September 2024 "The Gateway" Playlist - Alternative Metal Authority

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7aY7WjCGySb3Lb4x79Dk5T?si=4154792f2deb4815

1. 24-7 Spyz – Jungle Boogie (1989)

2. Animal Alpha – Fire! Fire! Fire! (2008)

3. Bad Omens – Like a Villian (2022)

4. Bring Me the Horizon – Parasite Eve (2020)

5. Cojum Dip – Cell (2019)

6. Freak Kitchen – Raw (1994)

7. The Gazette – Leech (2009)

8. Infected Rain – Black Gold (2019)

9. Jeris Johnson – John (2024)

10. Kontrust – The Smash Song (2009)

11. Linkin Park – Nobody’s Listening (2003)

12. Living Colour – Auslander (1993)

13. Mass Hysteria – Tout doit disparaître (2012)

14. Memphis May Fire – Necessary Evil (2024)

15. Mental Hippie Blood – Chosen (1994)

16. Mr. Bungle – Squeeze Me Macaroni (1991)

17. Mucky Pup – The Skinheads Broke My Walkman (1992)

18. Mushroomhead – Prepackaged (2024)

19. Nothingface – Can’t Wait For Violence (2000)

20. Of Mice & Men – Would You Still Be There (2014)

21. Shuvel – Burn This (2009)

22. Sick Puppies – There Goes the Neighbourhood (2024)

23. Yakui the Maid – Goodnight World (2019)

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Bad Omens – Like a Villian (2022)

4.5/5. Let's start with this Bad Omens album's first single in which all the earlier elements come together. There's no denying how anthemic that track is with its catchy chorus and a metallic take on the alt-rock sound of Amo-era BMTH. This song WILL infect your mind!

Bring Me the Horizon – Parasite Eve (2020)

4/5. Speaking of BMTH, this anthem from their first Post Human release doesn't get old, despite fitting eerily well with COVID at the time it came out. Of course, it was written before the pandemic, with a lyric changed to avoid causing unnecessary offense. If we can't save you, saving yourself is the way.

Jeris Johnson – John (2024)

3.5/5. An alt-rock/metal ballad not too far off from the bands my brother likes such as Breaking Benjamin, Skillet, Three Days Grace, etc.

Kontrust – The Smash Song (2009)

3/5. It's not everyday you stumble upon Rammstein-infused Polish-sung dance-metal, and it's not my kind of day either. Also there's an English version of this.

Linkin Park – Nobody’s Listening (2003)

3.5/5. This one is a different departure from Linkin Park's earlier material. It opens with a strange Eastern flute loop and programmed beat. The lyrics are great, though the song is too experimental for my interest.

Living Colour – Auslander (1993)

4/5. One of my favorite songs in this colorful funk-fest!

Mass Hysteria – Tout doit disparaître (2012)

3.5/5. Similarly to Kontrust, Mass Hysteria has a dance-ish vibe and a different language (French). Nothing wrong with that, and slightly better!

Memphis May Fire – Necessary Evil (2024)

4/5. Memphis May Fire's new single shows that they never disappoint their fans, having some heavy fire.

Mushroomhead – Prepackaged (2024)

3.5/5. This one has dark heaviness, but their attempts at that are a bit too drastic.

Nothingface – Can’t Wait For Violence (2000)

4/5. An underrated nu/alt-metal banger to get you pumped. RIP Matt Holt

Of Mice & Men – Would You Still Be There (2014)

4.5/5. The more hard rock side of things is exemplified in this track. Slow and steady wins the catchy radio rock race, though in this case, it made that song another memorable highlight. It can really make their fanbase grow big.

Shuvel – Burn This (2009)

4/5. Great one, though too much on the rapping side. Next!

Sick Puppies – There Goes the Neighbourhood (2024)

4.5/5. I haven't really explored this band apart from their nu metal debut Welcome to the Real World, but when I stumbled upon their new comeback single, I gave it some listening and thought "Wow... That sounds as heavy and metallic as their debut!" If the rest of their upcoming album Wave the Bull is like this, it might just be one f***ing h*ll of a strong comeback release.

Yakui the Maid – Goodnight World (2019)

4/5. A solid experimental way out. Goodnight!

What a voice the chick from Infected Rain has! She makes that track a ripsnorter. The Linkin Park track is absolute gold. I absolutely love the chorus hook & it stays with me for days. Funked myself around the lounge room to Mr. Bungle while cleaning the house this morning & didn't mind that Living Colour tune either. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the early tracks from Animal Alpha, Bad Omens & Bring Me The Horizon to be honest. There was some nice, heavy, yet still inherently catchy material there. Rage Against The Machine fans will definitely enjoy the back end of the list as there's an obvious influence in two or three songs.