Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Job for a Cowboy – Beyond the Chemical Doorway (2024)

5/5. Starting this playlist is a band that I never had the leeway to listen to in the year 2014 when I was in my power metal-loving teens, due to their death metal (deathcore in their 2006 EP) sound. But now that I'm in my 20s and can handle that kind of sound, especially in their more progressive material like their new album Moon Healer, I'm up for more! It's just way too good to lose, and the bass sounds audible and groovy.

 The Ocean – Permian: The Great Dying (2018)

4.5/5. My interest in this band seemed to have died out lately, but songs like this one still have their underrated greatness.

Ibaraki – Kagutsuchi (2022)

4.5/5. Violent yet melodic blackened prog-metal. How did I not hear this until now???

Intronaut – Prehistoricisms (2008)

5/5. And how perfect can this progressive post-sludge sound get?!

Periphery – Zagreus (2023)

5/5. This glorious highlight kicks the heaviness back to bloodthirsty brutality. This almost has a blackened vibe with the riffing and demonic growling. I haven't heard Sotelo sound so savage since when he guest appeared in Sikth's "Cracks of Light". Then the track closes with a cinematic orchestral ending.

Stortgern – Xeno Chaos (2023)

4.5/5. Standing out well is this track that bursts out more than a human-killing Xenomorph (unrelated). It truly is special as the progressive tech-death rises up in melody.

Charlie Griffiths – Arctic Cemetery (2022)

4.5/5. I hadn't listened to much Haken and Between the Buried and Me in the past couple years, but hearing the former band's guitarist Charlie Griffiths and the latter band's vocalist Tommy Rogers together is quite a treat where you get to hear a bit of BTBAM's signature deathly progressive metal sound.

The Human Abstract – Complex Terms (2011)

5/5. I just wish this band was still around. Their complex djent-ish neoclassical prog-metal sound rules, especially close to the one-minute mark then two minutes after.

Rivers of Nihil – Where Owls Know My Name (2018)

4.5/5. This one is a bleak yet amazing song from another band that I should've listened to more of. The lyrics are some of the best here, and what makes it beautiful yet slightly laughable is the jazzy saxophone solos, one of them as early as the two-minute mark. Quite a groovy headbanger this track is! It will make you float out or orbit into the astral plane. I think I can hear where some of the more technical aspects of Lorna Shore came from!

Leprous – Contaminate Me (2013)

4/5. Horns up for one of the heaviest Leprous songs, featuring Emperor's Ihsahn!

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Alien Weaponry – Titokowaru (2021)

5/5. The opening track of its original album and this playlist starts with some Maori warriors chanting while rowing their boat over stormy seas. Then the storm becomes pummeling as fast riff groove comes in. The verses have a simple melody that pushes along like when those warriors push their oars, as the seas have different layers. It also fits well for a gym workout. An excellent boat-rower!

Biohazard – These Eyes (Have Seen) (1996)

4.5/5. These ears haven't heard before an amazing blended of Pantera groove with rapping. Pretty cool, right?

Demon Hunter – Revolutions (2022)

4.5/5. Then enters this rebellious track, ranging in vocal variety, battling between the screaming empire and the soft-singing rebellion.

Imminence – Death by a Thousand Cuts (2023)

5/5. Another f***ing banger from this band I should listen to more of. G****mn, I look forward to their new album The Black!

Karnivool – Mauseum (2005)

5/5. The heaviness builds up again with this slower highlight that I found a few years before the rest of this band's material.

Katatonia – Lethean (2012)

4.5/5. One of the nicest songs from this band!

Sleep Token – The Offering (2019)

5/5. It's so incredible how perfectly the vocals, guitars, and drums can flow from anger to despair at ease. Discovering this band via their new album Take Me Back to Eden was a pleasant experience, and songs from their other albums like this one make me want more.

Spotlights – Crawling Toward the Light (2023)

4.5/5. Then we have the ominous experimentation again with this band, this time with a similar vibe to Madder Mortem.

Type O Negative – Anesthesia (2003)

4/5. RIP Peter Steele. This was what I enjoyed when I was still highly in the gothic metal zone. The bass and synths shine well here. Though I still prefer upbeat power of songs like "I Don't Wanna Be Me".

Ugly Kid Joe – Sweet Leaf/Funky Fresh Country Club (1991)

4.5/5. This playlist ends with two over 7-minute covers of classic heavy metal songs, the first of which doing the original Sabbath song justice despite adding more funk and the vocals of Whitfield Crane sounding a bit nasal.

