Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

Submissions accepted! Thanks, Daniel and Karl.

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Any Given Day – Apocalypse (2024)

4.5/5. Let's start with some d*mn fire with this Any Given Day track!

BOI WHAT – The Both of Us (2024)

4/5. The "Plan Z/Neon Tide" Plankton AI metal saga continues with this song featuring Sandy, stirring up a similar vibe to a more hardcore 2010s Skillet. The animated music video is one of the most epic I've ever seen! And the instrumental bridge is a killer homage to the "Grass Skirt Chase" soundtrack.

Chevelle – Send the Pain Below (2002)

4.5/5. Lots of classic alt-metal wonders from this song that made me understand where bands like Bad Wolves get their sound. Thumbs up for this kind of music!

Coldrain – Miss you (2010)

4/5. This semi-acoustic ballad is where Masato and Sugi take the front stage, the latter bringing his clean/acoustic guitar.

Crossfaith – Godspeed (2024)

4.5/5. Another Japanese alt-metalcore band follows, bringing in the energetic Wargasm for an electrifying banger. And in the same month is Babymetal's collab with Electric Callboy. If all 4 bands can collaborate together, we would have an unstoppable electro-metal alliance!

Dog Fashion Disco – Tastes So Sweet (2014)

5/5. Speaking of Electric Callboy, tone down that band's trance-y dance-y electronics and replace them with the wacky experimentation of Mr. Bungle, and you get this sweet band! Seriously, this band should've been a f***ing lot more popular.

Jeris Johnson – Ode to Metal (2024)

4.5/5. This one is more of an ode to modern metal, but it's still really cool. After starting with a cinematic symphonic intro that would almost make you think it might lead to symphonic metal, the track is actually an alt-metal blend of a Linkin Park-esque rapping verse, a pop punk chorus inspired by A Day To Remember, and a bridge filled with the melodic metalcore of early Avenged Sevenfold and the nu metal of Slipknot, all 4 of those bands paid lyrical tribute to in said chorus.

Jucifer – Hennin Hardine (2006)

5/5. What the Jucifer?! This is noise-filled sludgy alt-metal from a husband-wife duo that sounds absolutely tempting for me! The only other time I've heard of this band is when they guest starred in an unfinished film that was later revamped into Sound of Metal.

Memphis May Fire – Misery (feat. Atreyu) (2023)

4.5/5. Some more d*mn fire coming from another superb collab from Memphis May Fire with Atreyu's Brandon Saller. The vocals by Matty and Brandon really make it all worthwhile. It's amazing how this can please even the more classic metalheads. The chorus and breakdown are both so catchy. If any metalcore fans haven't listened to Memphis May Fire or Atreyu yet, I would recommend doing so right away. This makes almost another perfect highlight for this playlist. It's almost like a mix of Hollywood Undead and Skillet. The lyrics can still be heard clearly in all this vocal distortion.

Nik Nocturnal, Ankor – Unforgiven (2023)

4/5. Nik Nocturnal and Ankor are two of my brother's recent favorite metal musicians. This is a catchy kick-A piece of K-pop metal, and the girl isn't even Korean!

Northlane – Miasma (2024)

4/5. This one has that Obsidian-like blend of electronics and metal, along with another guest vocalist, Parkway Drive's Winston McCall with his own destructive breakdown.

Of Mice & Men – Tether (2023)

4.5/5. Another standout despite its more stripped-down sound for the most part. Pauley's singing slowly ascends until the other members join in for the epic final chorus.

Twelve Foot Ninja – Over and Out (2021)

5/5. This jazzy standout was already in last February's Gateway playlist, but I'll let it slide. It might remind some of Faith No More, features Tatiana Shmayluk of Jinjer who's known as a beautiful beast of a vocalist in her band. Though her poppy cleans appear here rather than her unclean vocals. And I just wanna say thanks to Twelve Foot Ninja for blessing us with this music before their hiatus.

VOLA – Break My Lying Tongue (2024)

5/5. And voila, one more grand discovery to close this playlist! I love the chorus and the synth melodies here. How in the world have I not heard this band before?!? I need more of this newfound favorite band of mine! They can prove that djent doesn't have to be as all-out brutal as Meshuggah, instead balancing those relentless downtuned guitar rhythms with soothing melodies. This is the kind of direction I want to travel through, and I hope to continue making out those playlist discoveries like a bandit. My alt-/prog metal knowledge shall expand, thanks to playlist owner Saxy.

