Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

I'm not up to getting rid of the feature releases and playlists entirely, since those have been fun and rewarding for me in the site. But I understand if you feel that's the way to go for the sake of yourself and anyone else, Vinny. I won't object.

Oh OK. Well I already have my own Spotify account, so updating the playlists myself should be no problem.

OK, so I'll send the feature release nominations to Ben and continue sending my clan playlists to you. Got it, thanks Daniel.

I'm sorry to hear about your hearing problems, Daniel. I support your decision to reduce your time here in the site for your health. However, I really enjoy contributing to the Spotify playlists and feature releases and don't want to do away with them, so I would say yes to continue driving the feature releases and playlists. On the other hand, how would we make that happen without you and Ben? Will we have to create our own playlists and share them at the start of the following month (which would be great because then we wouldn't have the middle of the month deadline and can have more time to edit our playlists)? Will the Horde and North playlist duties be passed down to the more active members of those clans (Vinny, Sonny, etc.)? And someone has to moderate the feature releases list, right? There is a lot to change, but let's hear what the other members think first...

🤘Thanks very much for all of these excellent recommendations!🤘

Welcome to Metal Academy, Mike! Since it looks like you're up for some speed metal, I have some more recommendations if you haven't checked these out yet:

Blind Guardian - Battalions of Fear (1988)

Helloween - Walls of Jericho (1985)

Helstar - Nosferatu (1989)

Hirax - Immortal Legacy (2014)

Living Death - Metal Revolution (1985)

Speedwolf - Ride With Death (2011)

Voivod - War and Pain (1984)

Warfare - Metal Anarchy (1985)

Ben, please add the Tyrant of Death compilation album Singles & Extras.

What is that 1973 video, Zach? It's unavailable for me.

Same here, Zach. I also like August Burns Red's cover of that NOFX song:

Welcome back, Zach! I found some more dinosaur-themed bands in Metal Archives, more than just death/extreme metal:

The only bands in the list that I've heard of are European power metal bands (here they are, Daniel!) Hevisaurus, SauruXet, and Victorius. Also this Mastodon track kind of counts as Jurassic metal, starting with the mighty roar of a T-rex in Jurassic Park:

Ben, please add Dark Divine.

As much as the spoken interludes are useless, the one f***ing weak track in this Sabaton album is what sounds like a heavily butchered cover of DragonForce's "Cry Thunder", 4 years before that far better DragonForce track was released:

This progressive highlight still reigns as one of the best Sabaton songs for me today, the band's own Black Sabbath "Heaven and Hell":

A strong standout that's both accessible and anthemic, to get the live crowd moving:

The most haunting and heaviest part of a dark mini-saga:

All the beauty and brutality to expect in the new Chat Pile album is summarized right here:

This highlight shines interestingly with soft grunge melancholy while having some brutal death growls in the bridge:

I've just given that Chat Pile album some listening and a review, and I can hear what you mean, Daniel. It is much more, well, alternative than God's Country, and marks a solid offering of noise-ridden sludge/alt-metal. I'll contribute to your Hall of Judgement poll with a YES vote.

Ben, please add these new The Project Hate MCMXCIX albums:

Spewing Venom Into the Eyes of Deities

Abominations of the Ageless

The epic finale of this Project Hate album, having the melancholic melodeath of Omnium Gatherum while still covered in electro-industrial beauty:

A 15-minute deathly storm, apart from some strange but quite welcome dubstep in the middle:

The 11 and a half minute final epic of this Mechina album, filled with tragedy and triumph:

The most of the metallic heaviness and symphonic epicness in this Mechina album comes from this highlight featuring guest vocalist Anna Hel:

The greatest place to start with fantastic riffing in this speedy tech-thrash offering:

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

As the thrash metal scene was making its way into Denmark, Artillery was the band making the genre big over there. Whereas on the heavier end of the thrash spectrum, Invocator take on the technical thrash sound of Coroner, Dark Angel, and Sadus with speed and brutality. And you might know a couple of the band members from their later careers; Per M. Jensen as a former drummer of The Haunted and vocalist/bassist Jacob Hansen as one of the most prolific record producers in metal! The heavy side of the band comes from the speed/death metal elements, and in their debut Excursion Demise, many tracks are a fast blizzard with some slight mid-tempo groove. With all that in mind, Invocator knew how to add variety to their speed so that their listeners can breathe. Fantastic hyperspeed riffing is pretty much the key to many of these tracks. My only complaint is about the two long songs in the middle that still have brilliant heavy speedy sections here and there, yet they're a bit draggy and could've been trimmed down, particularly "Schismatic Injective Therapy". I mean, I like long songs, but there should be more dynamics than just solo noodling. And I know how that kind of thing is done, just listen to DragonForce. The soloing should've been more melodic rather than just fiddling with the notes, and it should balance out with the riffing. However, those tracks still rule, and this album is top-notch tech-thrash before its 90s near-extinction and something an extreme metal fan should never miss out on!

4.5/5

Drum blasts, symphonic keys, and a guest vocal appearance by Shadow of Intent's Ben Duerr make this song guaranteed to be a classic in epic deathcore:

The hardcore heaviness shines the best in this short burst of violent joy:

A rap-ish nu metal highlight in which Freeman's rapping actually works quite greatly:

Quite a solid year for The Revolution. I had listened to and enjoyed all those releases that year, except the Graphic Nature album which I've checked out and reviewed today and is another blessing in the nu metal and metalcore realms.

Quite a solid year for The Gateway. I had listened to and enjoyed all those releases that year, except the Graphic Nature album which I've checked out and reviewed today and is another blessing in the nu metal and metalcore realms.

The 10th anniversary re-recording of Imminence's debut shows a massive improvement in production quality compared to the original, in highlights like this one:

Again I don't do reviews for re-recording albums for just an entire album since it's just the same tracklisting re-recorded. With that said, I feel like sharing my thoughts about the 10th anniversary re-recording of Imminence's debut I, The Reclamation of I. And wow, what a massive improvement, a full star better than the original! The production quality is right at the perfect glory of Heaven in Hiding and The Black, allowing their earlier violin-infused atmospheric metalcore to really shine. Now I wonder what they will do with their second album This is Goodbye in 2027....

5/5

An epic electronic metalcore cover of the Eiffel 65 hit, though I still prefer the cover by Fleshgod Apocalypse:

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

AP2 - "The Red Shirt Conspiracy" (2:36) from Suspension of Disbelief (2000)

Bad Omens - "Hedonist (Recharged)" (3:23) from Concrete Jungle (The OST) (2024)

Celldweller - "One Good Reason" (3:53) from Celldweller (2003)

Godflesh - "Tiny Tears" (3:25) from Streetcleaner (1989)

Motionless in White - "Somebody Told Me" (3:19) from Disguise (2019, 2021 special edition)

Sybreed - "Destruction and Bliss" (9:44) from God is an Automaton (2012)

Total length: 26:20

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

Bury Tomorrow - "Boltcutter" (3:37) from The Seventh Sun (2023)

Daughters - "Hyperventilationsystem" (2:45) from Hell Songs (2006)

Demon Hunter - "Hell Don't Need Me" (4:06) from Extremist (2014)

Eighteen Visions - "Fake Leather Jacket" (4:05) from XVIII (2017)

Fit for a King - "Dead Memory" (4:13) from Deathgrip (2016)

Memphis May Fire - "Sleepless Nights" (3:41) from Unconditional (2014)

Shadow of Intent - "Malediction" (5:40) from Melancholy (2019)

Total length: 28:07

Here are my submissions for the February Infinite playlist:

Chaos Divine - "Hazard" (5:10) from Hazard (2024)

Jinjer - "Green Serpent" (4:01) from Green Serpent (2024)

Monolithe - "Unveiling the Illusion" (10:00) from Black Hole District (2024)

Scale the Summit - "Goddess Gate" (3:17) from In a World of Fear (2017)

Sepultura - "The Pentagram" (5:20) from Quadra (2020)

Total length: 27:48

Here are my submissions for the February Gateway playlist:

Bring Me the Horizon - "YOUtopia" (4:02) from Post Human: Nex Gen (2024)

The Devil Wears Prada - "Chemical" (3:50) from The Act (2019)

Falling in Reverse - "Zombified" (3:38) from Popular Monster (2024)

Gemini Syndrome - "Remember We Die" (3:47) from Memento Mori (2016)

Lacuna Coil - "In the Mean Time" (3:33) from In the Mean Time (2024)

Nik Nocturnal - "Undisturbed" (3:58) from How to Metal, Vol. 3 (2025)

The Plot in You - "Left Behind" (3:26) from Vol. 1 (2024)

Seven Hours After Violet - "Go!" (2:39) from Seven Hours After Violet (2024)

Total length: 28:53

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Dawn of Ashes - "Thirteen Chants to Lilith" from The Crypt Infection II (Non Serviam) (2019)

4.5/5. I was hoping for some chanting vocals eerily saying "Lilith", but there isn't any. Still an excellent dark intro for this playlist!

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

5/5. Klayton can blend so many genres that he has practically invented his own! Electro-industrial rock/metal is blended greatly with the drum and bass of Pendulum and the dubstep of Skrillex, all that should be worth it for anyone wanting to explore this tempting mix. Both the vocals and instrumentation are phenomenal. And there's absolutely no AI required to make such a layered track (of course, this was 10 years before the AI boom). Lots of wild electronics here!

Fear Factory - "Zero Signal" from Demanufacture (1995)

4.5/5. This one is amazing with futuristic atmosphere before ending peacefully with a piano outro.

Meathook Seed - "Day of Conceiving" from Embedded (1993)

4/5. This one viciously punches through in sludgy grind.

Davey Suicide, Telle Smith - "Medicate Me" from Rock Ain't Dead (2020)

4.5/5. Industrial/alternative metal ain't dead by a long shot with this killer tune! There are some vibes from Starset and The Word Alive, the latter band's vocalist Telle Smith guest appearing in this track.

HEALTH, Filter - "FREE TO DIE" from RAT WARS ULTRA EDITION (2024)

4/5. Health has collaborated with Nine Inch Nails, Lamb of God, Godflesh, etc. Now it's Filter's turn. Quite enjoyable!

Lord of the Lost, Feuerschwanz - "Lords of Fyre" from Lords of Fyre (2024)

3.5/5. Wow, 3rd collaboration track in a row! This one has good medieval industrial/rock metal, but it sounds a little cheesy, and bringing in Feuerschwanz is unnecessary.

Red Harvest - "Dead Cities" from A Greater Darkness (2007)

4/5. Some more of this dark greatness to please my ears!

Psyclon Nine - "Anaesthetic (For the Pathetic)" from Crwn Thy Frnicatr (2006)

4.5/5. Another one of the best Psyclon Nine tracks for me, with more of their electro-industrial metal sound and dark lyrics.

Device - "Out of Line (feat. Serj Tankian & Terry "Geezer Butler)" from Device (2013)

4.5/5. This one stands out well as another one of Black Sabbath's members, Geezer Butler performs his audible bass, while David Draiman and System of a Down's Serj Tankian both sing their perfect lyrical views of the world.

Northlane - "Freefall" from Alien (2019)

5/5. This highlight has a brief slow introduction, then it explodes into a faster drive. The heavier side with screamed vocals and djenty riffing definitely makes this song another favorite of mine.

Eisbrecher - "Everything is Wunderbar" from Everything is Wunderbar (2024)

4.5/5. Eisbrecher is back with an amazing new single, from the cold northern lands of Germany.

Megaherz - "Engelsgesicht" from In Teufels Namen (2023)

4/5. Quite addictive to sing along to, at least for people who can understand German better than I can.

Knorkator - "Eigentum" from Das nächste Album aller Zeiten (2007)

3.5/5. I guess I can grin at the comedic lyrics, but it is a little too much, not to mention the song a bit soft and poppy.

Combichrist - "Heads Off" from CMBCRST (2024)

3/5. Heavier but disappointing, even when adding some decent black metal-ish riffing.

Static-X - "From Heaven" from Project: Regeneration Vol. 2 (2024)

3.5/5. Perhaps the last song with the late Wayne Static's vocals. May he rest in industrial/alt-metal heaven. It's actually a cover of "The Disease" by Echo and the Bunnymen, but either way, it reminds us not to end up like him. I'm sure he would be proud of how the band is doing with Edsel Dope as Xer0. A good beautiful signoff. RIP Wayne....

Blacklodge - "All Seeing Eye" from Machination (2012)

4/5. Quite killer, yet the lyrics are hard to get a grip on.

Shining - "Off the Hook" from One One One (2013)

4.5/5. The Norwegian band Shining's jazzy experimental industrial metal sound rules!

Strapping Young Lad - "Consequence" from SYL (2003)

5/5. This highlight pounds through with evil riffing and searing drumming.

Brujeria – "Molestando Ninos Muertos" from Matando gueros (1993)

4.5/5. An interesting track submission from Daniel. The lyrics are so bizarre and disturbing, as if the title isn't enough of a tip-off. And the song is from a deathgrind album notorious for its cover art showing a photo of an actual decapitated head. It's as dark and obscene as Cannibal Corpse and the movie The Exorcist. Yet it's so intriguing! This might've been helped out by the switch into Godflesh-style industrial metal this track has. It has amazing industrial rhythm. Still this is as edgy as edgy can go.

Ministry - "No W Redux" from Houses of the Mole (2004)

4/5. This version of "No W" does not have the "O Fortuna" samples in the intro and outro, excluded due to copyright issues. Such a shame because the original has greater impact for this blazing thrashy industrial metal track.

Pitchshifter - "Underachiever" from Infotainment? (1996)

4/5. Pitchshifter seems to take some Ministry aspects such as political lyrics and audio samples, though Pitchshifter's brand of industrial metal is more, well, industrial.

OOMPH! - "Bastard" from Unrein (1998)

4.5/5. Perhaps one of the best OOMPH! songs for me, hailing a true NDH classic. If humanity doesn't f***ing learn their lesson, let's hope we all will still have a glimmer of existence acknowledged from afar.

Sybreed - "Twelve Megatons Gravity" from Antares (2007)

5/5. A prime example of aggressive deathly electro-industrial metal. It is one of the most rage-filled songs I've heard in the genre that barely any other bands can reach.

Turmion Katilot - "Schlachter" from Reset (2024)

5/5. Following this is a wonderful remix of the debut's "Teurastaja", featuring Chris Harms of Lord of the Lost. I might just love it more than the original!

Neo Inferno 262 - "Pleonectic" from Pleonectic (2023)

4.5/5. I'm not usually a fan of long ambient industrial interludes, but this one actually sounds nice, a good leadup into the final two tracks...

Mechina - "The Assembly of Tyrants" from The Assembly of Tyrants (2005)

5/5. The main part of Mechina's debut album ends with its 8-minute title epic. It's a true masterpiece highlight that greatly foreshadows what's to come later for this band.

Neurotech - "Ultra Us" from Infra Versus Ultra (2014)

5/5. The melancholic closing track of Infra Versus Ultra has the perfect music and lyrics to end this cyber metal adventure and this playlist.

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 Daniel for accepting this and your help with your submission, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Hollow Front - "Afflicted" from Loose Threads (2020)

4/5. Let me start by saying how overlooked some bands can be, including Hollow Front. There's great intensity from both the clean and unclean vocals.

The Browning - "MISERY.exe" from OMNI (2024)

4.5/5. H*ll of a fun electronic metal/deathcore banger featuring the downtuned guitar talents of Nik Nocturnal.

Shadow of Intent - "Flying the Black Flag" from Flying the Black Flag (2024)

5/5. Apparently, fellow deathcore band Disembodied Tyrant co-wrote this f***ing bada** song.

Carnifex - "Dragged into the Grave" from Die Without Hope (2014) 

5/5. Another awesome deathcore track! "Remember when I said I wanna watch myself choke."

Aviana - "Ominous" from Polarize (2017)

4.5/5. The vocals here are so beastly, reminding me of Invent Animate.

Alleviate - "DMNS" from DMNS (2024)

4.5/5. The metalcore journey continues with this amazing rifftastic banger.

Haste the Day - "For a Lifetime" from When Everything Falls (2005)

5/5. "We will forever stay united, we won't back down, and we will not stop fighting!" This is one of my favorite Haste the Day songs. I like when they sound like Parkway Drive with higher screamo vocals.

Thrown - "Dislike" from EXCESSIVE GUILT (2024)

4.5/5. Nothing to dislike about this brutal banger!

Malevolence - "Eternal Torment" from Reign of Suffering (2013)

4/5. My dad's been making me to do the dishes lately. Metalcore hard-hitters like this should help motivate me. The blend of Hatebreed's hardcore and Lamb of God's deathly groove sounds so kick-A, maybe even the melody of August Burns Red and Bleed from Within. And there are two more albums from this band besides Reign of Suffering.

Signs of the Swarm - "Bleak Cycle" from Senseless Order (2016)

4.5/5. Amazing song, but it's a bit problematic with the guest vocals by Chris Gonzalez, whichever band he's from.

Oceano - "Plague Campaign" from Depths (2009)

5/5. This awesome deathcore banger is so beautiful and brutal. The final third of this track should definitely work as a boss battle theme, alongside some f***ing sick lyrics, "Mankind's demise is reoccurring". Lots of ultra-heavy destruction!

Elwood Stray - "Reset" from Burn the Bridge (2017)

4.5/5. I love this one, despite a bit of strain in trying to sound like the late Chester Bennington, RIP.

Kingdom of Giants - "Hope" from Every Wave of Sound (2013)

4.5/5. Same with this one, but this time adding in spoken samples.

Black Veil Brides - "Knives and Pens" from Re-Stitch These Wounds (2020)

5/5. Just like the original, the re-recording has similar riffing to that Avenged Sevenfold song "Unholy Confessions", and that actually beats that one! This is what got me interested in this band, despite dumping those metalcore roots in subsequent albums. SO AWESOME!!!

Enter Shikari - "Sorry, You're Not a Winner" from Take to the Skies (2007)

5/5. Myspace trance-metalcore can be a winner with this beautiful banger. Enter Shikari have really kickstarted the electronicore scene in the UK, the way Attack Attack! kickstarted it in the US.

Dal Av, Jackson Rose - "Insanely Illegal Cage Fight" from Insanely Illegal Cage Fight (2023)

4.5/5. If Dal Av and Jackson Rose team up to make their own full album, it would be quite brutal.

All That Remains - "Forever Cold" from Forever Cold (2024)

5/5. I absolutely look forward to the new All That Remains album Antifragile, and this is the song that has gotten me the most pumped up. Jason Richardson has done well in maintaining the legacy of the late Oli Herbert, RIP.

Trivium - "Forsake Not the Dream" from In Waves (2011)

4.5/5. This one once again unleashes the heavy drums and powerful guitars. It's a little inconsistent and repetitive, but still a better song nonetheless.

Vicious Rain, Half Me - "Hysteria" from There is Beauty in Letting Go (2024)

4/5. Anyone who enjoys Vicious Rain and Half Me will get a sweet kick out of this one.

Vianova - "Wheel of Fortune" from Wheel of Fortune (2024)

4.5/5. First time hearing this band, and this song is so wild and weird, leveling up the progressive metalcore of Protest the Hero and Sikth.

Imminence - "Lighthouse" from Turn the Light On (2019)

5/5. This one is the heaviest track on its original album. It makes all the soft tracks in that album cower in fear. Holy sh*t, the chorus is so massive! Pretty much everything is so great, with my favorite part being when the violin leads into a huge orchestrated section. That's the epitome of epic ambient metalcore!

Shadows Fall - "In the Grey" from In the Grey (2024)

5/5. Shadows Fall is back with a vengeance! And now we need to God Forbid to return for real.

Ankor - "Shoganai" from Shoganai (2024)

4.5/5. Ankor can make an epic talented mini-journey within a song. Just from the one-minute mark, it's insane! I also like the brief throwback to "Oblivion" in over the 3-minute point. Then less than a minute later, bassist Julio Lopez sings part of the chorus, right before it starts hitting the climax. I almost cried in joy.

Architects - "Whiplash" from Whiplash (2024)

5/5. This ground-breaking banger had made sure the band isn't dead. F*** yeah!

Earth Crisis – "Eden's Demise" from Firestorm E.P. (1993)

4.5/5. This one tries to teach us that veganism might be the way to save the environment. Is that Straight Edge or what!?

Void of Vision - "As Above So Below" from Children of Chrome (2016)

4/5. Light up the f***ing heavy fire, all the way up to the outro! Too bad this band will soon disappear from activity.

Converge - "Locust Reign" from The Poacher Diaries (1999)

4/5. Sweet screaming power! Plus an audio sample from Sixteen Candles at the end.

Psyopus - "Medusa" from Odd Senses (2009)

4.5/5. F***ing insane intro! Odd Senses is another killer mathcore album.

Ion Dissonance - "Play Dead... And I'll Play Along" from Solace (2005)

5/5. Another awesome band that I wish I could've found earlier. Wild mathcore with bits of tech-death!

Car Bomb - "Spirit of Poison" from 'w^w^^w^w' (2012)

4.5/5. This one also briefly used clean vocals without reducing the usual monstrosity.

Underoath - "To Whom It May Concern" from Define the Great Line (2006)

4.5/5. This 7-minute epic is where atmosphere twists from heavy to smooth for an emotional atmosphere to enjoy, summing up the lyrical themes greatly for a new hope.

Make Them Suffer - "Small Town Syndrome" from Make Them Suffer (2024)

5/5. Finally, we end the playlist and the song's original album with the best Make Them Suffer has to offer. Not just from the two vocalists, but also the impressive instrumentalists that help run the machine.

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 Daniel for accepting this and your help with your submission, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Wow, we're starting off the new year quite well with some amazing playlists you've made, Saxy! Such an amazing job that I have the incentive to comment on all the tracks in it. So here are all my thoughts:

Alchemist – Jar of Kingdom (2006)

4.5/5. The cacophonic title track of Alchemist's first album once again has 70s space rock twisted into intricate thrashy death metal rhythms.

Almah – Beyond Tomorrow (2008)

5/5. OK, the truth is I originally included this track as one of my submissions for this playlist, but I found out it wasn't available on Spotify in my country, so I replaced it with a different track. Seems like this Almah track is available in Saxy's country, so thanks Saxy for including this submission along with its replacement. This lineup has everything including the epic vocals of Edu Falaschi, the blazing riffing and soloing by Marcelo Barbosa and Paulo Schroeber (RIP), the booming bass of Felipe Andreoli, and the mighty drumming of Marcelo Moreira. So f***ing cool! Too bad we haven't heard from Edu since the band's hiatus and departure from Angra. You gotta believe how awesome he is!

Artificial Language – Trauma (2024)

4.5/5. Progressive greatness should never stop! It's a blessing that has touched upon us last week, shortly after Christmas. The ethereal intro leading heavy riffing sounds so good. Absolutely stunning!

Atheist – Unquestionable Presence (1991)

5/5. This Atheist highlight is my original replacement submission for the Almah track, and is the best of its awesome original album! The rhythmic twists will blow your mind.

Conjurer, Pijn – Sunday (2019)

4.5/5. Maybe I should've saved listening to this playlist for January 5th, so it really would be a Sunday. I love the f***ing heavy and beautiful intro.

Death – Spirit Crusher (1998)

4/5. This one has riffing mixing brutality and melody, the latter appearing more in the chorus.

Devin Townsend – Tiny Tears (2001)

4/5. Although I haven't listened a lot of Devin Townsend in a couple years, I still underrated magical songs like this one. The lyrics are somewhat relatable.

Dvne – Summa Blasphemia (2024)

4.5/5. Then after that flight through ethereal Heaven, we drop into bleak Hell with this heavy post-sludge track.

Extol – The Things I Found (2005)

5/5. This somber highlight is my favorite track in its original album. It starts almost dark, but the chorus is so emotional in the lyrics. Awesome!

Fallujah – Chemical Cave (2024)

5/5. I think I just found a brand-new favorite progressive/tech-death band with this atmospheric riff-tastic track!

Gojira – Mea Culpa (2024)

4.5/5. The song Gojira performed in the 2024 Paris Olympics is perhaps the most brutal the band has performed in nearly two decades, probably heavier than "The Heaviest Matter of the Universe"! While the performance itself is pretty epic, you don't have to watch the ceremony itself to witness all this kick-A beast has to offer. I'm just glad Gojira have their earlier technical heaviness back.

Hypno5e – Los Heraldos Negros (2018)

4.5/5. Flamenco metal?!? Another intriguing combo! Though more recognition would be nice. It sounds so beautiful and unique, and it might be worth a classic. This collab with A Backward Glance on a Travel Road is like two universes merged into one. Lots of dynamic mood in the Spanish guitar, making such a great song.

ISIS – Weight (2002)

5/5. Perhaps my favorite song by Isis, with lyrics sung by guest vocalist Maria Christopher of 27 taking you far beyond.

Leprous – Rewind (2015)

4.5/5. It's songs like this when I wish I could rewind back in time and appreciate this band's masterpieces more. So f***ing captivating! The way it gradually builds up from a suspenseful beginning to an intense ending is pure genius. The drumming by Baard Kolstad sounds so cosmic. Set free, rewind, and clear your mind!

Novembre – Come Pierrot (2001)

4/5. I regret leaving this band's material behind so soon. I should get back in touch with the deathly gothic progressive metal Novembre's early 2000s era has to offer. The soloing that starts the last minute sounds so big and sweet. As of listening to this piece, we have just left December and started a new year in January. The song has such strong beauty! In a way, Novembre is like the Italian Opeth. A major difference is how overlooked Novembre is. But there might still be hope in the future...

Nuclear Power Trio – Vamos, Brandito! (2023)

3.5/5. Another good piece of flamenco metal, though a little too funky for me.

Orse – Affogato (2024)

3/5. Nice post-metal epic but a bit forgettable. And that cover art makes me want vanilla ice-cream with caramel syrup, along with mint Mentos after seeing a Mentos YouTube ad appear IN THE F***ING MIDDLE OF THE SONG!!!!!

Rendezvous Point – Apollo (2019)

3.5/5. At least we can end this playlist with some good music and beautiful vocals.

Wow, we're starting off the new year quite well with some amazing playlists you've made, Saxy! Such an amazing job that I have the incentive to comment on all the tracks in it. So here are all my thoughts:

Alesti, Loveless – Voices (2021)

4.5/5. Alesti is clearly a modern legend. And I mean d*mn lots of nice talent! It would be quite cool to hear a collaboration with Sharon den Adel of Within Temptation sometime in the future. Though there's already a track with a well-known female vocalist in the next one...

Apocalyptica, Cristina Scabbia – S.O.S. (Anything but Love) (2007)

5/5. ...That vocalist being Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil! I love this blend of cello-infused grandeur and gothic alt-metal. The only other track I've heard from this band was "I Don't Care" featuring Adam Gontier.

Bad Omens – Blood (2019)

5/5. This one is another heavy hitter, with less focus on clean singing, unless you count the deep viking-like chanting, "IT'S IN OUR BLOOD!" The powerful strength for their more brutal side is really prevailing.

Blind Channel – Dark Side (2022)

4.5/5. Quite dark and amazing, though a bit too rap-ish.

Bring Me The Horizon, Babymetal – Kingslayer (2020)

5/5. I'm currently writing and drawing a book about a metalhead and his young sister. If the young sister enjoys Japanese anime and wants to sing with her metalhead brother, this blend of alt-metal, metalcore, and J-pop can very well be the soundtrack. Also the "Get the f*** up, wake the f*** up" reminds me of a certain 36 Crazyfists hit.

Clawfinger – Biggest & the Best (1997)

4.5/5. I wouldn't say the biggest and best song I've heard, but there's some amazing potential.

Coldrain – Blood Power Fam (2022)

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

Deliverance – Belltown (2018)

4.5/5. Deliverance started off as a Christian thrash band then started making a turn into alt-rock/metal. Jerry P. Brown provides some strong inspirational lyrics despite his vocals and the music sounding closer to Alice in Chains.

Dir En Grey – THE FINAL (2013)

5/5. This re-recording is from over 10 years before this comment and it's timeless to me, even after only having heard of this band for a few years. The vocals are incredible, and the soloing that starts near the two-minute mark is out of this world! We need more remakes of songs from the band's mid-2000s era. I don't hear anything disappointing when the structure has the right touch. The emotional feeling I get really touches my heart. I love its awesome spirit, and I'm quite curious about the unplugged version.

End Of Green – The Door (2017)

4.5/5. I'm honestly surprised this band isn't as well-known as the similar-sounding Type O Negative. Quite some excellent heavy sh*t to rock on to. A nice prog-ish touch too!

Exilia – Satellite (2012)

4/5. Great song, yet the lyrics a little hard to understand.

Faith No More – A Small Victory (1992)

3.5/5. Slightly forgettable, but the song is so good with the talented vocals of Mike Patton.

Godsmack – Bulletproof (2018)

4/5. This next track may be too accessible for the band's earlier fans, but it soars much better with its catchy melody. Reminds me of Breaking Benjamin a bit, which must be why my brother likes that one.

Linkin Park – Two Faced (2024)

4.5/5. My favorite track of the new Linkin Park album, basically a better revamp of "Figure.09" with killer heavy riffing. In the bridge, Emily quietly whispers "I can’t hear myself think" before launching into an awesome "One Step Closer"-esque yell-fest, "STOP YELLING AT ME!!!"

Mass Hysteria – World On Fire (2009)

4/5. Society shall work together and unite for a better world. The song itself has great production. From the heavy intro onwards, it shall stick around on radio.

Nothing More, Sinizter – STUCK (2024)

4.5/5. "This is for the people who can't break through!" It's quite unbelievable how well rock/metal can go with rap in some tracks. I probably wouldn't have heard of this band if not for my brother enjoying a few of their songs. Both vocalists sound impressive in this great piece of art. Maybe they can collaborate with Avatar, Lacuna Coil, and/or Within Temptation, that would f***ing cook things up a lot!

Nuclear Rabbit – Chernobyl Hamster (1997)

4/5. Not a lot of people have heard this band. Songs like this are quite underrated with the funky bass executed well. However, those f***ing vocals remind me why funk metal is not usually my thing.

Quicksand – Fazer (1993)

3.5/5. Good Helmet vibes, but not entirely great.

Starset – Dystopia (2024)

4/5. I have a f***ing heavy feeling about the upcoming Starset album, thanks to great singles like this one.

Unjust – Come Feel Me (2001)

4.5/5. A fun banger with excellent vocals and drums, the latter especially around the two and a half minute mark. I also love the powerful riffing. I heard the vocalist for this band is now a Pixar animator, which is quite cool because I like Pixar movies. The song is so f***ing intense! They've done it better than Machine Head that year.

Waltari – Below Zero (2009)

5/5. The playlist ends with one of my favorite songs by Waltari in their later era. Finland is perhaps the coldest, happiest, and most metal country in the world, all different reasons why I wanna live there. I can hear a bit of Amaranthe instrumentation, as well as beautiful godly melodies. It's melodic alt-metal heaven!

Here's my review summary:

The Assembly of Tyrants was recorded and released in 2005, over 5 years before their second album Conqueror in which they started making their sound more cinematic and forming a massive story in the lyrics. Although the saga was yet to be established, I can hear the story quite well in these lyrics! With some of the heaviest bits of Fear Factory present in their influences, as early as that band's deathly debut Soul of a New Machine, they can sound killer at a time before adding a bombastic truckload of symphonics and female vocals to their subsequent releases. Half the amount of the songs in the debut were re-recorded two years after in the EP Tyrannical Resurrection. As for the other half, two of the tracks are from the band's two earlier demos that are basically the Fear Factory Concrete of Mechina, two more are ambient electronic instrumentals, and the final track is an instrumental remix. The Assembly of Tyrants is essential cyber/industrial metal that anyone in The Sphere should get. Though if this dark futuristic sound had guitar solos and better production, it would've been 5-star perfection. Still it already displays Mechina's unique abilities. The best place to start before the bombastic rest!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Shattered Cry", "Reclamation of Mortal Nature", "Clash of Cultures", "Skin Deep", "The Assembly of Tyrants"

For fans of: 90s Fear Factory, Sybreed, The Amenta

January 2025

1. Dawn of Ashes - "Thirteen Chants to Lilith" from The Crypt Infection II (Non Serviam) (2019)

2. Celldweller - "Unshakeable" from Wish Upon a Blackstar (2012) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. Fear Factory - "Zero Signal" from Demanufacture (1995) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

4. Meathook Seed - "Day of Conceiving" from Embedded (1993)

5. Davey Suicide, Telle Smith - "Medicate Me" from Rock Ain't Dead (2020)

6. HEALTH, Filter - "FREE TO DIE" from RAT WARS ULTRA EDITION (2024)

7. Lord of the Lost, Feuerschwanz - "Lords of Fyre" from Lords of Fyre (2024)

8. Red Harvest - "Dead Cities" from A Greater Darkness (2007) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

9. Psyclon Nine - "Anaesthetic (For the Pathetic)" from Crwn Thy Frnicatr (2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

10. Device - "Out of Line (feat. Serj Tankian & Terry "Geezer Butler)" from Device (2013)

11. Northlane - "Freefall" from Alien (2019)

12. Eisbrecher - "Everything is Wunderbar" from Everything is Wunderbar (2024)

13. Megaherz - "Engelsgesicht" from In Teufels Namen (2023)

14. Knorkator - "Eigentum" from Das nächste Album aller Zeiten (2007)

15. Combichrist - "Heads Off" from CMBCRST (2024)

16. Static-X - "From Heaven" from Project: Regeneration Vol. 2 (2024)

17. Blacklodge - "All Seeing Eye" from Machination (2012)

18. Shining - "Off the Hook" from One One One (2013)

19. Strapping Young Lad - "Consequence" from SYL (2003)

20. Brujeria – "Molestando Ninos Muertos" from Matando gueros (1993) [submitted by Daniel]

21. Ministry - "No W Redux" from Houses of the Mole (2004)

22. Pitchshifter - "Underachiever" from Infotainment? (1996)

23. OOMPH! - "Bastard" from Unrein (1998)

24. Sybreed - "Twelve Megatons Gravity" from Antares (2007) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

25. Turmion Katilot - "Schlachter" from Reset (2024) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

26. Neo Inferno 262 - "Pleonectic" from Pleonectic (2023)

27. Mechina - "The Assembly of Tyrants" from The Assembly of Tyrants (2005)

28. Neurotech - "Ultra Us" from Infra Versus Ultra (2014)

January 2025

1. Hollow Front - "Afflicted" from Loose Threads (2020)

2. The Browning - "MISERY.exe" from OMNI (2024) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. Shadow of Intent - "Flying the Black Flag" from Flying the Black Flag (2024)

4. Carnifex - "Dragged into the Grave" from Die Without Hope (2014) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

5. Aviana - "Ominous" from Polarize (2017)

6. Alleviate - "DMNS" from DMNS (2024)

7. Haste the Day - "For a Lifetime" from When Everything Falls (2005) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

8. Thrown - "Dislike" from EXCESSIVE GUILT (2024)

9. Malevolence - "Eternal Torment" from Reign of Suffering (2013)

10. Signs of the Swarm - "Bleak Cycle" from Senseless Order (2016)

11. Oceano - "Plague Campaign" from Depths (2009)

12. Elwood Stray - "Reset" from Burn the Bridge (2017)

13. Kingdom of Giants - "Hope" from Every Wave of Sound (2013)

14. Black Veil Brides - "Knives and Pens" from Re-Stitch These Wounds (2020) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

15. Enter Shikari - "Sorry, You're Not a Winner" from Take to the Skies (2007) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. Dal Av, Jackson Rose - "Insanely Illegal Cage Fight" from Insanely Illegal Cage Fight (2023)

17. All That Remains - "Forever Cold" from Forever Cold (2024) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

18. Trivium - "Forsake Not the Dream" from In Waves (2011) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

19. Vicious Rain, Half Me - "Hysteria" from There is Beauty in Letting Go (2024)

20. Vianova - "Wheel of Fortune" from Wheel of Fortune (2024)

21. Imminence - "Lighthouse" from Turn the Light On (2019)

22. Shadows Fall - "In the Grey" from In the Grey (2024)

23. Ankor - "Shoganai" from Shoganai (2024)

24. Architects - "Whiplash" from Whiplash (2024)

25. Earth Crisis – "Eden's Demise" from Firestorm E.P. (1993) [submitted by Daniel]

26. Void of Vision - "As Above So Below" from Children of Chrome (2016)

27. Converge - "Locust Reign" from The Poacher Diaries (1999)

28. Psyopus - "Medusa" from Odd Senses (2009)

29. Ion Dissonance - "Play Dead... And I'll Play Along" from Solace (2005)

30. Car Bomb - "Spirit of Poison" from 'w^w^^w^w' (2012)

31. Underoath - "To Whom It May Concern" from Define the Great Line (2006)

32. Make Them Suffer - "Small Town Syndrome" from Make Them Suffer (2024)

if you enjoy technical thrash metal with death metal leanings (yes Daniel, that's you), you owe it to yourself to devote some time to this release.

To clarify, I enjoy melodic Kawaii thrash with trance metal & melodic metalcore influences exclusively.

Now that's something to add to my "unusual metal genre blends" bucket list.

Here's my submission for the February Guardians playlist:

Savatage - "Strange Reality" (from Streets: A Rock Opera, 1991)

Hope you have a better healthy start to the new year, Vinny. Get well soon.

A lot has changed throughout my 5 and a half years as a Metal Academy member. When I first joined, I was in the metalcore/progressive/melodeath zone, hence my initial Horde/Infinite/Revolution clan lineup. Back then, I had already dumped my earlier interest in the more epic melodic power/symphonic metal for those heavier modern metal genres, but I was motivated to revive that melodic side of my metal palate, switching from The Horde to The Guardians, along with The Fallen as I started to explore some gothic metal/death-doom/post-sludge. Sometime later, I faded out from The Fallen/Guardians genres (again for the latter) and switched from those clans to The Gateway and later The Sphere, since the playlists for those clans included some songs that sparked up my interest for alt-/industrial metal. In fact, I've barely heard of industrial metal until around 4 years ago, and now that I'm in The Sphere and have been assembling that clan's playlists for two and a half years, my industrial metal knowledge has expanded quite vastly and sealed that genre as one of my favorites. And I have a lot more to find there, like its overlooked yet underrated subgenre cyber metal. So all these special features, reviews, and recommendations have changed my metal path for the better, and my time in the site has paid off as well. I'm so grateful to be here all these years....

Ben, please add these bands:

Any Given Sin

Seasons After