Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

From djenty deathcore breakdowns and monstrous vocals to guitar tremolos blast beats, the violent quest for heaviness rolls on:

Sparse Gojira-esque melody is balanced out with the rest of the song's intensity:

This expansive standout displays more of the band's ongoing quest for the ultimate heaviness:

With the opening highlight of Humanity's Last Breath's sophomore album, the brutality hasn't withered away since their 2013 debut:

You can't go wrong with brutality in deathcore and djent, they know how to bust sh*t hard:

Both parts of the brutal "Bellua" suite are better suited as a full 8-minute epic. You can enjoy both parts here, but I'm telling you, it's one of those "better together" situations:

One of the most epic and innovative metal tracks I've heard in my life, in The Revolution or any other clan:

Seriously, listeners should check this song out for all its symphonic grandeur:

A fantastic progressive start to another one of Hope for the Dying's epic journeys:

Good feedback, Sonny! And sorry about those first two tracks affecting your plan to switch clans.

No worries, Sonny. Better slightly late than too close to when the playlists are due. This was also one of my favorite Accept songs when I was listening to that band. Submission accepted with thanks!

This glorious 15-minute 3-track suite works better with every part stitched together as a whole, and I've literally just done that as my own video:

Part of the revival of my Guardians interest comes from some bands of other genres that I like. Mechina is an obvious example by how much i enjoy them, but Hope for the Dying would also have a say in this with their symphonic metalcore sound that includes more progressive structures and Two Steps From Hell-esque orchestra:

A killer neoclassical metalcore standout to start Hope for the Dying's first offering:

THEY'RE FUCKING BACK!

F*** YEAH, THEY'RE BACK!!!! And they're back HARD!!! Honestly the heaviest I've heard from these Swiss tech-thrash masters!

Good photo, Sonny! That can also double as a potential Spotify blackgaze playlist image.

That is kind of a strange trend going on in some metal genres. It's like, take a photo of countryside with power lines and at least at one lamp post, add fluro color effects, and BOOM, you have an album cover. One less common theory might be that the band members don't have enough money in their budget to hire a professional photographer or artist to make artwork and, in the current decade, don't wanna have to resort to AI. This trend also seems to spread beyond blackgaze/post-metal, before Deafheaven caused blackgaze to erupt in popularity. One example being Katatonia's Dead End Kings, which I wouldn't consider too strange because it's an artwork made by the talented graphic artist Travis Smith, and his works often have diversity and experimentation:

A strange closing stinker, even for me:

One of the most quintessential songs in early sludgy math/metalcore:

One of the many highlights of this quintessential metalcore masterpiece, with lots of fury from the guitar and vocals:

A heavy anthem indeed for the metalcore travelers:

Epic extreme start to Lorna Shore's upcoming album! Maybe the 4th and final single before its release can be "In Darkness", which I'm the most curious about. In the meantime, enjoy this one:

The song that was meant to be for Overcast's then-shelved 3rd album and ended up in Shadows Fall's album Of One Blood is still one of my favorite early-ish metalcore songs with a fast searing Metallica-like solo, alongside the thrashy riffing and vocals:

A 7 and a half minute opening epic with all you can ask for in early metalcore:

This f***ed up attempt at rapping really ruins the song for me. Rapping doesn't belong in these extreme albums! Perspectives would've been perfect without it.

Fast thrashy riffing comes on before some more samples and fun keys, showing you all what early extreme industrial metal should be:

The most melodeath-ish highlight of this Inner Thought album, filled with unpredictability in the riffing and the vocals:

Humanity's Last Breath isn't the only leader of the brutal djent subgenre Thall. These two bands are also important in the subgenre's development:

All of Before the Dawn founder Tuomas Saukkonen's earlier projects ended or were put on hold for something fresh and epic, Wolfheart:

FINALLY, IT COMES! The time for power metal to ENLIGHTEN ME once again after drifting in and out of the genre, with two bands that I've heard of when I was still completely in that zone 10 years ago, but didn't start listening to them full-time until now:

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

Ben, please add these Galneryus EPs:

Voices From the Past

Voices From the Past II

Voices From the Past III

While the first two Voices From the Past releases are non-metal, Voices From the Past III qualifies as power metal within the RYM voting ratio (FOR: 7, AGAINST: 0).

An outside-world friend of mine has just showed me this song from the Sonic Frontiers soundtrack. It's really cool and heavy, similar to those Japanese alt-metalcore songs from Gundam Extreme. I like the girl-ish yet tough-guy vocals by Kellin Quinn (Sleeping with Sirens).

This is the kind of epic Tesseract has had with "Concealing Fate" from One and the 4 epics that make up Altered State, missing in the two albums that followed. Tesseract is really back!

Two tracks connected together to make an epic with as much grandeur as their previous ones:

An impressive highlight of rock-ish ambience without sacrificing the dynamic aggression:

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

With Daniel Tompkins' temporary departure from Tesseract, the band had to find a couple other vocalists to fill the void; Elliot Coleman in the Perspective EP and Ashe O'Hara in the Altered State album. Whichever vocalist was in Altered State, that's a perfect offering. Now with Tompkins returning to the band, people were curious about where UK's djent leaders would take them next, and if they would continue to impress. It seems like Tompkins has taken some ambience from his other band at the time, Skyharbor, because that's we're getting more of in the greatness of Polaris! I've also noticed a bit of prog-rock elements as well from late Anathema and The Contortionist at that time, considering those bands share the same record labels, Kscope and eOne. Despite this rock-ish ambience, they never sacrifice the dynamic aggression, picking up where One left off. The bass, drums, and vocals drift through space, while the guitars are still djentrified. This 5-member djent quintet stays true to their identity while breaking the mold. That's how unique and talented they are. And if there any flaws at all, they're so trivial and unnoticeable in the flow of things. An excellent album like this deserves at least one full listen, and Polaris has all you can ask for in smoothness and aggression!

4.5/5

They have returned, the Orlando-based heroes of metalcore! Trivium's new single shows that they're back with a vengeance:

Although I highly enjoy Tesseract's sophomore masterpiece through and through, I can get the most out of this epic of dynamic diversity:

I wanted to include the entire 28-minute 6-track epic "Concealing Fate" in a single video here, but all I could find is this live version. Still it is a solid masterpiece epic of extreme melodic progressive djent that is pretty much the centerpiece of this album, maybe even of this band:

However, anyone who has ordered the album in advance would be lucky to get this bonus track with its short yet massive progressive blitz that one can pick up from Northlane, Within the Ruins, Fallujah, and even Cult of Luna:

Of all the songs from the band my brother likes, this isn't one of them. Despite that, it's still one of my favorite Disturbed songs today:

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's my submission for the September North playlist, Sonny:

Waidelotte - "Celestial Shrine" (from Celestial Shrine, 2024)

Here's my submission for the September Pit playlist:

The Haunted - "Warhead" (from Songs of Last Resort, 2025)

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

Architects - "Deep Fake" (3:33) from The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit (2022)

Circle of Dust - "Deviate (Blue Stahli Remix)" (2:55) from alt_Machines (2018)

Fear of Domination - "Ruin" (4:11) from Metanoia (2018)

Illidiance - "Mind Hunters" (3:27) from Damage Theory (2010)

Mechina - "Vanquisher" (6:46) from Acheron (2015)

Neurotech - "Memory Eternal" (8:22) from Memory Eternal (2024)

Total length: 29:14

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

August Burns Red - "Composure" (4:13) from Messengers (2007)

The Breathing Process - "Inferno" (3:54) from In Waking: Divinity (2008)

Drown in Sulphur - "The Sleeping Abomination" (3:46) from Sulphur Cvlt (2021)

Mental Cruelty - "Chapter II - The Rise of the Antichrist" (4:06) from Purgatorium (2018)

Neaera - "Desecrators" (4:46) from Let the Tempest Come (2006)

The Red Chord - "Breed the Cancer" (2:33) from Fused Together in Revolving Doors (2002)

Zao - "The Race of Standing Still" (5:07) from (Self-Titled) (2001)

Total length: 28:25

Here are my submissions for the September Infinite playlist:

Anacrusis - "Release" (4:16) from Screams and Whispers (1993)

Between the Buried and Me - "Obfuscation" (9:15) from The Great Misdirect (2009)

Fallujah - "Kaleidoscopic Waves" (4:12) from Xenotaph (2025)

The Third and the Mortal - "Silently I Surrender" (8:02) from Sorrow (1994) (based on EP's and Rarities compilation, 2004)

Voivod - "Meteor" (4:14) from Negatron (1995)

Total length: 29:59

Here are my submissions for the September Gateway playlist, my last multi-submission round for this clan as my alt-metal interest is taking its toll:

Breaking Benjamin - "Had Enough" (3:50) from Phobia (2006)

Calva Louise - "Lo Que Vale" (3:23) from Edge of the Abyss (2025)

Demon Hunter - "Sorrow Light the Way" (4:30) from Sorrow Light the Way (2025)

Fire From the Gods - "Thousand Lifetimes" (3:12) from Soul Revolution (2022)

Gemini Syndrome - "IDK" (3:35) from 3rd Degree - The Raising (2021)

Ice Nine Kills - "The Great Unknown" (3:02) from The Great Unknown (2025)

Linkin Park - "Breaking the Habit" (3:16) from Meteora (2003)

Ravenface - "Colder" (3:36) from Breathe Again (2018)

Total length: 28:24

Oh dear. Hope you and your family will get well soon, Daniel.

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!