Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

I'm doing my sneak peek submissions for the Revolution playlist again, but now only 5 of them, since Theo-Wyoming is submitting Revolution playlist suggestions again. He has just deleted the ones that he submitted for the December playlist that I saved for January, but I'm still gonna use them so the January playlist can have more variety and I believe to have already memorized what they were. Theo, please let me know whether or not you'd like me to credit you for the tracks you've submitted and removed. Anyway, here are my 5 sneak peek submissions for the January Revolution playlist:

Attila - "Payback" (3:34) from Outlawed (2011)

Bullet for My Valentine - "Parasite" (5:40) from Bullet for My Valentine (2021)

Every Time I Die - "Prom Song" (3:51) from The Burial Plot Bidding War (2000)

Parkway Drive - "Boneyards" (3:14) from Horizons (2007)

Unearth - "Letting Go" (4:43) from The March (2008)

Total length: 21:02

Here are my submissions for the January Infinite playlist:

Opeth - "Harvest" (5:58) from Blackwater Park (2001)

Rosetta - "Soot" (9:27) from Flies to Flame (2014)

Symphony X - "The Relic" (5:03) from Twilight in Olympus (1998)

Vektor - "Charging the Void" (9:11) from Terminal Redux (2016)

Total length: 29:39

Here are my submissions for the January Guardians playlist:

After Forever - "Emphasis" (4:18) from Decipher (2001)

Angra - "Wuthering Heights" (4:38) from Angels Cry (1993)

Dragonland - "Supernova" (5:09) from Astronomy (2006)

Kamelot - "Rhydin" (5:03) from Siege Perilous (1998)

Nightwish - "Nemo" (4:36) from Once (2004)

Rhapsody of Fire - "Glory for Salvation" (5:04) from Glory for Salvation (2021)

Total length: 28:48

Here are my submissions for the January Gateway playlist (still slowly expanding my number of Gateway suggestions, now at 7 of them (I'd probably have to shorten the track length average when I reach 8 suggestions)):

Avatar - "New Land" (4:31) from Feathers & Flesh (2016)

Bad Wolves - "On the Case" (3:27) from Dear Monsters (2021)

Bullet for My Valentine - "Rainbow Veins" (4:58) from Bullet for My Valentine (2021) (I've already sent the new BFMV album to the Hall to be removed from The Gateway, but this song is one of only very few in the album to have an alt-metal sound, so I'll still submit it)

Dir En Grey - "艶かしき安息、躊躇いに微笑み (NAMAMEKASHIKI ANSOKU, TAMERAI NI HOHOEMI)" (4:38) from The Marrow of a Bone (2007)

Linkin Park - "Faint" (2:42) from Meteora (2003)

Machinae Supremacy - "Sid Icarus" (3:58) from Overworld (2008)

Type O Negative - "I Don't Wanna Be Me" (5:09) from Life is Killing Me (2003)

Total length: 29:23

There are some times when I'm trying to make a website a better place (NOT this site, a different one), but the people in that site keep turning me down. This killer heavy song is fitting for that kind of ordeal:

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 for one final boss to defeat during the 11-minute epic, followed by a final uplifting trancecore track for an epilogue level in a treasure trove similar to that of Spiral Knights. 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:

Darkest Hour - "Doomsayer (the Beginning of the End)" (from Deliver Us, 2007)

4.5/5. Time to begin with a great song from an underrated band! However, this is one of those bands I've abandoned with my death metal departure because of their other albums being in The Horde. Will I ever return to this band someday? You'll see in time!

Trivium - "Like a Sword Over Damocles" (from In the Court of the Dragon, 2021)

5/5. Another song from Trivium's new masterpiece album, showcasing the band's Nevermore influences in a prog-thrasher where Matt Heafy adds aggression to his singing then rises to the usual growling. The d*mn epic clean chorus should definitely get fists pumping in future live festivals. The title fits well with the perilously powerful pandemic and how our leaders are trying to prevent it from spreading further. Some more epic guitar fire in the dueling solo trade!

Unearth - "Lifetime in Ruins" (from Watchers of Rule, 2014)

4/5. Here the military-like breakdown really crucifies the song into headbanging territory without sounding too needless repetitive. Not the best Unearth song, but a good starter track for new fans.

Parkway Drive - "Crushed" (from Ire, 2015)

4.5/5. This is one of my brother's favorite Parkway Drive songs, and its album Ire's second single, starting with a monk-chanting intro before turning a groove track with heavy guitars and drums. The lyrics are political but used in a powerful way, especially in the first verse.

Mentally Blind - "One for No One" (from Stage Zero, 2021)

4.5/5. Another amazing song that I would recommend to anyone who likes their metalcore more brutal than mine. The awesome vocals flow through fantastic music worth gym works. Almost a sick entry into song of the year!

