Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

The killer second single by Enda Vinera, still having that epic Lorna Shore vibe while more originally written:

Yes Daniel, but the tracks often favor one genre over the other. Here are a few of the tracks that are mainly heavy/power metal-based symphonic metal (which, looking back at now, also makes me think of a darker Trans-Siberian Orchestra):

And here are a few of the tracks that focus on melodic/symphonic death metal, whether in the instrumentation or entirely:

Getting back into more of the melodeath zone, here are a couple highlights from bands I've discovered, including one of the most melancholic melodeath bands from Finland besides Insomnium:

And a virtual band from the Adult Swim program Metalocalypse:

Some more metalcore bands I now enjoy thanks to what I discovered when assembling the Revolution playlists and listening to the Gateway playlists:

Ben, please add the new Omnium Gatherum EP Slasher.

Ben, please add the new In This Moment EP Blood 1983.

Here are my top 10 feature release discoveries, mostly centered around my main clans:

1. Opeth - Blackwater Park (2001)

2. Gaza - I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die (2006)

3. Rosetta - The Galilean Satellites (2005)

4. Godflesh - Godflesh (1988)

5. Dir En Grey - Uroboros (2008)

6. Skycamefalling - 10.21 (2000)

7. Karnivool - Themata (2005)

8. Old - The Musical Dimensions of Sleastak (1993)

9. The Chariot - Long Live (2010)

10. Dødheimsgard - Black Medium Current (2023)

THE FALLEN: Hexer - "Cosmic Doom Ritual" (2017) 3/5

THE GATEWAY: Katatonia - "Sky Void of Stars" (2023) 4.5/5

THE INFINITE: Dødheimsgard - "Black Medium Current" (2023) 5/5

THE SPHERE: Strapping Young Lad - "Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing" (1995) 4/5

This month went quite well for most of my clans. My Gateway and Sphere nominations are pretty solid albums that I would recommend to fans of their respective genres. That Dødheimsgard album is a perfect discovery (thanks Xephyr!). I like a good amount of that Hexer album, though some issues could've been sorted out for more than the 3-star rating I've given it. Keep up the good work on the feature releases, all! I look forward to more...

A prime example of psychedelic progressive black metal:

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

I was also late for the Dodheimsgard party. I've never heard of this band until just a couple weeks ago when I discovered their earlier masterpiece 666 International during my ongoing industrial metal exploration. And now I get to check out their latest album that's as fantastic as their earlier pinnacle! Since the aforementioned 666 International, these Norwegian progressive black/avant-garde metal masters have an 8-year interval between releases. I don't know if that's intentional, but the wait was worth it for longtime DHG fans with Black Medium Current! The band was formed in the 90s as part of Norway's black metal scene, then they took on a more progressive/avant-garde direction. Their determination to keep going has resulted in a successfully written album to give you the best of their recent times. With an epic blend of clean and harsh vocals, soft and heavy guitar, and some stellar synths, all this definitely makes many of the tracks worthwhile. With that, Black Medium Current is another grand magical experience from this band. The psychedelic synth moments are good for anyone up for DHG and any other progressive black/avant-garde metal band. My curious mind can certainly get the best rewards!

5/5

It's mostly in the last track, "Black Lava Flow". It seems to me that the atmospheric steam that has leveled up the album is lost, and therefore doesn't reach the earlier intensity.

I've given Cosmic Doom Ritual some listening and a review. The album is certainly post-sludge, but with its doomy atmosphere, it leans much closer to The Fallen than bands like Neurosis and Isis. It made me realize that post-sludge might have some Fallen potential alongside its strength in The Infinite. It wouldn't seem right for this album to have The Infinite as its sole clan, so it's quite a tough call. Also it might be possible for there to be a post-black metal subgenre. A few other albums I've reviewed, each from one of these bands; Agalloch, Alcest, Deafheaven, and Oranssi Pazuzu, make a seamless blend of post-metal and black metal with its immense ambience and broad experimentation. Of course, Alcest and Deafheaven have the more appropriate subgenre label of blackgaze. I'm not sure though, I'm never really a black metal connoisseur. Any thoughts all?

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

What's expected in one of those "post-" genres is the immense atmosphere. It helps you live through the enjoyment of such a journey. Cosmic Doom Ritual is a title that may sound simple yet promising in the dreamy atmosphere. It also sums up what you might find in this offering; the cosmic ambience of Darkspace, the sludgy doom of early Isis, and the post-metal ritual of Neurosis, all combined into a savory space-doomy post-sludge sound... Cosmic Doom Ritual is the debut album by Hexer (whose band name appears to be inspired by The Witcher franchise). The band has projected their sound through the conceptual tale of a giant sea creature devouring its prey. They can really make a story similar to a Mastodon or Ahab album with a cosmic twist. There are 3 tracks, each with an average length of 12 minutes, all in good alternation with the post-rock melancholy. The vocals remind me of Godflesh and, to a lesser extent, Napalm Death. The melody has created an interesting soundscape. However, the tedious production, especially in the last track, is why I don't find it as awesome as the doomy metalheads would. Still the immense atmosphere has kept the band growing....

3/5

It's very unusual for The Ocean to actually have a qualifying song here, but its repetitive structure makes this a skippable stinker, and you wonder if this is the same band:

On second thought, this cover of a pop song my brother and I have known since before we started our rock/metal interests is a total standout that has blown my mind with how a rock cover is meant to be done:

Ben, please add Skynd.

A standout from another one of my brother's favorite alt-metal bands. My review for this album coming soon...

1. Gateway playlist - 4/5 (number of songs commented: 12)

2. Infinite playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 18)

3. Revolution playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 30)

4. Sphere playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 28)

For the clans I've made the monthly playlists for, along with the one for the Infinite, 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 playlist made by Saxy, and I'm glad all those other playlists I've reviewed 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! Also, all the best with overcoming your struggles, Saxy, and see you next month or two!

This 13-minute 3-part suite is epic, though not as glorious as Lorna Shore's Pain Remains suite:

A true industrial metal swansong from Devin Townsend's heavier band:

A massive war anthem of extreme industrial metal:

One of the heaviest songs I've heard in my life, arguably heavier than most death/thrash metal:

I find the song title hilarious because it's not filler at all, but rather a great highlight from the beginning album of Devin Townsend's massive career:

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

I understand that this album isn't for the pure old-school thrash fans. Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing is basically heavy thrashy industrial metal with lots of noise and rage. Despite a few disorganized songs, the album comes out as a great beginning for Devy's massive career. I'm not kidding about the raging intensity, many of the songs have savage riffing hellfire, blazing drum blasts, and screaming vocal anger, though there are some clean moments and Devy's signature humor. It's all here in the beginning of this Canadian metal man's adventurous journey. After two albums for one-time projects (Punky Brüster and Ocean Machine), Devin Townsend would bring the sound of SYL to perfection in the band's next album City....

4/5

Recommended tracks: "S.Y.L.", "In the Rainy Season", "Cod Metal King", "The Filler - Sweet City Jesus", "Drizzlehell"

For fans of: Devin Townsend's heavier albums, Space Avenue-era Waltari, Fear Factory

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

Deathstars - "Everything Destroys You" (3:55) from Everything Destroys You (2023)

Godflesh - "Forgive Our Fathers" (7:40) from A World Lit Only by Fire (2014)

Gothminister - "Liar" (3:39) from Anima Inferna (2011)

Motionless in White - "Disguise" (3:58) from Disguise (2019)

Oomph! - "Come and Kick Me" (6:24) from Defekt (1995)

Pain - "Party in My Head" (3:08) from Party in My Head (2021)

Total length: 28:44

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

36 Crazyfists - "Kenai" (2:47) from A Snow Capped Romance (2004)

Amaranthe - "Dynamite" (3:14) from Massive Addictive (2014)

The Browning - "Cryosleep" (3:51) from Isolation (2016)

Demon Hunter - "Storm the Gates of Hell" (2:54) from Storm the Gates of Hell (2007)

Morning Again - "Minus One" (6:13) from The Cleanest War (1996)

Polaris - "No Rest" (4:15) from The Guilt and The Grief (2016)

Trivium - "The Sin and the Sentence" (5:49) from The Sin and the Sentence (2017)

Total length: 29:03

Here are my submissions for the July Infinite playlist:

Cult of Luna - "The Revelation Embodied" (7:45) from Cult of Luna (2001)

Devin Townsend - "Why?" (4:59) from Empath (2019)

Dog Fashion Disco - "Private Eye" (3:40) from Adultery (2006)

Rosetta - "Release" (5:36) from A Determinism of Morality (2010)

Watchtower - "Technology Inaction" (6:20) from Concepts of Math: Book One (2016)

Total length: 28:20

Here are my submissions for the July Gateway playlist:

Avatar - "The King Wants You" (4:20) from Avatar Country (2018)

Breaking Benjamin - "Polyamorous" (2:56) from Saturate (2002)

Five Finger Death Punch - "Jekyll and Hyde" (3:26) from Got Your Six (2015)

Lacuna Coil - "Spellbound" (3:21) from Shallow Life (2009)

Linkin Park - "One Step Closer" (2:35) from Hybrid Theory (2000)

Mushroomhead - "Kill Tomorrow" (3:45) from XIII (2003)

Poynte - "Hold On" (4:04) from Discreet Enemy (2015)

The Word Alive - "Made This Way" (4:15) from Dark Matter (2016)

Total length: 28:42

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Meathook Seed - "Famine Sector" from Embedded (1993)

4.5/5. The crushing opener of this playlist is, without a doubt, one of the best songs of this industrial death metal blend! I don't have much to describe its greatness.

Deathstars - "Midnight Party" from Everything Destroys You (2023)

5/5. Deathstars is back, and back hard! They've made an explosive throwback to their 2000s era. Whiplasher sounds like the guy who can just be a fan of the band and still lead them. Great music as always!

Pitchshifter - "Landfill" from Industrial (1991)

4.5/5. Pitchshifter made a prime example of using Godflesh's industrial metal formula. They just repeat the same riff throughout, and even the lyrics are minimal. It's just "Hate, I hate, hate, I hate you motherf***er, drown, bleed, I wish you could." They even mix in a few samples with slow guitars/drums. Despite the repetition, I enjoy that one. Fear Factory made their own cover of that song over two decades later.

Sore Throat - "Phase IV" from Inde$troy (1989)

4/5. This is often called the "Air" section and has standard hardcore heaviness while having that industrial vibe.

Rob Zombie - "Superbeast" from Hellbilly Deluxe (1998)

3.5/5. You can shout along to this highlight and its gang-infused chorus. I saw the music video for that song quite long ago.

Dead World - "Kill" from The Machine (1993)

4/5. This is a pretty good throwback to the earlier doom, though the Marilyn Manson-like lyrics cause some complications, "Football on the TV, beer in the hand, the extent of his rational depth. He's a god fearing man, a wife beating f***, a vacuous flag waving fool."

Skrew - "Albatross" from Dusted (1994)

4.5/5. Also in a slightly higher level than Ministry is quite a monster within those chords.

Pain - "On Your Knees (Again)" from Pain (1997)

5/5. This is without a doubt a true highlight. The standard riffs sound so greatly written.

White Zombie - "El Phantasmo and the Chicken-Run Blast-O-Rama" from Astro-Creep: 2000 – Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head (1995)

4.5/5. This is a song I can have an awesome blast with. One of the best songs to love here! After a heavy headbanging, the speed slows down, while still having its greatness.

Godflesh - "Crush My Soul" from Selfless (1994)

4.5/5. Stretching out the skeletal structure, there are more traditional industrial sounds, with electronic samples reminding some of Aphex Twin at that time. Though being released as the first single might've tricked fans into thinking the entire album would be like that.

Fear Factory - "Regenerate" from Genexus (2015)

5/5. This one continues to have the heavy and melodic sides duel with each other. Bell's vocals get you hooked as always, while the keyboards by Rhys Fulber sound clean and melodic, essential for making that song one of the most memorable here.

Mushroomhead - "Everyone's Got One - Only Mix" from Remix (1997)

4.5/5. "Only Mix", huh? Makes sense when it's the only original song of that remix album. It's so soft and beautiful that you can play it loud and not disturb the neighbors.

Marilyn Manson - "Antichrist Superstar" from Antichrist Superstar (1996)

4/5. At the start of the Disintegrator Rising cycle, this track will make sure you want the album to keep going as long as you like.

Samael - "Angel's Decay" from Passage (1996)

4.5/5. Although I thought of Samael's Passage as a masterpiece, I ended up turning my back from it to avoid going down the black metal hellhole that the albums before this are in. This amazing song can get still my skin into a Jupiterian vibe. Samael and Pain have some of that modern industrial metal strength, a little more than Rammstein.

Code Orange - "You and You Alone" from Underneath (2020)

5/5. This one moves through the screaming metalcore madness alongside a withering chorus ("You play your part, you know your role") for teens to yell along to, rebelling against the electronic uprising with complex poetry.

Gothminister - "All This Time" from The Other Side (2017)

4.5/5. Dark philosophical lyrics. Enough said!

Static-X - "Bring You Down (Project Regeneration)" from Project Regeneration, Vol. 1 (2020)

4/5. This song was supposed to be in the Start a War album, but did not make it in. Any song with the subtitle "Project Regeneration" is a scrapped song that has been revived for the project. Definitely has some Wisconsin Death Trip fire in there, especially in the intro. Pretty good one!

King Satan - "Left Hand Path Symphony" from Occult Spiritual Anarchy (2022)

4/5. This one's quite killer, reminding me of Powerwolf gone Rammstein. I don't like this band too much though, which is good because it would be awkward if I, someone who would never be satanic, say "Hail King Satan!" The vocals sound nice in beautiful harmony. Some of the lyrics seem to reference The Holy Mountain. It's quite f***ing great how the keyboards sounds like they're from Deep Purple while having an entirely different sound, and that I quite love.

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

3.5/5. Quite underrated, but at the same time not. A bit too much like Nine Inch Nails and Rammstein. The last third of the track is a bit weird.

Crematory - "Inglorious Darkness" from Inglorious Darkness (2022)

4/5. There's some great beauty in here. What else is there to say?

Contracult Collective - "Follow" from FOLLOW (2020)

4.5/5. Well this is quite a kick-A banger! F***ing great, man!

D'espairsRay - "Dears" from Coll:set (2006)

5/5. Do you think in an alternate universe where my brother and I live in a different country like Japan, this would be what my brother would start listening to over a decade ago? I don't know, I don't care. This is a h*lla awesome track! It would've been an easy one for me to sing if I understood Japanese, but I don't. Nonetheless, I love it! They've already pleased fans from America and Europe when they were touring.

Mechina - "The Horizon Effect" from Progenitor (2016)

4.5/5. Such godly music with easy yet chilling lyrics, "I stand in shadows of monuments". This can almost be the cyber metal symphony of the universe! Imagine a more melodic female-led Fear Factory, and you're not too far off. Normally, Mechina is one of those growling bands, but this cleaner female direction is cosmic.

Ministry - "Leper" from Animositisomina (2003)

4/5. Upon stumbling upon this instrumental industrial metal piece, I thought this would be a cool addition to the playlist. Al Jourgensen has really jammed out with drummer Max Brody in this one, sounding fun while the song reeks of empty despair. Ministry, Rammstein, and Nine Inch Nails are 3 of the most popular industrial metal bands, but never really bands I'm up to checking out a lot of. While not having any lyrics, the track warns quite well about humanity's possible future extinction.

Erdling - "Blizzard" from Yggdrasil (2020)

3.5/5. Pretty good though, like most other Neue Deutsche Härte bands, a bit too much like Rammstein. The lyrics are quite great despite being in hard-for-me-to-understand German. I think it can still hammer your skin.

Stahlmann - "Spring Nicht" from Quecksilber (2012)

4/5. Once a Man of Steel, always a Man of Steel. This one's quite great.

Ost+Front - "Ost+Front 2014" from Olympia (2014)

4.5/5. I wonder if anyone seeing the band's name thinks they specialize in original soundtracks for video games. They don't, but this song should be in one.

The Amenta - "Parse Over" from Revelator (2021)

5/5. Forget what I said about that Meathook Seed song being one of the best of industrial death metal, this is even better! There's even some ambient doom throughout to add to the bleakness. That's the kind of playlist ending I need here!

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? Despite some bumpiness in some places. 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 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:

Enda Vinera - "Death's Calling" from Death's Calling (2022)

5/5. There's no better way to start this playlist with a brand new Lorna Shore-inspired epic deathcore band my brother and I both discovered. This is basically "To The Hellfire 2.0", in a way that sounds like far more like a tribute than the rip-off. I wonder if their next couple songs will be similar to "Of the Abyss" and "And I Return to Nothingness"...

Beartooth - "Sunshine!" from Sunshine! (2023)

5/5. Here's another fantastic single, this one being poppy metalcore! Beartooth is where I prefer to get that sound rather than Falling in Reverse. A f***ing killer song to love!

Premonitions of War - "Correspondences" from The True Face of Panic (2002)

4.5/5. This one has some of the most metal blast-beats I've heard from a metal/hardcore band. The deathgrind sound has some abstract chords, opening a wide tunnel with devastating chaos at its end.

Earth Crisis - "Born From Pain" from Destroy the Machines (1995)

5/5. Up next is this introspective blast of heavy weight in the music and lyrics. It was also recently covered by Eighteen Visions in their own cover album.

Code Orange - "I Am King" from I Am King (2014)

4.5/5. This track starts with opening and closing walls of distorted sound before the volume and power increase for their usual hardcore/metalcore.

Shai Hulud - "Outside the Boundaries of a Friend" from Hearts Once Nourished With Hope and Compassion (1997)

5/5. This one has excellent guitar intricacy that would make me say the Owen Wilson "WOW." The perfect devastation comes during the breakdowns in contrast to lightning fast rhythms that sear through.

Strongarm - "Stand Together" from Atonement (1995)

4.5/5. One of my favorites here, with a message of never giving up on grace.

Burst - "Rain" from Prey on Life (2003)

4/5. A beautiful prog-ish metalcore track. What else can I say?

Atreyu - "Ain't Love Grand" from Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses (2002)

4.5/5. This song from the band's debut album is greatly addictive! When I was in my late teens, my brother was playing some of his favorite songs on his guitar. This song ain't one of them, but it should've been. I'm barely complaining at all!

Animosity - "Grey Skies" from Shut It Down (2003)

5/5. This nearly 3-minute-long song unleashes the might of their deathcore groove from the two different coasts, even having some Undying-like melody. There isn't anything acoustic, just brutal deathly weight.

Hatebreed - "Not One Truth" from Satisfaction is the Death of Desire (1997)

5/5. One of the best tracks in the playlist, blasting through rebellious lyrics and chorus rhythm.

Cable - "Steel Cage Match" from Variable Speed Drive (1996)

4.5/5. A highlight in which the anger and passion makes up for the slight unpolished mistakes.

Converge - "Homewrecker" from Jane Doe (2001)

5/5. This one cranks the chaos back to full throttle. It is a definitely a killer standout in everything from the lyrics to the vocals and instruments with higher versatility than bands like Botch. There's some more brilliant guitar work and drumming. The brilliant chorus kick a** with drums, riffs, and vocal howls that can really wreck your home if you play it at full blast.

Zao - "Lies of Serpents, a River of Tears" from Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest (1998)

5/5. Continuing that metallic direction is this awesome track, especially in the guitar duo's atonal riffing.

Ice Nine Kills - "Thank God It's Friday" from The Silver Scream (2018)

4.5/5. This song continues the tempo and execution in epic chaotic atmosphere

All That Remains - "Victory Lap" from The Order of Things (2015)

5/5. This is another heavy rock/alt-metal anthem with easier instrumentation. It's actually the song that got me into this band, thanks to my brother who also likes this band (he likes metalcore as well but when it's closer to his usual hard rock/alt-metal taste).

Trivium - "Catastrophist" from What the Dead Men Say (2020)

5/5. There are some risks that end up paying off greatly, such as a radio-friendly singalong chorus. Then at the halfway mark, the mosh pit opens with a face-tearing assault. The furious drumming is what keeps everything together and not fall out of place.

Eighteen Visions - "Prelude to an Epic/Flowers for Ingrid" from Until the Ink Runs Out (2000)

4.5/5. The first part is an epic intro that sounds the intro for one of the songs by Brandan Schieppati's main band Bleeding Through, especially in the background keyboards. Then the second part has the band's usual metalcore.

Prayer for Cleansing - "A Dead Soul Born" from Rain in Endless Fall (1999)

5/5. This one attacks with fantastic black-metalcore that makes you forget that some of these guys are from BTBAM.

Celldweller, The Browning - "A Matter of Time - The Browning Remix" from A Matter of Time (The Browning Remix) (2019)

5/5. A heavy DOOM-style death/metalcore remix of a Celldweller song! If The Browning and Celldweller ever tour together, they should definitely perform this remix live. Although there are a couple slow djenty deathcore breakdowns, at the two-minute mark is a different kind of breakdown, one of aggrotech adrenaline. Total electronic fire! Celldweller has also remixed one of Asking Alexandria's songs. I guess you can consider this remix industrial djenty death/metalcore. I definitely prefer to find electronics in metal rather than pop. This certainly is heavier than Metallica has ever gone, or even Slipknot. I f***ing love this collaboration. The vocals range from brutal to clean, as does the instrumentation enhanced by The Browning in a battle between life and death. Would you believe that this is the same Celldweller that made the 2003 debut? Well... Yes and no! That's how absolutely precious this is.

Despised Icon - "Bad Vibes" from Beast (2016)

4.5/5. "YOU GIVE ME BAD VIBES!" Totally killer deathcore right there.

Impending Doom - "Deceiver" from Baptized in Filth (2012)

5/5. Same with this one, but guess what, this band is Christian! You might find it hard to believe how bad-a** the song is, especially over the two-minute mark, but that's what they are. The vocalist has great range, not just deathly low. And they said Christianity and death metal/core don't mix...

The Word Alive - "The Fortune Teller" from Real (2014)

4.5/5. Start off from the intro that sounds like the beginning of Lady Gaga's "Poker Face", this is a catchy song to jam along to, all the way to the perfect outro. This album Real is filled with solid favorites. The solo at the 3-minute mark is one of the sick performed by Zack Hansen. The lyrics are well thought-put and have deep meaning for your lost struggles, "Here I am now, am I all alone?" Towards the end of the bridge, there's a bit of a Staind vibe, but the song definitely sounds more like Architects than Staind.

Parkway Drive - "Bottom Feeder" from Ire (2015)

4/5. The heaviness returns with a "GO!!" in this mid-paced anthem, starting with an interesting 30-second riff intro. The guitars, drums, and vocals are all in interesting interplay, especially in the gang chorus that makes that song a phenomenal track.

Mouthbreather - "Born Dead" from Pig (2017)

3.5/5. Interesting submission, Daniel. This is actually one of only two tracks I like from this EP, having Daughters-like early 2000s mathcore I prefer.

Any Given Day - "Never Surrender" from Overpower (2019)

4/5. This one sounds a bit like Five Finger Death Punch mixed with 2000s Killswitch Engage. Still it's quite bad-A! Anyone who grew up in the 80s can enjoy Megadeth, but it's the more modern bands I'm looking out for. The chorus almost reminds me of Linkin Park. My favorite song from this band besides "Savior"!

Convictions - "Wreckage" from I Won't Survive (2021)

4.5/5. Another well-done killer metalcore track! That's all I gotta say there.

Sienna Skies - "Quarterlife" from A Darker Shade of Truth (2016)

4/5. I also like this one, though the mixing could've better. Next!

Living Sacrifice - "Apostasy" from The Infinite Order (2010)

4.5/5. As we approach the end of this playlist, here's an epic song that reminds me of Trivium's "The Shadow of the Abattoir".

Gaza - "Not With All the Hope in the World" from No Absolutes in Human Suffering (2012)

4/5. Let's end this with a relentless doomy swansong for this band's career. "It's the same noise every day, we walk back and forth".

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? Despite some bumpiness near the end. Anyway, I sure would 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:

Wheel – Tyrant (2019)

4/5. A great start for this playlist! That's the kind of breathtaking music to appreciate with audible bass. However, I find the lyrics to be a little too obvious. And while I do love the music, it's a bit too much like TOOL. Though there is a bit of a Soen vibe in the ambient midsection. Also the excellent vocals sound like the smoother side of Linkin Park's Chester Bennington (RIP).

Breaking Benjamin – Red Cold River (2018)

4.5/5. This song is a true example of Breaking Benjamin's heavier potential. My brother has been a fan of this band since the beginning of his rock/metal interest over a decade ago, and he and I still find amazing songs from this band throughout all those years.

Coldrain – Bloody Power Fame (2022)

5/5. Now this is a thought-evoking anthem throwing back to their 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!

Evanescence – Haunted (2003)

3.5/5. One of my brother's favorite Evanescence songs, though it's quite strange, telling a horror story about a spirit trapping a girl in a haunted mansion for a decade.

Five Finger Death Punch – If I Fall (2011)

4/5. This one continues the heavy madness that would impress fellow bands of the NWOAHM such as Trivium.

I Prevail – Bow Down (2019)

4.5/5. A great song from one of my brother's recent favorite bands! "GET ON YOUR KNEES AND BOW DOWN!!!"

My Ruin – Silverlake (2008)

4/5. The sludgy alt-metal instrumentation is quite killer, but the rapping ruins it a bit.

Lacuna Coil – Sword of Anger (2019)

4.5/5. A great sensation of gothic alt-metal from the masters of that sound! Like holy sh*t, you can hear the vocal anger of Andrea Ferro alongside the beautiful voice of Cristina Scabbia. The amazing music comes out as almost a cross between Madness-era All That Remains, HIM, and We are the Fallen. Probably one of the best songs I've heard from this band! They've taken their heaviness and done it justice like true modern metal warriors.

Escape the Fate – Gorgeous Nightmare (2010)

2.5/5. This song I've heard from a music video I've watched 10 years ago. It sounded great back then, but now? Nope, it's just too d*mn repetitive. This attempt at a catchy chorus is annoying with plain-sounding instrumentation. I feel like skipping that track and erasing all memories of it from my mind.

New Years Day – Relentless (2015)

3/5. Although I support my brother's like for this band, Ash Costello's vocals sound a bit too whiny and emo there. Sorry, miss...

Parkway Drive – Shadow Boxing (2018)

3.5/5. This one introduces something different to the band; clean vocals and piano! It's a dark epic song, despite the strange rapping vocals throwing me off.

Ektomorf – Ten Plagues (2014)

4/5. Great track to end the playlist, despite sounding too much like mid-90s Sepultura.

Ben, please add Poynte.

June 2023

1. Meathook Seed - "Famine Sector" from Embedded (1993)

2. Deathstars - "Midnight Party" from Everything Destroys You (2023)

3. Pitchshifter - "Landfill" from Industrial (1991)

4. Sore Throat - "Phase IV" from Inde$troy (1989)

5. Rob Zombie - "Superbeast" from Hellbilly Deluxe (1998)

6. Dead World - "Kill" from The Machine (1993)

7. Skrew - "Albatross" from Dusted (1994)

8. Pain - "On Your Knees (Again)" from Pain (1997)

9. White Zombie - "El Phantasmo and the Chicken-Run Blast-O-Rama" from Astro-Creep: 2000 – Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head (1995)

10. Godflesh - "Crush My Soul" from Selfless (1994) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

11. Fear Factory - "Regenerate" from Genexus (2015) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

12. Mushroomhead - "Everyone's Got One - Only Mix" from Remix (1997)

13. Marilyn Manson - "Antichrist Superstar" from Antichrist Superstar (1996) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Samael - "Angel's Decay" from Passage (1996) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

15. Code Orange - "You and You Alone" from Underneath (2020) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. Gothminister - "All This Time" from The Other Side (2017)

17. Static-X - "Bring You Down (Project Regeneration)" from Project Regeneration, Vol. 1 (2020)

18. King Satan - "Left Hand Path Symphony" from Occult Spiritual Anarchy (2022)

19. Combichrist - "One Fire" from One Fire (2019)

20. Crematory - "Inglorious Darkness" from Inglorious Darkness (2022)

21. Contracult Collective - "Follow" from FOLLOW (2020)

22. D'espairsRay - "Dears" from Coll:set (2006)

23. Mechina - "The Horizon Effect" from Progenitor (2016)

24. Ministry - "Leper" from Animositisomina (2003) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

25. Erdling - "Blizzard" from Yggdrasil (2020)

26. Stahlmann - "Spring Nicht" from Quecksilber (2012)

27. Ost+Front - "Ost+Front 2014" from Olympia (2014)

28. The Amenta - "Parse Over" from Revelator (2021)

June 2023

1. Enda Vinera - "Death's Calling" from Death's Calling (2022)

2. Beartooth - "Sunshine!" from Sunshine! (2023)

3. Premonitions of War - "Correspondences" from The True Face of Panic (2002)

4. Earth Crisis - "Born From Pain" from Destroy the Machines (1995)

5. Code Orange - "I Am King" from I Am King (2014) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

6. Shai Hulud - "Outside the Boundaries of a Friend" from Hearts Once Nourished With Hope and Compassion (1997)

7. Strongarm - "Stand Together" from Atonement (1995)

8. Burst - "Rain" from Prey on Life (2003)

9. Atreyu - "Ain't Love Grand" from Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses (2002)

10. Animosity - "Grey Skies" from Shut It Down (2003)

11. Hatebreed - "Not One Truth" from Satisfaction is the Death of Desire (1997)

12. Cable - "Steel Cage Match" from Variable Speed Drive (1996)

13. Converge - "Homewrecker" from Jane Doe (2001)

14. Zao - "Lies of Serpents, a River of Tears" from Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest (1998)

15. Ice Nine Kills - "Thank God It's Friday" from The Silver Scream (2018) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. All That Remains - "Victory Lap" from The Order of Things (2015) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

17. Trivium - "Catastrophist" from What the Dead Men Say (2020) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

18. Eighteen Visions - "Prelude to an Epic/Flowers for Ingrid" from Until the Ink Runs Out (2000)

19. Prayer for Cleansing - "A Dead Soul Born" from Rain in Endless Fall (1999) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

20. Celldweller, The Browning - "A Matter of Time - The Browning Remix" from A Matter of Time (The Browning Remix) (2019)

21. Despised Icon - "Bad Vibes" from Beast (2016) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

22. Impending Doom - "Deceiver" from Baptized in Filth (2012)

23. The Word Alive - "The Fortune Teller" from Real (2014) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

24. Parkway Drive - "Bottom Feeder" from Ire (2015)

25. Mouthbreather - "Born Dead" from Pig (2017) [submitted by Daniel]

26. Any Given Day - "Never Surrender" from Overpower (2019)

27. Convictions - "Wreckage" from I Won't Survive (2021)

28. Sienna Skies - "Quarterlife" from A Darker Shade of Truth (2016)

29. Living Sacrifice - "Apostasy" from The Infinite Order (2010)

30. Gaza - "Not With All the Hope in the World" from No Absolutes in Human Suffering (2012)

Here's my review summary:

Katatonia is known as one of the finest metal bands to come from Stockholm, Sweden. So why am I not getting into more of this action? See, they started as a death-doom band throughout the early/mid-90s, and they made a couple of the best albums of that genre. But when I left the Fallen clan, I distanced away from this band (among other death-doom bands), and the depressive lyrics they've had throughout their career kind of boosted my moving out motive. Interestingly, their albums from Viva Emptiness onwards are in the clan I switched into, The Gateway, with those albums considered dark alternative metal with post-/progressive elements. When I found out about their newest album Sky Void of Stars (the title sounds like a depressing take on a Coldplay single), I remembered the decently well-made City Burials from 3 years prior and my subsequent wonder of whether or not Jonas Renkse and co. could do better. And they've done it! They've made something close to a masterpiece of creativity. There's so much to discover the moment this offering started playing. They've enhanced their sound in this ongoing alt-metal era, continuing the mellowness of City Burials while eliminating the plodding factors and climbing back up towards the top. My concerns about if the depressiveness becomes too depressing is now out the window, and instead we have what might just be the best album Katatonia made in 25 years. The more progressive songs are complex in the riffing and rhythm while staying melodic. Drummer Daniel Moilanen makes his way through an impossibly big amount of time signatures. Bassist Niklas Sandin impressively keeps up with the fast technicality, into a bridge of mellow jazz. Guitar duo Anders Nyström and Roger Öjersson are the masters behind the riff complexity, with the latter performing a beautiful soloing. Of course, we can't forget about Jonas Renkse's warm vocal melodies, but while the unpredictability of the vocals can level up the impact, right from the beginning, it might catch you off guard at times. As the album goes on, you get find more of this melodic goth alt-metal throwing back to the band's 2000s albums and even as early as Discouraged Ones and Tonight's Decision. If you're not as experienced with Katatonia as I am (despite my break from that band for over a year), Sky Void of Stars wouldn't be easy for you initially unless you give a lot of listening time. Eventually, it'll be worth witnessing the album's brilliance. Katatonia had finally made their way back on top in their discography, and I look forward to more!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Austerity", "Opaline", "Author", "Sclera", "Atrium", "No Beacon to Illuminate Our Fall"

For fans of: Alice in Chains, early-2000s Paradise Lost, Soen

Noise-powered industrial/nu metal with programmed drums hitting as hard as actual drums and impressive vocals:

Before I make the thread for my June feature releases and playlists, I'd like to share my thoughts about this feature release that I skipped but have not caught up. Here's my review summary:

The late Wayne Static, along with bassist Tony Campos, guitarist Koichi Fukuka, and drummer Ken Jay have made pretty good industrial/nu metal straight outta California. What's interesting is the album title, coming from the 1973 Michael Lesy book. The programmed drumming shows the band's noise-powered industrial metal tendencies, while being easily performed with actual drums. Static's vocal range is impressive, ranging from shouts to cleans without difficulty. The atmospheric synths and heavy riffing are also essential to the album's sound. In the end, we get to have a nice lookback at the first work of the band Wayne Static is mostly known for. RIP Wayne....

4/5

Ben, Sonny, Xephyr... I've encountered this incredible offering of experimental industrial black metal that should be up you guys' alley. Daniel and Vinny, you two can also check it out, but I should warn you, it will take quite some listening time to digest before you can decide what you think of this album.

A brilliant closing track for this amazing industrial black metal journey:

A highlight from Danzig's gradual move away from electro-industrial back into the heavier metal, with Glenn Danzig's mind-blowing vocal talent:

Soar through the industrial metal cosmos with this memorable track:

Distorted sh*t that shouldn't have existed:

A dark-sounding highlight in a drum 'n' bass-littered industrial rock/metal album:

8-bit sounds and groove/thrash added into industrial/alternative metal ecstasy:

A long repetitive yet epic standout of industrial metal/post-sludge:

So I decided to listen to and review this album as I continue to expand my industrial metal horizons, and it's one of the very best I've heard from the genre and post-sludge! I also realized that this was an earlier Sphere feature release, and boy do I regret not checking out earlier when the feature release was still hot. Here's my review summary:

Some say going chronological when checking out a band's discography is one of the weaker methods because the earlier material before the famous era is often highly different. They may be correct, but HyBreed ended up being an exception to that rule. A newfound perfect favorite of mine as my industrial metal collection grows! HyBreed shows that the band is no longer as speedy as they were in their debut album and part of their second album. The album is slow in a lot of songs, and the tempo stays the same in even the long 10-minute epics, and there's never anything bad about that at all! Despite being a bit repetitive, that's the kind of repetition that appeals to me. They can just focus on one riff and one drum pattern and yet stay interesting. And even the two short fast tracks and two lengthy ambient tracks can have a great kick out of them. I know some people might not like it due to its heavy repetition and lengthiness and think this could cause a dent in the genre. However, this album has the motherload of many things that solidify the melody and dark ambience of industrial metal/post-sludge. The simply structured songs can keep you hooked until the end. Any fan of Red Harvest and industrial metal should get it, and if you want to appreciate it as much as I do, it just takes patience!

5/5

An 8-minute epic from this band's first album with the industrial metal sound they would be known for:

This Norwegian industrial metal band started out as avant-garde progressive/technical thrash that fans of Mekong Delta, Coroner, and late-80s Voivod shouldn't miss out on:

A brilliant highlight from the pioneering band of Neue Deutsche Härte: