Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

Cool music, Storm_Lord!

Did Jari Mäenpää take some inspiration from Trail of Tears when making his Wintersun Time albums? Listen to the background keyboard melody in the intro of this Trail of Tears track:

Made more epic in this post-chorus orchestral melody lasting the same amount of time in this Wintersun epic (first time at 3:35):

A highlight of melodeath rage from Trail of Tears' most aggressive album:

A fantastic prime example of symphonic gothic melodeath with groove-ish riffing and a beautiful clean chorus:

An epic banger of blackened symphonic gothic metal to begin the haunting adventure that is Trail of Tears' 3rd album:

The ultimate highlight of Trail of Tears' second album has riffing and vocals sounding industrial without altering much of the usual sound:

A gothic melodeath march with riffing taken nicely from Sabbath and, more directly, Amorphis:

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

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

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

The melody is reprised at 3:37 of the song that Trail of Tears interlude segues to:

Without a doubt, one of the most beautiful tracks I've heard in gothic metal, a dark serenade of lost love and depression:

Gothic melodeath with touches of the Norwegian black metal scene and Dark Tranquillity's The Gallery:

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

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

3. Revolution playlist - 4/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 33)

4. Sphere playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 22)

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!

Pure drone-ish industrial metal darkness from this Uniformed Body:

Ben, please add the Lord of the Lost album Weapons of Mass Seduction.

Yesterday and today has been a breeze through a few different solid industrial metal albums for me. Here they are, along with a short description for each:

Two years after the release of Corrections House's debut Last City Zero, the group consisting of Scott Kelly (ex-Neurosis), Bruce Lamont (Yakuza), Sanford Parker (ex-Minsk) and Mike IX Williams (Eyehategod) continue pushing their dystopian industrial noise-metal to different levels in Know How to Carry a Whip.

A dark mature release in which industrial and sludge collide alongside pieces of other genres to make something so diverse throughout two 15-minute tracks.

Although Hosannas hasn't reached as much success as the 2003 self-titled album, it shows Killing Joke having more creative freedom recorded in the darkest depth of Hell (the studio).

Gothic industrial metal has never sounded as pleasantly poppy as these tunes from these German representatives of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.

Also, Blood & Glitter has the industrial metal genre, but it's missing The Sphere clan on the release page. Could you please correct that in the database, Daniel? Thanks.

A perfect Roxette cover to close this offering:

This highlight is like a more electronic Moonspell:

Industrial rock/metal from the darkest depth of Hell (the band's studio):

Ben, please add the Illidiance album The Iconoclast.

With pop-ish cyber metal standouts like this, Illidiance can squeeze these perfect rhythms and epic melodies in a mere 4 minutes (the average song length for this album):

The more industrial second half of the powerful Pantocrator:

The sludgier first half of the powerful Pantocrator:

A true electro-industrial metal standout with some perfect apocalyptic twists from the distorted sax:

Here's my list:

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

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

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

4. Unleash the Archers - Phantoma [power metal]

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

6. DragonForce - Warp Speed Warriors [power metal]

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

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

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

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

Some albums released in June that I don't have yet but plan to get:

Black Veil Brides - Bleeders (EP)

Wage War - Stigma

Crossfaith - ARK

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

Sounds interesting, Zach, but if we really are doing it on Discord, I'll have to skip that one out. I'm still not up to rejoining Discord due to toxicity going on in different servers.

Same here for me. More specifically:

1. Loving You Sunday Morning - Hard rock

2. Another Piece of Meat - Hard rock/heavy metal

3. Always Somewhere - Soft rock

4. Coast to Coast - Hard rock/progressive rock

5. Can't Get Enough - Heavy metal/speed metal/proto-thrash

6. Is There Anybody There? - Reggae rock/hard rock/heavy metal

7. Lovedrive - Heavy metal/hard rock

8. Holiday - Hard rock

Primary genres: Hard rock, heavy metal

Secondary genres: N/A

An amazing cover of a My Dying Bride song to close off this cover album. Though it would be great if they could cover one of the heavier My Dying Bride songs.

One of the best songs ever of industrial death metal, with more ambient doom throughout to add to the bleakness:

A punishing blaster with a relentless breakdown halfway through:

Daniel, I'm glad you enjoy The Amenta's first 3 albums, but have you listened to their comeback album Revelator? With some more of the band's industrial death metal in a darker direction, I'm sure you can find a great kick of enjoyment out of this one:

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

For 8 years, The Amenta was in the silent void after a perfect trilogy of albums that started with their debut Occasus. Those albums showed how futuristic extremeness can be with such a heavy timeless sound. Revelator marks the band's comeback with more of the earlier brutal violence while exploring something dark and more dreadful. Aside from the usual blasts of technicality of the band's industrial blackened death metal sound, there's a bit of atmospheric doom in the mix. The destruction isn't just straight-on brutal anymore, but also having interesting variety in darker depths. The vocals of Cain Cressall range from clean to harsh, and both sides alternate between each other like an all-out war. We also have the grinding guitars and relentless drumming turbulence that keep the band at the right direction. The Amenta's killer evolution is displayed quite well, though it doesn't reach the perfect heights of their initial trilogy. I recommend Revelator for anyone wanting a darker follow-up to Flesh is Heir.

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "An Epoch Ellipsis", "Psoriastasis", "Parasight Lost", "Overpast", "Parse Over"

For fans of: Fear Factory's 1992 debut, Godflesh, the more deathly side of Septicflesh

Expect the most experimental twists in this brutal album's oddly titled final epic:

A perfect brutal highlight with some killer guest vocals by Nergal of Behemoth:

A final blend of epic and extreme for The Amenta's debut:

A highlight with melody and not too much dissonance, quite rare in this industrial death metal album:

Another coincidental cover art comparison. Is there much different between these two? It's an A-like triangle in a dark red background!

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

Celldweller - "Senorita Bonita" (1:38) from Soundtrack for the Voices in My Head: Volume 02 (2012)

Deathstars - "Syndrome" (3:10) from Synthetic Generation (2002)

Fear Factory - "Expiration Date" (8:48) from Genexus (2015)

Health, Lamb of God - "Cold Blood" (5:26) from DISCO4::PARTII (2022) (based on "Cold Blood" single)

Pain - "Shut Your Mouth" (3:13) from Nothing Remains the Same (2002)

Red Harvest - "Icons of Fear... The Curse of the Universe" (4:01) from A Greater Darkness (2007)

Total length: 26:16

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

Betraying the Martyrs - "The Covenant" (3:39) from The Hurt the Divine the Light (2009)

The Devil Wears Prada - "Lord Xenu" (3:26) from With Roots Above and Branches Below (2009)

From Autumn to Ashes - "Every Reason To" (2:53) from The Fiction We Live (2003)

God Forbid - "The Lonely Dead" (6:52) from IV: Constitution of Treason (2005)

Phinehas - "Communion for Ravens" (3:36) from Dark Flag (2017)

Shai Hulud - "Two and Twenty Misfortunes" (4:11) from That Within Blood Ill-Tempered (2003)

Unearth - "Invictus" (3:44) from The Wretched; the Ruinous (2023)

Total length: 28:21

Here are my submissions for the August Infinite playlist, having just two long epics in mind:

Opeth - "Ghost of Perdition" (10:29) from Ghost Reveries (2005)

PainKiller - "Morning of Balachaturdasi" (14:45) from Execution Ground (1994)

Total length: 25:14

Here are my submissions for the August Gateway playlist:

D'espairsRay - "Human-Clad Monster" (4:55) from Monsters (2010)

Dog Fashion Disco - "Pale Horse" (5:54) from Sweet Nothings (2014)

Evanescence - "Whisper" (5:28) from Fallen (2003)

Mushroomhead - "Fall in Line" (4:44) from Fall in Line (2024)

Sleep Token - "Take Me Back to Eden" (8:20) from Take Me Back to Eden (2023)

Total length: 29:21

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Gothminister - "Battle of the Underworlds" from Pandemonium II: The Battle of the Underworlds (2024)

5/5. Opening with uplifting ethereal strings is the title track of the sequel to Gothminister's Pandemonium, that becomes a true anthem of war, as the guitar/keyboard majesty is accompanied by the vocals of Bjorn and a female vocalist (Sandra Jensen?) to add to the theatricality. An epic beginning!

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

5/5. Same old song, but I never get tired of it, it's so awesome! I love the vocals of Peter Tagtgren. "You're welcome to my world, dark side of the universe." I prefer Pain rather than the death metal of his other band Hypocrisy.

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

4.5/5. This song is so f***ing destructive, though it's toned down a bit by the clean singing. The band's drummer is Alex Anxionaz, from Sybreed's debut album Slave Design.

Deathstars - "Cyanide" from Termination Bliss (2006)

5/5. This one is a perfect hooker! Great rhythm alongside more of those deep dark vocals. They probably work better in studio than live and, along with the bass, shine more than the guitars that are still awesome. From the synth intro onward, you'll never get bored even after hundreds of listens.

Strapping Young Lad - "Oh My Fucking God" from City (1997)

5/5. This one will make you wanna scream that song title. It's one of the heaviest songs I've heard in my life, probably heavier than even Morbid Angel and Slayer combined! Lots of sounds and build-ups from different dimensions can be heard, not for the faint-hearted. Even the violins change the time signatures! F***ING BRUTAL!!!!!

Dodheimsgard - "Final Conquest" from 666 International (1999)

4.5/5. Another underrated gem, this one of industrial black metal.

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

4/5. Never give up on cyber metal and its digital power and glory!

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

4.5/5. Illidiance's songs may be short, but they can squeeze all these perfect rhythms and epic melodies in that short amount of time. This is like a more cyber take on pop-ish melodeath bands like Blood Stain Child and Scar Symmetry.

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

4/5. A bad-a** piece of French industrial/symphonic metal. Enough said!

Fear Factory - "Self Immolation (Liquid Sky Mix)" from Fear is the Mindkiller (1993)

4.5/5. The more atmospheric sounds in this "Self Immolation" remix have paid off well. The death metal aggression is in perfect flow with the techno groove, another remix saving the EP from being a total disaster.

Celldweller, Northlane - "Soul Parasites (Northlane Remix)" from Satellites (Remixed) (2023)

5/5. I can't believe how perfectly Celldweller and Northlane can come together. The energy f***ing rips through each band's new sound. There's a lot more heavy fire than some songs from Celldweller's first two vocal albums. Absolutely bad-a**! H*ll, I was a little nervous about how this remix would turn out before the first time I heard it, but I'm glad it turned out so d*mn well.

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

5/5. Really peaking at the height of the Concrete Jungle album is Bad Omens' collaboration with ERRA. The guest appearances by that progressive metalcore band's two vocalists shine as beautiful as Noah's vocals. An absolute favorite of mine that should be heard by future generations!

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

4.5/5. There are several different versions of "Coming Down" in this remix album, and this one's the amazing original.

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

5/5. The Norwegian jazz metal band Shining is not to be confused with similarly named Swedish DSBM band. This is what I really need to jazz up my metal!

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

4.5/5. Another piece of jazzy progressive industrial metal, but I prefer to get it from Shining.

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

4/5. A high-quality climatic piece of dance-metal. The keyboards and guitars are in perfect union. It may be too accessible for pure metalheads, but it rules!

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

3.5/5. A darker, sludgier take on Godflesh. Pretty good, but I like Godflesh more.

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

4/5. This one is all I want from this intense sound and more. It is a mighty monolith with post-punk-ish riffing.

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

4.5/5. This one is the best in both the song title and the song itself, even bringing back the horror film vibe in the vocals.

Comecon – "Ulcer" from Megatrends in Brutality (1992)

5/5. Well this is a little surprising, considering Comecon is usually a death metal band. However, the first two minutes have enough Skrew-like industrial metal to qualify for The Sphere. Then the rest of the song is grind-ish death metal. And I love it!!! Thanks for this, Daniel! RIP L-G Petrov

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

4.5/5. Amazing cover of a My Dying Bride song to close off this Amenta cover album. Though it would be great if they could cover one of the heavier My Dying Bride songs.

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

5/5. This 24-minute final epic is the longest Godflesh song and my favorite of the album, possibly of the band. It is a modern epic journey through Broadrick's tunnel of imagination, as drums and guitars pound along. This might surely beat the previous album's "Pure II" as Godflesh's ultimate epic!

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? Despite some slight drops in quality throughout. 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 your help with your submission, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

War of Ages - "Famine" from Dominion (2023)

5/5. To start things off, I'd like to thank War of Ages for making awesome songs like this that shall shape up the future of melodic metalcore the way it's meant to. And thanks Kaleb Luebchow for the impressive drumming that posthumously appears on this album. RIP

Unearth - "The Great Dividers" from The Oncoming Storm (2004)

4.5/5. This one is a tough crusher with great riffs and decent breakdowns. The spoken-ish section in the last minute is awfully odd but it doesn't affect its original album's perfect score.

August Burns Red, Will Ramos - "The Cleansing" from The Cleansing (2024) 

5/5. This epic clearly shows the band's relentless heaviness from their earlier days with drummer Matt Greiner firing away with blast-beat machinery. That's one of two nearly 8-minute epics in the Death Below album that are the band's longest, not including the closing epic of their 2005 debut, and it's full of stylistic transcendence. The original version didn't have a guest vocalist like some of the other songs did, but here we have the vicious vocals of Lorna Shore's Will Ramos to make any deathcore fan's day.

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

5/5. You know what this one, the ultimate Crabcore anthem! Those guys can impressively play their respective instruments while squatting like crabs in that music video.

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

4.5/5. I Prevail is more of an alt-metal band, but they've made occasional turns into metalcore fire. Think my brother who likes this band will like this one?

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

5/5. Bring Me the Horizon seem to describe a war that never ends, but then in another single 10 years later, "the end has arrived". They've really "said it once! Said it twice! Said it A THOUSAND F***ING TIMES!!!"

Shai Hulud - "Reach Beyond the Sun" from Reach Beyond the Sun (2013)

4.5/5. Shai Hulud knows how to get the more hardcore fans pumped. They have inspired many of those fans and allowed them to find what music is supposed to be like. They certainly need more recognition and perhaps the guest appearance by Jonathan Vigil of The Ghost Inside in one of the other songs in the album helped out with that. The drumming is great, though ex-member Steve Kleisath (also formerly of Strongarm) would made it slightly better. The band has some of the great passion I've heard from a metalcore/hardcore band, with an attitude of toughness instead of suffering. Vocalist Chad Gilbert is also the founder of New Found Glory. All in all, an amazing song!

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

5/5. With this sequel to a song from the latest Motionless in White album, it's time to "BREAK DOWN THE WALL AGAIN!!!" The breakdowns are so brutal, especially the one over the one-minute mark after a small beat and Bryan Garris screaming "LET IT GO!!!" (NO he's not singing that Frozen song).

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

4.5/5. Last year, Dragoncorpse united deathcore and power metal together. This year, Jeris Johnson showed the world that melodic metalcore, power metal, and medieval folk can co-exist with each other in this fun tune. If this single had its own clans, they would be both The Guardians and The Revolution, maybe enough folk for The North.

The Ghost Inside - "Split" from Searching for Solace (2024)

5/5. This is one of the heaviest and most hardcore tracks the band has done to date. I mean, listen to Architects, Hatebreed, or the aforementioned Knocked Loose, and you might find a lot that song has in common with any of those bands.

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

4.5/5. If you're listening to this song via one of those videos that only has the song name in the title, you might think this is a band named The Cocaines, and the name of the song is "Got Your Tongue". Lol. Anyway, this is like a more hardcore Papa Roach.

Underoath - "Moving for the Sake of Motion" from Define the Great Line (2006)

4/5. This is probably the biggest highlight of its original album, with sick riffing and atmosphere to enjoy! Spencer Chamberlain grieves over his relatable faults.

Balmora – "An Angel’s Final Prayer" from With Thorns of Glass & Petals of Grief E.P. (2023)

3.5/5. A pretty good attempt at reviving the deathly melodic metalcore of Darkest Hour and Prayer for Cleansing, though not that strong.

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

4/5. I once thought After the Burial was pretty awesome band, with 5-star songs like this one. But now I've subtracted a whole star from that perfect score because I've since realized how repetitive a bit of the riffing is. Also I heard this was in one of the Saints Row games.

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

3.5/5. I wouldn't say this is the best cover I've heard, but I still love these "metalizing" covers of pop/hip-hop songs and how f***ing hard they hit.

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

4/5. Imagine if a cybergrind band like Genghis Tron or The Locust went metalcore. That certainly makes this more tolerable than all those grindcore bands out there for me.

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

4.5/5. This one has true power in the chorus. With that and its heavy verses, it's the ultimate standout of its original album!

As I Lay Dying - "The Truth of My Perception" from Shadows are Security (2005)

5/5. An awesome song to love from this masterful melodic metalcore band.

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

5/5. One of the best songs from this band, as well as one of the first that I've found, via a music video on TV. See, fury isn't always everything in metalcore...

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

4.5/5. ...Unlike this band! Alex Koehler could really growl and scream without damaging his voice. And I can also say that about new vocalist Tom Barber (ex-Lorna Shore).

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

4/5. You can consider this a blend of the bands Fleshgod Apocalypse and Gravemind. But the problem is Ben Duerr's vocals here, like what's up with that?!

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

4/5. And of course, Dragoncorpse took the epic deathcore sound much further into power metal, even featuring Unleash the Archers bassist Nick Miller. From beginning to end, it's a wild ride through two metal genres once thought impossible to combine. If DragonForce or Into Eternity went deathcore, that's it right there!

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

4.5/5. Excellent lyrics in this killer headbanger. Enough said!

Monuments - "Nefarious" from Nefarious (2023)

5/5. God, this slaps! Monuments made this song for the comic book series Godslap by YouTuber Cr1TiKaL.

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

4.5/5. This articular song showcases drastic fury alongside a couple comedic sounds of "WOO!!!"

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

4/5. Sludgy noise-mathcore from a new band by most of the members of the band Gaza formed after their split-up.

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

3.5/5. This interlude is kind of a nice summarizing sound collage.

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

4/5. Djenty metalcore with oriental instrumentation and female singing. Interesting!

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

4/5. A motivational banger like this needs more attention, especially at the breakdown that starts the last minute. I would recommend this for anyone working out! This nicely killer song shall please my metalcore heart.

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

3.5/5. We're now heading into the darkest deadliest part of the playlist saved for almost the last, DOWNTEMPO DEATHCORE (my last playlist to have this section). This song (and album, I guess) has recently made its return to Spotify. I'm guessing it was too brutal for some Spotify streamers. The vocals sounds so monstrous!

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

3/5. This can be considered the midway interlude of the downtempo deathcore, being just an atmospheric spoken-word interlude that doesn't get heavy until the end.

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

3.5/5. Then it greatly segues to this f***ing sh*tload of brutality that will take a long time to get over.

Frontierer - "Dusk" from Orange Mathematics (2015)

4/5. But the playlist is not over until this final mathcore track that is the ultimate closing epic of chaos that then fades out into ambience.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? Despite some slight drops in quality throughout. Anyway, I 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:

Amorphis – My Kantele (2010)

4/5. Let's start this playlist with the Magic & Mayhem album grand finale! The sorrowful lyrics really detail the emotional magic from the Finnish instrument in question ("Its strings gathered from torments, and its pegs from other ills. Truly they lie, they talk utter nonsense... So it will not play, will not rejoice at all. Music will not play to please.") The vocals work well with the guitars and keyboards. The track is basically extended into an epic as the heavy version is combined with the acoustic reprise for a memorable climax of harmonic leads. Beautiful!

Cynic – The Space for This (2008) 

4.5/5. The greatest emotion spawns from the blend of clean melody and harsh heaviness from both the music and vocals, that can help motivate you to battle against the weight of depression. There's space for many great memories of when I listened to more melodic progressive metal bands like Cynic. The band started off as more of a jazzy tech-death in their debut Focus before softening their sound 15 years later in Traced in Air. And the soloing at over the 4-minute mark is out of this world!

Dysrhythmia – Coffin of Conviction (2024)

5/5. If mathy progressive metal does sound wicked awesome as people say it does, I'm highly convinced!

Edge of Sanity – Incantation (2006 Remastered)

4.5/5. This is the best part of the massive Crimson II album/epic/suite for me, with all that glittering melody.

Ever Forthright – Tambora (2024)

4/5. This one's also pretty cool, and I also love its music video.

Evergrey – Cold Dreams (2024)

4.5/5. This new Evergrey single features frontman Tom Englund's daughter Salina and Katatonia's Jonas Renkse. Salina's beautiful vocals show her improvement since her guest appearance in 2011's Glorious Collision (she was a kid back then, but still). But HOLY SH*T, Renkse has regained his growling ability that's absolutely crushing!

Meshuggah – New Millennium Cyanide Christ (1998)

5/5. The best song of Chaosphere has drummer Tomas Haake's shining lyric writing. Those lyrics aren't as complicated as they are clever. That's my second favorite Meshuggah song behind "Future Breed Machine"!

Rivers of Nihil – The Void from Which No Sound Escapes (2021)

4.5/5. Amazing sound of sax-ified deathly progressive metal!

Spiritbox – Trust Fall (2019) 

4/5. I love the vocals by Courtney LaPlante, singing emotional lyrics in simple passion. It's nice how this song can sound heavy and soothing at the same time.

TesseracT – Burden (2023) 

4.5/5. "I'm afraid, and I don't know what I am, and I don't know where to turn, but I'll learn." Lovely lyrics of hope sung by Daniel Tompkins, almost having similar falsetto-like singing to the late Michael Jackson. Just don't expect any of the "HEE-hee!"

Voivod – Killing Technology (1987)

5/5. Killing Technology's title track begins with rumbling ambience and what sounds like heart-monitor beeps, then it stops shortly after a robot says "We are connected". Right then, freaky fast metal riffing crashes in with Snake's signature punkish vocals and lyrics of a paranoid futuristic dystopia. Now that's killer 80s prog-thrash!

Zeal & Ardor – Gotterdammerung (2022)

5/5. Another playlist-ending grand discovery! Avant-garde black metal is blended together with bluesy gospel for a unique sound of pure perfection.

Submissions accepted! Thanks, Daniel and Karl.

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Any Given Day – Apocalypse (2024)

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

BOI WHAT – The Both of Us (2024)

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

Chevelle – Send the Pain Below (2002)

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

Coldrain – Miss you (2010)

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

Crossfaith – Godspeed (2024)

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

Dog Fashion Disco – Tastes So Sweet (2014)

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

Jeris Johnson – Ode to Metal (2024)

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

Jucifer – Hennin Hardine (2006)

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

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

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

Nik Nocturnal, Ankor – Unforgiven (2023)

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

Northlane – Miasma (2024)

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

Of Mice & Men – Tether (2023)

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

Twelve Foot Ninja – Over and Out (2021)

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

VOLA – Break My Lying Tongue (2024)

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

July 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

July 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4.5/5

Here's my submission for the August Guardians playlist:

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

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

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