September 2021 "The Guardians" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3w8wz5HBOoks78mYzldAMq?si=bf023505c8ca44d2
Tracklisting:
01. Venom Inc. – “Ave Satanas” (from “Avé”, 2017) [Submitted by Vinny]
02. Stratovarius – “Speed Of Light” (from “Episode”, 1996) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
03. Wintersun – “Time” (from “Time I”, 2012) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
04. After Forever – “Ephemeral” (from “Prison Of Desire”, 2000) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
05. Samson – “Thunderburst” (from “Head On”, 1980) [Submitted by Vinny]
06. Saxon – “Heavy Metal Thunder” (from “Strong Arm Of The Law”, 1980)
07. Alice Cooper – “Brutal Planet” (from “Brutal Planet”, 2000)
08. The Lord Weird Slough Feg – “Sky Chariots” (from “Down Among The Deadmen”, 2000) [Submitted by Vinny]
09. Saber – “Without Warning” (from “Without Warning”, 2021)
10. Traveler – “Street Machine” (from “Traveler”, 2019) [Submitted by Vinny]
11. Pharaoh – “The Powers That Be” (from “The Powers That Be”, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]
12. Sonic Haven – “The Darker Side” (from “Vagabond”, 2021) [Submitted by Xephyr]
13. Cirith Ungol – “Blood & Iron” (from “One Foot In Hell”, 1986) [Submitted by Xephyr]
14. Bloodbound – “March Into War” (from “Creatures Of The Dark Realm”, 2021)
15. Grand Magus – “Varangian” (from “Sword Songs”, 2016) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
16. Haunt – “In Our Dreams” (from “Beautiful Distraction”, 2021)
17. Blaze Bayley – “War Within Me” (from “War Within Me’, 2021)
18. Elvenking – “Reader Of The Runes – Book I” (from “Reader Of The Runes – Divination”, 2019) [Submitted by Xephyr]
19. Exmortus – “For The Horde” (from “Ride Forth”, 2016)
20. Powerwolf – “Beast of Gevauden” (from “Call Of The Wild”, 2021)
21. Helloween – “Fear Of The Fallen” (from “Helloween”, 2021)
22. Judas Priest – “Painkiller” (from “Painkiller”, 1990)
23. Dragonland – “Storming Across Heaven” (from “The Battle of the Ivory Plains: The Dragonland Chronicles Part I”, 2001) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
24. Epica – “Victims Of Contingency” (from “The Quantum Enigma”, 2014) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
My thoughts on some tracks:
Venom Inc. – “Ave Satanas” (from “Avé”, 2017)
4/5. Interesting start to this playlist. Venom Inc., the new direct spin-off to the band that directly introduced Satanism to heavy metal and inspired the creation of black metal. Look, I'm still not into the antichristian lyrical theme, so this band isn't for me or anyone in the outside world worth sharing to. Still a killer song though!
Stratovarius – “Speed Of Light” (from “Episode”, 1996)
5/5. This is better and more acceptable for me! The neo-classical power metal sound I used to really enjoy can definitely fit well as a theme for shows like Power Rangers and ONE PUUUNCH MAN, and be a good song to play in Clone/Guitar Hero. Stratovarius are heroes of this style!
Wintersun – “Time” (from “Time I”, 2012)
5.5/5 (not exaggerating). One of the best songs from my earlier epic metal taste! Back then, I was still into power metal and the melodic progressive metal of Dream Theater, but Wintersun would be the entryway to the melodic death metal that I would abandon recently. No, scratch that, this is epic operatic melodeath! No wonder this band alone would start my journey into melodeath. This should've been the soundtrack to the last 12 minutes of Avengers Infinity War before the credits; the war and the destructive aftermath. Of course, Wintersun would have to create a more epic equivalent to the climax of Endgame if that's the case when making Time II. There's a f***ing beautiful solo alongside the pure perfection of everything else. Time is still waiting for Time II that should follow up the epicness of the first Time album. Then after this epic climatic ride is a Chinese-sounding atmospheric outro, as if to say "To be continued..."
After Forever – “Ephemeral” (from “Prison Of Desire”, 2000)
4.5/5. Check it out, we're still following the soft 10th track of an album being the 4th track of the playlist, as seen in the Fallen and Gateway playlists for this month. I love this beautiful song. And I know, it's more of an ambient gothic metal lament of grief, but it focuses on Hans Zimmer-like symphonics (and right in his classic period in the turn of the millennium), unlike when the album goes darker and heavier as gothic metal should be. And I wanna take a glimpse of gothic metal without directing the submission to The Fallen (remember my self-promise to stop my Fallen playlist requests), so there...
The Lord Weird Slough Feg – “Sky Chariots” (from “Down Among The Deadmen”, 2000)
5/5. I'm glad to finally get interested in this band named after that Slaine character. This US power metal band really needs more exposure to the world, especially with their mix of influences from the early 80s eras of Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden, probably also early Sanctuary. This album is indeed underrated along with the other albums released under the original name with the "Lord Weird" prefix. This is worth singing/screaming along to on your car radio. Ride your chariot!
Grand Magus – “Varangian” (from “Sword Songs”, 2016)
4.5/5. This one continues the new experiments Grand Magus has in their recent era with a waltzing riff similar to folk metal but without folk, rushing through the energy of the chorus with easy momentum.
Elvenking – “Reader Of The Runes – Book I” (from “Reader Of The Runes – Divination”, 2019)
5/5. Wait a sec... This was already in last December's playlist! Xephyr, you must've not seen this one in the "Past The Guardians playlist tracklistings" thread. That's OK, because you can't let an epic song like this down. I shall say my opinion again about their most ambitious song since the ending of the Wyrd album. This is a fantastic great monolithic end to the band's folk-power metal return album trilogy started in Pagan Manifesto, but it might hint at a different saga beginning with a possible "Reader of the Runes - Book II". This is a grand flashback to my earlier folk/power metal taste, along with new elements suited for my current heavier era including a killer black-ish soloing section in the middle. I'm grateful for this powerful masterpiece of f***ing impressive epic metal sorcery, greater than the epics made by Helloween. Love it!
Dragonland – “Storming Across Heaven” (from “The Battle of the Ivory Plains: The Dragonland Chronicles Part I”, 2001)
5.5/5 (not exaggerating). "Look at the sky as the dragon flies by, storming across heaven like fire pierce through ice..." That lyric is forever engraved in my mind in one of the absolute best songs in my earlier power metal taste. There were many classic songs from Dragonland that I loved 8 years ago including "Majesty of the Mithril Mountains", "The Battle of the Ivory Plains", "Holy War", etc. And just like Helloween, this band made two albums that following a story, then a third one years later. So d*mn excellent!
Epica – “Victims Of Contingency” (from “The Quantum Enigma”, 2014)
5/5. I've also enjoyed Epica at the time of this album's release, another early epic metal favorite of mine! I think of this song as Call of Duty's "115" with Gods of War-like lyrics and atmosphere, especially in the death growl verses. This and that Dragonland submission make the perfect ending for this playlist. Thanks for accepting them, Daniel!