Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

The godfather of death metal hard at work on Death's 1998 tour for the "The Sound of Perseverance" album.

Lots of mind-blowing rhythms, along with bass pumping through the thrashy yet technical heaviness with a bit of similarity to early Sadus.

I decided to give this live Death album some listening and a review to once again test out my interest in the band. The performance is highly focused on the band's 90s progressive/tech-death era, with only two songs from their 80s standard death metal albums. A lot of the progressiveness can be found in songs from the band's last two studio albums which cover over half of this release. So this entry is definitely getting a YES vote from me.

Forget any claims I've made about that Nirvana cover being Fear Factory's lowest point of the career, this is f***ing worse:

The metal covers I like are ones that metalize the original song, but this sh*tty attempt at a Nirvana cover is so not the way to do it:

One of the best songs by the band, though the quality of this album would then slowly descend:

They just had to taint an otherwise perfect album with some f***ing rap metal sh*t:

Similarly to Amorphis' Far From the Sun, I can find the best songs of this underrated Fear Factory album in both the standard edition...

...And the deluxe digipak edition:

A melodic standout anthem with a mighty chorus and riffing. I would recommend starting at the beginning of the album though if you're going the story route.

Despite the song name, this is a total industrial mind-smasher of epic drama:

1. Gateway playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 22)

2. Infinite playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 10)

3. Revolution playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 27)

4. Sphere playlist - 4/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 27)

For the clans I've made the monthly playlists for, along with the one for the Gateway, 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 Infinite playlists 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!

THE GATEWAY: Klone - "Meanwhile" (2023) 4/5

THE GUARDIANS: Persuader - "When Eden Burns" (2006) 4.5/5

THE INFINITE: Amorphis - "Under the Red Cloud" (2015) 5/5

THE REVOLUTION: Gaza - "He Is Never Coming Back" (2009) 4/5

THE SPHERE: Fear Factory - "Soul of a New Machine" (1992) 4/5

This month has proven to be a pretty great one for my clans. My Infinite nomination shows the Tomi Joutsen era of Amorphis at their best, and I would recommend it to fans of that band and melodeath-infused progressive metal. That Persuader album is an excellent revisit. Keep up the good work on the feature releases, all! I look forward to more...

Explosive death metal chaos from a band that would later become one of the master bands of modern industrial metal:

Clean vocals, deathly heaviness, industrial production, and groove riffing, all in one place:

I did my review, here's its summary:

In the somewhat distant past of the year 1992, metal genres were kind of at war. Before that year, thrash/speed metal were on the rise, and then came death metal/grindcore, and finally, industrial/alternative metal. Those 3 genre categories were competing for the reign, and the first one lost its fame, the second one became underground, and the third one became mainstream. One band was up to mixing the extreme underground with one of the metal genres hitting commercial success those days... Back then, most metal bands seemed to focus on making compositions based on a particular riff, rather than full-fledged arrangement. Released in the same year as the debut of another band that started as death metal (Amorphis), Fear Factory's debut Soul of a New Machine built their sound from a technological concept. The tone and arrangement are as important as the composition in the songs, and that then-rare aspect is what made this band unique in their debut, showing that there's a little more to metal than just guitars and vocals in front and bass and drums in back. Industrial ambience, spoken samples, and more bass prominence make their entrance! Many songs have the right balance between clean hooks and deathly heaviness. Some shows the band's more destructive side of explosive death metal chaos, a few still having melodic treasure to be found in the deathly sea. In the end, we have witnessed the band's idea of combining the industrial metal of Godflesh and the deathgrind of Napalm Death into their own unique mix with mechanical riffing with some bits of melodic alt-metal and groove metal. It's a pretty great fresh idea that was never tried before and has proven highly influential. Of course, the issue here is the big amount of tracks (17) that many people can't remember all of. However, it's so cryptic and unique that your mind won't turn away from such creativity and aggression that was uncommon outside the underground in the early 90s. Not too over-the-top while not too accessible, this band sure knows how to conceive and present such a game-changer. Once rare but now more common is unique genius....

4/5

PS: Even after that thorough listening for my review, I don't find enough groove metal in the debut to be a primary genre for the album. You are right about the songs you mentioned having groove metal riffing, Daniel ("Scapegoat", "Martyr", "Scumgrief"), but it's more of a secondary genre for this album along with grindcore and alternative metal. Industrial death metal is the primary sound for this band's debut.

This band Persuader, has pleased heavier power metal fans with their sound combo of Nevermore and Blind Guardian, the latter any of those fans know why:

Still awesome throughout the past two years! The latter year being when I was shutting myself off from most of power metal until just recently.

I did my review, here's its summary:

When Eden Burns still blows my mind away even after the downfall of my power metal interest revival! With melodic yet heavy riffing and amazing vocals, I'm glad to still recognize most of the greatness of this Swedish power metal band Persuader. Many songs are fast enough to almost be considered melodic thrash while the power metal sound dominates. The impressive vocals remind me of Blind Guardian's Hansi Kürsch (YES, I had to say it!). There's also a small amount of harsh vocals having a bit of a Children of Bodom vibe. All that's missing is keyboards for soloing, but that would cause too much cheese. With strong determination in their writing, When Eden Burns should've given this underrated band more attention!

4.5/5

A dark complex progressive alt-rock/metal epic in which all you can expect is the unexpected:

I did my review, here's its summary:

Klone has quite some brooding atmosphere in their music. Seeing how this band made 7 albums including this one in nearly two decades, I'm stunned by how little attention they've received, so much so that I haven't even heard of this band until now. Their new album Meanwhile shall keep you engaged to its technical emotion. Guitars and bass sweep nicely under the powerful vocal harmonies of Yann Linger. The songs each have an average length of over 5 minutes, while making interesting subtle changes in time signatures. The band can really have some confidence and control when it comes to that ability. And in the more complex parts, you can let go of any expectations and witness the unexpected magic happen. With this mournful yet powerful blend of guitars, bass, and vocals, Meanwhile shows how grand progressive alt-rock/metal can be. Despite a bit of hauling in a few tracks, you know how much confidence the band has when experimenting with darkness and light....

4/5

A sinister track of epic folk-ish melodeath-infused progressive metal that can fit well for a worldwide adventure:

Amorphis' Queen of Time shows that perfect lightning can strike twice, and then twice again, proven by epic highlights like this one:

A highlight from Amorphis' return to their mid-90s perfect glory:

I did my review, here's its summary:

Amorphis has remained consistently excellent throughout their career, but it's their 12th album Under the Red Cloud that marks the band's rise back up to the total perfection of their mid-90s gems. I can listen to this masterpiece anytime with headphones while working. It's the perfect peak of the Tomi Joutsen era! Under the Red Cloud summarizes all the band has done so far with Joutsen, including his unique blend of deep growls and baritone cleans. Of course, the full band has to back him up for the full atmosphere that he creates for his voice to shine amongst them. As a result, the songs flawlessly flow, each to the next, all to savor the atmosphere. That's something essential from their mid-90s era that didn't make its full return until this incredible gem. Alongside Joutsen's incredible vocals, all of the instruments (keyboards, guitars, bass, drums) are performed together to get the listeners headbanging non-stop. Several guests tag along to enhance this glorious experience, including folky flute performed by Eluveitie founder Chrigel Glanzmann, serene yet eerie singing by late Trees of Eternity vocalist Aleah Stanbridge (RIP), and the spiritual lyrics penned by Kalevala writer Pekka Kainulainen. Under the Red Cloud can very well be the best album of 2015 for me. It's a journey you gotta feel in your heart!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "The Four Wise Ones", "Bad Blood", "Death of a King", "Dark Path", "White Night", "The Wind", "Winter's Sleep"

For fans of: Opeth, Disillusion, Eluveitie

Converge, System of a Down, Bring Me The Horizon, and The Contortionist deemed not metal enough... Meshuggah only accepted based on Contradictions Collapse... If we include Deathstars and Rammstein being deemed not worthy for Metal Archives, it seems like most of my clans would practically be non-existent there. A good reason why I prefer to stay in a more inclusive site such as here in Metal Academy.

One of my top 10 favorite Amorphis songs! And right on time shortly before the less innovative second half of that album:

I don't recall hearing a lot of groove metal in Soul of a New Machine, but I'm up to double-checking when I give it another listen for reviewing.

Here's my submission for the June Guardians playlist:

Trivium - "Endless Night" (from The Sin and the Sentence, 2017)

This one's just some weird sh*t, pretty much the only Amorphis track to qualify for this thread, more likely to attract spacey progressive rock fans than metalheads:

The one track of Am Universum that really stands out compared to the rest of the songs of the album, in which some of those other songs are still good:

The last bit of death growls from Amorphis before its absence from the two albums after this one:

A 7-minute doomy progressive metal creation that's out of this world:

Daniel, I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on Amorphis' debut The Karelian Isthmus. Though not as much of a classic as their next two albums, it's something I would recommend for true death metal fans who don't mind a small bit of melody that doesn't overshadow the extremeness of standard death metal:

A relentless doomy swansong for this band's career:

Absolutely dexterous mathcore violence:

A 15-minute Neurosis-like progressive post-sludge Crusade that should've been considered part of the album rather than a hidden track:

Kick-A dissonant grind-ish mathcore:

I did my review, here's its summary:

Black Market Activities and Deathwish Inc. are two of the most excellent extreme metal/hardcore record labels around. With Gaza signed to the former, they've added in elements of fellow bands of the label such as Cancer Bats and The Red Chord into their sound. And holy sh*t, this offering is so stellar yet monstrous! Gaza has the chaotic rage of mathcore and dark dread of sludge metal with pieces of post-metal and grindcore, all in crushing devastation. You can expect an alternating balance between slow doomy sludge and dissonant grind-ish mathcore. There are also 4 short interludes, the first two with beautiful ambience and the last two being dark heavy post-metal. And you should definitely stick around for the hidden 15-minute progressive post-sludge Crusade (you know the reference). He Is Never Coming Back may not stand out as much as the band's debut, but it really shows how well they've achieved. Elements of grindcore, post-metal, and doom are added to the mathcore/sludge sound in a lyrical battle against organization. The only soft parts of the entire album are the first two interludes and that 15-minute hidden track. Everything else is bulldozing chaos! For those interested in this kind of sound, I highly recommend this offering to you all....

