Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

Oh I see. I didn’t know about the “nic” nickname, so I tried looking up the other band in the split release, Old Soul, but they didn’t have a Metal Archives article.

46. Old Soul / ██████ (NORTH)

Does that white rectangle mean that band's name is so offensive (probably more than A.C.) that they had to censor it everywhere, or are they literally called "White Rectangle" or "White Bar"? That would be hard to search for on Google, so we may never know.

Here are my thoughts:

That Equilibrium track... UGH, it's that album where they switched from their epic melodeath/symphonic/folk metal roots to this sh*t! This one seems closer to those roots though. I say it's symphonic power metal with the death growls happening as frequently as some of Epica's greatest hits, so it has some Guardians potential.

Passcode sounds closer to trancecore in the same vein as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, though with a Babymetal-inspired Japanese girl lineup. This can definitely stay in The Revolution, but under the trancecore banner.

DOLL$BOXX, yet another Japanese female band with the trance metal label. In my opinion, this sounds like the synth-powered alt-power metal sound that Machine Supremacy has, though not as 8-bitty, and with more emphasis on the "alt-" and a bit of screaming. The Gateway it is for this track, then.

So, if we include the tracks from the previous round, including the bonus Amaranthe track I suggested, my voting points are: The Guardians - 4, The Revolution - 2, The Gateway - 1. It is most likely for trance metal to be suited nicely in The Guardians as a power metal genre, despite slight potential in The Revolution. Let's see what the rest thinks first.

I found this very rare demo from Underoath. It was recorded in early 2003 as their final recording with original unclean vocalist Dallas Taylor before he left and was replaced by Spencer Chamberlain. This demo can be considered the "Samael's Rebellion" of Underoath, serving as a stylistic bridge between their mildly successful yet overlooked 3rd album and their commercial breakthrough 4th album. The 3rd song (and Dallas' very last with the band), "Heatherwood" even sounds like an early take on "Reinventing Your Exit" from that 4th album, They're Only Chasing Safety (Ben, please add that 4th album and the rest of their non-metal albums alongside their brand-new metalcore comeback Voyeurist, as soon as you can, thanks!).

With their lead vocalist Keith Buckley leaving the band for his mental health and their UK tour being cancelled due to the virus rising there, Every Time I Die decided that their time is up. They've gone out together rather than announcing their split separately (check their Instagram). RIP

A sh*tty ballad that I think should not exist:

Making my way through downtown memories of my pre-metal alt-past with a couple albums, the former of which my brother and I remember this track well:

Metal is no longer at the groundbreaking classic heights of the 80s, but it's still growing healthily as one of the most diverse music genres around. Personally, the 2020s might just be an epic decade for the metal that I enjoy. With so many mostly great albums I've discovered in 2020 and 2021, especially in the last third of the latter year, this seems like a promising start to an era that will make sure metal doesn't die right off like it almost did in the 90s. Here's to greater years of metal in the future!

In my opinion Trance Metal fits much better in The Gateway because Alternative Metal is usually what's given as a catch-all to "Pop Metal," which is what Trance Metal is usually going for. I get the comparisons to Symphonic and Power Metal, as especially the Japanese strain of Trance Metal is heavily influenced by the styles, but I don't think Trance Metal at all fits aesthetically with The Guardians (not that I'm a kvltist or anything, but the name of the clan implies a sound closer to "original" Heavy Metal, and Trance Metal is anything but). Babymetal should for sure be in The Gateway as they are certainly Alternative Metal even when not doing Trance Metal. Just my two cents though.

Interesting perspective. Do you have some examples of some Pop Metal records that have been lumped into The Gateway purely as a catch-all rather than because they possess an alternative inspired sound? It's not really my area of expertise so I'm interested to see exactly what you're talking about.

Coldrain has a good example of a more poppy alt-metalcore sound.

Ever since I started assembling the Revolution playlists, I've found a great amount of metalcore band discoveries! Here are 7 I've started listening to, from the regular melodic-ish metalcore:

To the more avant-prog-ish metalcore:

And the wild experimental mathcore:

And besides those 7 bands, I finally got the new Underoath album Voyeurist, a true return to this band's metalcore sound from the late 2000s, with some such highlights including the climax of this 7-minute epic:

Here are my thoughts:

Babymetal performs speedy trancecore instrumentation similar to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but the vocals are mostly anime-girl singing, and the only screams I hear are in the background during the breakdown. It's not as power metal as "Road of Resistance", but it's certainly the closest to dance-pop-infused symphonic power metal, so this track belongs to The Guardians.

Blood Stain Child is known for mixing melodeath with genuine trance. However, like the Babymetal track, this one has nothing to do with melodeath or metalcore and is closer to trance-y symphonic power metal, so it belongs to The Guardians. Needless to say, I enjoy this a lot and might make an exception to my quarantine from death metal to check out the rest of their discography as well.

Amaranthe, I know the most of, and look, even though this is one of my favorite tracks, I don't think this is the best example of their sound because, yes, it's once again a symphonic power metal track with trance elements that belongs to The Guardians, but that's not what their sound is based on. Most of their other songs I believe have both symphonic/power metal and melodic metalcore/trancecore in their sound that could easily fit well in both The Guardians and The Revolution. Here's a better example to check out (after those other 3 tracks, of course):

Anyway, based on the 3 tracks, yeah, I agree that trance metal is better off in The Guardians as a power metal subgenre. It just doesn't fit right in The Revolution!

Meshuggah has just announced that they're gonna be releasing their long-awaited 9th album Immutable on April 1. In the History of Heavy Metal book I've reviewed, one of Andrew O'Neill's future predictions was "Meshuggah record an album with such complex time signatures they get trapped inside the music. The album is never released for fear of opening a black hole." Well it seems like their record label has the guts to release such an album, so we'll see in April whether or not the band are trapped within their music or if it would really cause the end of the galaxy as we know it. Either way, that would be the most epic and heaviest April Fools non-prank joke ever!

Ben, please add the new Underoath album Voyeurist, along with their non-metal albums to bridge the gap:

They're Only Chasing Safety

Define the Great Line

Erase Me

(The former two of their non-metal albums I've been asking for ever since you starting adding non-metal albums but somehow they kept getting overlooked, but this is the perfect chance to add them in along with their two most recent albums, so please don't miss them. Thanks!)

Then again, is there anything wrong with adding these bands into The Revolution under Trance Metal if they have enough electronic elements? The worst part is that Daniel/Ben did too good of a job writing the clan descriptions, since "...join the strongest of all modern metal movements...it's time to rebel..." perfectly encapsulates the "newness" that these bands are trying to bring into other established genres, for better or worse. 

That is kind of a problem with including trance metal in The Revolution. While a good amount of metalcore lovers also enjoy a bit of trance metal, some might get confused about trance metal being in the same clan as metalcore. The Revolution's two superior genres, metalcore and melodic metalcore, have their roots from mixing metal with hardcore punk and lyrics of rebellion, and if trance metal bands like Amaranthe and Metalite have a electronic-infused sound that leans more towards symphonic/power metal than metalcore, that would cause quite an issue. Then again, Amaranthe often has some melodic metalcore going on, so it's a tough call.

You know what, trance metal is quite a hard genre to bring to a solid conclusive fate, so maybe we can run an experiment similar to the ones for trancecore and Nintendocore where we listen to a song from each of the prominent trance metal bands/releases to see if the genre can stay or just move those bands and releases to the closest-sounding genres/clans. How does that sound?

I’ve already listed above the clans where some of those bands could go if we end up getting rid of trance metal, so they are quite different despite electro-trance elements being an essential part of their sound.

Amaranthe can move to the Guardians with the symphonic/power metal parts of the sound along with staying in The Revolution as melodic metalcore. Babymetal can stay in The Gateway as usual, but a few songs might be worth The Guardians, such as their collaboration with DragonForce, "Road of Resistance". Blood Stain Child would, of course, stay in The Horde as melodeath. Trancecore has always been a melodic metalcore subgenre here, so it's fine how it is.

If we keep the trance metal tag but remove it from The Revolution, where would it go? Would it just be a genre's subgenre, or have its own clan? Do you have in mind what the fate of trance metal might be, Xephyr?

Here are my overall ratings for the playlists I've reviewed this month (January):

1. Gateway playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 8)

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

3. Infinite playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 12)

3. Pit playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 12)

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

So far, I've only commented on 8 tracks in the Gateway playlist, 9 tracks in the Guardians playlist, and 12 tracks each in the Infinite and Pit playlists, but I still enjoy the tracks that I had time for, and I'm grateful to Saxy, Xephyr, Vinny for their playlist works all the same and the former two's approval of me helping with creating the playlist threads, and of course to Daniel for accepting those playlists. I really dig the Revolution playlist that I've made! That opinion might seem bad form, but let me even out by saying that I would recommend 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 my playlist! Good work on these playlists, all!

Here are my ratings for this month's feature releases for all my clans, and a quick summary:

The Gateway: Karnivool - Themata (2005) - 5/5

The Guardians: Rhapsody of Fire - Dawn of Victory (2000) - 5/5

The Infinite: Mastodon - Crack the Skye (2009) - 5/5

The Pit: Sadus - Illusions (1988) - 5/5

The Revolution: Bullet for My Valentine (2001) - 4/5

Another very solid month for feature releases, again probably because of the releases submitted by us Metal Academy members (including myself). All of the feature releases I've reviewed are perfect, except my feature release submission for The Revolution that is great enough for others to try but could've been slightly better. Thanks for these amazing feature releases, guys! Looking forward to more to come...

Ben, please add the 2010 self-titled Escape the Fate album. Its Alternative Metal tag now fits the RYM 2:1 ratio (for: 5 - against: 2).

Oh yeah, well here's what I think is probably the most poppy alt-metalcore song I've heard:

To me, more than anything, extreme metal requires harsh vocals. On top of that, common traits are downtuned guitars with heavier distortion and double bass/blast beat drumming. I think certain genres are almost always extreme metal (Death, Black, Grindcore) and others have bands that are extreme, and some that aren't (Thrash, Doom). I wouldn't call Metallica, Anthrax, or Megadeth extreme metal, but I would call Slayer, Sepultura, and Demolition Hammer extreme metal. The biggest difference is in the vocal deliveries and how often they employ double bass drumming and tremolo picking at high BPMs.

But of course, Funeral Doom is still extreme metal and doesn't often have these fast qualities, so that leaves us with the vocal delivery being the one thing tying them all together. Harsh vocals = extreme metal for me, because it is the most identifiable and forefront trait that will immediately turn a very large group of people away from the music. It is the most likely trait to be a problem for casual music listeners, making the music too "extreme" for mainstream audiences. 

When you think of mainstream appeal, what seems more likely to succeed; a Thrash Metal song with melodic vocals and catchy choruses, or a Pop song with death growls all the way through? Vocal style is the prominent factor in determining what is or isn't too extreme to be considered "normal."

I agree about your thrash metal comparison (including the "Big 4" and Sepultura), but bands like Demolition Hammer and Sadus have remained mostly in the underground in their years of activity, and that's how I like extreme thrash, going extreme without ever hitting the mainstream. Funeral doom and DSBM can also be extreme, though they're often extremely slow and depressive, as opposed to the fast upbeat genres I'm more comfortable with. By the logic of "thrash metal with melodic vocals and catchy chorus" being more successful, Artillery could easily be the most popular band of thrash metal. A pop song with death growls would be very interesting, but it wouldn't really catch on. So definitely the former!

Here's how I would describe "extreme" metal. As much as I'm familiar with the term and can tolerate it, it doesn't seem quite appropriate to stick that label onto bands on a whim just because of how heavy they are/were. Bands that I like and used to like that have fallen into that trap include: Anathema, Converge, Dark Tranquility, Gojira, Katatonia, Lamb of God, My Dying Bride, Nevermore, and Tiamat. Extreme metal, in my opinion, should be reserved for the ultra-heavy genres I try to avoid such as the more brutal ends of death metal and black metal, and grindcore. The word "extreme" might raise some suspicion from my family and friends from the outside world, and that's why I have to be specific to them about the genres the bands play. "Extreme metal" is an OK term, but it shall be used wisely!

I wouldn't recommend that we add Deathcore to The Horde Andi. Most Death Metal fanatics have problems with Deathcore in my experience & the intention of the clans is to is to link subgenres that are likely to appeal to the same audience. I think it's fine residing only in The Revolution although I could be convinced that it's better as a main Genre rather than a subgenre of Metalcore.

On the Trance Metal topic, after putting together The Revolution playlists for a couple of years & religiously including a Trance Metal track I've become very much aware that it doesn't sit all that comfortably alongside the Metalcore subgenre set. I'm interested to get everyone's feedback on whether you think it would sit better in another clan &, if so, which one that might be. The Gateway perhaps? Even The Guardians given the similarities to Power Metal & Symphonic Metal? Thoughts? Where do you think Trance Metal belongs?

On the Trancecore topic, from my playlist programming experience it seems to me that it's more of a variation on Melodic  Metalcore than anything else. Am I wrong?

NOTE: Please bare in mind that all this talk is just hypothetical at this stage because it's a significant exercise to make changes like these.

The deathcore thing is also hypothetical, and I'm comfortable with deathcore staying in just The Revolution, for myself and fans of each separate genre. If we do end up getting rid of trance metal and all bands of that genre go to other clans and genres, it would be quite a tough call, but here are a few examples: Amaranthe can move to the Guardians with the symphonic/power metal parts of the sound along with staying in The Revolution as melodic metalcore. Babymetal can stay in The Gateway as usual, but a few songs might be worth The Guardians, such as their collaboration with DragonForce, "Road of Resistance". Blood Stain Child would, of course, stay in The Horde as melodeath. Trancecore has always been a melodic metalcore subgenre here, so it's fine how it is.

Update on my list (still alphabetized and still at Bruno Terrosa's 55):

1. Accept - Metal Heart (1985)

2. All That Remains - Overcome (2008)

3. Annihilator - Alice in Hell (1989)

4. August Burns Red - Constellations (2009)

5. Bleeding Through - Love Will Kill All (2018)

6. Born of Osiris - The Discovery (2011)

7. Botch - We are the Romans (1999)

8. Bring Me the Horizon - Sempiternal (2013)

9. Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth (1997)

10. Bullet for My Valentine - The Poison (2005)

11. Converge & Chelsea Wolfe - Bloodmoon: I (2021)

12. Coroner - Mental Vortex (1991)

13. Crimson Glory - Transcendence (1988)

14. Dark Angel - Time Does Not Heal (1991)

15. Demolition Hammer - Tortured Existence (1990)

16. Devin Townsend - Empath (2019)

17. Dir En Grey - Uroboros (2008)

18. Disillusion - Back to Times of Splendor (2004)

19. Fates Warning - The Spectre Within (1985)

20. God Forbid - IV: Constitution of Treason (2005)

21. Green Carnation - Light of Day, Day of Darkness (2001)

22. Hopesfall - No Wings to Speak of (2001)

23. Horse the Band - Desperate Living (2009)

24. Ice Nine Kills - The Silver Scream (2018)

25. Karnivool - Themata (2005)

26. Leprous - Tall Poppy Syndrome (2009)

27. Liquid Tension Experiment - Liquid Tension Experiment 3 (2021)

28. Lord - Fallen Idols (2019)

29. Lost Horizon - A Flame to the Ground Beneath (2003)

30. Make Them Suffer - Neverbloom (2012)

31. Maudlin of the Well - Bath (2001)

32. Meshuggah - Catch Thirty-Three (2005)

33. Motionless in White - Creatures (2010)

34. Ne Obliviscaris - Portal of I (2012)

35. Neurosis - Through Silver in Blood (1996)

36. Parkway Drive - Horizons (2007)

37. Plini - Impulse Voices (2020)

38. Prayer for Cleansing - Rain in Endless Fall (1999)

39. Protest the Hero - Kezia (2005)

40. Queensryche - The Warning (1984)

41. Riot - Thundersteel (1988)

42. Running Wild - Death or Glory (1989)

43. Savatage - Dead Winter Dead (1995)

44. Seventh Wonder - Mercy Falls (2008)

45. Silent Planet - Iridescent (2021)

46. Skyharbor - Blinding White Noise: Illusion and Chaos (2012)

47. Textures - Dualism (2011)

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

49. Trivium - In Waves (2011)

50. Veil of Maya - [id] (2010)

51. Vektor - Black Future (2009)

52. Virgin Steele - The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part II (1995)

53. Voivod - Dimension Hatross (1988)

54. Wuthering Heights - The Shadow Cabinet (2006)

55. X Japan - Art of Life (1993)

Before we get to my latest list update, I would like to point out an early hint for next month's Revolution Spotify playlist that I'm assembling. I tend to focus on the years when all of the Revolution genres/subgenres are existent. Sure there are great classics in the genres that have been around since before 2006, but I didn't want some of the genres to feel left out. Still I can sneak add a few tracks from as early as the late 90s (I haven't forgotten about your Cold as Life track suggestion, Daniel), kind of like some bands who are formed 30 years ago, but choose to mainly play songs live from as early as 2006, with one or a few throwback tracks as early as 1998. With all that said, I'm going to try categorizing the different metal eras again, this time to suit the different eras of The Revolution genres. So here's my updated list:

Beginning oldies (1978-1989)/B.M. (Before Metalcore):

1978: Riot - Rock City (yes I know, everyone says the year is 1977, but I don't quite suspect that as its true release year, more info about that in this separate thread reply: https://metal.academy/forum/28/thread/362#topic_6048)

1979: Riot - Narita

1980: Accept - I'm a Rebel

1981: Accept - Breaker

1982: Virgin Steele - Virgin Steele

1983: Savatage - Sirens

1984: Queensryche - The Warning

1985: Fates Warning - The Spectre Within

1986: Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory

1987: Savatage - Hall of the Mountain King

1988: Riot - Thundersteel

1989: Running Wild - Death or Glory

Old golden classics (1990-1997)/Humble metalcore beginnings:

1990: Demolition Hammer - Tortured Existence

1991: Dark Angel - Time Does Not Heal

1992: Sadus - A Vision of Misery

1993: X Japan - Art of Life

1994: Savatage - Handful of Rain

1995: Savatage - Dead Winter Dead

1996: Converge - Petitioning the Empty Sky

1997: Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth

Millennium transition highlights (1998-2005)/Light of day-seeing metalcore classics:

1998: Meshuggah - Chaosphere

1999: Botch - We are the Romans

2000: Skycamefalling - 10.21

2001: Converge - Jane Doe

2002: Hopesfall - The Satellite Years

2003: The Lord Weird Slough Feg - Traveller

2004: Wuthering Heights - Far From the Madding Crowd

2005: Trivium - Ascendancy

Modern favorites (2006-2013)/Rise of the full Revolution:

2006: Wuthering Heights - The Shadow Cabinet

2007: The Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works

2008: Textures - Silhouettes

2009: August Burns Red - Constellations

2010: Motionless in White - Creatures

2011: Trivium - In Waves

2012: Skyharbor - Blinding White Noise: Illusion and Chaos

2013: We Came as Romans - Tracing Back Roots

The best of the most recent (2014-2021)/A greater new uprising:

2014: Ne Obliviscaris - Citadel

2015: Bullet for My Valentine - Venom

2016: Vektor - Terminal Redux

2017: Trivium - The Sin and the Sentence

2018: Silent Planet - When the End Began

2019: Devin Townsend - Empath

2020: Trivium - What the Dead Men Say

2021: Trivium - In the Court of the Dragon

With the last third of 2021 being filled with the greatest amount of amazing new releases to end that year, that also marks the grand ending to that 8-year phase in my opinion, with this year 2022 possibly starting a new one.

2022 albums I'm looking forward to getting:

Underoath - Voyeurist

Persefone - Metanoia

Cult of Luna - The Long Road North

Voivod - Synchro Anarchy

Annihilator - Metal II (nearly entire re-recording of their Metal album)

Animals as Leaders - Parrhesia

Rate Your Music (which is where the metal genre/subgenre categories came from for Metal Academy) has recently switched melodic metalcore into a metalcore subgenre instead of one of the main metal genres, so now it's the same level as deathcore. I think it really would make sense if deathcore is a main metal genre since it mixes metalcore with death metal, maybe for both The Horde and The Revolution? Then again, I would end up quitting assembling the Revolution monthly playlist because I lost my tolerance for death metal last year (more info here: https://metal.academy/forum/10/thread/748). I once made a couple clan challenge proposals for Ben; one to make clan challenges for the remaining main genres, and the other to make clan challenges for all the subgenres, but the latter idea would take too much work, and he's currently taking a hiatus from creating new clan challenges. I've sent to him via private message some release ideas for the remaining genre clan challenges for in case he decides to continue making them (I can privately tell you my release ideas for the trance metal clan challenge if you would like). When I assemble the Revolution playlists, I make sure to include all of its genres and subgenres while considering an appropriate ratio between them based on release notability, and I kind of think of trance metal and trancecore as the same thing because of their similarity in sound and the very little amount of releases for both of them. Trance metal has much less! Either way, any Revolution genre and subgenre is welcome in the Revolution playlists, so please feel free to submit your Revolution track suggestion here (one per non-members): https://metal.academy/forum/14/thread/484

PS: Sorry to hear you have the virus. Feel better soon, Scarecrow.

But isn't deathcore already under the Revolution banner already? You make it sound like deathcore isn't already something you can put in the Revolution playlist, when it seems like you can from what I read. I am interested in seeing the clan challenge proposals, as I think it's a super cool and educational (for lack of a better word) idea. I hope Ben's hiatus isn't for too long, it would be a shame if the idea was abandoned. I also agree that trancecore and trance metal are incredibly similar in sound, if not entirely indistinguishable. 

Hi Scarecrow. Very valid questions. When we originally created the Metal Academy website we had to decide on a reasonable configuration & wouldn't profess to be experts in every metal subgenre so we simply went with the most well informed position we could at the time. In saying that though, we're always looking for ways to improve the site & have made dozens of changes over time. I agree with you that in hindsight Melodic Metalcore should be under Metalcore & it's likely be something that we'll look to change in the future. Just bare in mind that every change we make to the database structure can create a considerable logistical challenge as we've already got tens of thousands of releases in play under the current structure. There's also a financial cost for us to make most changes so we tend to do them in batches in order to get the most bang for buck with our developer.

As for why there's not a trance metal clan challenge, that's because there are very few genuine trance metal releases of any note which makes it pretty irrelevant as a guide to a potential new clan member's understanding of The Revolution. In fact, I'm now of the opinion that Trance Metal probably doesn't belong in The Revolution & may not even warrant its own subgenre. That might be something we look at over time too.

I understand that. If it's more about the logistics/cost behind it then yeah I don't see a reason to prioritize this change either.

I would be a little sad if trance metal was done away with because I like the genre. I know it's definitely smaller than a lot of the other genres here, but I feel like eliminating it entirely would leave some bands/albums without genres that truly describe their sound (Like, what would you call Blood Stain Child if not trance metal? Melodeath? That would feel slightly misleading). 

Of course, deathcore already is in The Revolution, but if it has the death metal riffing, blast beats, and deep growls, would it fit well as part of death metal and The Horde? That would make sense, but it's already residing in just The Revolution, and it should probably stay as it is. Getting red of the trance genres just because there are so few releases in those genres would be awful because that's the best way to describe some of the bands of those two genres. Amaranthe's sound has elements of power metal and melodic death/metalcore combined with electronic/symphonic influences, but describing that as a concluding set of genres is misleading. Similarly, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas combine metalcore/post-hardcore with electronic/symphonic influences, but that's not how I would describe them. What if we at least categorize trance metal and trancecore as one genre? Call it "trance metal/core", and whether it ends up as a main genre or a subgenre, what matters is, we still have it. I'm glad you agree about how similar those two genres sound, Scarecrow.

Rate Your Music (which is where the metal genre/subgenre categories came from for Metal Academy) has recently switched melodic metalcore into a metalcore subgenre instead of one of the main metal genres, so now it's the same level as deathcore. I think it really would make sense if deathcore is a main metal genre since it mixes metalcore with death metal, maybe for both The Horde and The Revolution? Then again, I would end up quitting assembling the Revolution monthly playlist because I lost my tolerance for death metal last year (more info here: https://metal.academy/forum/10/thread/748). I once made a couple clan challenge proposals for Ben; one to make clan challenges for the remaining main genres, and the other to make clan challenges for all the subgenres, but the latter idea would take too much work, and he's currently taking a hiatus from creating new clan challenges. I've sent to him via private message some release ideas for the remaining genre clan challenges for in case he decides to continue making them (I can privately tell you my release ideas for the trance metal clan challenge if you would like). When I assemble the Revolution playlists, I make sure to include all of its genres and subgenres while considering an appropriate ratio between them based on release notability, and I kind of think of trance metal and trancecore as the same thing because of their similarity in sound and the very little amount of releases for both of them. Trance metal has much less! Either way, any Revolution genre and subgenre is welcome in the Revolution playlists, so please feel free to submit your Revolution track suggestion here (one per non-members): https://metal.academy/forum/14/thread/484

PS: Sorry to hear you have the virus. Feel better soon, Scarecrow.

There are some people out there who think of extreme metal as a genre, but it's definitely not. It's an umbrella term! That's like if someone asks you "What's your favorite movie?", and you say "The Marvel Cinematic Universe!" You don't have to treat a huge franchise like one film! Anyway, extreme metal is often split into 4 of the heavier metal genres; the speed metal of Venom, the thrash metal of Slayer, the black metal of Darkthrone and Emperor, and the death metal of Morbid Angel (even melodeath such as Dark Tranquillity), though this also includes heavy doom albums from the early 90s made by bands such as Anathema, Katatonia, My Dying Bride, and Tiamat. Then there are a few bands whom the extreme metal has stuck to them like a nametag, with one notable example being Cradle of Filth. You can definitely think of their sound as black metal, gothic metal, and symphonic metal, but extreme metal is the way to go because that's what the band is most comfortable with and a great compromise to not cause any severe arguments. Extremity is indeed suitable for music that expands your comfort zone and anyone who doesn't tolerate that level shouldn't proceed. I absolutely can tolerate extreme, but I know some people in the outside world can't, so I have to stay in control, especially when it comes to black metal, death metal, and doom metal. So... extremity can kinda both be (based on these song titles):

and

That's a lot of Meshuggah in your list, Daniel! Djent is a really cool heavy subgenre, but I haven't listened to that as much as the rest of progressive metal. Still going by my one-band-per-entry rule, I'll start with a top 5:

5. Born of Osiris - The Simulation (2019)

4. Veil of Maya - Matriarch (2015)

3. Meshuggah - Catch Thirtythree (2005)

2. Textures - Dualism (2011)

1. The Contortionist - Exoplanet (2010)

Finally made my draft a public post! It's right here: https://www.reddit.com/user/shadowdoom9/comments/rw8mvq/my_thoughts_on_loudwires_big_4_bands_of_17_metal/

Continuing my Sadus review journey, this track is a thrash classic that deserves more attention:

It was down for a few hours one day last week for maintenance but other than that as far as I'm aware it's OK. I've never had the issue, but apparently it is notorious for not responding or kicking you out if you are flicking from page to page too quickly as it thinks you are a bot. Maybe that is part of the issue Andi?

The bot thing is true, you would have to do one of those captcha tests to get back in if you've gone through too many pages in a short amount of time. So yeah, maybe.

Anyway, it's working fine again. Fingers crossed here...

Vinny, you seriously need to listen to this month's Pit featured release of ultra-fast thrash greatness:

Ultra-fast thrash greatness! Any fan of Dark Angel, Slayer, or Kreator, should take a break from those bands and give this one a chance:

I did my review, here's its summary:

With this album, thrash has reached the ultimate limit of furious velocity! This is the beginning of my review journey from their chaotic debut Illusions (also known as Chemical Exposure) to their swan song-ish album Out for Blood. Darren Travis performs lightning-fast riffs and awesome raw vocals, while Steve Di Giorgio foreshadows his later supreme bass talent. Scream "Slayer" all you want, but with Illusions, Sadus has played some of the fastest, most technical and memorable thrash I've heard in my life. Despite some minor errors in mixing, this is a perfect thrash album, like "in your f***ing face" thrash that very few bands executed so greatly. Any fan of Dark Angel, Slayer, or Kreator, should take a break from those bands and listen to this holy grail of thrash!

5/5

Perth-based Aussie alternative metal for fans of Tool, Chevelle & Korn.

Also a good heavy highlight!

Daniel, I would be interested to see you share your thoughts on Karnivool's debut Themata, seeing how motivated you are to do so since they're from your homeland and you saw them perform live. This song is a brilliant highlight from that album, to please fans of late-90s Incubus, A Perfect Circle, and the non-rapping tracks of Linkin Park:

I did my review, here's its summary:

Karnivool is now currently known as an Australian avant-prog rock band, but two decades before this review, they were known as an alt/nu metal outfit that released a couple EPs and received numerous awards nationwide. Wanting to take on the rest of the world, they recorded an album with the sound as the EPs but in a more progressive turn. Themata was released in 2005 in their homeland before releasing it in the US and UK two years later. Get ready for some noisy greatness from down under, with prog-ish songs of multilayered majesty and even a bit of a Linkin Park-like nu metal approach in some places. I'm glad to have finally given this album a listen, and I have a feeling that each subsequent listen will be better than the last. With an amazing sound like that, no wonder they picked up so many awards in Australia and had many prominent live sets before they even thought of making a full album. Themata has a huge rock/metal combo of guitars and melodies in multiple layers. Get this album from a more magical land than Oz!

5/5

We're having our two bedroom apartment internally repainted on Thursday, Friday & Saturday. We'll be packing the kids into the car & heading south of Sydney for a few days while it's done. My wife is currently forcing me to make a decision between ten different shades of white. One of us is taking this decision far too seriously while the other couldn't give a flying fuck which shade we go for & is getting very annoyed with having to be involved. I'll let you guess which one I am.

The latter?

I'm doing my sneak peek submissions for the Revolution playlist again, but now 6 of them, slowly building back up to 7. If Theo-Wyoming decides to submit track suggestions again, I can remove one of my own and decide whether to save the one I take out for this playlist anyway or a different playlist. Anyway, here are my 6 sneak peek submissions for the February Revolution playlist:

Bleeding Through - "Dearly Demented" (5:22) from The Truth (2006)

Born of Osiris - "The New Reign" (2:22) from The New Reign (2007)

Demon Hunter - "Collapsing" (3:38) from The World is a Thorn (2010)

Make Them Suffer - "Neverbloom" (6:34) from Neverbloom (2012)

Parkway Drive - "Sleepwalker" (4:01) from Deep Blue (2010) (This was already in one of last year's playlists, but I'm submitting it anyway because my brother let it play in our family car's radio last week. You can't let a good song down!)

Trivium - "Amongst the Shadows & the Stones" (5:40) from What the Dead Men Say (2020)

Total length: 27:37

Here are my submissions for the February Guardians playlist:

Angra - "Mystery Machine" (4:11) from Fireworks (1998)

DragonForce - "My Heart Will Go On" (3:23) from Extreme Power Metal (2019)

HammerFall - "Hearts on Fire" (3:51) from Crimson Thunder (2002)

Nightwish - "The Poet and the Pendulum" (13:53) from Dark Passion Play (2007)

Sonata Arctica - "8th Commandment" (3:41) from Ecliptica (1999)

Total length: 28:59

Here are my submissions for the February Gateway playlist (I'm gonna keep it at 7 of them until I can shorten the track length average to 8 suggestions):

Breaking Benjamin - "Torn in Two" (4:17) from Ember (2018)

Bullet for My Valentine - "Piece of Me" (3:26) from Gravity (2018)

Dir En Grey - "輪郭 (Rinkaku)" (5:43) from Arche (2014)

Linkin Park - "Krwlng" (5:40) from Reanimation (2002)

Machinae Supremacy - "A View from the End of the World" (3:52) from A View from the End of the World (2010)

Motionless in White - "Another Life" (3:25) from Disguise (2019)

While She Sleeps - "Division Street" (3:34) from Sleeps Society (2021)

Total length: 29:57

There's no better definition of power metal than this, for fans of DragonForce, Gloryhammer, and ReinXeed/Majestica:

I did my review, here's its summary:

Rhapsody (of Fire) are known for their unique power metal style, adding epic orchestration to killer anthems of the genre, and these dragon warriors from Italy have made no exception in Dawn of Victory! This is the underrated continuation of the Emerald Sword saga that started in the band's first two more popular albums. I know some of you dislike this kind of power metal including the cheesy keyboards and fantasy lyrics. However, as the power metal fan I used to fully be, I say there's lots of talent that deserve praise. Nowadays I prefer the American power metal over most of the European style, but I still haven't forgotten the legendary status of this offering. The greater power metal fans might expect the neoclassical power metal soloing from guitar wiz Luca Turilli, great bass, drum attacks, and catchy vocals that define power metal, not to mention the aforementioned epic orchestration, all to be found in fast tracks and slower semi-ballads. Dawn of Victory shows Rhapsody making material at higher quality without giving up on what makes them the legends they are. The first 3 albums make a stellar start to their career and saga, and this is the more underrated part of that trilogy in my opinion. I definitely recommend this to any fan of this style of epic neoclassical power metal. With no filler and barely any weakness, Dawn of Victory is up there as one of my favorite albums of power metal and an essential part of any power metal collection!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "Dawn of Victory", "The Village of Dwarves", "Dargor, Shadowlord of the Black Mountain", "Holy Thunderforce", "The Mighty Ride of the Firelord"

For fans of: DragonForce, Gloryhammer, ReinXeed/Majestica

Think we'll find it is Life of Agony not "Life in Agony".

Whoops!

I like that idea, Sonny! That way, I wouldn't have to make a review to-do list anymore whenever I have so many releases that I plan on reviewing.

Yeah, I can see that. No issues for the previous lists though. That is odd...

Similarly to last month's playlist, this one plays out like an epic hero story that could fit well in a movie or a video game, except after the final boss level during the 11-minute epic, a final soft track plays as en epilogue. This I think could make the playlist more interesting, along with more appealing based on the order, for anyone up to listening to a long 2-hour playlist, but that's just what I think. Enjoy! I'm gonna share with you my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Bullet for My Valentine - "Parasite" (from Bullet for My Valentine, 2021)

4.5/5. After a minute of half of distorted brief radio samples of BFMV's greatest hits from practically every album, the song itself (and the playlist) blasts through pure metal to have you fist-pumping and headbanging in no time.

Atreyu - "Doomsday" (from Lead Sails Paper Anchor, 2007)

5/5. One of the best songs I've discovered via playlist submissions! Thank you, Theo, you didn't have to delete your submissions out of shame, if that's what you felt. This one has a mix of metalcore and hard rock/metal, especially proven by Dan Jacobs' Halen-inspired guitar soloing. It's so great to find this band via a song from an album released in 2007. This underrated band has just become one of my favorites in metalcore!

Bleeding Through - "Love Lost in a Hail of Gun Fire" (from This is Love, This is Murderous, 2003)

5/5. This one opens with a sound sample from the movie The Boondock Saints (not to be confused with that comic strip The Boondocks). Then the band starts their attack of powerful riff energy and Brandan Schieppati's fueled-up harsh vocals. This song features one of only a few instances of clean vocals in this album, sounding not too tough and not at all nasal, but somewhere in between.

From Autumn to Ashes - "Daylight Slaving" (from Holding a Wolf by the Ears, 2007)

5/5. Another amazing banger! This is well known as one of the songs from the soundtrack for Madden NFL 08.

Trivium - "Feast of Fire" (from In the Court of the Dragon, 2021)

4.5/5. After those first 4 songs starting the playlist heavy, the radio anthem "Feast of Fire" has a different riff that spawned from an unknown demo. There's killer strength and maturity that levels this song up more than the similar mid-tempo songs from The Crusade. The balance between heaviness and melody continues to suit Trivium's latest album and makes sure it's not just a sequel to the one from last year.

Parkway Drive - "Boneyards" (from Horizons, 2007)

5/5. One of the first and best Parkway Drive songs I've listened to, indeed a brutal bruiser with urgent up-tempo bursts! A killer flashback to the heaviness of their debut! I love that killer metalcore monster.

Currents - "Better Days" (from The Way It Ends, 2020)

4.5/5. Another d*mn amazing song to strike my soul! This almost describes the current situation of the world. The lyrics never disappoint, they hit f***ing hard and motivate you to break out of these hard times ("Suffocating, can’t breathe but you’ve got a f***ing mouth to feed"). Unbelievable! I think this is like a more metal Rise Against.

Neon Graves - "Sanctuary" (from All That Brings Us Down, 2020)

4.5/5. This is the second song I've heard from this band, and it's still not even close to bad. Spread the sound! In a time when real life is in a sh*tty level, sick songs like this are worth hearing to escape reality. It is also useful for dealing with breakups. Great song, but not perfect enough to start a relationship with the band's music.

Every Time I Die - "Prom Song" (from The Burial Plot Bidding War, 2000)

4/5. Another cool headbanger! The intro sample is from the movie Event Horizon. This EP and their debut Last Night in Town are the most brutal start to this band's journey. This is bad-a** killer sh*t that we're gonna miss, especially since recently, Keith Buckley is having his hiatus from the band. Who knows what their fate might be...

Motionless in White - "Dragula" (from Creatures, 2010)

4.5/5. A friend of mine from the outside world showed me a Rob Zombie song, "Dragula", in which a remix version was used in the first Matrix movie. That song is industrial metal, but the kind of industrial metal I prefer is not the "alt-" kind heard in that song, but rather the more experimental industrial metal bands like Godflesh, Strapping Young Lad, Samael, and Motionless in White, the latter having done a cover of that song with a gothic-ish metalcore twist in style, as you can hear here. You can also find one of Motionless in White's industrial songs in this month's Sphere playlist.

Knocked Loose - "Where Light Divides the Holler" (from A Tear in the Fabric of Life, 2021)

5/5. I just found this band thanks to Daniel's suggestion. After a minute of someone driving their car while browsing through different radio channels, the driver ends up in a car crash at the one-minute mark, and the chaotic metalcore action begins. F*** YEAH!!!! I love this headbanger, especially the breakdown near the 3-minute mark. This song is clearly inspired by Meshuggah's Destroy Erase Improve, while going nowhere near djent and sticking to their metallic hardcore guns. Thanks for this, Daniel!

Unearth - "Letting Go" (from The March, 2008)

3.5/5. This ballad-ish track can be considered the negative of its album, though it adds some deep restraint to the album, enough for me to make that playlist submission and recommend it to any melodic metalcore fans out there.

Like Moths to Flames - "YOTM" (from No Eternity in Gold, 2020)

5/5. Sometimes discoveries can be made on my own, and I can't wait for more of this awesome band!

Inventure - "Renaissance" (from No Time to Waste, 2020)

4.5/5. I haven't listened to this band before, but wow, I'm impressed by some of the great aspects! Killer lyrics, screaming vocals, and unbelievable technicality. The cleans are brilliant too! I would pass this on to someone who likes the more brutal metalcore more than me if I were...me.

Anticline - "Headspinning Bias" (from Urgency, 2020)

4.5/5. I found another f***ing killer band who can perform incredible riffs, clear bass, and sick grooves. Hitting so g****mn HARD, especially the furious breakdown at the two-minute mark. The aggression follows through all the way until the end with barely any melody, with the chorus riffing being mainly heavy groove. This brings more variety than the emo sh*t that chicks dig. Again, that song's for the more brutal fans.

Spirit Breaker - "Pure Fury & Wonder" (from Cura Nata, 2021)

4/5. Almost incredible, though the fire is often too engulfing. Next!

Blueshift - "Voyager" (from Voyager, 2020)

4.5/5. There some grand prog-metalcore gold here, clearly inspired by the Australian scene of bands such as Polaris, Thornhill, and Northlane, despite this band and the similar-sounding Erra being from Alabama.

36 Crazyfists - "The Tide And Its Takers" (from The Tide And Its Takers, 2008)

5/5. An interesting submission from Theo, a beautiful semi-acoustic ballad to break up the playlist a bit. I've tried listening to 36 Crazyfists for a few attempts, but maybe this could be my gateway to listening to that band, despite being different from what they usually do. So emotion-inducing! It reminds of when I changed the tempo of My Dying Bride's "Two Winters Only" to be 2x faster. This can very well be one of my favorite songs from a metal band to not be metal! If people start a mosh pit when they perform this song live, that would be ridiculous. And this is the same band who made the song "Slit Wrist Theory". So lovely and poetic, I would pay for it if I could!

Polaris - "Landmine" (from The Death of Me, 2020)

5/5. One of the best songs here, slightly better than the Inventure one! First track from this band I've listened to, and I'll definitely pay more attention to them. That insane breakdown really crushes and revives my soul. This band's heaviness shall wipe out the fluffiness of the mainstream. This band can combine some of the nu metal of Stray From the Path and Slipknot with the metalcore of Architects and The Devil Wears Prada. Or just be Make Them Suffer without female singing and with Northlane-like riffing.

Amaranthe - "Director's Cut" (from Amaranthe, 2011)

5/5. This is the longest song ever by Amaranthe, an almost 5-minute progressive-ish epic! Man, they have got to make more songs like that. Seriously, I need to fill up the trancecore/trance metal space in these playlists!

Brand of Sacrifice - "God Hand" (from God Hand, 2019)

4.5/5. We are now entering the dangerous deathcore zone, so if you can't handle the brutality, lyrical gore, and a bit of nude cover art, stay out the Revolution Hell's Kitchen. I probably will, despite this song being killer.

Slaughter to Prevail - "Baba Yaga" (from Kostolom, 2021)

4/5. Once you're about 20 seconds in, you already enter the hellish mosh-pit of chaos in a good song worth headbanging to. Listen to this at school without headphones, I dare you to survive that dare!

Darko US - "Pale Tongue" (from Darko, 2021)

4/5. There's just so much heavy destruction in this song, heavier than the largest elephant and possibly anything in existence. What's a heavier word than "heavy" and a more brutal word than "brutal"? Heavy enough for my liking but not perfectly appealing.

Bound in Fear - "Penance" (from Penance, 2021)

4.5/5. Another brutal headbanger with downtempo breakdowns to let rip!

Attila - "Payback" (from Outlawed, 2011)

5/5. Wow, what a beautiful Christian love song...NOT!!! A perfect song for the heavier metalheads! I'm not ashamed to admit that I was brought to this song by a video from one of the YouTube animator channels I used to like. I love this song, so beautiful, but brutal all the way. This heavy metal/deathcore song shouldn't be forgotten. It'll blow your f***ing mind! This amazing sh*t's on fire! The next time someone says "metalcore sucks", use that song against them.

The Ghost Inside - "Dear Youth (Day 52)" (from Dear Youth, 2014)

5/5. Finally we reach the last of Theo's submissions, a mega mood-fitting song for me to love, with some similarities to Crystal Lake, especially the vocals. From the 2-and-a-half-minute-mark onward is an epic breakdown until the ending fade.

Botch - "Man the Ramparts" (from We are the Romans, 1999)

5/5. The 11-minute closer "Man the Ramparts" is the perfect way to end Botch's two-album career (other than the EP). Epic gigantic chords soar throughout its long duration. Soon there's a passage where a choir sings the album's title, "We are the Romans", in glorious grandeur before being overtaken by one more furious devastating riff as a proper farewell from the band members. A grand atmospheric outro to bring that album to a heavy epic end! However, there's one more track to end this playlist...

The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Dissociation" (from Dissociation, 2016)

4.5/5. The Dillinger Escape Plan wanted to really say farewell in their final album before their end-tour and split, with the final title track. It starts with melancholic strings before electronic beats come in and Greg Puciato starts singing in a truly tender voice. It's NOT as soft as an acoustic ballad but at the same time obviously NOT heavy. And finally, strings and organic drums and cymbals keep playing as Puciato repeatedly sings "Finding a way to die alone" as the mix fades and he sings that line a couple more times and...it's over, that album, the band's career, and this playlist.

Wow, I really dig this playlist! I don't have to feel bad about saying that myself because of a couple great helpers in making this playlist; Daniel and Theo-Wyoming. Great submissions, guys, I look forward to listening to more of those bands! I 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!

Glad to help, Saxy! Here are some of my track thoughts:

Opeth - "Harvest" (from Blackwater Park)

4/5. Soft acoustic ambiance. A good start.

Rosetta - "Soot" (from Flies to Flame)

4.5/5. A beautiful inspiring throwback to the sound of A Determinism of Moralism. A great song to love in my life! This seems to lyrically pick up where The Anaesthete left off. It's truly a lookback to their doomy post-metal roots similar to Isis.

Mastodon - "Ancient Kingdom" (from Emperor of Sand)

4.5/5. More eclectic in an awesome way! Enough said...

Dream Theater - "Scene Four: Beyond This Life" (from Metropolis, Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory)

5/5. This is a longer song that has more of the great guitar soloing that are isolated from the concept without ruining it. The murder-suicide incident was mentioned in a newspaper article. Nicholas, doubting those events, has a conversation with an older man familiar with the case. Nicholas decides that the only way to move on is to solve this murder mystery.

Between The Buried And Me - "The Proverbial Bellow" (from Automata II)

4.5/5. I've had fun listening to this band and both parts of their Automata album that was split into two CDs, with this song starting the second. This 13-minute epic is so incredible, despite me leaving this band behind, that it's hard for me to explain in detail. Just listen for yourself while having a pizza or something!

Symphony X - "The Relic" (from Twilight in Olympus)

5/5. I love this one, especially the progressive solo, in this great album. This band, along with Dream Theater and Ayreon are how I started my love for progressive metal, back when my taste was more melodic. The bass and drums are awesome! The album Twilight in Olympus still doesn't beat their masterpiece The Divine Wings of Tragedy. Still this is absolutely underrated! There's epic neoclassical brilliance in the riffs and rhythms that reminds some of Yngwie Malmsteen. There's also a bit of Megadeth-like heaviness but not too much like that. Seriously, enough with the overrated mainstream thrash of Megadeth and Metallica, listen to this great progressive band instead!

Cynic - "Mythical Serpents" (from Ascension Codes)

4.5/5. A great highlight to show each member's skill! Moving on...

Haken - "In Memoriam" (from The Mountain)

4.5/5. This is a mind-blowing track that deserves greater recognition, and that final section at the 3 and a half minute mark is one of the most epic parts of a progressive metal song, even after ages since I left this band behind simply because it would've been more suitable for me, say, 5 years ago.

Stone Healer - "One Whisper" (from Conquistador)

4/5. Very great, but as I've said in this month's Pit playlist comments, a favorite genre of mine getting "blackened" at times isn't always the right deal.

Protest the Hero - "Tongue-splitter" (from Scurrilous)

4.5/5. This apologetic yet aggressive song takes some shots away from the usual self-loathing ("I'm not asking for your pity 'Oh woe is me' sarcastically"). That song really pumps me up with its adrenaline. Well done guys!

Vektor - "Charging the Void" (from Terminal Redux)

5/5. This is a great epic to prepare for the incoming elements of this album. New elements are mixed with older ones from previous albums. Another thing new is clean singing, here being sung by what sounds like a soul choir, bringing to mind Disney film soundtracks such as Frozen and Moana. Fortunately, there isn't any harm to the band's music and instead adds more atmosphere. Of course, the other new element is the superb concept, which is already written for this album, but I made my own in a review.

Converge, Chelsea Wolfe - "Tongues Playing Dead" (from Bloodmoon: I)

5/5. Jacob Bannon really shines in his vocals in this pummeling highlight!

I decided to dive into part of the Pit playlist because of this month's Pit feature release that I enjoy (Sadus' Illusions/Chemical Exposure) and it felt like a good time to test out my thrash interest. So here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Sadus – “Under the Knife” (from “A Vision of Misery”, 1992)

5/5. I'll start with this hurricane of death-ish complications beyond any band whose song comments are set to come!

Morbid Saint– “Depth of Sanity” (from “Destruction System”, 1992)

5/5. Holy f***ing d*mn, this is some of the best untouchable thrash here! This is how to master this genre, and the voice is very good. Thanks for submitting this, Daniel, and Vinny for accepting it to the playlist!

Nocturnal – “Rising Demons” (from “Storming Evil”, 2014)

4.5/5. The riffing might remind some of old-school Exodus, and it is quite awesome, but the black metal-ish vocals are a bit too much.

Viking – “Berserker” (from “Do or Die”, 1988)

5/5. Another awesome golden oldie! Great kick-A thrash that's berserk as f***. That's another way to master this genre. Thanks for submitting this, Sonny, and Vinny for accepting it to the playlist!

Bewitched – “Hard as Steel (Hot as Hell)” (from “Diabolical Desecration”, 1996)

4.5/5. The quality is quite amazing here, but once again, the Venom-like old-school black metal elements are a bit too much. I appreciate the welcome, thank you, but I prefer to stay out of Hell.

Slayer – “Repentless” (from “Repentless”, 2015)

4/5. SLAYER!!!!!! This song really sums up humanity in a nutshell, with good sound quality. Drummer Paul Bostaph replaces Dave Lombardo once again in the final album before Slayer's farewell tour and retirement. Bad-a** thrash right here! Except the more popular thrash bands are kinda out of bounds from my thrash league. Thrash tastes better as an underground dish, that's part of the appeal of Morbid Saint and Viking that I'm glad to discover.

Eternal Evil – “Terror of The Sphinx” (from “The Warriors Awakening Brings the Unholy Slaughter”, 2021)

4.5/5. This one's really good, continuing the Slayer-like thrash with a different singing style. Awesome soloing and riffing combines thrash from both America and Europe. Killer shredding! Still doesn't beat the older underground thrash bands though.

Celtic Frost – “Jewel Throne” (from “To Mega Therion”, 1985)

4/5. This one has chord patterns to reflect the balance of primal composition against riffs of thrash energy and muscular drum groove intensity. I'm sure there are many other great thrash examples throughout the decades that followed, but a true thrashy metalhead would bang their head and swing their fists to those interestingly brutal riffs. I'm not even a fan of this darker kind of thrash metal and I'm already doing that!

Division Speed – “Panzerkommando” (from “Division Speed”, 2015)

3.5/5. The heavy/speed/thrash/death metal mix here is a bit too wild, but it works as part of a soundtrack for the World Wars.

Home Style Surgery – “Necrodecoration” (from “Brain Drill Poetry”, 2021)

3/5. Even though the music is actual thrash, the vocals sound a bit ridiculous and bring the score down some. At least it's way better than that Cremator release with the same name as this band.

Acrassicauda – “Quest for Eternity” (from “Gilgamesh”, 2016)

4.5/5. This one's more excellent! Lamb of God-like groove metal from Iraq with a different idea of adding clean singing.

Nevermore– “The Psalm of Lydia” (from “This Godless Endeavour”, 2005)

5/5. I'll stop after one more song, the most technical song on the playlist, its album, probably by the band. The intro and part of the first verse both have a crazily technical riff, and there's a killer guitar solo battle in the middle of the song.