Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

A beautiful memorable ballad featuring Trivium frontman Matt Heafy:

A cool highlight of Eastern melodeath:

Excellent choice on that Utsu-P song, Rex! A solid piece of alt-metalcore with Vocaloid vocals. One of my outside-world friends showed me another Utsu-P song that's pretty cool and exemplifies a bit of the alt-side of Kawaii metal:

I'm also kind of worried about checking out the "genre", so I don't plan on exploring Utsu-P and their album Renaissance just yet, but maybe someday.

I'm familiar with one song from Babymetal's second album Metal Resistance, and it's their collaboration with DragonForce, "Road of Resistance". This is a prime example of Kawaii metal's take on DragonForce's brand of speedy power metal, though I still don't expect Kawaii metal to be part of the Guardians:

Removing the "folk" part & making it just "medieval metal" seems appropriate as long as that reflects a signature sound.

Yes it would. I think the "folk" in medieval folk metal is irrelevant. But medieval metal is often considered one of a few regional variations of folk metal alongside Celtic metal and oriental metal, and each of those regions have their own brand of folk. So medieval metal can still be considered folk metal in a regional perspective. I'm also irked about Mittelalter-Metal having the idea of medieval music blended with electronic/industrial metal/Neue Deutsche Härte. This is MEDIEVAL metal, not medieval-gone-futuristic metal! It's times like that when we're not sure if medieval metal, or even folk metal, should belong in the same clan as black/viking metal, when influences from more modern metal genres can be heard than those two. I say we keep medieval folk metal as one subgenre for now, as just medieval metal, but we will think about whether or not it should be separated from folk metal as its own genre in a different clan.

Medieval Folk Metal is an accurate way to describe the more notable bands of the subgenre that have blended metal with Neo-Medieval music such as In Extremo, Saltatio Mortis, and Subway to Sally. However, seeing how very little releases of the subgenre there are in Metal Academy besides the ones from those bands (only 11 releases), there might not be enough for Medieval Folk Metal to stay as a subgenre. However, with a total of 222 Mittelalter-Metal releases in RYM, there might be some potential for the subgenre to be revived here under that name. We just need to determine if it's any different from standard folk metal besides the Medieval elements.

Kawaii metal might be a problematic genre to add to Metal Academy, for a few reasons. 1. There are very few releases of the genre in RYM, only 88 of them. 2. Kawaii metal is a little more of a "scene" genre, being almost entirely based in Japan, and some of us have struggled with where those kinds of genres stand here, which is why I don't count Neue Deutsche Härte as a subgenre in my Sphere playlists. 3. Based on all that I've listened to from the genre (a few Babymetal songs, "Idol of Death" by Candye♡Syrup, and I guess Clarity by Passcode can be considered Kawaii metal as well), it sounds more closely related to trance metal, with a similar instrumental vibe to Amaranthe in terms of blending melodic modern metal sounds in a trance-powered cauldron, and we already got rid of trance metal because its releases are too different-sounding from one another to qualify as a genre. Kawaii metal certainly wouldn't fit in The Revolution where trance metal used to be, and although despite "the guitar-heroism of Power Metal" and "the mechanical approach of Industrial Metal", it probably won't stand a chance in their respective clans either. But considering the prominent modern alternative influences, it might work in The Gateway, I guess? I don't know. Quite a tough call. Anyone here experienced with the genre, what do you think?

I think Mittelalter-Metal is just a different name for Medieval Folk Metal. Anyone here think otherwise?

The only release I've listened to that is considered doomgaze in RYM is the EP Silver by Jesu, and that one I thought had more of a sludgy post-metal sound. Other than that, I've never even heard of doomgaze until the subgenre came up in RYM, so I can't really say much about it.

Another new single, another awesome feeling I have about the upcoming DragonForce album:

And in other news... Prepare yourselves, epic deathly power metal fans! Wintersun is coming with their looooooooooooong-awaited Time II album later this year!! FOR REAL!!!

https://chaoszine.net/wintersun-announce-major-news-time-ii-is-finally-finished/

https://metaladdicts.com/wintersun-to-launch-another-crowdfunding-campaign-in-march/

1. Gateway playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 12)

2. Horde playlist - 4/5 (number of songs commented: 8)

3. Infinite playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 8)

4. Revolution playlist - 4/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 32)

5. Sphere playlist - 4/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 24)

For the clans I've made the monthly playlists for (The Revolution and The Sphere), I've listened to the entire playlists! I'm grateful to Saxy and Daniel for their playlist works. I really dig the tracks I've reviewed in the Gateway, Horde, and Infinite playlists made by Saxy and Daniel, and I'm glad the playlists I've made have paid off. I recommend them to any fan of the clans' respective genres and anyone who isn't into those genres but wants to get into a great start in enjoying them. Thanks, Daniel, for accepting these playlists, and good work all!

My January feature release ratings so far:

THE HORDE: Neuropath - At Damnation's Core (2023) 4/5

THE REVOLUTION: xNOMADx - On Skylines of Embers (2023) 3/5

THE SPHERE: Dødheimsgard - 666 International (1999) 5/5

The Sphere feature release that I've nominated is an incredible genre that I would recommend to fans of industrial/black/avant-garde metal. The Neuropath album is pretty great too. But the xNOMADx EP, not so much. Keep up the good work on the feature releases, all! I look forward to more...

