Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

Holy f***ing wars... The British speedy power metal heroes are back! Their new single is a catchy fun song to party to. And we'll have to wait to find out two things: 1. Will this appear in the band's next album? 2. Who's the new keyboardist/pianist?

Now made a lot better with the addition of the mighty singing of Amaranthe female vocalist Elize Ryd:

Here are my sneak peek submissions for the January Sphere playlist:

Deathstars - "The Perfect Cult" (4:02) from The Perfect Cult (2014)

Fear Factory - "Replica" (4:01) from Demanufacture (1995)

Gothminister - "Thriller (Extended Version)" (6:55) from Happiness in Darkness (2008)

In This Moment - "Everything Starts and Ends with You" (3:33) from Godmode (2023)

Pain - "Leave Me Alone" (4:10) from You Only Live Once (2011)

Samael - "Exodus" (3:48) from Exodus (1998)

Total length: 26:29

Here are my sneak peek submissions for the January Revolution playlist:

Abigail Williams - "The Conqueror Wyrm" (4:21) from Legend (2006)

Bullet for My Valentine - "Hand of Blood" (3:36) from Hand of Blood (2005)

Emmure - "I Should Have Called Ms. Glen" (4:54) from The Complete Guide to Needlework (2006)

God Forbid - "Soul Engraved" (3:57) from Gone Forever (2004)

Hopesfall - "Escape Pod for Intangibles" (2:28) from The Satellite Years (2002)

Parkway Drive - "Flesh, Bone and Weakness" (5:13) from Don't Close Your Eyes (2004)

Trivium - "At the End of the War" (4:47) from Vengeance Falls (2013)

Total length: 29:18

Here are my submissions for the January Infinite playlist, once again having two long epics in mind:

Kayo Dot - "The Manifold Curiosity" (14:28) from Choirs of the Eye (2003)

Opeth - "Blackwater Park" (12:08) from Blackwater Park (2001)

Total length: 26:36

Here are my submissions for the January Gateway playlist:

Beartooth - "I Was Alive" (3:18) from The Surface (2023)

Bullet for My Valentine - "Riot" (2:49) from Temper Temper (2013)

Ed Sheeran, Bring Me the Horizon - "Bad Habits" (4:10) from Bad Habits (2022)

Five Finger Death Punch - "My Heart Lied" (3:35) from The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell Volume 2 (2013)

Limp Bizkit - "Break Stuff" (2:48) from Significant Other (1999)

Megan Thee Stallion, Spiritbox - "Cobra (Rock Remix)" (3:06) from Cobra (Rock Remix) (2023)

Roadrunner United - "The End" (3:35) from The All-Star Sessions (2005)

While She Sleeps - "Self Hell" (4:40) from Self Hell (2023)

Total length: 28:01

Daniel, do you have a good Sphere track you wanna submit? I plan to start working on the January playlist later this weekend. No rush though, I can wait.

Daniel, do you have a good Revolution track you wanna submit? I plan to start working on the January playlist later this weekend. No rush though, I can wait.

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Dance With the Dead - "March of the Dead" from Driven to Madness (2022)

3/5. Let's begin with a darksynth project that made a decent album intro of industrial metal. I guess the best part would have over the one-minute mark which sounds pretty cool. Time to bash some zombie warriors!

Static-X - "I'm With Stupid" from Wisconsin Death Trip (1999)

3.5/5. This one has some great lyrics to like, "HE'S A LOSER!!!"

In This Moment - "Army of Me" from Godmode (2023)

4/5. Maria Brink is quite impressive at making In This Moment covers of pop hits, like this Bjork classic.

Godflesh - "ARMY OF NON" from PURGE (2023)

4.5/5. This one has the band's unabridged purity. It throws back to the glory days of Streetcleaner with the hammering and screeching guitars alongside the harsh vocals of Broadrick. The diversity in the heaviness adds to their bleak aura.

Celldweller - "The Wings of Icarus" from Soundtrack for the Voices in My Head Vol. 02 (2012)

5/5. One of the best instrumental songs I've heard, and it was in the trailer for Real Steel! With my brother loving that movie and these kinds of tracks mixing industrial metal with dubstep and TSFH-like orchestration, you bet he might get a kick out of this kick-A action. When the music rises up until the bass drop at exactly one minute in, you know you're in for an epic treat.

16volt - "Perfectly Fake" from Skin (1994)

4.5/5. A perfect hodgepodge of experimentation, similar to what Candiria was doing at that time, but the hardcore elements are replaced with industrial ones.

Mushroomhead - "Episode 29 (Hardcore Mix)" from Remix (1997)

4/5. "You're a nice person... You're a b***h!" F***ing killer remix!

Obsydians - "Ascension" from Ascension (2018)

3.5/5. Obsydians is a band form by members of Sybreed after that split with Sybreed vocalist Benjamin Nominet moving on to Shadow Domain. Cool guitars and vocals here.

Minority Sound - "The End of All" from The Explorer (2012)

3/5. This one starts off pretty cool, but the long ending is a little too much.

Kit Walters - "The Stains of Time (Maniac Agenda Mix)" from METAL GEAR RISING REVENGANCE VOCAL TRACKS (2013)

3.5/5. Pretty good song to love for some cyber metal action from Metal Gear Rising.

Lock the Basement - "Green" from REVITALIZED (2021)

4/5. Although this is more of a HIM/Red Hot Chili Peppers-like track, it fits well for the concept of a strange claustrophobic future of disillusionment and desperation.