July 2024

1. Gothminister - "Battle of the Underworlds" from Pandemonium II: The Battle of the Underworlds (2024) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

2. PAIN - "Same Old Song" from Dancing With the Dead (2005)

3. Breach the Void - "Subversive Mind" from The Monochromatic Era (2010)

4. Deathstars - "Cyanide" from Termination Bliss (2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

5. Strapping Young Lad - "Oh My Fucking God" from City (1997) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

6. Dodheimsgard - "Final Conquest" from 666 International (1999) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

7. Shadow Domain - "Give Up On Joy" from Digital Divide (2018)

8. Illidiance - "New Millennium Crushers" from Damage Theory (2010)

9. The CNK - "Die HolzHammerMethode" from L'hymne a la joie (2007)

10. Fear Factory - "Self Immolation (Liquid Sky Mix)" from Fear is the Mindkiller (1993) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

11. Celldweller, Northlane - "Soul Parasites (Northlane Remix)" from Satellites (Remixed) (2023) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

12. Bad Omens, ERRA - "ANYTHING > HUMAN" from CONCRETE JUNGLE [THE OST] (2024)

13. Acumen Nation - "Coming Down" from Coming Down: The Bastard Remix Album (2002)

14. Shining - "Need" from International Blackjazz Society (2015)

15. KONG - "Whorl" from Push Comes to Shove (1995)

16. 2 Times Terror - "Ikävässä Paikassa" from Equals One Sudden Death (2010)

17. Fange - "Césarienne Au Noir" from Perdition (2024)

18. Uniform, The Body - "Not Good Enough" from Everything That Dies Someday Comes Back (2019)

19. Skrew - "Cold Angel Press" from Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame (1992)

20. Comecon – "Ulcer" from Megatrends in Brutality (1992) [submitted by Daniel]

21. The Amenta - "Black God" from Plague of Locus (2023)

22. Godflesh - "Go Spread Your Wings" from Selfless (1994)

July 2024

1. War of Ages - "Famine" from Dominion (2023) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

2. Unearth - "The Great Dividers" from The Oncoming Storm (2004) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. August Burns Red, Will Ramos - "The Cleansing" from The Cleansing (2024) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

4. Attack Attack! - "Stick Stickly" from Someday Came Suddenly (2008)

5. I Prevail - "Body Bag" from TRUE POWER (2022)

6. Bring Me the Horizon - "It Never Ends" from There Is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven, Let's Keep It a Secret (2010)

7. Shai Hulud - "Reach Beyond the Sun" from Reach Beyond the Sun (2013) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

8. Knocked Loose, Motionless in White - "Slaughterhouse 2" from You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To (2024)

9. Jeris Johnson - "Here's to the Years" from Here's to the Years (2024)

10. The Ghost Inside - "Split" from Searching for Solace (2024) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

11. Annisokay - "The Cocaines Got Your Tongue" from Aurora (2021)

12. Underoath - "Moving for the Sake of Motion" from Define the Great Line (2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

13. Balmora – "An Angel’s Final Prayer" from With Thorns of Glass & Petals of Grief E.P. (2023) [submitted by Daniel]

14. After the Burial - "Berzerker" from Rareform (2009)

15. Dal Av, Jackson Rose - "Billie Eilish" from Billie Eilish (2022)

16. ZOMBIESHARK!, Viscera - "Keyboards for Insects" from I Will Destroy You, Myself, and Everything I've Ever Loved. (2020)

17. Of Mice & Men - "Earth & Sky" from Earthandsky (2019)

18. As I Lay Dying - "The Truth of My Perception" from Shadows are Security (2005) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

19. Killswitch Engage - "Always" from Disarm the Descent (2013)

20. Chelsea Grin - "Recreant" from Desolation of Eden (2010)

21. Shadow of Intent - "The Shaping Sickness" from Inferi Sententia (2014)

22. Dragoncorpse, Nick Miller, First Fragment - "I Live... AGAIN!" from I Live... AGAIN! (2024)

23. Moments - "Break the Chains" from Hopes & Dreams (2015)

24. Monuments - "Nefarious" from Nefarious (2023)

25. Car Bomb - "Finish It" from w^w^^w^w (2012)

26. Cult Leader - "God's Lonely Children" from Nothing for Us Here (2014)

27. The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Weekend Sex Change" from Calculating Infinity (1999)

28. Inchaos - "My Gallaxy" from My Gallaxy (2022)

29. Afterglow - "Like a Wave" from Believe in Nothing (2022)

30. The Last Ten Seconds of Life - "As the World Turns Over" from Soulless Hymns (2015)

31. Black Tongue - "Black Fawn Temple" from Nadir (2018)

32. Humanity's Last Breath - "Bearer" from Ashen (2023)

33. Frontierer - "Dusk" from Orange Mathematics (2015)

A potential classic from the 90s metalcore/hardcore scene! Here's my review summary:

Hardcore took on a new different form in the 1990s, embracing a bit of the mainstream while trying something different from what many expected to hear. More different was the metal influences in a few of those bands that lead to metalcore's creation. There are slow heavy riffs that go well with the speedy intensity. The ideal attitude was rebellious while caring for the world's environment, which lead to the straight edge scene. From the southwestern corner of the US, Unbroken became an important band for this decade with the amazing album Life Love Regret! Lasting throughout the first half of the 90s, the name Unbroken fit well for their straight-edge dedication and the rarity of passion. Guitars and shouting vocals chug through, the latter reciting struggles for hope in society, all throughout a metalcore/hardcore storm lasting 9 tracks, including a final 9-minute progressive epic. The passion and dedication comes from all the members, especially Dave Claibourn who shouts his lyrics with meaning. After their split in 1995, the band refused to reunite for anymore shows or albums. That is, until guitarist Eric Allen committed suicide and the band performed a charity show for his family. RIP... Over a decade later, they would spend the early 2010s playing multiple shows and donating to charities, including a 20th anniversary concert for this album. They've also reformed last year with some shows planned lasting up to this year. Anyway, Life Love Regret should be enjoyed by fans of hardcore and 90s metalcore. This band spawned a spark of hope for the hardcore rebellion!

4.5/5

Here's my submission for the August Guardians playlist:

Jeris Johnson - "When the Darkness Comes" (from When the Darkness Comes, 2023)

This collab with ERRA is an absolute favorite of mine that should be heard by future generations:

I can almost consider this highlight dark disco metal, but it's a little more suited for The Gateway:

A true anthem of war to begin the sequel album to Gothminister's grand masterpiece Pandemonium:

Another single by Jeris Johnson, this one being an alt-rock/metal ballad not too far off from the bands my brother likes such as Breaking Benjamin, Skillet, Three Days Grace, etc., while following a power metal-like medieval fantasy theme in the music video:

A playlist I've made with my favorite songs from those essential releases: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1la4JNdjrAXncqO9Szn2u7

Put the industrial noise-metal Uniform on this brutal electronic drone noise Body and you get intense mighty monoliths like this one:

An industrial noise-metal epic of beastly destruction:

So ridiculous, so potentially offensive... And interestingly, I love it:

Perhaps the most unforgiving piece of doomy industrial metal you can find:

Doomy industrial metal from this supergroup of sludge metal band members:

This highlight is almost like a slower and more mesmerizing Godflesh:

F***ing brutal industrial/drone metal:

Nuclear Blast is my second favorite record label, and the one label surpassing that for me is... Roadrunner! This one has the two milestone bands in my metal journey, DragonForce and Trivium, and other bands I enjoy or I'm at least familiar with including...

36 Crazyfists (metalcore/alt-metal), Annihilator (thrash/heavy metal), Believer (tech-thrash/progressive metal), Code Orange (metalcore/industrial/alt-metal), The Devil Wears Prada (melodic metalcore), Fear Factory (industrial/groove metal), Gojira (progressive/tech-death), Hatebreed (metalcore/hardcore), In This Moment (alt-/industrial metal), Killswitch Engage (melodic metalcore), Lamb of God (groove/thrash metal), Motionless in White (metalcore/industrial/alt-metal), Nightwish (symphonic/power metal), Opeth (deathly progressive metal/rock), Pestilence (death/progressive metal), Queensryche (heavy/progressive metal/hard rock), Type O Negative (gothic/doom metal), Vision of Disorder (metalcore/groove/alt-metal), Within Temptation (symphonic/alt-metal)

And the most ambitious collaborative metal project of all time, Roadrunner United: https://metal.academy/releases/8088

Sybreed can blast through sonic cyber/industrial metal right from the start with their debut's opening highlight:

The perfect resurrection of these English forerunners of industrial rock/metal:

If the rest of this Killing Joke album was like this heavily acoustic sleep-inducing embarrassment, I would've slept through it all:

The ultimate anthem for these English forerunners of industrial rock/metal:

An alt-rock/metal tale of drug usage (say no to drugs!), keeping me awake after the album's opening one-two slump:

I meant the album: https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/becoming-the-archetype/the-remnant/

In Metal Archives and Discogs, it is listed as an album under the band's earlier name The Remnant.

A weak love ballad that marked a poor letdown of a closing track for Rammstein's breakthrough album:

The ultimate anthem for the leading band of Neue Deutsche Härte:

A playlist I've made with my favorite songs from those essential releases: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3MwevI05ua7UhQmrvkKQaT

The ultimate closing epic of chaos for this offering of mathcore insanity:

A masterpiece highlight of the more hardcore metalcore revival from the early 2010s:

Godflesh has a few albums deemed sludge metal, Daniel, but I understand, since you have objected to those releases having that genre tag.

Impressive, Rex! I've also been listening to metal for 11.5 years now, and the amount of metal albums I've heard is in the thousands, though it's literally 99% of all music that I've chosen to listen to during that time period. Yeah, I'm more focused on metal than any other music genre.

What better way to commemorate the 20,000th Metal Academy post with a new album from one of my outside-world friends who's a talented metal musician? No it's not Danny Ultrawiz, he's been out of the metal picture for years now. It's my new friend Arezz who goes by the name "Rust". He made his own album titled U Suk! It's a really awesome work of art inspired by classic speed/thrash/first-wave black metal bands. I think it would be really helpful if any of you can please check out that album and spread the word about it. With all you guys' help, maybe he can gain enough exposure to have more fame and confidence and even join this site, and it would all be thanks to me and fellow supporting Metal Academy members. Here it is:

Also available on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/34ZKHMMeM0IAf6uHH1Bsk5

Update to my list:

1. Ryujin - Ryujin [melodic death/power metal]

2. Job for a Cowboy - Moon Healer [technical death/progressive metal]

3. Trail of Tears - Winds of Disdain [symphonic/gothic metal]

4. Unleash the Archers - Phantoma [power metal]

5. Madder Mortem - Old Eyes, New Heart [progressive metal]

6. DragonForce - Warp Speed Warriors [power metal]

7. Amaranthe - The Catalyst [trance/symphonic/melodic metalcore]

8. The Ghost Inside - Searching for Solace [metalcore/hardcore]

9. Imminence - The Black [metalcore/alternative metal]

10. High on Fire - Cometh the Storm [stoner/sludge metal]

And my wishlist:

Black Veil Brides - Bleeders (EP)

Wage War - Stigma

Crossfaith - ARK

Neaera - All in Dust (I'm up to exploring this band of melodeath/metalcore)

Sumac - The Keeper's Tongue (EP) (it's been a while since I've last kept track of post-sludge, so I'm up to exploring this band too)

In Hearts Wake - Incarnation

Powerwolf - Wake Up the Wicked

Hirax - Faster Than Death (looking out for some more underground thrash bands)

Mushroomhead - Call the Devil

Falling in Reverse - Popular Monster (I enjoyed the new single "Ronald" so much that I'm up for the rest of the new album and this band)

Within the Ruins - Phenomena II

Wintersun - Time II (how can I not look forward to one of the most anticipated albums in all of metal?)