The songs in this xNOMADx EP are quite decently good, but I haven't really found any highlights from there to stand out for me, except for this one:

I've just checked out this EP, and my thoughts about this might be a bit of a shocker. Here's my review that you can also find here: https://metal.academy/reviews/32699/48479

Melodic hardcore/metalcore has indeed been underappreciated in the present when bands have gone the more djenty route. As rare as it would be to find an EP like this one from xNOMADx released in this decade, I personally don't think of On Skylines of Embers as the legendary classic that people in the future will consider it. It's quite decent, but it's missing the spark that similar-sounding bands had in the 2000s such as Shadows Fall, For the Fallen Dreams (especially their debut Changes), and Unearth.

The songs here are good with their melodic heavy riffing and vicious vocal fury, but not enough to make highlight territory. The one exception is the sick "Acephale", with its otherworldly riffing and clean/scream duet at the end, both marking this song a perfect gem. But the rest of the EP? Not really the best, but worth a try....

Favorites (the one highlight to really stand out for me): "Acephale"

3/5

Well since I'm here, I'd like to talk about one of the more recent notable cases of alleged metal song plagiarism. Listen to the guitar rhythm during the solo of this Plini song (at 3:28):

And then the guitar rhythm during the solo of this rock/metal version of Doja Cat's "Say So" (at 2:51):

Even though Doja Cat admitted to the plagiarism and apologized for it, I suspect that it's just a coincidence, as I'm not sure she would purposely steal something from a random progressive metal/rock song. What do you all think?

Rex and I have just found one of the funniest coincidences in music history. Listen to that vocal riff from the epic title track of Septicflesh's Communion:

It sounds identical to a minor-key variation of Meow Mix:

It's fucking Meow Mix.

LOL! I just checked out this song and Meow Mix, and that vocal riff really does sound identical to a minor-key variation of the latter. Now I can't unhear that... Let's take this to the "Influence or Coincidence, Inspiration or Plagiarism" Thread and see what the others think.

I hadn't really thought of 666 International as an avant-garde metal album. But realizing the high amount of unorthodox percussion and keyboards and overall experimentation there, I think you're right, Daniel. I'll give that entry a YES vote.

Does this sample sound familiar to Godflesh fans in this industrial rock/metal highlight? It certainly does:

Fantastic 80s-influenced heavy/power metal:

Thanks for this, Xephyr! I've just tested out that website and CSV-downloading technique with my upcoming February Revolution and Sphere playlists (still in the works). However, I find Excel a little too complex for me, and anyone who doesn't have Skiley Pro can only do it 3 times for free. I prefer the old-fashioned way of typing it all out, but there's a twist in my technique. After making my sneak peek suggestions in the Revolution and Sphere playlists, I copy them into Notepad and type out all the other tracks in the playlists in the same format (artist name, track name, track length, album name, album release date). Then when I send them to Daniel before the middle of the month, I set the tracks I've typed out to the order that they run in the playlist tracklistings and remove the track lengths that are only needed to keep track of their two-hour total lengths. And finally, when the first day of the month comes, I just copy the playlist tracklistings and paste them to their respective forum posts. Anyway, I still appreciate your suggestion and understand your technique, so you do you.

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

Deathstars - "Chertograd" (4:45) from Night Electric Night (2009)

Fear Factory - "Industrial Discipline" (3:38) from Mechanize (2010)

Gothminister - "Devil" (3:05) from Gothic Electronic Anthems (2003)

Mnemic - "Jack Vegas" (3:24) from The Audio Injected Soul (2004)

Nailbomb - "Cockroaches" (5:10) from Point Blank (1994)

Strapping Young Lad - "Skeksis" (6:42) from Alien (2005)

Total length: 26:44

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

Abigail Williams - "Procession of the Aeons" (3:47) from Legend (2006)

Cave In - "The End of Our Rope is a Noose" (8:09) from Until Your Heart Stops (1999)

Emmure - "Gypsy Disco" (2:01) from Hindsight (2020)

Killswitch Engage - "The Crownless King" (3:10) from Atonement (2019)

Norma Jean - "Memphis Will Be Laid to Waste" (4:56) from Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child (2002)

The Devil Wears Prada - "First Sight" (3:34) from 8:18 (2013)

We Came as Romans - "Never Let Me Go" (3:37) from Tracing Back Roots (2013)

Total length: 29:14

Here are my submissions for the February Infinite playlist:

Animals as Leaders - "Wave of Babies" (5:30) from Wave of Babies (2010)

Extol - "Shadow of Death" (3:39) from Paralysis (2001)

Madder Mortem - "Convertion" (7:31) from Mercury (1999)

Periphery - "Four Lights" (2:18) from Juggernaut: Alpha (2015)

Star One - "The Eye of Ra" (7:34) from Space Metal (2002)

Total length: 26:32

Here are my submissions for the February Gateway playlist:

Alter Bridge - "Holiday" (3:58) from Pawns & Kings (2022)

Bad Wolves - "It's You (2 Months)" (3:36) from Die About It (2023)

BOI WHAT - "Neon Tide" (2:52) from Neon Tide (2023)

Calva Louise - "Feast is Over" (3:12) from Over the Threshold (2023)

Disturbed - "Down with the Sickness" (4:38) from The Sickness (2000)

Limp Bizkit - "Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)" (3:34) from Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (2000)

Sonic Syndicate - "Leave Me Alone" (3:56) from We Rule the Night (2010)

Sum 41 - "Goddamn I'm Dead Again" (3:32) from 13 Voices (2016)

Total length: 29:18

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Samael - "Exodus" from Exodus (1998)

4.5/5. A great song to start this playlist. What can I say?

Godflesh - "Post Self" from Post Self (2017)

5/5. This one opens with the band's classic sound; a pounding drum beat and simple heavy riffing. The soundscape is relaxing yet dissonant. Nothing's out of place! This cohesive sound is still doing well after all those years of experience.

Red Harvest - "Absolut Dunkel: Heit" from Cold Dark Matter (2000)

4.5/5. HOLY F***, Red harvest has gone black metal, with Fenriz of Darkthrone by their side! And things get more insane at over the one and a half minute mark.

Trust Obey - "The Soul is a Temple of Wire Carcasses" from Fear and Bullets: The Tides of Sin (2018)

4/5. Pretty great long ambient industrial metal track, though a bit draggy.

Irving Force - "Void" from Void (2020)

3.5/5. A good catchy industrial metal single, something radio listeners shouldn't chicken out from listening to.

Aesthetic Perfection - "S E X" from S E X (2021)

4/5. Aesthetic Perfection has spawned a touch of golden fire, heated by the guitar skills of Sebastian Svalland (PAIN, In Mourning).

Ludovico Technique - "Silence" from Silence (2022)

4.5/5. I'm glad to find some good discoveries on Spotify when assembling my playlists. This band's goth-ish industrial metal remains standing.

Fear Factory - "Replica" from Demanufacture (1995)

5/5. Perhaps the most famous song by the band! It's not my ultimate favorite song from the band, but its straight pace and killer chorus make that single a perfect one. It was later covered by symphonic metal band Epica. If you're not sure about that cover, don't be an Epica "Replica" replica skeptica! lol

Omega Lithium - "Kinetik" from Kinetik (2011)

5/5. This one perfectly exemplifies what its original album is made of, from the beating heart.

Deathstars - "The Perfect Cult" from The Perfect Cult (2014)

5/5. Another perfect track that you just gotta hear to believe!

Mechina - "Tyrannos" from Telesterion (2019)

4.5/5. 2019 is one of metal's greatest years in the modern era. This epic-sounding piece of cinematic classical cyber metal might help seal that deal. And the lyrics are delivered well too, "CHILDREN OF EMPYREAN, DESCENDANTS OF ACHERON".

Oblivion Machine - "Reflexion and Dust" from The Moon Ailments Anthology (2017)

4/5. High-quality cyber metal. Enough said!

Sybreed - "Revive My Wounds" from Antares (2007)

4.5/5. I haven't heard much from this band, but the beat here is so d*mn good.

Pain - "Leave Me Alone" from You Only Live Once (2011)

5/5. I just adore both PAIN's cover of this song and the original by Sonic Syndicate. This might fit well for the soundtrack of action-packed anime shows like Black Rock Shooter. Lots of incredible potential here!

In This Moment - "Everything Starts and Ends with You" from Godmode (2023)

4.5/5. In This Moment has been adopting more NIN-esque electronic influences than before. There is one person in your realm that will be your life-force, from the start to the end. Their new album Godmode brings back their earlier elements from their first 4 albums while continuing their more industrial direction. It certainly can work for a video game of heavenly universal connection. While the albums since Black Widow aren't quite the same as their earlier ones, they still have the ability to throw back.

Khost - "Last Furnace" from Buried Steel (2020)

4/5. Some early Godflesh vibes can be found in this song in a more drone-ish pace.

Diabolicum - "Chained on Demonwings" from The Grandeur of Hell (1999)

3.5/5. Industrial black metal that acts as kind of a bridge between Dodheimsgard's Satanic Art and 666 International.

Megaherz - "Kannst Du Den Himmel Sehn?" from In Teufels Namen (2023)

3/5. Seems like the band is restoring their earlier balladry, but it sounds a little too emo-ish to me.

SKYND - "Richard Ramirez" from Chapter I (2018)

4.5/5. My favorite of this SKYND EP. Skynd herself sings more naturally here, and it's quite fantastic, though I'm OK with the strange effects. Richard Ramirez was another serial killer, known as the Night Stalker.

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

4/5. The music and lyrics sound f***ing supernatural here. I definitely like the beat. This was Paul Raven's last album with the band before his passing the next year, RIP. There's some ominous cello to go along with the strings. It would've been cooler if the beat was more synchronized, but it's still OK.

Unheilig - "Puppenspieler" from Puppenspiel (2008)

3.5/5. Another nice crazy song to enjoy a bit. Next!

Dodheimsgard - "21st Century Devil" from Supervillain Outcast (2007)

4/5. I'm quite obsessed with the music this band has made, even with their sound always changing. Still this can't beat 666 International. The song title is a highly possible reference to "21st Century Schizoid Man" by King Crimson, and has a similar experimental industrial metal vibe to Voivod's cover. I love the beginning synths.

Mnemic - "Within" from Sons of the System (2010)

4.5/5. This is another well-accomplished feat, where the nice melody is in engaging contrast with the heavy groove.

Gothminister - "Thriller (Extended Version)" from Happiness in Darkness (2008)

5/5. Ending this playlist is a superb cover of that Michael Jackson hit. It's clear that Brem is straining beyond his limits, but that doesn't matter. This is the extended version that's twice as long and includes part of the original narration by Vincent Price. More fitting for the October playlist as a Halloween special, but never mind.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? Despite some bumpiness throughout, especially in the second half. Anyway, 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 I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Polaris - "Harbinger" from Fatalism (2023)

4.5/5. Starting this playlist is this track with an atmospheric intro as bassist Jake Steinhauser sings his clean vocals over building synths. Soon the drums and guitars come in, and finally the moshing riffs and vocalist Jamie Hails' screams. The perfect opening storm that should work well live!

Born of Osiris - "Torchbearer" from Torchbearer (2023)

5/5. I'd like to thank Born of Osiris for continuing their djenty metalcore journey, and I hope there will be more of their music to come. They never cease to amaze me, and I might try exercising with this song in their playlist.