Genitorturers - "120 Days" from 120 Days of Genitorture (1993)

4.5/5. The dark sinister vibe is spawned straight from this track. The name of that song and this album reference Marquis de Sade’s unfinished erotic novel 120 Days of Sodom. Already, the lyrical message has some deep power.

Omega Lithium - "Nebula" from Dreams in Formaline (2009)

5/5. The humanity-threatened monster continues to roam in this scary yet catchy masterpiece composition. Within the evil synthesized violins and cold vocals, the creature has DNA from the aliens of Nebula who wage war on Earth to tire out the human rebellion.

Code Orange - "A Drone Opting Out of the Hive" from The Above (2023)

5/5. A perfect hip-hop-ish industrial metal track in which this crossover idea works so well!

Fear Factory - "Controlled Demolition" from Mechanize (2010)

4.5/5. This one also stands out with its heaviness, with lyrics detailing the government being blamed for 9/11. Of course, there's something different to blame, so theorists should cut the bullsh*t. In the bridge is a sample of the 911 call from one of the victims in the World Trade Center as the tower started collapsing ("OH GOD! HELP-").

D'espairsRay - "BORN" from BORN (2004)

5/5. D*mn, I love this insane song. The vocals blend well with the instruments without getting drowned out. It's sad that a band this awesome gets poor attention.

Dawn of Ashes - "Ahriman" from The Crypt Injection II (Non Serviam) (2019)

4.5/5. Black-ish industrial metal/aggrotech similar to Psyclon Nine. Enough said.

Waltari - "Far Away" from Space Avenue (1997)

5/5. A catchy poppy industrial metal single, with more of the cosmic keyboards and vocal fuzz.

Gravity Kills - "Never" from Gravity Kills (1996)

3.5/5. A heavy track with decent singing. What else to say?

Till Lindemann - "Lecker" from Zunge (2023)

4/5. I really like this track that has gigantic synths and grooves as Lindemann shines in melody and occasional raspy vocals that he has been using recently.

Red Harvest - "Move or Be Moved" from Newrage World Music (1998)

4.5/5. Excellent preview to a song later appearing in Cold Dark Matter.

Mnemic - "Sons of the System" from Sons of the System (2010)

5/5. This one brings back some of the band's earlier riff technicality especially in the fast thrashy verses, but they haven't forgotten about their more recent catchy choruses worth singing along to.

Control Human Delete - "Transporter" from The Prime Mover (2013)

4.5/5. Black-ish industrial metal similar to that Dawn of Ashes track, but without any aggrotech.

Ministry - "Relapse" from Relapse (2012)

4/5. Al Jourgensen continues to kick a**, as his vocals, guitars, and beats get better and smash through, with some cool samples to add to the punch, though the lyrics are a bit off. This unstoppable drug-hungry force might just be in the famous metal club of Black Sabbath, Pantera, Slayer, and Metallica. Here, Ministry is reinventing the Psalm 69 wheel and adding a bit of an alt-nu metal vibe to the usual industrial metal. The cymbals sounds a little weird in the chaos. The drugs Al has been taking during the recording of Relapse seem to enhance the mayhem. Just hang in there...

Strommoussheld - "Era Depression" from Halfdecadence (2004)

3.5/5. Great bass line in this song, but I have nothing else to comment there.

Bliss Signal - "Bliss Signal" from Bliss Signal (2018)

4/5. This one's also pretty great, adding some blackgaze to industrial metal.

Oomph! - "Ich bin Du" from Oomph! (1992)

4.5/5. This is actually one of my favorite Oomph! songs and, yep I'm saying this, it's metal enough to be in this playlist with some guitars in full prominence at the most needed parts.

Gothminister - "Boogeyman" from Utopia (2013)

5/5. And finally, we finishing this playlist with a complex entertaining 6-minute epic.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? Despite some bumpiness throughout, especially in the first half. Anyway, I recommend this to any industrial metal fan and anyone who isn't into industrial metal but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks Daniel for accepting this, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

HEAVENSGATE - "VIOLENT JOY" from VIOLENT JOY (2023)

4.5/5. Now here's a playlist opener not to be missed. There's something so special about this band like, HOLY SH*T, some f***ing emotional fire! Such an excellent beast they unleash in absolutely brutal momentum. This hard banger can really shine on the top of this year as you storm the gates of Hell. This will get you hooked to the Make Them Suffer-like heaviness all the way up to the final violent 15-second breakdown.

Kingdom of Giants - "Wasted Space" from Wasted Space (2023)

4/5. Great song, good vocals, far better than Slipknot, enough said.

Architects - "Naysayer" from Lost Forever // Lost Together (2014)

4.5/5. We blast through the drumming and riffing of one of Architects' heaviest songs yet, but the atmospheric chorus and clean vocals also sink in and never lose their grip.

All That Remains - "Divide" from The Order of Things (2015)

4/5. This is more of a Skillet-like rock/metal song with a catchy melody. That's probably one of the first songs where bassist Jeanne Sagan's backing vocals are prominent, singing together with vocalist Phil Labonte in the chorus.

Apparitions - "Coda" from Coda (2023)

4.5/5. First song I've heard from this band and it's already quite addictive. From the intro riff, you're already heading into amazing catchy metalcore. Music touches your soul and gives you a better future. The instrumentation sits nicely alongside the cleans and screams letting out killer lyrics, "DESTINED TO TAKE THE FINAL FALL!!!" This cool sh*t is what you wish Bring Me the Horizon would bring back.