Waltari – Infinite Dreams (2011)

5/5. And here's the other cover, perhaps the best Maiden cover I've heard! It's part of a special covers album to celebrate the band's 25 anniversary. The band really lets out their influences here, often sounding like Ozzy Osbourne/Black Sabbath and Metallica, while throwing in some... Johnny Cash-like country?!? And melodeath?!?! Now that's wild! Kärtsy Hatakka is a true genius.

Well, here I am again in the Roots of Metal project. I see that we are in the second half of the 70s that I have tested out a few months ago. I would personally also include Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow and Scorpions albums In Trance and Virgin Killer, because I also consider those releases equally heavy metal/hard rock, and they're worth discussion to see if anyone agrees with me and if they should end up in the site, but that's just my opinion. Anyway, here's how I would genre-tag the 9 tracks in this Judas Priest album:

1. Victim of Changes - Heavy metal

2. The Ripper - Heavy metal

3. Dreamer Deceiver - Art/soft rock

4. Deceiver - Heavy metal

5. Prelude - Art rock (with classical synths)

6. Tyrant - Heavy metal

7. Genocide - Heavy metal/hard rock

8. Epitaph - Piano ballad

9. Island of Domination - Heavy metal/hard rock

Primary genres: Heavy metal

Secondary genres: Hard rock, art rock

With all that, I consider Sad Wings of Destiny a prime example of classic heavy metal, with a couple of the metal songs leaning into hard rock, two softer art rock tracks, and one piano ballad. I look forward to our track-to-track discussion about Rainbow's Rising and my track-by-track genre analysis that will follow...

March 2024

1. Godflesh - "Like Rats" from Streetcleaner (1989) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

2. Turmion Katilot - "Hengita" from Hengita (2022)

3. Rave the Reqviem - "Ofelia" from Ofelia (2023)

4. Dodheimsgard - "Ion Storm" (title swapped with "Carpet Bombing" on Spotify) from 666 International (1999) [submitted by Daniel]

5. Eisbrecher - "Liebe Macht Monster" from Liebe Macht Monster (2021)

6. Rob Zombie - "Demonoid Phenomenon" from Hellbilly Deluxe (1998)

7. Static-X - "Black Star" from Project: Regeneration Vol. 2 (2024)

8. Mnemic - "Deathbox" from The Audio Injected Soul (2004) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

9. Red Harvest - "Cybernaut" from Sick Transit Gloria Mundi (2002) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

10. Blood From the Soul - "Natures Hole" from To Spite the Gland That Breeds (1994)

11. Killing Joke - "Whiteout" from Pandemonium (1994)

12. Fear Factory - "Cloning Technology" from Remanufacture – Cloning Technology (1997) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

13. In This Moment - "We Will Rock You" from Mother (2020) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Ghostemane - "Convoluted" from Fear Network II (2021)

15. Realize - "Crest Dispersal" from Two Human Minutes (2023)

16. White Zombie - "Blood, Milk and Sky (Miss September Mix)" from Supersexy Swingin' Sounds (1996)

17. Raubtier - "En hjältes väg" from Skriet Från Vildmarken (2010)

18. Emigrate - "This is What" from Emigrate (2007)

19. The Mad Capsule Markets - "Let It Rip -Download From Joujouka" from CiSTm K0nFLiqT (2004)

20. Lord of the Lost - "The Heart is a Traitor" from Judas (2021)

21. Khost - "Iversion" from Corrosive Shroud (2015)

22. P.H.O.B.O.S. - "Gregarious" from Tectonics (2005)

23. Sybreed - "Ex Inferis" from Antares (2007)

24. Neurotech - "The Halcyon Symphony" from Symphonies (2016)

25. Gothminister - "Somewhere in Time" from The Other Side (2017) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

March 2024

1. Before I Turn - "Beginning My Descent to Hell" from The Devil Exists (2024)

2. Sonic Syndicate - "Aftermath" from Only Inhuman (2007) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. As Blood Runs Black - "In Dying Days" from Allegiance (2006)

4. War of Ages - "The Awakening" from Fire From the Tomb (2007) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

5. In This Moment - "This Moment" from Beautiful Tragedy (2007)

6. The Amity Affliction - "Pittsburgh" from Let the Ocean Take Me (2014)

7. Malevolence - "Higher Place" from Malicious Intent (2022)

8. VENUES - "Unspoken Words" from Unspoken Words (2024)

9. Thrown - "Backfire" from Backfire (2024)

10. Acres, Silent Planet - "Nothing." from Burning Throne (2023)

11. One Morning Left - "Emerald Dragon" from Emerald Dragon (2024)

12. Miss May I - "Gone" from Rise of the Lion (2014) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

13. Unearth - "Zombie Autopilot" from The Oncoming Storm (2004) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Drown in Sulphur - "Eclipse of the Sun of Eden" from Dark Secrets of the Soul (2024)

15. Osiah - "Street Justice" from Terror Firma (2016)

16. Humanity's Last Breath - "Human Swarm" from Humanity's Last Breath (2013)

17. Monasteries - "Dreadwaste" from The Empty Black (2015)

18. Deadguy - "Nine Stitches" from Fixation on a Co-Worker (1995) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

19. Circuit Circuit - "I Dream the World Awake" from Body Songs (2023)

20. Great Falls - "Born As An Argument" from Objects Without Pain (2023) [submitted by Daniel]

21. Car Bomb - "The Sentinel" from w^w^^w^w (2012)

22. Zao - "Xenophobe" from The Well-Intentioned Virus (2016) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

23. Invent Animate - "Indigo" from Stillworld (2016)

24. HEAVENSGATE - "GINSICK" from AND ALL I LOVED, I LOVED ALONE (2023)

25. Feed the Addiction - "Thorn" from Rebirth (2023)

26. Sail's End - "Wishful Thinking" from Live and Die (2023)

27. Architects - "Doomsday" from Holy Hell (2018)

28. Trivium - "The Phalanx" from In the Court of the Dragon (2021)

29. For the Fallen Dreams - "Through the Looking Glass" from Changes (2008) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

Here's my review summary:

Whenever there's experimentation, their results are often mixed reactions from many critics. The negative reception is due to those changes being suddenly different from the sound they're used to, whereas bands like Voivod take things slowly when gradually changing their sound for a fresh complex result. And on that same year, Metallica also released a more progressive thrash metal album before making their abrupt switch to the heavy/alternative metal that was received negatively. For Dimension Hatröss, only a few traces of thrash remain, those traces being just the fast thrashy tempos. Those tempos are dominated by all its changes every few measures. The band can go straight-on progressive without making a 20-minute epic, with many styles and influences all in dexterous textures in just an under 5-minute track. Some of the jazz influences come from the otherworldly diminished chords of Piggy (Denis D'Amour) (RIP). Their progressive sound would be fully solidified in their next album Nothingface. Their thrash was in the past, but their progressive metal would come in that's out of this world!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "Chaosmöngers", "Technocratic Manipulators", "Macrosolutions to Megaproblems", "Brain Scan", "Batman Theme" (bonus track)

For fans of: Watchtower, and the early 90s eras of Anacrusis and Coroner

Here's my submission for the April Guardians playlist:

Beast in Black - "To the Last Drop of Blood" (from Dark Connection, 2021)

This Earth Crisis EP is a decent start to their career and early example of the metallic hardcore sound the band is known for, but not as much impact as their subsequent releases. More info in my short review here: https://metal.academy/reviews/30122/45462

I actually just experienced the opposite when reviewing that Persefone EP, Sonny. When I initially gave that EP some listening, I thought I was hearing their melodic deathly progressive metal in full force, enough to give it 4.5 stars. But now that I've listened more thoroughly for the sake of reviewing, let's just say, the rating dropped a full star. With that, I've made a couple small changes to my new releases list and upcoming releases wishlist (see above).

These new unfitting modern influences cause things to go down in sh*t with pointless filter in this EP's intro:

Although this new blend of deathly progressive metal with metalcore elements doesn't sound as cool as it should, it shines the best in this 7 and a half minute epic throwing back to Persefone's earlier greatness:

Anthemic power metal, featuring Joakim Brodén of Sabaton:

A nice alt-metal anthem that's more melodic while still heavy:

Genitorturers still have their industrial metal sound in this rock-out Rob Zombie-like highlight:

The band example of funky carnival-style avant-garde metal from this band that includes Faith No More vocalist Mike Patton:

I've just given this album some listening and a review because I felt up to checking out one of the most experimental releases in metal. Here we have an avant-garde metal exploration through noise, funk, thrash, and circus music. I agree that there's barely any pure funk here, and I shall give your Hall entry a YES vote.

I consider Testimony of the Ancients the transition album between Pestilence's early standard death metal in Consuming Impulse and their progressive death metal sound in Spheres. The tech-death side of this progressive/tech-death coin would go on to be the band's main sound for the albums they're released since their 2008 reformation. The album would also solidify their position in the prog-death metal Big 4 alongside Death, Atheist (with those two bands' 1991 albums as well), and Cynic (with their debut Focus two years later). Those albums really made history with the rise of prog-death metal in 1991, and I once gave those game-changing releases a small meme:

Anyway, back to the main point. Am I going to give this Hall entry of Pestilence's 3rd album a YES vote? The answer is YES.

Ben, please add Tungsten.

I haven't found a lot of new releases in 2024 so far, but I have enough for a top 5, all in a solid range of 4 to 5 stars:

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

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

3. Drown in Sulphur - Dark Secrets of the Soul [deathcore]

4. Dead by April - The Affliction [alternative metal]

5. Persefone - Lingua Ignota: Part I [progressive metal]

Quite an amazing start for this year of metal for me! And there's a lot more that I look forward to getting. Here are some releases coming out later in 2024 that make my wishlist:

Amaranthe - The Catalyst

Bruce Dickinson - The Mandrake Project (I've listened to Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson's solo material before, so I thought, why not catch up?)

DragonForce - Warp Speed Warriors (can't forget about the band that started it all for my metal interest)

While She Sleeps - Self Hell

Erra - Cure

Northlane - Mirror's Edge

The Ghost Inside - Searching for Solace

High on Fire - Cometh the Storm (their Bat Salad EP is so fantastic for me that I want more of this band)

Pestilence - Levels of Perception

Gothminister - Pandemonium II: The Battle of the Underworlds

Knocked Loose - You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To

Trail of Tears - Winds of Disdain

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

Ben, please add Grailknights.

Ben, please add the Genitorturers album Blackheart Revolution. Although it only has 2 upvotes for alternative metal in RYM, I strongly think there's enough metal to qualify.

Influence? Coincidence? Likely balancing on the line in between there.

If you're going for the epic symphonic Mechina/Neurotech style of cyber metal, the ingredients are the industrial electronics of Fear Factory, the djenty guitars of Meshuggah, the cinematic symphonics of Two Steps From Hell, and the progressive structure of Symphony X. Vocal styles may vary.

How about an epic deathcore album in the style of Lorna Shore? How would you make that?

DragonForce has done it again! They turned a pop single into a kick-A speedy power metal song, just the way I like these kinds of covers:

This Celtic Frost cover does proper justice to that band's earlier extreme thrash sound:

A blend of sludgy heavy/stoner metal in this instrumental that pays tribute to Black Sabbath:

Sludgy progressive metal with metalcore tendencies:

Bombastic Sabbath-inspired stoner metal with technical progressiveness:

Energetic hard rock/speed metal:

Well done, Ben! Another glorious milestone.

A fantastic cyber metal symphony in which metal guitars and electronic keyboards play out together in perfect synchronization:

An epic symphony with a synth-y first third, a metallic second third, and a symphonic final third:

Today I decided to check out a couple cyber metal albums to gain some ideas for tracks in future Sphere playlists, both of which each deserve a 4-star rating from me:

Part of a massive conceptual saga that is basically like Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe combined and played out like Rhapsody of Fire's sagas, all in a bombastic style of extreme djenty symphonic/cyber metal.

A compilation of 4 EXACTLY 10-minute grand instrumental epics that are dubbed, you guessed it, "symphonies", released as singles before a whole collection of them, all in the project's symphonic take of the usual ambient electro-industrial/cyber metal.

Also, Symphonies II has the industrial metal genre and cyber metal subgenre, but it's missing The Sphere clan on the release page. Could you please correct that in the database, Daniel? Thanks.

A massive beast of a cyber metal epic:

Cinematic symphonics, serene vocals, best lyrical writing of the album:

Ambitious epic space progressive djent:

1. Gateway playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 14)

2. Infinite playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 9)

3. Revolution playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 28)

4. Sphere playlist - 4/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 24)

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: In This Moment - Godmode (2023) 4.5/5

THE INFINITE: Anacrusis - Manic Impressions (1991) 4.5/5

THE REVOLUTION: For the Fallen Dreams - Changes (2008) 5/5

THE SPHERE: Nailbomb - Point Blank (1994) 4/5

Having listened to and reviewed this month's feature releases for all my clans, they all came out great. My Gateway and Revolution nominations are glorious gems that I would recommend to fans of their respective genres. I also enjoy the Infinite and Sphere feature releases. Keep up the good work on the feature releases, all! I look forward to more...

I wasn't planning on returning to the Roots of Metal project, but I felt curious enough to check out that Black Sabbath track "Supertzar". And wow, I absolutely agree with you, Daniel. The first ever symphonic/progressive metal track! This isn't Black Sabbath's first rodeo when it comes to strings (first being "Spiral Architect"), but if anyone here is looking for the true birth of metal genres with the orchestral epicness of Therion and Epica and the complex experimentation of Dream Theater and Fates Warning, that's it right here.

Lots of ominous riffing in this progressive thrasher:

An absolute highlight of brutal rage in this tech-thrash offering:

I've done my review, here's its summary:

Anacrusis has reached a greater progressive height in their tech-thrash sound. Their two albums before this one showed subtle hints of progressiveness, but with Manic Impressions, they have reached their signature style that has put this album together with Coroner and Dark Angel's respective albums that year as the 1991 tech-thrash triptych! Manic Impressions shows a new vision for Anacrusis, along with a different drummer whose skills added to the complexity. Soft breaks and multiple time signatures have become more common than before, as are the mid-paced progressive aspects that would be in full force in their swan song album Screams and Whispers. With the songs and lyrics in cohesive flow, you can almost consider this a concept album when it isn't. Not every album has nothing but strong songs, but this album stands out as that. Kenn Nardi's talented voice (at least I think is talented) has improved significantly to flow with the dark atmosphere and intense heaviness colliding in a dramatic mix. The ominous riffing and melodic leads enhance the fast thrash that's balanced with the mid-paced sections surrounding, sometimes slowing down to heavier doom. All this and technical emotion in the music and lyrics show you what progressive tech-thrash is all about!

4.5/5

The highlight for this technical thrash offering is this one that shouldn't have been deemed just a bonus track:

The perfect wild chaos of tech-thrash while the subgenre was still fresh:

Dragoncorpse - The Drakketh Saga. Sure this album leans towards symphonic power metal, but deathcore is the more dominating genre there. Maybe a little too extreme for the kids, but at least the lyrics don't have any swearing.

This here is the song that got me into For the Fallen Dreams via one of my earlier Revolution playlists, and it has the furious fire of their perfect late 2000s starter duo of albums blended with anthemic melody:

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

Fear Factory - "Cloning Technology" (5:51) from Remanufacture – Cloning Technology (1997)

Godflesh - "Like Rats" (4:29) from Streetcleaner (1989)

Gothminister - "Somewhere in Time" (3:26) from The Other Side (2017)

In This Moment - "We Will Rock You" (3:05) from Mother (2020)

Mnemic - "Deathbox" (4:31) from The Audio Injected Soul (2004)

Red Harvest - "Cybernaut" (5:22) from Sick Transit Gloria Mundi (2002)

Total length: 26:44

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

Deadguy - "Nine Stitches" (2:16) from Fixation on a Co-Worker (1995)

For the Fallen Dreams - "Through the Looking Glass" (5:51) from Changes (2008)

Miss May I - "Gone" (3:38) from Rise of the Lion (2014)

Sonic Syndicate - "Aftermath" (4:11) from Only Inhuman (2007)

Unearth - "Zombie Autopilot" (4:10) from The Oncoming Storm (2004)

War of Ages - "The Awakening" (4:04) from Fire From the Tomb (2007)

Zao - "Xenophobe" (3:10) from The Well-Intentioned Virus (2016)

Total length: 27:20

Here are my submissions for the March Infinite playlist:

Ibaraki - "Kagutsuchi" (7:35) from Rashomon (2022)

Intronaut - "Prehistoricisms" (6:29) from Prehistoricisms (2008)

Periphery - "Zagreus" (8:19) from Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre (2023)

Stortregn - "Xeno Chaos" (5:40) from Finitude (2023)

Total length: 28:03

Here are my submissions for the March Gateway playlist:

Alien Weaponry - "Titokowaru" (5:51) from Tangaroa (2021)

Demon Hunter - "Revolutions" (5:35) from Exile (2022)

Imminence - "Death by a Thousand Cuts" (5:26) from Death by a Thousand Cuts (2023)

Sleep Token - "The Offering" (5:49) from The Offering (2019)

Waltari - "Infinite Dreams" (7:19) from Covers All (2011)

Total length: 30:00 (EXACTLY, sorry)