Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Threads

Vildhjarta is known as the inventors of thall, and we've established that if thall was added to this site (not happening), it would be more of an Infinite subgenre, specifically djent. I wouldn't consider Vildhjarta a metalcore band, and even then, only a couple songs in this album have the crushing riffs and unclean vocals of metalcore. With that, I'd like to submit Vildhjarta's "+ Där skogen sjunger under evighetens granar +" to the Hall to be removed from The Revolution while maintaining its position in The Infinite and djent.

These two Humanity's Last Breath albums are considered deathcore, but I don't think that's enough to describe them. They're both considered thall which is a djent subgenre, and it's quite clear from the complex rhythms and downtuned riffs of djent brutalized. So I'd like to submit Humanity's Last Breath's "Abyssal" and "Valde" to the Hall to be added to The Infinite as djent while staying in The Revolution and deathcore.

The 2003 debut by Masterplan has some classic heavy metal as part of their sound, side-by-side with their usual power metal. Many tracks here are more mid-tempo and have more classic anthemic-sounding insturmentation, as opposed to the fast melodic style of power metal. So I'd like to send Masterplan's 2003 self-titled debut to the Hall to be added to heavy metal while staying in power metal.

Ben, please add these releases:

Humanity's Last Breath - Void (CS:GO Music Pack)

Humanity's Last Breath - Void (Dota 2 Music Pack)

Reflections - Exist (Redux)

Reflections - Shadow

I'm honestly a little surprised by the results of me recently revisiting this Disturbed album, at a time of two problematic things: 1. Some political controversy towards vocalist David Draiman, and 2. My alt-metal interest is fading as proven by my thoughts on the August 2025 Gateway playlist. It's actually good enough to earn an extra half-star in my previously 3-star rating. Here are my thoughts:

The album is where the band has found the sound they were looking for, by combining the guttural Hell of The Sickness with the cleaner Heaven of Believe. Though while Draiman does his part in combining the aspects of the first two albums, his mix of theatrics and metallics cause him to alternate between two different sides. Having that Gollum-like aspect is a little, well, disturbing, but at least we still the best of both sides, his operatic baritone and his metal intensity. Oh, and his trademark "AH-AH-AH-OWW!!!" In many songs, the verses show him singing in a rap-ish pace, balanced out with the rock-out chorus. The tracks that don't seem to catch on for me are the ones that are either too experimental or repetitive, like the band's attempt at making a prog-ish 6-minute epic or adding too much electronic experimentation. With that said, their Genesis cover rules! Ten Thousand Fists is an album of beastly heaviness as expected in modern rock/metal. However, the more mainstream parts of the album again show the perils of The Gateway and my taste in the clan. But if my interest in alt-/nu metal really does fade away, albums like this help make sure that nothing's in vain....

3.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Ten Thousand Fists", "Just Stop", "Stricken", "Sons of Plunder", "Forgiven", "Land of Confusion", "Sacred Lie"

For fans of: Breaking Benjamin, Staind, Device

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Sybreed - "Emma-0" from Antares (2007)

5/5. The starting track of this album and playlist has beats and synths rising from the distorted background before unleashing sinister guitar riffing. Vocalist Benjamin Nominét screams his heart out against life struggles mutilating and hurting him.

KONG - "Hok" from Mute Poet Vocalizer (1990)

4.5/5. Another great start, with everything set up by the groovy audible bass by Mark Drillich.

Godflesh - "Slavestate" from Slavestate (1991)

5/5. One of the best songs by these British pioneers of industrial metal, with some of the best bass. Industrial metal is best suited underground and not as highly electronic-focused as bands like Skinny Puppy.

Pitchshifter - "Catharsis" from Industrial (1991)

4.5/5. Another standout, in which black metal-ish guitar tremolos plays over doomy sludge, maintaining the industrial mix.

KMFDM - "Inane" from Xtort (1996)

4/5. This one is INSANE!!! Sascha Konietzko performs his usual vocal distortion alongside rising chords, singing about the band themselves and their greatness. The country-ish guitars are also quite fun.

Genitorturers - "Lessor Gods" from 120 Days of Genitorture (1993)

4.5/5. Another heavy track filled with heavy desire to please the album's listeners, especially from the 30-second opening intro that sounds like Slayer.

Lard - "Bozo Skeleton" from The Last Temptation of Reid (1990)

4/5. Smooth bass once again starts up this mid-paced track with catchy vocals flowing together with heavy instrumentation. This legendary hardcore/industrial combo continues to impress me!

Mechina - "Machine God" from Tyrannical Resurrection (2007)

3.5/5. Attacking in different tempos is this long track, though this version is missing the piano outro.

Skrew - "Jesus Skrew Superstar" from Dusted (1994)

4/5. This one cranks up the thrash, the way Fear Factory and Strapping Young lad would a year after this album's release.

Lord of the Lost, Tina Guo - "Ghosts" from Ghosts (2025)

4.5/5. Amazing piece of beauty and intensity! I love the cello by Tina Guo here.

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

4/5. This one crashes through with more of the pulverizing verses and emotional choruses.

Oddko - "Kitty Girl" from Kitty Girl (2022)

4.5/5. Amazing cyber metal track with touches of Rammstein. But now I can't stop hearing those d*mn meows.

A Dark Halo - "It Never Sleeps" from Omnibus One (2023)

4/5. Another one of my favorites from that A Dark Halo album, sounding haunting while having the lovely clean singing of Mel Rose.

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

4.5/5. And another favorite track here! Guitar/keyboard melodies reach an intense height, and the ending climax is EPIC.

Cypecore - "Chosen Chaos" from Version 4.5: The Dark Chapter (2024)

4/5. Blasting off is this song with one of the coolest titles ever chosen. It has only a short amount of time for you to actually prepare for the chaos. The blasts and guitarwork strike through with their might. The vocals help make the song sound like industrial melodeath-ish metalcore gone Disturbed.

Fange - "Mortes Promesses" from Purulences (2025)

3.5/5. A good hard-hitter despite some flaws. Enough said!

Rammstein - "Zeig Dich" from Rammstein (2019)

3/5. I prefer Neue Deutsche Härte as a side-dish rather than a main course. Still that second chorus might have potential for a space battle in a German sci-fi film.

Megaherz - "Abendstern" from Götterdämmerung (2012)

2.5/5. Too much of a German romantic love ballad. Moving on...

Source of Tide - "Serenade of Silence" from Blueprints (2002)

3/5. Not a whole lot better, but at least we're back in the English zone.

Ktulu - "In a Gada Da Vida - Iron Butterfly" from 2078" (2000)

3.5/5. A few bonus points for making this Iron Butterfly cover more kick-A.

Dagoba - "The Fall of Men" from What Hell is About (2006)

4/5. Much heavier than the last 5 tracks, so thumbs up for that!

Eisbrecher - "Segne Deinen Schmerz" from Eiszeit (2010)

3.5/5. And we're back into a little more of the NDH. This one's almost like a blend of Rammstein's "Du Hast" and Finger Eleven's "Living in a Dream".

Killing Joke - "Blood on Your Hands" from Killing Joke (2003)

4/5. A groovy highlight from Killing Joke's 2003 self-titled album.

Static-X - "The Trance is the Motion" from Wisconsin Death Trip (1999)

4.5/5. This monolithic standout has better vocals, including those growls by Wayne Static. RIP

Neurotech - "To Theta State" from Stigma (2015)

5/5. And now for this 11-minute epic, an ambient electronic instrumental that marks a perfect mini-journey of darkness and hope. I can't believe how perfect a non-metal track like that can be, and how well it fits in The Sphere!

Omega Lithium - "Pjesma" from Kinetik (2011)

5/5. The final track of this album and playlist marks the band's swan song. It's a shining straight anthem, partly sung in the band's native language. I almost feel like crying in both sadness and joy.

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

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Eighteen Visions - "Vanity" from Vanity (2002)

4.5/5. The great title opener of this Eighteen Visionsalbum pretty much lets you know all that's going on in the playlist and its original album. The metallic riffing drives through as James Hart performs not just screaming but also singing. Despite opening a new dimension in the band's sound, the latter vocal style is not as strong as the former. Neither are the lyrics. That's OK because the heavier sections like the great breakdown makes that track the powerful standout it is.

Blessthefall - "Mallxcore" from Mallxcore (2025)

5/5. Blessthefall will be coming back with their first album in 7 years. I can hear the core in this song, but it's not really mall-worthy, and that's what I love.

Trivium - "Dusk Dismantled" from In Waves (2011)

5/5. This highlight continues the heavy path, this time even more furious, darker, and containing only screaming.

Lorna Shore - "Unbreakable" from Unbreakable (2025)

5/5. I think I just found my new ultimate favorite Lorna Shore track, surpassing the likes of "Cursed to Die" and "And I Return to Nothingness". Lots of Parkway Drive-like melody, and the lyrics are so motivational, "And after it all, our hearts are invincible, like diamonds we glow, WE ARE UNBREAKABLE!!!!"

Wolves at the Gate - "Lights & Fire" from Eulogies (2022)

4.5/5. And the motivation continues! That's something to expect from Christian bands, isn't it?