4/5

Recommended tracks: "How It Is. How It Is Going to Be.", "The Kicking Legs", "He Is Never Coming Back", "Canine Disposal Unit", "Tombless", "Carnivore", "Hidden Track"

For fans of: Coalesce, Knut, Neurosis (for the sludgy parts)

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

Code Orange - "You and You Alone" (3:06) from Underneath (2020)

Fear Factory - "Regenerate" (4:02) from Genexus (2015)

Godflesh - "Crush My Soul" (4:26) from Selfless (1994)

Marilyn Manson - "Antichrist Superstar" (5:14) from Antichrist Superstar (1996)

Ministry - "Leper" (9:00) from Animositisomina (2003)

Samael - "Angel's Decay" (3:37) from Passage (1996)

Total length: 29:25

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

All That Remains - "Victory Lap" (3:54) from The Order of Things (2015)

Code Orange - "I Am King" (2:38) from I Am King (2014)

Despised Icon - "Bad Vibes" (2:57) from Beast (2016)

Ice Nine Kills - "Thank God It's Friday" (4:23) from The Silver Scream (2018)

Prayer for Cleansing - "A Dead Soul Born" (5:19) from Rain in Endless Fall (1999)

Trivium - "Catastrophist" (6:28) from What the Dead Men Say (2020)

The Word Alive - "The Fortune Teller" (3:52) from Real (2014)

Total length: 29:31

Here are my submissions for the June Infinite playlist:

Azusa - "Iniquitous Spiritual Praxis" (3:39) from Heavy Yoke (2018)

Burst - "I Hold Vertigo" (7:16) from Lazarus Bird (2008)

Evergrey - "I'm Sorry" (3:18) from Recreation Day (2003)

In the Woods... - "The Cave of Dreams" (4:55) from Pure (2016)

Ne Obliviscaris - "Misericorde II – Anatomy of Quiescence" (9:22) from Exul (2023)

Total length: 28:30

Here are my submissions for the June Gateway playlist:

Breaking Benjamin - "Red Cold River" (3:20) from Ember (2018)

Coldrain - "Bloody Power Fame" (3:58) from Nonnegative (2022)

Evanescence - "Haunted" (3:05) from Fallen (2003)

Five Finger Death Punch - "If I Fall" (3:56) from American Capitalist (2011)

I Prevail - "Bow Down" (4:02) from Trauma (2019)

Lacuna Coil - "Sword of Anger" (3:55) from Black Anima (2019)

New Years Day - "Relentless" (3:09) from Malevolence (2015)

Parkway Drive - "Shadow Boxing" (3:50) from Reverence (2018)

Total length: 29:15

One of the most frantic trips through different tempos and time signatures I've ever heard in extreme progressive metal, all in just under 4 minutes:

I've done my review for that Azusa release. Here's the link to my review: https://metal.academy/reviews/29563/20419

And here's its summary:

Azusa was formed by two members of Extol and Absurd2, guitarist Christer Espevoll and drummer David Husvik. Joining them is The Dillinger Escape Plan bassist Liam Wilson and Sea + Air vocalist Eleni Zafiriadou, all ready to shock the world! Coming from the US, Norway, and Greece, the band perform a solid modern avant-garde-ish progressive metal to remind some of Ram-Zet's sound bleeding into Extol. And you know what? Eleni can perhaps be the most versatile female vocalist I've known, practically surpassing Julie Christmas and Karyn Crisis. From singing to screaming and even whispering, a lot of drama is created to make this experience out of the ordinary. A lot of the songs form a unique progressive blend with touches of djent, thrash, and a slight bit modern metalcore. They often frantically switch through different tempos and time signatures, all from different corners, in just under 4 minutes per song, unlike those other extreme progressive metal bands that make long epics. You can never stop appreciating how original this band can be once you hear this album, ranging from beautiful to nefarious with barely any limits. Although this might not be for everyone on Earth, Azusa has made the kind of sound the future really needs. For this supergroup, greatness shall not die!

4.5/5

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Psyclon Nine - "Bellum in Abyssus" from Crwn Thy Frnicatr (2006)

4/5. An interesting noise-ish intro with the "Liberate Te Ex Inferis" sample from Event Horizon (y'know, the one used in a couple songs by metalcore bands Every Time I Die and Zao). Psyclon Nine is an awesome band, and even a couple of their late 2000s albums like Crwn Thy Frnicatr have a bit of metal in them.

Author & Punisher - "Drone Carrying Dread" from Krüller (2022)

3.5/5. This track kicks off the brutal extreme doom before a gradual switch to atmospheric post-metal. This hallucinogenic dreamscape adds to the sharp weight of the work without much change in direction.

Pitchshifter - "Deconstruction" from Submit (1992)

4/5. This one is a different highlight with gravelly vocals and repetitive guitar, hinting at their next album. A sure sign of leaving behind their Godflesh influences.

Samael - "Rebellion" from Rebellion (1995)

4.5/5. A song useful for conquering doubtful situations in war and rebellion. "I know how little is the value of that which has a price." 1995/1996 were the years were Samael were transitioning from black metal to symphonic industrial metal. They were the kind of rising band metalheads at the time needed instead of Korn.

Gothminister - "Swallowed by the Earth" from Empire of Dark Salvation (2005)

5/5. This is a more atmospheric highlight. I wouldn't say it's as atmospheric as bands like The Ocean, but I'm referring specifically to Halfface's keyboard atmosphere, along with wild soloing from those synths.

Lard - "I Wanna Be a Drug-Sniffing Dog" from Pure Chewing Satisfaction (1997)

4.5/5. Another true classic that I would rate slightly higher than the first 4 tracks of the playlist. Just don't sing it out loud if you don't want your parents worried.

Circle of Dust - "Parasite" from Circle of Dust (1995)

5/5. It's only been last year since I first heard Circle of Dust and became interested in one of Klayton's projects. An awesome piece of industrial rock/metal greatness! It's almost like a sequel to this album's intro "Exploration".

Excessive Force - "Queen Bitch" from Gentle Death (1993)

4.5/5. Fast forward to this track where one of the vocalists Liz Torres shines through fast techno rage. Silly yet fun!

Nine Inch Nails - "Fist Fuck" from Fixed (1992)

4/5. The second remix for "Wish" has samples of Timothy Leary. I actually love it better than the first remix!

Fear Factory - "Martyr - Suffer Bastard Mix" from Fear is the Mind Killer (1993)

4.5/5. Another remix, and one the way it's supposed to sound, more industrial while staying metal. Fear Factory can really maintain their extreme industrial metal in these remixes. H*ll, this is probably close to proto-cyber metal! A great throwback for longtime Fear Factory fans.

Strapping Young Lad - "AAA" from City (1997)

5/5. F***ing h*ll, this is brilliant groove-ish industrial metal, right from the sick intro. One of my favorites from one of the first industrial metal bands that I've encountered and truly like. Need some batteries for this grand song? The riff near the 3-minute mark has massive f***ing heaviness for half a minute, then this killer sh*t really goes off. Now imagine singing along to this in the bus, annoying the other passengers. "No one hears so no one knows and... NO ONE! NO ONE F***S WITH MEEEE!!!" I guess you can kind of consider this Korn gone Meshuggah.

Godflesh - "Frail" from Songs of Love and Hate (1996)

4.5/5. My favorite song in this album is practically close to post-metal with the ethereal atmosphere. It fits much better in Hymns, but that's my only complaint there.

Old - "Lo Flux Tube" from Lo Flux Tube (1991)

5/5. Incredible electronic noise metal, mixing beautiful peace with distorted war! Some might find this torture, but it's best to listen to with an open mind.

Ministry - "The Land of Rape and Honey" from The Land of Rape and Honey (1988)

4.5/5. This one is a menacing crawler, standing out with its creepy vibe.

Motionless in White - "Sinematic" from Infamous (2012)

4/5. Probably the darkest song here, but of course, dark doesn't always mean heavy. Emotional melody from the keyboards, guitars, and vocals, certainly make the atmosphere more cinematic. Chris continues expanding his clean vocal range, a nice break from the earlier growling.

Contracult Collective - "Plunge" from Plunge (2022)

4.5/5. I love how f***ing sick and heavy this is! Though it's a little too Marilyn Manson-like for me.

Celldweller - "A Matter of Time" from Satellites (2022)

5/5. Techno-rock/metal?!? FANTASTIC!!! Another Celldweller favorite that continues to motivate me to find more of Klayton's projects. Absolutely intriguing!

Pain - "End of the Line" from Rebirth (1999)

5/5. Another one of the best techno-industrial metal songs ever that makes up for more of this Swedish industrial metal project!

Klank - "DFL" from Numb (2000)

4.5/5. Amazing song, but I'm not down for this band. Moving on...

Turmion Kätilöt - "Totuus" from Omen X (2023)

4/5. Hearing this band after listening to some Electric Callboy makes me think too much of that other band. Still, keep it up, guys!

Seth Ect - "B.L.A.S.T" from Godspeak (2011)

4.5/5. Some f***ing extreme industrial/cyber metal insanity right here, holy sh*t!

THE SIN:DECAY - "Deathlike Addiction" from Rehabilitation (2007)

4/5. Another pretty great industrial/cyber metal song, and one that isn't noise ridden.

Dust in Mind - "Empty" from Ctrl (2021)

3.5/5. Kinda like a more industrial Lacuna Coil, with some great groove-ish riffing.

OOMPH! - "Labyrinth" from Monster (2008)

3/5. I didn't realize there is an English version of this song! I would've loved that version more and used it here. D*MN IT!!! This German version is still quite decent though.

Stahlmann - "Hass mich..Lieb mich" from Stahlmann (2010)

3.5/5. This one has more wonders, but not much to write home about. Still not getting the appeal from this band or Rammstein.

Erdling - "Absolutus Rex" from Supernova (2017)

4/5. The vocals here are great, compared to the other two Neue Deutsche Härte songs here.

Deathstars - "Angel of Fortune and Crime" from Angel of Fortune and Crime (2023)

4.5/5. And what better way to end this playlist with another one of the 3 singles from the upcoming Deathstars album Everything Destroys You, their first album in almost a decade! They've really made up for their time away with these singles. It throws back to their earlier Synthetic Generation era! I definitely wants more of this album once it comes out, maybe later this month, when my schedule clears up...

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!

I'm gonna go with the Azusa release. Upon research, I noticed that band has The Dillinger Escape Plan bassist Liam Wilson, so I look forward to hearing what he can do there.

Your turn, Xephyr!

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Converge - "First Light" from You Fail Me (2004)

4.5/5. Before the deranged mayhem of this playlist begins, this track is a gentle atmospheric intro.

Nora - "Theneverendingyouline" from Theneverendingyouline (1999)

4/5. This track is the only one from this EP I can stand. The metal riffing and bass crashes in and kicks you hard in the neck. The mix of metal and hardcore punk works well with the tempo. However, the vocals are too harshly twisted and predictable, like the guy's voice is heavily strained.

Parkway Drive - "Gimme AD" from Killing with a Smile (2005)

4.5/5. This one hits you hard with their prevalent attitude of wrath. It has all that listeners can be ready for; fast riffing, solid drumming, fantastic screaming, and heavy breakdowns. They have it all!

All Shall Perish - "Deconstruction" from Hate.Malice.Revenge (2003)

5/5. This intense yet short track has an incredible blend of punishing rhythms, searing guitars, and hyper-fast blast-beats. And the great intensity doesn't stop from there, continuing and increasing throughout.

Electric Callboy - "Pump It" from Tekkno (2022)

4.5/5. A total pumper! You can work out and run a 10K race to this. My brother loves this slightly more than I do though.

Killswitch Engage - "Temple from the Within" from Killswitch Engage (2000)

5/5. Like the movie Michelle Yeoh won the Best Actress award for shortly before this review, everything everywhere all at once kicks through! Without an intro, the instrumentation hits you non-stop. A great mid-paced perfect experience!

Bleeding Through - "Number Seven with a Bullet" from This is Love, This is Murderous (2003)

5/5. This one has the best riffing of this album, possibly the best by the band, with some breakdowns along the way.

Shadows Fall - "Fleshold" from Of One Blood (2000)

4.5/5. Solid extreme metalcore. Need I say more?

The Ghost Inside - "Engine 45" from Get What You Give (2012)

4.5/5. This is the kind of song you need for any crisis you struggle with. This band needs a lot more fame and glory. Let us have the bravery to choose our actions, break these chains, and keep swinging!

The Red Chord - "Catalepsy" from Fused Together in Revolving Doors (2002)

5/5. Next up is this song having some of the fastest brutality, starting awesome in the riffing without ever stopping. Psyopus did a comedic cover of that song as a hidden track for the album Our Puzzling Encounters Considered.

The Acacia Strain - "Doppelganger" from ...And Life is Very Long (2002)

5/5. This without a doubt serves as an intersection between several of the hardcore/metalcore genres from earlier and later bands; the hardcore of Strife, the metalcore/melodic metalcore of August Burns Red and Parkway Drive, and the deathcore of Chelsea Grin. Fantastic!

Avenged Sevenfold - "Remenissions" from Waking the Fallen (2003)

4.5/5. This one is a little darker, unleashing a brutal growl of pummeling drums and sinister guitars, then they slow down for a great thick verse. What really stands out is the perfectly placed drumming and guitar changes. Soon it goes through mid-tempo before blazing through a hardcore onslaught. It's a fantastic listen! I also love that Hispanic-esque segment.

Crisis - "Surviving the Siren" from The Hollowing (1997)

4.5/5. This is the greatest song of its original album, with every one of Karyn Crisis' vocal styles here; operatic singing, monstrous growling, and banshee-like shrieking. The lyrics seem to twist around The Odyssey, specifically the part with the sirens, in which lust can lead to doom. The drumming gets crazier and descends into chaos as the song progresses, and the only light in the darkness is the beautiful chorus sung by Karyn. You really gotta stick around for that song and have it stick to you!

Emmure - "Sons of Medusa" from Sons of Medusa (2021)

5/5. How long has it been since I last heard a song from this band before this one, almost a year? Apparently, it's an outtake from the album Hindsight, released a year earlier. It could've probably served as the album's intro or something. I cannot miss this band in my life!

Motionless in White - "Soft" from Graveyard Shift (2017)

4.5/5. For a song with that title, it's anything but soft. It's a more hardcore song, especially in the vocals that reach death growling, sounding closer to Slipknot. This song is worth headbanging to at loud volume.

Trivium - "A Crisis of Revelation" from In the Court of the Dragon (2021)

4/5. This Ascendancy-style heavy throwback isn't the best highlight of the new Trivium album but still manages to fit well with the other high-quality tracks.

Any Given Day - "Arise" from Everlasting (2016)

4.5/5. You get to hear some more of Trivium frontman Matt Heafy's perfect vocals here, though only his cleans are present because this is at the time with his blown-out voice hadn't completely healed. F***ing epic headbanging riff fire!

The Devil Wears Prada - "Cancer" from Color Decay (2022)

5/5. Such a masterpiece of a song, like a metalcore power ballad! I watched a music video for an earlier song from this band like 8 years ago, and back then I wasn't totally interested because I didn't start enjoying metalcore yet at the time. Now I'm destined to find more of this band! The song was written by keyboardist Jonathan Gering in memory of a late friend of his. RIP

Northlane - "Impulse" from Node (2015)

4.5/5. People weren't keen at first about vocalist Marcus Bridge when he first joined, but he can really bring new sounds to the old, and that's why he's an awesome vocalist! "So alone in a digital world..." Massive heaviness and diversity right here! That's how much I love this band, and the breakdown rules! Structures had also tackled the topic of the truth of the digital age. It can actually fit in the Digimon video games or anime! The sound would've been what would happen if Underoath didn't have their hiatus after Disambiguation and instead took on a more progressive sound before their recent albums.

Attila - "Pizza" from Pizza (2018)

5/5. I sh*t you not, this actually what got me interested in this band. My brother found the music video for this song and thought it was hilarious. I enjoyed the music enough to give this song and band a thumbs-up. Humor and riff-wrath sound amazing together! Now if you don't like pineapple on pizza, just peel it off. Don't go on a breakdown-infused rage like Fronz in the video.

Wage War - "Twenty-One" from Blueprints (2015)

4.5/5. Another modern metalcore song that has made me smile.

Zao - "All Else Failed" from All Else Failed (1995)

5/5. The 12-minute title epic of the band's debut is their longest track, and one of the longest metalcore epics I've ever encountered. They unleash everything that they can in the first 8 minutes, then after a one-minute break, a 3-minute acoustic ending plays, along with a bit of clean vocals. Epic!

The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Sick on Sunday" from Ire Works (2007)

4.5/5. This one is more experimental, basically heavy breakbeat electro-grind.

Iwrestledabearonce - "Deodorant Can't Fix Ugly" from Ruining It for Everybody (2011)

4.5/5. A very chilling song with amazing vocals by Krysta Cameron who I wish could've been with the band longer, no hate for Courtney LaPlante.

Car Bomb - "Infinite Sun" from Meta (2016)

5/5. This track summarizes all this band has done. Cleans and screams collide as riffs blow your mind. In the middle is some Deftones-like rock before ending with the heaviest djent workout.

Memphis May Fire - "The Redeemed" from The Hollow (2011)

4.5/5. Another track I really like. It motivates you to leave behind the past and move on to the future, all in positive self-empowerment for your life. There's a bit of a link between this band and Christianity. The song is quite excellent, and it can encourage you to fight back against the criticism you might receive for your religion or lifestyle. Despite nothing being eternal, you gotta do what's right for all that's temporary. Anything can and will happen. In a way, this foreshadows what the band would have next in Challenger. Other bands that might have a similar sound and message include Imminence.

Shadow of Intent - "The Tartarus Impalement" from Reclaimer (2017)

4/5. Well, after that metalcore song of motivation comes one more song, of symphonic deathcore destruction and despair. It starts a bit mundane in the first 4 minutes, then the epicness rises at over the 4-minute mark with such great music, lyrics, and vocals. "And I'll never see home again, never comfort my wife as she mourns and I'll never hear the cries of my firstborn son, How can I possibly continue on?!" F***ing d*mn, man! Pure beauty and emotion rolls on throughout that minute. Then comes another amazing minute where the band work together to unleash their power in battle. The final climax goes on the last one and a half minute and the hero impales the enemy and rules in victory. Talk about such a finale for this playlist! Though it probably would've been better in the first half...

HOLY SH*T, this is probably close to the best metalcore playlist I've ever done, with every track ranging from 4.5 to 5 stars, except for a few tracks in the beginning, middle, and end forming a small bump. 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!

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Veil of Maya – Mother Pt. 4 (2023)

5/5. HOLY MOTHER!!! Veil of Maya is back with an awesome piece of synthwave djentcore!

Cynic – Veil of Maya (2023)

4.5/5. And speaking of Veil of Maya, the song that inspired that band's name, along with other songs from Cynic's famous debut Focus, is getting a revamp for the album's 30th anniversary. Sean Malone and Reinert would be proud. RIP the two Seans...

Between the Buried and Me – Bad Habits (2021) 

4.5/5. This one mixes extreme prog blast beats, triumphant sections, strange organ duels, and celestial acoustics, having a greater cauldron than in The Great Misdirect, along with a lyrical reprise to "Ants of the Sky" (from Colors) at the end.

Car Bomb – Antipatterns (2019) 

5/5. This one ironically has its own pattern in the structure. It starts heavy again with a breakdown before building up and collapsing into a cinematic ending of operatic synth reverb. The heat begins to cool down...

Slice the Cake – Westward Bound, Pt. 1 – The Lantern (2023)

4.5/5. The vocalist for this band can f***ing easily switch from cleans to growls, which is amazing, especially in the climax after a bit of repetition. Sheer poetry throughout the lyrics! "IF I GO WESTWARD!!!" Magic purity all over until the end riff!

Amorphis – Northwards (2022)

5/5. One of the best songs from Amorphis' latest album, a bit similar to Opeth!

Enslaved – Nauthir Bleeding (2015)

4.5/5. This one has the best of the clean vocals by keyboardist Herbrand Larsen, who would end up leaving the band a year after this album.

Green Carnation – Crushed to Dust (2003)

4/5. Now let's hear some more of that Amorphis-like style in a more punk-ish sound. A great song from a band I've been enjoying for a year and a half now.

Stone Healer – In the Spoke of Night (2021)

4.5/5. The album's fantastic intense finale for this offering. Hell breaks loose in the riffing, in a progressive balance with the band's more melodic side. Talk about a kick-A closing summary of their progressive black metal! However, the playlist is far from over, though I have one more song to comment on...

The Ocean – Swallowed by the Earth (2010)

5/5. An awesome way for me to head out, with spacey reverb in the midsection that helps The Ocean expand their new style.

Saxy, let me just say, you have done such as incredible job assembling this month's Gateway playlist! This tracklisting has encouraged me to go through the entire playlist and find excellent tracks from bands I already listen to along with different bands in which some of them I feel up to trying some more songs from them. Well done, please keep it up! So let's get my track thought journey started:

Soundgarden – Loud Love (1989)

4/5. Let's start with the strongest track of its original album! Though it's a bit creepy.

Spiritbox – The Void (2023)

4.5/5. Spiritbox is a band that the modern metalheads should never miss. They know just how to hit with all their power!

Loathe – New Faces in the Dark (2020)

4/5. Quite a banger with a killer ending breakdown! Though the one at the one-minute mark is good for headbanging too. This band has underrated atmosphere. You can think of them as Chevelle gone Meshuggah, plus a bit of recent Wage War.

Avatar – Hail the Apocalypse (2014)

4.5/5. This is the song my brother was listening to that got me interested in Avatar. It really blew my mind, and in a time when I still had my mind set on melodeath, it was love at first listen. They made raging riffing and sick soloing in the albums before this one, when they were just a typical melodeath band. I still think of this song as some f***ing amazing sh*t! They've done their bada** job quite well. They seem to have similar physical aesthetics to Rob Zombie and King Diamond. When the first verse starts after the 30-second intro, you know you're in for a wild ride. HAIL THE APOCALYPSE!!!

Tremonti – If Not For You (2021)

5/5. Lots of d*mn power in this one. I love it! I hear a bit of Skillet vibes here.

Days of Jupiter - Ashes (2015)

4.5/5. Another song my brother loves! It fits well for an action film soundtrack. The guitars and drums are nice and hard. It sounds similar to Breaking Benjamin's "Diary of Jane" which is a good reason for my brother to like this song. I actually find this sound to have some Disturbed vibes, maybe even the more "alternative" side of Demon Hunter. It's all in good arrangement!

Alpha Wolf – Bleed 4 You (2020)

5/5. Scr*w the complainers, this is absolutely well done! It's so mellow, yet with f***ing massive diversity and emotion. I actually like the chorus more than the breakdown, which is still a headbanging puncher. The heaviness descends into oblivion for the female vocals by Lizi Blanco and then rises up again.

Haji’s Kitchen – Twenty Twelve (2012)

5/5. Wow, this is slightly more amazing than the Spiritbox track from earlier! It's featured in the English dub soundtrack of Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan along with "Lost". Gotta get more of this band!

Disturbed – The Curse (2008)

4.5/5. This highlight starts weird in the bass, drum, and guitar mix, but it's very good. The pre-chorus is great, while the chorus is incredible! There's no technicality in the guitar until the solo that's well-executed. Then some final riffing to wrap things up.

HELLYEAH – Welcome Home (2019)

4.5/5. The world was shocked to hear about the passing of drummer Vinnie Paul (best known from his time with Pantera). They had just finished recording this album but held on to it for over a year before its release. Despite having a different drummer in Stone Sour's Roy Mayorga, they only toured with him for a couple years and then went on hiatus due to the reforming of vocalist Chad Gray's other band Mudvayne. Welcome home, Vinnie Paul. RIP

Sleep Token – DYWTYLM (2023)

5/5. Sleep Token is another band to thank for their music, like A LOT.

Five Finger Death Punch – Cold (2013)

4.5/5. This is one of those reflective power ballads. You can hear the raging fear in the chorus, especially in the final one. F***ING REAL EMOTION!!! Still I can hold back the tears and look strong. Despite the coldness of the world, I have people who care for me, including my brother who also enjoys this band. There's also a bit of an Alice in Chains vibe in the intro.

Linkin Park – Crawling (2000)

4.5/5. This emotional hit is where icy synths and bass crawl through the intro before getting mudded out by the guitar heaviness and Bennington's cries. The more industrial fans might compare the song to Nine Inch Nails. The lyrical subject matter deals with Bennington's teenage years of torture and meth addiction, and he was so upset about it that he needed help from the crowd when performing the song live.

Tallah – The Impressionist (2022)

5/5. Impressed? Consider me so! This band has revived the late 90s nu metal sound with a mix of that style and modern metalcore. Absolutely unique, including that wild solo performed by guitarist Derrick Schneider.

I Prevail – RISE (2016)

4.5/5. So emotional and optimistic! It almost fits well for part of an action movie when the hero slowly walks away from an explosion. So pump your rage and "dig a little deeper, make 'em believers"!

Nonpoint – Rabia (2004)

4/5. Interesting to hear this band's attempt in writing a song with Spanish lyrics. It's hard to understand without an English translation, but it's still quite a banger. Go back to Spanish class if you wanna enjoy the lyrics!

Lacuna Coil – Hostage to the Light (2014)

4.5/5. A beautiful breath-taker to love! This is a great one to hold dear, from the moment Cristina Scabbia enters with her serene vocals after the 30-second intro.

Sevendust – Angel’s Son (2001)

4/5. This song first appeared in the Snot album Strait Up that tributes to their late vocalist Lynn Strait who was killed in a car crash along with his dog Dobbs. The original was recorded by Snot with 3 of the members of Sevendust, who would record their own version for this album Animosity. The band would suffer their own tragedies a year later with the passing of their friend Dave Williams of Drowning Pool, and the murder of vocalist Lajon Witherspoon's younger brother Reginald. RIP fallen ones...

Parkways Drive – Prey (2018)

4.5/5. This one continues the classic melodic sound with a shuffling beat and riff with epic harmonic guitars in the bridge.

Smallman & Ivan Shopov – Rhodopes (2016)

4/5. You might think of this project as the Bulgarian Perfect Circle. This beautiful power is worth some praise. Give it some good listening! It's a very nice mind-blower. There is some good f***ing art there for TOOL fans to enjoy.

The World Alive – New Reality (2023)

4.5/5. I've only just found more of this band over a year ago, and I never get tired of them! This song is probably the band's heaviest since their 2014 album Real, while taking on the new elements. Different yet similar in total beauty and inspiration! Telle never fails to amaze me. This oughta beat Hollywood Undead out of the park.

Breed 77 – Insects (2009)

4/5. Flamenco metal?!? A bit odd, but a good ending for the playlist!

A special playlist I've made to celebrate the one-year anniversary of when I started making the monthly Sphere Spotify playlists: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4qTgYYU3xsCp6lEWchfOij

May 2023

1. Converge - "First Light" from You Fail Me (2004)

2. Nora - "Theneverendingyouline" from Theneverendingyouline (1999)

3. Parkway Drive - "Gimme AD" from Killing with a Smile (2005) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

4. All Shall Perish - "Deconstruction" from Hate.Malice.Revenge (2003)

5. Electric Callboy - "Pump It" from Tekkno (2022) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

6. Killswitch Engage - "Temple from the Within" from Killswitch Engage (2000)

7. Bleeding Through - "Number Seven with a Bullet" from This is Love, This is Murderous (2003)

8. Shadows Fall - "Fleshold" from Of One Blood (2000)

9. The Ghost Inside - "Engine 45" from Get What You Give (2012) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

10. The Red Chord - "Catalepsy" from Fused Together in Revolving Doors (2002)

11. The Acacia Strain - "Doppelganger" from ...And Life is Very Long (2002)

12. Avenged Sevenfold - "Remenissions" from Waking the Fallen (2003)

13. Crisis - "Surviving the Siren" from The Hollowing (1997)

14. Emmure - "Sons of Medusa" from Sons of Medusa (2021)

15. Motionless in White - "Soft" from Graveyard Shift (2017) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. Trivium - "A Crisis of Revelation" from In the Court of the Dragon (2021) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

17. Any Given Day - "Arise" from Everlasting (2016)

18. The Devil Wears Prada - "Cancer" from Color Decay (2022)

19. Northlane - "Impulse" from Node (2015)

20. Attila - "Pizza" from Pizza (2018) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

21. Wage War - "Twenty-One" from Blueprints (2015)

22. Zao - "All Else Failed" from All Else Failed (1995)

23. The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Sick on Sunday from Ire Works (2007)

24. Iwrestledabearonce - "Deodorant Can't Fix Ugly" from Ruining It for Everybody (2011)

25. Car Bomb - "Infinite Sun" from Meta (2016)

26. Memphis May Fire - "The Redeemed" from The Hollow (2011) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

27. Shadow of Intent - "The Tartarus Impalement" from Reclaimer (2017)

May 2023

1. Psyclon Nine - "Bellum in Abyssus" from Crwn Thy Frnicatr (2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

2. Author & Punisher - "Drone Carrying Dread" from Krüller (2022) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. Pitchshifter - "Deconstruction" from Submit (1992) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

4. Samael - "Rebellion" from Rebellion (1995) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

5. Gothminister - "Swallowed by the Earth" from Empire of Dark Salvation (2005)

6. Lard - "I Wanna Be a Drug-Sniffing Dog" from Pure Chewing Satisfaction (1997)

7. Circle of Dust - "Parasite" from Circle of Dust (1995)

8. Excessive Force - "Queen Bitch" from Gentle Death (1993)

9. Nine Inch Nails - "Fist Fuck" from Fixed (1992)

10. Fear Factory - "Martyr - Suffer Bastard Mix" from Fear is the Mind Killer (1993)

11. Strapping Young Lad - "AAA" from City (1997)

12. Godflesh - "Frail" from Songs of Love and Hate (1996) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

13. Old - "Lo Flux Tube" from Lo Flux Tube (1991)

14. Ministry - "The Land of Rape and Honey" from The Land of Rape and Honey (1988)

15. Motionless in White - "Sinematic" from Infamous (2012) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. Contracult Collective - "Plunge" from Plunge (2022)

17. Celldweller - "A Matter of Time" from Satellites (2022)

18. Pain - "End of the Line" from Rebirth (1999)

19. Klank - "DFL" from Numb (2000)

20. Turmion Kätilöt - "Totuus" from Omen X (2023)

21. Seth Ect - "B.L.A.S.T" from Godspeak (2011)

22. THE SIN:DECAY - "Deathlike Addiction" from Rehabilitation (2007)

23. Dust in Mind - "Empty" from Ctrl (2021)

24. OOMPH! - "Labyrinth" from Monster (2008)

25. Stahlmann - "Hass mich..Lieb mich" from Stahlmann (2010)

26. Erdling - "Absolutus Rex" from Supernova (2017)

27. Deathstars - "Angel of Fortune and Crime" from Angel of Fortune and Crime (2023)