Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Threads

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Eden's Curse - "Symphony of Sin" from Symphony of Sin (2013)

4.5/5. The opening track for this playlist is the one track in this Eden's Curse album to actually have symphonics, mostly in the intro. Other than that, it's a long 7 and a half minute epic that perfectly represents the band's sound. I'm already hearing Steve Williams' keys have that blended vibe of AOR and power metal. Nikola Mijic has a similar tone to Tobias Sammet (Avantasia, Edguy) which definitely sets the band away from those hard rock comparisons. I mean, his vocals don't have too much strength, though it can surpass how other classic hard rock/metal bands' vocalists do in their songs. A fantastic start!

Falconer - "Black Moon Rising" from Black Moon Rising (2014)

5/5. Falconer has just become one of my favorite power metal bands after somehow brushing them aside for over a decade, even when my interest in power metal was its height. Great music, great lyrics... The riffing is like Running Wild but more modernly produced. And besides power metal, they've added some folk/prog elements. Some may even be reminded of the band guitarist Stefan Weinerhall was originally in, Mithotyn. I'm just glad to listen to this album and their other ones.

Accept - "Fast as a Shark (feat. Phil Anselmo, Kirk Hammett, Billy Sheehan, Mikkey Dee, Harmoniemusik Hindelang)" from Fast as a Shark (2026)

4.5/5. Accept is celebrating their 50th anniversary with a re-recording album with contributions from well-known rock/metal musicians. The guests are already mentioned in the subtitle, but I have to give a shoutout to Mikkey Dee (Scorpions, ex-Motorhead, ex-King Diamond). He's given this speedy heavy metal classic a thrashier pace.

Cirith Ungol - "A Little Fire" from Frost and Fire (1981)

4/5. Need a little 80s heavy metal fire? You're gonna get some in this playlist, starting with this great song with fantastic soloing. Some might pick up some Rush-isms here.

Pentagram - "Relentless" from Relentless (1985)

3.5/5. Pentagram formed in the early 1970s but didn't release their debut until over a decade later. Vocalist Bobby Liebling is the only member to stay in the band since the very beginning and is still keeping them active. Their sound here is kind of a bridge between the doom-gloom of Black Sabbath and the more upbeat vibes of other bands like Omen and Cloven Hoof. And the riffing can almost be considered very early proto-groove metal.

Running Wild - "Branded and Exiled" from Branded and Exiled (1985)

4/5. This is one of my favorite songs from Running Wild's initial Satanic speedy heavy metal era before becoming the pioneers of pirate metal. Still it doesn't beat their more popular albums like Death or Glory.

Black Sabbath - "TV Crimes" from Dehumanizer (1992)

3.5/5. Good attack on televangelists, though looking back at this, it's not really one of Dio's best vocal performances. Still I respect him as a metal god. RIP

Manowar - "Blood of My Enemies" from Hail to England (1984)

4/5. Manowar and Iron Maiden enhanced classic heavy metal in the 80s with their anthems like this one. Anyone can listen to this while slaying enemies at war. I've first heard of this track via Edge of Sanity's cover.

Samson - "Inside Out" from Survivors (1979)

3.5/5. Before joining Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson was originally in this band Samson. Not in this album's original edition, but shortly after. A little more hard rock-ish though.

Judas Priest - "Hard as Iron" from Ram It Down (1988)

4/5. Judas Priest's later speed is hinted here, particularly in the bass and drums. What a shame this wasn't a live staple because it's perhaps the best track of its original album. An absolutely underrated kick-A speedy tune that is an early sign of Painkiller!

Megadeth - "Countdown to Extinction" from Countdown to Extinction (1992)

3.5/5. RIP Nick Menza. His drumming has helped stabilize songs in his era of Megadeth, alongside of course the guitar talent and vocal attitude of Dave Mustaine.

Ozzy Osbourne - "Bark at the Moon" from Bark at the Moon (1983)

4/5. RIP Ozzy Osbourne, prince of darkness, king of metal. We also have to praise the drumwork by Tommy Aldridge and the guitars by Jake E. Lee, whom the latter's melody and heaviness in the soloing and riffing would make the tragically-gone-so-young previous guitarist Randy Rhoads proud (RIP him as well). Around that time, Ozzy Osbourne and his band were taking on a cleaner more mainstream direction. Still the talent and strength of their members are clear and present.

Iron Maiden - "Powerslave" from Powerslave (1984)

4.5/5. 1983 and 1984 were the years when Iron Maiden and Dio each released a couple albums that would cement them as two of the OG 80s heavy metal bands. George Marino, who helped with this album, was a true master of mastering. RIP... I think I might like this song more than the band's other ones!

Tyr - "The Lay of Our Love" from Valkyrja (2013)

5/5. Leaves' Eyes ex-vocalist Liv Kristine guest appears in this highlight. Taking some traditional native motives, it's one of the most beautiful ballads I've heard, even for a heavier metalhead like myself. The vocal alternation works like a dream.

Stevie T - "Shredding National Anthems" from Shredding National Anthems (2017)

4.5/5. Stevie T has made this shredtastic guitar medley covering national anthems from different countries all over the world. If only he had included my country Malaysia...

Amberian Dawn - "Crimson Flower" from Circus Black (2012)

5/5. Anyway, let's go to Finland where we have a few symphonic/power metal anthems like this one that's one of my favorite Amberian Dawn songs. Gorgeous vocals by Heidi Parviainen, awesome soloing, all in here!

Kiuas - "Aftermath" from Lustdriven (2010)

4.5/5. Similarly to Falconer, Kiuas have their own style of folk-ish power metal. Here they crank up the speed as well as the rough edge in the vocals by Ilja Jalkanen.

Celesty - "Arrival" from Mortal Mind Creation (2006)

5/5. Another epic power metal song that I wish was in my mind long ago when I was still deep in the power metal zone.

Kamelot - "Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)" from Haven (2015)

4.5/5. A majestic standout featuring Alissa White-Gluz (DragonForce, ex-Arch Enemy, ex-The Agonist) that I still love to this day. Well, not the radio edit, f*** that.

Fairyland - "The Story Remains" from The Fall of an Empire (2006)

5/5. Fairyland is one of the most underrated bands of power metal. How I overlooked them until this year, I don't know. Awesome epic! RIP Philippe Giordana

Epica - "Kingdom of Heaven - A New Age Dawns, Pt. 5" from Design Your Universe (2009)

5/5. But then we have one more epic to surpass the previous one, a 5-part 13-minute epic that serves as the literal centerpiece of the "A New Age Dawns" saga and would itself spawn a couple sequels in subsequent Epica albums. It has practically everything, all extreme, symphonic, and even some acoustic. It's their own attempt at an Opeth-like progressive epic that ends up paying off well!

Nightwish - "Imaginaerum" from Imaginaerum (2011)

4.5/5. Now how about an orchestral medley to really end this playlist! The album Imaginaerum was made along with a film based on that, and this medley was envisioned as the outro for the album and the end credits track for the movie. This gives it all a theatrical sense of closure.

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!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/45Xj4PCyW3LavsE8NMtncN

Tracklisting:

1. Fear Factory - "Autonomous Combat System" from Genexus (2015) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

2. Celldweller - "Respawn" from GOD MODE level 02: Respawn (2026) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. Circle of Dust - "Invisible World" from Invisible World (2025)

4. Rammstein - "Mein Herz Brennt" from Mutter (2001)

5. Jacob Lizotte - "IN MY HEAD" from BLACKOUT (2026)

6. Gravity Kills - "Inside" from Gravity Kills (1996)

7. Spineshank - "Synthetic" from The Height of Callousness (2000)

8. Northlane - "CUT_It" from CUT_It (2026)

9. Psyclon Nine - "Off With Their Heads" from Less Than Heaven (2022) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

10. Dagoba - "It's All About Time" from What Hell is About (2006)

11. Synthetic Breed - "Mirrored Reflections" from Perpetual Motion Machine (2010) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

12. Hanzel und Gretyl - "Number 1 in Deutschland" from 2012: Zwanzig Zwolf (2008)

13. Kidneythieves - "Crazy" from Zerospace (2002)

14. OOMPH! - "Wenn Du Weinst" from Wahrheit Oder Pflicht (2004)

15. No Oath - "Sentient" from Liminal (2021)

16. 16volt - "Wisdom" from Wisdom (1993)

17. Crossbreed - "Superstition" from Ke 101 (2009)

18. Combichrist - "Venom" from The Venom in the Mouth of God (2026)

19. Deadheaven - "Шторм" from Новый Мир (2015)

20. Subliminal Fear - "Dark Star Renaissance" from Escape from Leviathan (2016)

21. Viral Millennium - "The Promised Land" from Vomitosis (2014)

22. Logical Terror, Threat Signal - "Ashes of Fate" from Ashes of Fate (2016)

23. Mechina - "Non Serviam" from Conqueror (2011) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

24. Turmion Katilot - "Raivotarjonta" from Raivotarjonta (2026) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

25. In This Moment - "DAMAGED (feat. Spencer Charnas)" from GODMODE (2023)

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

27. Burst Synapse - "A Fair Market Price" from Moloch (2021)

28. Aabode - "Uncanny View / Valle Verde" from Hyper-Death (2026)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1yFgscg5HWKGoIy2s0xRfG

Tracklisting:

1. Underoath - "In Regards to Myself" from Define the Great Line (2006)

2. Greeley Estates - "The Last Dance" from The Death of Greeley Estates (2011)

3. Cave In - "Terminal Deity" from Until Your Heart Stops (1998) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

4. LEVELS - "OPIUM OF MAN" from PULSE (2024)

5. Dal Av, Jackson Rose, Darknet - "GHOST_TOWN" from GHOST_TOWN (2024)

6. GRAYSTONE - "Musician Mansion" from Musician Mansion (2023)

7. Unearth - "Black Hearts Now Reign" from The Oncoming Storm (2004)

8. Hope for the Dying - "Nemesis" from Legacy (2016)

9. Shadows Fall - "The Art of Balance" from The Art of Balance (2002) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

10. Sonic Syndicate - "Crowned in Despair" from Eden Fire (2005)

11. The Amity Affliction - "Pittsburgh - Redux" from Let the Ocean Take Me (Redux) (2024)

12. Ice Nine Kills - "Meat & Greet" from Meat & Greet (2023)

13. 36 Crazyfists - "Elysium" from Rest Inside the Flames (2006) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. God Forbid - "Into the Wasteland" from IV: Constitution of Treason (2005) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

15. The Acacia Strain - "Sin" from It Comes in Waves (2019) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. Rings of Saturn - "Objective to Harvest" from Dingir (2013)

17. Bring Me the Horizon - "Dehumanized" from Count Your Blessings Repented (2026)

18. Lorna Shore - "War Machine" from I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me (2025)

19. Mental Cruelty - "Mundus Vult Decipi" from Inferis (2019) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

20. Deadguy - "Riot Stairs" from Fixation on a Co-Worker (1995)

21. HANABIE. - "O・TA・KUラブリー伝説" from ぶっちぎり東京 (2024)

22. Hatebreed - "Destroy Everything" from Supremacy (2006)

23. Left to Suffer - "Gun in the Duffle Bag" from Gun in the Duffle Bag (2026)

24. Brand of Sacrifice - "Seeing Red" from This Place Wasn't Meant for Us (2026)

25. War of Ages - "Stone by Stone" from Pride of the Wicked (2006) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

26. Concealer. - "...And the Sunlight Spoke" from This Room Could Be Heaven (2026)

27. Chimaira - "Without Moral Restraint" from Pass Out of Existence (2001)

28. Knut - "March" from Challenger (2002)

Here's my review summary:

This Room Could Be Heaven is concealer.'s debut after a couple EPs. All of the melody and emotion that has made metalcore and emo 20 to 25 years ago is in here, while making room for some modern heaviness in the riffing. We already get some vicious intensity blended with ethereal melody. At times it sounds almost like if Skycamefalling didn't split up and instead make a second album. And by the end, listeners would want more of this promising contribution to the revival. If they can make it big with this one and future albums, this could be the scene's new era!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Vanity, a Fractured Promise", "Color Slowly Fading", "A Quiet Ending", "And the Sunlight Spoke", "This Room Could Be Heaven"

For fans of: Skycamefalling, Static Dress, Evergreen Terrace

So just like that we find that a new month is upon us which of course means that we’ll be nominating a brand new monthly feature release for each clan. This essentially means that we’re asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter. We’re really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our chosen releases so don’t be shy.

This month's feature release for The Sphere, nominated by me (Shadowdoom9 (Andi)), is the 2012 EP by Melbourne-based djenty industrial death metal band Synthetic Breed, Zero Degrees Freedom. I wanted to nominate a release by Synthetic Breed (not to be confused with Sybreed), and I've decided on this EP mostly consisting of re-recordings of their earlier songs with a different bassist and vocalist temporarily replacing longtime members Jonas Bahlo and Callan Hughes. Different members aside, this EP is an excellent way to explore their heavy futuristic sound for first-time listeners.

https://metal.academy/releases/60753

So just like that we find that a new month is upon us which of course means that we’ll be nominating a brand new monthly feature release for each clan. This essentially means that we’re asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter. We’re really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our chosen releases so don’t be shy.

This month's feature release for The Infinite, nominated by me (Shadowdoom9 (Andi)), is 2001's 5th album by British progressive metallers Threshold, Hypothetical. In terms of melodic progressive metal in a similar vein to Dream Theater, Threshold have done it all in a way that can please any fan of the genre, even the heavier metalheads. Hypothetical is the album where they begin to really rise to the top stylistically in their best era, the era with the late Andrew "Mac" McDermott (RIP).

https://metal.academy/releases/5687

I've mentioned this before, but I pretty much left metal in the early to mid 80s only to return in the early 2000s. This was thanks to a work colleague that I started sharing music with. He was really into the more extreme forms of metal so I got introduced to loads of death metal, sludge, funeral doom and metalcore in all it's guises. Like Sonny mixing the hardcore with metal in metalcore appeals to me much more than cross-over thrash does. This is quite evident from my ratings over on RYM, where I have rated almost metalcore tagged releases compared to only 10 tagged crossover thrash.

I was already a big fan of Rorcharch's Protestant album, but I had never listened to the debut before. While the follow up album is maybe more diverse in it's influences, Remain Sedate has hardcore punk front and centre in its metalcore approach. It's intense, aggressive and relentless and channel's the disillusionment with the society of the time, which is still relevant today. Powerful stuff.

If I was to rank the two albums, I'd probably go Protestant just a shade higher, but I have them both rated as 4/5

I would also highlight that when I listened through this last night on YT, there was indeed a track with some jazzy flourishes anyway.  Not my bag regardless, despite being one of the fewer Sphere releases I have been able to sit through in full.

Ben, please add You Will Die.

Chimaira is generally known for their groove metal sound. The metalcore from their earlier releases was far behind them at this point. There's purely heavier riffing and mid-tempo pace of groove metal with barely any of the speed, melody, and breakdowns expected in metalcore. So I'd like to submit Chimaira's "Resurrection" to the Hall to be removed from The Revolution while staying in The Pit.

Chimaira's early 2000s material had more of a blend of nu metal and metalcore before their switch to groove metal later on. The frequent mid-paced riffs and tempo give this EP more in common with the rising nu metal scene similar to Slipknot and Linkin Park at that time. So I'd like to submit Chimaira's "This Present Darkness" into the hall to be added to the Gateway as nu metal while staying in The Revolution and metalcore.

Here are my thoughts on all selected tracks:

ALTUS Sound Team, ATLUS GAME MUSIC - "Ephemeral" from Shin Megami Tensei V Original Soundtrack (2021)

2.5/5. It is sometimes hard for me to be able to find enough industrial metal tracks to fit into a two-hour playlist, so I'd just pick anything from a random release in the Sphere clan page. I guess this works as an ambient intro for this playlist, but quite a rough start. And I can imagine some listeners having the same thought. Don't worry though, there are better tracks to come...

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

3/5. Here we start with some blackened electro-industrial metal. Try playing this during a Christian family outing. Let me know how it goes. ...Yeah, maybe don't. Anyway, this kind of electronic darkness I actually prefer to hear from Psyclon Nine. That being said, there's great intensity during the bridge that covers the last one or two minutes.

Rammstein - "Links 2 3 4" from Mutter (2001)

3.5/5. A more well-known single with political lyrics by the band to brush aside the earlier Nazi allegations, "They want my heart in the right place, but then I look below, it beats to the left." The music marches through, especially in the chorus with a more choral vibe. Not really enough to be a standout despite its goodness.

Rob Zombie - "F.T.W. 84" from The Great Satan (2026)

4/5. A f***ing killer anthem from the Great Satan, the Great Mr. Zombie!

Julien-K - "Waking Up" from SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG OFFICIAL SOUNDTRACK (2006)

4.5/5. Another song from a game soundtrack, and this time an actual industrial rock/metal song! You may know this band not just because it's an Orgy spin-off project but also from their association with the late Chester Bennington of Linkin Park. So while Crush 40 has made theme songs for Sonic, Julien-K has made one for Shadow. This may also fit well in The Matrix or a Marvel movie or... Sonic the Hedgehog 3! How could they not add that song in that movie's soundtrack?! I think when Chester helped produce the band's 2009 debut is what gave him the idea for the more electronic direction in A Thousand Suns. That and both groups' collab in the side-project Dead by Sunrise.

Turmion Katilot - "Sikiö" from Universal Satan (2018)

5/5. One of the best songs I've heard from this album and the band's discography. Holy h*ll, what a total gem, and a genuine reason for the album's full 5-star rating!

Fear Factory - "Christploitation" from Mechanize (2010)

4.5/5. Hitting things harder is this song that's furious enough to obliterate some of the earlier ones in this playlist. That's quite a lot of heaviness so far, and it's amazing!

Synthetic Breed - "Neuro Connectivity" from Catatonic (2008)

5/5. I'm glad to finally get into listening to this djenty industrial metal band with some hints at death/groove metal. Just don't get it confused with Sybreed from Switzerland.

The Clay People - "Plug" from The Clay People (1998)

4.5/5. Another underrated piece of industrial rock/metal. The Clay People were mixing that genre with alt-metal shortly before Static-X and, to a lesser extent, Disturbed.

Halo - "Filling the Empty Spaces With Cash" from Body of Light (2003)

4/5. I'm not totally into the more drone-ish industrial metal, but this one has great potential.

1000 Homo DJs - "Supernaut (Trent Vocals)" from Trax Box (1990/2015)

3.5/5. I've added this track to a Sphere playlist before, though that one was the official version with Ministry's Al Jourgensen on vocals. This original version is sung by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, replaced in the original EP due to record label issues.

Combichrist - "Broken United" from One Fire (2019)

3/5. The blend of electronics and guitars may be reminiscent of a heavier Icon of Coil. A bit boring, reminding me how glad I am that my teenage years were filled with melodic upbeat power metal instead of overly electronic sh*t.

Motionless in White - "Voices" from Graveyard Shift (2017)

3.5/5. There are still some good tracks made by this band, this one well-executed in the lyrics, especially in the verses. It's so kick-A, it can be a UFC fighter's victory song.

Youth Code, King Yosef, Matt Pike - "Head Underwater" from A Skeleton Key in the Doors of Depression (2021)

4/5. Wow, they were really high on fire in this track! And that pun was intended because it features that band's frontman Matt Pike.

Lord of the Lost - "La Vie Est Hell" from OPVS NOIR Vol. 3 (2026)

4.5/5. This one is based on Les Fleurs du Mal, complete with some French singing by Kissin' Dynamite vocalist Hannes Braun. It's filled with beautiful melancholy, which is kinda what I'm looking for in a ballad.

In This Moment - "Crawl" from Crawl (2026)

4.5/5. In This Moment's new album Witch will come out later this month, and it sounds like they're going more industrial than ever before.

KMFDM - "Flesh" from Nihil (1995)

4/5. This one is slower in the verses, but speeds up in the chorus and definitely towards the end.

Strapping Young Lad - "Dirt Pride" from Strapping Young Lad (2003)

4.5/5. "DIRT PRIDE!!! MY PRIDE!!!" A wild song from the Hevy Devy archives.

Psyclon Nine - "And With Fire" from Icon of the Adversary (2018)

5/5. With metal fire there's electronic air, formed together in sinister darkness.

Toxic Grind Machine - "Hymnlock" from Embryonic Emission (2012)

4.5/5. Then the darkness has some cyber light to make a futuristic hymn.

Vortech - "The Dark City" from The Shadow Presence (2022)

4/5. But it's still a dark city, you'll have to embrace the present shadow.

Mechina - "Planetfall" from Progenitor (2016)

4.5/5. Anyone who thinks mixing metal genres together doesn't work is wrong. Mechina have made their own cauldron of epic destruction and brought in Dean Arnold (Primal Frost/Vital Remains) for a guitar solo at the end. Absolute intense and can fit well for a space war. Even Fear Factory hasn't been this crushing! And that blend of speed and orchestration has got to be what planted the seed for symphonic blackened deathcore bands like Lorna Shore.

Daedalean Complex - "A Garden of Lies" from After the Fall (2017)

4/5. After the planet's fall lies a garden of lies. Nice sorrowful gothic-infused blackened industrial metal there.

Jacob Lizotte - "THE GREY" from THE GREY (2026)

4.5/5. From the killer intro to the pleasant outro, Jacob Lizotte still has his talent in the music after his Dark Matter album. As amazing and diverse this track is, the vocals could've had a small boost in volume to make this 100% perfect.

Celldweller, SWARM, REEBZ - "Fakebreaker" from Fakebreaker (2025)

5/5. Celldweller made a crushing collab with SWARM and REEBZ that really shows Klayton's talent and ability that he's had throughout the project's 25-year tenure.

Sielwolf - "Antimon #3" from Metastasen (1994)

4.5/5. Now how about an experimental epic before the final track?

Neurotech - "No Matter the Rain" from In Delta Negative (2026)

4/5. It sometimes pains me that my love for some bands and projects don't last long. But no matter the pain or rain, Neurotech deserves to be recognized and remembered.

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 selected tracks:

Born of Osiris - "Machine" from Tomorrow We Die Alive (2013)

4/5. Although I haven't listened to much Born of Osiris lately, this is still a solid track from the band. A true example of technical metal/deathcore with shredtastic soloing!

Hope for the Dying - "Vacillation" from Dissimulation (2011)

4.5/5. It makes the perfect transition to this track with all its extreme technical speed. The screams and cleans are all in brilliant balance, already giving you all of this album's greatness to come. Then it all fades to orchestra and piano to get you ready for a heavy transition into the next track.

Silent Civilian - "The Song Remains Un-Named" from Rebirth of the Temple (2006)

5/5. The song remains one of the best of 2000s melodic metalcore, showing the genre in its true form.

Adept - "Heaven" from Blood Covenant (2025)

4.5/5. Melodic metalcore can never be the same as it was in the 2000s, yet it can spawn some heavenly tracks like this one.

ten56. - "Pig" from Pig (2025)

4/5. Some of the darkest lyrics and most aggressive I've heard in modern metalcore, targeted towards abusive b****rds that deserve to be hated.

Unearth - "My Will Be Done" from The March (2008)

4.5/5. This one really shows the melody right way. The whammy bar used in the solo must be inspired by Dimebag Darrell, and I think the band toured with Damageplan when that band was still active and Dimebag was still alive. Great tribute! RIP Dimebag.

7 Angels 7 Plagues - "A Farewell to a Perfect Score" from Jhazmyne's Lullaby (2001)

5/5. The drums and riffing start off simple before going reckless. The melodies really bring together beauty and brutality. The heaviness doesn't stop until at the end with a soft clean break from the intensity.

Shadows Fall - "To Ashes" from Somber Eyes to the Sky (1997)

4.5/5. Then there's probably the best song of this Shadows Fall album. The guitars and vocals both alternate between clean and distorted. For any All That Remains fans wondering, that's rhythm guitarist Matt Bachand doing the clean vocals, not Labonte who doesn't start doing clean vocals until the switch to metalcore for All That Remains. The guitar work on this song is great too.

Fear of Domination - "Last Words" from Katharsis (2026)

4/5. This groovy track is heavy in both the metal and the electronics. I can predict that song being a live staple!

Bleed from Within - "Flesh and Stone" from Shrine (2022)

4.5/5. "Why mourn the past when it’s the future that’s dead?" This is one of the best singles from the album Shrine, and I enjoy the death/black metal-ish experimentation.

Motionless in White - "To Keep From Getting Burned" from When Love Met Destruction (2009)

4/5. Motionless in White started off with some emo vibes in the clean singing alongside some colorful electronic keys, close to electronicore.

Impending Doom - "Towards the Light" from Towards the Light (2025)

4.5/5. Impending Doom has made some of the most brutal bangers in Christian deathcore, and there may be more of them in their upcoming album. The lyrics are quite heavy too, unleashing a(n un)holy battle cry.

Humanity's Last Breath - "Earthless" from Valde (2021)

5/5. This highlight shall make the most emotionless listener become emotional from this brutality.

Mental Cruelty - "Eternal Eclipse" from A Hill to Die Upon (2021)

4.5/5. Same thing with this one, going savage with their symphonic deathcore.

Worm Shepherd - "The Dying Heavens" from The Sleeping Sun (2023)

5/5. The best place for atmosphere and melody is this epic standout, all the while having blackened brutality. Purdue's guitar talents reach high levels of strength there.

Hollow Front - "LOST BOY" from Homewrecker (2017)

4.5/5. Modern metalcore insanity, the way it's meant to be done. I feel the urge to scream along to those vocals, and "I'VE LOST MY MIND!!!" almost made me lose my sh*t. Lots of talent here to blow me away, especially in the breakdown at over the one-minute mark. Some f***ing killer stuff, man. Thumbs up!

Bad Omens - "The Worst in Me" from Bad Omens (2016)

4/5. Even when I'm far off from listening to this band anymore, this song can still be a blessing.

ERRA - "Prometheus" from Augment (2013)

4.5/5. One of ERRA's best songs, an amazing track!

Northlane - "Dispossession" from Discoveries (2011)

5/5. The brief technical bass intro might catch some people off-guard, but the drums, guitars, and vocals make a perfect entrance! They kick things up to high gear without slowing down much. The band can really balance riff melody and killer breakdowns without ever wimping out.

Dark Divine - "Permanent" from Permanent (2026)

4.5/5. Seems like the "horror metalcore" scene is in full motion with the 3 leading bands of the pack; Dark Divine, Motionless in White, and Ice Nine Kills. The screams are so chilling, while the cleans are so calming, with the latter having wider range. A relationship may not be permanent, but the scars from it might be. I can hear some vibes from Dead by April and Beartooth. My only complaint is here is about the slight repetition.

Imminence - "False Light" from False Light (2026)

5/5. Total heavy darkness! This new Imminence album is gonna be a riot.

Resistor - "DEAD SOUL" from DEAD SOUL (2026)

4.5/5. The powerful weight of this aggressive track is so crushing.

Thrown - "Split" from Split (2026)

4/5. Thrown can also unleash ravaging aggression in just a brief length of two minutes.

Ion Dissonance - "Failure in the Process of Identifying a Dream" from Breathing is Irrelevant (2003)

4.5/5. It's never too late for mathcore chaos! Amazing lyrics and riffing, the latter especially at the f***ing killer ending.

Knut - "Torvalds" from Terraformer (2005)

5/5. And more of that mathcore chaos in this band. RIP Didier Séverin...

August Burns Red - "Sonic Salvation" from Season of Surrender (2026)

5/5. This shredtastic highlight has some oriental vibes. Polaris vocalist Jamie Hails unleashes his screams, even duetting with Jake Luhrs. The lyric "I NEED AN OUTLET FOR MY ANGER!!!" couldn't have been any more fitting for both vocalists' raging output. When Hails does his cleans, they're some of the only parts of the new ABR album having clean singing. Despite ending so quickly after all that blasting, it's perhaps one of the best metalcore tracks of the year!

The Plot in You - "Carved" from The Plot in You (2026)

4.5/5. What's one more beautiful banger before the brutal last leg of this playlist? There are some similar vibes to Volumes' more alt-ish tracks.

Emmure - "Drug Dealer Friend" from Speaker of the Dead (2011)

4/5. This is around the time when Emmure was still just sitting on the heavy side of the metalcore/deathcore fence, kinda like August Burns Red and Parkway Drive but with much less melody. Controversial lyrics aside, this one slays.

The Acacia Strain - "Cthulhu" from Continent (2008)

4.5/5. Another f***ing beast of a song, though we still have one more track to top off to brutality...

Whitechapel - "Articulo Mortis" from The Somatic Defilement (2007)

5/5. The vocal layers work the best here, especially at the end when vocalist Phil Bozeman says "And then you rot" in both his high screams and low growls before fading into feedback. Ain't that a spine-chilling way to end!

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:

Tyr - "Gates of Hel" from Hel (2019)

5/5. The 7-minute opener of this Tyr album would be quite a surprise for any longtime fan of the band, particularly in the first one or two minutes. The riffing sounds so crushing and deathly, complete with harsh vocals performed by Heri Joensen himself! Some might think, "What is this, Amon Amarth?!?" Anyway, that part is as fantastic as the rest of this song. I would love to hear more heavy growl-infused tracks like that from the band.

Versailles - "Shadows Fang" from Lineage ～薔薇の末裔～(2017)

4.5/5. And now for this amazing track that is practically "Catharsis" 2.0! It sounds so beautiful and I like the lyrics alternating between Japanese and a bit of English. Although I don't understand a lot of Japanese, the occasional dip into English has helped guide me through those lyrics.

Judas Priest - "Freewheel Burning" from Defenders of the Faith (1984)

4/5. When it comes to 80s classic heavy metal, Judas Priest hit hard and fast. And some of that speed is in the bridge sung by Rob Halford, practically rivalling today's rappers. Absolutely wild, in both the music and lyrics!

Omen - "Death Rider" from Battle Cry (1984)

4.5/5. In the 1980s, metal wasn't just about the music but also the aesthetic. An eye-catching album cover would lure metalhead teenagers in and discover this excellent music. Omen's late vocalist J.D. Kimball was apparently one of many metal vocalists taught by vocal coach Elizabeth Sabine, alongside the more famous (or infamous) Axl Rose and Dave Mustaine. This track may remind some of old-school Iron Maiden. Omen may not be as popular as those other mid-80s metal bands, but they sure helped shape the scene. I wasn't born yet in that generation, yet I can still dream and fantasize about it. J.D. Kimball's voice has that lower rasp that's underrated in this style of metal that typically has bands with high falsetto vocalists. Even though he's gone now, his work shall live on and stay immortal. Oh, and this not to be confused with Anthrax's song "Deathrider" from their debut the same year. RIP JD Kimball...

Grave Digger - "Bone Collector" from Bone Collector (2025)

5/5. I discovered this band a year before this comment but quickly brushed them off because I still wasn't ready to make my move to The Guardians. And now I'm like, "Why the f*** did I do that?!" Brush them off, I mean. The riffing and lyrics are so fantastic! I need to listen to more of this band for real, because that riffing I'll never get tired of. Like pure kick-A heavy metal, none of the overly extreme deathgrind from other bands. And really I don't care that the new album has AI cover artwork (though I understand those who care), just as long as the music is as real and authentic as it has been for all those decades. Vocalist Chris Boltendahl is still doing quite well too.

LOUDNESS - "THE LAW OF DEVIL'S LAND" from THE LAW OF DEVIL'S LAND (1983)

4.5/5. It's a shame that my vocal range isn't that great, nor can I understand Japanese. I would've sung along to those vocals that flow amongst the riffing melodies.

Pagan Altar - "Pagan Altar" from Judgement of the Dead (1982/2005)

4/5. The fact that doom metal is considered the first ever extreme metal genre, before thrash metal, death metal, and black metal may baffle some minds, but yeah, doom is one of the earliest metal genres besides classic heavy metal. Some of the earlier Black Sabbath material has planted the seed for bands to play a slower kind of heavy metal that would basically be a prototype to early melodic doom metal, one of those bands being Pagan Altar. You can headbang to even the slower doomy sections. I can grasp how inspiring this band has been. I mean, even bands that aren't doom metal but sometimes touch upon doomy territory like Samael may have some things borrowed from this band. So, for those who enjoy classic heavy metal and/or doom metal, worship the Pagan Altar!

Saxon - "Judgement Day" from Saxon (1979)

3.5/5. Some bands starting out in the 70s like Saxon had more hard rock-ish roots. I like it, though it can't beat the heavier stuff that I love.

Cirith Ungol - "Distant Shadows" from Dark Parade (2023)

3/5. There are some times though when the appeal is a little too distant for me when it comes to this heavy/doom metal blend.

Tank - "Filth Hounds of Hades" from Filth Hounds of Hades (1982)

2.5/5. I think some people from the younger generations would get into this band from seeing a poster for this album appear in Stranger Things. I can hear a bit of what Voivod would have later that decade, but other than that, the more hard rock-infused sound is too much. Still, RIP Algy Ward...

Witchfynde - "Give 'Em Hell" from Give 'Em Hell (1980)

3/5. Slightly better, though a little goofy in this track and its album's cover art. It would've been better if the vocals could've had more control in the rising shrieks.

Mercyful Fate - "Gypsy" from Don't Break the Oath (1984)

3.5/5. King Diamond has better control in his falsettos for sure, and the instrumentation can remind some of Raven.

Running Wild - "Diabolic Force" from Gates of Purgatory (1984)

4/5. Ah yeah, Running Wild's satanic heavy/speed metal era before becoming the leaders of pirate power metal.

Virgin Steele - "VIRGIN STEELE - Anniversary Remix" from Virgin Steele I (The Anniversary Remix) (1982/2024)

4.5/5. Virgin Steele has had a similar stylistic path to Running Wild, starting off as classic heavy metal and then rising into fame by exploring power metal. The band's own theme song is pretty much the anthem of their earlier sound.

Anvil - "Winged Assassins" from Forged in Fire (1983)

4/5. I have no idea why Anvil hasn't made as huge of a breakthrough as their more popular classic heavy metal peers. Like that midsection soloing is d*mn mind-blowing! Meanwhile, Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Metal Church get all the credit. Anvil has given the genre more life the way those other bands have done it. But of course, I won't argue. It's all a matter of fate. I just wish they weren't too big on the Judas Priest-isms though.

Kiuas - "Black Rose Withered" from The New Dark Age (2008)

4.5/5. Kiuas has made some of the best heavy/power metal from Finland, with underrated hits like this one.

Leaves' Eyes - "Hammer of the Gods" from Myths of Fate (2024)

5/5. Awesome Viking-infused symphonic metal! This shows how well Leaves Eyes is doing with Elina Siirala instead of Liv Kristine.

Dragonfly - "Entre El Odio Y La Pasión" from Domine (2006)

4.5/5. Wonderful vocals by Pablo Solano, really enhancing the Spanish lyrics.

Avantasia - "Kill the Pain Away" from A Paranormal Evening With the Moonflower Society (2022)

4/5. Who wouldn't enjoy the impressive vocal melodies of Floor Jansen (Nightwish)? Great collab, great song!

Lord of the Lost - "My Funeral" from OPVS NOIR VOL. 3 (2026)

4.5/5. Symphonic majesty is blended with heavy dissonance. I love it!

Nightwish - "Nemo" from Once (2004)

4/5. When I was really in the symphonic/power metal zone over a decade ago, this was one of my favorite Nightwish songs. While I don't enjoy it as greatly as I did back then, it's still a suitable soundtrack for wandering the snowy mountains of winter.

Within Temptation - "Memories" from The Silent Force (2004)

4.5/5. Another symphonic metal classic, this one suitable for wandering the autumn forests of past memories.

Iron Fire - "Ironhead" from Revenge (2006)

5/5. One of my favorite Iron Fire songs. I don't know how I didn't stumble upon this majestic band when I was around 15 or 17 and highly focused on power metal, but hey, better late than never! I especially love the vocals by Martin Steene. The song is both heavy and melodic, just how I f***ing like it.

Xandria - "Northstar" from Northstar (2026)

4.5/5. The brand-new Xandria album Eclipse will come out next week as of this comment. This pre-release single has probably gotten me the most pumped for the new album. And a solid track to lead you to the epic finale of this playlist...

Edenbridge - "Arcana" from Arcana (2001)

5/5. As awesome as all the previous highlights are, they're nothing compared to the title track of this Edenbridge album. And I sh*t you not, it's one of the most melodic epics I've heard in my over a decade of listening to metal. Wonderful guitar flow and more of the vocal power of Sabine Edelsbacher. Her singing can range from operatic to full-on siren. And we can't forget the guitarwork by Lanvall and Andreas Eibler often going from melodic to complex. Nothing else I can say about that glorious epic can do it justice.

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!

I have given this one a couple of spins over the past few weeks and whilst I could not say that it is as a direct result of this release, I did notice how much more accommodating I have become of these metalcore releases nowadays.  I think there is something about intelligence in most of the music I enjoy nowadays and this possesses intelligence no small quantity, and given that hardcore punk is often thought of as being such a simple style of music this perhaps seems like an OTT statement to some degree.  7 Angels 7 Plagues go beyond any basic template though.  The death metal chug on ‘Someday’ being one such example of this more exploratory attribute that the band can muster without making it sound intrusive, or just a selection of ideas thrown together.  At the same time the melodic elements of the album seem to possess an almost Deftones, nu-metal quality to them which only manages to further my enjoyment of the album.

I am on the fence about the vocals if I am honest.  They grate, yet at the same time I have to agree that they sort of fit perfectly.  As a contrast to some of the post-metal moments or just as a more stark opposing force to the great use of melody in general, it is hard to argue that they are not performed in an interesting way.  I am not offended by the inclusion of the interludes, but I could quite easily get through the album without them; they most certainly are the weaker tracks overall from the listing.  For a band that seemed to be capable of filling the space around them well enough with sound that was intriguing and thoughtful it does strike me as odd that they have included these “palate-cleansers” at all.  When you can write the droning chaos present on tracks like ‘Away with Words’ and accompany them to a backdrop of near cinematic percussion, you don’t need to provide fiddling acoustic numbers to prove anything really.

The mood for this current listen through this album tonight is perfect.  After a long day with lots of elements jostling for possession of my time, it is cathartic to listen to an album of a similar pulsing multitude of parts and hear them all so well balanced and clearly given space around each other.  Perhaps other than the vocals, there is little in the way of any one element dominating proceedings.  Overall it feels more of busy as opposed to a heavy record, and I say that without aiming it as a criticism.  It does settle into some weighty rhythms I concede but this is not my overarching takeaway from the listening experience.  I have a sense that as I listen to more early metalcore, I may get to understand better the importance of this record in terms of it genre developing credentials but at this early stage of my understanding of these things, I can only rate this record on individual merit.

4/5

Eden's Curse has an AOR-infused hard rock/heavy metal sound as evident in their 2013 album Symphony of Sin. The distorted riffing/soloing and heavy rhythm of metal is prominent in many tracks. So I'd like to submit Eden's Curse's "Symphony of Sin" to the Hall to be added to The Guardians and heavy metal.

First thing to note is that I didn't completely hate this. Yeah I know, no one was more surprised than me, but I was swept along by the obvious enthusiasm and energy of the band and kind of went along for the ride. The speedy riffs and shredding solos are pretty entertaining, the riffs to both "Scream for Me" and "Burden of Time" for example stood out as being much heavier than I would have expected. Vocalist Asami is a big plus, sounding both melodic and reasonably powerful, although I am not so keen when she reaches for those really high notes and becomes a bit screechingly ragged, although this seems to be a feature of power metal generally that I just can't get to grips with. It is power metal after all so, of course, it is larger than life and over-the-top with keyboard overlays and some layered backing vocals, but not in a terribly cringey manner, ultimately being more operatic than pantomime. I do think that the album runs out of steam after "Burden of Time" and tracks like "The Apocalypse", "Inspire" and the godawfully balladic "Edge of the World" (the album's nadir for me) sound more like the kind of power metal that I struggle with.

Look, in truth this isn't going to break into my top 500 (or even 1000) metal albums and I am unlikely ever to pass this way again, but while it lasted I found it entertaining enough and I got through the whole thing pretty easily without a single skip and remarkably few cringes. In fact, if it had ended with "Burden of Time" I would have thought even more highly of it. Damning with faint praise then? Yeah, probably, but for me and power metal this was an untypically positive experience with the guitars and vocals being sufficiently impressive to keep me on board and to allow me to forgive the album its other obvious excesses, not least of which is the ear-batteringly, over-compressed mastering that makes it feel like it is being rammed into your ears with a steamhammer - and not in a good way!

3/5

Here are my thoughts on all selected tracks:

A Dark Halo - "Thin Be the Veil" from Omnibus One (2023)

4.5/5. My interest for this band may have passed, but this song is too addictive too brush aside, including its soloing majesty. This cyber metal sound has top-notch quality. Mechina female vocalist Mel Rose joined this band for their new album Omnibus One, and her vocals are amazing, really hitting those melodies. If they ever perform live, they would totally nail those shows with their heavy energy. And of course, the growled vocals by Dave Lowmiller further help make this the killer track it is.

Mechina - "Pray to the Winds" from Conqueror (2011)

4/5. Mechina has made some of the most godly epic cyber metal I've heard, but somehow the interest came and went. Maybe it's because the orchestration is used more prominently than guitars and comes out as bombastic sh*t. Still I can enjoy tracks like this one.

Third Realm - "Diabolic Crush" from Beyond Good and Evil (2012)

3.5/5. Dark, eerie, and a little...pop-ish??? Still better than most of the pop stuff out there.

Old - "Outlive" from Lo Flux Tube (1991)

4/5. "I WILL NOT DIE, FATE I DENY!!!" Old was part of the experimental industrial metal league alongside Godflesh, though didn't last as long as the latter. The rhythm is pretty great, I can't deny that.

Acumen Nation - "Parasite Mine" from The 5ifth Column (2002)

3.5/5. Only listeners who aren't so open-minded would hate this. In saying that, I'm slightly disappointed by the poor quality here.

Black Magnet - "Keep It Downtown" from Keep It Downtown (2026)

3/5. This is nice, but can we please keep the industrial down some?

Herrschaft - "Human Soul" from Tesla (2008)

3.5/5. See, when the industrial and metal are in the right blend, it can touch my metal heart.

Diablerie - "Weltschmerz - 2024" from Weltschmerz (2024)

4/5. Same with this one that resurrects an earlier deathly cyber metal track.

Celldweller - "Just Like You" from End of an Empire (2015)

4.5/5. What's not to love about this amazing track? The melody is so touching, and Klayton once again proves himself to be a genius in music.

Fear Factory - "Depraved Mind Murder" from The Industrialist (2012)

5/5. This highlight is where Burton C. Bell's vocal melodies stretch through in a pleasant way and together with Dino Cazares' chords, they make the song more memorable. The bass and drums are also interesting.

Der Martyrer - "I" from Der Martyrer (2025)

4.5/5. Sometimes industrial metal works well when made more extreme, like blackened or deathly.

En Esch - "Dog 2 U" from Trash Chic (2016)

4/5. Ex-KMFDM member En Esch can turn up the industrial metal heat, to unusual yet great results.

Samael - "Hail to the Sun" from Hail to the Sun (2026)

3.5/5. Samael continue the construct the bridge between the black metal of Ceremony of Opposites and the industrial metal of Passage, a bridge that was absent for 30 years and will finally be built for all of humanity.

Circus of Dead Squirrels - "Death Saves the Derelict" from Indoor Recess (2004)

3/5. I'm still not getting a lot of good from this band or album, but it's worth giving it a decent listen.

Treponem Pal - "Souls on Fire" from Rockers' Vibes (2017)

3.5/5. Same for this track, but slightly better I suppose.

Cubanate - "Body Burn" from Brutalism (2017)

4/5. For those who have been into industrial metal much longer than I have, you probably recognize this track from a 2007 episode of The Sopranos. And even longer than that, you have probably jammed out to this in the 90s at home or in a dance club. Well, that or a KMFDM song.

Static-X - "Just in Case" from Start a War (2005)

4.5/5. Wayne Static should be hailed as a legend for his time in Static-X. RIP

Harm's Way, JK Flesh - "Call My Name - Justin Broadrick Remix" from PSTHMN (2019)

5/5. Harm's Way and Godflesh make a good combo, resulting in a grand industrial metal remix with the best of both bands.

Uranium - "Black Knight Satellite" from Pure Nuclear Death (2023)

4.5/5. HOLY HEAVY SH*T!!! That has really made this epic so interesting!

In This Moment - "Sleeping with the Enemy" from Sleeping with the Enemy (2026)

4/5. Sounds like In This Moment is summarizing the alt-/industrial metal sound they've had since Blood, albeit with clear unfiltered vocals. There's only a slight bit of their earlier metalcore, plus a lot of those lyrics cutting like a knife. Maria Brink's vocals have aged greatly. I think a duet with Amy Lee from Evanescence is in order.

Motionless in White, Maria Brink - "Contemptress" from Reincarnate (2014) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

4.5/5. Of course, Maria Brink has already had a duet with Motionless in White. Getting rolling with the punches, and rolling in the ashes!

Mnemic - "Mindsaver" from The Audio Injected Soul (2004)

5/5. Shooting the target further is this mind-f***ing standout!

The Interbeing - "Eternal Eclipse" from Icon of the Hopeless (2022)

4.5/5. This one branches out more, heading into a bit of progressive groove metal that will take you through space and back.

Pain - "Bye/Die" from Dancing with the Dead (2005)

4/5. Another kick-A track from PAIN, though the quality could've been a bit better, looking back at it. I also heard that this album was removed from Spotify, but now it's back.

Scorn - "Heavy Blood" from Vae Solis (1992)

3.5/5. This one is more mid-paced, but it slowly rises in heaviness, sounding like Godflesh at that time mixed with one of the slower and more melodic Fear Factory ballads.

Die Krupps - "Fire" from Paradise Now (1997)

4/5. A killer remix/re-recording of an Arthur Brown song, featuring the man himself. The organ is quite fun, giving some light to the dark apocalypse.

Genitorturers - "All Hell Breaks Loose (Live)" from Flesh is the Law (2002)

4.5/5. Some sheer intensity in this live cover of a Misfits song (which I didn't know it was a cover until later on).

Gothminister - "We Come Alive" from Pandemonium II - The Battle of the Underworlds (2024)

5/5. The catchy final track, and the song Gothminister performed in Eurovision. You'll definitely wanna sing along to this!

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 selected tracks:

Motionless in White - "Immaculate Misconception" from Creatures (2010)

4.5/5. Although I haven't listened to much Motionless in White lately, this is still one of my favorite tracks from the band. The chorus rules, and so is the bridge that leads to the breakdown. This band is certainly comfortable staying away from the Christian scene that other metalcore bands seem to hop in at the time.

ERRA - "Eye of God" from Eye of God (2019)

5/5. ERRA has helped shape up the future of progressive metalcore. This incredible track practically throws back to the Prometheus era, especially that midway breakdown.

Silent Civilian - "Ghost Stories" from Ghost Stories (2010)

4.5/5. Silent Civilian is quite underrated compared to the more popular and still awesome August Burns Red, Trivium, and Unearth. Anyway, in some copies of this album, including the one I own, there's some glitching in the solo, which fortunately they don't have in the Spotify version. That error aside, I still enjoy this track.

Fit for a King - "No Tomorrow" from Lonely God (2025)

4/5. Fit for a King are starting to sound more like Invent Animate. The drums and vocals and f***ing both beautiful and brutal, reaching their climax at the end.

Adept - "Carry the Weight" from Sleepless (2016)

4.5/5. Wow, that intro sounds like yet another song in the "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"/"Give in to Me" plagiarism chain! Besides that, this song hits f***ing HARD.

Bleed from Within - "Night Crossing" from Fracture (2020)

5/5. Horns way up for this one, including the guitar soloing by Matt Heafy of Trivium.

Unearth - "Dawn of the Militant" from The Wretched; the Ruinous (2023)

4.5/5. Deeper down the line is more of the classic metallic hardcore sound of Earth Crisis and Strife. This is solid heaviness we really need. It then leads to perhaps the most brutal breakdown the band has ever made. Absolutely killer sh*t right there!

Despised Icon - "In the Arms of Perdition" from The Ills of Modern Man (2007)

5/5. In terms of brutal standard deathcore, Despised Icon has mastered it quite well. The guitars and vocals sound so wicked, especially in the breakdown. I'm glad they're still around after that temporary breakup.

Humanity's Last Breath - "Abyssal Mouth" from Abyssal (2019)

4.5/5. The heaviness really bursts out alongside those haunting vocals by Filip Danielsson. And we have more of those machine-gun blast beats.

Born of Osiris - "A Solution" from The Discovery (2011)

4/5. Blown away by all that deathcore heaviness yet? Well here's a small break for you to catch your breath. A short interlude with the synths and cleans of Joe Buras.

Sun Eater - "Wounds" from Death Crown (2026)

4.5/5. What other sound would you expect from a band possibly named after a Lorna Shore song and having once included Mental Cruelty vocalist Lukas Nicolai? This is crushing deathcore that is like a blend of Lorna Shore and Spite. The monstrous vocals of Sten Govers make this song a lot more than just a banger. And that breakdown throughout the last minute is brutal as f***.

Worm Shepherd - "The Emptiness Between Stars" from In the Wake ov Sol (2020)

5/5. This highlight starts off smooth and ambient then unleashes the slower downtempo deathcore before ending with the same ambience. Darkness rises from the void!

Space of Variations - "GHOST TOWN" from GHOST TOWN (2026)

4.5/5. "All these shiny diamonds don’t lead me back to you", but they do lead me to another amazing track! It is part of their new album Poisoned Art, and listeners definitely had something to get them pumped up for the album.

Wage War - "The River" from Blueprints (2015)

4/5. Great work from this band, even though my interest seems to fade.

The Amity Affliction - "Bleed" from House of Cards (2026)

4.5/5. Some Lamb of God and Kingdom of Giants vibes in this one, though the latter would've been more likely if bassist Jonathan Reeves (who was formerly in that other band) has done his cleans. Nonetheless, Joel Birch sounds so vicious in his vocals, and the whole track is practically a breakdown.

While She Sleeps - "Be(lie)ve" from This is the Six (2012)

5/5. While She Sleeps would grow in popularity after the earlier releases that this underrated standout appeared in.

The Narrator - "Stained Glass Reality" from Lore (2024)

4.5/5. Sounds like the style of those previous 3 bands has been modernized.

Johnny Booth - "Get Well Soon" from Get Well Soon (2025)

4/5. Imagine if Boundaries, Loathe, and The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza collaborated with one another. It would probably something like this ravaging banger. That breakdown in over the one-minute mark slays.

Defects - "Heresy" from Heresy (2025)

3.5/5. Is it heresy here to say that I don't rate this track as highly as other metalcore songs in this playlist? Still I appreciate the music f***ing slapping, alongside the vocals by Tony Maue who was the lead guitarist for The Raven Age.

Elwood Stray - "Genesis" from Descending (2026)

3.5/5. Elwood Stray can basically make a blend of 2020s Architects and Linkin Park with this banger. A little too alternative for me, yet dark and heavy. And no, this has nothing to do with the rock band Genesis. The guitars switching between electric and acoustic is quite creative, though Mental Cruelty has a little more creativity in their sound. Those vocals have both beauty and rage. As good as the music and vocals are, they do seem a little AI-generated, though they likely aren't.

Dead by April - "Losing You" from Dead by April (2009)

4/5. I'm glad to revisit this solid gem after taking some time away from the work of Dead by April. The intro has some piano sounding borrowed from late 90s Paradise Lost that then leads into electronic alt-metalcore with some seeds planted for Starset. The music and vocals sound so beautiful. "All I need is you..."

As I Lay Dying - "Redefined" from Shaped by Fire (2019)

4.5/5. Featuring Jake Luhrs from August Burns Red, this song has angrier vocals and insane drumming and fulfilling guitar melodies. The cleans still do their respective part.

Black Veil Brides - "Woe & Pain" from Vindicate (2026)

4/5. Great to witness Black Veil Brides get their heavier side more recognized.

The Number Twelve Looks Like You - "If These Bullets Could Talk" from Put on Your Rosy Red Glasses (2003)

4.5/5. If these bullets could talk, they would be screaming your heads off. "I dont have much, but I'll ask you this....why would you destroy your best friend?"

Converge - "Dream Debris" from Hum of Hurt (2026)

5/5. The centerpiece of the new Converge album and likely this playlist is this 6-minute epic. Right from the tribal march of drummer Ben Koller and the rumbling of bassist Nate Newton, comes a spectacular slow buildup to a massive headbanging groove. Converge still have their later atmospheric side to go with their earlier math/metalcore, as that majestic gem has proven.

Snapcase - "Lookinglasself" from Lookinglasself (1993)

4.5/5. A true representation of the band at their early stage. The hardcore riffing is so sludgy and adds to the brooding emotion. Their talent is on full display!

Rorschach - "Oppress" from Remain Sedate (1990)

5/5. The chaotic dissonance fades out after the closing gem of the first ever metalcore offering.

Burst - "(We Watched) The Silver Rain" from Lazarus Bird (2008)

4.5/5. This epic starts by building up a rhythmic fill from calm to storming in the first two minutes, then calms down and, near the 3-minute mark, starts a bass transition. Then clean vocals enter and go on in extensive amounts with beautiful melancholic riffing for the rest of the song. There's still plenty of heaviness and yelling, just not as much as the clean parts.

August Burns Red - "Crusades" from Constellations (2009)

5/5. However, this 5-minute closer is a much better ending than the previous track, finding an equal balance between fast and slow. After some insane intensity, there's a small blues break that builds up into an epic final verse to end on a perfect note.

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:

Twilight Force - "Dawn of the Dragonstar" from Dawn of the Dragonstar (2019)

4/5. Great song to kick off this playlist, though a little too cheesy from the uplifting symphonics.

Heavy Load - "Stronger than Evil" from Stronger than Evil (1983)

4.5/5. An older and slightly stronger track, having the kind of energy bands like Europe had around that year.

Warkings - "Live is Life" from Live is Life (2026)

5/5. Before we continue diving into some 80s heavy metal, how about this awesome modern heavy metal cover of an 80s hit! This proves how well a metal band can add a unique diverse twist to a pop rock single. and that's the kind of covers I love, just enhancing the song with their own sound. You may also know the 1989 performance done by Diego Maradona in sync with the original Opus song. RIP...

Century - "Fallen Hero" from Sign of the Storm (2025)

4.5/5. And how about this splendid revival of classic heavy metal for this century!

Black Sabbath - "Born Again" from Born Again (1983)

4/5. If a classic Black Sabbath fan hears this and says "This is a f***ing Black Sabbath song!?!", I say it is, but a different era. This is from their only album with vocalist Ian Gillan (Deep Purple). The song sounds pretty deep, particularly throughout the second half which includes melancholic guitar solo by Tony Iommi at the 5-minute mark.

TOWER - "And I Cry" from Let There Be Dark (2025)

4.5/5. This excellent highlight begins sounding like a ballad, then they become more energetic in the second half and keep you hooked in no time.

Accept - "Starlight" from Breaker (1981)

4/5. I wasn't around when many of these classic heavy metal albums came out, but I understand the appeal earlier metalheads have of this era of metal that they've heard in their youth. Although Accept was starting to rise with this album, they would have their breakthrough in their next album Restless and Wild.

Anvil - "School Love" from Hard 'n' Heavy (1981)

3.5/5. Anvil has really gone as big as the more popular classic heavy metal bands out there, though they have planted the seed for notable bands like the thrash metal Big 4. The guitarwork by Dave Allison (RIP) is so good. Apparently, this song was in the soundtrack for Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars. We've gotten Anvil in a GTA game before GTA6! Anyway, I think this band would appeal more to fans of the old-school heavy metal league led by Judas Priest. Or maybe it's just the vocals sounding repetitive to me, I don't know. But hey, there's something for anyone to love.

Dokken - "In My Dreams" from Under Lock and Key (1985)

3/5. A little too glam but still metal. A decent song all and all.

Judas Priest - "Heading Out to the Highway" from Point of Entry (1981)

3.5/5. This one has more positive motivation. Those parents who thought metal was satanic have been proven wrong. Songs like this encourage you to head out to the highway and make the best of your life. It's supposed to help you get over, never into, addiction and depression. You can also listen while playing Need for Speed.

Riot - "Hard Lovin' Man" from Restless Breed (1982)

4/5. Riot is more underrated compared to the more popular classic heavy metal bands, honestly. RIP Mark Reale and Rhett Forrester

LOUDNESS - "HARD WORKIN'" from DEVIL SOLDIER (1982)

3.5/5. Hard lovin', hard workin'... How hard can these bands get!? A little harder than this should've been, but still good.

Motorhead - "Bomber" from Bomber (1979)

3/5. This Motorhead hit is about a World War II bomber and is based on a Len Deighton book. As OK as this sounds, it sounds a little, well, bombed. Still, RIP Lemmy

Plasmatics - "The Damned" from Coup D'Etat (1982)

3/5. Wendy O. Williams sounds more theatrical than all those famous popstars from the 80s and the present day. With that said, I'm too fond of her vocal style here, but I still respect what she could do. RIP

DOMINUM - "Dark Melodies" from Dark Melodies (2026)

3.5/5. With this catchy song filled with dark melodies, it's possible for Dominum to enter Eurovision. Sabaton, Warkings, Powerwolf, and Beast in Black would all give this band their seal of approval.

Within Temptation - "Ice Queen" from Mother Earth (2000)

4/5. This popular single is quite catchy, though the original album's title track has a little more magic.

Kamelot - "Insomnia" from Haven (2015)

4.5/5. I've heard of Kamelot for over a decade, and they were one of the first ever power metal (and metal in general) bands I was a fan of besides DragonForce. I'm glad to revisit this song after so many years, because it was one of my favorites back then and might still be now. Nice lyrics too!

DragonForce - "Burning Heart (feat. Alissa White-Gluz)" from Burning Heart (2025)

5/5. Then we hit earth-shattering speed and blazing hammering fury, apart from a retro synthwave bridge. One of the most killer highlights here! And made even more killer with the vocals Alissa White-Gluz, who has just left Arch Enemy and joined DragonForce full-time! She has definitely reached her height in the final transposed chorus.

Avantasia - "Neverland" from The Metal Opera, Pt. 2 (2002)

4.5/5. An amazing song from this metal opera project, with great lyrics!

Epica - "Feint" from The Phantom Agony (2003)

4/5. A beautiful song like this one can sound sad while giving you happiness.

Fairyland - "A Soldier's Letter" from Score to a New Beginning (2009)

4.5/5. RIP Philippe Giordana... Fairyland is another one of those bands I wish I could've discovered 12 years before this comment when my interest in symphonic power metal was at its early peak. This wonderful song has similar vibes to both Sonata Arctica and Two Steps From Hell.

Nightwish - "Slaying the Dreamer" from Century Child (2002)

4/5. For a melodic symphonic metal band, this one is quite heavy. Maybe that's why it was one of my favorite Nightwish songs when I was young.

Xandria - "The Shannon's Home" from The Shannon's Home (2026)

4.5/5. Ever since vocalist Ambre Vourvahis joined Xandria, they're slowly becoming Nightwish 2.0. Still they have different vibes from other bands like the majesty of Vision of Atlantis and the occasional heaviness of Seven Spires. Plus some of their power metal side is still around that I've once heard in Dragonland and Avantasia. That heavy midsection breakdown gets me every time and tempts me every time. Amazing song to make me look forward to their upcoming album Eclipse!

Seven Spires - "Serenity" from Solveig (2017)

5/5. An absolute grand example of extreme folk-ish symphonic metal! The lyrics sound so poetic and original. You gotta appreciate the massive vocal range of Adrienne Cowan. I can just feel the power that has kept me engaged.

Tyr - "Valkyrja" from Valkyrja (2013)

4.5/5. A beautiful epic to close its original album, but not yet this playlist...

Lovebites - "Bravehearted (Awakened Version)" from Awakening from Abyss (2017)

5/5. I still can't believe I haven't discovered Lovebites until just earlier this year. Probably because by the time this band started to rise shortly after this album came out, I was moving away from power metal in favor of the heavier modern metal genres. This fantastic track has more power in this version than in the EP, along with English lyrics.

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:

It's not often for a band to last two decades with most of the members intact since the beginning. 4 of the 7 members of Fear of Domination have stayed together for all of their albums; male vocalist Saku Solin, bassist Lauri Ojanen, and guitarists Jan-Erik Kari and Johannes Niemi. One other longtime member, keyboardist Lasse Raelahti joined the band in 2012. And now there are two new members for a new album in a new era, with Katharsis marking the debut of female vocalist Jessica Salmi and drummer Anton Nisonen. The verses screamed by both vocalists are in a great contrast with the catchy sung choruses for a well-balanced composition. The riffing attacks with headbanging rhythm, while the dancey keyboards have you moving to the beat. Fear of Domination still have their strong talent in Katharsis, with energetic songs worth both dancing and headbanging to. Despite a couple slight struggles somewhere, there's hope for their music to make a strong global impact....

4/5

Recommended tracks: "Alone", "Imposter", "Last Words", "All as One", "Endgame"

For fans of: Amaranthe, Turmion Katilot, A Dark Halo

Yeah, I think I was a little too hard on this album. 

Tales of the Sands back in 2011 was one of my more formative albums when I really started to dive deep into Metal. It was never an absolute highlight or a classic, but it was something insanely different that I had never heard before and that definitely stuck with me as I continued to follow the band. Tales of the Sands is a much more driving and "hardcore" Metal experience, resembling other Progressive Metal bands that incorporate strings and some electronic elements, but this time it's Arabic flavored! After they began to get a bit more hook-laden and embraced modern Power Metal tendencies more and more on Legacy and Shehili, both of which I enjoy, they lost me on Karma with how samey they seem to have become compared to what they originally were. 

However, my bias got a bit too much in the way with this most recent one. Wilderness of Mirrors is more of the same for diehard fans like me, but there are definitely some great tracks in here and their quality hasn't really dipped all that much overall. Like Vinny said above, the first half of the album is pretty strong with some fun and memorable songs with their signature and powerful choruses. I think the strings and electronic elements are used rather tastefully too; the little details may make this a real grower of an album in their discography compared to Karma. I'm also in agreement that "The Clown" absolutely rocks, but it's basically an Avantasia track, so I can't help myself really. 

I still don't think Wilderness of Mirrors is anything particularly special, but it's definitely not a dud in Myrath's discography. They've proven that they're consistent for better or worse, so maybe I was just in a bad mood. Part of me is still a bit disappointed that they don't stretch their songwriting a bit farther and are okay with sticking with the Symphonic Power Metal status quo, but parts like the instrumental break and solo in "Still the Dawn Will Come" shows that they still have the chops to create some really cool moments. While they're one of the best bands to incorporate Arabian music into Metal, I know there's so much more to that style of music than what is presented, so maybe I'm just a bit bitter over the potential I feel like this band has. That being said, as a Power Metal enjoyer, I think I gotta relax a little bit, take Wilderness of Mirrors for what it is, and I agree that it's actually a ton of fun. 

(This is why I'm glad to be back, I was about to just not listen to this album anymore haha!)

3/5

Congratulations Sonny. I've really enjoyed reading your thoughts on this challenge as I'm well across literally all of the releases it contains.

It ain't right now. RYM is just throwing some power metal albums under the bus, huh?

Pagan's Mind has always had their Stargate-influenced progressive power metal sound, and Heavenly Ecstasy is no exception. There's still enough fast melodic guitarwork, anthemic hooks, and fantasy-ish lyrics in many tracks to justify adding this album to power metal. So I'd like to submit Pagan's Mind's "Heavenly Ecstasy" to the Hall to be added to The Guardians and power metal while staying in The Infinite and progressive metal.

When I was giving this album some listening for my review, I ended up dropping the rating from 4 stars to 3 stars because it isn't as great as I thought it was. But do I regret nominating this a feature release? Nope. It shall still be acknowledged as one of the albums that metalcore wouldn't have been the same without. Here's my review summary:

Well I wouldn't say their is entirely bad. It's more like laying down the blueprints for what they would do in their next album Progression Through Unlearning. And when their debut is at its good side, they strike hard. Vocalist Daryl Taberski was originally the bassist while vocals were done by Tiger Balduf and Chris Galas. Once Galas left, Taberski decided to switch to vocals, and he has the aggressive intensity to go with the raging riffing and breakdowns. That has helped with the rhythmic dissonance this album has. The hardcore riffing is so sludgy and adds to the brooding emotion. Their talent is on full display, until a few tracks in the second half having too much alt-ish experimentation that don't really bring forward any of its needed substance. Luckily, the closing track makes up for those flaws with a true prime example of metalcore in its very early days, and that is no illusion. Lookinglasself is the kind of album that you can understand its status of importance yet find some parts of it a little painful. It takes the right amount of ambition to shape up the sound they were going for, but the experimentation can be too much at times. Nonetheless, they have all they needed to fulfill their vision in their next album. So we gotta be thankful for the existence of Lookinglasself and its impact on metalcore/hardcore. Something decent can go a long way....

3/5

Recommended tracks: "Drain Me / Filter", "Deceived", "Lookinglasself", "Fields of Illusion"

For fans of: Earth Crisis, Integrity, Shawn Jonas-era Zao

Here are my thoughts on all selected tracks:

Treponem Pal - "Ghost Rider" from Dead Inside (2025)

3.5/5. Treponem Pals unite!!! I actually didn't know this until when I was commenting on this track, but it's actually a cover of a song by experimental electronic rock band Suicide as a tribute to that band. RIP Alan Vega... Not a bad start to this playlist, but a little too industrial.

S.U.P. - "Insect Drug" from Imago (2005)

4/5. So apparently those Budweiser guys are actually saying "What Spherical Unit Provided???" Lol. OK but seriously, this is some progressive industrial metal here.

Neurotech - "Withstand the Agony" from Withstand the Agony (2026)

4.5/5. Wulf seems to be bringing back the earlier dark heaviness of Neurotech's earlier material from 15 years ago, showing his (inter)stellar talent. And boy, does it hit hard as f***! This should work well in a boss battle. And when the harsh growls and clean singing collide with each other before the last chorus, it's an amazing blast! I should really get back in touch with some of Neurotech's material, especially the new album In Delta Negative.

Static-X - "Jic Boi" from Project Regeneration Vol. 2 (2024)

4/5. Apparently this is a re-recording of a discarded demo for one of their songs "Just in Case" with some elements of "Cold". The vocals by the late Wayne Static (RIP) and Xer0 fit so greatly together. The drumming by Ken Jay also fits in with the improved sound. Even though some people think the band should've ended after Cult of Static (the last one before Wayne's death), others are pleased with how the Project Regeneration series turned out. Oh, and if you think they should've been like Bieber and Timberlake, that's wrong. They DON'T WANNA BE YOUR JUSTIN! But I guess you can consider this Static Dope, because of the somewhat disputed fact that Xer0 is Edsel Dope.

Die Krupps - "To the Hilt" from II - The Final Option (1993)

4.5/5. "Burn the bridges! Forge ahead! To the hilt!" The industrial rock/metal hilt, that is...

Gothminister - "616" from Anima Inferna (2011)

5/5. This highlight switches to an interesting synth intro before the guitar and drum strength comes again. Brem's vocals become grittier and deeper, similar to the earlier albums, that wasn't heard in this Gothminister album until that point.

PAIN - "Parallel to Ecstasy" from Rebirth (1999)

4.5/5. D*mn, what a trip! A trip though Pain's more electronic side. One band that would also blend electronics with rock/metal well is ASP.

Genitorturers - "Flesh is the Law" from Flesh is the Law (2002)

4/5. The better side of the band can be found in this solid track.

The Amenta - "Angry Chair" from Plague of Locus (2023)

4.5/5. This Alice in Chains hit is given a f***ing darker treatment, sounding angrier than that chair. The deep grooves and clean singing are pulled off easily.

Bile - "I Reject" from ReGurge:a Bucket of Bile (2004)

4/5. This one was originally in the band's 1994 debut SuckPump. I'm glad this version from 10 years later has taken out the sounds of regurgitation at the end.

Combichrist, King 810 - "Demons Wanna Be Summoned" from Demons Wanna Be Summoned (2026)

4.5/5. Combichrist and King 810 are really summoning the former industrial metal demons here. It's surpisingly excellent, even though I like my industrial metal to have fast aggression. And Combichrist would have more of that in this next track...

Celldweller - "Good L_ck (Yo_'re F_cked) (Combichrist Remix)" from End of an Empire: The Remixes (2015)

5/5. Now this should end up as part of a Devil May Cry game soundtrack (which Combichrist have contributed to before)! Combichrist have given this track a heavy punch in the guitars, bass, and drums. This alone is probably the heaviest Klayton has gone since Brainchild. I think the drum kicks have a greater kick and are not as goofy as some might think. The slight pause in the instrumentation during the final chorus has pretty much enhanced it. Well done!

Samael - "For a Thousand Years" from Lux Mundi (2011)

4.5/5. H*ll yeah to this track too! Far better than that similarly titled Christina Perri song.

Illidiance - "Open Your Eyes" from Open Your Eyes (2019)

4/5. An interesting cyber metal take on a song by Guano Apes.

Clawerfield - "Bend the Sky" from Butterflies of Smoke (2016)

4.5/5. Another underrated band for sure! Clawerfield have their djent-ish cyber metal sound similar to The Interbeing, with slight hints of metalcore. An amazing direction, I would say! I especially love the d*mn catchy chorus. Meshuggah have done their job well in planting the seed for this young league of djent-infused bands.

Mechina, Melrose - "Cryoshock" from Progenitor (2016)

4/5. Quite futuristic and mesmerzing, right from the intro onwards. "Oh the price that we pay for the lives we betrayed..." If we could have more of Mechina's sound from the mid-2010s in the future, I would head back to listening to that band more. Basically Fear Factory gone Nightwish!

Black Comedy - "Favourite Hateobject" from Instigator (2008)

4.5/5. Perhaps one of my favorite Black Comedy songs that I would never hate!

Fear of Domination - "II" from Distorted Delusions (2014)

5/5. One of the best gems of this Fear of Domination album!

Harms Way, King Woman - "Undertow" from Common Suffering (2023)

5/5. An awesome experimental highlight featuring Kristina Esfandiari (King Woman). It has a more haunting industrial sound, enough for this one to qualify for The Sphere.

Motionless in White, Jonathan Davis - "Necessary Evil" from Graveyard Shift (2017)

4.5/5. I still love this track despite not listening to this band as much as I used to. Not only does it feature Jonathan Davis of Korn, but the chorus interpolates that of the Lesley Gore hit "It's My Party". One other song that has done that is "Pity Party" by Melanie Martinez.

Unheilig - "Kleine Puppe" from Puppenspiel (2008)

4/5. A cool kick-A track. Although I don't usually enjoy Neue Deutsche Harte, I'm probably the only person in my country Malaysia aware of that genre besides Rammstein.

Semargl - "Loneliness" from SATANIC POP METAL (2012)

3.5/5. Not as satanic as the band claims this album to be, but a little too poppy for this dance-y industrial metal sound.

Rammstein - "Mehr" from Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da (2009)

4/5. Rammstein can make something contemplative whether or not you can understand their language. The bridge sounds more uplifting than anything else they've done.

Sybreed - "Critical Mass" from Slave Design (2004)

4.5/5. This one is an interesting closing track. It starts off sounding almost like the second Embodyment album The Narrow Scope of Things, but it slowly rises into the usual cyber metal that Illidiance would later have. But we still have a couple more tracks for this playlist...

Turmion Katilot - "To Be Contiuned Act 1" from Technodiktator (2013)

4/5. This one is a bit confusing. Not just in the name, but it's also the band's longest song. Now I like long epics, but I prefer the edition without the 4 minutes of Finnish dialogue in the middle of the song, and even then, they should've shortened the rest to around a length of 6 minutes. Still a climatic epic!

Lord of the Lost - "The Days of Our Lives" from OPVS NOIR Vol. 3 (2026)

4.5/5. The grand finale of this playlist and the Opvs Noir saga. Vocalist Chris Harms and keyboardist Gerrit Heinemann perform their respective roles, shining as the vocals and keys close the gates on a solemn note.

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 selected tracks:

Invent Animate - "Fall Like Rain" from Fall Like Rain (2026)

5/5. Invent Animate are back with a brutal banger. After blending their metalcore with Periphery-style djent for so long, they now blend it with Vildhjarta-style THALL.

Eighteen Visions - "I Let Go" from Obsession (2024 re-recording)

4.5/5. In 2024, Eighteen Visions re-recorded their album Obsession for its 20th anniversary, and they made it even heavier, heavy enough to be considered metalcore. The original song was in Burnout 3, so maybe if that video game was remastered, they would include this new version of the song.

Downswing - "Disease" from Dark Side of the Mind (2017)

4/5. Brutal hardcore/metalcore, sometimes almost as dark as The Acacia Strain.

Wage War - "4x4" from IT CALLS ME BY NAME (2026)

4.5/5. I seem to lose interest in the more alt-ish metalcore bands lately, probably because I've had enough of alt-metal. Wage War is one of those bands, though I still enjoy this kick-A track that my brother likes as well.

No Cure - "Convulsing in the Dark" from Convulsing in the Dark (2026)

4/5. G****mn, this band can really crank up their hardcore/metalcore hard, even a bit of deathcore too.

Guilt Trip - "Disdain" from Unrelenting Force (2016)

3.5/5. Who knew a short track can cause a huge impact of heaviness? This is the kind of music that should catch on in the metalcore realms! The breakdown is so mosh-worthy and emotional at the same time. The song would be much better if it wasn't so short though.

Harper - "Thorn in My Side" from Thorn in My Side (2025)

3/5. Holy cow, this girl can do metalcore screams so well, and she's what, 13?! Harper has a bright future ahead of her! This song's a little too Spiritbox-esque for me though.

Samurai Pizza Cats - "City of Gold" from Press Start (2026)

2.5/5. Too electronicore for my palate, but I give it some points for Sebastian Fischer's vocals.

VCTMS - "Lobotomy" from Sickness: Vol. 1 (2014)

3/5. F***ing sick guitarwork in this one, yet that's all that's really special here.

Iridium - "Nihility" from Sub-Zero (2019)

3.5/5. A better discovery that I see some potential in.

Attack Attack! - "Kickin' Wing, Animal Doctor" from Someday Came Suddenly (2008)

4/5. Confess sins, accept truth... A spiritual message for an electronicore/screamo track.

Black Veil Brides - "Vindicate" from Vindicate (2026)

4.5/5. Some of the f***ing heaviest amazing sh*t this band has had since We Stitch These Wounds to help you get through the pain of life.

Harms Way - "Heaven's Call" from Common Suffering (2023)

5/5. Another perfect track! Just pure heaviness that I'm glad was submitted to this playlist.

Adept - "Secrets" from Silence the World (2013)

4.5/5. It's no secret that some metalcore bands can make bangers that have long-lasting greatness. The breakdown that starts the last minute is so brutal.

Cage Fight - "Exuvia" from Exuvia (2026)

4/5. You may know Rachel Aspe for her stunning performance of a Sybreed song in France's equivalent to America's Got Talent, but she would later form her own band.

Knut - "Whacked Out" from Challenger (2002)

4.5/5. Straight on into pummeling madness, this wacky track opens its original album with discordant guitar and thick bass before a Botch-like math-metalcore groove. The chaotic guitar flows through frantic drumming and heavy rhythm.

The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Room Full of Eyes" from Option Paralysis (2010)

5/5. A spine-chilling highlight, not because of the creepy song title but also the song itself, especially when vocalist Greg Puciato screams "'CAUSE WE REAP WHAT WE SOW!!!" during the ending.

Snapcase - "Fields of Illusion" from Lookinglasself (1993)

4.5/5. Snapcase have shaped up metalcore in its very early days, and that is no illusion.

Johnny Booth - "Sleeping with Serpents" from Connections (2012)

4/5. Johnny Booth has pretty much resurrected and modernized early hardcore/metalcore for the -core masses.

Atreyu - "The Theft" from A Death-Grip on Yesterday (2006)

4.5/5. Even when this one sounds like a power ballad, it explodes into the usual melodic metalcore with the powerful vocals of Alex Varkatzas.

Northlane - "Masquerade" from Singularity (2013)

5/5. The aggression really levels up in perhaps the strongest track of this Northlane album with something special, guest vocals by Drew York of Stray from the Path. The catchy chorus is what makes this song a total highlight, along with lyrical fire and breakdown brutality.

Sylosis - "Lacerations" from The New Flesh (2026)

4.5/5. Bangers like this really need to catch on in the metal world.

Bleed from Within - "Immortal Desire" from Zenith (2025)

5/5. My favorite song from the new Bleed from Within album. The intro guitar melody alongside the choir and strings is THE SH*T. This song can even go as f***ing progressive as Mastodon, helped out by that band's drummer/co-lead vocalist Brann Dailor guest appearing here.

Asking Alexandria - "A Prophecy" from Stand Up and Scream (2009)

4.5/5. Where the h*ll have I been away from this band?! This song still rules after all these years!

The Agonist - "Burn It All Down" from Orphans (2019)

5/5. I just love the vocal abilities Vicky Psarakis has, it's so wild.

Stevie T - "French Deathcore Song" from French Deathcore Song (2015)

4.5/5. Can French lyrics really work in deathcore? Stevie T has proven that theory with hilarious yet brutal results. "LE CROISSANT!!!!"

Silent Civilian - "Dead to Me 2006" from Rebirth of the Temple (2006)

5/5. If you're wondering if this standout is a re-recording of a song by Jonny Santos' other band Spineshank, no it ain't. They just added "2006" to the title to avoid confusion. Still an awesome song to me!

Fit for a King, Chris Motionless - "Witness the End" from Witness the End (2025)

4.5/5. Symphonic blackened METALcore?!? This is true heavy fire, featuring Motionless in White's Chris Motionless!

We Butter the Bread with Butter - "Extrem" from Das Monster Aus Dem Schrank (2008)

5/5. WBTBWM has shown us how extreme can be, starting with a funny intro that sounds like a constipated attempt at screaming the song title. Then we get to some sludgy deathcore. Now this breakdown is listed by Stevie T as one of the "top 10 messed up breakdowns", and for good reason. This is a f***ing pulverizing breakdown that gets slower and heavier to the point of drone. And finally a beautiful ending with piano, synths, and drop C-tuned riffing. What more can you ask for?!

Humanity's Last Breath - "The Aftermath" from Structures Collapse (2011)

4.5/5. This one starts off soft and eerie then explodes into a hardcore frenzy. It is much better executed with brutal growls and riffs pack a punch together with sinister melodies. If there's a true highlight for the original Humanity's Last Breath offering, it's gotta be that one!

Worm Shepherd - "Whispers of a Dying Land" from Dawn of the Iconoclast (2026)

5/5. It all comes down to the grand 7-minute closing epic. From the orchestral/choral grandeur to towering riffing and breakdown, it's a dark glorious experience that should be worth it for any fan of deathcore and/or epic deathcore. It doesn't surpass the previous Worm Shepherd album's ending epic, but it's very close.

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:

Culprit - "Guilty as Charged" from Guilty as Charged (1983)

4.5/5. The 6-minute title opener of this prog-ish classic heavy metal album has some heaviness in the guitar while staying melodic, which adds to the ambition. The fast pace has great variation to keep listeners awake. It's pretty much a grand example of the sound from both the album and the band.

Leaves' Eyes - "Leaves Whisper" from Into Your Light (2004)

5/5. One of the best Leaves' Eyes tracks! I probably could've saved it for later on in this playlist, but it's too good to be put that late.

Black Sabbath - "The Mob Rules" from Mob Rules (1981)

4.5/5. RIP DIO. Some may know this amazing song from its alternate version appearing in the film Heavy Metal from the same year. A classic metal anthem!

DOMINUM - "Doctor Doctor" from Doctor Doctor (2026)

4/5. Ehh, what the f***'s up, doc?! For those wondering if this is a cover of a UFO song, no it ain't!

Accept - "Diving Into Sin" from Humanoid (2024)

4.5/5. A kick-A banger that's probably the best of this Accept album! And this came out close to the release of the new Judas Priest album.

Heavy Load - "Heavy Metal Angels (In Metal and Leather)" from Death or Glory (1982)

4/5. Some more of this solid classic heavy metal from the 80s. Leather-clad angels will soar!

Europe - "Seven Doors Hotel" from EUROPE (1983)

4.5/5. Hard to imagine that the band that made "The Final Countdown" had more of a thrash-ish heavy/proto-power metal sound in their first two albums, but here we are. And honestly, I love this track much more than the one that would become their ultimate hit. But at least it would stay a solid live staple.

Iron Maiden - "The Trooper" from Piece of Mind (1983)

4/5. Before the rise of thrash, classic heavy metal bands like Iron Maiden striking through with great hits like this one.

Diamond Head - "Am I Evil" from Borrowed Time (1982)

3.5/5. Diamond Head re-recorded one of their most well-known songs from their debut Lightning to the Nations as a bonus track for their second album Borrowed Time. Although the intro riffing is quite strong, it's actually a bit slower than the first version, as is the rest of the song. Still it has the thrashy power that would encourage Metallica to cover that song later, giving both bands' versions almost as much notability as that Maiden hit. The 1980 version is better on its own though.

Pagan Altar - "Liston Church" from Never Quite Dead (2025)

3/5. I'm actually not quite sure why I added in this song. It sounds a little too doomy here, and also a little tame for my standards. Nonetheless, it's pretty cool hearing the basswork by Diccon Harper, who was in DragonForce's debut album Valley of the Damned along with its demo.

Saxon - "Witches of Salem" from Hell, Fire and Damnation (2024)

3.5/5. Actually I think I know why I added in that Pagan Altar song. This Saxon one that follows has that similar waltzing pace. However, it has a better, more heavy metal vibe than the Pagan Altar one.

Legend - "Prologue" from Death in the Nursery (1982)

4/5. Some more genuine NWOBHM to be thankful for.

Riot V - "High Noon" from Mean Streets (2024)

4.5/5. Just like Accept and Judas Priest, Riot V are still shining strong in their 50-year career. They're really doing justice to the late Mark Reale's legacy. RIP

Motorhead - "No Class" from Overkill (1978)

4/5. What do some kids in school wish they would have? NO CLASS! The lyrics here are quite great and deep. RIP Lemmy

Dark Moor - "Somewhere in Dreams" from The Hall of the Olden Dreams (2000)

4.5/5. Then we blast off into this song that I enjoyed to bits when I was in the power metal zone. When I first encountered that song all those years ago, it was love at first hearing. I knew I had to listen to the rest of the album and the band's material right away. It's one of my favorite Dark Moor songs to this day and I'll never get tired of it.

Sirenia - "Love Like Cyanide" from Arcane Astral Aeons (2018)

5/5. Just like how I'll never get tired of this song after having only started listening to this band full-time a few months ago. They've done everything well here.

Nightwish - "Gethsemane" from Oceanborn (1998)

4.5/5. Another beautiful song that still touches my metal heart after over a decade. The music, lyrics, and vocals are so wondrous, especially leading to the outro.

Seven Spires - "Architect of Creation" from A Fortress Called Home (2024)

5/5. Nowadays, I like the more extreme-tinged symphonic metal better. Adrienne Cowan is one of the most underrated female metal vocalists. Her vocal range is incredible!

Elvenking - "Pagan Revolution" from The Pagan Manifesto (2014)

4.5/5. F***ing fun Pagan power metal right here! One of my favorite songs by this band.

Alestorm - "Drink" from Sunset on the Golden Age (2014)

4.5/5. Alestorm is another band mastering folk/power metal, this time on the more pirate side of things.

Follow the Cipher - "Valkyria" from Follow the Cipher (2018)

5/5. I seem to discover some bands with a wide-ranged female vocalist lately. Linda Toni Grahn's vocals can strike like lightning. Too bad she left the band after one album.

Kamelot - "The Human Stain" from Ghost Opera (2007)

4.5/5. Another excellent song from another essential band in my earlier power metal era.

Tyr - "Battle Ballad" from Battle Ballads (2024)

4.5/5. One of the mightiest tracks here. Everything's a small journey in this song! It's almost like Devin Townsend helped produced it alongside the album's actual producer Jacob Hansen. The bass should still be as audible as the rest, honestly.

Elvellon - "Dreamcatcher" from Until Dawn (2018)

5/5. OK, my earlier claim that I like the more extreme-tinged symphonic metal better isn't really false. However, there are some melodic symphonic metal songs and bands that I love. This one is quite beautiful and has some similar vibes in the instrumentation to the brighter upbeat side of Kamelot.

Haggard - "Awaking the Centuries" from Awaking the Centuries (2000)

4.5/5. A beautiful medieval symphonic metal epic that I wish had discovered over a decade before this comment.

Beyond the Black - "Welcome to My Wasteland" from Horizons (2020)

5/5. And finally, one last awesome symphonic metal song to share. Enjoy the wasteland!

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:

I've checked out this band Genitorturers before, and I thought their material was pretty great. However, what was holding me back from fully enjoying this band is the amount of NSFW and BDSM they have in their aesthetics and lyrics. While I don't totally mind all that, it's obviously not the kind of band to share in the world outside the internet. With that said, the music can entertain me quite well. First track "Lecher B***h" is best known for appearing in the soundtrack for the video game Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines. Sadly for me, it's f***ing bad. This is where I draw the line in the band's BDSM themes being too on the nose. Luckily, the rest of the EP has the music and lyrics better executed, even in a couple of the live renditions of earlier tracks that make up the second half of the EP, though a couple others still fall flat. Besides the energetic music, the vocals of Gen have that perfect primal edge that fits in well with the sound. And honestly, the usage of electronics blended with this metal sound is similar to that of one of Fear Factory's earlier remix releases. Maybe if this band wasn't so BDSM-heavy, they would have the mainstream success Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails have had. Still, Flesh is the Law is a good EP worth listening to. Just skip the bad tracks and keep the highlights to your own self-entertainment....

3.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Flesh is the Law", "House of Shame", "Guns Are Good", "All Hell Breaks Loose"

For fans of: KMFDM, Nine Inch Nails, Omega Lithium

A couple of tracks of bouncy, djenty metalcore connected by a noodling ambient piece. So, basically, not my bag at all and for which I have no strong feelings either for or against. It's not as if it offended my metal sensibilities at all and, in fact, the last track had a couple of decent moments but it just failed to make much impression and I don't feel like I am missing out in any way by knowing nothing about the two bands involved.

2.5/5

I don't listen to a lot of industrial metal but it is one of those genres I may turn to when I need a bit of a change. I have never heard of Klayton or any of his projects, so didn't have any expectations going into this. To be honest I had a pretty good time with it overall. It has its ups and downs, and the samples often get a bit much, but the riffs keep pushing it forward and I would have to say if pressed that it is bettter then most Ministry albums I have heard. The throbbing, hulking "Prayers of a Dead Man" is my firm standout track. It has an ominous, foreboding atmosphere to it that exceeds everything else on the album and seems to utilise the opening riff from Slayer's "Chemical Warfare" to very good effect. On the less positive side "Descend" was a bit too much, its endless samples of Bush Snr. annoyed me immensely and the "Regressor" / "Aggressor" pair didn't do much for me. OK, so it isn't my usual fare, but my experience with it has been positive enough that I will probably have to check out Circle of Dust now.

3.5/5

Thanks for your feedback, Sonny. Now a bit of a spoiler for the June Guardians playlist that will come out this Monday: It has a little more symphonic metal emphasis than this one because I was in that kind of mood when doing my sneak peek submissions, but I've made sure there's enough classic heavy metal to please you and other fans of the genre.

https://metal.academy/hall/640

For the record, I disagree & have voted NO on this nomination. There is certainly a doom/death influence but it's not enough for a primary tag in my opinion.

https://metal.academy/hall/639

https://metal.academy/hall/638

https://metal.academy/hall/637

Here are my thoughts on all selected tracks:

Code Orange - "(deeperthanbefore)" from Underneath (2020)

4/5. A suitable electronic intro for how deep the band is gonna get in diversity.

Oddko - "Disobey" from Disobey (2019)

3.5/5. Oddko can also be a bit diverse in their electro-industrial metal domination.

Rammstein - "Mein Teil" from Reise, Reise (2004)

4/5. Rammstein can make a song and music video about something so disturbing and still have mainstream success. The song is based on a real-life case of cannibalism in which a man named Armin Meiwes murdered and cannibalized another man he found in the internet, including eating his privates. So morbid yet an intriguing song.

Celldweller - "My Disintegration (Joe Ford Remix)" from Satellites (Remixed) (2023)

4.5/5. We need more music like this heard globally, and Joe Ford and Celldweller to keep their collabs going. Honestly, Celldweller should someday do remixes of songs by Infected Mushroom and the Prodigy. The only things that would be disintegrated are people's ears if they turn it up to full blast. And hey, maybe Joe Ford can also remix "Shapshifter". This wicked remix would take your breath away and give it back repeatedly. Who knew something that might be based on the past can sound futuristic?

Fear Factory - "Scapegoat" from Soul of a New Machine (1992)

4/5. The criminal justice system has its flaws pointed out in this killer track.

Waltari - "Progression" from Space Avenue (1997)

3.5/5. Space Avenue shows Waltari at their more progressive and industrial.

Iperyt - "Antihuman Hate Generator" from No State of Grace (2011)

3/5. "There is no way of finding a single absolute truth, an irrefutable argument which might help answer the questions of mankind. Philosophy, therefore, is dead, because whereof we cannot speak, thereof we must be silent." I like how f***ing heavy this is, but I feel a little underwhelmed.

Circus of Dead Squirrels - "8-Bit Piece of Shit" from Indoor Recess (2004)

2.5/5. "Piece of Sh*t" is right. This is too much like if video game nerds try to make a KMFDM-inspired song. I can still applaud how clever they are when adding in the Mario soundtrack in the intro and outro. Vocalist Matt Foran has also formed a side-project with ex-Mushroomhead members, Ventana. This song can also go as weird as avant-garde. The lyrics are quite cringe for me, especially when he says "I must be r***rded to write a song about this sh*t". I suppose if I were to check out some avant-garde alt-metal, I would check out Dog Fashion Disco even though I haven't listened to that band in a long while.

Crossbreed - "Seasons" from Synthetic Division (2001)

3/5. This song is more crushing, emotional, and music video-worthy, sounding similar to Static-X and Dope.

Dagoba - "The Things Within" from What Hell is About (2006)

3.5/5. Good-quality industrial/groove metal that might make a great ringtone.

Rorschach Test - "New Blood Order" from The Eleventh (1994)

4/5. At around the same time Rorschach was pioneering metalcore, Rorschach Test was unleashing their own brand of dark industrial metal.

Neurotech - "The Race to Recovery" from The Decipher Volumes (2013)

4.5/5. "Erase me, don't tell me, I'll take you far away from here, delete me, complete me, in the race to recovery." If I had discovered this gem like 12 years ago when my I was starting off my metal taste nice and melodic, I would've loved it back then. I probably would've continued listening to this project if Wulf could bring back the sound of this song and the debut Antagonist, or maybe even as epic and extreme as Mechina. I also love the female vocals and the key-changed outro.

Pain - "Just Think Again" from Psalms of Extinction (2007)

5/5. The guitar soloing here is performed by Children of Bodom's Alexi Laiho (RIP). The song itself is a special 6-minute epic.

Strapping Young Lad - "Far Beyond Metal" from The New Black (2006)

4.5/5. Strapping Young Lad can make a song making fun of metal and still make it metal. RIP the Maggot Master, Dave Brockie AKA Oderus Urungus (GWAR)...

Fear of Domination - "Punish Y.S." from Call of Schizophrenia (2009)

5/5. This rapid punisher really speeds up as rapid riff-tastic highlight. With some great production in the melodeath riffs blended with industrial synths, Norther would probably wish they had more of that.

Subway to Sally - "Herz in der Kinde" from Post Mortem (2024)

4.5/5. If anyone thought Neue Deutsche Harte and epic medieval metal wouldn't go together, Subway to Sally proved them wrong. And sometimes they can provide more than just the experience of music by making an animated video.

Autarkh - "Strife" from Emergent (2023)

4/5. Great guitarwork in this track, right off the bat! Fear Factory and Meshuggah are still the masters of guitar heaviness though.

Persher - "Medieval Soup From the Milkbar" from Sleep Well (2024)

4.5/5. I was expecting this band to go as medieval as Subway to Sally, but this experimental noise-ridden sound is quite killer.

Turmion Katilot - "Revi Minut Auki" from Global Warning (2020)

5/5. This highlight takes you back to the band's beginnings, especially their debut Hoitovirhe with the perfect spark of their earlier sound. Perfect for party rocking, despite the lyrics I don't dare to mention.

Treponem Pal - "Evil is Us - Lofofora Remix" from Evil Music for Evil People (2013)

4.5/5. Even remixes can maintain the evil vibes of the original song despite some electronic overusage.

Combichrist - "RISE" from RISE (2025)

4/5. All rise for some exciting aggrotech metal!

SUB DUB MICROMACHINE - "Road to Nowhere" from Auferstanden! (2008)

3.5/5. The quality is quite good, though the bass could've been more audible.

Static-X - "Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment" from Beneath...Between...Beyond (2004)

3/5. RIP Wayne Static. This is one of the most punky tracks by the band, even throwing back to a bit of their sound from the debut Wisconsin Death Trip. Quite fun but I feel like it could've been way better.

Vibrion - "Revenge" from Instinct (2002)

3.5/5. Not the best but slightly better. Vengeful deathly industrial metal right there.

Unheilig - "Ausblick (Outro)" from LIEBE GLAUBE MONSTER (2026)

4/5. I've been getting some slightly appear for NDH bands like Unheilig now, and I guess I can start small with one of their outro tracks. This is one beautiful and tear-jerking, sounding like the soundtrack to celebrating your victory in the path to freedom. So wonderful, and Hans Zimmer and Two Steps From Hell come to mind.

Mechina - "Blessings Upon the Field Where Blades Will Flood" from Blessings Upon the Field Where Blades Will Flood (2023)

4.5/5. We still have one more track left in this playlist, and of course, it's the final epic! You'll definitely wanna play Warframe and Star Wars Battlefront while listening to this 18-minute journey. And this is the last we hear from David Holch and his growling vocals before he left the band next year. Best of luck in his future endeavors...

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 selected tracks:

Ithilien - "Blindfolded" from Shaping the Soul (2017)

5/5. Starting its original album and this playlist is a slow march of guitars and Celtic instruments, then when the screaming vocals enter the picture, the drumming tempo really speeds up. This is basically the kind of soundtrack Game of Thrones needs for their enemy-slashing battles. And when the mid-paced folk sections come back on, they're for getting hammered, partying, and simply headbanging to the loud heaviness.

Phinehas - "Blood on My Knuckles" from The Last Word is Yours to Speak (2013)

5/5. "FACE YOUR WRATH!!!" Phinehas have made some awesome Christian metalcore, and their second album has some country/southern vibes. I love the riffing after the first chorus. The lyrical themes seem to continue from their debut Thegodmachine. Furthermore, the soloing is so beautiful and intense. I'm glad to include it in the playlist.

We Butter the Bread with Butter - "N!CE" from Das Album (2021)

4.5/5. Pretty nice, right? Nice in the heavy and not depressive sense.

Hope for the Dying - "Iniquitous" from Aletheia (2013)

5/5. This highlight kicks off with some European neoclassical shredding. Then the lyrics battle against false beliefs, "you almost believe the lies yourself". Lots of epic power despite being a short song compared to the rest of that album.

August Burns Red - "The Nameless" from The Nameless (2026)

4.5/5. August Burns Red still have their heavier metalcore roots to make me happy from the rage. Don't shoot the Messengers!

Boundaries - "Death Will Follow Me" from Death Will Follow Me (2026)

4/5. Some wild tempo changes here. They're going as hard as 156/Silence and TDWP's Zombie EPs. And it all leads to the brutal ending breakdown.

Ankor, SiM - "DANZO · Lying Ghost" from DANZO · Lying Ghost (2026)

3.5/5. Ankor are still cranking up good bangers, this one featuring MAH from SiM.

Mirrorcell, VCTMS - "Ichi" from Long Nights in Lovescape (2026)

4/5. This one deserves attention for its VCTMS guest feature and its intense heaviness. I heard that it's a common song to start listening to Mirrorcell, but that would've raised some people's expectations too high. Either way, another solid track!

Vision of Disorder - "The Craving" from Razed to the Ground (2015)

4.5/5. This one is slightly more progressive, having an unorthodox time signature. The power and strength makes that song another one of the best in the original album.

As I Lay Dying - "The Voices That Betray Me" from Beneath the Encasing of Ashes (2001) (based on A Long March: The First Recordings (2006))

5/5. I'm glad the Long March compilation is on Spotify, otherwise I wouldn't be able to add in this standout. In the middle is some well-made heavy sh*t.

ERRA - "Hybrid Earth" from Augment (2013)

4.5/5. An underrated song by ERRA. Their current vocalist JT Cavey should re-record their first two albums with the rest of the band.

Rise of the Northstar - "Back 2 Basics" from Back 2 Basics (2025)

5/5. I love it when a band goes back to their basic roots. I also love the guest vocals by Florent Salfati of Landmvrks.

Like Moths to Flames - "Burn in Water, Drown in Flame" from No Eternity in Gold (2020)

5/5. One of my favorite songs from that Like Moths to Flames album, with a catchy chorus to balance out with the heaviness. And it only gets better from there, reaching its height with the final BLEGH and riffing.

Excessive Force - "Misfortune" from In Your Blood (1995)

4.5/5. One of, if not THE best track of its original album. It's quite strong in the lyrical message of self-reflection and the kick-A riffing. The heavy drumming is also irresistible.

The Devil Wears Prada - "Swords, Dragons & Diet Coke" from Dear Love: A Beautiful Discord (2006)

5/5. Swords, Dragons, &....Diet Coke???? Well, some knights might be underaged or Muslims. This is one of the best songs by the band in the earlier part of their career. It is relatable for those who feel sadness from dead languages and lonely hearts. Christian melodic metalcore can help those get back up after feeling down.

The Agonist - "Immaculate Deception" from Days Before the World Wept (2021)

4.5/5. It's sad that The Agonist are no longer around. Vicky Psarakis can be considered the princess of melodeath/metalcore.

AVRALIZE - "Liminal" from Liminal (2025)

4/5. Another d*mn great track, though a little pop-ish.

Bleed from Within - "Escape Yourself" from Uprising (2013)

4.5/5. Extreme madness that needs more attention, especially in the final riffing outro.

Worm Shepherd - "Wilted Moon" from Ritual Hymns (2022)

5/5. The symphonics shine the best here. This epic highlight is almost a redux to the Lorna Shore track "And I Return to Nothingness".

A Wake in Providence - "Black Mass (feat. Dickie Allen)" from Insidious: Phase II (2017)

4.5/5. A nearly 6-minute epic with great drumming flow from Anthony Dipietro. I enjoy the alternation between Ramos' growls and the screams of Dickie Allen (Infant Annihilator, later Nekrogoblikon). Nothing ever sounds weak there! Their ex-vocalist Will Ramos has that monstrous intensity that would continue to stun listeners 5 years later in his time with Lorna Shore. Absolutely insane!

The Last Ten Seconds of Life - "Sacrifice (the Prince)" from Soulless Hymns (2015)

5/5. So d*mn perfect, absolutely impressive with the brutal music and irreligious lyrics. F*** yeah!

Within Destruction - "Death Awaits Us All" from Deathwish (2018)

5/5. Another 5-minute epic with some great variation. As far as their later sound would go, that one's pretty close.

Frontierer - "Mt. Swath" from Orange Mathematics (2015)

4.5/5. This one is never a disappointment. The rage from the bass and downtuned guitars can pack some punches even in the lowest mix.

Psyopus - "Ms. Sunflower" from Odd Senses (2009)

5/5. One of the best songs by this band. Even something dark, dissonant, and chaotic like during the final minute can comfort me.

Invent Animate, Silent Planet - "Armageddon Eyes" from Bloom in Heaven (2025)

4.5/5. What would you call this collaboration project? Silent Invention? Animated Planet? Nonetheless, an amazing multi-band work!

Northlane, In Hearts Wake - "Equinox" from Equinox (2016)

5/5. It's not every day an interlude deserves a perfect 5 stars. It's what connects the two songs of the Northlane/In Hearts Wake collaboration EP together and is a beautiful smooth interlude. It works as a prelude to something big to close things off, which is kinda the reason for this submission.

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

4.5/5. Darkest Hour have built the bridge between melodeath and metalcore in tracks like this 8-minute epic. It's just f***ing wild, save for a long yet pleasant soft bridge midway through. And it works well when paired with one last epic...

Bullet for My Valentine - "The End" from The Poison (2005)

5/5. I really love this great end to another metalcore journey. More mellow and depressing but still stands out well. The guitar riff is so simple, Matt can focus on more emotion in his vocals in the cleaner verses. I wish he could keep doing that emotional technique but that would mean he would have to drop the guitar full-time. The song gets heavier but once again, there's no solo. Then it returns to the intro riff used as the outro with soft guitar harmony over it as it all fades out. Another personal favorite!

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!

Thanks, Daniel. I say my view is that Culprit album and those first 3 Queensryche albums are progressive metal, whether mostly or to some extent, yet they haven't cut the bridge between that genre and heavy metal, unlike Fates Warning when they went pure melodic progressive metal from No Exit onwards and Dream Theater which has always been an Infinite band. With that in mind, I'll be voting NO there.

https://metal.academy/hall/635

https://metal.academy/hall/634

https://metal.academy/hall/633

https://metal.academy/hall/632

https://metal.academy/hall/631

https://metal.academy/hall/630

Here's my review summary:

I'm not too surprised that I've never heard of Mirrorcell until sometime this week. They released their debut album Long Nights in Lovescape (sounds like if someone spent all night using an AI dating app) two months ago. It's an album that can go back and forth from ethereal to intense, but it ends up inconsistent with only a few exciting tracks. The album's sound is basically alt-metalcore with some shoegaze. I find the more shoegaze side of them a little too much, often interfering with the times when the band is meant to go heavy. As a result, the offering is plagued with generic tracks. And in the few that are actually fun to listen to, it's because of the experimentation they add to the sound. It's really only then that I realize the band's true potential, specifically track 5. From then on, aside from a couple more poor tracks, the tracks are great highlights with intense heaviness along with well-executed electronics and breakdowns. They have really gotten me hooked with fun catchy melody. All in all, I would consider Long Nights in Lovescape a decent album, just not really a great one. The alternation between generic and anthemic tracks is just underwhelming for me. Still they're a new band with some potential, so I'll give them the benefit of a doubt. They just need to improve on their sound and seal it as something unique. I have nothing against shoegazey alt-metalcore, yet the generic sh*t is what made the sound stop being one of my favorite metal styles in the first place. There's still some good in the fusion, they just need to really let it out. Otherwise, we would have another decent yet generic release like this. We'll see what the future holds....

3/5

Recommended tracks: "Hurt Me", "Ichi", "U(phoria)", "Prey"

For fans of: Cane Hill, Issues, Volumes

I've created a Hall of Judgement entry to decide on the doom metal credentials of "Warning":

https://metal.academy/hall/628

Not an Iron Savior guy, but I definitely recommend Unification.

Avenged Sevenfold came out right around the time I was starting my metal journey and City of Evil got just popular enough to show up on MTV's Headbangers Ball back in the day. But anyone who has listened to A7X's discography knows that City of Evil is an outlier of sorts. This band has never stayed in one genre for too long and it has left people feeling rather cold on them through the years. After starting their career as a conventional melodic metalcore band, they ditched the sound nearly entirely for something closer to 1980s Iron Maiden.

It was certainly a choice, but it turned out quite well for the band since nearly all of the pieces were there; Jimmy Sullivan's strong presence behind the kit, Synyster Gates' phenomenal guitar arranging and soloing, and strong bass lines. M. Shadows' vocals are still a major turnoff of this band; not that they couldn't be superb if the genre was different, but when you set unreasonable expectations of trying to channel Bruce Dickinson, it's going to leave the whole experience feeling like a major disappointment.

However, that's not even the main reason why I cannot rate City of Evil any higher. We all love Powerslave here right? One thing that album never did was waste the listeners time. And yeah, City of Evil has some bangers, including "Blinded in Chains", "Bat County" and "Beast and the Harlot". But songs like "Sidewinder" "M.I.A." and especially "Strength of the World" are so obviously trying to be epic, but instead just waste the listeners time. Not every track on the record needed to have progressive metal filler moments and extended guitar noodling solos. A little trimming would have done wonders and, probably, made the remaining long epics live up to that title. Instead, City of Evil is a record that has its moments, but tries too hard to be progressive in a "scene" that does not need it.

3.5/5