November 2024 "The Gateway" Playlist - Alternative Metal Authority
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7aY7WjCGySb3Lb4x79Dk5T?si=229253283370439e
1. Abrahma – Omens Pt. 1 (2015)
2. Alice In Chains – Angry Chair (1992)
3. All That Remains – No Tomorrow (2024)
4. Anthrax – Only (1993)
5. Bad Brains – The Prophet’s Eye (1989)
6. Boy Hits Car – Ourglass (As Time Slips Away) (2015)
7. Daughtry – Separate Ways (World Apart) (2023)
8. Disturbed – Torn (2008)
9. Extreme – He-Man Woman Hater (1990)
10. Guano Apes – Pretty in Scarlet (2003)
11. Helmet – Milquetoast (1994)
12. Mushroomhead – Shame In A Basket (2024)
13. The Plot In You – Don’t Look Away (2024)
14. Powerman 5000 – Organizized (1994)
15. Staind – Here And Now (2023)
16. Starlight Line Stitch – Tear Down The Sky (2011)
17. Thousand Foot Krutch – When In Doubt (2000)
18. The Union Underground – South Texas Deathride (2000)
19. Within Temptation – Bleed Out (2023)
Here are my thoughts on some tracks:
All That Remains – No Tomorrow (2024)
4/5. Anyone who is up for All That Remains' less metalcore but still heavy tracks should check out this one. Jason Richardson has done his job well in paying tribute to the late great Oli Herbert. RIP
Anthrax – Only (1993)
3.5/5. Despite sounding closer to the grunge movement, this one is a true keeper. The upsides of Anthrax's different direction make something quite great there.
Daughtry – Separate Ways (World Apart) (2023)
3/5. Daughtry in a Gateway playlist?!? You weren't expecting that, were you?! Although this is quite clean and catchy, this is probably the most metallic Daughtry has gone! I like the lyrics of this Journey cover, and the vocal chemistry of Chris Daughtry and Halestorm's Lzzy Hale. Though it could've been far better executed.
Disturbed – Torn (2008)
2.5/5. This is the most horrible disappointment for me here, with nothing impressive at all. Let's not talk about it, and instead move on.
Extreme – He-Man Woman Hater (1990)
4.5/5. One of the best highlights here, it starts with Nuno Bettencourt's shredding take on "Flight of the Bumblebee", while that's a great head-buzzer, it's not as much as the chorus later on. Absolutely great music and lyrics!
Mushroomhead – Shame In A Basket (2024)
5/5. This one is a monstrous 8-minute epic, complete with dark ambience that leads into the usual guitar heaviness and vocals. So perfect!
Within Temptation – Bleed Out (2023)
4.5/5. I love the tear-jerking vocals by Sharon den Adel in this one, fitting well with the heavy riffing and keyboard-infused chorus. Quite amazing, though I think they've gone past their more well-known symphonic metal phase, heading to a more poppy direction...
Extreme's "He-Man Woman Hater" is a pretty decent song that no doubt highlights the incredible talents of guitarist Nuno Bettencourt but I do think it sounds out of place on a playlist for The Gateway as it's essentially a glam metal song.
I consider it one of the funkiest tracks in that Extreme album, close enough to funk metal (which only covers one or two other tracks in the album), hence one of my submissions here.