Upon a Burning Body - "King of Diamonds" from Southern Hostility (2019)

4.5/5. Here's some more of this Texas band's killer groove metalcore!

Imminence - "Temptation" from Heaven in Hiding (2021)

5/5. Once again, Imminence f***ing rules with their music! My favorite part is the heavy riff at the one and a half minute mark.

Norma Jean - "If You Got It at Five, You Got It at Fifty" from Wrongdoers (2013)

4.5/5. I can't get enough of this band's f***ing moshpit-worthy music. The buildup at over the one-minute mark leading up to a breakdown gets me every time.

Half Me - "Concrete Ceiling" from Concrete Ceiling (2023)

4/5. Back again for some more noise is this band Half Me. This almost makes me think of late Betraying the Martyrs but more brutal and less symphonic, with the vocalist sounding a bit like Ben English (ex-Invent Animate), sound the most brutal with his growling in the final breakdown throughout the last 30 seconds. One h*ll of a headbanger, right from the first verse, "THE FIRST SHOT CAST WAS A F***ING DISGRACE".

Alt. - "Apep" from Abeyance (2023)

4.5/5. You can very well recognize the searing screamed vocals by Jack Bergin from Void of Vision. His guest appearance along with the glowing melody are what make this song amazing. I also love the verses in this banger. This would be another intense addition to my possible exercising playlist. And although this band is from Australia, you might end up in thinking about this sound from bands from other places like America and Europe if not for that fact. Though I prefer a bit of the earlier metalcore of bands like Underoath, and we'll get to more of that sometime later. Still these guys know how let themselves be set apart from the league.

Currents - "A Flag to Wave" from The Way It Ends (2020)

4/5. Some more sick modern metalcore. Enough said!

Annisokay - "Human" from Abyss Pt. 1 (2023)

3.5/5. This song seems to bit of a miss for me, but I love the lyrics that are nothing more than poetic.

Our Promise - "Panic Waves" from Panic Waves (2023)

4/5. Some absolute power in this one! Like d*mn, you might pray for more of this killer insanity. A bit of a similar vibe to the heavier Linkin Park there.

Emmure - "I Should Have Called Ms. Glen" from The Complete Guide to Needlework (2006)

4.5/5. Emmure's earlier material from the second half of the 2000s shows them at their best. Throughout the second minute is one of the greatest moments ever for the band. Holy sh*t, the vocal brutality is insane, in a similar vein to Carley Coma from Candiria. Emmure still have great potential in their early 2010s albums, but not the same as before then. "Won't you go for a ride? Let's drink a cerveza!!! And shed our ways..." Good stuff!

BOI WHAT - "PLAN Z" from PLAN Z (2023)

4/5. So... Plankton has his own modern metal band now. Absolutely chilling, including a powerful breakdown! Now all we need is Plankton and Karen performing a cover of Motionless in White's "Cyberhex".

Bullet for My Valentine - "Hand of Blood" from Hand of Blood (2005)

4.5/5. This one has the usual hardcore guitar riffing that stands out in the metal instrumentation. It's so great hearing the cleans and screams alternating between each other in the verses.

Abigail Williams - "The Conqueror Wyrm" from Legend (2006)

5/5. This may be the slowest track in its original EP, but it's my favorite here, having heavier bridges and a beautiful chorus. This is true emotional modern symphonic black metalcore. Nothing wrong with adding hardcore heaviness for the sake of trying something new, right?

Zao - "Fifteen Rhema" from Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest (1998)

5/5. Where would bands be like Eighteen Visions, Bleeding Through, and Bring Me the Horizon without a song like this!?

Killswitch Engage - "My Curse" from As Daylight Dies (2006)

5/5. Although I didn't become fully interested in this band until last year, this song I've actually known since 10 years prior, and I still love it! There's an alternate version for radios that have all the screams replaced by cleans, but of course, you know I would choose the original version for this playlist. F***ing awesome melodic metalcore!

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

4.5/5. Unlike other metalcore bands that I've heard of from over 10 years ago that would plant the seed for my metalcore interest that began in 2018 (Bullet for My Valentine, Killswitch Engage, Trivium), I didn't hear anything from As I Lay Dying until within a few years before today. It's just as well since if I started hearing about this band at the time of Tim Lambesis' arrest, I would've severed my ties with their music before even starting. But I'm glad to not miss out on this band's blend of beauty and brutality.

Parkway Drive - "Flesh, Bone and Weakness" from Don't Close Your Eyes (2004)

5/5. This can very be my favorite song in its original EP. Haunting bass kicks in followed by the drums. The growls and harmonic singing (the latter by then-bassist Brett "Lagg" Versteeg) work well for a melodic spice-up that might remind some of Evergreen Terrace. Awesomeness continues to be found in the catchy yet heavy breakdown, along with more of the audible bass riffing.

Trivium - "At the End of the War" from Vengeance Falls (2013)

4.5/5. This one contains worthwhile clean vocals while still keeping some screaming, with Matt Heafy's voice growing and becoming more powerful.

God Forbid - "Soul Engraved" from Gone Forever (2004)

5/5. A killer song with catchy riffs. What really helps it stand out is the clean chorus by guest member Thomas Cummings, later known as Bad Wolves vocalist Tommy Vext, and Nevermore guitarist Jeff Loomis performing an awesome shredding solo which unfortunately fades out when it's still great.

Killwhitneydead - "Starring Robert Downey Jr. as "The Addict"" from Inhaling the Breath of a Bullet (2002)

4.5/5. The dark disturbing atmosphere works well for the riffs and samples in this two and a half minute highlight.

