June 2026 "Metalcore Revolution" Playlist - Metal Academy Radio

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1yFgscg5HWKGoIy2s0xRfG

Tracklisting:

1. Invent Animate - "Fall Like Rain" from Fall Like Rain (2026)

2. Eighteen Visions - "I Let Go" from Obsession (2024 re-recording) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. Downswing - "Disease" from Dark Side of the Mind (2017)

4. Wage War - "4x4" from IT CALLS ME BY NAME (2026)

5. No Cure - "Convulsing in the Dark" from Convulsing in the Dark (2026)

6. Guilt Trip - "Disdain" from Unrelenting Force (2016)

7. Harper - "Thorn in My Side" from Thorn in My Side (2025)

8. Samurai Pizza Cats - "City of Gold" from Press Start (2026)

9. VCTMS - "Lobotomy" from Sickness: Vol. 1 (2014)

10. Iridium - "Nihility" from Sub-Zero (2019)

11. Attack Attack! - "Kickin' Wing, Animal Doctor" from Someday Came Suddenly (2008)

12. Black Veil Brides - "Vindicate" from Vindicate (2026)

13. Harms Way - "Heaven's Call" from Common Suffering (2023) [submitted by Vinny]

14. Adept - "Secrets" from Silence the World (2013)

15. Cage Fight - "Exuvia" from Exuvia (2026)

16. Knut - "Whacked Out" from Challenger (2002) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

17. The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Room Full of Eyes" from Option Paralysis (2010) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

18. Snapcase - "Fields of Illusion" from Lookinglasself (1993)

19. Johnny Booth - "Sleeping with Serpents" from Connections (2012)

20. Atreyu - "The Theft" from A Death-Grip on Yesterday (2006)

21. Northlane - "Masquerade" from Singularity (2013) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

22. Sylosis - "Lacerations" from The New Flesh (2026)

23. Bleed from Within - "Immortal Desire" from Zenith (2025) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

24. Asking Alexandria - "A Prophecy" from Stand Up and Scream (2009)

25. The Agonist - "Burn It All Down" from Orphans (2019) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

26. Stevie T - "French Deathcore Song" from French Deathcore Song (2015)

27. Silent Civilian - "Dead to Me 2006" from Rebirth of the Temple (2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

28. Fit for a King, Chris Motionless - "Witness the End" from Witness the End (2025)

29. We Butter the Bread with Butter - "Extrem" from Das Monster Aus Dem Schrank (2008)

30. Humanity's Last Breath - "The Aftermath" from Structures Collapse (2011)

31. Worm Shepherd - "Whispers of a Dying Land" from Dawn of the Iconoclast (2026)

Here are my thoughts on all selected tracks:

Invent Animate - "Fall Like Rain" from Fall Like Rain (2026)

5/5. Invent Animate are back with a brutal banger. After blending their metalcore with Periphery-style djent for so long, they now blend it with Vildhjarta-style THALL.

Eighteen Visions - "I Let Go" from Obsession (2024 re-recording)

4.5/5. In 2024, Eighteen Visions re-recorded their album Obsession for its 20th anniversary, and they made it even heavier, heavy enough to be considered metalcore. The original song was in Burnout 3, so maybe if that video game was remastered, they would include this new version of the song.

Downswing - "Disease" from Dark Side of the Mind (2017)

4/5. Brutal hardcore/metalcore, sometimes almost as dark as The Acacia Strain.

Wage War - "4x4" from IT CALLS ME BY NAME (2026)

4.5/5. I seem to lose interest in the more alt-ish metalcore bands lately, probably because I've had enough of alt-metal. Wage War is one of those bands, though I still enjoy this kick-A track that my brother likes as well.

No Cure - "Convulsing in the Dark" from Convulsing in the Dark (2026)

4/5. G****mn, this band can really crank up their hardcore/metalcore hard, even a bit of deathcore too.

Guilt Trip - "Disdain" from Unrelenting Force (2016)

3.5/5. Who knew a short track can cause a huge impact of heaviness? This is the kind of music that should catch on in the metalcore realms! The breakdown is so mosh-worthy and emotional at the same time. The song would be much better if it wasn't so short though.

Harper - "Thorn in My Side" from Thorn in My Side (2025)

3/5. Holy cow, this girl can do metalcore screams so well, and she's what, 13?! Harper has a bright future ahead of her! This song's a little too Spiritbox-esque for me though.

Samurai Pizza Cats - "City of Gold" from Press Start (2026)

2.5/5. Too electronicore for my palate, but I give it some points for Sebastian Fischer's vocals.

VCTMS - "Lobotomy" from Sickness: Vol. 1 (2014)

3/5. F***ing sick guitarwork in this one, yet that's all that's really special here.

Iridium - "Nihility" from Sub-Zero (2019)

3.5/5. A better discovery that I see some potential in.

Attack Attack! - "Kickin' Wing, Animal Doctor" from Someday Came Suddenly (2008)

4/5. Confess sins, accept truth... A spiritual message for an electronicore/screamo track.

Black Veil Brides - "Vindicate" from Vindicate (2026)

4.5/5. Some of the f***ing heaviest amazing sh*t this band has had since We Stitch These Wounds to help you get through the pain of life.

Harms Way - "Heaven's Call" from Common Suffering (2023)

5/5. Another perfect track! Just pure heaviness that I'm glad was submitted to this playlist.

Adept - "Secrets" from Silence the World (2013)

4.5/5. It's no secret that some metalcore bands can make bangers that have long-lasting greatness. The breakdown that starts the last minute is so brutal.

Cage Fight - "Exuvia" from Exuvia (2026)

4/5. You may know Rachel Aspe for her stunning performance of a Sybreed song in France's equivalent to America's Got Talent, but she would later form her own band.

Knut - "Whacked Out" from Challenger (2002)

4.5/5. Straight on into pummeling madness, this wacky track opens its original album with discordant guitar and thick bass before a Botch-like math-metalcore groove. The chaotic guitar flows through frantic drumming and heavy rhythm.

The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Room Full of Eyes" from Option Paralysis (2010)

5/5. A spine-chilling highlight, not because of the creepy song title but also the song itself, especially when vocalist Greg Puciato screams "'CAUSE WE REAP WHAT WE SOW!!!" during the ending.

Snapcase - "Fields of Illusion" from Lookinglasself (1993)

4.5/5. Snapcase have shaped up metalcore in its very early days, and that is no illusion.

Johnny Booth - "Sleeping with Serpents" from Connections (2012)

4/5. Johnny Booth has pretty much resurrected and modernized early hardcore/metalcore for the -core masses.

Atreyu - "The Theft" from A Death-Grip on Yesterday (2006)

4.5/5. Even when this one sounds like a power ballad, it explodes into the usual melodic metalcore with the powerful vocals of Alex Varkatzas.

Northlane - "Masquerade" from Singularity (2013)

5/5. The aggression really levels up in perhaps the strongest track of this Northlane album with something special, guest vocals by Drew York of Stray from the Path. The catchy chorus is what makes this song a total highlight, along with lyrical fire and breakdown brutality.

Sylosis - "Lacerations" from The New Flesh (2026)

4.5/5. Bangers like this really need to catch on in the metal world.

Bleed from Within - "Immortal Desire" from Zenith (2025)

5/5. My favorite song from the new Bleed from Within album. The intro guitar melody alongside the choir and strings is THE SH*T. This song can even go as f***ing progressive as Mastodon, helped out by that band's drummer/co-lead vocalist Brann Dailor guest appearing here.

Asking Alexandria - "A Prophecy" from Stand Up and Scream (2009)

4.5/5. Where the h*ll have I been away from this band?! This song still rules after all these years!

The Agonist - "Burn It All Down" from Orphans (2019)

5/5. I just love the vocal abilities Vicky Psarakis has, it's so wild.

Stevie T - "French Deathcore Song" from French Deathcore Song (2015)

4.5/5. Can French lyrics really work in deathcore? Stevie T has proven that theory with hilarious yet brutal results. "LE CROISSANT!!!!"

Silent Civilian - "Dead to Me 2006" from Rebirth of the Temple (2006)

5/5. If you're wondering if this standout is a re-recording of a song by Jonny Santos' other band Spineshank, no it ain't. They just added "2006" to the title to avoid confusion. Still an awesome song to me!

Fit for a King, Chris Motionless - "Witness the End" from Witness the End (2025)

4.5/5. Symphonic blackened METALcore?!? This is true heavy fire, featuring Motionless in White's Chris Motionless!

We Butter the Bread with Butter - "Extrem" from Das Monster Aus Dem Schrank (2008)

5/5. WBTBWM has shown us how extreme can be, starting with a funny intro that sounds like a constipated attempt at screaming the song title. Then we get to some sludgy deathcore. Now this breakdown is listed by Stevie T as one of the "top 10 messed up breakdowns", and for good reason. This is a f***ing pulverizing breakdown that gets slower and heavier to the point of drone. And finally a beautiful ending with piano, synths, and drop C-tuned riffing. What more can you ask for?!

Humanity's Last Breath - "The Aftermath" from Structures Collapse (2011)

4.5/5. This one starts off soft and eerie then explodes into a hardcore frenzy. It is much better executed with brutal growls and riffs pack a punch together with sinister melodies. If there's a true highlight for the original Humanity's Last Breath offering, it's gotta be that one!

Worm Shepherd - "Whispers of a Dying Land" from Dawn of the Iconoclast (2026)

5/5. It all comes down to the grand 7-minute closing epic. From the orchestral/choral grandeur to towering riffing and breakdown, it's a dark glorious experience that should be worth it for any fan of deathcore and/or epic deathcore. It doesn't surpass the previous Worm Shepherd album's ending epic, but it's very close.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any metalcore fan and anyone who isn't into metalcore but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!