Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

Sludgy progressive metal with metalcore tendencies:

Bombastic Sabbath-inspired stoner metal with technical progressiveness:

Energetic hard rock/speed metal:

Well done, Ben! Another glorious milestone.

A fantastic cyber metal symphony in which metal guitars and electronic keyboards play out together in perfect synchronization:

An epic symphony with a synth-y first third, a metallic second third, and a symphonic final third:

Today I decided to check out a couple cyber metal albums to gain some ideas for tracks in future Sphere playlists, both of which each deserve a 4-star rating from me:

Part of a massive conceptual saga that is basically like Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe combined and played out like Rhapsody of Fire's sagas, all in a bombastic style of extreme djenty symphonic/cyber metal.

A compilation of 4 EXACTLY 10-minute grand instrumental epics that are dubbed, you guessed it, "symphonies", released as singles before a whole collection of them, all in the project's symphonic take of the usual ambient electro-industrial/cyber metal.

Also, Symphonies II has the industrial metal genre and cyber metal subgenre, but it's missing The Sphere clan on the release page. Could you please correct that in the database, Daniel? Thanks.

Acheron would've been a perfect album if not for a couple pointless stinker interludes like this one that's more suitable as the soundtrack to a video game's main menu:

A massive beast of a cyber metal epic:

Cinematic symphonics, serene vocals, best lyrical writing of the album:

Ambitious epic space progressive djent:

1. Gateway playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 14)

2. Infinite playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 9)

3. Revolution playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 28)

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

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 playlists I've made have paid off. I recommend them to any fan of the clans' respective genres and anyone who isn't into those genres but wants to get into a great start in enjoying them. Thanks, Daniel, for accepting these playlists, and good work all!

THE GATEWAY: In This Moment - Godmode (2023) 4.5/5

THE INFINITE: Anacrusis - Manic Impressions (1991) 4.5/5

THE REVOLUTION: For the Fallen Dreams - Changes (2008) 5/5

THE SPHERE: Nailbomb - Point Blank (1994) 4/5

Having listened to and reviewed this month's feature releases for all my clans, they all came out great. My Gateway and Revolution nominations are glorious gems that I would recommend to fans of their respective genres. I also enjoy the Infinite and Sphere feature releases. Keep up the good work on the feature releases, all! I look forward to more...

I wasn't planning on returning to the Roots of Metal project, but I felt curious enough to check out that Black Sabbath track "Supertzar". And wow, I absolutely agree with you, Daniel. The first ever symphonic/progressive metal track! This isn't Black Sabbath's first rodeo when it comes to strings (first being "Spiral Architect"), but if anyone here is looking for the true birth of metal genres with the orchestral epicness of Therion and Epica and the complex experimentation of Dream Theater and Fates Warning, that's it right here.

Lots of ominous riffing in this progressive thrasher:

An absolute highlight of brutal rage in this tech-thrash offering:

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

Anacrusis has reached a greater progressive height in their tech-thrash sound. Their two albums before this one showed subtle hints of progressiveness, but with Manic Impressions, they have reached their signature style that has put this album together with Coroner and Dark Angel's respective albums that year as the 1991 tech-thrash triptych! Manic Impressions shows a new vision for Anacrusis, along with a different drummer whose skills added to the complexity. Soft breaks and multiple time signatures have become more common than before, as are the mid-paced progressive aspects that would be in full force in their swan song album Screams and Whispers. With the songs and lyrics in cohesive flow, you can almost consider this a concept album when it isn't. Not every album has nothing but strong songs, but this album stands out as that. Kenn Nardi's talented voice (at least I think is talented) has improved significantly to flow with the dark atmosphere and intense heaviness colliding in a dramatic mix. The ominous riffing and melodic leads enhance the fast thrash that's balanced with the mid-paced sections surrounding, sometimes slowing down to heavier doom. All this and technical emotion in the music and lyrics show you what progressive tech-thrash is all about!

4.5/5

The highlight for this technical thrash offering is this one that shouldn't have been deemed just a bonus track:

The perfect wild chaos of tech-thrash while the subgenre was still fresh:

Dragoncorpse - The Drakketh Saga. Sure this album leans towards symphonic power metal, but deathcore is the more dominating genre there. Maybe a little too extreme for the kids, but at least the lyrics don't have any swearing.

This here is the song that got me into For the Fallen Dreams via one of my earlier Revolution playlists, and it has the furious fire of their perfect late 2000s starter duo of albums blended with anthemic melody:

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

Fear Factory - "Cloning Technology" (5:51) from Remanufacture – Cloning Technology (1997)

Godflesh - "Like Rats" (4:29) from Streetcleaner (1989)

Gothminister - "Somewhere in Time" (3:26) from The Other Side (2017)

In This Moment - "We Will Rock You" (3:05) from Mother (2020)

Mnemic - "Deathbox" (4:31) from The Audio Injected Soul (2004)

Red Harvest - "Cybernaut" (5:22) from Sick Transit Gloria Mundi (2002)

Total length: 26:44

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

Deadguy - "Nine Stitches" (2:16) from Fixation on a Co-Worker (1995)

For the Fallen Dreams - "Through the Looking Glass" (5:51) from Changes (2008)

Miss May I - "Gone" (3:38) from Rise of the Lion (2014)

Sonic Syndicate - "Aftermath" (4:11) from Only Inhuman (2007)

Unearth - "Zombie Autopilot" (4:10) from The Oncoming Storm (2004)

War of Ages - "The Awakening" (4:04) from Fire From the Tomb (2007)

Zao - "Xenophobe" (3:10) from The Well-Intentioned Virus (2016)

Total length: 27:20

Here are my submissions for the March Infinite playlist:

Ibaraki - "Kagutsuchi" (7:35) from Rashomon (2022)

Intronaut - "Prehistoricisms" (6:29) from Prehistoricisms (2008)

Periphery - "Zagreus" (8:19) from Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre (2023)

Stortregn - "Xeno Chaos" (5:40) from Finitude (2023)

Total length: 28:03

Here are my submissions for the March Gateway playlist:

Alien Weaponry - "Titokowaru" (5:51) from Tangaroa (2021)

Demon Hunter - "Revolutions" (5:35) from Exile (2022)

Imminence - "Death by a Thousand Cuts" (5:26) from Death by a Thousand Cuts (2023)

Sleep Token - "The Offering" (5:49) from The Offering (2019)

Waltari - "Infinite Dreams" (7:19) from Covers All (2011)

Total length: 30:00 (EXACTLY, sorry)

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Deathstars - "Chertograd" from Night Electric Night (2009)

5/5. Kicking off this playlist is this song from one of the best bands of cyber/industrial metal. It is an epic beautiful start to another amazing Deathstars album that is Night Electric Night. Chertograd is Russian for "Cursed Town". The female singing sounds serene, but we don't know who performs it.

Mechina - "Xenon" from Xenon (2014)

4.5/5. F***ing underrated epic cinematic cyber metal to love! You can just imagine travelling through lightyears of space and centuries (even millennia) of time.

Strapping Young Lad - "Skeksis" from Alien (2005)

5/5. This brutal track is where you can hear Gene Hoglan's amazing drumming that might've inspired the more metal side of Protest the Hero. The drumming is filled with punishment, no remorse. Finally, the vocals kick in that are amazing as always, along with fast riffs and neat keyboards all over.

Godflesh – "Nihil" from Cold World E.P. (1991)

5/5. One of the best Godflesh songs to strike you with fear and pleasure. Adding to the creepy bleakness is this track being featured in the 1995 film Hideaway. The scene that has that song is a good reason not to sh*t on that poor film. Justin Broadrick is quite a beast when it comes to performing guitars and vocals. With the usual feeling of dread, I both understand and don't understand why their music hasn't ended up any more film soundtracks.

HEALTH - "SICKO [Feat. GODFLESH]" from RAT WARS (2023)

4.5/5. This one follows as another highlight, sampling Godflesh's "Like Rats", specifically its noise-powered bridge ("You breed...like rats!!").

Ministry - "Goddamn White Trash" from Goddamn White Trash (2023)

4/5. A pretty great single for Ministry's upcoming possible final release Hopium for the Masses. Clearly they took some aspects from Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie after being those artists' opening act.

Lock the Basement - "Feed Our Lie" from Feed Our Lie (2020)

3.5/5. A creative banger without ever having to do mathy djent.

Fear Factory - "Industrial Discipline" from Mechanize (2010)

4/5. This one blasts through with the band's earlier deathly industrial metal. It ends with a cool outro that just stops abruptly. It's a small issue, but quite great nonetheless.

Lord of the Lost - "Destruction Manual" from Blood & Glitter (2022)

3.5/5. Some catchy industrial dance metal there. Enough said!

Gothminister - "Devil" from Gothic Electronic Anthems (2003)

4/5. This one is slightly darker than the other single from Gothminister's debut, "Angel", adding to the "Devil vs. Angel" motive.

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

4.5/5. More personality is included in this track, including the dialogue performed by Michael Bøgballe in multiple vocal styles.

Sybreed - "In the Cold Light" from The Pulse of Awakening (2009)

4/5. Who knew a depressive power ballad can fit so f***ing well in industrial/cyber metal? It's suitable for suffering in the despair of the bleak pandemic. The heavy final minute is so beautiful. Think a band like PAIN can do something like that?

Nailbomb - "Cockroaches" from Point Blank (1994)

4.5/5. This one stands out as another favorite, having some of the highest quality in its original album.

Pitchshifter - "Hangar 84" from Infotainment? (1996)

4/5. When you hear what sounds like drum 'n' bass with lots of audio samples, you know that's when Pitchshifter was moving out of their heavier Godflesh-infused sound.

Dødheimsgard - "Traces of Reality" from Satanic Art (1998)

4.5/5. Black metal is often filled with satanic chaos, and as amazing as this one sounds (because it's also close to industrial metal), it's not something I would want to have long-term if I don't want my angelic purity to be TOUCHED BY THE DEVILISH ONE (audio sample from Twin Peaks). Still this is pure f***ing chaos that shows how industrial metal can blend well black metal rather than electro-dance. And this EP is much different from the psychedelic avant-prog metal sound of A Umbra Omega. The beasts of the North are alive, not for the faint of heart.

Static-X - "Otsego Placebo" from Project Regeneration Vol. 1 (2020)

4/5. A pretty great single as part of the first half of the Project Regeneration duo of albums in memory of Wayne Static. Whether or not Xer0 really is Edsel Dope, he knows how to respectfully resurrect Wayne's vocal power. The audio samples are apparently from Total Recall.

Emigrate - "Get Down" Silent So Long (2014)

3.5/5. Hot lyrics and hot vocals from the song's guest vocalist Peaches. The killer heaviness doesn't crash in until literally the last minute.

N.K.V.D. - "Sloboda" from Totalitarian Industrial Oppression (2016)

3/5. Some decent Celtic Frost gone industrial vibes while subtly referencing infamous World War II leaders.

Uniform - "Delco" from Shame (2020)

3.5/5. Pretty solid music here, a bit like a blend of Ministry, Dope, and to a lesser extent, Deftones. "YOU ARE WHAT YOU'VE DONE, YOU ARE WHAT'S BEEN DONE TO YOU!"

2 Times Terror - "Vielä joskus" from Equals One Sudden Death (2010)

4/5. 2 Times Terror was a one-off side-project by MC Raaka Pee of Turmion Katilot, this project having more Rammstein vibes. I probably would love this track more if the lyrics were in English and they did not have the bridge with the baby noises before the final chorus.

KMFDM - "Take'm Out" from Blitz (2009)

3.5/5. Another industrial rock/metal track heavily covered in audio samples. Take it or lose it!

Autarkh - "Cyclic Terror" from Form in Motion (2021)

4/5. Holy sh*t, this is quite g****mn heavy! But I've heard better.

Eisbrecher - "Im Guten Im Bösen" from Liebe Macht Monster (2021)

3.5/5. Eisbrecher knows how to get their sound going in an addictive direction. It's a pity I can't really get the NDH appeal.

OOMPH! - "Ein Kleines Bisschen Glück" from Richter Und Henker (2023)

3/5. Oomph! is still going smoothly after their replacing longtime member Dero Goi with a different vocalist. I still can't get the NDH appeal, but this is still a decent song to conclude another solid Sphere playlist.

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? Despite some bumpiness throughout, especially in the second half. Anyway, I recommend this to any industrial metal fan and anyone who isn't into industrial metal but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks Daniel for accepting this, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

The whiny cleans here turn this song into a draggy disaster:

I'm also hesitant in calling it "downtempo deathcore" because before I've even heard of this subgenre, the only "downtempo" genre I knew is an electronic music genre used synonymously with trip hop. Since it's basically slower deathcore, I might go with either "sludge-deathcore" or "death-doomcore". I've listened to only 3 releases that have the downtempo deathcore tag in RYM; Admiral Angry's Buster (which I highly question its position in metalcore, let alone downtempo deathcore) and The Acacia Strain albums Wormwood and Coma Witch. Following the albums from the latter band, it sounds like it's on the line between deathcore and metalcore, inching towards the former. Now I don't know if we can add downtempo deathcore into Metal Academy just yet as there aren't really many releases of the genre in RYM at the moment, but the amount is growing quite fast. Throughout the time I wrote this comment, the amount of releases in the subgenre grew from 71 to 87, 91, and 97. Here's an example of downtempo deathcore, in a 27 and a half minute doomy epic to summarize it all:

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Brojob - "Into the Hellfire (Kris Kringle Special)" from A Very Deathcore Christmas With Brojob 2 (2023)

4.5/5. Beginning this playlist is Brojob's brutal humorous Christmas parody of Lorna Shore's breakthrough hit "To the Hellfire". And HOLY SH*T, it hits f***ing hard! Will Ramos should definitely react to this, especially during the final demonic shrieking. I still prefer the original through.

Imminence - "Heaven Shall Burn" from Heaven Shall Burn (2023)

5/5. Honestly another godly piece of metalcore to enjoy! I need more of this band.

After the Burial - "Behold the Crown" from Evergreen (2019)

4.5/5. After the Hellfire has burnt Heaven, the Lord's crown still stands. When that awesome djenty harmonic riff strikes after, you know some brutal sh*t is going down on you. This even has some recent Trivium vibes. F***ing killer!

The Amity Affliction - "It's Hell Down Here" from Not Without My Ghosts (2023)

5/5. The chaos of Hell spreads into Earth, especially during the pandemic, and you wonder if there will ever be Heaven on Earth. F***ing thumbs up for this song!

Like Moths to Flames - "Fluorescent White" from No Eternity in Gold (2020)

5/5. This band and Fit for a King know how to write lyrics about personal struggles, with this song being about vocalist Chris Roetter's wife battling an auto-immune disease, and the "fluorescent white" referencing the lights in the hospital she is in. This fantastic original song is one of my favorites from this band. They sure know how to please their fans with their groove-ish metalcore sound that's almost as progressive as ERRA and Invent Animate. Absolutely wonderful! From the first 30 seconds, you know how technical the guitars and drums can get. They can really rock this sh*t f***ing hard with killer djent vibes.

Resolve - "Death Awaits" from Human (2023)

4.5/5. Another great banger to love. Enough said!

Underoath - "In Division" from Ø (Disambiguation) (2010)

5/5. Now this is superb! Aaron Gillespie was absent for this album in both the drums and clean vocals, but Spencer's cleans that he uses with his usual screams keep the manliness factor going. No lie, I watched the music video for this song on TV long ago (at around the same time as "Writing on the Walls") during my earlier epic metal taste, but it was until in the center between then and now when I became fully interested in this band during my current modern heavier era. While I enjoy this exciting sound, I love the band in the albums where Aaron is around, though their older stuff. This album is brilliant killer face-blasting metalcore, though it hasn't reached the epic height of Lost in the Sound of Separation but it's very close. They should definitely have more success than Tool. Christian metalcore for the win!

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

5/5. Another perfect metalcore song that I've seen the music video for many years ago. Mike Hranica can perform insane screams that would repel my mother who doesn't care for this extreme kind of music. Although I'm not Christian, the music and lyrics are easy to love and believe. The emotion really matches those lyrics. Truly there's nothing highly disappointing this band has done.

Emmure - "Gypsy Disco" from Hindsight (2020)

4.5/5. Frankie Palmeri knows how to let out his unsteady emotions in the anger of his music. I'm sure anyone who has been around in COVID times felt the same thing. Just don't give up on life, people. Stay alive!

Any Given Day, Annisokay - "H.A.T.E." from H.A.T.E. (2023)

4.5/5. Talk about an insane collaboration by two of my brother's current favorite metalcore bands! With that and their collaboration with Within Temptation in "Shed My Skin", Annisokay should team up with Imminence next.

Zao – "To Think of You Is to Treasure an Absent Memory" from Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest (1998)

5/5. This one has vicious drumming. That song was written in memory of a friend of the band who committed suicide. Those lyrics pay great tribute to the fallen, "When you shut your eyes and fell asleep, Dark clouds descended on the souls of the ones who held you close to their hearts."

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

5/5. In this 8-minute epic, there's an ambient soundscape Isis would have later, before a mid-paced blend of progressive metal and metalcore, sounding slow before a ricochet into chaos. Then we have a psychedelic stoner bridge before the nastily great heaviness rises once more.

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

4.5/5. This is from Norma Jean's first album since changing out of their original name Luti-Kriss. Legendary breakdown there!

Fit for a King - "Keeping Secrets" Keeping Secrets (2024)

5/5. I'm glad to have discovered this band recently. Their Christian modern metalcore sound never disappoints!

Veil of Maya - "Red Fur" from [m]other (2023)

4.5/5. Another great sick track, especially the killer djentstep breakdown at the 2-minute mark.

Of Mice & Men - "My Understandings" from The Flood (2011)

4/5. A beautiful mellow song that can work as this playlist's intermission.

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

4.5/5. RIP Kyle Pavone, a tragically fallen vocalist/keyboardist. This song is so wonderful, from the f***ing amazing intro. I'll never let go of this band's music. Those lyrics shall be fun more to sing and scream along to.

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

5/5. Ever since Howard Jones left the band and Jesse Leach rejoined, Killswitch Engage has been bringing back some of the earlier heaviness. Chuck Billy of Testament has brought forward enough fury for this song to have potential in the DOOM soundtrack.

xNOMADx - "Acéphale" from Of Skylines and Embers (2023)

4.5/5. A sick track with otherworldly riffing and that clean/scream duet at the end, both marking this song an amazing gem.

Sonic Syndicate - "Jack of Diamonds" from Love and Other Disasters (2008)

5/5. One of the most bada** songs from this band, blending metalcore with the pure melodeath In Flames steered away from since Clayman. There are also some cool subtle keyboards, that are done a little better than Asking Alexandria at that time. The cleans and screams rule!

As I Lay Dying - "My Own Grave" from Shaped by Fire (2019)

4.5/5. Nice song from As I Lay Dying's comeback offering.

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

4.5/5. This one has intense speed, as guitar melodies shine over blast beat insanity. Everything's well-placed there!

Carnifex - "Infinite Night Terror" from Necromanteum (2023)

5/5. I think I just have a newfound favorite of deathcore. Carnifex is a brutal beast, especially in the drumming. The breakdown midway through is a total ripper. Man I just love this sh*t to bits!

Slaughter to Prevail - "1984" from 1984 (2022)

4.5/5. Did deathcore or even music this angry or violent even exist in the year 1984? Definitely not for the former. This song is actually about stopping violence and war, which is ironic for a band called Slaughter to Prevail. Still this is quite insane!

Whitechapel - "Without Us" from Kin (2021)

4.5/5. This one mixes clean atmosphere with stomping djenty deathcore aggression.

Converge - "Grim Heart/Black Rose" from No Heroes (2006)

5/5. If you're up for some sludgy mathcore, listen to this two-part almost 10-minute centerpiece! This epic once again proves the band's distinct brilliance in expanding their territory into epic horizons as they did with the title track of Jane Doe, while maintaining their identity to not sound like a Neurosis clone. The first part, "Grim Heart" is a song of evocative mourning performed by guest vocalist Jonah Jenkins (Only Living Witness and other bands) whose emotive vocals fit perfectly with the slow bleak march to give it a Mastodon vibe. Then at around the 6-minute mark begins the second part "Black Rose" which after calming down for a bit blasts off into rhythmic frenzy, ethereal guitar notes, and the torturous howls of Jacob Bannon. One of the most impressive Converge moments, though it can't beat the superior "Jane Doe" epic. And there's one more slow mathcore epic to come...

Rolo Tomassi - "Illuminare" from Astraea (2012)

5/5. An uplifting heart-stunning mathcore epic. The only other band that can blend screamed vocals with atmospheric melody is Architects. I'm starting to love this song and band! A unique journey through the astral plane...

I, Valiance - "Pure Misanthrope" from The Reject of Humanity (2015)

4.5/5. ...Until the Hellfire burns it down and starts to destroy everything in nothing but a f***ing heavy breakdown. Now that's the sickest way to end this playlist. A heavy banger of pure f***ing hate!

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 one 4-star track in the middle. 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 I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

A 6-minute epic to conclude one of my recent favorite metalcore debut albums:

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

This perfectly equal blend of melodies, riffs, and breakdowns is what makes this underrated band so unique. The breakdowns are made beyond imagination and they would make you get on your knees and beg for more. You'll find a lot of this awesomeness if you give the album a go. The wonderous melodies and riffs would guide you through, and the brutal breakdowns touch down hard and pummeling. The lyrics are so positive and mature, and they detail a revolutionary war in a story throughout the album. I could probably write a novel based on that. This band and album was missing in my life until last year, and I would love to continue listening to Changes any time. A true masterpiece in my ongoing metalcore quest!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "New Beginnings", "Last Dying Breath", "Never Again", "Vengeance", "Through the Looking Glass"

For fans of: August Burns Red, Parkway Drive, Crystal Lake

An epic ballad to conclude this modern metal band's latest offering:

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

In This Moment know how to reinvent the modern metal wheel. Each album is different in sound so their fanbase doesn't get tired of them easily. This alt-metal group, founded by Chris Howorth and Maria Brink, have gone further down the Marilyn Manson/Nine Inch Nails-infused industrial metal rabbit hole with their new album Godmode! After some slight hints in their 6th album Ritual, their next one Mother began to push the band's industrial side up front, creating strong anthems like their girl-power anthem of a Queen cover plus a few weak links. Although Godmode can have earlier fans cringe in dread, here the band refresh their sound into something simpler and more lively. The songs sound bolder and more organic, and Brink sounds like a true modern metal goddess, singing eerie lyrics and screaming demonic verses over driving riffs and electronic beats. With that and some spectacular solid songs, Godmode has truly proven what the band has in store as the modern metal legends they are today!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Godmode", "The Purge", "Sanctify Me", "Everything Starts and Ends with You", "I Would Die for You"

For fans of: Evanescence, Motionless in White, Nine Inch Nails

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Animals as Leaders – Wave of Babies (from Wave of Babies)

4.5/5. Animals as Leaders is a prominent band in the wave of developing bands of djent alongside Periphery and Tesseract, and they made cool instrumentals like this one.

Extol – Shadow of Death (from Paralysis)

5/5. Extol's cover of this Believer classic is what got me into this band, and it's a total blessing! It's also a bonus track in the Japanese edition of Undeceived. Apparently, Cradle of Filth stole the song's opening riff for their own song "Dirge Inferno", though I didn't know that because I'm one of those people who prefer to listen to Extol rather than Cradle of Filth, although I'm not a Christian. I guess that proves that plagiarism has made its way into progressive death/thrash and gothic/black metal.

Madder Mortem – Convertion (from Mercury)

5/5. This eerie epic perfectly summarizes the desolate Autumn atmosphere of its original album and artwork. The distorted guitars, technical doomy drums, soft acoustic guitars, dreamy keyboards, and calm yet powerful vocals are all there. Truly hypnotic!

Periphery – Four Lights (from Juggernaut: Alpha)

4.5/5. "THERE. ARE. 4. LIGHTS!!!!" yells Captain Picard in "Chain of Command", a two-part special episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Amazing djent instrumental, though I would've loved to hear Spencer's vocals over those guitar rhythms. I love this almost as much as Zagreus.

Arjen Anthony Lucassen's Star One – The Eye of Ra (from Space Metal)

4.5/5. This ballad-ish 3-part epic breaks the earlier mid-tempo/fast pace and is so majestic, especially in the epic ending where all 4 vocalists plus background vocalist Robert Soeterboek sing in perfect harmony.

Tesseract – Cages - PORTALS (from PORTALS)

5/5. Holy sh*t, thank you Tesseract! They really give this song the perfect live treatment.

Fates Warning – Part of the Machine (from Perfect Symmetry)

4.5/5. Frank Aresti has performed mighty technical guitarwork here. The bass work by Joe DiBiase is also mind-blowing. If people could pay attention to notes more, this would've ended up on the radio at any given chance. The band also gave Dream Theater vocalist James LaBrie an earlier chance to shine in one of the songs from the next album Parallels, released a year before Dream Theater's Images and Words. At that point, their heavy metal from as late as Awaken the Guardian is already gone.

Caligula's Horse – The Stormchaser (from The Stormchaser)

4/5. A fun banger, but am I up to revisiting the band with the rest of their new album Charcoal Grace? Not right now...

Symphony X – Wicked (from The Odyssey)

4.5/5. An excellent wicked way to end this playlist, with great singing. I definitely like the bridge at the 3 and a half minute mark followed a minute later by a scream into the final chorus. And this is the same band with the neoclassical "Smoke and Mirrors"!

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Alter Bridge – Holiday (from Pawns & Kings)

5/5. Let's start this playlist with an awesome tune that's basically like a country song with an epic and metallic punch!

Bad Wolves – It's You (2 Months) [feat. KILLBOY] (from Die About It)

4.5/5. Now this one's interesting as h*ll! This song starts off with some trap-pop verses then rises into powerful metal choruses. Some bada** inspiration there!

BOI WHAT – Neon Tide (from Neon Tide)

4/5. Here's some more of this great music from Boi What and his AI voice filters of Plankton, Spongebob, and Karen, with guitars heating up like wildfire. Someone should make a Spongebob music video for this killer piece of Spongecore!

Calva Louise – Feast is Over (from Over the Threshold)

4.5/5. My brother is often on a search for music to feast his ears on, as well as my ears. This is another one of those songs he stumbled upon and added to his playlist. It basically like a pop tune gone as f***ing heavy as death/thrash metal! And I thought Maria Brink was the metal scream queen (she still is)...

Cane Hill – (The New) Jesus (from Smile)

5/5. Holy f***ing sh*t, now this is some fantastic nu metalcore! I need to keep up with discovering more awesome stuff like this.

Disbelief – Misery (from Worst Enemy)

4.5/5. This heavy track has a dynamic groove sound, especially in the chorus. The first verse will let you know what you're in for, "Hey you, place called earth! Let me explain to you who I am! I’m your worst nightmare!"

Disciple – By God (from By God)

4/5. "YEEEEEEEEEEEHAW!!!" That's the sound Christian cowboys getting ready for the ride of their lives to close the portals to Hell and praise God in this solid track.

Disturbed – Down With the Sickness (from The Sickness)

4/5. You know this as one of their most popular songs, starting with that killer opening riff and vocalist David Draiman's memed-to-death primal shriek of "OOH-WAH-AH-AH-AH". The song has been used in many films, TV shows, and video games. This is Disturbed's true anthem! My brother likes it too, but he skips its disturbing bridge which has Draiman roleplaying as a kid being attacked by his abusing mother and ultimately fighting back. I've heard more disturbing sh*t than that, so I can handle that just fine.

Limp Bizkit – Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle) (from Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water)

4.5/5. Let's skip ahead a bit and start ROLLIN' ROLLIN' ROLLIN' ROLLIN'! My brother has been enjoying this band lately, though surprisingly he didn't start listening to them as early all those other bands he likes. The second verse is one of the best rap verses I've heard, much better lyrics than most other hip-hop lyrics out there.

Sleep Token – Ascensionism (from Take Me Back to Eden)

5/5. This one ascends through 7 minutes of sonic emotion. Melancholic piano and delicate vocals start things off before an atmospheric buildup. Then we switch to that electronic trap beat as Vessel takes on autotuned rap-ish singing that I would rather hear from him instead of T-Pain. Just listen to that personality! Things get tense as another verse builds, and finally, a heavy breakdown occurs, a little more touching piano, and then ground-pounding finale.

Sonic Syndicate – Leave Me Alone (from We Rule the Night)

5/5. PAIN's cover of this perfect epic song is what got me interested in Sonic Syndicate and loving them so much. This is one of my favorite Sonic Syndicate songs besides "Jack of Diamonds" which I'll talk about in the Revolution playlist. I'm definitely getting some Dead by April/Linkin Park vibes here, and that never disappoints me.

Sum 41 – Goddamn I'm Dead Again (from 13 Voices)

4.5/5. Desperate anger sears through this greatness. I saw the music video for this on MTV and it adds to the killer power of the song. My own scenario for this would be an epic battle between punks and metalheads in a mosh pit as the band performs, especially during a whole minute of Bullet for My Valentine gone DragonForce guitar soloing.

Twelve Foot Ninja – Over and Out (from Vengeance)

5/5. This jazzy standout, that might remind some of Faith No More, features Tatiana Shmayluk of Jinjer who's known as a beautiful beast of a vocalist in her band. Though her poppy cleans appear here rather than her unclean vocals. And I just wanna say thanks to Twelve Foot Ninja for blessing us with this music before their hiatus.

Utsu-P – HIKIZURI (from GALAPAGOS)

4.5/5. And here's an exciting piece of Vocaloid metal to end this playlist on a fun note!

Alt-metal with unique industrial aggression:

February 2024

1. Notochord – Abyssal Ontogeny (from Aegis)

2. Parius – Crashing Black Moon (from The Eldritch Realm)

3. Syncatto – Black Velvet (from Black Velvet)

4. Animals as Leaders – Wave of Babies (from Wave of Babies)

5. Extol – Shadow of Death (from Paralysis)

6. Madder Mortem – Convertion (from Mercury)

7. Periphery – Four Lights (from Juggernaut: Alpha)

8. Arjen Anthony Lucassen's Star One – The Eye of Ra (from Space Metal)

9. Ions – True Friendship (from Counterintuitive)

10. The Safety Fire – Old Souls (from Mouth of Swords)

11. Tesseract – Cages - PORTALS (from PORTALS)

12. Fates Warning – Part of the Machine (from Perfect Symmetry)

13. Whom Gods Destroy – In the Name of War (from In the Name of War)

14. Last Chance to Reason – Digital Twin (from Digital Twin)

15. Wheel – Dissipating (from Resident Human)

16. Anciients – Raise the Sun (from Raise the Sun (Re-recording))

17. Caligula's Horse – The Stormchaser (from The Stormchaser)

18. Turbulence – Hybrid (from Hybrid)

19. The World is Quiet Here – See the Sun (from Prologue)

20. Black Crown Initiate – Invitation (from Violent Portraits of Doomed Escape)

21. Symphony X – Wicked (from The Odyssey)

February 2024

1. Alter Bridge – Holiday (from Pawns & Kings)

2. Bad Wolves – It's You (2 Months) [feat. KILLBOY] (from Die About It)

3. BOI WHAT – Neon Tide (from Neon Tide)

4. Calva Louise – Feast is Over (from Over the Threshold)

5. Cane Hill – (The New) Jesus (from Smile)

6. Disbelief – Misery (from Worst Enemy)

7. Disciple – By God (from By God)

8. Disturbed – Down With the Sickness (from The Sickness)

9. Helmet – Driving Nowhere (from Aftertaste)

10. Infected Rain – Bi (from Ecdysis)

11. Mayfair – Schlage Mein Herz, Schlage... (from Schlage Mein Herz, Schlage...)

12. Metallica – Sweet Amber (from St. Anger)

13. Nita Strauss, Lzzy Hale – Through the Noise (from The Call of the Void)

14. Papa Roach – Devil (from F.E.A.R.)

15. Limp Bizkit – Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle) (from Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water)

16. Sleep Token – Ascensionism (from Take Me Back to Eden)

17. Sonic Syndicate – Leave Me Alone (from We Rule the Night)

18. Sum 41 – Goddamn I'm Dead Again (from 13 Voices)

19. Twelve Foot Ninja – Over and Out (from Vengeance)

20. Utsu-P – HIKIZURI (from GALAPAGOS)

It would be nice to have symphonic power metal here, but I personally think just having both power metal and symphonic metal in a release is enough.

Melodic/progressive/tech-death metal that's almost like a more brutal Persefone on steroids:

I've just given this album some listening and a review to expand my progressive death metal knowledge, and there is certainly a lot of progressiveness. I also find some technicality within the shredding and soloing that explore flamenco/neoclassical-style territory. It's almost like a more brutal Persefone on steroids! So this Hall entry shall be granted a YES vote from me.

A grand headbanging standout from the missing link between the first two In This Moment albums:

This track is what got me interested in this band In This Moment via one of the earlier Gateway playlists, and it's still filled with alt-metal greatness in my reviewing session with its album The Dream:

Summarizing In This Moment's one-off melodic metalcore sound is basically the band's theme song, as least in their early era:

Tracklisting:

1. Notochord – Abyssal Ontogeny (from Aegis)

2. Parius – Crashing Black Moon (from The Eldritch Realm)

3. Syncatto – Black Velvet (from Black Velvet)

4. Animals as Leaders – Wave of Babies (from Wave of Babies)

5. Extol – Shadow of Death (from Paralysis)

6. Madder Mortem – Convertion (from Mercury)

7. Periphery – Four Lights (from Juggernaut: Alpha)

8. Arjen Anthony Lucassen's Star One – The Eye of Ra (from Space Metal)

9. Ions – True Friendship (from Counterintuitive)

10. The Safety Fire – Old Souls (from Mouth of Swords)

11. Tesseract – Cages - PORTALS (from PORTALS)

12. Fates Warning – Part of the Machine (from Perfect Symmetry)

13. Whom Gods Destroy – In the Name of War (from In the Name of War)

14. Last Chance to Reason – Digital Twin (from Digital Twin)

15. Wheel – Dissipating (from Resident Human)

16. Anciients – Raise the Sun (from Raise the Sun (Re-recording))

17. Caligula's Horse – The Stormchaser (from The Stormchaser)

18. Turbulence – Hybrid (from Hybrid)

19. The World is Quiet Here – See the Sun (from Prologue)

20. Black Crown Initiate – Invitation (from Violent Portraits of Doomed Escape)

21. Symphony X – Wicked (from The Odyssey)

Tracklisting:

1. Alter Bridge – Holiday (from Pawns & Kings)

2. Bad Wolves – It's You (2 Months) [feat. KILLBOY] (from Die About It)

3. BOI WHAT – Neon Tide (from Neon Tide)

4. Calva Louise – Feast is Over (from Over the Threshold)

5. Cane Hill – (The New) Jesus (from Smile)

6. Disbelief – Misery (from Worst Enemy)

7. Disciple – By God (from By God)

8. Disturbed – Down With the Sickness (from The Sickness)

9. Helmet – Driving Nowhere (from Aftertaste)

10. Infected Rain – Bi (from Ecdysis)

11. Mayfair – Schlage Mein Herz, Schlage... (from Schlage Mein Herz, Schlage...)

12. Metallica – Sweet Amber (from St. Anger)

13. Nita Strauss, Lzzy Hale – Through the Noise (from The Call of the Void)

14. Papa Roach – Devil (from F.E.A.R.)

15. Limp Bizkit – Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle) (from Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water)

16. Sleep Token – Ascensionism (from Take Me Back to Eden)

17. Sonic Syndicate – Leave Me Alone (from We Rule the Night)

18. Sum 41 – Goddamn I'm Dead Again (from 13 Voices)

19. Twelve Foot Ninja – Over and Out (from Vengeance)

20. Utsu-P – HIKIZURI (from GALAPAGOS)

Ben, please add these new albums:

Madder Mortem - Old Eyes, New Heart

Persefone - Lingua Ignota: Part I (EP)

Ben, please add the new Dead by April album The Affliction.

Jazzy post-progressive metal from LA:

Personally I also think of "24 Hour Bullsh*t" as a thrashy take on industrial metal. But looking back on this album, sounds like that track and those 3 you've mentioned are the only thrashy songs here and they aren't enough for the release to stay in The Pit. So I'll give this one a YES vote, Daniel.