Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Enda Vinera - "Death's Calling" from Death's Calling (2022)

5/5. There's no better way to start this playlist with a brand new Lorna Shore-inspired epic deathcore band my brother and I both discovered. This is basically "To The Hellfire 2.0", in a way that sounds like far more like a tribute than the rip-off. I wonder if their next couple songs will be similar to "Of the Abyss" and "And I Return to Nothingness"...

Beartooth - "Sunshine!" from Sunshine! (2023)

5/5. Here's another fantastic single, this one being poppy metalcore! Beartooth is where I prefer to get that sound rather than Falling in Reverse. A f***ing killer song to love!

Premonitions of War - "Correspondences" from The True Face of Panic (2002)

4.5/5. This one has some of the most metal blast-beats I've heard from a metal/hardcore band. The deathgrind sound has some abstract chords, opening a wide tunnel with devastating chaos at its end.

Earth Crisis - "Born From Pain" from Destroy the Machines (1995)

5/5. Up next is this introspective blast of heavy weight in the music and lyrics. It was also recently covered by Eighteen Visions in their own cover album.

Code Orange - "I Am King" from I Am King (2014)

4.5/5. This track starts with opening and closing walls of distorted sound before the volume and power increase for their usual hardcore/metalcore.

Shai Hulud - "Outside the Boundaries of a Friend" from Hearts Once Nourished With Hope and Compassion (1997)

5/5. This one has excellent guitar intricacy that would make me say the Owen Wilson "WOW." The perfect devastation comes during the breakdowns in contrast to lightning fast rhythms that sear through.

Strongarm - "Stand Together" from Atonement (1995)

4.5/5. One of my favorites here, with a message of never giving up on grace.

Burst - "Rain" from Prey on Life (2003)

4/5. A beautiful prog-ish metalcore track. What else can I say?

Atreyu - "Ain't Love Grand" from Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses (2002)

4.5/5. This song from the band's debut album is greatly addictive! When I was in my late teens, my brother was playing some of his favorite songs on his guitar. This song ain't one of them, but it should've been. I'm barely complaining at all!

Animosity - "Grey Skies" from Shut It Down (2003)

5/5. This nearly 3-minute-long song unleashes the might of their deathcore groove from the two different coasts, even having some Undying-like melody. There isn't anything acoustic, just brutal deathly weight.

Hatebreed - "Not One Truth" from Satisfaction is the Death of Desire (1997)

5/5. One of the best tracks in the playlist, blasting through rebellious lyrics and chorus rhythm.

Cable - "Steel Cage Match" from Variable Speed Drive (1996)

4.5/5. A highlight in which the anger and passion makes up for the slight unpolished mistakes.

Converge - "Homewrecker" from Jane Doe (2001)

5/5. This one cranks the chaos back to full throttle. It is a definitely a killer standout in everything from the lyrics to the vocals and instruments with higher versatility than bands like Botch. There's some more brilliant guitar work and drumming. The brilliant chorus kick a** with drums, riffs, and vocal howls that can really wreck your home if you play it at full blast.

Zao - "Lies of Serpents, a River of Tears" from Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest (1998)

5/5. Continuing that metallic direction is this awesome track, especially in the guitar duo's atonal riffing.

Ice Nine Kills - "Thank God It's Friday" from The Silver Scream (2018)

4.5/5. This song continues the tempo and execution in epic chaotic atmosphere

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

5/5. This is another heavy rock/alt-metal anthem with easier instrumentation. It's actually the song that got me into this band, thanks to my brother who also likes this band (he likes metalcore as well but when it's closer to his usual hard rock/alt-metal taste).

Trivium - "Catastrophist" from What the Dead Men Say (2020)

5/5. There are some risks that end up paying off greatly, such as a radio-friendly singalong chorus. Then at the halfway mark, the mosh pit opens with a face-tearing assault. The furious drumming is what keeps everything together and not fall out of place.

Eighteen Visions - "Prelude to an Epic/Flowers for Ingrid" from Until the Ink Runs Out (2000)

4.5/5. The first part is an epic intro that sounds the intro for one of the songs by Brandan Schieppati's main band Bleeding Through, especially in the background keyboards. Then the second part has the band's usual metalcore.

Prayer for Cleansing - "A Dead Soul Born" from Rain in Endless Fall (1999)

5/5. This one attacks with fantastic black-metalcore that makes you forget that some of these guys are from BTBAM.

Celldweller, The Browning - "A Matter of Time - The Browning Remix" from A Matter of Time (The Browning Remix) (2019)

5/5. A heavy DOOM-style death/metalcore remix of a Celldweller song! If The Browning and Celldweller ever tour together, they should definitely perform this remix live. Although there are a couple slow djenty deathcore breakdowns, at the two-minute mark is a different kind of breakdown, one of aggrotech adrenaline. Total electronic fire! Celldweller has also remixed one of Asking Alexandria's songs. I guess you can consider this remix industrial djenty death/metalcore. I definitely prefer to find electronics in metal rather than pop. This certainly is heavier than Metallica has ever gone, or even Slipknot. I f***ing love this collaboration. The vocals range from brutal to clean, as does the instrumentation enhanced by The Browning in a battle between life and death. Would you believe that this is the same Celldweller that made the 2003 debut? Well... Yes and no! That's how absolutely precious this is.

Despised Icon - "Bad Vibes" from Beast (2016)

4.5/5. "YOU GIVE ME BAD VIBES!" Totally killer deathcore right there.

Impending Doom - "Deceiver" from Baptized in Filth (2012)

5/5. Same with this one, but guess what, this band is Christian! You might find it hard to believe how bad-a** the song is, especially over the two-minute mark, but that's what they are. The vocalist has great range, not just deathly low. And they said Christianity and death metal/core don't mix...

The Word Alive - "The Fortune Teller" from Real (2014)

4.5/5. Start off from the intro that sounds like the beginning of Lady Gaga's "Poker Face", this is a catchy song to jam along to, all the way to the perfect outro. This album Real is filled with solid favorites. The solo at the 3-minute mark is one of the sick performed by Zack Hansen. The lyrics are well thought-put and have deep meaning for your lost struggles, "Here I am now, am I all alone?" Towards the end of the bridge, there's a bit of a Staind vibe, but the song definitely sounds more like Architects than Staind.

Parkway Drive - "Bottom Feeder" from Ire (2015)

4/5. The heaviness returns with a "GO!!" in this mid-paced anthem, starting with an interesting 30-second riff intro. The guitars, drums, and vocals are all in interesting interplay, especially in the gang chorus that makes that song a phenomenal track.

Mouthbreather - "Born Dead" from Pig (2017)

3.5/5. Interesting submission, Daniel. This is actually one of only two tracks I like from this EP, having Daughters-like early 2000s mathcore I prefer.

Any Given Day - "Never Surrender" from Overpower (2019)

4/5. This one sounds a bit like Five Finger Death Punch mixed with 2000s Killswitch Engage. Still it's quite bad-A! Anyone who grew up in the 80s can enjoy Megadeth, but it's the more modern bands I'm looking out for. The chorus almost reminds me of Linkin Park. My favorite song from this band besides "Savior"!

Convictions - "Wreckage" from I Won't Survive (2021)

4.5/5. Another well-done killer metalcore track! That's all I gotta say there.

Sienna Skies - "Quarterlife" from A Darker Shade of Truth (2016)

4/5. I also like this one, though the mixing could've better. Next!

Living Sacrifice - "Apostasy" from The Infinite Order (2010)

4.5/5. As we approach the end of this playlist, here's an epic song that reminds me of Trivium's "The Shadow of the Abattoir".

Gaza - "Not With All the Hope in the World" from No Absolutes in Human Suffering (2012)

4/5. Let's end this with a relentless doomy swansong for this band's career. "It's the same noise every day, we walk back and forth".

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? Despite some bumpiness near the end. Anyway, I sure would recommend this to any metalcore fan and anyone who isn't into metalcore but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks Daniel for accepting this and your help with your submission, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Wheel – Tyrant (2019)

4/5. A great start for this playlist! That's the kind of breathtaking music to appreciate with audible bass. However, I find the lyrics to be a little too obvious. And while I do love the music, it's a bit too much like TOOL. Though there is a bit of a Soen vibe in the ambient midsection. Also the excellent vocals sound like the smoother side of Linkin Park's Chester Bennington (RIP).

Breaking Benjamin – Red Cold River (2018)

4.5/5. This song is a true example of Breaking Benjamin's heavier potential. My brother has been a fan of this band since the beginning of his rock/metal interest over a decade ago, and he and I still find amazing songs from this band throughout all those years.

Coldrain – Bloody Power Fame (2022)

5/5. Now this is a thought-evoking anthem throwing back to their earlier alt-metal/post-hardcore roots of 10 years ago. It's certainly addictive with the tight guitar shredding and powerful clean choruses. No wonder it became another anime theme!

Evanescence – Haunted (2003)

3.5/5. One of my brother's favorite Evanescence songs, though it's quite strange, telling a horror story about a spirit trapping a girl in a haunted mansion for a decade.

Five Finger Death Punch – If I Fall (2011)

4/5. This one continues the heavy madness that would impress fellow bands of the NWOAHM such as Trivium.

I Prevail – Bow Down (2019)

4.5/5. A great song from one of my brother's recent favorite bands! "GET ON YOUR KNEES AND BOW DOWN!!!"

My Ruin – Silverlake (2008)

4/5. The sludgy alt-metal instrumentation is quite killer, but the rapping ruins it a bit.

Lacuna Coil – Sword of Anger (2019)

4.5/5. A great sensation of gothic alt-metal from the masters of that sound! Like holy sh*t, you can hear the vocal anger of Andrea Ferro alongside the beautiful voice of Cristina Scabbia. The amazing music comes out as almost a cross between Madness-era All That Remains, HIM, and We are the Fallen. Probably one of the best songs I've heard from this band! They've taken their heaviness and done it justice like true modern metal warriors.

Escape the Fate – Gorgeous Nightmare (2010)

2.5/5. This song I've heard from a music video I've watched 10 years ago. It sounded great back then, but now? Nope, it's just too d*mn repetitive. This attempt at a catchy chorus is annoying with plain-sounding instrumentation. I feel like skipping that track and erasing all memories of it from my mind.

New Years Day – Relentless (2015)

3/5. Although I support my brother's like for this band, Ash Costello's vocals sound a bit too whiny and emo there. Sorry, miss...

Parkway Drive – Shadow Boxing (2018)

3.5/5. This one introduces something different to the band; clean vocals and piano! It's a dark epic song, despite the strange rapping vocals throwing me off.

Ektomorf – Ten Plagues (2014)

4/5. Great track to end the playlist, despite sounding too much like mid-90s Sepultura.

Ben, please add Poynte.

June 2023

1. Meathook Seed - "Famine Sector" from Embedded (1993)

2. Deathstars - "Midnight Party" from Everything Destroys You (2023)

3. Pitchshifter - "Landfill" from Industrial (1991)

4. Sore Throat - "Phase IV" from Inde$troy (1989)

5. Rob Zombie - "Superbeast" from Hellbilly Deluxe (1998)

6. Dead World - "Kill" from The Machine (1993)

7. Skrew - "Albatross" from Dusted (1994)

8. Pain - "On Your Knees (Again)" from Pain (1997)

9. White Zombie - "El Phantasmo and the Chicken-Run Blast-O-Rama" from Astro-Creep: 2000 – Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head (1995)

10. Godflesh - "Crush My Soul" from Selfless (1994) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

11. Fear Factory - "Regenerate" from Genexus (2015) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

12. Mushroomhead - "Everyone's Got One - Only Mix" from Remix (1997)

13. Marilyn Manson - "Antichrist Superstar" from Antichrist Superstar (1996) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Samael - "Angel's Decay" from Passage (1996) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

15. Code Orange - "You and You Alone" from Underneath (2020) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. Gothminister - "All This Time" from The Other Side (2017)

17. Static-X - "Bring You Down (Project Regeneration)" from Project Regeneration, Vol. 1 (2020)

18. King Satan - "Left Hand Path Symphony" from Occult Spiritual Anarchy (2022)

19. Combichrist - "One Fire" from One Fire (2019)

20. Crematory - "Inglorious Darkness" from Inglorious Darkness (2022)

21. Contracult Collective - "Follow" from FOLLOW (2020)

22. D'espairsRay - "Dears" from Coll:set (2006)

23. Mechina - "The Horizon Effect" from Progenitor (2016)

24. Ministry - "Leper" from Animositisomina (2003) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

25. Erdling - "Blizzard" from Yggdrasil (2020)

26. Stahlmann - "Spring Nicht" from Quecksilber (2012)

27. Ost+Front - "Ost+Front 2014" from Olympia (2014)

28. The Amenta - "Parse Over" from Revelator (2021)

June 2023

1. Enda Vinera - "Death's Calling" from Death's Calling (2022)

2. Beartooth - "Sunshine!" from Sunshine! (2023)

3. Premonitions of War - "Correspondences" from The True Face of Panic (2002)

4. Earth Crisis - "Born From Pain" from Destroy the Machines (1995)

5. Code Orange - "I Am King" from I Am King (2014) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

6. Shai Hulud - "Outside the Boundaries of a Friend" from Hearts Once Nourished With Hope and Compassion (1997)

7. Strongarm - "Stand Together" from Atonement (1995)

8. Burst - "Rain" from Prey on Life (2003)

9. Atreyu - "Ain't Love Grand" from Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses (2002)

10. Animosity - "Grey Skies" from Shut It Down (2003)

11. Hatebreed - "Not One Truth" from Satisfaction is the Death of Desire (1997)

12. Cable - "Steel Cage Match" from Variable Speed Drive (1996)

13. Converge - "Homewrecker" from Jane Doe (2001)

14. Zao - "Lies of Serpents, a River of Tears" from Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest (1998)

15. Ice Nine Kills - "Thank God It's Friday" from The Silver Scream (2018) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. All That Remains - "Victory Lap" from The Order of Things (2015) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

17. Trivium - "Catastrophist" from What the Dead Men Say (2020) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

18. Eighteen Visions - "Prelude to an Epic/Flowers for Ingrid" from Until the Ink Runs Out (2000)

19. Prayer for Cleansing - "A Dead Soul Born" from Rain in Endless Fall (1999) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

20. Celldweller, The Browning - "A Matter of Time - The Browning Remix" from A Matter of Time (The Browning Remix) (2019)

21. Despised Icon - "Bad Vibes" from Beast (2016) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

22. Impending Doom - "Deceiver" from Baptized in Filth (2012)

23. The Word Alive - "The Fortune Teller" from Real (2014) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

24. Parkway Drive - "Bottom Feeder" from Ire (2015)

25. Mouthbreather - "Born Dead" from Pig (2017) [submitted by Daniel]

26. Any Given Day - "Never Surrender" from Overpower (2019)

27. Convictions - "Wreckage" from I Won't Survive (2021)

28. Sienna Skies - "Quarterlife" from A Darker Shade of Truth (2016)

29. Living Sacrifice - "Apostasy" from The Infinite Order (2010)

30. Gaza - "Not With All the Hope in the World" from No Absolutes in Human Suffering (2012)

Here's my review summary:

Katatonia is known as one of the finest metal bands to come from Stockholm, Sweden. So why am I not getting into more of this action? See, they started as a death-doom band throughout the early/mid-90s, and they made a couple of the best albums of that genre. But when I left the Fallen clan, I distanced away from this band (among other death-doom bands), and the depressive lyrics they've had throughout their career kind of boosted my moving out motive. Interestingly, their albums from Viva Emptiness onwards are in the clan I switched into, The Gateway, with those albums considered dark alternative metal with post-/progressive elements. When I found out about their newest album Sky Void of Stars (the title sounds like a depressing take on a Coldplay single), I remembered the decently well-made City Burials from 3 years prior and my subsequent wonder of whether or not Jonas Renkse and co. could do better. And they've done it! They've made something close to a masterpiece of creativity. There's so much to discover the moment this offering started playing. They've enhanced their sound in this ongoing alt-metal era, continuing the mellowness of City Burials while eliminating the plodding factors and climbing back up towards the top. My concerns about if the depressiveness becomes too depressing is now out the window, and instead we have what might just be the best album Katatonia made in 25 years. The more progressive songs are complex in the riffing and rhythm while staying melodic. Drummer Daniel Moilanen makes his way through an impossibly big amount of time signatures. Bassist Niklas Sandin impressively keeps up with the fast technicality, into a bridge of mellow jazz. Guitar duo Anders Nyström and Roger Öjersson are the masters behind the riff complexity, with the latter performing a beautiful soloing. Of course, we can't forget about Jonas Renkse's warm vocal melodies, but while the unpredictability of the vocals can level up the impact, right from the beginning, it might catch you off guard at times. As the album goes on, you get find more of this melodic goth alt-metal throwing back to the band's 2000s albums and even as early as Discouraged Ones and Tonight's Decision. If you're not as experienced with Katatonia as I am (despite my break from that band for over a year), Sky Void of Stars wouldn't be easy for you initially unless you give a lot of listening time. Eventually, it'll be worth witnessing the album's brilliance. Katatonia had finally made their way back on top in their discography, and I look forward to more!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Austerity", "Opaline", "Author", "Sclera", "Atrium", "No Beacon to Illuminate Our Fall"

For fans of: Alice in Chains, early-2000s Paradise Lost, Soen

Noise-powered industrial/nu metal with programmed drums hitting as hard as actual drums and impressive vocals:

Before I make the thread for my June feature releases and playlists, I'd like to share my thoughts about this feature release that I skipped but have not caught up. Here's my review summary:

The late Wayne Static, along with bassist Tony Campos, guitarist Koichi Fukuka, and drummer Ken Jay have made pretty good industrial/nu metal straight outta California. What's interesting is the album title, coming from the 1973 Michael Lesy book. The programmed drumming shows the band's noise-powered industrial metal tendencies, while being easily performed with actual drums. Static's vocal range is impressive, ranging from shouts to cleans without difficulty. The atmospheric synths and heavy riffing are also essential to the album's sound. In the end, we get to have a nice lookback at the first work of the band Wayne Static is mostly known for. RIP Wayne....

4/5

A brilliant closing track for this amazing industrial black metal journey:

A highlight from Danzig's gradual move away from electro-industrial back into the heavier metal, with Glenn Danzig's mind-blowing vocal talent:

Soar through the industrial metal cosmos with this memorable track:

Distorted sh*t that shouldn't have existed:

A dark-sounding highlight in a drum 'n' bass-littered industrial rock/metal album:

8-bit sounds and groove/thrash added into industrial/alternative metal ecstasy:

A long repetitive yet epic standout of industrial metal/post-sludge:

So I decided to listen to and review this album as I continue to expand my industrial metal horizons, and it's one of the very best I've heard from the genre and post-sludge! I also realized that this was an earlier Sphere feature release, and boy do I regret not checking out earlier when the feature release was still hot. Here's my review summary:

Some say going chronological when checking out a band's discography is one of the weaker methods because the earlier material before the famous era is often highly different. They may be correct, but HyBreed ended up being an exception to that rule. A newfound perfect favorite of mine as my industrial metal collection grows! HyBreed shows that the band is no longer as speedy as they were in their debut album and part of their second album. The album is slow in a lot of songs, and the tempo stays the same in even the long 10-minute epics, and there's never anything bad about that at all! Despite being a bit repetitive, that's the kind of repetition that appeals to me. They can just focus on one riff and one drum pattern and yet stay interesting. And even the two short fast tracks and two lengthy ambient tracks can have a great kick out of them. I know some people might not like it due to its heavy repetition and lengthiness and think this could cause a dent in the genre. However, this album has the motherload of many things that solidify the melody and dark ambience of industrial metal/post-sludge. The simply structured songs can keep you hooked until the end. Any fan of Red Harvest and industrial metal should get it, and if you want to appreciate it as much as I do, it just takes patience!

5/5

An 8-minute epic from this band's first album with the industrial metal sound they would be known for:

This Norwegian industrial metal band started out as avant-garde progressive/technical thrash that fans of Mekong Delta, Coroner, and late-80s Voivod shouldn't miss out on:

A brilliant highlight from the pioneering band of Neue Deutsche Härte:

A winning standout with the sharp riffing of industrial metal:

One of the darkest-sounding tracks I've heard in industrial metal, almost like funeral doom before that subgenre was fully developed:

A fantastic standout of synth-infused djenty metalcore variety from Veil of Maya's killer comeback album:

Unearth is back with a vengeance in this album that you can consider both the end of an era and the beginning of a new one:

Death is the most obvious one but I'd also nominate Converge & Gorguts.

Can't forget about Converge, though I say their greatness starts from their second album, Petitioning the Empty Sky, onwards.

Having done my reviewing journey through the Amorphis and Fear Factory discographies this month, I'm amazed by how solid these two bands are throughout each of their over 3-decade tenures. Their mid-90s classics are a few of the best masterpiece albums I've heard, and Amorphis restored some of that perfect glory in the second half of the 2010s. Even what is considered those bands' weakest albums from the mid-2000s still have some greatness in them, though they're not without one or two stinkers. And their 1992 death metal debuts are solid albums that I would recommend to fans of that genre. With so many amazing albums, it's no wonder Amorphis and Fear Factory are two of the most well-praised metal bands today! A couple other bands fitting this category that come to my mind include Annihilator and Kamelot, the latter having a 4-album perfect streak (from The Fourth Legacy to The Black Halo) which is one reason why I still haven't let go of that power metal band along with DragonForce.

No problem, Sonny! Glad to see that Amorphis release have good reception here.

Some more metalcore/deathcore bands I now enjoy thanks to what I discovered when assembling the Revolution playlists:

Ben, please add the new Deathstars album Everything Destroys You.

Ben, please add these new releases:

The Acacia Strain - Step Into the Light

The Amity Affliction - Not Without My Ghosts

Ben, please add the new The Ocean album Holocene.

Ben, please add these new releases:

Atreyu - The Hope of a Spark (EP)

The Amity Affliction - Everyone Loves You... Once You Leave Them

Ben, please add the new The Acacia Strain album Failure Will Follow.

For June could you add:

Ningen Isu - りんごの泪 (it's on two different albums, but it doesn't matter which one you pick)

Hey, Morpheus. I don't see your clans anymore, what happened to them?

Doom rock is apparently a nickname for occult rock, and a few early bands of the genre such as Blue Oyster Cult and Coven are considered influential in developing heavy metal, doom metal, sludge metal, and stoner metal. I've heard a few songs by Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats, would they be considered doom rock, considering their slow tempo yet focused on rock more than metal in their recent material?

The godfather of death metal hard at work on Death's 1998 tour for the "The Sound of Perseverance" album.

Lots of mind-blowing rhythms, along with bass pumping through the thrashy yet technical heaviness with a bit of similarity to early Sadus.

I decided to give this live Death album some listening and a review to once again test out my interest in the band. The performance is highly focused on the band's 90s progressive/tech-death era, with only two songs from their 80s standard death metal albums. A lot of the progressiveness can be found in songs from the band's last two studio albums which cover over half of this release. So this entry is definitely getting a YES vote from me.

Forget any claims I've made about that Nirvana cover being Fear Factory's lowest point of the career, this is f***ing worse:

The metal covers I like are ones that metalize the original song, but this sh*tty attempt at a Nirvana cover is so not the way to do it:

One of the best songs by the band, though the quality of this album would then slowly descend:

They just had to taint an otherwise perfect album with some f***ing rap metal sh*t:

Similarly to Amorphis' Far From the Sun, I can find the best songs of this underrated Fear Factory album in both the standard edition...

...And the deluxe digipak edition:

A melodic standout anthem with a mighty chorus and riffing. I would recommend starting at the beginning of the album though if you're going the story route.

Despite the song name, this is a total industrial mind-smasher of epic drama:

1. Gateway playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 22)

2. Infinite playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 10)

3. Revolution playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 27)

4. Sphere playlist - 4/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 27)

For the clans I've made the monthly playlists for, along with the one for the Gateway, 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 Infinite playlists made by Saxy, and I'm glad all those other playlists I've reviewed 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: Klone - "Meanwhile" (2023) 4/5

THE GUARDIANS: Persuader - "When Eden Burns" (2006) 4.5/5

THE INFINITE: Amorphis - "Under the Red Cloud" (2015) 5/5

THE REVOLUTION: Gaza - "He Is Never Coming Back" (2009) 4/5

THE SPHERE: Fear Factory - "Soul of a New Machine" (1992) 4/5

This month has proven to be a pretty great one for my clans. My Infinite nomination shows the Tomi Joutsen era of Amorphis at their best, and I would recommend it to fans of that band and melodeath-infused progressive metal. That Persuader album is an excellent revisit. Keep up the good work on the feature releases, all! I look forward to more...

Explosive death metal chaos from a band that would later become one of the master bands of modern industrial metal:

Clean vocals, deathly heaviness, industrial production, and groove riffing, all in one place:

I did my review, here's its summary:

In the somewhat distant past of the year 1992, metal genres were kind of at war. Before that year, thrash/speed metal were on the rise, and then came death metal/grindcore, and finally, industrial/alternative metal. Those 3 genre categories were competing for the reign, and the first one lost its fame, the second one became underground, and the third one became mainstream. One band was up to mixing the extreme underground with one of the metal genres hitting commercial success those days... Back then, most metal bands seemed to focus on making compositions based on a particular riff, rather than full-fledged arrangement. Released in the same year as the debut of another band that started as death metal (Amorphis), Fear Factory's debut Soul of a New Machine built their sound from a technological concept. The tone and arrangement are as important as the composition in the songs, and that then-rare aspect is what made this band unique in their debut, showing that there's a little more to metal than just guitars and vocals in front and bass and drums in back. Industrial ambience, spoken samples, and more bass prominence make their entrance! Many songs have the right balance between clean hooks and deathly heaviness. Some shows the band's more destructive side of explosive death metal chaos, a few still having melodic treasure to be found in the deathly sea. In the end, we have witnessed the band's idea of combining the industrial metal of Godflesh and the deathgrind of Napalm Death into their own unique mix with mechanical riffing with some bits of melodic alt-metal and groove metal. It's a pretty great fresh idea that was never tried before and has proven highly influential. Of course, the issue here is the big amount of tracks (17) that many people can't remember all of. However, it's so cryptic and unique that your mind won't turn away from such creativity and aggression that was uncommon outside the underground in the early 90s. Not too over-the-top while not too accessible, this band sure knows how to conceive and present such a game-changer. Once rare but now more common is unique genius....

4/5

PS: Even after that thorough listening for my review, I don't find enough groove metal in the debut to be a primary genre for the album. You are right about the songs you mentioned having groove metal riffing, Daniel ("Scapegoat", "Martyr", "Scumgrief"), but it's more of a secondary genre for this album along with grindcore and alternative metal. Industrial death metal is the primary sound for this band's debut.

This band Persuader, has pleased heavier power metal fans with their sound combo of Nevermore and Blind Guardian, the latter any of those fans know why:

Still awesome throughout the past two years! The latter year being when I was shutting myself off from most of power metal until just recently.

I did my review, here's its summary:

When Eden Burns still blows my mind away even after the downfall of my power metal interest revival! With melodic yet heavy riffing and amazing vocals, I'm glad to still recognize most of the greatness of this Swedish power metal band Persuader. Many songs are fast enough to almost be considered melodic thrash while the power metal sound dominates. The impressive vocals remind me of Blind Guardian's Hansi Kürsch (YES, I had to say it!). There's also a small amount of harsh vocals having a bit of a Children of Bodom vibe. All that's missing is keyboards for soloing, but that would cause too much cheese. With strong determination in their writing, When Eden Burns should've given this underrated band more attention!

4.5/5