Void of Vision - What I'll Leave Behind (I've heard a few songs by this band in the earlier Revolution playlists, and I've been meaning to check out more of them including their upcoming album)

Here's my updated list, and since we already have a "metal in 2024" thread, I don't need the "albums I'm looking forward to getting" thing in this thread anymore:

Beginning oldies (1975-1989)/B.M. (Before Metalcore):

1975: Scorpions - In Trance

1976: Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny

1977: Riot - Rock City

1978: Scorpions - Taken by Force

1979: Riot - Narita

1980: Scorpions - Animal Magnetism

1981: Riot - Fire Down Under

1982: Scorpions - Blackout

1983: Metallica - Kill 'Em All

1984: Voivod - War and Pain

1985: Watchtower - Energetic Disassembly

1986: Dark Angel - Darkness Descends

1987: Voivod - Killing Technology

1988: Voivod - Dimension Hatröss

1989: Voivod - Nothingface

Golden hit classics and millennium transition highlights (1990-2004)/Metalcore's humble beginnings and light of day-seeing classics:

1990: Rorschach - Remain Sedate

1991: Coroner - Mental Vortex

1992: Sadus - A Vision of Misery

1993: Alchemist - Jar of Kingdom

1994: Circle of Dust - Brainchild

1995: Waltari - Big Bang

1996: Red Harvest - HyBreed

1997: Illdisposed - There's Something Rotten... In the State of Denmark

1998: Embodyment - Embrace the Eternal

1999: Madder Mortem - Mercury

2000: AP2 - Suspension of Disbelief

2001: Eternal Tears of Sorrow - A Virgin and a Whore

2002: Norma Jean - Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child

2003: Kayo Dot - Choirs of the Eye

2004: Turmion Katilot - Hoitovirhe

Modern favorites (2005-2019)/Rise of the full Revolution:

2005: Trivium - Ascendancy

2006: Mercenary - The Hours That Remain

2007: Becoming the Archetype - The Physics of Fire

2008: In This Moment - The Dream

2009: Trail of Tears - Bloodstained Endurance

2010: High on Fire - Snakes for the Divine

2011: Trivium - In Waves

2012: Tremonti - All I Was

2013: Alter Bridge - Fortress

2014: The Acacia Strain - Coma Witch

2015: Intronaut - The Direction of Last Things

2016: Insomnium - Winter's Gate

2017: Unleash the Archers - Apex

2018: Alien Weaponry - Tu

2019: Northlane - Alien

The best of the most recent (2020-present)/A greater new uprising:

2020: Code Orange - Underneath

2021: Trivium - In the Court of the Dragon

2022: Lorna Shore - Pain Remains

2023: Mutoid Man - Mutants

2024: Ryujin - Ryujin

A killer industrial metal blend of Health's usual electro-industrial and the groove/thrash metal of Lamb of God:

And here's Black Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell", in which its verses come to my mind when I hear the verses of that Trident song:

Good suggestion, Rex! I've just added it in to replace their Hosannas album.

And here's another coincidence. Listen to the intro riff melody that kicks off this Amorphis classic:

And then the piano melody in this Trail of Tears interlude at 0:40:

Although it can be considered a coincidence, I can totally understand if Amorphis left a profound influential mark in Trail of Tears' sound.

It's been a while since this thread was last active, and I have a couple crazy coincidences to talk about here. Let's start with a couple album cover arts. Take a look below at the cover art for Eternal Tears of Sorrow's 2001 album and the cover art for Taylor Swift's 2010 album. This has got to be a sheer coincidence, because I highly doubt Taylor Swift has ever listened to Finnish symphonic melodeath. Of course, I know that doesn't mean other female pop stars don't listen to metal. It's no secret that Demi Lovato used to listen to metalcore/deathcore before starting her Disney Channel/pop star career.

Oh wow they really do sound so similar! And the verses in the Trident song sound almost like the verses of Black Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell". This can be considered a coincidence, but I would be surprised if it wasn't highly influenced by Dio. We have a special thread for these kinds of strange coincidences, just letting you know, Zach: https://metal.academy/forum/23/thread/1950

I remember listening to Ayreon's albums a long time ago, and from what I heard, Into the Electric Castle is quite a prog-metal album to me. In fact, it was one of the first ever albums to get me into prog-metal 10 years ago! I can still find some metal in even the more rock-ish songs, helped out by some of the guest vocalists including Sharon den Adel and Robert Westerholt (Within Temptation), Anneke van Giersbergen (ex-The Gathering), and Damian Wilson (ex-Threshold), except in the softer songs of course. You have mentioned only half the amount of songs being metal, but again, even the more rock-ish parts sound metal to me, and this at least brings the amount of metal up to at least 40%, the bare minimum for an album to be considered metal. The Ayreon albums I would consider non-metal are Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer (the prog-rock side of the Universal Migrator duo of albums) and The Theory of Everything (more of a prog-rock opera album of smaller tracks that are part of 4 long suites covering different genres, despite many guest vocalists coming from metal bands). So I'll have to vote NO for this Hall entry, Rex.

I think it was One More Light, their final album with Chester Bennington, when the band dropped pretty much all of their rock/metal aspects and sounded like a boy band, though they still played their greatest hits in the final tour.

Another song by Jeris Johnson, this one being a spooky blend of Avenged Sevenfold-style heavy metal and trap. If you're wondering if that chorus melody sounds familiar, it's that Arabian riff! It also me reminds of Kesha's "Take It Off" which uses the Arabian riff in the chorus as well.

Here's my top 10 of 1992:

1. Sadus - A Vision of Misery

2. Demolition Hammer - Epidemic of Violence

3. Ministry - Psalm 69

4. Waltari - Torcha!

5. Samael - Blood Ritual

6. Red Harvest - Nomindsland

7. Godflesh - Pure

8. Neurosis - Souls at Zero

9. Dark Angel - Decade of Chaos: The Best of Dark Angel

10. Voivod - The Best of Voivod

Expansive production and rhythmic complexity are also what I look for in genres like progressive metal, deathcore, tech-death, and tech-thrash, or a combination of the 4 (all 4 together would be quite wild).

I'm Blasting In Waves right now. First album of Summer as school's out.

Glad you like that Trivium album despite the issues you have found, Zach. With that, here's another Trivium song I would recommend to you, from their follow-up album Vengeance Falls. In that special outside-world event earlier today, there were some music performances going on, and that included some local rock/metal musicians (extreme metal allowed to be played in the public outdoors, who knew!?), then a few people, including myself, were given the opportunity to sing our own songs. One of the songs I covered was this Trivium song, and I've done the singing and screaming quite well, if I say so myself:

Needless to say, the other song I was singing was Linkin Park's "Friendly Fire", as a tribute to the late Chester Bennington, and that song is much softer, in contrast to Trivium's heaviness.

Exception 2: Theatre of Tragedy - And When He Falleth from Velvet Darkness They Fear (1996).
Even though the follow-up to the their debut full-length (which I hold dear to my heart) was quite a letdown for me, I have a soft spot for this track and I cannot imagine it without the lengthy dialogue samples taken from the 1964 classic The Masque of the Red Death.

Caution! Contains beauty and the beast vocals and some questionable gothicy recitations.

I used to be a fan of the more melodic gothic death-doom bands like Theatre of Tragedy, and this was one of my favorite songs by the band. I agree that the lengthy dialogue samples are the best part of the song. The only other time I've heard Vincent Price in a song is that spoken-word outro of Michael Jackson's "Thriller".

1. Gateway playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 13)

2. Infinite playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 11)

3. Revolution playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 31)

4. Sphere playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 25)

For the clans I've made the monthly playlists for, I've listened to the entire playlists! I'm grateful to Saxy and Daniel for their playlist works. I really dig the tracks I've reviewed in the Gateway and Infinite playlists made by Saxy, and I'm glad the playlists I've made have paid off. I recommend them to any fan of the clans' respective genres and anyone who isn't into those genres but wants to get into a great start in enjoying them. Thanks, Daniel, for accepting these playlists, and good work all!

THE GATEWAY: Of Mice & Men - Tether (2023) 4.5/5

THE INFINITE: Star One - Space Metal (2002) 4.5/5

THE REVOLUTION: The Ghost Inside - Rise From the Ashes: Live at the Shrine (2021) 4.5/5

THE SPHERE: Fear Factory - Fear is the Mindkiller (1993) 3/5

Although the Sphere feature release is not really up my alley but still decent, the feature releases I've nominated for my other 3 clans are all excellent gems that I would recommend to fans of their respective genres. Keep up the good work on the feature releases, all! I look forward to more...