All That Remains - "Six" from The Fall of Ideals (2006)

5/5. Another death metal-influenced song starting off with lightning fast melodeath riffs and blast beats. Then we have more of the breakdowns and clean/shouting vocals. Then in the middle, the song slows down with melodic riffs, a simple drum beat, and a short solo, before the song repeats the intro one more time.

Cave In - "Crossbearer" from Beyond Hypothermia (1998)

4.5/5. My favorite song of this Cave In demo compilation album, already giving you what to expect from this band. There's the usual metalcore structure within the riffing, screams, and occasional cleans. If there's anything to plant the seed for metal/mathcore bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan, 2000s Converge, Botch, and Skycamefalling, this is that. Everything about this song is memorable, from the intro to the clean bridge and the rifftastic chaos in between, with those vocals hooks embedded in your head. Truly an epitome of classic metalcore!

Calva Louise - "Tunnel Vision" from Edge of the Abyss (2025)

4/5. This one starts with a sweet pop intro, then the rest is an alt-metalcore blast often turning into pop and dubstep. Awesome start for that album!

Dal Av, Jackson Rose - "Colors Collapsed" from Petrichor (2025)

4.5/5. A potential insta-classic banger. What else can I say?

A Day to Remember - "Bullfight" from Bad Vibrations (2016)

5/5. Another f***ing standout of a song! The breakdown shall never be ignored.

As I Lay Dying - "Confined" from Shadows are Security (2005)

4.5/5. If we don't think too much about the sh*t Tim Lambesis has gone through, classics like this can still be enjoyed. There are some things to enjoy, like the clean chorus.

Neaera - "...To Oblivion" from The Rising Tide of Oblivion (2005)

5/5. Although this track works better with the "From Grief" intro, the song itself is an awesome melodeath/metalcore monster. And let me tell you, midway through is one of my favorite riffs of the genre.

Born of Osiris - "Activated" from Through Shadows (2025)

4.5/5. Everything experienced so far is put together in a trancey metalcore fiesta. I love the guest vocals by Underoath's Spencer Chamberlain and the saxophone solo that can surpass "Careless Whisper".

Underoath - "Thorn" from Voyeurist (2022)

4/5. This one is a melodic return to the post-hardcore basics of bands like Circa Survive and I See Stars in flowing emotion. It's a special delicate song to make a nice break from the heavier metalcore anthems.

Parkway Drive - "Karma" from Deep Blue (2010)

4.5/5. Another highlight with excellent riffing and a superb solo that would suffocate you with its technical aura before a monumentally memorable moshing breakdown.

Architects - "Blackhole" from The Sky, the Earth & All Between (2025)

4/5. Another f***ing h*ll of a headbanging single with some of the greatest vocal intensity from Sam Carter. Adding to the perfection is the drumming by Dan Searle. That shall get the live crowd going!

Deadguy - "The Long Search for Perfect Timing" from Near-Death Travel Services (2025)

4.5/5. An aptly titled track ending the earlier fans' 30-year search for a song to surpass the debut. I'm also guessing the band was listening to 7 Angels 7 Plagues in the first few years of inactivity.

Coalesce - "A Disgust for Details" from Functioning on Impatience (1998)

5/5. The most furious way to finish its original album. To be honest, I don't think there's a lot fiercer than that track from much of this band's material or mathcore. That's the heaviness to remind me of us where they started in their debut!

Stevie T - "Metalcore Song" from Metalcore Song (2013)

4.5/5. Lately I've been watching some videos by Steve Terreberry, both his music and his more comedic videos. His "Metalcore Song" is more of a joke track, but it's quite a banger that exemplifies metalcore music and lyrics in a nutshell. I enjoy his growls and singing. And he's right, every song needs a techno breakdown and a solo.

Demon Hunter - "Ribcage" from The Triptych (2005)

4/5. This is the last track in its original album to have any heaviness. It starts with a loud rising blast of guitar riffs. The clean chorus is really impressive, but the growls sound a little off.

August Burns Red - "Bloodletter" from Guardians (2020)

4.5/5. This massive track is filled with aggression and over the top breakdowns. It follows the lyrical theme of greedy needs taking over society. The measures are a bit repetitive, but that's just a small flesh-wound of a flaw.

Motionless in White - "Undead Ahead 2: The Tale of the Midnight Ride" from Disguise (2019)

4/5. My favorite song in this MIW album. As if this song being a sequel to an earlier one wasn't the tip-off, it stands out with a lot of the band's earlier metalcore heaviness and a catchy chorus. The instrumentation is so strong, as is Chris' screaming. Just be careful when driving while listening to this song, especially in the heavy breakdown.

Currents - "It Only Gets Darker" from It Only Gets Darker (2025)

4.5/5. If you think the music in this playlist so far is fun and upbeat, well... IT ONLY GETS DARKER. And the screams get better.

Frontierer - "Corrosive Wash" from Oxidized (2021)

4/5. It also gets more f***ing chaotic, and it's quite addictive.

Converge - "Vengeance" from No Heroes (2006)

3.5/5. And how about a couple really short tracks to throw into the mix! The familiarity is too much to hide here.

Car Bomb - "Rid" from Centralia (2007)

4/5. A brief blast through extreme math-grind.

The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravanganza - "Passenger 57" from Danza 3: The Series of Unfortunate Events (2010)

4.5/5. The members all have kick-A talent, especially proven midway through. Seriously, they should really come back.

Psyopus - "Scissor Fuck Paper Doll" from Our Puzzling Encounters Considered (2007)

4/5. F***ing decimating mathcore that is not for the faint-hearted or the inexperienced.

The Chariot - "Back to Back" from The Fiancee (2007)

4.5/5. Quite some heavy energy for a Christian band, the same kind of energy from Blood of the Martyrs. Whatever beliefs you have, you're here to have fun with some music from this band by former Norma Jean vocalist Josh Scogin.

Cult Leader - "Gutter Gods" from Lightless Walk (2015)

4/5. A kick-A track from an 11-track album of chaos and darkness.

The Red Chord - "Face Area Solution" from Fed Through the Teeth Machine (2009)

4.5/5. One last short deathly blast before the grand finale, with some guest growls by The Acacia Strain's Vincent Bennett.

Mental Cruelty - "A Tale of Salt and Light" from Zwielicht (2023)

5/5. This epic finale has the symphonic death metal/core of Ex Deo and early Betraying the Martyrs to make one of the most glorious deathcore tracks ever! However, there's still one track left that would make a grand continuation and conclusion...

Worm Shepherd - "And at the End of Fear, Silentium" from Hunger (2024)

5/5. One of the best track titles I've seen in all of metal. The track itself is another one of the most glorious tracks I've heard in symphonic blackened deathcore. Chaos and triumph reign all over. The soloing is some of the best I've heard from last year, probably greater than even DragonForce's solos! Evilness and grief continues to last until the end, with a final epic orchestral melodeath march rising into some blackened blasts and screams once more, and finally resting in mournful piano. Man, what an ending!

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

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Sabaton - "The Future of Warfare" from The Great War (2019)

4.5/5. Unleash the power of 32 tanks, the future of warfare in metal is here!

Battle Beast - "Steelbound" from Steelbound (2025)

4/5. A loud mythical anthem. Battle Beast is back!

Lamb of God - "Children of the Grave" from Children of the Grave (2025)

4.5/5. I also had the Guardians playlist all set when the tragic passing of Ozzy Osbourne was announced, and I was thinking about making this playlist more Ozzy/Sabbath-oriented to pay homage to this fallen legend. Ultimately, I decided it would be better to keep the playlist as it is because I wasn't up to compromising all the hard work I've made here. I'm sorry, I really am. But think about it this way; practically none of the bands in this playlist would've existed without the Prince of Darkness and his band. And we have a nicely done tribute in Sonny's Fallen playlist this month. RIP Ozzy... This Lamb of God cover of a Black Sabbath classic is a total banger, and I love the bassline and Randy's well-done attempt at channeling his inner Ozzy Osbourne within his cleans.

Rainbow - "Man on the Silver Mountain" from Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (1975)

4/5. This one is an early hard rock/metal classic, right from that memorable riff. It's the most metallic song in the original Rainbow album while combining their heavy metal side with hard rock. And that's just the start of the variation that would occur in the rest of the album. What makes that track the fresh classic highlight is how guitar-driven it is, as Ritchie Blackmore slides through his riffing and soloing. Dio's vocals help give that guitarwork more atmosphere. RIP Dio, another fallen legend...

Angel Witch - "Angel Witch" from Angel Witch (1980)

4.5/5. Wicked guitar in this heavy/proto-speed metal song to love!

Motorhead - "Motorhead" from The Manticore Tapes (1976/2025)

4/5. RIP yet another legend, Lemmy. The lyrics are pretty great to listen to ("Sunrise, wrong side of another day! Sky high and 6000 miles away!", "Fourth day, five day marathon! We’re moving like a parallelogram!"). Also RIP Fast Eddie and Animal Taylor. While the lives of these heroes are lost, we shall never lose the music.

Gus G., Ronnie Romero - "My Premonition" from My Premonition (2025)

3.5/5. Cool collaboration between Firewind guitarist Gus G. and Ronnie Romero, best known as the vocalist of Rainbow in their recent reunion touring.