Convictions - "Thomas (feat. Matty Mullins)" (from I Am Nothing, 2012)

4/5. Good song with amazing lyrics. For anyone wanting to hear Matty Mullins from Memphis May Fire, his vocals start at the one and a half minute mark, you're welcome.

Currents - "Kill the Ache" (from The Way It Ends, 2020)

3.5/5. Another nicely song, with a cool contrast of clean and unclean vocals.

Annisokay - "Under Your Tattoos" (from Aurora, 2021)

4/5. Another great song to recommend to the more die-hard metalcore fans.

Aviana - "Retaliation" (from Retaliation, 2021)

4.5/5. Holy f***ing h*ll, some f***ing good fire burning from those intense vocals and lyrics! An amazing track to preserve and keep for the slightly more brutal metalcore fans than me. Enjoy the fury!

Silent Planet - "Trilogy" (from Iridescent, 2021)

5/5. I'm so happy to find this band recently. THIS is one of my favorite metalcore songs of the year, from a solid album this band has nailed. "It's always red, the static in my head", yep, not the Taylor Swift album that has been re-recorded. The new Silent Planet album Iridescent is what I prefer to hear instead. Amazing Tesseract and Oh Sleeper vibes to embrace with the very low guitar tone. Slightly rigid transitions here, but I digress.

Every Time I Die - "Dark Distance" (from Radical, 2021)

5/5. A blast right back into their discography that will stun you into stone. The band has delivered a furious frenzy in higher heights of heaviness. They took quite a tribute to their previous albums in this one, with that track putting a Daughters-like spin into the sound of their previous couple albums and first couple albums.

Between the Buried and Me - "Ad a dglgmut" (from The Silent Circus, 2003)

4.5/5. For one of the must brutal progressive metalcore songs, this band has sure made one of the most beautiful guitar solos in existence. I didn't get interested in this band until around 14 or 15 years after this album's release date. It's sad that I've ended up missing out on more of this beauty and power after giving up on this band earlier this year, but I'm glad to return. There are some awesome parts that give me chills every time. The softer mid-section, starting at the 3-minute mark, is a warm calm between two storms of chaotic rage. Incredible genius to enjoy! The last minute of this track is f***ing brutal, having already gone past that long soft section capable of beauty. They're just not as metalcore now as they were back then. Next stop, Alaska! (the album, not the US state, though I still wish to go there)

Neon Graves - "All That We've Become" (from All That Brings Us Down, 2020)

4.5/5. Holy f***, those vocals and instrumentation are just on f***ing fire here! The vocals especially give me chills.

Alpha Wolf - "#104" (from Mono, 2017)

5/5. If you know Pokemon, you know that "#104 in the Pokemon deck is Cubone. “Cubone lost its mother and wears the skull of its dead mother on its head. It is often said to cry loudly when it becomes lonesome, and weeps for it’s dead mother.” Hence the reference to the song lyrics about losing a loved one." Awesome and killer as f***!

Broken Youth - "Dis/connected" (from Suffering : Silence, Vol. 1, 2021)

4.5/5. H*ll yeah, some more good sh*t. The intro riff starts with Architects vibes, though sounding a bit lo-fi, and the rest of the song is worth playing Fortnite to (not that I ever have). An amazing song for our broken future, and maybe that future would bring back some touring. This song is an absolute f***ing banger, even at the clean parts. The song might remind some of ERRA...

LANDMVRKS - "Lost in a Wave" (from Lost in the Waves, 2021)

4/5. Some good pure melodic-ish brutal metalcore right here, though the music is too heavily focused on compared to the lyrics. Still there are killer surprises like that brief brutal breakdown before the final chorus.

Heliocentric - "Whispers" (from Ishmael, 2021)

3.5/5. This is a good one with some The Ocean-like ambience while still staying metalcore, evident in the great heavy screams. This dude (in a one-man band) has quite some passion. Garrett Russell from Silent Planet must've really inspired this guy in both the vocals and the lyrics, plus a bit of Crystal Lake-esque energy. However, I might not be completely ready for that next level...

Kingdom of Giants - "Runaway" (from All the Hell You've Got to Spare, 2017)

4/5. "I used to think that I could change the world, but now I'm afraid that I can't even change myself." Yeah, we're all there. This is quite a good headbanger, but it wasn't until the djenty bridge near the two and a half minute mark when things get easier for me, along with that ending groove riff. Quite some amazing progress here! 2017 was a great year for metalcore, with amazing album treats from While She Sleeps, August Burns Red, and Trivium. There were also sad times in other music areas, like Linkin Park's pop album and the subsequent suicide of Chester Bennington. Somewhere between these ups and downs is that Kingdom of Giants song.

Bring Me the Horizon - "A Lot Like Vegas" (from Count Your Blessings, 2006)

4.5/5. Here's where the darker, more brutal, deathcore part of the playlist begins. This is the kind of deathcore we need, with both guitar solos and breakdowns to allow the genre to rise away from the deep shame. Probably the best song of this album! Can you believe this band has recently been a pop group?! Still I wish albums like Count Your Blessings would have more success...

Ice Nine Kills - "Merry Axe-mas" (from The Silver Scream, 2018)

5/5. OK, this song is from a melodic metalcore album, but it's still brutal enough for this section of the playlist. This one is based on Silent Night, Deadly Night, and filled with jingling bells, hard fast music, growling vocals, and heavy guitar riffs, in contrast the upbeat melodic chorus, and a metal way of celebrating Christmas!

Bound in Fear - "Beyond the Mire" (from Penance, 2021)

4.5/5. G****mn it, these are merciless growls of a beast. Let the deathcore heat burn this f***ing sh*t down!

Slaughter to Prevail - "Misery Sermon" (from Misery Sermon, 2017)

4/5. Without a doubt a kick-A death metal/core headbanger, though I've struggled with the lyrics that are mostly Russian.

Darko US - "Splinter Cell" (from Darko, 2021)

4.5/5. The deathcore territory continues going nuts, as chaotic as Brand of Sacrifice. The heavier songs from the new alt-metalcore album from Spiritbox is still what I prefer, though this next song in the playlist would say otherwise...

Chelsea Grin - "Desolation of Eden" (from Desolation of Eden, 2020)

5/5. Now this is the deathcore I love that's so underrated! After a brutal one-minute intro buildup, the usual groove pace rolls in with vocals ranging from tortured-duck screams to yelling-frog growls.

The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Panasonic Youth" (from Miss Machine, 2004)

4.5/5. This one really blasts listeners in the face with punishing fury. There are many twists and turns with Greg Puciato's thunderous screaming, relentless guitars, quick passages, and tapping rhythms. The band slows down a bit for some grating bass and more pummeling drumming. The song picks up the sonic aggression again toward the end. Impressive for 2 and a half minute song!

Botch - "Saint Matthew Returns to the Womb" (from We Are the Romans, 1999)

4.5/5. This one will grab you by the throat and twist it with exotic changes and unrestrained riffs until you can't breathe. Not quite the best Botch song, but it certainly doesn't botch up its album or this playlist at all.

Converge - "Jane Doe" (Jane Doe, 2001)

5/5. Saving the absolute best for second-to-last, this 11 and a half minute title epic is probably the longest track by Converge. This is Converge's "Shogun"! It is the final piece of this metalcore puzzle that high-school hardcore fans would be blasting through their speakers. This is a brilliant incredible work of emotion! Bannon softly sings "I want out" in the chorus (much softer than Helloween's "I Want Out") to escape this nightmarish chaos. There's even a soloing section! At the 9-minute mark, Bannon screams the final lyrics, "RUN ON, GIRL, RUN ON!!!", as a riff makes an epic layering buildup going on until the fade-out. A terrific ending to a true metalcore closing epic!

Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas - "Journey to Aim High" (from Feeling of Unity, 2015)

4.5/5. Feeling tired out as sh*t after another two-hour Revolution marathon? Take it easy and enjoy this final uplifting song while resting in a sunny flowery field. Relax! Smell the flowers. Enjoy your day in the sun. You earned it!

Wow, I really dig this playlist! That opinion might seem bad form, but let me even it out by saying that I would recommend it 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!

Amazing playlist, Saxy! Though I don't have a lot of time to comment on all the tracks for this one, this is still a wild progressive ride, so here are my thoughts:

Evergrey – Forever Outsider (2021)

5/5. Right at the start, we begins the amazing race through the playlist with a song from an album with dark aggression and heavy energy. In Escape of the Phoenix, they've picked up the aggression from The Atlantic, including the down-tuned guitar. There might be slower songs to come in better pace than the half-boring half-incredible The Storm Within, but not as super-great as The Atlantic.

Sleep Paralysis – Altesia (2021)

4.5/5. Altesia is back with a new album Embryo. Brilliant piece, but I've already heard enough from this band.

Persefone – Underworld: The Fallen & The Butterfly – Act I: Clash of the Titans (2006)

5/5. The heaviness of this album Core continues in the beginning of "Underworld". It's too awesome for words, just listen for yourself!

Leprous – Contaminate Me (2013)

5/5. This is a heavy, intense, dark ending to the song's original album with aggressive atmosphere. There's a bit of djent in the guitars inspired by Meshuggah. Ihsahn guest appears, throwing in excellent harsh vocals that really add in the insane fury. This is more chaotic than any of Leprous' material, and makes up for a lot of the heaviness the earlier songs in that album missed out.

Dream Theater – Awaken the Master (2021)

4.5/5. Here's another highlight, the band's first song with djenty 8-string guitar, something Petrucci first experimented with in his project with Ernie Ball Music Man. Dream Theater should some more djenty experiments in their next album...

The Ocean – Calymmian (2008)

4/5. This is a small disappointment compared to the previous tracks of Precambrian, but it's still great and doesn't affect the album's perfect score.

Cynic – In a Multiverse Where Atoms Sing (2021)

4.5/5. Cynic was one of the bands I've abandoned during my death metal departure due to their earlier material. But it was also because I thought they were moving away from metal with their previous album Kindly Bent to Free Us and because of the loss of the two Seans. But guess what? This song is legit progressive metal and Matt Lynch's drumming is absolutely tremendous! Sean Reinert would be proud, and I would be up to check out Cynic's new album Ascension Codes. RIP both Seans...

Animals As Leaders – The Problem of Other Minds (2021)

5/5. And now, Animals as Leaders is coming back with a new single as well! This song is so d*mn amazing with rainbow-colorful guitars and no lyrics. I gotta look out for their new album Parrhesia, coming out in a few months.

maudlin of the Well – Birth Pains Of Astral Projection (2001)

5/5. Bummer about Maudlin of the Well not releasing any recent metal singles, still currently in hiatus, but this one is the over 10-minute epic of its album Bath, and this playlist (still kinda wishing for longer songs). It gets pretty weird throughout this song, especially in the riffs. After starting soft over 3 minutes, it switches to bad-a** death-ridden progressive metal to for any metalhead to enjoy. That's the last bit of death metal you would hear for that album.

Gojira – New Found (2021)

4.5/5. This is the kind of song that would make you wanna ride an elephant marching through a jungle and smashing trees with its trunk. And within this beautiful emotional work is a direct message about space travel happening later on in this decade.

Pain of Salvation – To the End (1997)

4.5/5. Good lyrics from another good choice for me. Thanks again for accepting my submissions, Saxy!

Excellent playlist, Xephyr! Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Savatage – “Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)” (from “Dead Winter Dead”, 1995)

5/5. Thanks so much Xephyr for accepting this submission (among the other ones I've submitted), and at the perfect position, the beginning of the playlist. An absolutely epic Christmas tune used in both this Savatage album and the first Trans-Siberian Orchestra album, something to use for an epic Christmas battle, like that of the Regular Show Christmas Special (yeah, it was used there). One of the most brilliant Christmas songs to this day! Happy December!!

The Lord Weird Slough Feg – “Warriors Dawn” (from “Down Among the Deadmen”, 2000)

4.5/5. After that epic intro, we head on to the actual heavy/power metal action with this song. The vocals don't come until after another two-minute intro, and I'm really digging this one! It's even used in the metal video game Brutal Legend.

Sorcerer – “The Hammer of Witches” (from “Lamenting of the Innocent”, 2020)

4/5. Nearly incredible, but this "Children of the Grave"-like pace is a little too much. Next!

Ravenous E.H. – “...Of Beasts & Faust” (from “Hubris”, 2021)

4/5. This one's also great, but a little too stretched out for a 10-minute track.

Avantasia – “Seduction of Decay” (from “Ghostlights”, 2016)

4.5/5. Excellent collaboration in an album of guest collaborations (rock metal opera)! Geoff Tate (ex-Queensryche) should've stayed around with Avantasia longer. Tobias Sammet has done a f***ing excellent job with his vocalist choices in the album Ghostlights.

Rhapsody Of Fire – “Unholy Warcry” (from “Symphony of Enchanted Lands II (The Dark Secret)”, 2004)

4.5/5. Now go back in time another few centuries and add dragons and warriors and whatever fantasy-like thing you can think of from another world. Listen to those lyrics through the powerful voice of Fabio Lione and the narration from a name the world would never forget, famous actor Christopher Lee. RIP

Blind Guardian – “Journey Through the Dark” (from “Somewhere Far Beyond”, 1992)

5/5. This one is a kick-A journey through dark speedy power metal. The lead melodies and shredding solos are excellent!

Accept – “Princess of the Dawn” (from “Restless and Wild”, 1992)

4.5/5. A superb song to end Accept's 1982 breakthrough album, and probably would've been perfect if it wasn't for the abrupt ending that the band thought was a good idea but turned out not to be. Either way, Accept for life!!

Dragonforce – “The Last Journey Home” (from “Ultra Beatdown”, 2020)

5/5. This one has different changes compared to their earlier material, including being more mid-paced and progressive. While this is one of the best from Ultra Beatdown, it still can't beat the band's greater hits (the ones that I award 5.5 or 6 stars).

Good playlist, Saxy! It's 15 minutes short of the usual 2-hour length, but still a good amount of songs. Also, just a suggestion, for future playlists please number the songs in the tracklisting (for example: 1. So Cold – Breaking Benjamin (2004)– Requested by Andi, 2. Circle With Me- Spiritbox (2021)) so it would be easier to keep track of the number of tracks here. Anyway, here are my thoughts on some tracks (sorry about most of the selected tracks being my own submissions):

So Cold – Breaking Benjamin (2004)

4.5/5. Without further ado, let's begin with one of Breaking Benjamin's greatest hits, a softer way to start while still rocking out with the intro and chorus that showcases the band's talent. There's wonderful guitar dueling and rhythmic drumming, the latter with toms and splashes in the verse, more than a water splash caused by a car in the rain, all in momentum being built up. Finally, the bass tightens the rhythm with its groove through the guitars. Wonderful!

Circle With Me- Spiritbox (2021)

5/5. This ravaging highlight maintains the uncanny vocal strength of Courtney LaPlante, beginning with when she yells "CUT DOWN THE ALTAR!!" Great for the live crowd from this unique band worth listening to.

Die tomorrow – Coldrain (2010)

4.5/5. This powerful tune mixes catchiness with violence. Already we find the classic metalcore punches with Masato's screamed vocals and the heaviness of the rhythm and riffs, before switch to their alt-metal side with the cleanly-sung chorus.

Dozing Green – Dir En Grey (2008)

5/5. A further demonstration of this band's sonic talent! Enough said...

Deliberation – Katatonia (2006)

4/5. The Great Cold Distance marks the continuation of Katatonia's alt-metal sound they've had for a couple decades as of this comment. Even though I've moved away from listening to Katatonia because of their earlier doom metal albums, following my departure from The Fallen, some of their alt-metal songs have their appeal growing for me, and this is a cool one to work as self-therapy. Some might think of this as similar to Tool with some Depeche Mode vibes (without synths). And it might have a Christian vibe in the lyrics, though that's probably not what they're going for.

Delirium – Lacuna Coil (2016)

3.5/5. Same with Katatonia, Lacuna Coil's first 3 albums were in The Fallen before moving into the alt-metal Gateway in subsequent albums, but this song is quite beautiful especially in the bridge at the two-minute mark. Distrust the truth!

Who Will Pray? – We Came As Romans (2015)

4/5. I'm glad this track is in Spotify, one more song to tribute to a passed band member. RIP Kyle Pavone...

Thanks Daniel for accepting my feature release submission! Here's my review summary:

Bad Wolves is a band I consider part of the category of alt-metal bands my brother enjoys and I used to, and though they obviously didn't exist during my peak in the category nearly a decade ago, I enjoyed a few songs from this band when my brother listened to them a few years ago despite sounding like part of said category. I decided to revisit that band with their new album Dear Monsters, and despite Tommy Vext having already left the band, replaced by ex-The Acacia Strain guitarist Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz on vocals, upon first listen I thought this album has amazed me, probably the second-best alt-metal album of the year behind that Spiritbox album! However, when I listened again to write my review, I realized that while half of the songs still remain great, the others not so much. Still, the career of these Bad Wolves is beyond interesting. Even with TV out and DL in, this band still has their strength, especially considering the vocal abilities of the latter that's as good as the former. More cool melodies and heavy riffs are written to peak high, and they're enough to make this album an OK one to recommend and sing along. To be more specific on these ups and downs, Dear Monsters has soft and half-acoustic tracks more suited for radio fans than myself, and epic and heavy tracks to fit inside the metal library that recognizes Bad Wolves as a solid band. Anyone tired of waiting for new material from Disturbed, Bad Wolves is the right band for you. Dear Monsters is a good start before building your way backwards into the Tommy Vext era. So turn it up and sing out loud! And get those soft radio single potentials out of here....

3/5

Recommended songs: "Sacred Kiss", "Never Be the Same", "Comatose", "On the Case", "Classical", "In the Middle"

For fans of: Disturbed, Spiritbox, Five Finger Death Punch

I'll keep that in mind for next time, Daniel.

December 2021

01. Darkest Hour - "Doomsayer (the Beginning of the End)" (from Deliver Us, 2007) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

02. Trivium - "Like a Sword Over Damocles" (from In the Court of the Dragon, 2021)

03. Unearth - "Lifetime in Ruins" (from Watchers of Rule, 2014) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

04. Parkway Drive - "Crushed" (from Ire, 2015) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

05. Mentally Blind - "One for No One" (from Stage Zero, 2021)

06. Convictions - "Thomas (feat. Matty Mullins)" (from I Am Nothing, 2012)

07. Currents - "Kill the Ache" (from The Way It Ends, 2020)

08. Annisokay - "Under Your Tattoos" (from Aurora, 2021)

09. Aviana - "Retaliation" (from Retaliation, 2021)

10. Silent Planet - "Trilogy" (from Iridescent, 2021)

11. Every Time I Die - "Dark Distance" (from Radical, 2021) [Submitted by Daniel]

12. Between the Buried and Me - "Ad a dglgmut" (from The Silent Circus, 2003) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

13. Neon Graves - "All That We've Become" (from All That Brings Us Down, 2020)

14. Alpha Wolf - "#104" (from Mono, 2017)

15. Broken Youth - "Dis/connected" (from Suffering : Silence, Vol. 1, 2021)

16. LANDMVRKS - "Lost in a Wave" (from Lost in the Waves, 2021)

17. Heliocentric - "Whispers" (from Ishmael, 2021)

18. Kingdom of Giants - "Runaway" (from All the Hell You've Got to Spare, 2017)

19. Bring Me the Horizon - "A Lot Like Vegas" (from Count Your Blessings, 2006)

20. Ice Nine Kills - "Merry Axe-mas" (from The Silver Scream, 2018) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

21. Bound in Fear - "Beyond the Mire" (from Penance, 2021)

22. Slaughter to Prevail - "Misery Sermon" (from Misery Sermon, 2017)

23. Darko US - "Splinter Cell" (from Darko, 2021)

24. Chelsea Grin - "Desolation of Eden" (from Desolation of Eden, 2020)

25. The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Panasonic Youth" (from Miss Machine, 2004) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

26. Botch - "Saint Matthew Returns to the Womb" (from We Are the Romans, 1999) [Submitted by shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

27. Converge - "Jane Doe" (Jane Doe, 2001)

28. Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas - "Journey to Aim High" (from Feeling of Unity, 2015)

After that Big Nate comic parody above, I decided to make a role reversal of what gets parodied; a metal song parody based on a Big Nate character some readers hate:

Danish power metal with folk/symphonic influences. For fans of Falconer, Manticora & Lost Horizon.

An incredible highlight that fits well for guitarist Erik Ravn, not just because of his guitar talents but also because of his name. You'll also witness flawless bass work that's often hard to find elsewhere.

You're right about me loving The Shadow Cabinet, Daniel. A bombastic progressive power metal album with folk influences standing its unique ground. Cheers for the rec! 5/5

Well, time to throw what I thought was a good idea into the fires of Mount Doom. Any of you guys have better award ideas?

Besides continuing the Release of the Year awards, I just thought of something in the site that could be awarded. We have the monthly Spotify clan playlists for over a year now, and while many of them have positive reception, it would be interesting to see which one of the 12 playlists throughout the year for each clan really stands out and deserves the Playlist of the Year award for each clan. So here's what I propose: Each member who is assembling the playlists for their respective clan revisits the 12 playlists throughout the year for that clan for at least one full listen per playlist, then decides which one is the best of them all and deserving of the award. For example, I revisit the 2021 playlists for The Revolution and decide which one would be the winner, while you, Daniel, do the same for The Horde (what you enjoy) and The Sphere (what no one else enjoys). Quite some more work, but should be rewarding for the value of these playlists. I think my Playlist of the Year award idea is a good one, does anyone else agree?

Superbly chunky progressive metal for Seattle, USA. For fans of Sanctuary, Communic & Warrel Dane.

The heaviest, most technical song on the 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.

I agree with Xephyr about Mastodon returning to grace with their new album Hushed and Grim, and a great amount of songs in the album are, for me, incredible including this 8 and a half minute epic. Fans of Leprous and the recent albums from Gojira and Opeth should give this two-disc album a try.

I just finished my review for a brand-new modern groove/alt-metal album from Bad Wolves that I would recommend to fans of Disturbed, Spiritbox, and Five Finger Death Punch, especially with several killer tracks in the album like this one:

Bullet for My Valentine is back with a vengeance, heavier than ever before! The pure modern thrashy metalcore of this track and album will surely bring joy to fans of Trivium, There is a Hell/Post Human-era Bring Me the Horizon, and late 2000s Machine Head:

Vektor's Outer Isolation hits ten years old today.  Noticed a couple of these more modern releases hitting their first key milestones lately.  I tend to think that records that I acknowledge in the daily Anniversaries section (one of my favourite parts of the site) are the ones that have left a lasting impression on me as I recognise their maturity on their anniversary date.  Remember finding this a tad of a step down from the debut album yet still enjoyable enough.

Another perfect album from one of my absolute favorite progressive thrash metal bands! And here's one more album celebrating its 10th anniversary today:

An amazing recap of the first 3 fifths of this power-ish progressive metal band's 25-year ongoing tenure. I bet in 5 years from now, if the band is still active then, they'll probably make a second compilation, "Another Decade in a Half" that would compile albums 9 to 13 or 14, similar to Edenbridge's Chronicle of Eden compilations.

I've enjoyed what I've done with my semi-official username logo and decided to make something similar, this time as an unofficial Metal Academy logo, so here it is. Enjoy!

Here's a Big Nate comic parody that's basically my like for metal and some outside-world people's hate against metal in a nutshell:

A genuine death metal classic for fans of Deicide, Cannabis Corpse & Monstrosity.

If you think Cannibal Corpse is too brutal to appear in a comedy film, this Ace Ventura clip would say otherwise (I know because my mother likes to watch that movie, except for this part):

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

The Gateway: Spiritbox - Eternal Blue (2021) - 5/5

The Guardians: W.A.S.P. - The Headless Children (1989) - 4.5/5

The Infinite: Persefone - Core (2006) - 5/5

The Revolution: Trivium - In the Court of the Dragon (2021) - 5/5

Great month for feature releases, again probably because of the releases submitted by us Metal Academy members (including myself). My feature release submissions for The Infinite and The Revolution both deserve a perfect 5 stars, and are excellent albums that I would recommend to any fan of progressive metal and/or metalcore, respectively. The Gateway release is also perfect, and I look forward to listening to more of that band Spiritbox. The Guardians release is also great, but a half-star short of perfection due to an unappealing ballad and WASP's association with the glam metal scene. Thanks for these amazing feature releases, guys! Looking forward to more of this cool activity, along with feature release submissions for next month coming in via private message...

Unlike their glam metal peers, W.A.S.P. has made real heavy metal and mature serious lyrics, and this song shows how it should be made:

I did my review, here's its summary:

I'm glad to start hearing what WASP is about with not their shaggy earlier material but instead an album where they get more serious and heavy. There's no need to question their metal sound nor f***ing compare it to their peers, except for maybe a guitarist drink-off with Metallica. The Headless Children shows the band ascending into more mature consistency, and that's what I like. WASP has done pretty much all of it right to bring their metal to the stratosphere. There's tons of heavy energy, and Blackie takes over on rhythm guitar, allowing Chris Holmes to let his leads rip through the excitement of vibrant soloing and insane effects. There are also occasional organ melodies good for any classic hard rock fans worshipping Uriah Heep. I agree that the ballad "Forever Free" isn't that appealing. Either way, this is real heavy metal of f***ing brilliance. The Headless Children might not be entirely perfect, but it's still amazing and beats many other albums of the glam metal scene by a mile. Maturity pays off!

4.5/5

Djenty metalcore-infused Canadian alternative metal for fans of Bad Wolves, Loathe & Northlane.

One of the most brutal songs of the album and maybe even the band. Courtney delivers her incendiary vocals while the guitar scope is widen by the electronic drama in thunderous mechanical rage. A killer alt-metal/djent-core collision!

Cheers for the rec, Daniel! Here's my review summary:

It's amazing how sounds from a few years ago can be resurrected into a new unique sound, and their debut Eternal Blue has brightened up the year for me! With songs that range from heavy crushers to beautiful bliss-makers, Eternal Blue is a dizzying spin that would frighten your ears with chaos then cleanse them with beauty. Once you dive deep enough to find your place for it, you're in for a journey that levels up the album's interesting factor. Heavy darkness enters with shades of beauty, perfect for when humanity is trying to restart. I've found my place within the Spiritbox, and maybe you can too. See you on the other side!

5/5

Enjoy your vacation, Ben! Please remember my new release requests next week.

All right, I'm looking forward to completing this month's feature release journey for my clans. Listen and review for this album coming soon...

Thanks again for all these incredible recommendations, Daniel! Now it's my turn to recommend a Revolution album to you. The new Silent Planet album Iridescent is a real mind-blower and might surely please you with a more modern progressive-ish take on the slight ambient-infused metalcore of Skycamefalling and Hopesfall, given your good feelings about them. Please feel free to check this out and, once Ben adds it to the site, write a review for it.

That would have to be the first thing I do every month after I wake up which, based on time-zones, is a few hours after you wake up, Daniel, but I shall make those threads!

Also since I'm here, here are my overall ratings for the playlists I've reviewed this month (November):

1. Gateway playlist - 4/5 (number of songs commented: 10)

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

3. Infinite playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 17)

4. Revolution playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 30)

So far, I've only commented on 10 tracks each in the Gateway and Guardians playlists, and while The Gateway playlist is slightly less than the other 3 playlists at just 4 stars, Guardians playlist brings things up to the 4.5 stars that the Infinite and Revolution playlists also have. I've managed to comment on every single track from the Infinite and Revolution playlists! Saxy has done an incredible job assembling this month's Infinite playlist! This tracklisting has encouraged me to go through the entire playlist and find excellent tracks from bands I already listen to along with different bands in which some of them I feel up to trying some more songs from them. 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 enjoy the genre. Thanks, Daniel, for accepting my playlist! I'll privately send you the one for next month and its track listing as soon as I can, along with my Gateway feature release submission. Also it might be a while before I'm ready to post my feature release outcomes, because so far I only reviewed two November feature releases, those being my own submissions, but maybe I would be up to checking out more of them this month. Good work on these playlists, all!

A killer track from the brand new album from Californian atmospheric metalcore band Silent Planet, worth a search for a mix of Every Time I Die, Within the Ruins, and occasional The Ocean-like atmosphere:

Ben, please add these new albums:

Bullet for My Valentine - Bullet for My Valentine (new self-titled album)

Silent Planet - Iridescent

Ben, please add the new Bad Wolves album Dear Monsters.

I'm always catching up with new releases from the bands I listen to, but I've been so busy the past couple weeks that I haven't had the chance to catch up with a few new albums, so here they are, to finally be caught up this weekend:

Bad Wolves - Dear Monsters (slight return to listening to that band for this album)

Mastodon - Hushed and Grim

Running Wild - Blood on Blood

Bullet for My Valentine - Bullet for My Valentine

Silent Planet - Iridescent (self-recommendation)

And several more albums to get a few more weeks from now:

Converge and Chelsea Wolfe - Bloodmoon: I

Cynic - Ascension Codes (slight return to listening to that band for this album)

In Mourning - The Bleeding Veil (slight return to listening to that band for this album)

Rhapsody of Fire - Glory for Salvation (slight return to listening to that band for this album)

Devin Townsend - The Puzzle/Snuggles

I just remembered that today is Remembrance Day. Let us have a minute of silence for those who sacrificed their lives for their countries, then enjoy this glorious song:

Since I got a new mouse with a back button right near my thumb I have lost reviews numerous times this past few months.  Now taken to writing in Word and pasting over when done.

I use Notepad.

Just a minor thing, but it might be nice if the hall voting buttons came up with some sort of "Are you sure?" pop-up to confirm, just since your votes in them can't (as far as I'm aware) be undone once cast. I haven't had it happen to me, but I could see someone accidentally clicking the wrong option.

I like that idea, Tymell. Can we please also have that sort of pop-up when leaving a page with a forum thread that hasn't been posted or a review that hasn't been updated, and when deleting an existing forum thread or review? There's nothing worse than writing a lengthy thread or review and then having it disappear before you can save it because you accidentally either delete it, go back a page with the backspace key (on some browsers), or click the close button on a tab or window.

Thanks Ben!

Thanks, Ben!

Orlando-based melodic metalcore for fans of Shadows Fall, As I Lay Dying & God Forbid.

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 the album and makes sure it's not just a sequel to the one from last year.

I came back to this old thread to share my Revolution playlist promotion video that could help spread the word about the playlist and Metal Academy:

A belter of an opening track from the brand new album from this Buffalo-based metaclore outfit. For fans of Coalesce, Ithaca & Drowningman.

A furious frenzy in higher heights of heaviness!

Indeed a radical comeback album for Every Time I Die. Cheers for the rec, Daniel! 5/5

After reviewing Persefone's Core, I continued my album review journey from there, ending with one of the most climatic 20-minute epics in progressive metal, to delight fans of Dream Theater, Ne Obliviscaris, and Two Steps From Hell:

Here are my submissions for the December Guardians playlist:

Accept - "Princess of the Dawn" (6:15) from Restless and Wild (1982)

Blind Guardian - "Journey Through the Dark" (4:45) from Somewhere Far Beyond (1992)

DragonForce - "The Last Journey Home" (8:12) from Ultra Beatdown (2008)

Rhapsody of Fire - "Unholy Warcry" (5:53) from Symphony of Enchanted Lands II – The Dark Secret (2004)

Savatage - "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" (3:24) from Dead Winter Dead (1995) (a special submission to celebrate Christmas month)

Total length: 28:29

Chris, I hope you're still around. I just came back to this old thread to ask you something... Are you across this: