)

5/5. Wow, this is slightly more amazing than the Spiritbox track from earlier! It's featured in the English dub soundtrack of Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan along with "Lost". Gotta get more of this band!

Disturbed – The Curse (2008)

4.5/5. This highlight starts weird in the bass, drum, and guitar mix, but it's very good. The pre-chorus is great, while the chorus is incredible! There's no technicality in the guitar until the solo that's well-executed. Then some final riffing to wrap things up.

HELLYEAH – Welcome Home (2019)

4.5/5. The world was shocked to hear about the passing of drummer Vinnie Paul (best known from his time with Pantera). They had just finished recording this album but held on to it for over a year before its release. Despite having a different drummer in Stone Sour's Roy Mayorga, they only toured with him for a couple years and then went on hiatus due to the reforming of vocalist Chad Gray's other band Mudvayne. Welcome home, Vinnie Paul. RIP

Sleep Token – DYWTYLM (2023)

5/5. Sleep Token is another band to thank for their music, like A LOT.

Five Finger Death Punch – Cold (2013)

4.5/5. This is one of those reflective power ballads. You can hear the raging fear in the chorus, especially in the final one. F***ING REAL EMOTION!!! Still I can hold back the tears and look strong. Despite the coldness of the world, I have people who care for me, including my brother who also enjoys this band. There's also a bit of an Alice in Chains vibe in the intro.

Linkin Park – Crawling (2000)

4.5/5. This emotional hit is where icy synths and bass crawl through the intro before getting mudded out by the guitar heaviness and Bennington's cries. The more industrial fans might compare the song to Nine Inch Nails. The lyrical subject matter deals with Bennington's teenage years of torture and meth addiction, and he was so upset about it that he needed help from the crowd when performing the song live.

Tallah – The Impressionist (2022)

5/5. Impressed? Consider me so! This band has revived the late 90s nu metal sound with a mix of that style and modern metalcore. Absolutely unique, including that wild solo performed by guitarist Derrick Schneider.

I Prevail – RISE (2016)

4.5/5. So emotional and optimistic! It almost fits well for part of an action movie when the hero slowly walks away from an explosion. So pump your rage and "dig a little deeper, make 'em believers"!

Nonpoint – Rabia (2004)

4/5. Interesting to hear this band's attempt in writing a song with Spanish lyrics. It's hard to understand without an English translation, but it's still quite a banger. Go back to Spanish class if you wanna enjoy the lyrics!

Lacuna Coil – Hostage to the Light (2014)

4.5/5. A beautiful breath-taker to love! This is a great one to hold dear, from the moment Cristina Scabbia enters with her serene vocals after the 30-second intro.

Sevendust – Angel’s Son (2001)

4/5. This song first appeared in the Snot album Strait Up that tributes to their late vocalist Lynn Strait who was killed in a car crash along with his dog Dobbs. The original was recorded by Snot with 3 of the members of Sevendust, who would record their own version for this album Animosity. The band would suffer their own tragedies a year later with the passing of their friend Dave Williams of Drowning Pool, and the murder of vocalist Lajon Witherspoon's younger brother Reginald. RIP fallen ones...

Parkways Drive – Prey (2018)

4.5/5. This one continues the classic melodic sound with a shuffling beat and riff with epic harmonic guitars in the bridge.

Smallman & Ivan Shopov – Rhodopes (2016)

4/5. You might think of this project as the Bulgarian Perfect Circle. This beautiful power is worth some praise. Give it some good listening! It's a very nice mind-blower. There is some good f***ing art there for TOOL fans to enjoy.

The World Alive – New Reality (2023)

4.5/5. I've only just found more of this band over a year ago, and I never get tired of them! This song is probably the band's heaviest since their 2014 album Real, while taking on the new elements. Different yet similar in total beauty and inspiration! Telle never fails to amaze me. This oughta beat Hollywood Undead out of the park.

Breed 77 – Insects (2009)

4/5. Flamenco metal?!? A bit odd, but a good ending for the playlist!