Iced Earth - "Depths of Hell" from The Dark Saga (1996)

4/5. Iced Earth have made some kick-A songs over the years, and despite the whole Capitol Riot ordeal, there no way you can go your whole metal life without appreciating some killer bangers like this.

Accept - "Man Up" from Humanoid (2024)

4.5/5. Accept has been making beautiful catchy songs like this since the late 70s/80s. Keep calm and MAN UP.

Ozzy Osbourne - "I Don't Know" from Blizzard of Ozz (1980)

4/5. Once again, RIP Ozzy. Let's face it, if you're listening to popular metal bands like Metallica, Slayer, Celtic Frost, and Overkill, you gotta thank the Prince of Darkness for planting the seed of those band's existence simply by doing his part in creating the entire heavy metal realm. And you have to thank guitarist Randy Rhoads and drummer Lee Kerslake for their inspiring influential work too. RIP... One of my favorite parts is the slow ethereal riffing midway through. However, my only problem is the bass sounding a bit off. Only God knows what metal's future will be like with Ozzy. Don't ask me, I DON'T KNOW!!!

Metal Church - "Beyond the Black" from Metal Church (1984)

4.5/5. Another metal blast from the past! The drumming here is filled with savage passion. I probably would've loved this a lot more when I was power metal-loving teenager though. The structure is quite well-constructed, right from the ominous intro, and I can hear the impact the band would have towards Sanctuary and 90s Metallica. Do you think the name of this song also inspired the name of German symphonic metal band Beyond the Black? Probably.

Metallica - "Sad But True" from Metallica (1991)

4/5. After all this talk about Metallica, here's a hit from that band to make any metalhead's day.

Mercyful Fate - "Come to the Sabbath" from Don't Break the Oath (1984)

4.5/5. All over the world, from east to west, Mercyful Fate and King Diamond would send the idea of satanic themes in metal to help develop the more extreme black metal.

Masterplan - "Enlighten Me" from Masterplan (2003)

5/5. Wow, this band is already enlightening me. More please!

Mechina - "Gene Heresy" from Telesterion (2019)

5/5. A grand over 10-minute epic that should touch the hearts of earlier fans and anyone who loves long tracks. It might just surpass "Anagenesis" as one of the greatest epics Mechina has ever done!

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

5/5. RIP Nicole Bogner. What a beautiful operatic siren-like voice she had. I also like the male singing by their other former vocalist Mario Plank. Sounds close to my vocal range so it should be easy for me to sing his part.

Rhapsody of Fire - "A Brave New Hope" from Challenge the Wind (2024)

4.5/5. With Rhapsody of Fire still having their magic for around 3 decades, symphonic power metal may just have a brave new hope.

Heavenly - "Evil" from Dust to Dust (2004)

5/5. We shall fight to carry on the other side of the life!

Sonata Arctica - "Shah Mat" from Clear Cold Beyond (2024)

4.5/5. The name of this song is Romanian for "Checkmate". The choir in the intro almost makes it sound like the intro of Lorna Shore's "Sun Eater".

Alestorm - "No Quarter" from Black Sails at Midnight (2009)

4/5. This was one of my favorite Alestorm songs, and I still think it's a sick banger. Now listen to the last minute of this track and see if you hear something familiar...

Gloryhammer - "On a Quest for Aberdeen" from On a Quest for Aberdeen (2025)

4.5/5. It's insane how much I'm regrowing my interest in fantasy and power metal after my near-8-year hiatus from the majority of the genre. For Aberdeen!

Apocalyptica - "Helden" from Worlds Collide (2007)

5/5. I think this is one of the only songs with a 5-star rating from me to be sung by Rammstein's Till Lindemann and/or entirely in German. It would be interesting to sing this cover in the original David Bowie song's English language. It shall be praised forever and ever!

Joe Stump - "Viking Pillage" from Diabolical Ferocity (2021)

4.5/5. Don't expect any viking metal here, this is Joe Stump's usual shredtastic neoclassical metal!

Galneryus - "Chain of Distress" from Under the Force of Courage (2015)

5/5. A fantastic beautiful song for anyone at a time of grief and distress. It's hard to believe that I would be interested in a band via a ballad, but here I am.

Enforcer - "Mask of Red Death" from From Beyond (2015)

5/5. The Crimson Glory and Iron Maiden-like aspects really shine in this one. Awesome riff-filled track to end this playlist! Thanks for this, Sonny. I'm up for more of this band.

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:

As we all know, Northern Europe has pretty much the biggest amount of metal bands in any subregion. Denmark doesn't have as many popular metal bands as in Norway, Sweden, and Finland, but I enjoy some notable bands from the country including Mercenary and Mnemic. What if you can combine the sounds of those two bands to make tech-ish melodeath/cyber metal? Enter the Interbeing, whose killer talent is highly displayed in their perfect debut Edge of the Obscure! The cyber melody and heavy rhythms show a lot of the band's Mnemic/Fear Factory influences. There's also djenty groove worth headbanging to if you're a fan of Periphery and Meshuggah. With that, Edge of the Obscure shows that the band can wear their influences like a battle jacket. Something that sounds amongst the best really should've made it big!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "Pulse Within the Paradox", "Face Deletion", "Fields of Grey", "Swallowing White Light", "Celestial Flames", "Rhesus Artificial"

For fans of: Fear Factory, Mnemic, Soilwork

Here's my review summary:

August Burns Red has one of the most solid discographies to come from a metalcore band. They've made great albums in their career, including the perfect Constellations. I've always wondered if there would ever be another August Burns Red that as much of a masterpiece as Constellations. Well I shall wonder no more with their new offering Death Below! The album is a much further throwback with their fast pacing in songs that I can consider total bangers. Plus a few songs each have a guest appearance from a vocalist or guitarist of another well-known metalcore band, and that's often a grand treat. Those guests includes Killswitch Engage vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarist Jason Richardson (known for his work with All That Remains, All Shall Perish, Born of Osiris, and Chelsea Grin), Erra's JT Cavey, and Underoath vocalist Spencer Chamberlain. An alternate version of "The Cleansing" also includes the one and only Will Ramos of Lorna Shore. Oh yeah, "The Cleansing" and "Reckoning" are two of the greatest highlights here, two nearly 8-minute epics that are the band's longest, not including the closing epic of their 2005 debut, all full of stylistic transcendence. All in all, Death Below can show you how to overcome the dark struggles of this decade and look into the light, through heaviness and despair. August Burns Red's 10th album can very well be their greatest, most ambitious work yet!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "The Cleansing", "Ancestry", "Backfire", "Revival", "Dark Divide", "Reckoning"

For fans of: All That Remains, Erra, Killswitch Engage

When Herbie Langhans stepped in as Firewind's new vocalist starting with their 2020 self-titled album, the band brought back the earlier classic heavy metal part of their sound from the Stephen Fredrick era, side-by-side with their usual power metal. Many tracks in this album are more mid-tempo and have more classic anthemic-sounding insturmentation, as opposed to the fast melodic style of power metal. So I'd like to send Firewind's 2020 self-titled album to the Hall to be added to heavy metal while staying in power metal.

Good list, Rex! I enjoy the opening tracks for those Neurosis and Killing Joke albums as well.

I discovered an activity like this in a subreddit and thought we could have some fun with it in this site. Who do you think would make the ultimate Sphere band? Can be members from any bands you want, not just from bands of the same clan. You can even come up with your own name and specific genre for the band if you'd like. Have fun! Here's my example:

Melissa Rosenberg (Mel Rose) – clean vocals

Evan K – lead guitar

Dino Cazares – rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Stian Hinderson (Nagash/Lex Icon) − bass guitar, harsh vocals, additional clean vocals

Dirk Verbeuren – drums

Janne Tolsa – keyboards, synthesizers, orchestration, backing vocals

Band name: Powershifters

Genres: Symphonic/blackened/cyber metal in a similar vein to The Kovenant, Nexaeon-era Illidiance, and some of Mechina's songs that blend clean and harsh vocals

I discovered an activity like this in a subreddit and thought we could have some fun with it in this site. Who do you think would make the ultimate Revolution band? Can be members from any bands you want, not just from bands of the same clan. You can even come up with your own name and specific genre for the band if you'd like. Have fun! Here's my example:

Will Ramos - male harsh vocals

Neal Tiemann - lead guitar

Chris Wiseman - rhythm guitar, male clean vocals

Mikael Reinikka - bass guitar

Art Cruz - drums

Alex Reade - keyboards, keytar, orchestration, female clean/harsh vocals

Band name: Emotional Suffering

Genre: Symphonic/blackened/melodic deathcore throwing back to its earlier wave of bands like The Breathing Process, Winds of Plague, and early Make Them Suffer

I discovered an activity like this in a subreddit and thought we could have some fun with it in this site. Who do you think would make the ultimate Infinite band? Can be members from any bands you want, not just from bands of the same clan. You can even come up with your own name and specific genre for the band if you'd like. Have fun! Here's my example:

Maynard James Keenan – lead vocals

Ron Jarzombek – guitar

Gary Wehrkamp – guitar

John Myung – bass

Jerry Gaskill – drums, percussion, backing vocals

Michael Pinnella − keyboards, backing vocals

Band name: Interpacific

Genres: Progressive/alternative metal/rock

I discovered an activity like this in a subreddit and thought we could have some fun with it in this site. Who do you think would make the ultimate Horde band? Can be members from any bands you want, not just from bands of the same clan. You can even come up with your own name and specific genre for the band if you'd like. Have fun! Here's my example:

Björn "Speed" Strid – lead vocals

Jani Liimatainen – guitars, additional clean vocals

Michael Amott − guitars, backing vocals

Ted Lundström − bass

Shannon Lucas – drums

Janne Wirman – keyboards, backing vocals

Band name: Imperial Storm

Genres: Melodic death/power metal in a similar vein to Children of Bodom, Mercenary, and Skyfire

I discovered an activity like this in a subreddit and thought we could have some fun with it in this site. Who do you think would make the ultimate Gateway band? Can be members from any bands you want, not just from bands of the same clan. You can even come up with your own name and specific genre for the band if you'd like. Have fun! Here's my example:

Sonny Sandoval − lead vocals

Dan Donegan – lead guitar, backing vocals

Mike Shinoda – rhythm guitar, rap vocals

Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu – bass guitar

Shawn "Clown" Crahan – drums, percussion, backing vocals

Frank Delgado – keyboards, turntables, samples

Band name: Meteocrity

Genres: Alternative/nu metal with lyrics battling against the genre's criticism

The prog/psych elements in Cave In's new album spread into many songs to make a more progressive alt-metal offering. This is also noted in the lengthy structures and complexity within the music. So I'd like to submit Cave In's "Heavy Pendulum" to be added to The Infinite while staying in The Gateway.

Thanks, Daniel.

Inspired by one of my current favorite YouTube channels Thralls of Metal, I decided to also get in the "band's greatest hits" trend of compiling tracks from different albums by a band as your own "greatest hits" kind of album. If you have any of your own "greatest hits" albums for your favorite bands, feel free to post them here.

Here are my rules for how I would do my own "greatest hits" albums, but you may have your own rules:

1. Two songs per each studio album; one popular track and one underrated track.

2. One song per other album (remix album, EP, etc.).

3. If a track is at least 10 minutes long or close to that, it counts as two songs.

4. Might add in one extra song for one of the albums.

5. If the length of the tracklisting exceeds 80 minutes (the CD length limit), it's split into two discs, maybe 3 discs if even longer.

6. Songs are in chronological order.

Let's start with this Norwegian symphonic gothic/melodeath band:

Trail of Tears - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5PumWxcuPRl0sgAGqglkTt (Disclosure in Red not on Spotify, songs from that album replaced with "Countdown to Ruin")

1. When Silence Cries

2. Illusion?

3. Driven Through the Ruins

4. Disappointment's True Face

5. Ecstatic

6. A Fate Sealed in Red

7. Joyless Trance of Winter

8. Dry Well of Life

9. Deceptive Mirrors

10. Shades of Yesterday

11. Bloodstained Endurance

12. A Storm at Will

13. Farewell to Sanity

14. Waves of Existence

15. Path of Destruction

16. No Colours Left

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

2 Times Terror - "D.E.A.D." from Equals One Sudden Death (2010)

4.5/5. Already making use of Turmion Katilot's roots is the opening track of its original album and this playlist. 2 Times Terror knows how to make electronic rhythms like The Berzerker but without any speed-grind. What's different compared to Turmion Katilot is the use of female vocals. All in all, we have an excellent piece of electro-metal with both male and female vocals. A well-done example of opposites attract!

Fear of Domination - "Pandemonium" from Create.Control.Exterminate (2011)

5/5. More of Saku Solin and Niina Telen's vocals come together in perhaps my favorite track of its original album. The song has some Norther vibes in both the music and vocals. Solin adds more depth and accent to his growls, and the end result is another unique blend of extreme and melodic.

Gothminister - "Darkside" from Happiness in Darkness (2008)

5/5. This highlight ascends with gloomy choir atmosphere before powerful drumming, alongside more of the hard-hitting guitars and orchestra.

Lord of the Lost - "I Will Die In It" from I Will Die In It (2025)

4.5/5. A well-done piece of gothic/industrial metal by this German band.

Genitorturers - "Liars Lair" from Sin City (1998)

4/5. Opening things up further is where Genitorturers continue riding through different stylistic territories.

Sonic Violence - "Tortured (Dub)" from Jagd (1990)

4.5/5. This next track is quite an effective one. It starts with a sample of Mozart's "Dies Irae". Then we have devastating on-off guitar riffing in mechanical greatness. You can also hear some lovely synths later on. The harsh vocals fit greatly with the lyrics.

Old - "Disconnect Self" from Lo Flux Tube (1991)

4/5. Deathly experimental industrial metal when an 8-bit-ish bass. "BODY TURN...TO ASH...TURN...TO MEMORY!!!!!"

Nine Inch Nails - "Wish" from Fixed (1992)

4.5/5. The 9-minute remix of the most well-known single of Broken, is given a minute-and-a-half long drum beat intro that crescendos into the dominating main riff.

The Amenta - "Vermin" from n0n (2008)

5/5. Another f***ing monster. It takes some time to patience to actually dig this kind of chaos, and when you do, it's all worth the experience. The vicious vocals ranging between growls, screams, and whispers are so haunting!

White Zombie - "Grease Paint and Monkey Brains" from Astro-Creep: 2000 - Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head (1995)

4.5/5. This is probably one of the least popular songs amongst the earlier metalheads. Being the young modern metal listener I am, I like it. There's more of a Static-X vibe here which isn't too bad. One of the most metal songs in the album!

Ministry - "Stigmata" from The Land of Rape and Honey (1988)

4/5. One of the best tunes displayed in its original album kicks it off with fuzzy keyboard riffing. Al Jourgensen would enter the scene with a howl of maximum distortion. The riff and beat drives the song through well.

Oddko - "D4TM" from Digital Gods (2020)

4.5/5. "D4TM" stands for "Dope for the Masses". More like "Dope for the Mad Maxes"! If you've watched the music video, you would know what I mean. This is more of a punk-ish cyber/industrial metal track. Cyberpunk has gotten a new meaning!

Deathstars - "CyberGore Generation" from Damage Theory (2010)

5/5. This standout can almost be considered "Cyber-core", blending together the cyber metal of Deathstars with a bit of the melodic metalcore of Memphis May Fire, The Autumn Offering, and Of Mice & Men.

Neurotech - "Uplift" from Evasive (2015)

4.5/5. This is the closest we have to intense heaviness, actually being the only symphonic industrial metal track in Evasive in terms of vibe.

Mechina - "Unearthing the Daedalian Ancient" from As Embers Turn to Dust (2017)

5/5. The greatest symphonic-ish highlight is followed by the greatest cyber one with this darker, heavier, more epic take on the old-school technicality of Alchemist, Dark Angel, and Pestilence. Another strong climatic composition!

Pain - "I Am" from I Am (2024)

4.5/5. Pain shall never stop! The band, of course.

Poppy - "All the Things She Said" from All the Things She Said (2020)

4/5. The edition of I Disagree I was reviewing includes a bonus cover of this t.A.T.u. hit, and interestingly enough, this is one of my favorite tracks of that album, fitting in the "metalizing covers" category by adding in dark alt-/industrial metal drama while staying true to the original. If that isn't Poppy's most emotional moment, I don't know what is!

Celldweller - "Into the Void - Sebastian Kromor Remix" from Satellites (Remixed) (2023)

4.5/5. Amazing hellfire in this remix! "Baptized by Fire" should get a similar treatment.

Tyrant of Death - "Anchorite" from Superior Firepower (2019)

4/5. Something so simple yet blasting should end up in the DOOM soundtrack. The artwork for its original album fits well with the music. Alex Rise shows his kick-A talent from beginning to end. This is especially true throughout the second third of the track. Keep up the heaviness, Alex!

Shum - "F64.00" from Pulzáló dobok tisztítják meg az eget (2024)

3.5/5. This is where things start to rotate in experimental territory.

Bliss Signal - "Swarm" from Drift (2018)

3/5. And then some blackgaze gets added to the sound.

Neo Inferno 262 - "Of Angels and Silicon" from Pleonectic (2023)

3.5/5. Maybe some strange distorted angel chanting added here as well.

Deathstars - "No Light" from Synthetic Generation (2002)

4/5. Then we get back to more familiar territory with another strong track by Deathstars.

The Project Hate MCMXCIX - "Solemn" from Death Ritual Covenant (2018)

4.5/5. The grand finale, having the melancholic melodeath of Omnium Gatherum while still covered in electro-industrial beauty.

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

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Imminence - "God Fearing Man" from The Return of the Black (2025)

5/5. Another super cool start to a Revolution playlist! As always, we have the blend of beauty and brutality. And d*mn, that breakdown is one of the heaviest of this year!

Miss May I - "I.H.E." from Deathless (2015)

4.5/5. "Miss May I is a Christian band", my a**. Sure some members are Christians, but the lyrics in some songs like this one darker and filled with swearing.

Lorna Shore - "Oblivion" from Oblivion (2025)

5/5. Lorna Shore are back with their upcoming album I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me. And with their new single "Oblivion", I enjoy the music that throws back to 5 years ago in the Immortal era, along with the lyrics growled by Will Ramos. With that said, I'm hoping for more of his vocal techniques in the upcoming album, like some of his clean singing from his YouTube covers? Not too much of it, of course.

Shadow of Intent - "Gravesinger" from Melancholy (2019)

5/5. Saxy requested this for the June playlist, but I postponed it to July because I wanted to include their new single "Feeding the Meatgrinder", and I felt like giving this one some slight space after its inclusion in April 2022's Revolution playlist. Anyway, seems like Shadow of Intent took Betraying the Martyrs' earlier sound to a much darker level alongside some classical elements of Bach and Beethoven mixed with some of the most brutal metal subgenres out there. This might also include some Dimmu Borgir-like symphonic black metal in the middle. And the outro with neoclassical soloing before a symphonic closure is just EPIC.

Undying - "Reckoning" from At History's End (2003)

4.5/5. This highlight has the best of many bands past and future, including late 90s Cave In, The Ghost Inside, Killswitch Engage, and Omnium Gatherum. A brilliant start to its original album!

The Autumn Offering - "Your Time Is Mine" from Fear Will Cast No Shadow (2007)

4/5. F***ing great melodic metalcore, similar to what All That Remains would have in Overcome the following year.

Cryptopsy - "Anoint the Dead" from The Unspoken King (2008)

3.5/5. This one is a far better blend of brutality and dissonance than the rest of its original album, tearing down the walls the way technical deathcore is meant to.

Drown in Sulphur - "Absentia" from Vengeance (2025)

5/5. Speeding things up is this incredible highlight, only slowing down at the end for one of the darkest breakdowns of the year. Perhaps my favorite deathcore track here!

Bury Tomorrow - "What If I Burn" from Will You Haunt Me, with That Same Patience (2025)

4.5/5. Daniel Winter-Bates and Tom Prendergast are two of the most kick-A vocal duos in modern metal, and their new album keeps up the power of the previous one.

Orthodox - "One Less Body (feat. Brann Dailor)" from A Door Left Open (2025)

5/5. WHAT THE F***?!? This is absolutely heavy brutal nu metalcore! The only moment of clean emotion is the guest appearance by Brann Dailor of Mastodon. He has already performed guest vocals in a Bleed from Within song, so that's a cool bonus. This is also around the time when Brent Hinds left Mastodon and is callous about it.

Malevolence - "So Help Me God" from Where Only the Truth is Spoken (2025)

4.5/5. Malevolence is back at it again with another gold heavy banger from their new album.

Dal Av - "Protohuman" from Protohuman (2025)

4/5. The intro to this song is quite phenomenal in the drums, leading to the rest of this neck-straining banger featuring Hollow Front vocalist Tyler Tate. The instrumentation sounds quite killer and might come out equally well on its own. You can really feel the anger in the lyrics. Not even Rammstein can go that dark.

We Came as Romans - "Shapes" from Dreams (2008)

4.5/5. RIP Kyle Pavone. He was an essential part of what made We Came as Romans one of the best metalcore/post-hardcore bands out there. I guess you can EP planted the seed for their debut To Plant a Seed.

Ankor - "Embers" from Shoganai (2024)

4/5. My brother and I aren't the only age group (mid-20s) to discover catchy bangers by this band. Even people around our dad's age are finding good appeal here.

Bury Your Dead - "Year One" from Year One (2008)

4.5/5. I love the soloing by Mark Tremonti of Alter Bridge and Tremonti in this track, adding f***ing sweet emotion to the bada** heaviness. And the beauty bleeds into the final chorus. Myke Terry is an amazing vocalist in both Bury Your Dead and Volumes. Though I can't deny that Mat Bruso is the better deal for this band. Lots of dark emotion in the lyrics too, "It's an uphill battle, and we're losing stride". The blend of singing and screaming is what we need more of, not just from Myke Terry. This is true metalcore, unlike when people think The Black Dahlia Murder is metalcore (they're melodeath) and a few generic bands out there, no disrespect there. So if you wish to be open-minded, think twice before turning your back on the hardcore/metalcore scene.

Architects - "Even If You Win, You're Still a Rat" from Daybreaker (2012)

5/5. And even if the haters win, they're still rats. This awesome highlight has guest vocals by Bring Me the Horizon vocalist Oli Sykes. It's just 3 minutes of metalcore chaos, just the way I love it!

Confessions of a Traitor - "Fearless" from Guided (2019)

4.5/5. Confessions of a Traitor can strike hard with their metalcore sound without fear.

The Number Twelve Looks Like You - "Clarissa Explains Cuntainment" from Nuclear. Sad. Nuclear (2005)

5/5. I wanna set this as my phone's alarm tone. This is one of my favorite songs by this band, with so much to enjoy like the riff 30 seconds in and the one starting the final 30 seconds. And it would work as well without vocals which are also great.

Botch - "Closure" from The Unifying Themes of Sex, Death and Religion (1997)

4.5/5. Then we slam into this track from a various artists compilation. A true trail of noise and destruction!

Frontierer - "Glitcher" from Unloved (2018)

4/5. This mathcore banger barely disappoints at all.

Ion Dissonance - "O.A.S.D." from Solace (2005)

4.5/5. Some of the most brutal sh*t in mathcore right here! Especially in the killer breakdown at the one-minute mark. There's no harmony and barely any set structure and it works greatly, with lyrics suitable for battling enemies in video games. Truly emotional in the raging side! And they never have to go as deathly brutal as Despised Icon nor make any of the symphonic turns Winds of Plague has. This really should've been as popular as Justin Bieber, maybe even more so.

The Chariot - "The Deaf Policemen" from The Fiancee (2007)

4/5. The more melodic riffing here seems to have taken some cues from Nirvana, but I enjoy the lyrics here, especially at the ending, "If there's blood on the roots, then there is blood on the branches".

Polaris - "Fault Line" from Fatalism (2023)

4.5/5. This one starts soft in the synths before launching into another easy yet impressive banger.

Calva Louise - "Impeccable" from Impeccable (2025)

4/5. Great song with more of Jess Allanic's impressive vocals. I gotta thank my brother for recommending this track to me.

Demon Hunter - "Light Bends" from Light Bends (2025)

4.5/5. I'm not even Christian and yet I end up getting strong faith, thanks to this solid banger.

Blessthefall - "See You on the Outside" from Hollow Bodies (2013)

5/5. Absolutely perfect music and lyrics here! I really enjoy this one striking my metalcore/post-hardcore heart. Escape the Fate vocalist Craig Mabbitt was in this band for their debut before joining that other band.

Moments - "Black Widow" from Hopes & Dreams (2015)

4.5/5. Let's take a moment to enjoy this modern metalcore track.

Wage War - "Will We Ever Learn" from Pressure (2019)

5/5. "Death walks among us, his sword hangs above us."

The Amity Affliction - "All That I Remember" from All That I Remember (2025)

4.5/5. We need more content from this band with their new bassist/clean vocalist Jonathan Reeves, originally from Kingdom of Giants.

Wolves at the Gate - "Unrest" from Wasteland (2025)

5/5. Let's end this playlist with what might just be my new favorite song by Wolves at the Gate, and perhaps one of the best of this year! I have a feeling there will be a sequel album titled Borderland, based on the ending lyric, "Come out the wasteland into the Borderland." I also enjoy other lyrics such as "I need a remedy, I hear my elegy singing the last verse", and the drumming especially at around the one and a half minute mark. Absolutely fantastic and can easily decimate their earlier post-hardcore material. One of the heaviest parts is the breakdown complete with a "SHUT UP!!!" scream more powerful than that of Linkin Park's "One Step Closer". Truly a killer way out!

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:

Nightwish - "The Poet and the Pendulum" from Dark Passion Play (2007)

4.5/5. Ah yeah, let's start this playlist with what I still think is one of the greatest symphonic metal album opening epics! 5 parts go on through an incredible 14 minutes. But why should I describe them all? It's too beautiful for words. Just listen and learn!

Deep Purple - "Speed King" from Deep Purple in Rock (1970)

4/5. This classic opener starts off this Deep Purple album in a bang with fast distorted shredding before fading into soft ambient organ. Then the hard rock/heavy metal rolls in, and you might not agree with me here, but this is practically proto-speed metal! Maybe close to speed rock? Still the organ shines in some sections. An upbeat way to begin this early example of a heavy metal album!

Black Sabbath - "Sweet Leaf" from Master of Reality (1971)

4.5/5. I love you, "Sweet Leaf"! The song, not the drug. I don't do drugs. This is a slow-ish early heavy metal song that can also come across as proto-stoner metal. I also love the soloing at the 3-minute mark that hints at the D-flat tuning Tony Iommi would in other songs from that album.

Ozzy Osbourne - "No More Tears" from No More Tears (1991)

4/5. Interestingly, this reminds me a lot of the second half of one of my YouTube pen-pal Danny Ultrawiz's songs, the progressive ballad "Thinking About You". I practically forgot about that Danny Ultrawiz song until I stumbled upon this Ozzy Osbourne. I wondering if that's part of what inspired it. Anyway, I enjoy the vocals, but the spoken words are hard to understand.

Rainbow - "Stargazer" from Rising (1976)

4.5/5. One of the greatest songs of 70s hard rock/heavy metal, hinting at both progressive and power metal tendencies. RIP DIO

Diamond Head - "Am I Evil?" from Lightning to the Nations (1980)

4/5. One more killer heavy metal epic. It was covered by Metallica and the entire Lightning to the Nations album was re-recorded for its 40th anniversary.

Fireforce - "The Battle of Ramadi" from The Battle of Ramadi (2025)

3.5/5. Some good kick-A thrashy power metal right here, sending the enemies into the lungs of Hell.

Iron Maiden - "Flight of Icarus" from Piece of Mind (1983)

3/5. Decent song, but better for my dad's generation, no offense. "Fly on your way like an eagle..."

Queensryche - "Take Hold of the Flame" from The Warning (1984)

3.5/5. Same with this one, although I enjoy Geoff Tate's golden singing and the soloing by Chris DeGarmo.

Airforce - "The Fury" from Acts of Madness (2025)

4/5. Wow, there are quite a few heavy/power metal bands whose name ends with "force"; Fireforce, Airforce, DragonForce... Anyway, it continues that classic heavy metal sound of Iron Maiden and early Queensryche, but better and more modernized.

Stratovarius - "Hunting High and Low" from Infinite (2000)

4.5/5. Still a power metal classic after all these years, like since I first heard it over 10 years before this comment. Lots of great melody here! And apparently its been associated a lot with Dragon Ball Z Budokai.

Visions of Atlantis - "Hellfire" from Pirates II: Armada (2024)

5/5. Wow... I thought I've distanced myself from exploring more female-fronted symphonic metal after the ones I've already heard of (apart from Mechina and other more extreme bands), but this is epic! Awesome power in the vocals and instrumentation, like Nightwish gone Alestorm.

Manticora - "Echoes of a Silent Scream" from To Kill to Live to Kill (2018)

4.5/5. Not gonna lie, this is one of the most intense power metal songs I've heard. Solid heavy/melodic gold! Thanks for this, Sonny.

Alestorm - "The Storm" from The Thunderfist Chronicles (2025)

4/5. Another pirate metal storm awaits for Alestorm. I really enjoy the guitar soloing that is like its own lyric-less vocal melody.

Gloryhammer - "He Has Returned" from He Has Returned (2024)

4.5/5. As for Christopher Bowes' other band Gloryhammer, Angus McFife has returned with a new voice in their new album Return to the Kingdom of Fife. This song never disappoints and details an exciting robot battle that would fit well in Ultrakill.

Warkings - "Kings of Ragnarok" from Kings of Ragnarok (2025)

5/5. Although I'm past my power metal prime, there are still bangers like this for me to love. An awesome anthem to touch the hearts of power metal fans!

Sabaton - "Hordes of Khan" from Hordes of Khan (2025)

4.5/5. Sabaton is back with a new single about the Hungarians battling against the Mongol Empire formed under the wrath of Khan. Genghis Khan. I don't care what some people say, there's lots of chaotic energy that hasn't left the band. It's a nice break from their two new albums centered around World War I. So simple yet killer!

Battle Beast - "Last Goodbye" from Last Goodbye (2025)

4/5. I'm thankful that bands like Battle Beast haven't said their last goodbye yet, when we have catchy bangers like this one.

Time Requiem - "Visions of New Dawn" from Time Requiem (2002)

3.5/5. Progressive neoclassical metal sounds quite cool though a little too cheesy. With that said, I like the keyboard work by Richard Andersson and the vocals by Apollo Papathanasio who would later join Firewind. Time Requiem didn't really last as long as Firewind though. I also like the Dream Theater vibes here.

Symphony X - "In the Dragon's Den" from Twilight of Olympus (1998)

4/5. Symphony X also kick a** with the progressive neoclassical metal sound. Sometimes, melody doesn't have to be as deathly as Dark Tranquillity and In Flames. You can get it from bands that are meant to sound like Symphony X, Stratovarius, and Nightwish. Short songs balance out against the longer epics like the 20-minute title epic of the previous album The Divine Wings of Tragedy.

Volbeat - "Evelyn" from Beyond Hell / Above Heaven (2010)

4.5/5. You want what sounds like Alter Bridge gone Entombed?! The guest vocals by Barney Greenway of Napalm Death are a killer surprise! Then the heaviness is dialed back by the usual rock-ish chorus. We need more heavy hammering tracks like this, honestly.

Xerath - "Veil Part 2" from Xerath III (2014)

5/5. Holding on to the epic intensity once more, the closing track of its original album and this playlist makes one final move at combining film score-style orchestra with metal, and it pays off, adding beautiful harmony to this apocalyptic chaos.

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:

Conflиct has diverse maturity in their songwriting. The blend of industrial and groove is quite fresh and is different from how other bands do it. I enjoy Anna Hel's growls here, filled with emotion and passion. However, her cleans rely a little too much on autotune and almost come out as unnatural. I'm glad her contributions with Mechina involve just her growls. The riffing is often djenty, though they sometimes soften in the background to let the vocals shine. I enjoy this catchy heavy-melodic blend, often exploring the more progressive side of the djent-ish industrial groove metal sound that intrigues me. For those wanting more of the heavier side of Sybreed but with a female vocalist, I would recommend this offering. And I'm up to hearing more of Anna Hel's vocals. Well, mostly her growls....

4/5

Recommended tracks: "Circular Transition", "Mechanism of Life", "Rebuild the Parasite", "Half Man, Half Machine", "The Elements of a New Era", "Invisible Thread"

For fans of: Fear Factory, Mechina (especially Anna Hel's guest appearances), Sybreed

Here's my review summary:

Metalcore bands like Undying have really touched the hearts of people who were around my age (mid-20s) or younger back then. As always, Undying provide their melodic metalcore sound that was only in the early stages of popularity. There are some things different in At History's End compared to the previous album. More direct melodies, more hardcore riffs, and more poetic lyrics, the latter recited by female vocalist Logan White, replacing Timothy Roy. You gotta admire Logan's lyrical spirit! At History's End really should've had as much love and recognition as the more mainstream bands out there. Still it's fine staying underground. Now that the band has reformed recently, they now have time to create a new part of their melodic metalcore evolution and maybe hit that perfect 5-star mark. Their history shall be ongoing!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Reckoning", "As Above", "For the Dying", "The Age of Grace"

For fans of: early Neaera, Allegiance-era As Blood Runs Black, Prayer for Cleansing

Here's my review summary:

I think we can thank two talented masterminds here for the brilliant idea of mixing metal and progressive jaxx, starting with the amazing guitarist Ron Jarzombek. He can handle time signatures and tempos in an impressive way that barely anyone else can with technical riffs and jazzy solos. The audible bass playing of Doug Keyser is PERFECT!!! Standing by with the guitar like a 3-legged race. What a duo of geniuses! Of course we can't ignore the other two band members, including vocalist Alan Tecchio. His high vocals are a usual part of progressive thrash, performed so well. It's impressive how high he can go while following the music. It sounds like he can do it normally with no struggle. Excellent! And finally, there's Rick Colaluca, whose style is very much the same as you would hear in jazz fusion. Imagine having an octopus drummer who's a fan of jazz and Megadeth, that's Rick right there! He has to make all those intricate time signature patterns, and yet it's all performed flawlessly. Keyser wrote and co-wrote all of the songs in this album, and Jarzombek has helped with some of the writing assisting him with the jazzy guitar progression as usual. Many highlights have insane jazzy soloing from Jarzombek as Keyser continues his amazing bass journey. So yeah, Control and Resistance deserves a perfect 5 stars for being able to add jazz into prog-thrash without messing anything up, with all that inspiring technicality and masterful writing. This is a jazzy metal treat to love!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "Instruments of Random Murder", "The Eldritch", "The Fall of Reason", "Hidden Instincts", "Dangerous Toy"

For fans of: Fates Warning, Sieges Even, Think This-era Toxik

Here's my review summary:

When lead vocalist Marc Hudson joined the band, some changes were made compared to the ZP Theart era. The songs are shorter and more restrained in length (except for an 11-minute epic), but they've added more adventurous diversity. Warp Speed Warriors sees the band exploring different territories as they did in Extreme Power Metal while not drastically diverting from their usual sound. So expect the usual speed, anthemic power, slight humor, and a cover song more powerful than its original (though it still can't beat the previous album's Celine Dion cover). As always, the band has shown what power metal should really be; fast tempos and technical soloing added to the genre's usual dose of epic and uplifting melody. But they sometimes like to make things more interesting and fresh by slowing things down for an 80s rock-inspired ballad and a couple goofy fun mid-tempo tracks. The deluxe edition comes with alternate editions of several tracks, the first 3 of which have guests from bands like Trivium, Arch Enemy, and Amaranthe. Talk about a powerhouse of metal guests! And they all perform their roles well. Hail the warriors!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Astro Warrior Anthem"*, "Burning Heart"*, "Doomsday Party"*, "The Killer Queen", "Pixel Prison"

*Including guest vocalist editions

For fans of: Amaranthe, Gloryhammer, Kamelot

Thanks again, Daniel!

https://metal.academy/hall/589

https://metal.academy/hall/590

https://metal.academy/hall/588

I've passed "Odyssey (un)Dead" uncontested & have created this Hall of Judgement entry for "In Waking: Divinity":

https://metal.academy/hall/587

Good feedback, David! I see you've been enjoying a lot of the deathcore and mathcore in my playlist, plus a few melodic metalcore tracks. I would recommend to you the albums those songs have appeared on, especially Ritual Hymns which is one of my all-time favorite symphonic blackened deathcore albums that isn't Lorna Shore and a perfect way to get into that kind of style. Also please feel free to submit one or two tracks per month for the monthly Revolution playlists. Here's the thread to submit tracks: https://metal.academy/forum/14/thread/484

Thanks Daniel.

Thanks Daniel.

https://metal.academy/hall/586

https://metal.academy/hall/585

https://metal.academy/hall/584

https://metal.academy/hall/583

https://metal.academy/hall/582

Thanks Daniel.

https://metal.academy/hall/580

https://metal.academy/hall/581

And now for one of the more popular bands in the British metalcore scene:

Architects - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3FtIkUc39AkCf6T5QLonHk

1. You Don't Walk Away From Dismemberment

2. In the Desert

3. Buried at Sea

4. Heartless

5. One of These Days

6. Stay Young Forever

7. Alpha Omega

8. Even If You Win, You're Still a Rat

9. Naysayer

10. Dead Man Talking

11. Castles in the Air

12. The Empty Hourglass

13. Memento Mori

14. Death is Not Defeat

15. Doomsday

16. Black Lungs

17. Impermanence

18. Born Again Pessimist

19. Judgement Day

20. Seeing Red

And now for one of the more popular bands in the British metalcore scene:

Architects

1. Lost Forever // Lost Together

2. All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us

3. Daybreaker

4. Holy Hell

5. Nightmares

6. The Sky, the Earth & All Between

7. Ruin

8. For Those That Wish to Exist

9. Hollow Crown

10. The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit

11. The Here and Now

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

Architects has fully redeemed themselves after the poor Hollow Crown (still enjoyable by others) and the unloved Here and Now. The excellent Daybreaker and the incredible Lost Forever Lost Together are just what we need in the metalcore realms! And with All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us, the distant past remains the past. Most of the songs have a perfect blend of brutality and melody within the Meshuggah-infused technical djent-core that spreads through a lot of the album. You can expect anthemic choruses, complex riffing rhythms, and a dark galactic atmosphere. And it all ends with Architect's longest song and one of the most heartful tear-shedding tracks in all of metalcore, "Memento Mori". This astonishing epic, along with the rest of this album, was written, recorded, and released in the last months of the life of Tom Searle, and the lyrics include a couple recorded quotes from Alan Watts that perfectly do justice to the inevitable transcendence into infinite darkness that awaited him. Absolutely amazing, emotional, and deserving to be heard beyond the universe. RIP this amazing legend... As awesome as many metalcore bands are to me, Architects stands out with all of its heartful emotion in All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us. Clearly, they deserve to be on top with Meshuggah, Converge, and TDEP. And all their mistakes from the past are left in the forgotten void.

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Nihilist", "Deathwish", "Downfall", "The Empty Hourglass", "Gravity", "Memento Mori"

For fans of: August Burns Red, ERRA, Silent Planet

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Fear of Domination - "Fear of Domination" from Call of Schizophrenia (2009)

5/5. It starts off clean but heavy in what can be the band's own theme song. You can hear some background cleans by keyboardist Niina Telen. Awesome start!

White Zombie - "Super Charger Heaven" from Astro-Creep: 2000 - Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head (1995)

4.5/5. This one's a great thrash-rock highlight. The drums have wicked kicks! The only downside is Zombie's vocals not sounding as aggressive or deep as they should. Still it's one of the best songs here!

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

4/5. Skrew's 1991 debut's title track unleashes as much industrial destruction as Ministry's The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste.

Pitchshifter - "Gravid Rage" from Industrial (1991)

4.5/5. This one is another highlight of industrial metal machinery with convincing growls by Mark Clayden. Oh yeah, Mark is the bassist of the band, but he also performed vocals in this album. His brother J.S. would take over on vocals from their Submit EP onwards, though he's done additional vocals in their debut.

A Dark Halo - "Vector Unknown" from Omnibus One (2023)

5/5. Now this is darker and heavier, featuring Anna Hel. The softer cleans and heavier screams alternating between each other sound so haunting. It's like a lurking menace in the space of tranquility, turning it intense and bleak. The cleans still shine, along with the creativity in the music. The band is never afraid to explore the unknown, and as a result, we have another wonderful standout!

Illidiance - "Defying Gravity" from The Iconoclast (2019)

4.5/5. Obviously it's not a Wicked cover (thank goodness!), though it's quite diverse with everything from progressive/djenty bands like Periphery and Chaos Divine, to modern/melodic bands like Mnemic and Of Mice & Men. Now that's wicked!

KONG - "P.R.O.K.O.V." from Mute Poet Vocalizer (1990)

4/5. This one has cool riffing by guitar duo Aldo Sprenger and Dirk de Vries. While some might consider the circus audio sample odd, it helps make that track one of my favorites in its original album.

Sonic Violence - "Symptom" from Jagd (1990)

4.5/5. This is shorter and less varied, but it doesn't need to have a lot to sound amazing, especially in the final climax.

Meathook Seed - "A Furred Grave" from Embedded (1993)

4/5. The best of Peres' vocal alternation occurs in this one.

Ministry - "Jesus Built My Hotrod" from Psalm 69 (1992)

4.5/5. I'm already familiar with this crazy highlight via the Lamb of God/Burn the Priest cover. The song has an interesting narrative and fun lyrics, sung by the Butthole Surfers' Gibby Haynes.

Psyclon Nine - "I Choose Violence" from And Then Oblivion (2025)

5/5. In real life, I wouldn't choose violence as the answer, but I would choose dark violent trap-ish industrial metal to listen to.

Rammstein - "Ich Tu Dir Weh" from Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da (2009)

4.5/5. And then the violence turns sexual. The BDSM-themed lyrics were too extreme for the German public market and its original album had to be reissued with the track omitted. Still I enjoy the anthemic-sounding chorus here.

Circle of Dust - "Dust to Dust" from Dust to Dust (2017)

5/5. A powerful masterpiece track that is apparently meant to be an early hint for an upcoming Circle of Dust release. I have an awesome feeling about that album...

Celldweller - "Blackstar" from Wish Upon a Blackstar (2012)

4.5/5. One of the best songs in this album by Klayton's other project, Celldweller!

Sybreed - "Doomsday Party" from The Pulse of Awakening (2009)

5/5. This highlight is quite fun. Not as fun as that DragonForce track from 15 years later, but here, Sybreed have their own way of channeling 80s pop with its catchy chorus while staying metal. This more lively sound was first hinted in Antares, and it sounds like the coldness of Slave Design has been left behind.

Subway to Sally - "Post Mortem" from Post Mortem (2024)

4.5/5. An amazing blend of Neue Deutsche Härte and medieval folk, and you definitely wanna stay from beginning to end.

Filter - "For the Beaten" from For the Beaten (2023)

4/5. For an uplifting song with soaring vocals, it sure has some of the heaviest fire in industrial metal riffing.

Stahlhammer - "Can't Touch This" from Wiener Blut (1997)

3.5/5. One of only two songs I like in that sh*tty Stahlhammer album, fitting in the "metalizing covers" category.

Tyrant of Death - "Fluorescent" from Singles & Extras (2018)

3/5. Not the best I've heard from this project, but I'm glad to have a djenty industrial metal instrumental here.

Mick Gordon - "Rip & Tear" from Doom (Original Game Soundtrack) (2016)

3.5/5. And another one of that style! Demons better look out, as the DoomSlayer plans to RIP AND TEAR.

Conflict - "Mechanism of Life" from Transform into a Human (2014)

4/5. Now this is a true winning highlight. It sounds nicely like a sequel to the title track of Mechina's "The Assembly of Tyrants", along with having a Xerath-esque blend of symphonics and groove elements. I also love the anthemic chorus.

Death SS - "Panic" from Panic (2000)

3.5/5. Steve Sylvester can make some dark haunting songs with his band Death SS, which is basically Ghost before Ghost. I love the chorus here! And the keyboards after that sound so eerie. This is basically gothic/heavy metal gone electro-industrial. You can get the darkness of Behemoth and Vader without ever going as deathly as those bands. Still I prefer to get my dark beauty elsewhere.

Fange - "Grand-Guignol" from Purulences (2025)

4/5. And by elsewhere, I mean in the form of sludgy industrial metal.

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

4.5/5. And more of that but with more electronics and less sludge. But we'll get something more epic in the next track...

Mechina - "Anagenesis" from Progenitor (2016)

5/5. One h*ll of a cyber metal epic. The intro reminds me of Apocalyptica with its melancholic violins and cello, then the usual symphonic cyber metal goes on like a more orchestral blend of Alchemist and Northlane. Absolute futuristic glory!

Death Therapy, Brook Reeves - "Reject" from Reject (2020)

4.5/5. I stumbled upon this cover of a song I included in last month's Revolution playlist, by Death Therapy (a side-project by Becoming the Archetype's Jason Wisdom) featuring Brook Reeves (Impending Doom). Quite a sick unique combo! Now we need Fit for a King covering one of Living Sacrifice's later metalcore songs. I also hear some Argyle Park vibes in this Death Therapy cover. Maybe there should've been some soloing to make up for the hip-hop-ish beat. But never mind, I won't mess with it.

Lord of the Lost - "Ordinary World" from Weapons of Mass Seduction (2023)

4/5. And finally we end with a beautiful cover of a Duran Duran ballad. Although they've really done that song justice, even with Chris Harms' bass-baritone vocal range (similar to my own), I still prefer Mechina's cover, which sadly isn't on Spotify.

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

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Apocalyptica - "Worlds Collide" from Worlds Collide (2007)

5/5. A masterpiece track to begin this playlist! Cellos and metal collide and swirl amongst each other like fire and water. A band that started as a Metallica tribute band ended up becoming pioneers of cello metal. This song has also been used as a New Japan entrance theme.

Nightwish - "Wishmaster" from Wishmaster (2000)

4.5/5. Epic chorus, beastly guitars... This still reigns as one of my favorite Nightwish songs for over a decade. I can hear Dragonlance/Lord of the Rings lyrical influences.

Volbeat - "The Human Instrument" from Rock the Rebel / Metal the Devil (2007)

4/5. My brother likes a few songs by Volbeat, and this one I can like and accept.

Serpent Rider - "Radiant" from The Ichor of Chimaera (2025)

3.5/5. This attempt at a female-fronted revival of classic heavy/power metal is pretty good but not that suiting for me. Still a nice choice, Sonny!

Iron Maiden - "The Evil That Men Do" from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)

4/5. When Iron Maiden first entered the NWOBHM scene, it really changed it forever. The soloing and the lyrics can get you hooked, "Living on the razor's edge, balancing on a ledge, y'know, y'know..."

Black Sabbath - "Iron Man" from Paranoid (1970)

3.5/5. It's astonishing how old this song is now, like 55 years old. With that said, I can't really get as much appeal from that track as some of Black Sabbath's other hits.

Ozzy Osbourne - "Flying High Again" from Diary of a Madman (1981)

3/5. The early 1980s was a time when classic heavy metal was really branching out beyond Black Sabbath. However, it spawns a bit of the glam sh*t hinted in this track. Still the guitarwork by Randy Rhoads is something I enjoy. RIP

Megadeth - "Symphony of Destruction" from Countdown to Extinction (1992)

3.5/5. I haven't really listened to much of this band or Metallica to see where I stand in the debate between those two bands. Not even Slayer, apart from a couple albums! However, did Slayer ever explore classic heavy metal in the 90s? NOPE.

Metallica - "Moth Into Flame" from Hardwired...to Self-Destruct (2016)

4/5. Metallica battle against the sellout claims by blending their Black Album heavy metal sound with their earlier speed.

Queensryche - "Neue Regel" from Rage of Order (1986)

4.5/5. I'm 26 years old as of this comment. A few years ago, I enjoyed bands like Queensryche, but now, I want to focus on darker heavier modern metal genres. Nonetheless, the truth is, I still enjoy a few amazing songs from the band like this one. There also some slight hints of industrial all used in their mid-90s material. If I could have a time machine, I would travel back 40 years to enjoy music from the 80s while it was still fresh. Excellent vocals and lyrics!

Rainbow - "Gates of Babylon" from Long Live Rock N Roll (1978)

4/5. This one takes you on a journey through the Middle-East, both musically and lyrically, from the keyboard intro, to the mystical riffing, and the vocal power in the chorus. Although keyboardist Tony Carey was still around for a few other tracks in this album, David Stone stepped in with his own keyboard contributions in this track and a few others, here to provide an exotic atmosphere and get you hooked alongside Blackmore's riffs. I love this track!

Brainstorm - "Your Soul That Lingers in Me" from Plague of Rats (2025)

3.5/5. One of only two tracks I like from this Brainstorm album, Leaves' Eyes clean vocalist Elina Siirala's impressive vocals blow away most of the album's tough issues.

HammerFall - "The Dragon Lies Bleeding" from Glory to the Brave (1997)

4/5. Another great heavy/power metal track that I still enjoy to this day!

Battle Beast - "Out of Control" from Battle Beast (2013)

4.5/5. I also love this Battle Beast track and Sabaton's cover.

DragonForce - "Tomorrow's Kings" from Maximum Overload (2014)

5/5. Another one of my favorite track from my true power metal heroes, with awesome catchiness.

Mob Rules - "Future Loom" from Future Loom (2025)

4.5/5. An amazing song with power and glory in the music and complex lyrics!

Unleash the Archers - "Crypt" from Time Stands Still (2015)

5/5. It's so cool hearing power metal blended with metalcore-ish melodeath. All hail Unleash the Archers!

Masterplan - "Heroes" from Masterplan (2003)

5/5. The first time I heard Jorn Lande and Michael Kiske together was in one of Avantasia's tracks. This clearly shows the heroic side of power metal, and a heroic side that I love! Definitely has some Stratovarius vibes here. I should really check out more of this band and kick-A songs like this one.

Blind Guardian - "Ashes to Ashes" from Somewhere Far Beyond (Revisited) (2024)

4.5/5. Such an underrated song by Blind Guardian, still being one of my favorites from this band. While Helloween may take the throne as the creators of European power metal, Blind Guardian should get that fame as well. Although I enjoy this new version, I still prefer the original one, y'know, so I can feel the nostalgia of first encounter that track nearly a decade ago.

Mechina - "Bellum Interruptum" from Bellum Interruptum (2025)

5/5. My favorite track of the brand-new Mechina album, one of the best Mechina tracks I've heard in ages, a 10-minute epic that includes a spine-chillingly beautiful two-minute bridge in the middle.

Time Requiem - "Attar of Roses" from The Inner Circle of Reality (2004)

4.5/5. Excellent virtuoso in this one! There is also some progressiveness from Symphony X and Dream Theater. I also enjoy the vocals by Apollo Papathanasio (Firewind) and the keyboard magic of Richard Andersson.

Warmen - "Return of Salieri" from Accept the Fact (2005)

5/5. Mozart would've been proud of this powerful composition. So would Alexi Laiho. RIP

Orden Ogan - "The Long Darkness" from The Order of Fear (2024)

4.5/5. A nice headbanging closing epic in practically all its glory!

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:

One of the albums that marked a defining landmark in industrial metal is Godflesh's Streetcleaner. The torch would be shared with other different bands of this genre and era. Jagd is a bleak heavy continuation of Godflesh's sound in Streetcleaner, albeit by a much lesser-known band. Guitars are the key, and so are the d*mn destructive drums! They're often slow and sludgy with not much speed. All just repetitive yet mighty rhythms. The guitars are pretty much rhythmic all the way through. There aren't any harmonics that are as slashing as the cover art (see what I mean!?). Those riff chords have an apocalyptic vibe and perfectly fit well with the bass and drums. As a result, the tone is filled with menacing power. Honestly, I love old-school industrial metal when it has that mechanical rage going on, unlike the more dance-y sh*t from some bands. You can't give the machine any impact to make it stop. The impact that happens is what the machine gives you. You don't have time to relax in any peaceful moment before the bleak industrial riffing crashes in and crushes anything its path in mechanical greatness. You can also hear some lovely synths later on. The harsh vocals fit greatly with the lyrics. Jagd might just be my favorite industrial metal album from 1990 or earlier that isn't Godflesh. A true recommendation!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Saturation", "Tortured (Dub)", "Ritual", "Symptom", "Glory"

For fans of: Fear Factory's slower but heavier tracks, Godflesh, early 90s Pitchshifter

Here's my review summary, which I've copied from an earlier post:

Roadrunner Records is one of the most famous and diverse metal/hard rock record labels of all time. Famous and infamous bands signed to the label like Slipknot, Trivium, Fear Factory, and Machine Head have made the label as big as it is. And the then-core members of each of those 4 bands were chosen for ambitious project conceived by ex-vice president of the label Monte Conner. He wanted to do a special thing for Roadrunner's 25th anniversary. He wanted 4 members of different bands band together to make an album dedicated to the label. But then he decided to upgrade his idea into something more ambitious... The 4 chosen ones, ex-Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison (RIP), Trivium frontman Matt Heafy, Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares, and Machine Head frontman Robb Flynn were tasked in each recording 4 songs (though one captain would have a bonus 5th) and choose any member of a Roadrunner-signed band past or present to record with them. The end result is a massive 18-song 77-minute album featuring 57 artists from 45 bands! Here's to another impressive project like this in the future, hopefully in Roadrunner's 50th year, 2030.

4/5

Recommended tracks: "The Dagger", "The Enemy", "In the Fire", "The End", "Tired 'n Lonely", "Baptized in the Redemption", "Blood and Flames", "I Don't Wanna Be (A Superhero)", "Army of the Sun"

For fans of: Fear Factory, Machine Head, Slipknot, Trivium, and pretty much every band whose members were involved here

Put this on today during a rain break in between jobs, thinking I would get it out of the way, but it turns out that it is actually very good and is interesting enough to deserve a proper hearing, so it seems like I will have to spend a bit more time with it. I am only halfway through as I type this, but it already has my attention. I hope to eventually get round to a full review, but nice choice Andi, I am enjoying it very much. I also didn't even realise it was christian metal until I had a quick peek at your review.

https://metal.academy/hall/577

https://metal.academy/hall/578

https://metal.academy/hall/579