Imminence - "Lost and Left Behind" from Heaven in Hiding (2021)

5/5. I absolutely love this one! This is symphonic metalcore that I need more of.

Polaris - "Consume" from The Mortal Coil (2017)

5/5. This brilliant standout is pure technical metalcore. It's an incredible highlight with the best of the late Ryan Siew's guitar leads. He and rhythm guitarist Rick Schneider put their work out in sharp delivery that barely any other band could.

From Autumn to Ashes - "Lilacs & Lolita" from The Fiction We Live (2003)

4.5/5. I love this band, along with this song! The only problem is the soothing singing during the last chorus that's a bit unclear. Still this band knows what they're doing and how to do it. This is the kind of metalcore I can truly accept.

Bullet for My Valentine - "Waking the Demon" from Scream Aim Fire (2008)

5/5. The ultimate extreme metalcore track of its original album is its heaviest song with a monstrous riff and a crazy shredding solo. Matt Tuck and Jason James have a total scream-off in the verses.

Winds of Plague - "Anthems of Apocalypse" from Decimate the Weak (2008)

5/5. Decimate the Weak is an awesome symphonic deathcore album, from the music to its album cover. The band reach their height of brutality in the breakdown at the 3 and a half minute mark. Think of this band like As Blood Runs Black with background symphonics.

Dragoncorpse - "Blood and Stones" from The Drakketh Saga (2023)

4.5/5. The fast relentless symphonic deathcore sound continues, in a once-thought-impossible blend with power metal, complete with a brutal chant of "Blood in, blood out".

Brojob - "Teenie Weenie" from Talk Shit Get Kissed (2018)

4/5. "THIS IS THE SOUND OF A THOUSAND CLAPPING A**ES!!!!" The more brutal side of metal has taken on a more perverted theme than satanic, and it shows that you can add humor to such an extreme genre.

Chelsea Grin - "See You Soon" from Eternal Nightmare (2018)

4.5/5. It's currently nighttime as of writing this comment, and it adds to the song's f***ing haunting relevance. I enjoy the vocals by Tom Barber who was the former vocalist of Lorna Shore before joining this band.

Emmure - "You Got a Henna Tattoo That Said Forever" from Goodbye to the Gallows (2007)

4/5. This is some great metalcore/deathcore before taking on a more Limp Bizkit like nu-ish direction in later albums, bringing back some good memories for those who have listened to this genre earlier than I ever had. Deathcore has cool mesmerizing wonders. F*** the sh*t haters say! The brutality reaches its highlight throughout the last minute, "MY EYES STILL SCREAM... CHILDHOOD!!!" There are definitely some vibes from For the Fallen Dreams at that time, and I love both bands. Some lyrics do make historical quotes, "WHY WOULD YOU LIE TO ME? WHAT WAS THE POINT?!" "MOVIE QUOTES AND LYRICS STILL CONNECTING US LIKE CONSTELLATIONS!"

Upon a Burning Body - "Thunderheart" from Fury (2022)

4.5/5. Another amazing heavy banger, filled with hardcore chaos for your manly lifestyle, "THUNDERHEART!!!!!!" And HOLY SH*T, the chorus that first appears one minute in rules, along with the breakdown that starts the last minute.

Celldweller, The Browning - "Switchback" from Switchback (2023)

5/5. Celldweller and The Browning once again proves themselves to be a fantastic remix collaboration duo, with the latter adding a furious breakdown to enhance this Celldweller classic. This is truly powerful industrial metalcore/deathcore! I'll be headbanging a lot to this while crying tears of joy.

Parkway Drive - "Alone" from Deep Blue (2010)

5/5. This one has similar elements than that other "Alone" song from the Bullet for My Valentine album Fever; they're both the 6th and longest track in their 2010 third album considered metalcore. Coincidence?? Probably... Anyway, it blends riffing and vocals worth singing along to with a meaningful yet strange slow chorus.

Prospective - "Visions" from Beyond (2016)

4.5/5. Some more f***ing great metalcore with good screams. The bass tones make a djenty beast, straight from the first verse onwards.

We Blame the Empire - "As I Fall" from Inferno (2023)

4.5/5. I love the beautiful melancholy from the guitar melodies in this one.

The Devil Wears Prada - "Reaching" from Color Decay (deluxe edition) (2023)

5/5. I promised to listen to this band full-time, and thanks to this awesome song, that promise is finally fulfilled!

Amaranthe - "Iconic" from HELIX (2018)

4.5/5. A pleasant surprise for heavier metalheads, running wild through hyperspeed melodic thrash and powerful choruses.

Any Given Day - "Whatever It Takes" from Overpower (2019)

4/5. Another pleasant metalcore trip, with a nice soft break at the two and a half minute mark. Solid fire right here, with the growls having a bit of an Emmure vibe. I'll do whatever it takes to unearth more music like this.

Withdrawn - "Striation" from Seeds of Inhumanity (1999)

4.5/5. My favorite highlight of this early deathcore album. They lose some speed but in a controlled pace, leading to a mighty breakdown, before getting moody in the end. Perhaps one of the greatest early deathcore songs besides some of the ones from Embodyment's Embrace the Eternal!

Currents - "Remember Me" from The Death We Seek (2023)

4/5. I love the haunting heaviness in this song, along with lyrics and vocals to touch my soul. Thank you, Currents!

August Burns Red - "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" from August Burns Red Presents: Sleddin' Hill (2012)

4.5/5. Merry Christmas, metalcore fans! Enjoy this Christmas metalcore song to prepare you for a holiday battle.

Norma Jean - "Pretty Soon, I Don't Know What, But Something Is Going to Happen" from Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child (2002)

5/5. I often listen to one of my playlists half a dozen times between when I create it and when it gets published at the start of a month. A unique thing for a metalcore band like Norma Jean is how they can easily make a 15-minute sludgy metal/mathcore epic. I have been quite familiar with epics that long since when I was listening to power metal and progressive metal in 2014. This epic is so heavy and beautiful all the way! Light and darkness blended together, if you will. It's hard to find bands of this style that can pull off a spectacular stunt like that, except maybe August Burns Red's epic from their debut album. At the 4-minute mark, the riffs become more interesting to keep you hooked. Then it all quiets down at the 10-minute mark before rising up again into a climax hitting its peak at nearly 13 minutes in. A true metalcore/mathcore epic!

Trivium - "Thrown Into the Fire" from The Sin and the Sentence (2017)

5/5. After that glorious epic, there's still one more song left for this playlist, and it's this chaotic closer. Heafy showcases a lot of his screaming potential with not as many clean vocals as the previous songs. The song has an epic aggressive chorus and some flaming high-pitched progressive guitar solos which, to be honest, sound almost like part of the chorus from "The Root of All Evil" by Dream Theater.

HOLY SH*T, this is probably close to the best metalcore playlist I've ever done, with every track ranging from 4.5 to 5 stars, except for a few tracks throughout the playlist. I sure would recommend this to any metalcore fan and anyone who isn't into metalcore but wants to get into a great start in enjoying the genre. Thanks Daniel for accepting this, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Seeing some bands I'm familiar with in this playlist, I felt up to listening to and commenting on those tracks:

Mystic Storm – “Riddle of Steel” (from “From the Ancient Chaos”, 2021)

4/5. A nice start to this thrash-fest. And there's more of this sound to come...

Iced Earth – “The Funeral” (from “Iced Earth”, 1990)

4.5/5. These were the days when Iced Earth started off a speed/thrash metal band before soon switching to the dark US power metal sound they would be known for. An excellent instrumental without any of original vocalist Gene Adam's awful singing. At over the 3-minute mark, after a brief spoken narration, some wonderful riff harmonies begin to rise, and again at the 5-minute point when everything's speed up. Now that's wicked! Honestly, I need to listen to more of this band despite my indefinite break from the majority of the Guardians and the band's main founder's imprisonment.

Anacrusis – “Far Too Long” (from “Manic Impressions”, 1991)

5/5. Awesome unique progressive thrash metal from one of the earlier bands of the genre!

Coroner – “Mistress of Deception” (from “No More Colour”, 1989)

5/5. My favorite song in its original album! After the first minute, the frantic fills make you feel the pain (in a good way) of the patient when the surgeon slides his scalpel into one of the patient's eye sockets over the eye to remove a cancerous part of the cranium. The rhythms and leads are highly notable, especially in the bridge.

Megadeth – “Good Mourning/Black Friday” (from “Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying?”, 1986)

4.5/5. Here's a joke based on the first part of this epic's title and a Cartoon Network show: What did Uncle Grandpa say in a funeral? "Good Mourning!" (lol. Get it? Anyone?) Anyway, the track is quite extreme, almost catching up with other American thrash bands, Teutonic thrash bands, and Sepultura. It starts in sinister doom, including a solo of f***ing dark emotion. After that creepy one-minute intro, the heaviness booms in, though with guitars sounding more clean than distorted. The solo ends, but the riffs are still clean. Dave comes in with his vocals. Then after asking "What the f*** is this?", BOOM!! The guitars and his voice rapidly ascend. Kick-A riffing and soloing go back and forth. The speed cruises and crushes keep until the end when the killer storm of madness makes a grinding halt. Not the right ending, but the rest of that track is so amazing!

Upon A Burning Body – “All Pride, No Pain” (from “Southern Hostility”, 2019)

4.5/5. I never knew deathly metalcore and groove metal can come together in so well in a Southern-inspired mix. Some hostile fire right here!

Vektor – “Forests of Legend” (from “Black Future”, 2009)

5/5. Let's end this playlist with an absolute highlight and one of the three 10+ minute epics from its original album. It begins with an eerie acoustic intro that sounds like the progressive thrash "Bard's Song (In the Forest)", before the heaviness begins building up before crashing safely into early-Megadeth-style speedy thrash. After that, it's back to the eerie acoustic section before another glorious outro!

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Madder Mortem – Towers (2023)

5/5. OMG YES!!! This is another perfect playlist opener, this one having opened my ears to an awesome song from an underrated band that has been active for 3 decades yet hidden from my young view. A beautifully powerful sneak peek for their next album! This track has not disappointed me one bit. The frontwoman has a lot of talent within her vocals. I should put this song high up in my best songs of 2023 list. You can almost consider this band a metal resurrection of Siouxsie and the Banshees.

Anacrusis – Sound the Alarm (1993)

5/5. The lower sorrow of Kenn Nardi's cleans can already be found in the dramatic riff-wrath. The pessimistic darkness would continue in later songs from that album, while the mid-paced riffing stays sharp and keeps the bleakness interesting.

Nospün - …And Then There Were None (2023)

4.5/5. And then there's some melodic progressive metal that sounds amazing, but I would've loved this to bits if that side of my progressive metal interest was still dominant.

Opeth – Hex Omega (2008)

4/5. I love it when, 40 seconds in, the music halts until 40 more seconds later when the vocals rise magnificently. Ghost Reveries and Watershed are the band's two last metal albums before the prog-rock sound of Heritage onwards.

Charlie Griffiths – Dead in the Water (2022)

4.5/5. Some more superb melodic progressive metal, but again I've moved on to the more extreme side of the genre.

Periphery – Dying Star (2023)

5/5. This one has a more uplifting vibe, but the band returns to the impressive intricate heaviness. They can really add warm calm color to an ultra-heavy subgenre like djent.

Wilderun – And So Open the Earth (Ash Memory Part I) (2015)

4.5/5. Although my interest in Opeth has mostly faded out, I still have to thank that band for boosting my love for extreme vocals in progressive metal. With that and the folk/symphonic power metal vibes, this Wilderun track has so much color.

Star One – Human See, Human Do (2010)

4.5/5. "Get your stinkin' paws off me, you d*mn dirty ape!" Star One was one of my favorite progressive metal supergroups when I was younger, and I discovered them earlier than Opeth, like 5 years earlier. Still even back then, I enjoy Dan Swano's growling bridge of "SEE NO EVIL! HEAR NO EVIL! SPEAK NO EVIL! DO NO EVIL!"

Intronaut – Above (2010)

5/5. Another blessing from the heavens above, an underrated post-progressive metal band!

Tool – The Pot (2006)

4.5/5. This one shows the bass rhythm being less snappy, instead synchronizing with the beat in a groove-powered breakdown perfect for some live moshing. Maybe that Plankton AI cover would level up the mosh pit even more. Yeah, that version is what my brother was listening to that made me interested in checking out its original album.

Plini – Still Life (Feat. Tosin Abasi) (2023)

5/5. New Plini single, featuring Animals as Leaders guitarist Tosin Abasi?!?! An absolute djent dream! And who knew you can make a lute sound djent?!

TesseracT – Of Reality – Eclipse (2013)

5/5. Altered State is one of my favorite djent albums, and one any modern metal fan should have in their lifetime! Through the last third of this part, the filthy drumming adds to the serene ambience for beautiful heights. But I gotta get out of here before that peak drops....

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Alien Weaponry – Whisper (2018)

5/5. Now here's a perfect start for this playlist, a greatly significant song in both the production and defending their culture, with mighty powerful melodies inspired by Stone Sour, specifically Corey Taylor.

Beartooth – The Better Me (2023)

4.5/5. Let's rock out to the catchy energy this band has with country rock musician Hardy to give you more motivation and mental health.

Code Orange – Take Shape (2023)

5/5. A true Gateway anthem, this accessible yet total rocker is a killer single. The one and only Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins performs his signature nasal singing over an ominous bridge, though the dark melody and harsh rhythm of the chorus really hits the spot for me. Hard yet smart writing!

Coldrain – 24-7 (2009)

2.5/5. This one falls into a two-faced emo-rock trap, and that's my cue to skip over to slightly later in the playlist...

Five Finger Death Punch – Burn MF (2013)

3/5. The playlist quality starts to slowly climb back up. I could probably scream along to this if not for these explicitly aggressive lyrics. For that reason, my parents couldn't let my brother let me hear this at the time when this album came out 10 years ago when back then I was 14 and he was 16.

From Ashes to New – My Fight (2013)

3.5/5. Same with this one... Hypothetically. My brother didn't discover this until quite recently, and despite the rapping overdose, it's quite catchy. "Get up, get up, get up...!"

Godsmack – I Stand Alone (2003)

4/5. Now this is a different moderate standout in this playlist, and this single was featured in The Scorpion King and the show I've been binge-watching. An absolutely killer song for battle!

Karnivool – C.O.T.E. (2005)

4.5/5. This atmospheric track packs some polished punches with riff crunch and frontman Ian Kenny's subdued vocals. Ethereal melodic streams flow with edgy guitar. The band is mature enough to handle the tight production and go complex without having to go high in speed.

Katatonia – Sold Heart (2010)

4/5. The sadness in Jonas Renkse's voice is so convincing and admirable. Samurai Jack-like vibes much?

Lacuna Coil – Survive (2009)

4.5/5. Some more darkness to love, this time more energetic. I probably would've loved this more long ago though, especially when I don't recognize a bit of the lyrical quality.

Living Colour – Type (1990)

4/5. Funk metal is never really my type, though this song has kick-A iconic potential.

Machinae Supremacy – Phantom Battle (2014)

4.5/5. Now here's a battle-ready 8-bit-infused alt-/power metal banger. The guitar in the intro and chorus execute epic shredding!

Slipknot – Custer (2014)

4/5. This reckless track has a bit of spoken word before his scathing ranting over crushing speed as he chants, "CUT CUT CUT ME UP AND F*** F*** F*** ME UP!" When my brother was listening to the song this year when the song became a TikTok staple, that was my indirect invitation to listen to the album that included that thrashy highlight.

Spiritbox – Ultraviolet (2023)

4.5/5. To conclude this partial playlist speed-run, I'd like to thank not just Saxy for making the playlist, but also Spiritbox for being the heroes/heroine of modern metal. Beautiful emotional songs like this might just make history this decade.

Here's my submission for the December Guardians playlist:

Sabaton - "Sparta" (from The Last Stand, 2016)

December 2023

1. Dance With the Dead - "March of the Dead" from Driven to Madness (2022)

2. Static-X - "I'm With Stupid" from Wisconsin Death Trip (1999)

3. In This Moment - "Army of Me" from Godmode (2023) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

4. Godflesh - "ARMY OF NON" from NERO (2023)

5. Celldweller - "The Wings of Icarus" from Soundtrack for the Voices in My Head Vol. 02 (2012)

6. 16volt - "Perfectly Fake" from Skin (1994) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

7. Mushroomhead - "Episode 29 (Hardcore Mix)" from Remix (1997) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

8. Obsydians - "Ascension" from Ascension (2018)

9. Minority Sound - "The End of All" from The Explorer (2012)

10. Kit Walters - "The Stains of Time (Maniac Agenda Mix)" from METAL GEAR RISING REVENGANCE VOCAL TRACKS (2013)

11. Lock the Basement - "Green" from REVITALIZED (2021)

12. Genitorturers - "120 Days" from 120 Days of Genitorture (1993)

13. Omega Lithium - "Nebula" from Dreams in Formaline (2009)

14. Code Orange - "A Drone Opting Out of the Hive" from The Above (2023) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

15. Fear Factory - "Controlled Demolition" from Mechanize (2010) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. D'espairsRay - "BORN" from BORN (2004)

17. Dawn of Ashes - "Ahriman" from The Crypt Injection II (Non Serviam) (2019)

18. Waltari - "Far Away" from Space Avenue (1997)

19. Gravity Kills - "Never" from Gravity Kills (1996)

20. Till Lindemann - "Lecker" from Zunge (2023)

21. Red Harvest - "Move or Be Moved" from Newrage World Music (1998)

22. Mnemic - "Sons of the System" from Sons of the System (2010)

23. Control Human Delete - "Transporter" from The Prime Mover (2013)

24. Ministry - "Relapse" from Relapse (2012)

25. Strommoussheld - "Era Depression" from Halfdecadence (2004)

26. Bliss Signal - "Bliss Signal" from Bliss Signal (2018)

27. Oomph! - "Ich bin Du" from Oomph! (1992) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

28. Gothminister - "Boogeyman" from Utopia (2013)

December 2023

1. HEAVENSGATE - "VIOLENT JOY" from VIOLENT JOY (2023)

2. Kingdom of Giants - "Wasted Space" from Wasted Space (2023)

3. Architects - "Naysayer" from Lost Forever // Lost Together (2014) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

4. All That Remains - "Divide" from The Order of Things (2015)

5. Apparitions - "Coda" from Coda (2023)

6. Imminence - "Lost and Left Behind" from Heaven in Hiding (2021)

7. Polaris - "Consume" from The Mortal Coil (2017)

8. From Autumn to Ashes - "Lilacs & Lolita" from The Fiction We Live (2003) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

9. Bullet for My Valentine - "Waking the Demon" from Scream Aim Fire (2008) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

10. Winds of Plague - "Anthems of Apocalypse" from Decimate the Weak (2008) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

11. Dragoncorpse - "Blood and Stones" from The Drakketh Saga (2023)

12. Brojob - "Teenie Weenie" from Talk Shit Get Kissed (2018)

13. Chelsea Grin - "See You Soon" from Eternal Nightmare (2018) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Emmure - "You Got a Henna Tattoo That Said Forever" from Goodbye to the Gallows (2007) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

15. Upon a Burning Body - "Thunderheart" from Fury (2022) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. Celldweller, The Browning - "Switchback" from Switchback (2023)

17. Parkway Drive - "Alone" from Deep Blue (2010)

18. Prospective - "Visions" from Beyond (2016)

19. We Blame the Empire - "As I Fall" from Inferno (2023)

20. The Devil Wears Prada - "Reaching" from Color Decay (deluxe edition) (2023)

21. Amaranthe - "Iconic" from HELIX (2018)

22. Any Given Day - "Whatever It Takes" from Overpower (2019)

23. Withdrawn - "Striation" from Seeds of Inhumanity (1999)

24. Currents - "Remember Me" from The Death We Seek (2023)

25. August Burns Red - "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" from August Burns Red Presents: Sleddin' Hill (2012)

26. Norma Jean - "Pretty Soon, I Don't Know What, But Something Is Going to Happen" from Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child (2002)

27. Trivium - "Thrown Into the Fire" from The Sin and the Sentence (2017)

Here's my review summary:

Now ain't this the most shocking revelation in any metal community website! A metalhead who had never dared to explore the standard death metal of Morbid Angel had finally done so...with their most hated album, the St. Anger of death metal, Illud Divinum Insanus! This was released in 2011 when Skrillex and dubstep were sweeping the globe, and bands of most genres were pressured to follow that trend. Bassist/vocalist David Vincent, who had rejoined the band for this album, had past experiences with other genres. Guitarist Pete Sandoval couldn't participate because of surgery for a herniated spinal disc, eventually fully leaving a few years later due to his Christianity. Of course, I have to also mention the two guitarists Trey Azagthoth (founding member) and Destructhor (temporary). Illud Divinum Insanus may be one of the worst albums in metal history, but for me it's not as bad as what others think, probably because of my industrial metal passion. Yep, the style is basically their death metal sound toned down with emphasis on industrial metal and synth-rock. You can also hear some interesting vocals from Vincent including some Spanish! I say this album is about half-fun half-awful, not very cohesive yet still interesting, probably would work better as a few EPs. Despite the downsides, Morbid Angel have gone their most diverse in this style of styles. The vocals and guitars have different tactics in each track, with some throwing back to their earlier death metal while many others have a more industrial metal sound, even leaning towards rock. I actually enjoy the more deathly songs and a bit of the industrial ones, though the more rock ones ("I Am Morbid" and "Radikult") are a couple of the absolute worst stinkers in metal. Sure, this band really roughed up their fanbase's expectations, but I appreciate what they could do. I just don't wanna have to hear those two rock-sounding sh*t-songs again, and there's much worse trash out there....

2.5/5

I've already written my review summary in Rex's thread, but I don't mind sharing it again here:

The perfection of Zao's second and last album with the original lineup carries on to a new one. 1998 marked a new era for the band who have been grateful to God for where their ongoing lives took them. The remaining founding member Jesse Smith continued with new members Daniel Weyandt, Russ Cogdell, and Brett Detar, the latter from rock band The Juliana Theory for a dark turning point in hardcore/metal. Where would bands like Underoath and Haste the Day be without this offering? Dan Weyandt's screaming is perfect! Besides that, the two guitarists have heavy guitar riffs that would surely blow your minds. While they maintain the Christian lyrical themes, they have less focus on the spiritual side and the topics are more about Weyandt's fallen loved ones, with one track written in memory of a friend of the band who committed suicide, and another for Weyandt's late relative. The message in those songs is basically his faith shining to keep him alive after all the losses he and the band suffered. Its heavy impact has caused many Christians and non-Christians to relate. Musically, the songs show how well they've planted the seed for the modern metallic side of metalcore that can be heard in bands like Trivium, Eighteen Visions, Bleeding Through, and Bring Me the Horizon. All in all, Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest marks a different transition from The Splinter Shards The Birth Of Separation, including shorter songs, though both albums are the best. Zao is still alive!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "Lies of Serpents, A River of Tears", "To Think of You is to Treasure An Absent Memory", "Ember", "Fifteen Rhema", "The Latter Rain"

For fans of: As I Lay Dying (especially their debut Beneath the Encasing of Ashes), Eighteen Visions, Converge

Here's my top 10 of 1990:

1. Rorschach - Remain Sedate

2. Demolition Hammer - Tortured Existence

3. Helmet - Strap It On

4. Winter - Into Darkness

5. Atheist - Piece of Time

6. Annihilator - Never, Neverland

7. Sadus - Swallowed in Black

8. Dark Angel - Live Scars

9. Nocturnus - The Key

10. Atrocity - Hallucinations

Vicious deathly thrash from Sadus' amazing comeback offering:

Definitely another coincidence.

Attempting to sound like a Metallica song halfway through is an unfitting move for Sabaton. This is just plain bad. Please, don't listen.

An epic historical metal anthem that would make you wanna become a horse-riding Spartan warrior and charge into a battle:

Attempting to parody an aspect often thought atrocious in music, Durst singing in autotune never really suits him well at all in my opinion:

The band's earlier humor and heaviness of Significant Other makes a comeback with new aspects such as the awesome rare guitar soloing:

A lame attempt at thanking cities, bands, and fans in a rap metal sh*tter:

An angry anthem that really shows how rap metal should be done:

Congrats, Shezma!

Those two songs can actually make a good mashup! It's most likely just a coincidence, since I don't think Tuomas has ever mentioned Ego Likeness or darkwave as an influence, though Nightwish has gotten their darker influences from bands of death/doom/gothic metal such as, quoted from Wikipedia, "Children of Bodom, Theatre of Tragedy, The Gathering, My Dying Bride, Tiamat and The 3rd and the Mortal."

One last album that is so amazing and unique, yet a reminder about how I should stop my melodic black metal exploration so I don't get highly committed to a genre still out of bounds from my moral comfort (among other reasons). Here are my thoughts:

Windir isn't a band that can be considered just black metal. This is epic melodic/symphonic black metal with colorful leads and mythological lyrics. All that and the genre's usual vocal screams and blast-beats make this sound a unique combo. Valfar was one of the more talented members of the Norwegian black metal scene. He could do everything except drums and clean vocals, which two other band members have done for him. He had an idea to make a black metal band that didn't follow the usual the genre's stereotypes, and he succeeded! Sadly, his life was taken in a blizzard during a trek to his family cabin in his homeland of Norway after his band's 4th album. He had an incredible technique of alternating between only a few powerful melodic riffs throughout the longer tracks. The instruments make the most change, taking turns playing each riff, whether adding more or less heaviness or harmony. All that makes this album an excellent unique journey. RIP Valfar

4.5/5

Yeah, I'm ending this melodic/symphonic black metal exploration early because these kinds of threads are frowned upon, and I've realized that I'm still not ready to travel further into The North. This means any suggestions for my exploration are cancelled (Sorry, Morpheus). Will I try to explore more black metal in the future? No idea, but the time is not now. That's all for this thread, folks!

OK then, Daniel. I have one more album to review, then that's it for this thread. Probably for this exploration as well, because as much as I enjoy what I've reviewed so far, I feel the need to stop for my own moral values.

Ulver is the main band of former Arcturus vocalist Garm, an experimental electronic band that started off as black metal and dark folk in their first 3 albums, with this album Nattens Madrigal displaying the most of the former. The lyrics centered around wolves in the dark night and the sinister tremolos having some melody are what turn me on in these raw punishing black metal "Wolf Hymns" that I would've backed away from otherwise. Here are my thoughts:

Ulver started off as folk-black metal in their debut Bergtatt. Then they took out all of their metal in their dark folk album Kveldssanger. And where did they put all their leftover black metal? In this album, Nattens madrigal! They also spent all their recording money on drugs and a Corvette just so they could record the album in a forest using a tape recorder. Of course, that's just a rumor, but with this harsh raw production, you might think that was real... Try to find any acoustic folk in this album. Spoiler: There's almost none. The second minute of the album's opening track is a nice beautiful acoustic section. You might think they would have more to bring back the Bergtatt sound, but that's not the case here. The chaos returns at the start of the 3rd minute and is like that for the rest of the album, minus some brief ambient intermissions between tracks. What I like the most about the instrumentation is when melody is added to the vicious guitar work in brilliant contrast with the lo-fi production, aggressive drumming, and snarling vocal range. All that makes this album probably one of the best examples of the heavier side of black metal for me!

4.5/5

This thread is mostly just to journal my progress in my exploration, Daniel, though if I find a release that doesn't get talked about often in the site, I'll take it to one of those other threads for more open discussion.

Thanks, Morpheus! I'll check out some of those bands soon.

Emperor is known as the band that pioneered symphonic black metal and a once forbidden aspect adding keyboards to black metal, with their 1994 debut In the Nightside Eclipse. I've actually checked out that album a few years ago, but backed out from there, because I wasn't ready to go down that route, and all members of the band who recorded that album except Ihsahn were arrested and jailed for many crimes. So let's go to their second album Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk. Here are my thoughts:

Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk continues to shape up the band's symphonic black metal. Here the songs are more anthemic and the keyboards have much more prominence instead of being left in the background. With synthesized string crescendos and mystical lyrical themes, the vibe is more medieval than satanic. Also to add into the sound of extreme chaos, the imprisoned murderer drummer Faust was replaced with the guy from Enslaved's Frost, Trym. His crazy blast-beat drumming was what made the first two Enslaved albums stand out in pummeling fury with his super strength, and he has encouraged other extreme metal drummers to break the ground to the Earth's core. But this constant raging stream can be a bit repetitive and get old fast. As much as I enjoy this speedy chaos, it's not as essential as everything else in the instrumentation. Trym and Hellhammer are two amazing drummers, but... Yeah, we get it! You can drum like a madman. Still they're true forces of chaos in the genre. You can also hear chaotic speed and technical riffing from the guitar duo of Ihsahn and Samoth, and their tremendous writing shows their true genius. Dissonant harmonies and tremolos add more to the sound that's already cinematic as it is. The epic fury shows the direction the band wanted to take, heading for glory while having some of their earlier brutality. There is also Ihsahn's snarled vocals and occasional clean singing, and Alver's bass fills. Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk may be different from their debut, but it's an essential part of the band's evolution that would continue into their next two albums. Apart from a bit of repetition and cheesiness, this is epic furious symphonic black metal that any of the more extreme metalheads should listen to!

4.5/5

Some more metalcore bands I now enjoy thanks to some amazing discoveries, including the math-ish metalcore of these two bands:

And the melodic metalcore of these two bands:

Philosophical Christian technical thrash metal from Pennsylvania:

Crushing melodic death-doom from Austin, Texas, in a similar vein to Insomnium and October Tide:

Ben, please add the new Sadus album The Shadow Inside.

Ben, please add Hinayana.

A true highlight of symphonic/avant-garde metal with awesome eerie vocals:

A more brutal brief standout of riffing/vocal madness to summarize this band's sound:

A two and a half minute highlight of metalcore/deathgrind, name-dropping the MCU Iron Man actor in its song title:

As the song title would imply, just some lifeless plodding sh*t that doesn't enhance the aggression I would've enjoyed:

A 7-minute metal/hardcore epic that has brushed aside the EP's lack of the more lively elements from their full-length album:

1. Gateway playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 10)

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

3. Revolution playlist - 4/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 31)

4. Sphere playlist - 4/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 29)

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 two 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: Code Orange - "The Above" (2023) 4.5/5

THE INFINITE: Epiphanic Truth - "Dark Triad: Bitter Psalms to a Sordid Species" (2021) 4/5

THE REVOLUTION: Gulch - "Impenetrable Cerebral Fortress" (2020) 3/5

THE SPHERE: Omega Lithium - "Dreams in Formaline" (2014) 5/5

Having listened to and reviewed this month's feature releases for all my clans, they all came out really great. My Gateway and Sphere nominations are glorious gems that I would recommend to fans of their respective genres. The Epiphanic Truth album is also well-done, but the Gulch one, not so much. Keep up the good work on the feature releases, all! I look forward to more...

A yummy gigantic track from the most famous (and infamous) man of NDH:

I just hate the deflation in quality occurring in this filler track:

One of the greatest early metalcore/deathcore songs that I would recommend for fans of Abnegation and the late 90s eras of Embodyment and Underoath:

No disrespect to the late Joey Jordison, but he really could've written his songs better for Roadrunner United, especially this alt-pop rock stinker with the vocals by Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw coming out lame: