Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies
The drummer from Artillery died on the same day. Not a great one for thrash metal it has to be said.
RIP Josua Madsen
RIP Dark Angel guitarist Jim Durkin. Though he's gone from this world now, the wicked thrash material he's made with Dark Angel shall rise in our hearts.
The occasional switch from metal to surf music will make you be like Joe Pesci and say "What the f*** is this piece of sh*t?!":
The Swedish experimental groove-ish alt-metal masters are back with perhaps their best song since the title track of Hail the Apocalypse:
1. Gateway playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 8)
2. Guardians playlist - 4/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 24)
3. Infinite playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 10)
4. Revolution playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 29)
5. Sphere playlist - 4/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 27)
For the clans I've made the monthly playlists for, 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 and Infinite playlists made by Saxy, and I'm glad the Guardians, Revolution, and Sphere playlists made by me 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! Once again, all the best with your exam, Xephyr!
THE GATEWAY: Static-X - "Wisconsin Death Trip" (1999) 4/5
THE INFINITE: Between the Buried and Me - "The Great Misdirect" (2009) 4/5
THE REVOLUTION: Underoath - "Lost in the Sound of Separation" (2008) 5/5
THE SPHERE: Ministry - "In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up (Live)" (1990) 4.5/5
Even though I don't see that Between the Buried and Me album as a perfect masterpiece as much as I used to, I still enjoyed most of it along with that Static-X album. My Revolution nomination shows Underoath as their best, and I really would recommend it to fans of that band and metalcore. That Ministry live album is also excellent. Keep up the good work on the feature releases, all! I look forward to more...
This sh*tty composition has nothing to do with the glory of its heavier more furious counterpart:
The best throwback to the Jesper Strömblad era of In Flames' melodeath fury with a memorable chorus:
Another one of the best songs from earlier Breaking Benjamin despite being a soft ballad-ish track:
A fast pounding highlight in the alternative/avant-garde metal realms:
I've done my review for that Dog Fashion Disco release. Here's the link to my review: https://metal.academy/reviews/29111/1140
And here's its summary:
Dog Fashion Disco have really done their job well in this album, Committed to a Bright Future! It shows the band's talent at a nice pace, and it has given me the motivation to continue exploring this band instead of just giving up after part of it. In many songs, one moment you hear fast guitars and drums, and the next you hear jazzy bass and creepy carnival-like keyboards, with a bit of xylophone or saxophone. So weird, but I love it! Todd Smith's vocals would make Mike Patton proud. Committed to a Bright Future can pretty much be one of my top 10 releases in alternative/avant-garde metal. Any fan of rock or metal should look into this bright future!
5/5
I've heard about this band Dog Fashion Disco, having listened to a couple songs from them, and even tried listening to and reviewing one of their albums but I couldn't finish because of its experimental wackiness. I've never heard their 2003 album before, so I'm up to giving it some listening and a review to see if the band really is worth adding to my metal arsenal. So yeah I'm going with Dog Fashion Disco's Committed to a Bright Future.
Another floppy ending track for a modern thrash album:
Fast harsh aggression of thrash, brilliant for the speedier fans:
OK, one more encore for this thread, this album from another popular thrash band I haven't checked out until now...
Testament is known as one of the SECONDARY Big 4 of thrash, alongside Exodus, Overkill and Death Angel. Reviewing this album The Formation of Damnation is a good leap from Slayer's Repentless since drummer Paul Bostaph stepped in to play drums for this Testament album at a time when Dave Lombardo (who also recently rejoined Testament) continued his time with Slayer. I also remember guitarist Alex Skolnick performing with Savatage and Trans-Siberian Orchestra. However, the quality varies in lukewarm ways. Some songs are brilliant, others are just uninspired. It's a bit frustrating when one half of the album is great and the other is more average. The highlights each have strong melody and a catchy chorus, along with fast harsh aggression for the speedier fans. However, the few poor tracks lose a bit of the band's earlier skill, and while there's longer guitar soloing, it just lacks anything memorable and comes out as pretty much aimless. The flawless highlights are certainly worth listening to, especially for thrash fans. Yet those poor tracks leave me ending another encore to my Ultimate Pit Test with a slight foul taste in my metal mouth....
3.5/5
Almost a year after doing my track-by-track genre analysis of Trivium's The Crusade, I decided to do the same for their new album In the Court of the Dragon. Throughout the year and a half that I've been listening to this album (among many other metal albums of course), I begin to realize this is more than just a melodic metalcore album, with different diverse styles mixed with the genre that is still the main one. So before I declare Judgement Submission Day on this album, here's how I would tag the genres in the 10 tracks:
1. X - orchestral intro
2. In the Court of the Dragon - melodic metalcore
3. Like a Sword Over Damocles - melodic metalcore/progressive/thrash metal
4. Feast of Fire - heavy/alternative metal
5. A Crisis of Revelation - melodic metalcore
6. The Shadow of the Abattoir - heavy/power/symphonic/melodic metalcore
7. No Way Back Just Through - melodic metalcore
8. Fall Into Your Hands - melodic metalcore/symphonic/progressive/thrash metal
9. From Dawn to Decadence - melodic metalcore/thrash metal/hard rock
10. The Phalanx - heavy/power/progressive/symphonic/melodic metalcore
So based on what I've analyzed, In the Court of the Dragon is still primarily just a melodic metalcore album with only one full song not being part of the genre, "Feast of Fire". However, there are many secondary influences appearing here, each in 3 tracks, so here's how I would list the genres for this album here:
Primary: melodic metalcore
Secondary: progressive metal, thrash metal, heavy metal, symphonic metal
So I won't have to make any judgement submissions for this album, but a few RYM genre votes from me await!
This bland groove atrocity is not how Slayer should've closed their discography, though slightly interesting at times:
A fresh thrashy highlight that really should've been the proper end for the band's swansong album:
Brief return to this thread for one more Slayer album I decided to review, jumping forward 30 years...
Here is their final album Repentless, which is also their only album without founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman after his untimely passing two years earlier. Also absent was their mighty drummer Dave Lombardo. Does this album work without them? Eh, not so much... Hanneman was known for his creative thrash songwriting. He knew how to add in spooky experimentation to the band's songs, while the band's other founding guitarist Kerry King wrote the typical upbeat tracks. With King in full control of most of the songwriting in this album, you might think this would be full-on fast thrash, especially with a promising start in the first few tracks. About half of this album is just low-tuned mid-tempo groove metal, unfitting for what I expect from this band. Only a couple thrashy highlights appear in the second half of the album, and a couple more thrashy songs sound uninspired and anti-climatic. Guitarist Gary Holt does some great soloing work as if he has learned from Hanneman himself. Drummer Paul Bostaph is also good, while not the same as Lombardo. King performs some of the greatest riffing in thrash. Tom Araya continues his experienced aggression in the vocals and bass. And while Repentless is not how I thought they would end it all, I recognize the earlier Hell Awaits as a classic essential enough for my potential in The Pit. So long, Slayer.....
2.5/5
An impressive hymn mixing the catchy and heavy sides of the band's industrial metal sound:
Two slow cold bleak highlights from Dead World's second album that shows great improvement compared to their debut:
I think in the actual pictures would be better, but then again it's quite a lot to write and it would make the fine print too small to read, unless you make the posters in a large size.
I also enjoy "Can God Fill Teeth?" which is so odd and mesmerizing yet as creative as those first two tracks in my opinion.
Yeah. That band is more avant-garde/experimental than people out there think they are.
That would be quite interesting, Rex! I look forward to seeing your promotional posters. Let's see what Ben and Daniel think of that idea first.
A one-two punch of fast heavy/industrial metal/hardcore fury with occasional slow psychedelia in the latter track:
Here's my submission for the April Guardians playlist:
Avantasia - "The Scarecrow" (from The Scarecrow, 2008)
Here are my sneak peek submissions for the April Sphere playlist:
Code Orange - "Drowning In It" (3:08) from What is Really Underneath? (2023) (Code Orange's new remix album is more of an electro-industrial release, but some of the remixes maintain the metal sound of the original songs from Underneath that are remixed)
Godflesh - "Mothra" (4:31) from Pure (1992)
Gothminister - "Bloodride" (3:49) from Pandemonium (2022)
The Kovenant - "The Memory Remains" (4:32) from SETI (2003)
Samael - "Year Zero" (3:38) from Eternal (1999)
Voivod - "Phobos" (6:57) from Phobos (1997)
Total length: 26:35
Here are my sneak peek submissions for the April Revolution playlist:
36 Crazyfists - "We Gave It Hell" (3:12) from The Tide and Its Takers (2008)
All Shall Perish - "The Death Plague" (3:02) from This Is Where It Ends (2011)
All That Remains - "Become the Catalyst" (3:07) from The Fall of Ideals (2006)
Candiria - "Temple of Sickness" (6:21) from The Process of Self-Development (1999)
From Autumn to Ashes - "The After Dinner Payback" (2:51) from The Fiction We Live (2003)
Lorna Shore - "To the Hellfire" (6:09) from ...And I Return to Nothingness (2021)
We Came as Romans - "Intentions" (3:01) from To Plant a Seed (2009)
Total length: 27:43
Here are my submissions for the April Infinite playlist:
Between the Buried and Me - "Disease, Injury, Madness" (11:03) from The Great Misdirect (2009)
In Mourning - "Voyage of a Wavering Mind" (5:49) from The Weight of Oceans (2012)
Leprous - "Within My Fence" (3:16) from The Congregation (2015)
Rosetta - "Ayil" (4:59) from A Determinism of Morality (2010)
Voivod - "Planet Hell" (4:34) from Negatron (1995)
Total length: 29:41
Here are my submissions for the April Gateway playlist:
Avatar - "Dance Devil Dance" (4:00) from Dance Devil Dance (2023)
Breaking Benjamin - "Next to Nothing" (3:43) from Saturate (2002)
Disturbed - "Indestructible" (4:38) from Indestructible (2008)
Dog Fashion Disco - "Love Song for a Witch" (4:11) from Committed to a Bright Future (2003)
Gone Is Gone - "Roads" (5:31) from Echolocation (2017)
Katatonia - "Austerity" (3:41) from Sky Void of Stars (2023)
Linkin Park - "Numb" (3:07) from Meteora (2003)
Total length: 28:51
A Spotify playlist I've made of highlights from the albums I've reviewed in my Ultimate Pit Test:
An amazing live rendition of a pounding industrial metal tune:
I've done some listening and a review, here's its summary:
There are some industrial metal bands that are better off as studio-only, whether by their own choice or by fan demand, mainly due to heavy usage of electronics and samples as opposed to metal instruments. The band performed at Holiday Star Theatre in early 1990 and recorded it for a live album... In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up! The performance has actually enhanced some songs better than in the studio versions. The CD version consists of 6 songs from the albums The Land of Rape and Honey and The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste, 3 songs per album. They selected some of the best songs from both albums, with some of them having good improvement. It's quite great hearing the songs from The Land of Rape of Honey get the heavier live treatment to suit the band's expanding metal sound. On the other hand, in the songs from The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste, there more weight in the groove rather than tightness. Both separate aspects combined, they foreshadow the sound in their later albums becoming more metallic. The video edition not only has two more songs, but also Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys and Ministry side-project Lard reciting a parody of the Pledge of Allegiance. Ministry made a great performance showcasing the songs from their late 80s metal era. Not the best live album I've heard, but quite a memorable one in industrial metal....
4/5
Solid progressive blend of brutal, melodic, and wacky:
Here's my review summary:
Between the Buried and Me can chug through progressiveness faster than a train. Colors was once a true landmark for me. It continues the transition they had through their first 3 albums. With the new lineup of bassist Dan Briggs, rhythm guitarist Dustie Waring, and drummer Blake Richardson maintaining their places, the progressive hints from their earlier albums have evolved into a new essential part of the sound in Colors. The songs are longer and they all transition to each other like a multi-part suite. The earlier heaviness kept going, mixed with some fun wacky parts. The Great Misdirect continues that format in a more progressive direction than before. 4 of the 6 songs are mighty progressive epics, all mixing heavy and soft sections, with occasional turns into jazz, blues, and circus music. The other two are short soft ballads. However, the 18-minute finale epic "Swim to the Moon", which I used to really enjoy, I now find a bit draggy in the length, with the soloing bridge fitting better for a live jam. Still, it's an epic highlight, and nothing's too big of a deal. The transitions are almost never forced, and most of the songs are set up well overall. Tommy's vocals range from explosive growls in better quality to melodic cleans that no longer sound robotic. He appears less while still around a lot, allowing the other members to shine, including Blake whose drumming is so unique and heavy in the patterns. Between the Buried and Me continue the progressive journey they've had since The Silent Circus, and while The Great Misdirect isn't as perfect as I once thought it was, it's their finest hour of coherence!
4/5
Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:
Omega Lithium - "Colossus" (from Kinetik, 2011)
5/5. Let's start with this band that had the potential to keep rolling after two albums, but sadly declined that opportunity. This is an awesome start that's part of a one-two punch with its next track "Dance With Me". This is more kick-A than Rammstein! It really continues where the band left off in their debut Dreams in Formaline. It's my second favorite Omega Lithium song behind "Stigmata". It makes me think of what would happen if Theatre of Tragedy continue the industrial pop rock elements of Musique and Assembly in Storm while keeping that album's gothic metal comeback, or simply a more industrial Evanescence. They should really reform sometime.
Deathstars - "This Is" (from This Is, 2023)
4.5/5. This is real, people! Deathstars have a new album Everything Destroys You coming out two months from now. What a f***ing headbanging return!
Contracult Collective - "WDYT" (from A Cult of Opposition, 2020)
4/5. This good underrated song has a great message. The beat drop starts the crazy loudness. I can hear a bit of a Circle of Dust vibe in this one. The greater industrial metal fans will have a pleasant time.
Gothminister - "Angel" (from Gothic Electronic Anthems, 2003)
4.5/5. Here's an anthemic single totally worth hitting the charts and being used for clubs.
Motionless in White - "Brand New Numb" (from Disguise, 2019)
4/5. This one starts with an outtake of trying to sneak in an acoustic riff ("I'm trying to f***ing record this." "Sorry."), then the actual electric riff in the most poppy radio-friendly song here that's actually very well-written.
Combichrist - "Understand" (from One Fire, 2019)
3.5/5. "Today is not the right day to fall apart..." Good line for a song filled with wild industrial.
Ministry - "Just One Fix" (from ΚΕΦΑΛΗΞΘ [Psalm 69], 1992)
4/5. A pretty great song from Ministry, especially that hard-hitting breakdown over the 3-minute mark. It really can be worth "driving down the highway at night". However, there might be something missing, I don't know. Vocalist Al Jourgensen can do sinister laughing. This industrial rock/metal tune can also work well for fighting a zombie apocalypse, or at least that's what it sounds like. The f***ing world needs to be fixed, doesn't it? Also it reminds me of Rammstein's "Du Hast".
Ghostemane - "Anti-Social Masochistic Rage (ASMR)" (from ANTI-ICON, 2020)
4.5/5. Whoa... So nice yet spooky. I like it!
Strapping Young Lad - "Love?" (from Alien, 2005)
5/5. This is an absolutely emotional composition of punishing heaviness. Devy's great vocals range from screaming to clean. The guitar, bass, and keyboards are amazing with fantastic lyrics. The best song of this album! Though I'm sure there's at least one or two song by the band that's better...
Celldweller - "Shapeshifter" (from Shapeshifter (feat. Styles of Beyond), 2005)
5/5. Who here wants to listen this song while driving your car 200 MPH like a rocket...in Need for Speed Most Wanted, of course? That's the video game that has this song in its soundtrack. There are some glitches and censored swearing, but that doesn't matter much here, unlike in a certain experimental My Dying Bride stinker...
Turmion Kätilöt - "Naitu" (from Global Warning, 2020)
4.5/5. This is quite bad-a** despite me not being able to understand the Finnish lyrics. There's some good industrial-trance metal to love here!
SKYND - "Tyler Hadley" (from Chapter II, 2019)
4/5. Not gonna lie, this is one of the most disturbing songs I heard in industrial metal, and metal in general. An industrial metal gone trap song about a teen who bludgeoned his parents to death with a hammer, hid the bodies in the closet, and threw a party, then he was arrested the next day and sentenced to life in prison. It's pretty great though. "You should feel lucky, why don't you feel lucky?"
Author & Punisher - "Maiden Star" (from Kruller, 2022)
4.5/5. This one greatly unites more of brutal synths and percussion with heavy otherworldly melody.
Uniform + The Body - "Penance" (from Everything That Dies Someday Comes Back, 2019)
4/5. Here's an interesting blend of industrial noise and synthpop with great production. This collaboration can massage the brains of the strong and damage the brains of the weak. This kind of sound is actually quite underrated. Though it would be greater if there weren't the screams that sound like a rooster being tortured.
Static-X - "Push It" (from Wisconsin Death Trip, 1999)
3.5/5. Another Static-X song after experiencing another one of the songs from the album in this month's Gateway playlist. Wayne's industrial nu metal sound shall live on. RIP... Sounds like something my brother would've listened to over 10 years ago, but he didn't, he was listening to other similar bands. The song was used in some video game/film soundtracks in 1999 and the 2000s. Besides being in The Sphere, it fits well in The Gateway in a different style compared to TOOL.
Lindemann - "Ich weiß es nicht" (from Ich weiß es nicht, 2019)
3/5. The intro starts promising, but once the German verses enter, it starts going a bit downhill. I bet fans of Lindemann's first solo album didn't see the return to Rammstein's Neue Deutsche Härte sound coming in his second solo album.
Architects - "When We Were Young" (from The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit, 2022)
3.5/5. This is a pretty good new direction for Architects, going alt-industrial metal, though there are other releases that I would rank higher.
Marilyn Manson - "mOBSCENE" (from The Golden Age of Grotesque, 2003)
4/5. A bad-a** song from Marilyn Manson. "PAIN PAIN PAIN!!!"
Circle of Dust - "Onenemy" (from Circle of Dust, 1995)
3.5/5. I love Circle of Dust. It's Klayton's earliest and most metallic project. The lyrics are quite good, and the sound makes me think of Linkin Park gone The Prodigy. "Four cycles moving gone, three dark days and death is on, two wishing to fulfill, only one enemy to kill!" However, much of the structure in the sound is quite mild. However, the breakdown that starts the last minute is something to really love!
Rammstein - "Feuer frei!" (from Mutter, 2001)
3/5. When the sirens go off at the 40-second point, you're in for a ride. Actually this song would cause driving to be quite a challenge if you put it on your car stereo. It doesn't have much fire as I'm hoping for though, probably because of the typical Neue Deutsche Härte. That intro is quite sick though. I could imagine Pitbull remixing this song, which is quite odd to imagine. And don't forget, that song was also in that Vin Diesel film xXx along with one of Hatebreed's songs.
Eisbrecher - "Frommer Mann" (from Liebe Macht Monster, 2021)
3.5/5. This is slightly better, though still sounding a lot like Rammstein, maybe even Oomph!
Traumtaenzer - "Stigmata" (from Der weisse Raum, 2010)
4/5. Enjoyable music, though I prefer Omega Lithium's "Stigmata".
Skrew - "Helter Skelter" (from Angel Seed XXIII, 1997)
4.5/5. As a bonus hidden track in the original album, there are a couple outtakes before the actual song begins. A kick-A industrial metal cover of a Beatles classic!
The Kovenant - "Star by Star" (from Seti, 2003)
5/5. I just started listening to this band full-time, thanks to highlights like this one, and it's a shame that haven't had anything new since this album from 20 years ago. It's amazing how a band that I never had the guts to try when I was in my cleaner teens (because of their earlier black metal era) turns out to be glorious for me. Also associating the band with black metal is keyboardist Geir Bratland who would later join symphonic black metallers Dimmu Borgir. This f***ing great headbanger actually works well for the pandemic we were all in. Its album has more apocalyptic synths while being much less extreme than their earlier albums like Nexus Polaris. The Kovenant has proven to be masters of cyber-gothic metal. The band's not dead, it's just that the members have moved on to other things. Think before you judge this awesome piece!
Sybreed - "ReEvolution" (from Slave Design, 2004)
4.5/5. Pretty cool cyber metal. What else can I say?
Fear Factory - "A Therapy for Pain" (from Demanufacture, 1995)
5/5. A dark nearly 10-minute epic showing how influential Fear Factory can be. They're known as one of the first bands to unite clean singing with harsh growling. This is the kind of raw energy that I wish I would've discovered in my teens, if not for my dominating melodic side.
Godflesh - "Suction" (from Streetcleaner, 1989)
4.5/5. Last but not least, this is a much shorter piece. Similar to the rest of the EP that was added to the band's debut, it sounds more like industrial hard rock within the riffs and beats, with the vocals sounding cleaner for an ethereal tone. But it's still worth hearing...
Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? Despite a few slight bumps throughout... Anyway, I sure would recommend this to any industrial metal fan and anyone who isn't into industrial metal but is up to getting into a great start in enjoying 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:
Stigmata - "The Heart Grows Harder" (from The Hard Grows Harder, 1992)
4.5/5. A great way to start the playlist is with the best song in its original album by far, a 7-minute opening epic that reminds me of Paradise Lost's Shades of God in the earlier verses. Then midway through, things go as fast as the speed/thrash metal of early Metallica. But there's still a bit of the hardcore/metalcore that represents what the earlier bands of the genre were going for. Then it slows down again to that Paradise Lost-like pace. The rest of the original album is 5 more songs with two scattered interludes, but none of them match the title track's glory.
Bleeding Through - "Fade into the Ash" (from Love Will Kill All, 2018)
5/5. A blistering mix of epicness and extremeness, and one of the most glorious metalcore songs I've ever heard! It displays the band's crushing music with huge hooks and one of the greatest choruses in the album and the band, topped off by symphonic keyboards. Pretty much every element the band has is served in just 3 and a half minutes. WELCOME F***ING BACK!!!
Dead to Fall - "Stupid?" (from Are You Serious?, 2008)
5/5. This one unleashes mighty in-your-face deathly metalcore to make fun of the genre in the lyrics, with Hunt bellowing about how "F***ING STUPID!!!" this song is, mentioning the "OH SH*T!!" At the Gates-like thrashy death metal riff while it's playing, and finally ending it all "WITH A F***ING BREAKDOWN!!!" There's more eclectic programming to come later...
Deadwater Drowning - "The Best Sex I Ever Had Started with a 900-Number and a Credit Card Verification" (from Deadwater Drowning, 2003)
4.5/5. This is perhaps the best song of its original EP, scary with some bits of Drowningman.
Shai Hulud - "The Consummate Dragon" (from That Within Blood Ill-Tempered, 2003)
5/5. One of the best songs of the more hardcore side of metalcore! Lots of people should find this song and witness what's to love there. "How does it sleep at night, this tyrant?! Heaping slaves on the pyre just to watch ambition burn!"
Trivium - "Insurrection" (from Shogun, 2008)
4.5/5. This one has the melodic vocals and thrashy guitar playing from The Crusade while still keeping some sinister metalcore screams and breakdowns.
All That Remains - "The Last Time" (from For We Are Many, 2010)
5/5. This is probably the best song of its original album and my second favorite by the band, behind "Two Weeks" from Overcome. It really brings their metal sound despite mostly clean vocals and the repetitive chorus.
Kingdom of Giants - "Motif" (from All the Hell You've Got to Spare, 2017)
4.5/5. Another track that's really hard to dislike because of how much the band has accomplished. Holy sh*t, the vocal variation is quite a lot!
Lorna Shore - "Into the Earth" (from Pain Remains, 2022)
5/5. Part of the epicness or Lorna Shore's new album, this one drives further with its frantic verses and dramatic chorus.
Slaughter to Prevail - "Demolisher" (from Kostolom, 2021)
4.5/5. And right after that Lorna Shore track is a killer song from a different band with the f***ing monstrous vocalist Alex Terrible. This song tackles the selfishness of their country Russia's government that doesn't care about the wars their citizens are suffering through. At one minute left, there's a f***ing brutal breakdown that fans of the genre would love to headbang to, right after Alex screams the song title "DEMOLISHER!!" This is real deathcore demolition!
From Here On - "Shard of Glass" (from Hope for a Bleeding Sky, 2000)
4.5/5. One of only two great highlights in this EP, this one is a total spine-chiller.
Sikth - "How May I Help You" (from How May I Help You, 2002)
5/5. This fantastic song has a crazy lot of guitar shredding and screaming babbling in a way that I love. Apparently it tells some kind of interesting fictional story.
Void of Vision - "Hole in Me" (from Hyperdaze, 2020)
5/5. There's a redux version of this track that features Kenta Koie of Crossfaith. His scream at over the two and a half minute mark is the f***ing killer sh*t!
Strife - "Angermeans" (from Angermeans, 2001)
4.5/5. Angermeans is an amazing underrated album by this band, Strife, with lots of original emotion. This song is really great, with a f***ing amazing riff to start it. Although there's also a bit of experimentation in that album, it's still like a more metallic Terror.
Ice Nine Kills - "Hip to Be Scared" (from The Silver Scream 2: Welcome to Horrorwood, 2021)
5/5. This one is based on American Psycho, and the first single of the album. They've really executed their sound like an execution! Great parts of the song include the sample of the original Huey Lewis song, and background vocals by Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach.
Memphis May Fire - "This Light I Hold" (from This Light I Hold, 2016)
4.5/5. Also featuring Jacoby Shaddix, the lyrics are about people or things being deemed bad by haters who don't bother collecting evidence. That's an excellent metaphor for people putting down metal because of the lyrical themes from death/black metal that they think every metal genre has when they obviously don't.
The Chariot - "David De La Hoz" (from Long Live, 2010)
5/5. A video was made for this diverse highlight. The song features a weird bridge from a hillbilly preacher, and it ends with a soft harp outro.
Unbroken - "Blanket" (from Life. Love. Regret, 1994)
4.5/5. Another intense unforgiving highlight! That's all there is to say...
The Browning - "Carnage" (from Geist, 2018)
5/5. I just love this American take on Crossfaith's electronic metalcore sound. This can work as a wrestling theme.
August Burns Red - "Ghosts" (from Found in Far Away Places, 2015)
4.5/5. This one starts with what almost sounds like the intro to one of the slower In Flames songs. But the song itself is interesting with clean vocals by Jeremy McKinnon from A Day to Remember, balancing out the melody with the mood that haunts you as much as ghosts.
Motionless in White - "Puppets 2 (The Rain)" (from Infamous, 2012)
5/5. This one starts off sounding a bit like brutal death metal. The chorus is sung by Soilwork's Björn Strid alongside the bellowing of Chris. It's clear how much intense passion can be found in these lyrics of storytelling vision.
Parkway Drive - "Deliver Me" (from Sleepwalker, 2010)
4.5/5. This is a brutal yet simple fan favorite to keep the live crowd energized.
Amaranthe - "Danger Zone" (from Massive Addictive, 2014)
4.5/5. This one, having a bit of the metalcore side of the band's sound, continues Elize's angelic siren-like vocals while also displaying Henrik's vocal ability, perfectly suited to hammer through heavy riff breakdowns in a shattering pulse.
From Autumn to Ashes - "Short Stories with Tragic Endings" (from Too Bad You're Beautiful, 2001)
5/5. Such a beautiful 9-minute epic that I love from this band, almost fitting well for a both an anime battle scene and anime romantic scene. So inspiring without anything forced! Within all that emotional passion, the ending is an absolute tear-jerker. It's different from what the band would make in other songs like "The After Dinner Payback". The calm ending occurs after the metalcore storm, from the 6-minute mark onwards. The vocals by Melanie Wills and violin makes this song a symphonic metal/post-hardcore track as a whole. Except the ending doesn't get heavy, and her vocals sound more like Avril Lavigne than any female vocalist in symphonic metal. It's quite bearable for the softer listeners, and works well in the aftermath of a heartbreak. "Did you ever look, did you ever see that one person?"
Rolo Tomassi - "Howl" (from Astraea, 2012)
5/5. Howl to the moon for this mind-blowing band of female-led mathcore that reminds me of The Dillinger Escape Plan and early Between the Buried and Me! How hardcore and heavy can they go?! They can surely dominate the mathcore scene. The breakdown at over the two and a half minute mark is a total headbanger. Nicely done!
Car Bomb - "Blackened Battery" (from Mordial, 2019)
5/5. This one is also unforgiving with their time signature changes. This really displays their Metallica influences, with the title coming from two Metallica songs, and different sections paying tribute to "Blackened" in the most mathcore way possible. It's like cheese, crackers, and milk, a few separate things that make an awesome combo!
Chelsea Grin - "All Hail the Fallen King" (from My Damnation, 2011)
4.5/5. An amazing slaying deathcore song, featuring Philip Bozeman of Whitechapel.
The Last Ten Seconds of Life - "Annihilation Phenomena" (from Disquisition on an Execution, 2022)
4/5. My brother told me about this band that a friend of his enjoys that's heavier than what he's comfortable with. Having experienced this kind of heaviness, I decided to check this band out, and it's probably heavier than what I'm used to. This track is still a great brutal deathcore ripper.
Coalesce - "There is a Word Hidden in the Ground" (from Ox, 2009)
4.5/5. This crushing slow closer is a brilliant favorite of mine to end it all!
HOLY SH*T, this is probably the best metalcore playlist I've ever done, with every track ranging from 4.5 to 5 stars, except for one 4-star track. I sure would recommend this to any metalcore fan and anyone who isn't into metalcore but wants to get into a great start in enjoying 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!
With Xephyr taking a break from Metal Academy to prepare for his professional engineering exam, I was given the opportunity to take over assembling Guardians playlists for the time being. A great way to throw back to my Guardians past and discovering music from different genres and eras of the clan (with a lot of 80s classics)! So here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:
Blind Guardian - "Majesty" from Battalions of Fear (1988)
4.5/5. Odd carnival intro aside, the opening track of this album and playlist is a majestic anthem with a melodic chorus of vocal layers.
Helloween - "Guardians" from Walls of Jericho (1985)
4/5. This one has solid higher speed and nice melodic guitar riffing. There's slightly less power in the vocal notes Hansen tries to hit. However, it's made up for by the strong catchy chorus, along with nice bass. An anthem for power metal and the Guardians clan!
Motley Crue - "Looks That Kill" from Shout at the Devil (1983)
3.5/5. A bit too glam for most metalheads including myself, but Mick Mars' guitar talent is underrated and bad-a**.
Scorpions - "Rock You Like a Hurricane" from Love at First Sting (1984)
3/5. The late 20th Century was when rock and metal were really rising, and it can be good to look back at that time today in the 2020s. However, this one rocks much more like a glam/hard rock hurricane.
Ozzy Osbourne - "God Only Knows" from Patient Number 9 (2022)
3.5/5. This one's slightly better, with Ozzy borrowing a lyric from Neil Young and singing his own variation, "It’s better to burn in Hell than fade away".
Black Sabbath - "Heaven and Hell" from Heaven and Hell (1980)
4/5. And now we head to a classic from Ozzy's former band Black Sabbath, though this is from the Dio era. His vocals are so heart-tearing along with the guitar soloing. The music and lyrics are a lot to love for many metalheads. Dio was quite a metal legend. RIP
Judas Priest - "Breaking the Law" from British Steel (1980)
3.5/5. This band is quite brave to keep going from this classic onward, remaining active over 53 years after formation. Quite catchy!
Accept - "How Do We Sleep" from Too Mean to Die (2021)
4/5. "The thoughts have all been written down, the pen is laid aside. Do you feel your mind at peace, or do you feel as though you've died?" It's lines like those that can stay in your head. The harmonic structure fits well for this bad-a** composition in Accept's latest album. Don't let the evil beast of karma catch up to you!
KISS - "I Love It Loud" from Creatures of the Night (1982)
3.5/5. Surprised to find a KISS song in this playlist? I'm personally surprised to recognize this as the theme song for that South American soccer show of Disney XD, O11CE (pronounced like the Spanish word for "11"). The drums are killer and add to the song's arena vibe.
Dio - "Holy Diver" from Holy Diver (1983)
4/5. Another classic from Dio, and a more famous one. You just can't resist his powerful voice. Once again, RIP...
Bitch - "Riding In Thunder" from Be My Slave (1983)
3.5/5. Interesting choice, Daniel! There are catchy riffs to party along to. You can almost think of this band, specifically their frontwoman Betsy, as the metal Madonna.
Krokus - "Screaming in the Night" from Head Hunter (1983)
3/5. Here's another 40-year-old classic song, though it's too much like Scorpions and Def Leppard for me to truly like. Krokus is kind of a cool name for heavy metal/hard rock band. While it's not really the best song for me, it's one any metalhead won't regret.
Dokken - "Dream Warriors" from Back for the Attack (1987)
3.5/5. I probably would've rocked out to this song more about 9 years before this comment when my metal interest was more melodic. Still the lyrics are pretty good. The drums and guitars rock quite a bit. It's a dream that can wake you up despite not being a nightmare. Sounds good, right?
Symphony X - "Smoke and Mirrors" from Twilight in Olympus (1998)
4/5. The neoclassical madness of this band Symphony X may be hard for simple guitar listeners to understand. But there are great guitar solos to learn such as the one surround the 4-minute mark.
Queensryche - "Chapters" from Digital Noise Alliance (2022)
4.5/5. This is quite an excellent song filled with unique magic. Cheers to this band! Hope to keep up the revisiting.
Within Temptation - "Mother Earth" from Mother Earth (2000)
4/5. For those wondering what the band who made that "Shed My Skin" song with Annisokay sounds like in their earlier material, look no further to this beautiful piece of symphonic metal. It was a memorable highlight in my epic metal teens, but now not so perfect due to my taste changing to become heavier and less bombastic.
Epica - "Victims of Contingency" from The Quantum Enigma (2014)
4.5/5. Epica is another symphonic metal band I used to love, and recently they became one of my Audiomachine-loving friend's favorite bands. She and I both sang this song in karaoke the other day. I performed the death growling while she performed the operatic singing. Pretty killer, right?
Kamelot - "Opus of the Night (Ghost Requiem)" from Opus of the Night (Ghost Requiem) (2023)
5/5. Kamelot is yet another band I used to enjoy and what got me into the symphonic metal part of my epic metal taste nearly 10 years ago. The guitar harmonies and orchestra make a fantastic combo. The song itself is like a sequel to the title track of Ghost Opera! Tina Guo performs beautiful cello soloing. This unbelievable single definitely makes me up to revisiting Kamelot with their new album The Awakening!
Stratovarius - "Frozen in Time" from Survive (2022)
4.5/5. Stratovarius made a wonderous return from a 7-year gap between albums with the new Survive. This kind of composition can make classical and metal composers dead or alive proud. Don't know if I would be up to checking out the rest of the album, but maybe one day...
Sabaton - "Christmas Truce" from The War to End All Wars (2022)
4/5. A couple months late for Christmas, but never mind. I enjoy the lyrics, along with the music throwing back to "Carol of the Bells".
Nick Z Marino - "Freedom Has No Price" from Freedom Has No Price (2010)
4/5. This is quite tremendous neoclassical guitar soloing inspired by Yngwie Malmsteen, who helped produce the album. However, the vocals bring down the score a bit.
Warfare - "Metal Anarchy" from Metal Anarchy (1985)
4.5/5. A grand anthem of punky metal! It really does show the band raising their fists in anarchy, along with the music video of being metaphorically caged in.
DragonForce - "Chemical Interference" from Maximum Overload (2014)
5/5. One of the best DragonForce bonus tracks, hinting at what they were aiming for in the next two albums.
Nightwish - "Endlessness" from HUMAN. :II: NATURE. (2020)
4.5/5. Now this is quite a way to end this playlist, with the ending of the full-band part of this album, detailing the expanding universe/multiverse that we all live in. The album is Nightwish's final one with bassist/male vocalist Marko Hietala before he left the band and took a break from the public. The song features Marko's bass performing and vocals for the final time with the band. So poetic! Let's wish the best of luck for their dear friend Marko...
Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? Despite a few slight bumps throughout... Anyway, I would recommend this to heavy/power/symphonic/neoclassical metal fans and anyone who isn't into those genres but is up to getting into a great start in enjoying them. Thanks Daniel for letting me take over on the Guardians playlists, accepting this one, 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:
Haken – Lovebite (2023)
4/5. I would've loved this band much more if I started listening to them like 8 years ago. Nonetheless, this song and "Nightingale" are good bangers, this one having addictive happiness despite the lyrics telling otherwise.
The Contortionist – Follow (2019)
4.5/5. This song is quite amazing, I wish I could've followed this band more.
Burst – Cripple God (2008)
5/5. This one's an awesome favorite, charging in with intense riffing and raw vocals that resemble Mastodon. Now that I think of it, this album is like a more ambient hardcore Mastodon. Then there's a beautiful softer verse before exploding into a furious attack of classic Metallica.
Ne Obliviscaris – Devour Me, Colossus (Part I) : Blackholes (2014)
5/5. The first part of this two-part suite starts off with a brutal riff and sinister growls give the song an evil atmosphere. Then you get an unexpected hit by one of the most brilliant drum grooves ever alongside emotional clean vocals and crazy riff-wrath. The bass draws you in further. Then all of the members unleash their instrument power at once with overwhelming section at once before transitioning to another quiet acoustic/violin section. The amazing violin solo soon gives in to more great clean vocals and some nice bass work... Then BOOM!! The brilliant chaos explodes in before quieting down again for that groovy bass riff. Soon the instrument layers of riffing and drumming build up with a godly guitar solo. Finally all the intense instrument power is unleashed together with the (male) beauty and the beast vocals before ending in joy and sorrow.
Queensryche – Bridge (1994)
4.5/5. An amazing soft bridge between the two halves of this playlist, with the guitar of Chris DeGarmo and the vocals of Geoff Tate. I suggested this song to be added to the playlist while my father and brother were on a trip to the U.S. I wasn't sure if they would make it back to my home country, but I'm glad they're still around. I'm currently 24 and I still would like my family to stay complete. My dad built this bridge that has connected between each other, and I don't want it to fall down. To be honest, though the song has more of a Cat Stevens vibe than progressive metal, but it's still beautiful.
Veil of Maya – Godhead (2023)
5/5. New Veil of Maya single? Are they returning with a new album?! I hope so, this is a hard-hitting single, and probably their heaviest since 2012's Eclipse!
Fallujah – Carved from Stone (2014)
5/5. A totally sick burner of heavy technicality! Gotta get more of this band...
Leprous – Contaminate Me (2013)
4.5/5. Horns up for one of the heaviest Leprous songs, featuring Emperor's Ihsahn!
Today Is the Day – Going to Hell (1999)
4/5. I wanted to get interested in the experimental wackiness of this band, Today is the Day, but I couldn't really. Still this is quite killer.
The Ocean – Parabiosis (2023)
4.5/5. The Ocean is back with their current album Holocene, expanding on the Phanerozoic saga, into the Holocene Epoch. This band is quite incredible, performing their music so well. They really evolved just like the Earth throughout all those different eras. I can't wait for this release, it's gonna rule! And this is an amazing way to end this month's Infinite playlist, until next time...
Here are my thoughts on some tracks:
Katatonia – Colossal Shade (2023)
4.5/5. The opening track for this playlist has a mid-tempo pace with lighter catchy melodies and bouncing electronics. Of course, darkness still lurks in the heavy guitar dissonance, especially in the bridge harkening back to Viva Emptiness.
Celldweller – Frozen (2003)
5/5. You might think I would've discovered this gem over 10 years ago when I only knew my brother's alt-rock/metal interest, but it's only quite recent when I heard him listening to the Blue Stahli remix. With the original song being as fantastic as, if not more than, the remix, and my interest in Klayton's other projects like Circle of Dust and Argyle Park, I'm more determined that ever to check out his most popular project!
Memphis May Fire – Bleed Me Dry (2022)
4.5/5. Another amazing song to love. Enough said!
Static-X – I’m With Stupid (1999)
4/5. Great lyrics to like, though I'm not highly appealed. "HE'S A LOSER!!!" RIP Wayne Static
Gone Is Gone – Violescent (2016)
4.5/5. This highlight hits you with fuzzy magic in the guitar that Troy Van Leeuwen has kept from his main band.
Lacuna Coil – My Spirit (2012)
4/5. A pretty great song written in memory of Type O Negative's Pete Steele, and in some live performances, Slipknot's Paul Gray. RIP those fallen metal bass players... The band crafted this composition very well. There's also an Italian spoken bridge.
Through Fire – Stronger – Extended Version (2016)
4.5/5. This strong single is motivational, encouraging you to lift your spirits up and drop all the bad things in life.
Demon Hunter – Silence the World (2022)
4/5. This is a great place for me to stop, a beautiful epic reminding me a bit of Trivium's Silence in the Snow album, and featuring singing by Tom S. Englund of Evergrey.
March 2023
1. Omega Lithium - "Colossus" (from Kinetik, 2011) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
2. Deathstars - "This Is" (from This Is, 2023) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
3. Contracult Collective - "WDYT" (from A Cult of Opposition, 2020)
4. Gothminister - "Angel" (from Gothic Electronic Anthems, 2003) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
5. Motionless in White - "Brand New Numb" (from Disguise, 2019)
6. Combichrist - "Understand" (from One Fire, 2019)
7. Ministry - "Just One Fix" (from ΚΕΦΑΛΗΞΘ [Psalm 69], 1992)
8. Ghostemane - "Anti-Social Masochistic Rage (ASMR)" (from ANTI-ICON, 2020)
9. Strapping Young Lad - "Love?" (from Alien, 2005) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
10. Celldweller - "Shapeshifter" (from Shapeshifter (feat. Styles of Beyond), 2005)
11. Turmion Kätilöt - "Naitu" (from Global Warning, 2020)
12. SKYND - "Tyler Hadley" (from Chapter II, 2019)
13. Author & Punisher - "Maiden Star" (from Kruller, 2022) [submitted by Daniel]
14. Uniform + The Body - "Penance" (from Everything That Dies Someday Comes Back, 2019)
15. Static-X - "Push It" (from Wisconsin Death Trip, 1999)
16. Lindemann - "Ich weiß es nicht" (from Ich weiß es nicht, 2019)
17. Architects - "When We Were Young" (from The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit, 2022) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
18. Marilyn Manson - "mOBSCENE" (from The Golden Age of Grotesque, 2003)
19. Circle of Dust - "Onenemy" (from Circle of Dust, 1995)
20. Rammstein - "Feuer frei!" (from Mutter, 2001)
21. Eisbrecher - "Frommer Mann" (from Liebe Macht Monster, 2021)
22. Traumtaenzer - "Stigmata" (from Der weisse Raum, 2010)
23. Skrew - "Helter Skelter" (from Angel Seed XXIII, 1997)
24. The Kovenant - "Star by Star" (from Seti, 2003)
25. Sybreed - "ReEvolution" (from Slave Design, 2004)
26. Fear Factory - "A Therapy for Pain" (from Demanufacture, 1995) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
27. Godflesh - "Suction" (from Streetcleaner, 1989)
March 2023
1. Stigmata - "The Heart Grows Harder" (from The Hard Grows Harder, 1992)
2. Bleeding Through - "Fade into the Ash" (from Love Will Kill All, 2018)
3. Dead to Fall - "Stupid?" (from Are You Serious?, 2008) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
4. Deadwater Drowning - "The Best Sex I Ever Had Started with a 900-Number and a Credit Card Verification" (from Deadwater Drowning, 2003)
5. Shai Hulud - "The Consummate Dragon" (from That Within Blood Ill-Tempered, 2003) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
6. Trivium - "Insurrection" (from Shogun, 2008) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
7. All That Remains - "The Last Time" (from For We Are Many, 2010)
8. Kingdom of Giants - "Motif" (from All the Hell You've Got to Spare, 2017)
9. Lorna Shore - "Into the Earth" (from Pain Remains, 2022)
10. Slaughter to Prevail - "Demolisher" (from Kostolom, 2021)
11. From Here On - "Shard of Glass" (from Hope for a Bleeding Sky, 2000)
12. Sikth - "How May I Help You" (from How May I Help You, 2002)
13. Void of Vision - "Hole in Me" (from Hyperdaze, 2020)
14. Strife - "Angermeans" (from Angermeans, 2001)
15. Ice Nine Kills - "Hip to Be Scared" (from The Silver Scream 2: Welcome to Horrorwood, 2021)
16. Memphis May Fire - "This Light I Hold" (from This Light I Hold, 2016) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
17. The Chariot - "David De La Hoz" (from Long Live, 2010)
18. Unbroken - "Blanket" (from Life. Love. Regret, 1994)
19. The Browning - "Carnage" (from Geist, 2018) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
20. August Burns Red - "Ghosts" (from Found in Far Away Places, 2015)
21. Motionless in White - "Puppets 2 (The Rain)" (from Infamous, 2012)
22. Parkway Drive - "Deliver Me" (from Sleepwalker, 2010)
23. Amaranthe - "Danger Zone" (from Massive Addictive, 2014)
24. From Autumn to Ashes - "Short Stories with Tragic Endings" (from Too Bad You're Beautiful, 2001) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
25. Rolo Tomassi - "Howl" (from Astraea, 2012)
26. Car Bomb - "Blackened Battery" (from Mordial, 2019)
27. Chelsea Grin - "All Hail the Fallen King" (from My Damnation, 2011) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]
28. The Last Ten Seconds of Life - "Annihilation Phenomena" (from Disquisition on an Execution, 2022)
29. Coalesce - "There is a Word Hidden in the Ground" (from Ox, 2009)
March 2023
1. Blind Guardian - "Majesty" from Battalions of Fear (1988)
2. Helloween - "Guardians" from Walls of Jericho (1985)
3. Motley Crue - "Looks That Kill" from Shout at the Devil (1983)
4. Scorpions - "Rock You Like a Hurricane" from Love at First Sting (1984)
5. Ozzy Osbourne - "God Only Knows" from Patient Number 9 (2022)
6. Black Sabbath - "Heaven and Hell" from Heaven and Hell (1980)
7. Judas Priest - "Breaking the Law" from British Steel (1980)
8. Accept - "How Do We Sleep" from Too Mean to Die (2021)
9. KISS - "I Love It Loud" from Creatures of the Night (1982)
10. Dio - "Holy Diver" from Holy Diver (1983)
11. Bitch - "Riding In Thunder" from Be My Slave (1983) [submitted by Daniel]
12. Krokus - "Screaming in the Night" from Head Hunter (1983)
13. Dokken - "Dream Warriors" from Back for the Attack (1987)
14. Symphony X - "Smoke and Mirrors" from Twilight in Olympus (1998)
15. Queensryche - "Chapters" from Digital Noise Alliance (2022)
16. Within Temptation - "Mother Earth" from Mother Earth (2000)
17. Epica - "Victims of Contingency" from The Quantum Enigma (2014)
18. Kamelot - "Opus of the Night (Ghost Requiem)" from Opus of the Night (Ghost Requiem) (2023)
19. Stratovarius - "Frozen in Time" from Survive (2022)
20. Sabaton - "Christmas Truce" from The War to End All Wars (2022)
21. Nick Z Marino - "Freedom Has No Price" from Freedom Has No Price (2010)
22. Warfare - "Metal Anarchy" from Metal Anarchy (1985)
23. DragonForce - "Chemical Interference" from Maximum Overload (2014)
24. Nightwish - "Endlessness" from HUMAN. :II: NATURE. (2020)
Here's my review summary:
If you can look back at Underoath's past in the couple years before this album in a more outer perspective, you can find the era of Define the Great Line to be the highlight of this band's career, with that album reaching a golden spot on the Billboard. However, I only think most of the second half of that album is good, so they could've just made an EP or something, and that album's future wasn't bright for the band either. They dropped out of the Warped Tour due to Spencer Chamberlain's drug abuse and almost split up. Luckily they stood strong and fought those hard times to unleash one of two more albums, Lost in the Sound of Separation! This is the second album in a row co-produced by Adam Dutkiewicz and Matt Goldman, but now, helping with the mixing was David Bendeth who had also just mixed Paramore album #2 Riot! (coincidentally, Aaron Gillespie would tour with Paramore during Underoath's two-year split). The 11 songs in this album are probably the most massive I've heard from this band, with wide vibes moving you in different directions. Chamberlain's massive growls shake the speakers alongside Gillespie's improved singing and bombastic drumming. One moment there are soothing calm melodies, and the next has the huge guitar riffing from Timothy McTague and James Smith. Grant Brandell’s booming bass and Christopher Dudley's atmospheric keyboards let the instrumentation really pummel away the so-so-ness of Define the Great Line. And one highlight is a very notable one, for me anyway; "Anyone Can Dig A Hole But It Takes A Real Man To Call It Home" may waste a bit of review space with its long title, but the song itself never wastes any time. I sh*t you not, this was used briefly in a TheOdd1sOut video, and that restored my music video memories of this band and got me to start listening to them full-time. Lyrics like "We always assume the worst!" and "How can I still be alive?!" show the theme of anxiety on a frantic search for hope. As for the rest of the album, all the previous Chamberlain-era albums' clichés have been wiped out for ear-piercing fury and unpredictable melody. Underoath have once fallen into their own dark ages but manage to climb out and make this album with the moral that you are never alone. Lost in the Sound of Separation has stabbed the bleak darkness of their times and quality with a ray of optimistic light!
5/5
Recommended tracks: "Breathing in a New Mentality", "Anyone Can Dig A Hole But It Takes A Real Man To Call It Home", "Emergency Broadcast :: The End Is Near", "The Only Survivor Was Miraculously Unharmed", "Too Bright To See, Too Loud To Hear", "Desolate Earth :: The End Is Here"
For fans of: The Chariot, Norma Jean, Every Time I Die
I need to revisit BTBAM someday soon. I really do! The Great Misdirect is known as one of the greatest albums from the band besides Colors, and was a masterpiece for me when I was still listening to them. Look out for my second attempt at reviewing this album sometime this month!
Saturnus is one of the more underground bands of The Fallen that has pleased the doomier metalheads with their melodic atmospheric brand of death-doom, having a similar vein to My Dying Bride. They were one of my favorite bands when I was still in that clan, but I'm not sure I'm up for giving this album another chance sometime soon. Maybe one day if I have some of that dark doom in my heart...
I've ended my ultimate Pit test in a perfect bang, with Dark Angel's most technical riff-filled offering that includes this mighty 9-minute epic:
Thanks, Sonny! I also didn't think I would enjoy a lot of classic thrash as much as now, I'm glad I do. However, what really hits the perfect spot is when technicality is added to the heaviness, proven by this album I've chosen as the grand finale for my ultimate Pit test, which I'll add the technical thrash metal subgenre to when I'm added to the clan...
I was thinking about trying to find one more thrash band that would be perfect enough to prove that I can fit well in The Pit, but ultimately, I decided that this can already be proven by a classic I'm already familiar with. One that has... 246 RIFFS!!!! All of them rule as they strike through your mind and soul, taking control from beginning to end. Everyone has a different feeling when it comes to a certain album, and I find this album to be full of high-quality thrash genius! The perfect lineup can show you more than just those killer riffs. The production is clean with audible instrumentation. Drummer Gene Hoglan adds some slower technicality alongside his usual fast thrash. Vocalist Ron Rinehart is a perfect fit here with strong vocals as the riffs from the guitarists slay away. The lyrics written by Hoglan are awesome, dealing with insanity and death in greater depths than the still perfect Darkness Descends. Even the music is incredible, including how well the bridges and choruses are structured. All that confirms that this is one of the most complex and extreme thrash albums around. The amazing soloing reaches the top compared to some other thrash albums. All this will make you stay in attention through the progressive length that most songs have, which one of them at over 9 minutes. People might think of Darkness Descends as the band's greatest album, and while they're right, Time Does Not Heal is very close to that reign as one of the greatest albums of thrash and tech-thrash. Truly standing the test of time!
5/5
So what have I learned from my Ultimate Pit test? I've learned to have the bravery of expanding my thrash comfort zone to check out the popular classics, not just the underrated underground gems. And it has really paid off, scoring some 4 or 4.5-star reviews from me! But like I said, what really hits the perfect 5-star spot is when technicality is added to the heaviness, as you can see from the 5-star reviews I've given albums from thrash bands like Annihilator, Demolition Hammer, and Dark Angel, along with tech-thrash bands that aren't involved in the test, like Coroner, Sadus, and Vektor. The only bumpy part of that road is the groove metal section, in which the albums of that style I've reviewed in the test don't reach that mark of greatness, only about 2.5 or 3 stars in my reviews, except for Demolition Hammer's Time Bomb (4.5 stars) which made me too optimistic about those other groove metal albums before checking them out. So yeah, I've finally proven myself ready for The Pit! Though I'm not yet ready to replace the clan that's likely to be taken out of my lineup, The Gateway. Although I haven't really finding a lot of alt-metal masterpieces lately (despite a few great gems) which is a solid reason in my opinion, I plan to participate in one more round of playlist track submissions and one final feature release submission before making my grand switch, so stay tuned for those. That's all in this thread, folks!
Daniel, I just found out that your Angra track submission is not available on Spotify. It's extremely odd that almost all the Angra albums have been removed from Spotify, at least in my country. Please feel free to replace it with a different submission, if you have one in mind.