Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

Hi Xephyr, here's my submission for the July playlist:

Within Temptation - "Iron" (from The Unforgiving, 2011)

Even though I'm no longer in The Guardians, I'm still going to comment on a few tracks here that I still like, for memories' sake. So here are my thoughts:

Kamelot – “Wander" (from "Epica”, 2003)

5/5. The first semi-acoustic ballad in its original album. Simply just soft guitar, smooth bass, and beautiful singing. Soon, the chorus adds back some of the metal along with vocal harmony. One of the best tracks here and a rare ballad that I truly enjoy!

Power Quest – “Master of Illusion” (from “Master of Illusion", 2008)

5/5. One of my favorite tracks from the second power metal band I started listening to (first being DragonForce)! When I was just starting my power metal quest at the time that I first discovered this band, the lyrical theme of this song and others from this album isn't dragon fantasy, but rather the real-life sh*t going on in the world, lying about how "perfect" society is. That's one reason why my brother likes this song as well, besides a bit of growling in the second verse. The singing is amazing enough to love to.

Sanctuary – “Battle Angels” (from “Refuge Denied”, 1987)

5/5. This album was popular among Megadeth fans who want to hear that band's frontman Dave Mustaine's production work on Sanctuary's debut. I enjoy the f***ing awesome vocals of Warrel Dane that level up this pure metal sound. RIP...

Blind Guardian – “Born in a Mourning Hall” (from “Imaginations from the Other Side”, 1995)

4.5/5. Another band responsible for shaping up my earlier era of epic metal 6 years ago. Good times! Strange lyrics, yet f***ing killer metal!

Avantasia - "The Wicked Symphony" (from "The Wicked Symphony", 2010)

4.5/5. What a way to end this playlist! I love how deep these lyrics are, and this wicked symphonic instrumentation is fantastic, though it would've been perfect for me when it was up in my alley around 8 years ago. It's still definitely strong for me, but I've already moved on. I still applaud your well-done playlist work, Xephyr!

The best and most popular part of the Call of Duty Black Ops Zombies soundtrack, and arguably my first (melodic) metalcore encounter:

I did my review, here's its summary:

My brother is a pro-gamer (though never really joining any E-gaming tournaments) and has played dozens of different computer games. COD: Black Ops was one of those games from 10 years ago. Back then he and I also enjoyed the soundtrack. Going further into the backstory, as an MMORPG gamer myself, I find that multiplayer activities are terrible time-wasters when the other players can't co-operate. That's why I prefer going solo in these games, and why it was also fun watching my brother play Call of Duty Zombies Mode (when he lets me watch) with his player kicking undead a** for as long as he can survive. The soundtrack for this mode in World at War and Black Ops is quite fun to listen to at times. Throughout the 17 tracks of the original version, it's all mostly electro-industrial interludes with only a few actual metal songs scattered around, which are the real treats of the soundtrack, especially "115", the best part of the entire soundtrack, and my aforementioned first (melodic) metalcore encounter. Blazing riffs and drumming, with vocal alternation between screams and cleans, make that song a memorable metalcore one. The tracks all flow and spread well without ever sounding too forced in most of the interludes. Treyarch Sound made the right move of releasing the soundtrack for people to hear anywhere else besides the game. Call of Duty Zombies players should definitely check this out, and if you're there for the metal songs, you would get the most out of that side from the deluxe version with the 3 bonus tracks. Enjoy this soundtrack for battling the undead....

3.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Lullaby of a Deadman", "The One", "Beauty of Annihilation", "Voice in Your Head", "115", "Undone", "Abracadavre", "Pareidolia", "Coming Home"

For fans of (the Call of Duty games mostly, but we're referring to bands): The Pretty Reckless, Motionless in White, Mick Gordon's DOOM soundtracks

Here's my review summary:

Metal has gotten a bad rep for its association with Satanism that has gotten people thinking all metal is satanic, just from hearing that kind of theme in extreme genres like death/thrash/black metal. However, metalcore is highly different there, take some of that extremeness and mixing it with hardcore, with lyrics of revolution. Code Orange can be industrial metalcore but it's a lot more. It's kind of a diverse mix that mixes those genres with small bits of thrashcore, sludgecore, grunge-y screamo, and nu metalcore, all in a new powerful cauldron! There's screaming industrial metalcore madness all around, with occasional emotional balladry. Technical industrial metalcore has never reached that high amount of immediate brilliance before, thus further proving Code Orange's omnipresent contribution to the recent metalcore scene. They indeed carry a stylistic stash of diverse styles without a limit!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "Swallowing the Rabbit Whole", "You and You Alone", "Cold Metal Place", "Sulfur Surrounding", "Last Ones Left", "Autumn And Carbine", "A Sliver"

For fans of: Circle of Dust, Knocked Loose, Vein.fm

No problem, Sonny.

Definitely the former. I checked on one of my earlier-rated Guardians releases after I left that clan as well, and my rating is out of the clan ratings list.

A blast through the rebellious lyrics and chorus rhythm of metal/hardcore:

Bonus epilogue part of this journey before really putting it to rest:

With their debut, Satisfaction is the Death of Desire, it amazingly describes the band's lack of satisfaction for life's advantages and disadvantages. In its release year 1997, their former label Victory Records was still focused on hardcore/early metalcore bands that included not just Hatebreed but also Earth Crisis, Integrity, and Strife. If this early debut isn't an honor for the metalcore sound that would stick with Hatebreed, I don't know what is! You can hear a lot of strong guitar, smashing drumming, and rebellious lyrics in this awesome metal/hardcore gem that is quite short, but length doesn't matter here. I'm glad to finally complete my early metalcore rediscovery voyage with this album. Thanks Ben for adding this to the site, and I ever come across some more albums that can top this one, I'm up for that challenge. Bring on the hate for me to love!

5/5

I think there's more clarity, Ben. Also why are the My Dying Bride and Cynic albums both #4 on your list?

Now that the ability to add your own top 20 releases to your profile page has been added, I think we can retire using this thread. I will, but I don't know about the rest of you, whether you wanna keep using it or switch to the new feature.

Just done my list. Thanks for implementing this ability, Ben! https://metal.academy/users/profile/97/top-20

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a band who's sole claim to fame is that they were on M-A's top 100 list of bands by number of full-lengths...Baboon/Baboon Rising. And also used to not have any reviews whatsoever, which was irrespective of quality, they just weren't on the internet.

https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/baboon_rising

In RYM, no ratings at all, and the last two albums are missing.

Maybe even reviews of album covers...

Welcome, Morpheus!

Try to find some good metal in this hardcore sh*tter. SPOILER: There's barely any.

Post-sludge metal should certainly have its own category in order to be distinguished from post-metal or sludge metal releases, and it's more significant and easier to see which genre it's most likely to stay in than a subgenre label like post-black metal that's torn between two subgenres (atmospheric black metal and blackgaze). Now let's say there are releases like Isis' The Red Sea that have both the Post-Metal and Sludge Metal tags but DON'T say "Atmospheric Post-Sludge Metal", they probably have both genres dominant without necessarily being just a subgenre where one genre stands out more than the other. So the Post-Sludge Metal subgenre would still make sense if you're looking for a style of post-metal where sludge is only secondary, which is basically what Post-Sludge is.

Once again, post-sludge has the slow tempo and harsh vocals of regular sludge, but otherwise, it puts its focus on the intense atmosphere, lengthy structures, and crescendo themes of post-metal, all that more superior to the sludgy aspects. With a lot more in common with post-metal, that's why I think it should be treated as more of an Infinite subgenre than The Fallen. For post-black metal, it's more related to blackgaze bands like Alcest and Deafheaven than atmospheric black metal, with the latter subgenre more synth-oriented than the dreamy ambience of post-metal. You wouldn't call bands like Summoning and Burzum "post-metal", now would you? For post-death metal, there are only 4 releases here that mix post-metal and death metal, so that wouldn't qualify as a real subgenre.

Another post-x subgenre, huh? How about post-hardcore! Just kidding. Haha

I enjoy the experimental chaos of mathcore, but I don't think I found as many releases from that subgenre as most other metalcore/melodic metalcore subgenres. Fortunately, thanks to a few grand discoveries in my rediscovery voyage, I now have enough for a top 10, which I'm sharing right here:

1. Botch - We Are The Romans (1999)

2. Converge - You Fail Me (2004)

3. Every Time I Die - Radical (2021)

4. Gaza - I Don’t Care Where I Go When I Die (2006)

5. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Calculating Infinity (1999)

6. Deadguy - Fixation on a Coworker (1995)

7. Coalesce - Give Them Rope (1997)

8. Knut - Challenger (2002)

9. Iwrestledabearonce - Ruining It for Everybody (2011)

10. Psyopus - Odd Senses (2009)

I'm amazed by Unbroken's 9-minute epic to shape up top-notch progressive-ish hardcore/metalcore for a metallic future:

A sneak peek to their next album System Overload in their Hookedlung compilation, with a nice Danzig/Sabbath influence in the pace:

Epic melodeath-inspired metalcore from that short-lived underrated band:

Fantastic metalcore with black/death metal influences from this band in which 3 of the members would later form Between the Buried and Me:

Prayer for Cleansing is obviously not deathcore, nor the first ever metalcore band, but they would help in developing metalcore's deathly side, with brutal growls of anger and sorrow, and fast heaviness in the music. A lot of hardcore/metalcore now has more association with the aspects of this band's sound. So if you're looking for the band that started the ongoing Gothenburg-inspired metalcore trend, the answer is right here. You can hear a lot of violent heaviness from the blast-beat sections and breakdowns, along with a decent amount of melody in places. Rain in Endless Fall is pretty much the roots of not only Between the Buried and Me (the band 3 of the Prayer for Cleansing members would form) but also the majority of mixing melodic metalcore with extreme influences. There's barely a single thing to make you disappointed!

5/5

I plan to review their EP The Tragedy (that won't be part of my metalcore journey), but other than that, we've reached the end of my metalcore subgenre voyage. Once again, I'm gonna try discovering a few extra releases from those times to add more year variety in later Revolution playlists, and that would be a different small journey that isn't part of this thread. Anyway...that's all in this thread, folks!

Embodyment dumped all their early deathcore roots for this album, but the heaviness still remains there in alt-rock/metal songs like this one:

From the album that marks the true start of deathcore. Surely, bands like Despised Icon, Suicide Silence, and Whitechapel wouldn't exist without it.

Now this is more like it! Here we have the band that really kickstarted deathcore, and that is Embodyment! Something interesting is the band's Christian background that was highly unusual in death metal at that time. Whether you're fan of Christian metal or death metal/core, Embrace The Eternal is a must-listen, with influences from Suffocation, Morbid Angel, and for the idea of Christian death metal, Mortification. Kris McCaddon has done great primal vocal work, and there is some melodic yet dissonant riffing that alone would be the big bang for bands like Suicide Silence, Whitechapel, and maybe even Knocked Loose. McCaddon would've made the band more popular and staying in their deathcore sound if he didn't leave the band. Yep, after his departure, their 3 subsequent albums embraced a melodic alt-metal/rock sound, getting softer album after album until they split after the 4th. Members of the original lineup would start a short-lived project, The Famine. Anyway, it's this album that would fully pioneer deathcore and set the stage for bands like Despised Icon and Suicide Silence. An underrated gem for a new deathly beginning!

5/5

Up next, after reviewing their alt-metal second album The Narrow Scope of Things (of course that won't be part of my metalcore journey), I plan to review one more album that isn't deathcore but rather an early example of metalcore mixed with death metal influences, and that would mark the end of this voyage through the early releases of standard metalcore and its subgenres. Though like I said before, I might try discovering a few extra releases from those times to add more year variety in later Revolution playlists. Stay tuned...

Well this EP did not have much that I enjoyed. The hardcore-death metal sounded like quite a mess compared to anything in month-long journey so far. This is what should be put down instead of the much better over-hated modern deathcore bands. I have a much better early deathcore album to review later today, but in the meantime, here's the link to my review for this poor attempt at deathcore invention: https://metal.academy/reviews/24416/18004

One of Damaged's attempts to change their style in different directions came out as a poor sh*tter:

An extreme-yet-melodic-influenced mix of deathgrind and prototypical deathcore:

Well, I've made another attempt in continuing my early deathcore path, and I have a feeling it might turn out better than my first attempt, with more apparent proto-deathcore elements in this album:

My thoughts:

Deathcore was practically unheard of when this album was released 25 years ago. Back then, very few extreme bands from Australia were known outside their homeland, even Damaged. Anyone who thought groove metal bands like Pantera and White Zombie were the heaviest would have their minds blown away, if they've ever stumbled upon this then-rare token. The album has good loud production, suitable for this deathgrind/proto-deathcore band. Here we have earth-quaking drums, sonic guitar distortion, and incomprehensible screaming vocals. The songs can range from slow boring distortion to fast interesting aggression! It sounds as if the latter was one of Slipknot's heavier influences, with some similar riffing to be found in that band's debut album two years later. The vocals some threaten to reach that level in their weaker songs, particularly in the first half, which really lessens the fun mood. However, track #4 by mixing their deathgrind/deathcore sound with more extreme yet melodic influence than just nu metal. I would suggest just listening to that track, followed by track #7 onwards then stop before the hidden track. There are probably better extreme metal bands out there, for me anyway, but Damaged is as much as I'm up to going into the deathgrind genre, though there's a decent amount of proto-deathcore as well. I can only recommend this to fans of this kind of sound with lots of noise and variety. I probably don't plan to explore the death side of deathcore any time soon, other than one more album from a different band. But at least half of this album is a grand blast....

3.5/5

One more conventional metalcore album I was planning to review was the debut album from Hatebreed, Satisfaction Is the Death of Desire, but it's not yet added to Metal Academy. While I wait, I'll review some more albums including the debut from Cable that's finally added here (thanks Ben!):

My thoughts:

Do you ever wonder if you think there should be something altered in its history without lowering too much of its value? That is a frequent thought, isn't it? When you don't know if what you think would be more suitable for a band that would've caused them to rise higher or fall lower. You can't change the past, but you can live with what's available. That feeling I can have listening to Cable's debut Variable Speed Drive, which is still marked an enjoyable mathy metalcore escapade! Cable evolved through the over 25 years since they've released their debut, and they've made 7 full-length albums and a couple EPs, splits, and compilations. Before switching to sludge in subsequent albums, Variable Speed Drive bashes through 90s noise-metalcore at as much tremendous ease as Deadguy. There's massive discordance along with occasional pleasant melody, and the anger and passion makes up for the slight unpolished mistakes, from doom-ish to hardcore. Variable Speed Drive has intrigued hardcore/metalcore fans by adding elements that barely co-existed before. The thing I would change would be the production to sound more polished, but I know the rawness should be left as is for the "noisecore" trend. Plus, it's balanced out by the then-rare-in-metalcore melody, so it's all good either way....

4/5

Coming soon: Another attempt to get on the deathcore trail in the 1997 era...

Another astonishing early metalcore release that I can't believe I didn't discover until today. Here are my thoughts:

Shai Hulud's debut Hearts Once Nourished with Hope and Compassion is an important late 90s metalcore record, and many metal/hardcore bands would be taking the aspect of emotional anger from the music and lyrics of Shai Hulud for their own sound. This band certainly isn't emo, but they have emotional passion in their lyrics and music. Hearts Once Nourished with Hope and Compassion consists of 9 amazing songs with the most intensity heard in the genre. Shai Hulud have been a highly significant part of the metalcore league despite the long 5+ year gap between albums and as many lineup changes as Annihilator. Their debut shows how beautiful hardcore can be. The band's strongest lineup has made their ultimate essential album! Now would it surprise you found out that the vocalist at that time is Chad Gilbert, founding guitarist of pop-punkers New Found Glory? Chad has done amazing vocals in this album, screaming out messages of despair, with thoughts better communicated here than elsewhere. There's also excellent guitar intricacy that would make me say the Owen Wilson "WOW." The perfect devastation comes during the breakdowns in contrast to lightning fast rhythms that sear through. Hearts Once Nourished with Hope and Compassion would be a major influence to the hardcore/metalcore world. Shal Hulud is still as influential as they've ever been these past 25 years. Hardcore/metalcore fans would surely be inspired by one of the most original bands of the genre. This is hardcore perfection!

5/5

Angry heaviness occurs for this band:

Earth Crisis wasn't the only band to add more groove than hardcore into their metalcore, with Vision of Disorder continuing that angry combo in their debut. My thoughts:

With sieges and wars on the rise in different parts of the planet in the 90s, where did some of the witnesses put their rage? In music! Many 90s extreme bands aggressively tackle the world's problems in their sound, whether it's rap metal like Rage Against the Machine, or metalcore like this band Vision of Disorder. This band from Long Island has shaken the world as much as their peers, with the extreme metallic hardcore of their 1996 self-titled debut! Combining melody and heaviness, Vision of Disorder's self-titled debut is another highly essential album of 90s metalcore. The golden age of metal has been considered to be the 80s, but the 90s was in fact the golden age for the earliest metalcore, and this offering is one gem from that era!

5/5

Ben, please add the Hatebreed album Satisfaction Is the Death of Desire. Its Metalcore tag now fits the RYM 2:1 ratio (for: 70 - against: 28).

Ain't this a real heavy deal in early metalcore!

I gave Earth Crisis' first EP and first two albums a listen, and the Firestorm EP and Destroy the Machines are some of the best I've heard so far in this journey, reaching a perfect 5 stars! They're terrific early examples of metalcore, filled with raging riffs and substance-free lyrics. However, their second album Gomorrah's Season Ends has some slight cliches from their attempts to recreate their success. Still it has a great amount of impressive music, continuing this band's status as an important one in metalcore history! Maybe someday I'll keep listening to that band full-time and check out their later albums, but I have other metalcore albums to look out for in my rediscovery saga. I shall continue it with a few other bands with important early albums. More of the original Revolution awaits me!

The most hardcore breakdown of metalcore breakdowns in my opinion occurs in this track:

Cool, thanks Daniel!

Thanks, Daniel!

These two tracks together form the ultimate early Revolution anthem:

I changed my mind. THIS is the birth of metalcore if we count the 1989 demo version:

As a bonus treat before progressing through metalcore's first decade further, I decided to find and listen to Rorschach and Integrity's first ever demos, released in 1989, though Integrity's Harder They Fall demo would be re-released a year later as In Contrast of Sin with two more tracks. They're good but don't reach the greatness as the proper albums. Still I acknowledge the demos as the real birth of metalcore. Here they are:

A mighty mix of pre-Tool alt-metal and mid-paced angry metalcore:

The debut album from a band determined to make a sharp rudimental sound of metallic hardcore and, as a result, sounding ahead of their time! I said that because, it was the year 1992, and they were already introducing new sonic elements into the genre they were helping pioneer. You can hear some alt-metal to remind you of Biohazard, Helmet, and Life of Agony, with a similar approach in the production. Besides often hitting a mid-tempo pace, what's worth noting is the deranged vocals performed by Rennie Resmini; not hardcore, not metal, but in between. With all that said, there's so much to digest, especially for those who have had a hard time finding this album before the reissue. Hope they speed up the pace they've had in releasing albums (3 more in the 30 years after their debut)....

4/5

An important part of 90s hardcore, already signifying the metalcore vision of Earth Crisis and Hatebreed:

What if you can fully establish metalcore as a genre without being highly dependent on hardcore roots, to influence heavier subgenres, a bit like Black Sabbath's way of heavy metal in Masters of Reality? Add that and lyrics of the confusing insanity of life, and you have the violent intensity of Integrity's Those Who Fear Tomorrow! This hardcore juggernaut is the start of the band's over 3-decade legacy. It is one of the first ever metalcore albums, from 1991, though only the second after Rorschach album from a year earlier. It's no secret that Cro-Mags and Corrosion of Conformity where experimenting with crossing metal over into their hardcore, but Integrity helped bring life to a brand new world. Hardcore verses and metallic breakdowns are led by the original metalcore Dwid Hellion! For this album's violent soundscape to work, Dwid was born for this world to unleash his psychotic vocals. This unique approach was for many a complete anomaly. This bizarre delivery was unusual at that time, and somehow it still works greatly, with lyrics tackling every trick in the hardcore book. Those Who Fear Tomorrow is responsible for a metalcore tomorrow....today!

4.5/5

The birth of metalcore:

So now I'm heading into reviewing the earliest conventional metalcore releases, and what better way to start with the first ever release in The Revolution clan:

Here are my thoughts:

The revolutionary history of metalcore all began with this hardcore quintet from New Jersey. If you enjoy the sound developed and popularized by Converge or the recent noise-grind of Nails, Rorschach is the band to thank! Their debut Remain Sedate would bring a rebellious future to mankind. After the decadent 80s when metal and hardcore were two separate sides, the despondent 90s was when both genres have been united. Rorschach has made the perfect stylistic formula for the most brutal hardcore at that time, transcending into a newly invented sound. This is a relentless D-beat-inspired assault of crushing riffs and tormented screams like nothing before! The slithering bass and jackhammering drums share the stage with the guitars and vocals. This raw formation of a new sound while channeling their own horrors is kind of what Black Sabbath had done when inventing heavy metal. Like Sabbath, Rorschach was a will-testing pioneer of their own new genre. With this perfect offering, metalcore was born!

5/5