PROJECT: VENGEANCE, Traitors, Nik Nocturnal - "Vessel" from Vessel (2023)

4.5/5. The vocalists of deathcore bands Spite, Infant Annihilator, Left to Suffer, Lorna Shore, and Traitors have gathered together to form an insane brutal quintet. Also stepping in is I, the Breather guitarist and YouTuber Nik Nocturnal, adding in the instrumentation. HOLY SH*T, what a f***ing powerhouse this project is!

Carnifex - "Death's Forgotten Children" from Necromanteum (2023)

5/5. However, this is much more worth checking out! Carnifex have made such an evil heavy deathcore song featuring Tom Barber (Chelsea Grin, ex-Lorna Shore). This is solid perfection that has granted me the leeway to check out more of this band.

Monasteries - "Spiralled Icon" from Ominous (2023)

4.5/5. Some more underrated deathcore heaviness, featuring the insane screaming of Ingested vocalist Jason Evans. An absolutely brutal banger like a motherf***er! It's a shame that the band split up after releasing this album Ominous, so there's no more of this devastating dissonance. Maybe one day I might be up to getting that album, if my tolerance for the more brutal side of deathcore builds up more. There's even a bit of the mathcore of The Dillinger Escape Plan and Iwrestledabearonce.

Darko US - "Come Home" from Oni (2022)

4/5. Interesting how this band added in a soft ballad-ish song to a deathcore album, but it's a beautiful way to unwind. You can think of all the pleasant past memories you have that you can never bring back, as the vocals of Dayseeker vocalist Rory Rodriguez guide you through. Beautiful!

Hopesfall - "Escape Pod for Intangibles" from The Satellite Years (2002)

4.5/5. The soft break continues with one of my favorite tracks from this album. Here they transcend through the spacey alt-rock of HUM, even featuring their vocalist Matt Talbott, and while it sounds beautiful as a one-off thing, this would sadly affect their newer stuff that's almost entirely like that. The Satellite Years and their EP No Wings to Speak of are the two releases to have their earlier spacey metalcore sound that is sadly gone from them. F***, those 4 lines are so meaningful, "I left the horizon, curled up and frozen still, the tilting of the hourglass, with all this time to kill". And while this song should've been longer, that would cause those lyrics to be a little too repetitive.

The Number Twelve Looks Like You - "Glory Kingdom" from Glory Kingdom (2009)

4/5. There's been talk about this song being Charlie Sheen, which is an interesting way to think about it.

Iwrestledabearonce - "Tastes Like Kevin Bacon" from It's All Happening (2009)

4.5/5. And this song directly references another actor in the song title! This is the kind of music that is enjoyable but hard to explain to your future kids. The final minute is one of the most impressive moments in all of metal. Some soft harp strums are heard before a sudden honking jingle from a jalopy to start a killer breakdown.

Rolo Tomassi - "Ex Luna Scientia" from Astraea (2012)

5/5. A fantastic song to love that has given me more hope in checking out this band! The members have insanely brilliant skills, almost in the same height as fellow British hardcore band Enter Shikari. The awesome spacey sound made me think about that Hopesfall song again. That soft spacey section occurs through the second third, between the heavier first third, and the final third that brings back the earlier screaming reminding me of that of Oli Sykes from Bring Me the Horizon.

Converge - "Black Cloud" from You Fail Me (2004)

5/5. A standout with the band's earlier aggression. The drumming by Ben Koller ranges from brutal to technical. The heavy guitars are incredible while Bannon continues his hard intense vocals shrieking incomprehensible lyrics. The lyrics are clearer during the structurally messy chorus ("Black cloud til' the end!!").

August Burns Red - "The Seventh Trumpet" from Thrill Seeker (2005)

5/5. I'm guessing they were influenced by old-school Avenged Sevenfold because of that song title. At 8 minutes, it is the longest track of this playlist, its' original album, and the band. The lyrics show the band's Christianity, written about the rapture, with metaphors about the blood moon, stars falling, and the incoming end of the world, a prime example being this lyric, "I take one last look at the moon and the stars begin to fall..." There's 5 minutes of brutal guitars and finally a melodic yet heavy passage that goes on until the end. That song is a total standout and my favorite song of its original album, an epic progressive song that sounds like something Meshuggah could've done. A perfect dramatic album ending!

The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Parasitic Twins" from Option Paralysis (2010)

4.5/5. The playlist isn't actually over until this sinister closer that mixes eerie experimental soundtrack with doo-wop harmonic vocals. It may sound unsettling to some listeners, but a satisfying ending nonetheless.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? Despite some bumpiness in a couple places. Anyway, 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!

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Caligula’s Horse – The World Breathes with Me (2023)

4.5/5. The band led by the talented guitarist Sam Vallen and stunning vocalist Jim Grey are back, and HOLY SH*T, this song opens the playlist in amazing heights! The blend of heaviness and beauty is brought back into shape after Leprous lost it 10 years prior. No way will this ever disappoint!

Liquid Tension Experiment – Acid Rain (1999)

4/5. An untouchable piece from this instrumental band with bassist Tony Levin (NOT Walter White, despite who he looks like) and 3 of the guys from Dream Theater (John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy, and Jordan Rudess). After two wild progressive minutes, things slow down for some tribal percussion almost like it's from the George of the Jungle soundtrack. Then the keyboards rise for under a minute, then a cowbell is struck, in queue for Petrucci to play some sick riffing and soloing. Then over the 4-minute mark, things heat up, sounding similar to Riot's take on "Racing with the Devil on a Spanish Highway". And after all that, the last few seconds of guitar fiddling ends it smoothly.

Devin Townsend Project – Higher (2016)

4.5/5. Canadian metal mastermind Devin Townsend continues to bring his sound to higher places. The most glorious part of this epic is the last chorus that starts the final two minutes. An absolute tear-jerker!

Kayo Dot – The Manifold Curiosity (2003)

5/5. This one has so much to explore, as more instruments and vocal styles are added to the arsenal. 4 and a half minutes into the track, the soft ambience is broken by a melodic explosion with a huge variety of jazzy instruments that not a lot of metal bands can add without tainting their sound. From the 10-minute mark onwards, there's more intense chaos. How intense?! It's actually in the same level as Strapping Young Lad with Converge-like screaming rage, especially at the very end with a brief moment of grind-ish metalcore. A truly heavy and artsy epic!

Opeth – Blackwater Park (2021)

5/5. The epic title finale of this band's magnum opus continues the complex structure, adding in some of the later rhythm atmosphere. All I'm gonna note is how majestic the ending is, when the band unleash all their power before hitting the brakes in a bang.

The Contortionist – Return to Earth (2017)

4.5/5. Another amazing song to love and rock on to!

Gojira – The Art of Dying (2008)

4/5. Gojira's songs can be considered a heavy mix of Meshuggah and TOOL. The lyrics fit well with the title, as the philosophical lyrics, especially the first verse, detail the pain and depression of real-life and the peace and tranquility of the afterlife, relating well to our hardships of life. So it's not always the environment this French progressive metal bands always sings about. Beautiful rhythm appears from the 6-minute mark onwards, for their typical dose of progressive melody.

Leprous – Mediocrity Wins (2012)

3.5/5. The vocals by Einar Solberg are so unique, fitting well for the Opeth gone TOOL vibe. And the tasty bass that starts over the one-minute mark is also pretty good. Other than that, the song is a little too strange, and doesn't really reach its necessary height. In a battle for good quality, mediocrity wins...

Seeing some bands I'm familiar with in this playlist, mostly in the opening melodic/technical death metal section, I felt up to listening to and commenting on those tracks:

Tiamat – “Sumerian Cry (Part III)” (from “The Astral Sleep”, 1991)

4.5/5. It really is about time I revisit some bands from when I was still listening to a lot of melodic/technical death metal 5 years before this comment. The Astral Sleep was the transitional album between the death metal of Sumerian Cry and the death-doom Clouds, this track leaning to the former. I love the slower solo midway through.

Death – “Bite The Pain” (from “The Sound Of Perseverance”, 1998)

4/5. Perhaps the heaviest song of this opening section. The verse riff chugs through alongside catchy yet disjointed vocals, along with the most sections I've heard in a single chorus (4).

Edge of Sanity – “Blood-Colored” (from “Purgatory Afterglow”, 1994)

4.5/5. The verses are quite awesome in this song of amazing writing, almost worthy of radio airplay. 2 minutes in is a bridge that sounds like Motorhead gone death metal.

Darkthrone – “Thulcandra” (from “Thulcandra” demo, 1989) 

4/5. Before making a leading impact in the Norwegian black metal scene, Darkthrone was a death metal band in a few demos (including this one, Thulcandra) and their debut album Soulside Journey. This is a more of an early standard death metal track with a melodic section in the middle, in contrast to the surrounding melodic/technical death metal tracks. Still I find it pretty great.

Anata – “Under Azure Skies” (from “The Infernal Depths of Hatred”, 1998)

3.5/5. Anata's brand of technical death metal was something I enjoyed a few years ago, but somehow I can now no longer live up to the glory of that time.

Amon Amarth – “Sorrow Throughout The Nine Worlds” (from “Sorrow Throughout The Nine Worlds” E.P., 1996)

4/5. Ditto with this one, although the beginning is quite epic and boosts up some points in greatness.

Epiphanic Truth – “The Truth of the Beast” (from “Dark Triad: Bitter Psalms to a Sordid Species”, 2021)

4.5/5. Skipping ahead a few tracks, this one has an abstract structure for an under-10-minute track. Throughout the first half, they let their brutal frenzy run loose. Then it ends with a few minutes of soft creepy jazz.

Neuropath – “My Bleeding Mortality” (from “Desert of Excruciation” demo, 1995)

5/5. A killer piece of 90s brutal death metal from NSW, Australia. The guitar talent really shines through. Nicely done, Daniel!

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Beartooth – I Was Alive (2023)

4.5/5. Let's start this playlist with another excellent song from the brand-new Beartooth album The Surface. My brother likes this one because of how therapeutic and relatable is for him. This has a bit of the softer country rock of "The Better Me" while having the self-motivational lyrical theme of "Riptide" and "Might Love Myself".

Bullet for My Valentine – Riot (2013)

5/5. Then the anger and fast pace shoots through your head again in this song in which its music video made me eventually interested in BFMV. It has the sharp heavy potential from earlier on its original album. I love that song so much!

Death Angel – Stagnant (1990)

4.5/5. Although Death Angel is known as another popular band in the Bay Area thrash metal scene, there are some songs that stagnate from their usual hardcore thrash, such as this one that is more of an alt-metal track with a bit of funky ska in the verses. That may seem like just a joke for those who aren't open-minded, but it shows how well they can think through their diversity. F***ing h*ll, this might actually be a good song to play in some places like restaurants. One other band that could really make a progressive blend of a funk metal and thrash at that time is Mordred. All the instruments have the right to unite!

Ed Sheeran, Bring Me the Horizon – Bad Habits (2022)

5/5. Bring Me the Horizon collaborated with Ed Sheeran for an alt-metal re-recording of his hit "Bad Habits", and what a masterpiece! This definitely deserves some radio airplay. Rock/metal bands can often make pop stars and their songs better.

Filter – Where Do We Go From Here (2002)

4.5/5. A lot of people might know this band for their earlier single "Hey Man Nice Shot", but their later singles from 20 years before today may spawn some bittersweet memories for longtime fans. It's strange that while people started listening to Filter and other alt-metal bands in their high school years, I was listening to power metal during my own teen years before my full interest in metalcore/alt-metal. The song title is a good question to wonder about our future of uncertainty.

Five Finger Death Punch – My Heart Lied (2013)

4/5. It was actually this band that I was more familiar with than Filter, thanks to my brother. I can't forget its freshness for when I first heard it 10 years ago.

Limp Bizkit – Break Stuff (2001)

3.5/5. I requested the original version from Significant Other, but I guess the remix is fine. The original song is an angry anthem that really shows how rap metal should be done. This song, and the rest of the album, inspired by Durst ending a longtime relationship with a girlfriend, showing him taking his aggression out on his ex, "I pack a chainsaw, I'll skin your a** raw". A couple more things about that song: 1. It's notorious for being the cause of a violent revolution in Woodstock 1999 when Durst encouraged the crowd to not mellow out, which is "what Alanis Morissette had you motherf***ers do", and even telling them not to let anyone get hurt only caused them to get hurt in the chaos. 2. The song is my brother's new ringtone.

Living Colour – Bi (1993)

4/5. Another cool mainstream song from the band behind the "Cult of Personality" hit. Despite not getting enough attention or longevity in their career, great songs like this shouldn't be ignored. It's an interesting song detailing the ongoing dilemma of people's sexuality ("Everybody's messed up with their sexuality") and can motivate people to overcome that dilemma and be proud of themselves and their community, maybe even certain characters from children's shows that have expanded the LGBT boundaries. But it might also cause some massive debate about whether this is pro- or anti-LGBT. Quite a tough call. Let's move on...

Megan Thee Stallion, Spiritbox – Cobra (Rock Remix) (2023)

4.5/5. Another metal band remix of a pop hit! Excellent, though I prefer the "Bad Habits" re-recording slightly more.

Northlane – Bloodline (2019)

5/5. Absolutely awesome lyrics and production here! So atmospheric while dark and heavy. Fantastic prog-ish alt-metalcore!

Roadrunner United – The End (2005)

4.5/5. This one features Trivium's Matt Heafy's clean singing in a wonderful hard rock/alt-metal power ballad. An incredible experiment by Dino Cazares (Fear Factory) and Heafy that has paid off! And I'm glad that one received a single and video, the only one from the entire Roadrunner United album to have those.

While She Sleeps – Self Hell (2023)

5/5. F*** yeah! While She Sleeps is coming back with their new album, and the killer final riff and scream ends this playlist in a bang.

A killer piece of 90s brutal death metal from NSW, Australia. The guitar talent really shines through. Nicely done, Daniel!

You have done some great talented brutal work in this album, Daniel. Seriously! Well done! Here's my full review that you can also view here: https://metal.academy/reviews/32364/47836

As someone who prefers melodic/technical death metal and other metal genres, I don't really consider brutal death metal my thing in most cases. MOST. With that said, I like this album. This is killer brutal death metal right here! Neuropath recorded two demos in 1995 before disappearing into oblivion, though those who have been in this website for a long while would know Daniel's journey in the decades since the band's demise.

Although there were a few recent shout-outs to the band and their music here, it wasn't until this album compiling the two demos was released by Sphere of Apparition Records in late 2023 that their material would finally hit the stores. And how can a more extreme metalhead not like this pure brutal strength!? All of the band's members are talented, though the two who really deserve the spotlight in my honest opinion are Daniel with his massive guitar skills and Mark Wangmann with his vicious death growls. The new mastering by Bjorn is certainly a true enhancement to the production.

This whole compilation works well as a powerful extreme journey, so describing its songs won't do them justice, though I can mention the songs I enjoy the most in the usual favorites section below. I would love it slightly more if I loved brutal death metal more. Still this is a great well-done example of the genre, and I'm not just saying it to be nice. Mandatory for Horde members and death metal fans in general! Great support comes with true rewards....

Favorites: "My Bleeding Mortality", "Copulation of Insanity", "Vulgar Rebirth", "Rectal Pulpation"

4/5

Here's my review summary:

Dodheimsgard's 3rd album is all done by fate. The band knew it was time to spice up their black metal that was already going mainstream, and here they added industrial elements to their sound, though more techno-sounding rather than Ministry-esque. Not many other black metal bands have tried that kind of equal mix until about a decade later. 666 International can still be a shocking black metal album without being firmly placed in that genre, and that can be quite innovative. As much as Darkthrone established the Norwegian black metal scene with their early 90s albums, it's albums like this DHG album that deserve great appreciation! With an industrial beat and shouting that leads into black metal riffing and shrieking, industrial black metal really takes time to sink in before you're finally intrigued. You can also hear techno rhythms and occasional piano interludes, mixing the calm with the storm. DHG's 666 International has helped a couple metal genres with their survival!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "Ion Storm", "Regno Potiri", "Final Conquest", "Sonar Bliss", "Completion"

For fans of: The Kovenant, Samael (especially if you want to hear the bridge between those two bands' black metal and industrial metal eras), Thorns

Here's my submission for the February Guardians playlist:

DragonForce - "Power of the Saber Blade" (from Power of the Saber Blade, 2023)

January 2024

1. Samael - "Exodus" from Exodus (1998) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

2. Godflesh - "Post Self" from Post Self (2017)

3. Red Harvest - "Absolut Dunkel: Heit" from Cold Dark Matter (2000)

4. Trust Obey - "The Soul is a Temple of Wire Carcasses" from Fear and Bullets: The Tides of Sin (2018)

5. Irving Force - "Void" from Void (2020)

6. Aesthetic Perfection - "S E X" from S E X (2021)

7. Ludovico Technique - "Silence" from Silence (2022)

8. Fear Factory - "Replica" from Demanufacture (1995) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

9. Omega Lithium - "Kinetik" from Kinetik (2011)

10. Deathstars - "The Perfect Cult" from The Perfect Cult (2014) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

11. Mechina - "Tyrannos" from Telesterion (2019)

12. Oblivion Machine - "Reflexion and Dust" from The Moon Ailments Anthology (2017)

13. Sybreed - "Revive My Wounds" from Antares (2007)

14. Pain - "Leave Me Alone" from You Only Live Once (2011) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

15. In This Moment - "Everything Starts and Ends with You" from Godmode (2023) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. Khost - "Last Furnace" from Buried Steel (2020)

17. Diabolicum - "Chained on Demonwings" from The Grandeur of Hell (1999)

18. Megaherz - "Kannst Du Den Himmel Sehn?" from In Teufels Namen (2023)

19. SKYND - "Richard Ramirez" from Chapter I (2018)

20. Killing Joke - "Invocation" from Hosannas from the Basements of Hell (2006)

21. Unheilig - "Puppenspiel" from Puppenspiel (2008)

22. Dodheimsgard - "21st Century Devil" from Supervillain Outcast (2007)

23. Mnemic - "Within" from Sons of the System (2010)

24. Gothminister - "Thriller (Extended Version)" from Happiness in Darkness (2008) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

January 2024

1. Polaris - "Harbinger" from Fatalism (2023)

2. Born of Osiris - "Torchbearer" from Torchbearer (2023)

3. Upon a Burning Body - "King of Diamonds" from Southern Hostility (2019)

4. Imminence - "Temptation" from Heaven in Hiding (2021)

5. Norma Jean - "If You Got It at Five, You Got It at Fifty" from Wrongdoers (2013)

6. Half Me - "Concrete Ceiling" from Concrete Ceiling (2023)

7. Alt. - "Apep" from Abeyance (2023)

8. Currents - "A Flag to Wave" from The Way It Ends (2020)

9. Annisokay - "Human" from Abyss Pt. 1 (2023)

10. Our Promise - "Panic Waves" from Panic Waves (2023)

11. Emmure - "I Should Have Called Ms. Glen" from The Complete Guide to Needlework (2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

12. BOI WHAT - "PLAN Z" from PLAN Z (2023)

13. Bullet for My Valentine - "Hand of Blood" from Hand of Blood (2005) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Abigail Williams - "The Conqueror Wyrm" from Legend (2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

15. Zao - "Fifteen Rhema" from Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest (1998)

16. Killswitch Engage - "My Curse" from As Daylight Dies (2006)

17. As I Lay Dying - "Through Struggle" from Shadows are Security (2005)

18. Parkway Drive - "Flesh, Bone and Weakness" from Don't Close Your Eyes (2004) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

19. Trivium - "At the End of the War" from Vengeance Falls (2013) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

20. God Forbid - "Soul Engraved" from Gone Forever (2004) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

21. Killwhitneydead - "Starring Robert Downey Jr. as "The Addict"" from Inhaling the Breath of a Bullet (2002)

22. PROJECT: VENGEANCE, Traitors, Nik Nocturnal - "Vessel" from Vessel (2023)

23. Carnifex - "Death's Forgotten Children" from Necromanteum (2023)

24. Monasteries - "Spiralled Icon" from Ominous (2023)

25. Darko US - "Come Home" from Oni (2022)

26. Hopesfall - "Escape Pod for Intangibles" from The Satellite Years (2002) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

27. The Number Twelve Looks Like You - "Glory Kingdom" from Glory Kingdom (2009)

28. Iwrestledabearonce - "Tastes Like Kevin Bacon" from It's All Happening (2009)

29. Rolo Tomassi - "Ex Luna Scientia" from Astraea (2012)

30. Converge - "Black Cloud" from You Fail Me (2004)

31. August Burns Red - "The Seventh Trumpet" from Thrill Seeker (2005)

32. The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Parasitic Twins" from Option Paralysis (2010)

Merry Christmas, fellow metalheads! (a day late but never mind) Deathcore parody masters Brojob made a Christmas parody of Lorna Shore's "To the Hellfire". So brutal and hilarious!

Ben, please add the new Bad Wolves album Die About It.

A true atmospheric classic performed live in the final show from these Finnish melodeath legends. RIP Alexi Laiho and Children of Bodom.

Sum 41's 13 Voices hits hard with a lot of the drama and sincerity in this rollercoaster ride of punk gone alt-metal in epic anthems like this one:

And even in deluxe edition bonus tracks like this one:

A f***ing embarrassment of cheesy 80s electro-synths and rapping-like vocals in the verses:

Melodic harmony and dreamy lyrics are balance out with the heavy rhythm and rough vocals in this industrial metal hit:

A truly hypnotic summary of Madder Mortem's earlier melancholic progressive doom:

A killer short yet progressive track with catchy heavy rhythm to headbang to:

A ravaging unique blend of nu/rap metal with Indian classical music:

This sh*tty interlude does nothing for me at all:

Fantastic industrial thrash metal that goes f***ing hard:

High-quality industrial metal by this Sepultura/Fudge Tunnel side-project:

Ben, please add the new Children of Bodom live album A Chapter Called Children of Bodom.

Finnish industrial metal with a similar electro-dance vibe to German trancecore band Electric Callboy: