Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Threads

I keep persisting with the Revolution features despite the fact that, as a general rule, they are evidently not my cup of tea. There has been the occasional gem, however, that is why I keep returning. Unfortunately Poison the Well's debut full-length is not one such nugget and is much more the angsty-teenager background noise that makes zero impact on me either emotionally or intellectually. Whilst I do admire the energy, the earnestness of the screeching vocals sounds inordinately preachy, like I am being chastised for not understanding the songs' protagonists' struggles and hardships in an unfair world (man!) Occasionally out of this seething pit of venomous vipers a nice, hard-hitting riff does emerge and makes my ears pick up, but it is soon swallowed up by the tornado of raging impotence and it falls back into ravening background noise.

Believe me, though, I am self-aware enough to know that a 60-odd year old, former stoner is definitely not the target audience for this stuff and I appreciate that there are legions of younger metalheads who lap this shit up - and good luck to em - but it isn't for me. Best track by a country mile is "Slice Paper Wrists". Oh well, there's always next month!

2.5/5

https://metal.academy/hall/625

https://metal.academy/hall/626

I went to the releases tag and put together a chart for the highest-rated Swedish albums with a 5 vote minimum.

https://metal.academy/releases?releasesFilters=1&releaseCountry%5B%5D=211&releaseSort=releases.overall_rating&releaseSortType=DESC&releasesCountRating=5&fromYear=&toYear=

Candlemass is the clear winner.  Everything else is a bit scattered.  I'm surprised Blackwater Park is so low, though.

https://metal.academy/hall/622

Thanks Daniel.

Thanks Daniel.

I've passed this nomination uncontested Andi.

https://metal.academy/hall/620

https://metal.academy/hall/621

I've passed this nomination uncontested Andi.

https://metal.academy/hall/619

For the record, I don't recall much of a folk metal feel to this one so I'm voting NO on this occasion.

https://metal.academy/hall/618

https://metal.academy/hall/616

https://metal.academy/hall/617

I've passed this nomination uncontested Andi.

I've passed this nomination uncontested Andi as it's clearly required in my opinion.

https://metal.academy/hall/615

https://metal.academy/hall/614

https://metal.academy/hall/613

https://metal.academy/hall/611

https://metal.academy/hall/609

https://metal.academy/hall/610

I've passed this nomination uncontested Andi.

I've passed these two nominations uncontested Andi.

https://metal.academy/hall/608

https://metal.academy/hall/606

I've added these two nominations:

https://metal.academy/hall/604

https://metal.academy/hall/605

I've passed this nomination uncontested Andi.

I've passed this nomination uncontested Andi.

I've passed these two nominations uncontested Andi.

I've passed this nomination uncontested Andi.

I've just added these three nominations Andi:

https://metal.academy/hall/601

https://metal.academy/hall/602

https://metal.academy/hall/603

For the record, I'm well across "Parallel Minds" & I don't think there's enough Power Metal there to command a second primary genre tag.

My own Spotify playlist based on my list, from 10 to 1: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4uZGrg1oM7C6xf3Zkhis40

Ben, please add the new Volumes album Mirror Touch.

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

Nearly a decade after forming, and two years after their EP, An Abstract Illusion have released their full-length debut Illuminate the Path. Perhaps my newfound favorite album of 2016! The band's style is basically progressive melodeath with elements of atmospheric black metal. I guess a more accurate description of that style would be more complex. The structures and atmosphere all come together in a beautiful offering. There are fantastic progressive influences from different bands, while forming an original cauldron that you would really want a taste of. The epics are all magnificent journeys within a journey, just like the other full songs. And I just wanna say impressive the band members are, 3 musicians with two different roles; guitarist/bassist Karl Westerlund, keyboardist/clean vocalist Robert Stenvall, and drummer/harsh vocalist Christian Berglonn. They've all done a spectacular job with their top-notch skills. Of course, Bergloon would pass drumming duties to Isak Nilsson for live shows. Let the debut's complexity and emotion light the way!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "Abode of a God", "Drop This Planet of Dust", "Vakuum", "Skeletons of Light"

For fans of: In Mourning, Omnium Gatherum, Opeth

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Ghostemane - "Crash 'n Learn" from Fear Network II (2021)

3.5/5. Beginning this playlist a little strangely, Ghostemane combines dark trap/hip-hop with extreme metal, to remind some of a DJ remixing Deftones and Mayhem at the same time. The rapping is pretty good, as much as the instrumentation.

D'espairsray - "Marry of the Blood" from Born (2004)

4/5. Great song by D'espairsray, and it would've been perfect without that long Japanese spoken passage through the last third.

Flesh Field - "Uprising" from Strain (2004)

4.5/5. Apparently, this was in the movie The Mill. Also apparently, my country is one of only a few to have this song on Spotify.

Godflesh - "Obeyed" from A World Lit Only by Fire (2014)

5/5. Obey the demanding power of this crushing highlight!

Lord of the Lost - "Raveyard (feat. Kaarija)" from Raveyard (2025)

4.5/5. Rise from the rave! I especially enjoy the rapping by Kaarija.

Marilyn Manson - "The Beautiful People" from Antichrist Superstar (1996)

4.5/5. A highlight that you can truly appreciate, and one of his all-time most popular songs.

The Interbeing - "Synthetic Bloodline" from Icon of the Hopeless (2022)

5/5. An industrial melodeath standout filled with vicious perfection.

Neurotech - "Repent in Need" from Ave Neptune (2023)

4.5/5. Even though I've lost my appeal for the cyber metal of Neurotech, I still enjoy this heavy song filled with blast beats. All that's missing is harsh vocals, like in earlier Neurotech albums such as Antagonist.

Sybreed - "Take the Red Pill" from Slave Design (2004)

5/5. This highlight has some more of that cyber metal action. The title even references the movie The Matrix. The heavy instrumentation and screamed vocals shall keep you awake from beginning to end.

Deadheaven - "Тлеет Горизонт" from Антиреальность (2014)

4.5/5. And how about some Russian cyber metal? Not to be confused with blackgaze band Deafheaven.

Rob Zombie - "Heathen Days" from Heathen Days (2025)

4/5. Rob Zombie still has his usual industrial metal chaos, here sounding a bit closer to Ministry.

Monster Voodoo Machine - "Temple - Jerico Meltdown Mix" from State Voodoo / State Control (1994)

3.5/5. Pretty good remix, but a little too electronic for me. I guess some comparisons can be made with 16volt.

Dome Runner - "Fuji Cracks" from Conflict State Design (2021)

3/5. Also pretty decent, but not enough for me to love. Next!

Rabbit Junk - "U-Lock Justice!" from Project Nonagon (2010)

3.5/5. The music and lyrics are better here, and even the rapping from the guest vocalist is pretty good.

Khost - "Death Threat" from Many Things Afflict Us Few Things Console Us (2024)

3/5. Now we're heading to a more doomy industrial metal style, which still doesn't stand out well.

Jesus Loves Junkies - "Para-Side" from The Great Escape from Paradise (1998)

3.5/5. There would be more peace to the world if everyone can enjoy music like this. Though it would be more like bleak peace.

The Kovenant - "Prophecies of Fire" from Animatronic (1999)

4/5. Great aggression for one of the earliest cyber metal bands!

Blue Stahli - "Endure" from Obsidian (2021)

4.5/5. "HOPE IN. SPITE OF. ABJECT. MISERY!!!" Well this track can catch a lot of people off-guard. It's basically a 20-second cybergrind track followed by over two minutes of peaceful ambience. With that said, I approve! Though I still think there should actually be full heavy tracks like those first 20 seconds.

Circle of Dust - "Yurasuka (Blue Stahli Remix)" from Disengage (1998, 2016 remaster)

5/5. Blue Stahli would also make a remix for a few Circle of Dust songs including this one. Bret Audrey can once again add his electro-industrial sound to a Circle of Dust track and make it beautiful, really doing it justice!

Ap2 - "A New World" from Suspension of Disbelief (2000)

4.5/5. I enjoy this song having a similar sound to Fear Factory in both the heavier songs, softer ballads, and Remanufacture remixes.

Fear of Domination - "The Bad Touch" from The Bad Touch (2017)

5/5. This fun industrial trance metal cover of the Bloodhound Gang hit is a cool throwback to Fear of Domination's earlier material as well as Turmion Katilot. Saku Solin has a similar vocal grit to Children of Bodom's Alexi Laiho (RIP). They know how to make a catchy song more catchy, especially in the main melody shining the most at the end.

N.K.V.D. - "Hakmarrja" from Hakmarrja (2014)

4.5/5. Dance time is over, now we're getting a little darker and blackened.

Raubtier - "Hjarteblod" from Det Finns Bara Krig (2009)

4/5. Beauty and tragedy are in full grace in the music and lyrics, especially in the chorus.

Rammstein - "Ohne Dich" from Reise, Reise (2004)

3.5/5. Same with this emotional song for loved ones. If I knew the German language, I would've understood and enjoyed it more and maybe sing along. It's quite calm compared to the heavy energy of their other songs. I almost feel like crying even though I don't cry. So beautiful from beginning to end.

Zaraza - "Every Day is a Funeral" from Slavic Blapshemy (1997)

3/5. One of only a couple tracks in this album I find likeable and not disturbing.

T3CHN0PH0B1A - "Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me" from Grave New World (2008)

3.5/5. A good way out for this playlist, a cyber metal cover of a U2 song. The screamed vocals kind of ruin it, sounding too much like the Tasmanian Devil.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? 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 to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Adept - "Blood Covenant" from Blood Covenant (2025)

4/5. Adept are back with their first album in nearly a decade. Let their sound rain and pour over us!

Dead by April - "Bulletproof" from Bulletproof (2020)

4.5/5. Dead by April's new screaming vocalist Christopher Kristensen is also from dEMOTIONAL. For this song, I enjoy the kick-A electronic melodies and guitar soloing. It's one of the best non-album singles by the band, having their earlier electronic metalcore roots.

Cave In - "Vicious Circles" from White Silence (2011)

4/5. This grind-ish metal/hardcore blitzkrieg has some of the band's most vicious aggression since their debut. Horns up, y'all!

The Narrator - "Aurora" from Aurora (2025)

4.5/5. Honestly I don't think modern metal is f***ing up the genre, just as long as we still have amazing talent from bands like The Narrator. The last minute of this track starts with a heavy breakdown including an Architects-esque "BLEGH". I enjoy the screams and cleans from the two vocalists. They are right there with Annisokay as a leading band in the new wave of German metalcore.

Allt - "Aquila" from From the New World (2024)

4/5. Well-written lyrics of absolute fire. Enough said!

Nik Nocturnal - "Collapse" from Collapse (2025)

4.5/5. Nik Nocturnal has returned from his break to do some FUN. METAL. THINGS!!!! Kick-A modern metalcore/deathcore/electronic things, to be exact. And he's practically gone super saiyan in both his looks and vocals.

Shadows Fall - "Root Bound Apollo" from Of One Blood (1999)

5/5. Another of my favorite songs in this Shadows Fall album with a fast searing Metallica-like solo. This was actually originally a song by Fair's former band Overcast, but it ended up in this album. It would later be re-recorded on the Overcast album Reborn to Kill Again.

AVRALIZE - "Fading Faster" from Liminal (2025)

4.5/5. This one probably has the catchiest alt-metalcore chorus of the year! It should make Avralize big enough to reach stadiums.

Carnifex - "Dark Days" from Die Without Hope (2014)

4.5/5. And now the bright days turn dark in this f***ing brutal song with amazing soloing. This is around the time when they started adding elements of Dimmu Borgir-ish symphonic black metal to their deathcore.

Reflections - "From Nothing" from Willow (2020)

5/5. Holy sh*tballs, this entire gem is like a ultra-heavy downtuned breakdown from beginning to end. I'm glad I'm not listening to this while having my breakfast cereal, otherwise there would be a huge mess of things. These thall legends are like the son of Emmure and The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravanganza.

Humanity's Last Breath - "Anthracite" from Anthracite (2025)

4.5/5. More thall? You got it! This song and the Grimace Shake would make a lethal combo. Glad that this band and fellow thall masters Vildhjarta are still around this year.

The Breathing Process - "The Conscious Observer" from Samsara (2018)

5/5. Starting off melodic, the guitars and growls continue to strike forward, perfectly balanced with the melody. I also love the midsection guitar soloing that's a nice pleasant break from the blackened chaos.

The Devil Wears Prada - "Supernova" from Space (2015)

4.5/5. I especially love the chorus in this track. RIP Daniel Williams...

It Dies Today - "Life of Uncertainty" from Lividity (2009)

5/5. I really love this song, being another prime example of 2000s metalcore. Jason Wood is quite great at his vocals, though he can't beat Nicholas Brooks.

156/Silence - "Better Written Villain" from People Watching (2024)

4.5/5. I decided to listen to this on YouTube, and I stumbled upon the version with the intro "Sleep Spikes". And d*mn, they fit together like a glove!

Lamb of God - "Again We Rise" from Sacrament (2006)

4/5. Look, as much as I know Lamb of God is more of a groove metal band, there are a few songs that have a more metalcore vibe, in a similar vein to Cave In and the NWOAHM movement. Everything's intense from the intro ("RISE!!!!") to the bridge ("You'll never be one of our kind! This ain't yours, f*** you, don't try!") and so on.

Dragoncorpse - "Born Again" from Born Again (2025)

4.5/5. Dragoncorpse are born again, and they continue their blend of the power metal of DragonForce and the epic deathcore of Lorna Shore. They even throw in some of the epic folk metal of Ensiferum and Equilibrium, which reminds me, I need to start listening to those bands for real.

Structures - "Gone / Dead" from None of the Above (2021)

4/5. Structures' temporary split showed that the band was gone but not dead. Despite the obvious Limp Bizkit/nu metal vibes in the instrumentation and vocals, the riffing is quite sick. Plus there is a bit of a Silent Planet-ish sound here and there, so some great points for that. I just wish they had more of the intricacy of their earlier albums. I could practically use this for a party to have all the guests headbanging. Probably would've been better if it was two or three times longer though.

We Came as Romans - "If There's Nothing to See" from Cold Like War (2017)

4.5/5. One of the best songs of this album, throwing back to their earlier roots and featuring one of the I Prevail vocalists. RIP Kyle Pavone...

Girlsbeinggirls - "Girls Cutting Girls" from Girlsbeinggirls (2025)

4/5. Girls be girls. Mathcore be mathcore, no matter how chaotic and disturbing it can get.

Daughters - "Jones from Indiana" from Canada Songs (2003)

3.5/5. I think I know where Girlsbeinggirls got some of their speed and chaos from.

The Chariot - "They Drew Their Swords" from The Fiancee (2007)

4/5. Christian math/metalcore can be quite kick-A, as well as spawning some strange unique music videos.

Psyopus - "X and Y" from Odd Senses (2009)

3.5/5. D*mn, it's sad that bands like The Chariot and Psyopus are gone. Let's enjoy this while we can.

The Number Twelve Looks Like You - "An Aptly Fictional Description" from Nuclear Sad Nuclear (2005)

4/5. After a jazzy 30-second intro, we end up getting the band's usual progressive deathly mathcore. Some cool guitar arpeggios appear in the midsection along with the last bit of screaming to end the first half. Then the entire second half is just a baroque waltz. Only the strictly heavy mathcore fans would stay for just that first half.

Wolves at the Gate - "The King" from The King (2012)

4.5/5. Since this is the December Revolution playlist, I knew I couldn't miss out on including at least one Christmas metal song. Well this is actually from their earlier post-hardcore era, though metal enough to be included here. It would also be re-recorded for their Christmas-themed EP Lowborn. And even non-Christians would praise it!

Trivium - "Six Walls" from Struck Dead (2025)

5/5. The new Trivium EP's 7-minute epic, it may just be the "And I Return to Nothingness title track" of this EP, longer and more epic than the heavy rest of the offering. After a haunting one-minute intro, the remaining 6 minutes has the band's thrashy melodic metalcore reminiscent of Ascendancy, with a more cinematic progressive structure. It's the perfect emotional storm! Oh, and I would like to note that based on the different keys that are out of the E-flat/drop D-flat/7-string B-flat/drop A-flat tuning range, this may be the first ever Trivium track in D tuning (not drop D, standard D) (in my theory). So many surprises in that towering track that are easy to remember!

Hope for the Dying - "Open Up the Sky" from Aletheia (2013)

5/5. But then we have the closing epic of this Hope for the Dying album that is the band's longest song at 12 and a half minutes. It's truly one of the most epic and innovative metal tracks I've heard in my life. Everything's so progressive with occasional hardcore bursts. You have to be really experienced musically and lyrics to understand it all. Then everything ends with distant piano. So legendary!

Atreyu - "Lip Gloss and Black" from Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses (2002)

4.5/5. OK, let's really end this playlist with a melodic metalcore classic. And just like the previous track, it has a beautiful piano ending.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? 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 to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Sabaton - "Bismarck" from Bismarck (2019)

4/5. Let's begin with this song from one of heavy/power metal's biggest bands of the new millennium, Sabaton. As you can guess, this one is based on Bismarck, a World War battleship named after Otto von Bismarck.

Aquaria - "And Let the Show Begin" from Luxaeterna (2005)

4.5/5. The show is already beginning with another power metal band, this one being part of the Brazilian power metal scene along with Almah and Angra. An amazing uplifting anthem! See this is the kind of music I would've loved to bits 10 years before this comment I was into this happy melodic sound. Even that album cover is beautiful! The band has a lot of talent here, essential for power metal. And there's more of that genre to come later on in the playlist...

Iron Maiden - "Blood Brothers" from Brave New World (2000)

4/5. Now we're getting to some of the masters of heavy metal. A great funeral song for any metalhead, to say farewell to a brother of the metal brotherhood.

Black Sabbath - "Devil & Daughter" from Headless Cross (1989)

3.5/5. The Tony Martin era may not be the Black Sabbath era, but it's certainly underrated. His vocals are quite cool here. Still, no disrespect to the late legend Ozzy Osbourne, RIP. However, the music sounds a little too glam-ish, so it's understandable why this era doesn't get all the fame and glory.

Battle Beast - "Twilight Cabaret" from Steelbound (2025)

4/5. Also a bit pop-ish, though I don't ever regret listening. Seems like the 80s-fueled catchy melody they've had since Bringer of Pain is still going.

Nickelback - "San Quentin" from San Quentin EP (2022)

3.5/5. Well this is gonna p*ss some metalheads off, a Nickelback song appearing in a Metal Academy playlist. But hear me out, this is, to my ears, Nickelback's most metallic song, and their heaviest since "This Means War". It sounds a lot like an Avenged Sevenfold single, and Chad Kroeger's vocals have a bit of a Rob Zombie-esque grit.

Metallica - "Too Far Gone?" from 72 Seasons (2023)

3/5. And now we have a song from Metallica's new album. The music is quite decent, yet the lyrics don't work well for me.

Quiet Riot - "Bad Boy" from Condition Critical (1984)

3.5/5. RIP Kevin DuBrow. His great vocals could really get you pumping. He was one of Quiet Riot's most essential members. The intro riff and bass are pretty good too. Quiet Riot's first two albums (not including their Japan-only 70s albums) are the only two in their classic era metal enough for this site.

X Japan - "Easy Fight Rambling" from Blue Blood (1989)

4/5. One of my favorite songs from this band when I was still listening to them a few years. They're like the Japanese bridge between heavy/glam metal and power metal.

W.A.S.P. - "Come Back to Black" from The Neon God, Pt. 2: The Demise (2004)

3.5/5. I don't listen to much of W.A.S.P., but this is quite a good song. Whether or not the lyrics hit or miss, they are as catchy as the music.

Ozzy Osbourne - "Shot in the Dark" from The Ultimate Sin (1986)

4/5. Another great song by the Prince of Darkness. Once again, RIP Ozzy Osbourne...

Within Temptation - "Shot in the Dark" from The Unforgiving (2011)

4.5/5. Already heading into a different direction is this similarly titled Within Temptation song, including a new aspect that had barely done before by the band; guitar soloing.

Visions of Atlantis - "Lost" from Cast Away (2004)

5/5. RIP Nicole Bogner. G****mn it, the best vocalists just had to be the ones that are gone from this world. And her vocals are a beautiful gift. The song's original album Cast Away has some of my favorite tracks here, including this one. I also enjoy the vocals by Mario Plank which are closer to my own vocal range. In all honesty, I just wish I could have listened to this band 10 years before this comment when my symphonic/power metal interest was at an all-time high. But yeah, fantastic song!

Xandria - "Universal" from Universal Tales (2024)

5/5. Another symphonic metal song to love. Enough said!

Reptilian - "Skeleton Scales" from Castle of Yesterday (2001)

4.5/5. Also quite amazing and enjoyable, if you're up for neoclassical piano metal.

Galneryus - "Let Us Shine" from Between Dread and Valor (2023)

5/5. Yes, let Galneryus shine! F***ing majestic guitarwork by Syu.

Yngwie Malmsteen - "Eclipse" from Eclipse (1990)

4.5/5. As any metalhead would know, Yngwie Malmsteen is a master of neoclassical metal with his guitar-shredding compositions.

Masterplan - "Kind Hearted Light" from Masterplan (2003)

5/5. A true anthem of power metal, showing Grapow and Kusch taking notes on what made Helloween big.

Thunderstone - "Virus" from Thunderstone (2002)

4.5/5. Similarly to Masterplan and other bands like the Brazilian Almah, Thunderstone has power metal gems with strong vocals. Even when a band is underground, they can still sound excellent. Keep rocking, guys!

Serenity - "Forever" from Words Untold & Dreams Unlived (2007)

5/5. An absolutely underrated song with killer lyrics! I've slept on this band for too long, and I'm glad to get on board for more of their material.

Savatage - "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" from Dead Winter Dead (1995)

4.5/5. Since this is the December Guardians playlist, I knew I couldn't miss out on including a couple Christmas metal songs. The first of which you would recognize as that Savatage instrumental popularized by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. It has also been in a couple Christmas specials for The Office and Regular Show. And yeah, both bands' versions are the same recording.

Nightwish - "FantasMic" from Wishmaster (2000)

4.5/5. A fantastic epic paying tribute to the animated works of Disney. It really packs a powerful punch, especially in the final 3 minutes. Absolutely spectacular!

Iron Fire - "Riding Free" from Thunderstorm (2000)

5/5. Some of the great riffs I've heard in heavy/power metal!

Blazon Rite - "The Coming Tide of Yule" from Wild Rites and Ancient Songs (2023)

4.5/5. And finally, there's the epic wonder of this closing track of its original album and this playlist. It's probably the most Christmas-like melodic metal song since that Trans-Siberian Orchestra song. I'm glad this playlist can provide a couple songs worth listening to in the holiday season.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any heavy/power/symphonic/neoclassical metal fan and anyone who isn't into those genres but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

My review for the album is quite short, so here's the link: https://metal.academy/reviews/32245/4336

5/5

Recommended tracks: "Teurastaja", "Verta ja lihaa", "Pimeyden morsian"

For fans of: Deathstars, Rammstein, Fear of Domination

So, I've decided to start a new monthly playlist that provides people with a surprise mix of metal material that doesn't focus on any particular clan. It's essentially just a selection of the best material from all of the releases I've listened to enough to rate in recent weeks & I've called it "Metal Academy Radio's Metal Party Mix Tape" for the time being. I think my listening habits are broad enough to give it the desired amount of variety & have intentionally left the programming really random so that you never know what's coming next but also because I have no time to spend on programming these days. It'll be continually evolving as I listen to my next release with the longer-term inclusions giving way to the more recent experiences. I've been really enjoying this playlist over the last couple of weeks. See what you think.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2JhEdPqjMqaMjnqIYKSwlq?si=abbc65cf26dc4c67

Although my interest in alt-rock/metal bands like Linkin Park has dropped after moving out of The Gateway, at least I still like some bands. Here's my discography ranking for one of those bands, Coldrain (including EPs with fresh material):

1. The Enemy Inside

2. The Side Effects

3. Nonnegative

4. The Revelation

5. Through Clarity

6. Nothing Lasts Forever

7. Until the End

8. Optimize

9. Vena

10. Final Destination

11. Fateless

I originally posted this in the "Release Lists" thread, but ultimately I decided to move it to its own. And that idea is...the best albums of (almost) every metal genre, inspired by this Metal Trenches video:

Here's mine:

Thrash metal: Annihilator - Alice in Hell (1989)

Groove metal: Orbit Culture - Death Above Life (2025)

Death metal: Dark Sermon - The Oracle (2015)

Melodic death metal: The Halo Effect - Days of the Lost (2022)

Blackened death metal: Shade Empire - Omega Arcane (2013)

Black metal: Samael - Blood Ritual (1992)

Nu metal: Cane Hill - Smile (2016)

Doom metal: October Tide - Rain Without End (1997)

Power metal: DragonForce - Inhuman Rampage (2006)

Heavy metal: Enforcer - Zenith (2019)

Symphonic metal: Avantasia - Ghostlights (2016)

Progressive metal: Ne Obliviscaris - Portal of I (2012)

Metalcore: Trivium - In Waves (2011)

Mathcore: The Dillinger Escape Plan - Calculating Infinity (1999)

Deathcore: Lorna Shore - I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me (2025)

Post-metal: Rolo Tomassi - Where Myth Becomes Memory (2022)

Sludge metal: Will Haven - WHVN (1999)

Industrial metal: Godflesh - Streetcleaner (1989)

Grindcore: N/A

Folk metal: N/A (for now)

So what are some of your best albums of every metal genre? Discuss!

Here are some tracks I can think of that can be good for Zach's Revolution playlist, covering different subgenres including metalcore, melodic metalcore, and deathcore. Anyone else feel free to come up with your own recommendations. And if anyone is starting their own Revolution playlist as well, the recommendations below would be helpful for you too.

Lorna Shore - "Welcome Back, O' Sleeping Dreamer" from Pain Remains (deathcore)

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

Imminence - "Temptation" from Heaven in Hiding (metalcore)

Like Moths to Flames - "Fluorescent White" from No Eternity in Gold (metalcore)

War of Ages - "The Awakening" from Fire From the Tomb (melodic metalcore)

As I Lay Dying - "An Ocean Between Us" from An Ocean Between Us (melodic metalcore)

Killswitch Engage - "In Due Time" from Disarm the Descent (melodic metalcore)

Within the Ruins - "Death of the Rockstar" from Halfway Human (deathcore)

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

Trivium - "In Waves" from In Waves (melodic metalcore)

For the Fallen Dreams - "Stone" from Six (melodic metalcore)

Motionless in White - "Black Damask (The Fog)" from Infamous (metalcore)

Fit for a King - "TECHNIUM" from TECHNIUM (metalcore)

Structures - "The Worst of Both Worlds" from Life Through a Window (metalcore)

Shadow of Intent - "Flying the Black Flag" from Flying the Black Flag (deathcore)

Silent Planet - "Mindframe" from Mindframe (metalcore)

Bleed from Within - "Hands of Sin" from Hands of Sin (metalcore)

All That Remains - "The Piper" from Antifragile (melodic metalcore)

Avenged Sevenfold - "Chapter Four" from Waking the Fallen (melodic metalcore)

God Forbid - "Nothing" from Determination (melodic metalcore)

The Autumn Offering - "Your Time Is Mine" from Fear Will Cast No Shadow (melodic metalcore)

Cave In - "Crossbearer" from Beyond Hypothermia (metalcore)

Poison the Well - "12/23/93" from The Opposite of December... A Season of Separation (metalcore)

Blood of the Martyrs - "The Devil's Grip" from Endgame (metalcore)

Parkway Drive - "Carrion" from Horizons (metalcore)

Hope for the Dying - "Open Up the Sky" from Aletheia (metalcore)

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Eisheilig - "Sturm" from Elysium (2006)

3/5. Not really the best start of the playlist, now that I look back at it. Probably because this is the German alt pop-ish genre that is Neue Deutsche Harte. But I enjoy the beautiful bridge at the two and a half minute mark.

Lard - "Volcanus 2000 (We Wipe the World)" from 70's Rock Must Die (2000)

3.5/5. This one has the band's usual industrial rock/metal first introduced in the 1988 Ministry album, tackling those who want to imitate Nine Inch Nails. There are some people who think this kind of sound is stinky garbage, but if you get more to the sound like I am, you might some decent enjoyment.

Red Harvest - "Hole in Me" from A Greater Darkness (2007)

4/5. A great song for me to feel the darkness. Red Harvest haven't made anything since this album, but hopefully they'll return. Unlike their earlier faster works, this song has the slow crawl of Neurosis or death-doom.

Black Magnet - "Better Than Love" from Megamantra (2025)

4.5/5. Quite an underrated banger! It's like a trip back to the 90s industrial rock/metal of bands like Skinny Puppy.

Shadow Domain - "Turbogenerator" from Digital Divide (2018)

4/5. Sybreed vocalist Benjamin Nominet kept himself busy during his main band's hiatus, with temporary side-project Shadow Domain. Man, his vocals shine in the chorus!

Klank - "Penetrate" from Numb (2000)

4.5/5. Klank can really crank things up, with the ability to sound heavy and dance-y at the same time.

Void - "Sulphur City Sickness" from Posthuman (2003)

4/5. Same with this band, minus the brief sludgy intro.

Pitchshifter - "Skin Grip" from Industrial (1991)

4.5/5. This one has some of Pantera's forceful groove, but it's still a pummeling crusher like in Fear Factory's debut album next year.

Awake at Last - "Bloodline" from The Balance (2023)

4/5. A cool track to love for modern alt-/industrial metal.

Motionless in White - "Burned at Both Ends II" from Scoring the End of the World (2022)

4.5/5. The title of this track already lets you know the song sequels are still going on in this Motionless in White album, being a sequel to a song from Infamous. It has really grown into one of my favorites. The lyrics have a more positive theme, "At both ends burned once more, but now I live for something more".

Acumen Nation - "Octavia" from Artifacts: 1990 - 1993 - Volume 1 (2002)

4/5. Acumen Nation has made a compilation of early demo tracks from the early 90s. This one's pretty great though more industrial than metal.

Ghostemane - "Crime Time" from Fear Network II (2021)

3.5/5. "Free ride right into the next life with next knife I see anywhere near me or in my vicinity. Count down the days!"

Killing Joke - "Majestic" from Hosannas from the Basements of Hell (2006)

4/5. This one is out of this world with majestic guitar force. Enough said!

Lord of the Lost - "It's a Sin" from Weapons of Mass Seduction (2023)

4.5/5. The original Pet Shop Boys single may be an overused pop song, but Lord of the Lost made it more epic, even more than Gamma Ray's cover!

Blue Stahli - "Red Carpet Rush" from Antisleep Vol. 04 (2017)

5/5. This highlight is from Blue Stahli's Antisleep instrumental album series mostly centered around electro-industrial tracks. However, as much as this track tries to go the EDM/house route similar to Avicii and David Guetta, it actually has a similar vein to Neurotech's Evasive, touching in on Deathstars and Turmion Katilot, giving it a somewhat industrial/cyber metal vibe, enough for it to fit well in The Sphere.

Celldweller - "Fadeaway" from Celldweller (2003)

4.5/5. Celldweller's self-titled debut is from a time when the earlier millennials were going to college and jamming out to these kinds of songs. I also didn't start listening to Klayton's projects until when I was, and still am, in my 20s, so a few years before this comment. The best part is throughout the 3rd quarter of the song.

Circle of Dust - "Nothing Sacred (Blue Stahli Remix)" from Circle of Dust (1995, 2016 remaster)

5/5. I absolutely love this Blue Stahli remix. Bret Autrey's futuristic stylings give an already great song more life.

AP2 - "The Only Man I Know" from Supsension of Disbelief (2000)

4.5/5. This one actually takes a break from the industrial metal sound for more of an alt-rock/metal sound that would actually foreshadow 36 Crazyfists' style at that time, and maybe even Bring Me the Horizon's sound in the late 2010s.

The Berzerker - "Lonely World" from Animosity (2007)

5/5. Industrial deathgrind, huh? This I'm actually up for! "A call to god goes unheard, unanswered. Lonely world robs us of your morals and tortures me."

Static-X - "Run for Your Life" from Project Regeneration, Vol. 2 (2024)

4.5/5. RIP Wayne Static. This band has made f***ing killer bangers resurrected from demo sessions as a tribute to him. The best part is the bridge that starts the second half, "IT'S YOUR LAST DAY IN THIS HOLLOW WORLD!!!" I also think really looks back at all the band's earlier albums. Their new lead vocalist Xer0 sounds amazing. Of course, we know he's Edsel Dope from the band Dope, and it seems like he has brought some influences from that band to this one. Also great for an action movie fight!

Rob Zombie - "Punks and Demons" from Punks and Demons (2025)

4/5. Rob Zombie is back again with a heavy punky new single. I must have some serious willpower to prevent myself from joining the "SATAN SATAN" chant-along.

Flesh Field - "Reckoning" from Voice of the Echo Chamber (2023)

3.5/5. Good, but it probably would've been better if the synth-orchestral buildup wasn't so long.

CueStack - "Icon" from Diagnosis:Human (2021)

3/5. This one's more upbeat but still not too great.

Ministry - "TV Song #6" from Moral Hygiene (2021)

3.5/5. "IT. IS. OVER!!!!" Not by a long shot, as we really speed up with a programmed blackened blast-beat all the way through.

Psyclon Nine - "You Know What You Are" from INRI (2005)

4/5. Even though Psyclon Nine was more of an electronic/aggrotech band in their first two albums, their cover of a Ministry track is perhaps the first hint of their later industrial metal sound that would build up in their next two albums and taking full form from Order of the Shadow Act 1 onwards.

Gothminister - "Raise the Dead" from Utopia (2013)

4.5/5. Towards the end of this playlist and its original album is yet another excellent track.

Pain - "Feed Us" from Cynic Paradise (2008)

5/5. When I was a teen, I was listening to symphonic/power metal bands like Nightwish. Hearing this song featuring one of that band's vocalists, Anette Olzon, all these years later, has really made me kick myself for not discovering this song or band earlier. It's just so d*mn cool!

Neurotech - "Alleviate" from In Remission (2016)

4.5/5. A nearly 9-minute epic of electronic enchantment. Though as much as I enjoy that one, it should be said that I'm not feeling the cyber metal touch that I had earlier this year. My interest in bands like Mechina and Neurotech is already fading, now that I'm restoring my interest in the more medieval fantasy side of epicness from symphonic and power metal instead of the sci-fi of epic cyber metal. All I can say is, hello again fantasy, goodbye futuristic.... But I'm still in The Sphere, don't worry.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? 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 to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Hope for the Dying - "City of Corpses" from Hope for the Dying (2008)

5/5. A killer standout to start this playlist, 7 minutes of prog-ish metalcore!

Darkest Hour - "The Sadist Nation" from Hidden Hands of a Sadist Nation (2003)

4.5/5. Darkest Hour was one of the first metalcore bands I've listened to since Trivium since moving out of the power metal of my teen years. Although I haven't listened to this band in a few years, songs like this I still considered underrated. They've opened At the Gates for a show which led to that band's vocalist Tomas Lindberg guest appearing in this track, and I've added it in this playlist as a tribute to him. RIP

Bury Tomorrow - "Villain Arc" from Will You Haunt Me, With That Same Patience? (2025)

5/5. Bury Tomorrow is another awesome band to listen to. Their switch to a new heavier era makes this song worth adding to the playlist. The vocals by Daniel Winter-Bates are so crushing, though I also enjoy the clean singing by Tom Prendergast.

SEGA Sound Team, Tomoya Ohtani, Kellin Quinn - "Break Through It All" from Sonic Frontiers Original Soundtrack (2022)

4.5/5. I'm glad to have an outside-world friend who's both a Sonic fan and a metalhead, otherwise I wouldn't have discovered this really cool and heavy song with the girl-ish yet tough-guy vocals by Kellin Quinn (Sleeping with Sirens).

Fit for a King - "Slave to Nothing" from Slave to Nothing (2014)

5/5. Fit for a King is quite a heavy band for Christian metalcore, especially proven in the sick breakdown. I also enjoy the intro chords. The guest vocals by For Today vocalist Mattie Montgomery make me up to checking out that band despite sadly breaking up.

Parkway Drive - "Carrion" from Horizons (2007)

5/5. The massive impact of this highlight makes thousands of metalheads in the audience shout along from beginning to end. It has heavy fury together with incredible melody, combining into an emotional mix. The growls of angst from Winston McCall and beautiful guitar melodies from Jeff Ling will keep you headbanging even at the album age of over a decade.

It Dies Today - "Sirens" from Sirens (2006)

4.5/5. Some of the coolest lyrics from this band!

Neaera - "Caesura" from Omnicide – Creation Unleashed (2009)

4.5/5. Some of the coolest melodeath/metalcore from this band!

Equilibrium - "I'll Be Thunder" from I'll Be Thunder (2025)

5/5. Originally an epic folk metal band, Equilibrium have evolved into folk metalCORE, creating this melodic banger that has made me up for more of this band.

I Prevail - "Rain" from Violent Nature (2025)

4.5/5. Another song to give me delight from the elements of rain, snow, and fire.

VENUES - "Duality" from Duality (2025)

4/5. I'm still grateful to find great catchy songs like this one. Another solid banger! The music video has a cool story to tell. I can already get the modern metalcore hype. It's too beautiful to miss out on the more popular live festivals. We need this to be popular instead of all this K-Pop Demon Hunters sh*t. With profound lyrics and wide-ranged vocals, let's hope this band never stops what they're doing.

Ten After Two - "Truth Is..." from Truth Is... (2011)

4.5/5. The best highlight of its original album. Everything is done greatly in the guitars, lyrics, and chorus. The absolute pinnacle of that album, and that's my true opinion!

Babymetal, Slaughter to Prevail - "Song 3" from Song 3 (2025)

4/5. A wicked collab between Babymetal and Slaughter to Prevail! Contrary to popular belief, while Alex Terrible appears in this song, some of the growls are actually done by Momo, one of the Babymetal girls, which is impressive as f***, but I understand the confusion. Alex is still a beast when it comes to his growls, roaring like a f***ing animal. The refrain chant of "Ichi, ni, san, DA!" is the catchphrase of the recently passed professional wrestler Antonio Inoki, so I'm guessing that's a tribute to him. RIP... While Alex's growls are deep and brutal as they always have, Momo sounds clearer. And honestly, I would love to hear more of Momo's raw yet natural growls.

Confessions of a Traitor - "Noble Bloom" from This Pain Will Serve You (2025)

3.5/5. Another intense banger with a catchy chorus, though the occasional dip into ethereal softness in the verses is a little unfitting.

Our Promise - "Bitter" from Bitter (2025)

3/5. Decent banger, similar to Annisokay and The Narrator, but the more nu metal-ish parts sound like sh*t.

Tuesday's Too Late - "Bitter" from Bitter (2025)

3.5/5. Wow, the second song in a row to be titled "Bitter"! And fun fact: I'm the 500th subscriber for this band's YouTube channel. The chorus reminds me of Breaking Benjamin, while everything else has the heaviness of Psycho-Frame and Kingdom of Giants. Good banger!

Mavis - "The Great Attractor" from The Great Attractor (2025)

4/5. "Is love a lie dressed up in fire, or just a wound that we desire?" Those kinds of lyrics really go hard. So does the music, especially at the one and a half minute mark. The song really has that Architects vibe, right from the intro riff.

Eighteen Visions - "Prelude to an Epic" from Until the Ink Runs Out (2025)

4.5/5. An epic interlude that sounds like the intro for one of the songs by Brandan Schieppati's main band Bleeding Through, especially in the background keyboards. Instead of being embedded to the next song like in the original version, the two re-recorded songs are separated, allowing this interlude to segue to a different track in this playlist...

Bury Your Dead - "The Forgotten" from It's Nothing Personal (2009)

5/5. A heavy gem to scream/sing along to. The vocals by Myke Terry are so crushing, and so is the guest appearance by Frankie Palmeri of Emmure.

DIESECT - "SHURA" from HIDE FROM THE LIGHT (2025)

4.5/5. Diesect and Heavensgate are two bands that unleash a blast of nu metalcore wind, and this song is another absolute f***ing banger. The crushing breakneck breakdown occurs midway through. These guys sound p*ssed as h*ll and should never be messed with. I can also hear some parts that can remind some of Alpha Wolf.

Frontierer - "Heirloom" from Oxidized (2021)

4/5. Frontierer has made mathcore rise back up from the grave after the temporary demise of The Dillinger Escape Plan and The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza.

Cult Leader - "Hate Offering" from Lightless Walk (2015)

4.5/5. One of my favorite tracks from this band, and HOLY SH*T, the final minute is so destructive.

The Dillinger Escape Plan - "*#.." from Calculating Infinity (1999)

4/5. An interlude that starts ambient before an aggressive yet soft-sounding metallic hardcore twist fades in.

Coalesce - "One on the Ground" from Give Them Rope (1997)

4.5/5. This one begins in a screaming barrage that's totally worth it. I can personally hear those notes and beats strike my heart.

Converge - "In Her Blood" from You Fail Me (2004)

5/5. A purely brutal track with great tempo changes.

Wolves at the Gate - "Evil are the Kings" from Eclipse (2019)

4.5/5. One of my favorite tracks from this band and album! The vocals might remind some of Thrice.

Keep Close - "Bury the Pain" from Bury the Pain (2025)

4/5. Great dynamics, with an addictive chorus and bridge you can't resist.

Whitechapel - "Faces" from Whitechapel (2012)

4.5/5. This one has some greatness that is missing from people listening to deathcore without an open mind.

Shadow of Intent - "Imperium Delirium" from Imperium Delirium (2025)

5/5. Another one of the darkest deathcore epics, all the way up to the "YOU ARE NOW F***ED" ending. However, one more epic shall take the throne...

Lorna Shore - "Forevermore" from I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me (2025)

5/5 (maybe even 5.5/5). The true ultimate best track of its original album and possibly by this band, the glorious finale that is their longest track at nearly 10 minutes, a tear-jerking atmospheric epic of triumph and emotion. Probably the best symphonic deathcore closing track EVER!!! I'm not gonna put it into words, just listen to it to believe me.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? 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 to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Warmen - "Japanese Hospitality" from Japanese Hospitality (2009)

5/5. Welcome to another Guardians playlist! Hope you appreciate the hospitality. The Japanese Hospitality! Janne Wirman is one of the best metal keyboardists out there. He was the keyboardist for Children of Bodom until that band's split-up and the passing of Alexi Laiho (RIP), after which Warmen became Wirman's main band and switched from neoclassical power metal to melodeath. Anyway, the intro for this song might've been inspired from the intro of Guns n Roses' Chinese Democracy. Also, guest appearing in a few songs (not this one) is Timo Kotipelto, vocalist of the speedy Stratovarius. Would've been great if Masterplan's Jorn Lande could guest appear too though.

Visions of Atlantis - "Clocks" from Pirates (2022)

4.5/5. Anyone expecting a Coldplay cover is proven dead wrong right away. I love the vocals by Clementine Delauney, especially in the verses.

Black Sabbath - "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)

4/5. RIP Ozzy Osbourne. The tributes to him and his band continue. Metalheads shall praise Black Bloody Sabbath!

Ozzy Osbourne - "Dreamer" from Down to Earth (2001)

3.5/5. And here's one more tribute, this one being a soft dreamy ballad. Once again, RIP...

Budgie - "Guts" from Budgie (1971)

3/5. Budgie has been considered underappreciated in the old-school hard rock/metal community, especially when they had another fallen vocalist in Burke Shelley (RIP). The bass and guitar fuzz gives this track a stoner-ish that would put this band together with Black Sabbath as stoner rock/metal before Kyuss brought it further two decades later. It's cool, and but it doesn't give me the guts to explore more of their older sound.

Battle Beast - "Angel of Midnight" from Angel of Midnight (2025)

3.5/5. Imagine a Bonnie Tyler hit from the 80s turned metal. This is what that is right here! Noora Louhimo sings like a queen, a hair metal queen. I'm not sure if I'm up for a lot more of this retro-sounding style though.

Bang - "Lions, Christians" from Bang (1972)

4/5. Now here's another band from the Sabbath days of early heavy metal. However, Bang was quite short-lived and didn't make it big the way bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy, and Budgie did. Sir Lord Baltimore also stopped after only one album or so. Still the leads here are f***ing heavy for the early 70s.

Manowar - "Blood Brothers" from Gods of War (2007)

4.5/5. This power ballad is worth dedicating to all your friends who have sacrificed a lot to protect the ones they love, and those who have lost their loved ones and wish to persevere after tragedy. Warriors shall fight for the brothers that are lost and left behind. Those lyrics greatly motivate you in that situation. It's like therapy without having to go to therapy! Apparently, there's also a similarly titled Iron Maiden song, but it's not the same one. Stay strong, my brothers!

3 Inches of Blood - "Silent Killer" from Here Waits Thy Doom (2009)

5/5. After that slow march, it's time to speed up and battle for heavy/power metal!

Scorpions - "In Trance" from In Trance (1975)

4.5/5. Thie title track for Scorpions' 3rd album first metal one is actually one of the best 70s hard rock ballads I've ever heard! Meine's vocals have so emotion, the chorus sounds powerful, and the song ends epically in the guitar leads. And don't forget a subtle reference to the Beatles.

Lorna Shore - "Glenwood" from I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me (2025)

5/5. Absolutely epic and emotional, and with the lack of breakdowns, this is really extreme power-ish symphonic metal, enough to make a genuine Guardians track for a Lorna Shore song!

Arch Enemy - "Vivre Libre" from Blood Dynasty (2025)

4.5/5. Then we have this cover of a French power ballad originally by Blaspheme. There's no melodeath, not even in the vocals. Gluz sounds very much like an angel have descended from Heaven to go to a rock/metal concert. Perhaps the most Guardians-esque track Arch Enemy has done!

Stevie T - "Jojo" from Jojo (2020)

4/5. Ah, the song that couldn't be fixed, now fixed by the one and only Stevie T! And he didn't just fix it, he turned it into a full-on DragonForce-esque power metal song. Now I hope for his Moonlight Eternal song to one day be added to Spotify. At least that one has lyrics I can take more seriously than this.

SEGA Sound Team, Tomoya Ohtani, Kellin Quinn - "Undefeatable" from Sonic Frontiers Original Soundtrack (2022)

4.5/5. And here's another DragonForce-esque power metal song, sung by someone you probably weren't expecting in power metal, Sleeping with Sirens' Kellin Quinn! I checked out some songs from his main band but they weren't metal enough for me, unlike this track. Let's hope this one ends up in the next Sonic the Hedgehog movie.

Amorphis - "Dancing Shadow" from Borderland (2025)

4/5. Amorphis seems to be taking a more classic heavy metal turn while maintaining the usual doom-ish progressive metal, but I'm all for it!

Sabaton - "To Hell and Back" from Heroes (2014)

4.5/5. Another highlight worth mentioning! It starts with a flute melody before another epic heavy experience. It's more midpaced while staying strong in the chorus, lyrics, and even synthesized brass. The best part is the short yet sweet guitar solo. There's just so much power in these 3 and a half minutes! I just wish the band would make long epics, not just radio-sized songs. The closest we have to a Sabaton epic is "Rise of Evil" from Attero Dominatus.

Galneryus - "Destinations" from Resurrection (2010)

5/5. An absolute beautiful progressive power metal song, especially in the soloing duel between guitars and keyboards through the last couple minutes. The soloing in the middle of the track is also wonderful! Anime fans who have watched Hunter x Hunter would know Galneryus and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas from their songs being used as the show's opening themes. Truly a fun song!

Stratovarius - "Fright Night" from Fright Night (1989)

4.5/5. Probably would've been better for last month's playlist, especially since it sounds similar to Black Sabbath and Helloween, especially the latter's song "Halloween". Nonetheless, I enjoy the kick-A singing and guitar shredding of Timo Tolkki.

Primal Fear - "Nation in Fear" from Jaws of Death (1999)

5/5. Another masterful piece of heavy/power metal! Primal Fear is the band Ralf Scheepers formed after his unsuccessful audition for Judas Priest. A f***ing awesome song relatable to the bleakness of the world we live in. I can also hear some Angra vibes here.

Stream of Passion - "The Hunter" from Beautiful Warrior (2023)

4.5/5. A truly stunning song to mark the return of Stream of Passion. Marcela Bovio's singing is just divine!

Amberian Dawn - "Valkyries" from Rover of Tuoni (2008)

5/5. Anyone into Nightwish would surely enjoy this band! And I really need to enjoy them too, considering those serene vocals by Heidi Parviainen.

Savatage - "Sirens" from Sirens (1983)

4.5/5. Man, what other hidden 80s gems are there!?! This is the strong melodic beginning of these American heavy/power metal legends! Fits well for the sirens from the Witcher games, and the dark crushing guitarwork rules too. Those people who prefer to listen to Metallica and Iron Maiden are really missing out.

Fates Warning - "The Apparition" from Spectre Within (1985)

5/5. This one still remains as my favorite track of the album on the US power metal side, with the best vocals from John Arch.

Yngwie Malmsteen - "(Fight) the Good Fight" from Parabellum (2021)

4.5/5. Impressive singing and guitar shredding from the king of neoclassical metal! It's sad that Ozzy Osbourne is gone, this seems like a song he would sing in one of Yngwie's performances if he had the chance. Yngwie continues to prove himself a master shredder from the intro to the soloing throughout.

DragonForce - "Wildest Dreams" from Warp Speed Warriors (2024)

4/5. Let's end it all with a neat metalized cover of the Taylor Swift hit. It still can't beat the previous album's Celine Dion cover though. What happened to Extreme Power Metal on Spotify anyway!? H*ll if I know...

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any heavy/power/symphonic/neoclassical metal fan and anyone who isn't into those genres but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here's my review summary:

Any Fear Factory fans new and old can enjoy a lot of this album, with the longtime listeners experiencing nostalgia. As highly selling as this album is, reception might've been divisive due to leaning a bit into nu metal territory. However, the excellent writing is what make this album essential. Basically, the band is following the then-common idea of dumping all traces of death metal for a more pop-ish mainstream path, while staying in industrial metal. The tough lyrics and hip-hop beat sound odd in the band's attempt to discard their death metal roots, yet it brings me great delight. Brushing aside the accessibility, the greatly written songs are worth listening to, and even pure metalheads should try at least one of them. And it's a brilliant start for metal newcomers in extreme metal, starting off with poppy accessibility before digging into the heavier underground. All of this makes Obsolete an amazing experience!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Securitron (Police State 2000)", "Descent", "Freedom or Fire", "Resurrection", "Timelessness"

For fans of: Static-X, Strapping Young Lad, Sybreed

Here's my review summary:

Hope for the Dying's official full-length debut masterpiece Dissimulation is an album in which the "epic" label fits in quite appropriately. Before recording this album, the band made a self-titled release that was released as an EP then repackaged as a studio album released via Strike First Records. The band would then be signed to the label's more well-known older sibling Facedown Records. Just imagine Unearth and All That Remains with more progressive structures and Two Steps From Hell-esque orchestra. The metal guitars alternate from riffing to shredding, bringing out that neoclassical vibe. The screams and clean vocals are all in brilliant balance. The orchestra makes its bombastic flow through the heavy guitars, drums, and vocals. Dissimulation may not surpass Trivium's In Waves for the eternal reign of my personal best albums of 2011, but it's still one of the best that I wished I had discovered sooner. The older fans would get a kick of nostalgia while still sounding fresh the newer fans including myself. Orchestral metalcore is a sound that should've caught on a lot more. A must-have for anyone up for something both epic and extreme!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "Vacillation", "Orison", "Transcend", "The Awakening" (full suite), "Vile Reflections"

For fans of: Trivium, Unearth, Make Them Suffer's Neverbloom

Here's my review summary:

Skillet was part of the league of my brother's favorite alt-rock/metal bands alongside others such as Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, and Disturbed. Back around the Rise era, shortly before getting into "true" metal, I was following his footsteps and liked some songs from those bands. I consider Skillet more of a rock band than metal, but when I gave that album some listening for the first time in many years, I realized it has the most metal Skillet has ever sounded in their career, as heavy as frontman John Cooper's side-project Fight the Fury. The electronics of the band's prior albums were reduced in favor of pure guitar intensity, with John's singing having a bit of a screamy edge. This is total riff aggression that the band has barely done before and after. Synths still pop out occasionally while still having the heavy riffing. There are a couple softer ballads here and there, but they still mainly go from bliss to devastation (not to be confused with that Vision of Disorder album with a similar sound). Collide has shown Skillet really making their way to the alt-rock/metal generation. And it has still pleased listeners in the next couple decades that would follow. If my brother and I both end up saying goodbye to alt-rock/metal for real one day, this offering can still be something for us to remember....

4/5

Recommended tracks: "Forsaken", "Savior", "My Obsession", "Collide", "Imperfection", "Energy"

For fans of: Fight the Fury, Breaking Benjamin, Vision of Disorder's From Bliss to Devastation

OK, thanks Daniel.

https://metal.academy/hall/599

https://metal.academy/hall/598

https://metal.academy/hall/597