Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

Ben, please add the new Neurotech album Exo Escapism.

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

Apocalyptica - "Worlds Collide" from Worlds Collide (2007)

5/5. A masterpiece track to begin this playlist! Cellos and metal collide and swirl amongst each other like fire and water. A band that started as a Metallica tribute band ended up becoming pioneers of cello metal. This song has also been used as a New Japan entrance theme.

Nightwish - "Wishmaster" from Wishmaster (2000)

5/5. Epic chorus, beastly guitars... This still reigns as one of my favorite Nightwish songs for over a decade. I can hear Dragonlance/Lord of the Rings lyrical influences.

Volbeat - "The Human Instrument" from Rock the Rebel / Metal the Devil (2007)

5/5. My brother likes a few songs by Volbeat, and this one I really love, proving that Elvis metal works like a dream.

Serpent Rider - "Radiant" from The Ichor of Chimaera (2025)

4.5/5. This attempt at a female-fronted revival of classic heavy/power metal is pretty nice choice from Sonny.

Iron Maiden - "The Evil That Men Do" from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)

4/5. When Iron Maiden first entered the NWOBHM scene, it really changed it forever. The soloing and the lyrics can get you hooked, "Living on the razor's edge, balancing on a ledge, y'know, y'know..."

Black Sabbath - "Iron Man" from Paranoid (1970)

3.5/5. It's astonishing how old this song is now, like 55 years old. With that said, I can't really get as much appeal from that track as some of Black Sabbath's other hits.

Ozzy Osbourne - "Flying High Again" from Diary of a Madman (1981)

3/5. The early 1980s was a time when classic heavy metal was really branching out beyond Black Sabbath. However, it spawns a bit of the glam sh*t hinted in this track. Still the guitarwork by Randy Rhoads is something I enjoy. RIP

Megadeth - "Symphony of Destruction" from Countdown to Extinction (1992)

3.5/5. I haven't really listened to much of this band or Metallica to see where I stand in the debate between those two bands. Not even Slayer, apart from a couple albums! However, did Slayer ever explore classic heavy metal in the 90s? NOPE.

Metallica - "Moth Into Flame" from Hardwired...to Self-Destruct (2016)

4/5. Metallica battle against the sellout claims by blending their Black Album heavy metal sound with their earlier speed.

Queensryche - "Neue Regel" from Rage of Order (1986)

4.5/5. I'm 26 years old as of this comment. A few years ago, I enjoyed bands like Queensryche, but now, I want to focus on darker heavier modern metal genres. Nonetheless, the truth is, I still enjoy a few amazing songs from the band like this one. There also some slight hints of industrial all used in their mid-90s material. If I could have a time machine, I would travel back 40 years to enjoy music from the 80s while it was still fresh. Excellent vocals and lyrics!

Rainbow - "Gates of Babylon" from Long Live Rock N Roll (1978)

4/5. This one takes you on a journey through the Middle-East, both musically and lyrically, from the keyboard intro, to the mystical riffing, and the vocal power in the chorus. Although keyboardist Tony Carey was still around for a few other tracks in this album, David Stone stepped in with his own keyboard contributions in this track and a few others, here to provide an exotic atmosphere and get you hooked alongside Blackmore's riffs. I love this track!

Brainstorm - "Your Soul That Lingers in Me" from Plague of Rats (2025)

3.5/5. One of only two tracks I like from this Brainstorm album, Leaves' Eyes clean vocalist Elina Siirala's impressive vocals blow away most of the album's tough issues.

HammerFall - "The Dragon Lies Bleeding" from Glory to the Brave (1997)

4/5. Another great heavy/power metal track that I still enjoy to this day!

Battle Beast - "Out of Control" from Battle Beast (2013)

4.5/5. I also love this Battle Beast track and Sabaton's cover.

DragonForce - "Tomorrow's Kings" from Maximum Overload (2014)

5/5. Another one of my favorite track from my true power metal heroes, with awesome catchiness.

Mob Rules - "Future Loom" from Future Loom (2025)

4.5/5. An amazing song with power and glory in the music and complex lyrics!

Unleash the Archers - "Crypt" from Time Stands Still (2015)

5/5. It's so cool hearing power metal blended with metalcore-ish melodeath. All hail Unleash the Archers!

Masterplan - "Heroes" from Masterplan (2003)

5/5. The first time I heard Jorn Lande and Michael Kiske together was in one of Avantasia's tracks. This clearly shows the heroic side of power metal, and a heroic side that I love! Definitely has some Stratovarius vibes here. I should really check out more of this band and kick-A songs like this one.

Blind Guardian - "Ashes to Ashes" from Somewhere Far Beyond (Revisited) (2024)

4.5/5. Such an underrated song by Blind Guardian, still being one of my favorites from this band. While Helloween may take the throne as the creators of European power metal, Blind Guardian should get that fame as well. Although I enjoy this new version, I still prefer the original one, y'know, so I can feel the nostalgia of first encounter that track nearly a decade ago.

Mechina - "Bellum Interruptum" from Bellum Interruptum (2025)

5/5. My favorite track of the brand-new Mechina album, one of the best Mechina tracks I've heard in ages, a 10-minute epic that includes a spine-chillingly beautiful two-minute bridge in the middle.

Time Requiem - "Attar of Roses" from The Inner Circle of Reality (2004)

4.5/5. Excellent virtuoso in this one! There is also some progressiveness from Symphony X and Dream Theater. I also enjoy the vocals by Apollo Papathanasio (Firewind) and the keyboard magic of Richard Andersson.

Warmen - "Return of Salieri" from Accept the Fact (2005)

5/5. Mozart would've been proud of this powerful composition. So would Alexi Laiho. RIP

Orden Ogan - "The Long Darkness" from The Order of Fear (2024)

4.5/5. A nice headbanging closing epic in practically all its glory!

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? I recommend this to any heavy/power/symphonic/neoclassical metal fan and anyone who isn't into those genres but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks to anyone who have contributed with their own submissions, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Saxy, you've done an amazing job with this playlist! So much so that I have the incentive to comment on all the tracks in it. So here are all my thoughts:

Allegaeon – Wake Circling Above (2025)

5/5. Although Allegaeon's new album The Ossuary Suns continues their melodic/technical death metal, a couple tracks are progressive enough for The Infinite, especially this highlight to start this playlist. The background cleans by guitarist Michael Stancel provide an incredible contrast with the blackened growls of Ezra Haynes.

Calva Louise – Aimless (2025)

4.5/5. Calva Louise needs to be discovered more. My brother and I can't be the only ones enjoying these fun experimental works!

Changeling – Abdication (2025)

4.5/5. Changeling is another progressive tech-death band similar to Allegaeon, though I still prefer that band and Fallujah.

Fallujah – Labyrinth of Stone (2025)

5/5. Killer new single from these San Francisco-based progressive/tech-death metallers. An awesome blast, I would say!

Haken – Deathless (2011)

4.5/5. Now for some deathless prog-metal! This is still a hidden melodic diamond in the deathly rough. The only thing extreme about this song is the lyrics, but everything else is so melodic and heartful, like a more metal take on Opeth's Damnation, maybe even later Leprous. Despite the lack of soloing, the song can still take you on a beautiful journey far beyond. One of the most lovely songs by this band!

In Vain – Times of Yore (2013)

5/5. And now we're back to some awesome progressive heaviness! The outro is one of the most epic I've ever heard, and it hints at the song's sequel in the next album.

Intronaut – Cubensis (2020)

4.5/5. I love the kick-A drumming in this one. I've only discovered this band a couple years ago, and they still rule!

Mandroid Echostar – Haunted Vows (2013)

5/5. Awesome vocals, awesome guitars, awesome bass, awesome drums... F*** YEAH!!!! I want more of this!

Ne Obliviscaris – Xenoflux (2012)

5/5. This one has a perfect blend of loud and emotional, especially in its climax that comes to a sudden stop.

Nevermore – The Psalm of Lydia (2005)

4.5/5. This one is full of surprises, such as acoustic guitar briefly snuck into the wild progressive thrash.

A Notion of Silence – Journey’s End (2022)

4/5. The journey is still far from its end, as we going into more rock-ish territory.

The Ocean – Atlantic (2023)

4.5/5. This still remains one of my favorite songs from the new The Ocean album, and it might very well fit in a David Attenborough documentary. From the 6-minute mark onwards, you can hear dark heaviness to remind some of TOOL. Sad that the lineup has to face some changes after this album and tour. Still this track is mind-blowing!

Ovid’s Withering – Falsehood of Blasphemous Voices (2015)

4/5. I think I just found what planted the seed for the symphonic blackened deathcore scene of Lorna Shore and Shadow of Intent. Pretty great despite certain allegations.

Pain of Salvation – Beyond the Pale – remix (2016)

4.5/5. I remember hear the original song but not the remix. Here the vocals by Daniel Gildenlöw have amazing clarity. This pretty much fulfills the song's purpose, "To make each other better, to heal each other's wounds."

Protest the Hero – Reverie (2020)

4/5. This one continues the theatrical nature with expert guitar impression. The composition sounds a bit closer to Rhapsody of Fire style of symphonic power metal while seamlessly matching the usual PTH progressive metal.

Syncatto – Hollow (2025)

4.5/5. An amazing djent instrumental!

Utopian Dream – Restriction of a Mind (2016)

4/5. This one is also cool despite sounding a bit restrained.

Wheel – Empire (2024)

3.5/5. D*mn cool bass with the sound having more in common with Karnivool, VOLA, and Caligula's Horse. Still can't beat those bands though, while still being a solid ending to this playlist.

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Alien Weaponry – Myself to Blame (2025)

5/5. Let's start with some slow sludgy groove. The vocal power of Lewis Raharuhi de Jong help make that track an epic highlight.

Apocalyptica – Cold Blood (2015)

5/5. One of my favorite songs by this cello metal band! If you love it too, welcome in! If you don't, there are other things to try.

Disturbed – Sacred Lie (2005)

4.5/5. Raise your fist to some kick-A alt-metal! This year, this album will turn 20 on September 20. The final chorus really strikes with its heavy riffing.

Elysion – Made of Lies (2014)

4/5. Beautiful vocals and wonderous lyrics, but a little too much of an early 2000s Lacuna Coil knockoff.

Gemini Syndrome – 2B1 (2025)

3.5/5. This solid new track might remind some of A Perfect Circle. I'm a little surprised my alt-rock/metal-loving brother only discovered this band recently and not over a decade ago unlike those other bands he likes. After all, Lux and Memento Mori were released in the 2010s. Pretty good track!

Linkin Park – Papercut (2000)

3/5. The rapping verses by Mike Shinoda make a decent blend with the melodic vocal chorus by Chester Bennington (RIP).

Nonpoint – That Day (2012)

3.5/5. Another cool banger!

Tremonti – Just Too Much (2025)

4/5. Another great track, blending his earlier work with the new stuff.

Treyarch Sound (Elena Siegman, Kevin Sherwood – Beauty of Annihilation (2011)

3.5/5. The version that appears in the playlist is actually the Brian Tuey remix, but as long as the original vocals are still there, it's still that song. I especially like the drop to start the final third of the song, it's the perfect drop!

Underoath – Outsider (2025)

4/5. This one marks the grand end of the journey, in both its original album and this playlist. Aaron Gillespie sings solo in this track, and that helps it being an easy track to end with. The perfect way out, with more to expect in the future!

Here's my submission for the July North playlist, Sonny:

Shylmagoghnar - "A New Dawn" (from Emergence, 2014)

7 Angels 7 Plagues was another short-lived metalcore band from the early 2000s. It's highlights like this one that make me wish they were still active:

Warbringer was originally named Onslaught but had to change the name because of this British thrash band that I now enjoy. Punky thrash with a melodic/progressive edge:

Some more bands I've discovered in my journey of death metal redemption include the Swedish death metal of Grave, with some experimentation with groove/industrial tones in songs like this one:

And two doomy melodeath side-projects by Before the Dawn founder Tuomas Saukkonen:

My brother likes a few songs from this British experimental alt-metalcore band. He has shared with me this track that's quite a wicked banger. The vocal power of Jess Allanic makes the song sound not too far off from Ankor and Poppy:

Ben, please add these new albums:

Waltari - Nation's Neurosis

Wolves at the Gate - Wasteland

Ben, please add the new Onslaught album Origins of Aggression.

June 2025

1. Fear of Domination - "Fear of Domination" from Call of Schizophrenia (2009)

2. White Zombie - "Super Charger Heaven" from Astro-Creep: 2000 - Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head (1995)

3. Skrew - "Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame" from Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame (1992)

4. Pitchshifter - "Gravid Rage" from Industrial (1991)

5. A Dark Halo - "Vector Unknown" from Omnibus One (2023)

6. Illidiance - "Defying Gravity" from The Iconoclast (2019) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

7. KONG - "P.R.O.K.O.V." from Mute Poet Vocalizer (1990)

8. Sonic Violence - "Symptom" from Jagd (1990)

9. Meathook Seed - "A Furred Grave" from Embedded (1993)

10. Ministry - "Jesus Built My Hotrod" from Psalm 69 (1992)

11. Psyclon Nine - "I Choose Violence" from And Then Oblivion (2025) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

12. Rammstein - "Ich Tu Dir Weh" from Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da (2009)

13. Circle of Dust - "Dust to Dust" from Dust to Dust (2017) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. Celldweller - "Blackstar" from Wish Upon a Blackstar (2012) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

15. Sybreed - "Doomsday Party" from The Pulse of Awakening (2009) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. Subway to Sally - "Post Mortem" from Post Mortem (2024)

17. Filter - "For the Beaten" from For the Beaten (2023)

18. Stahlhammer - "Can't Touch This" from Wiener Blut (1997)

19. Tyrant of Death - "Fluorescent" from Singles & Extras (2018)

20. Mick Gordon - "Rip & Tear" from Doom (Original Game Soundtrack) (2016)

21. Conflict - "Mechanism of Life" from Transform into a Human (2014)

22. Death SS - "Panic" from Panic (2000)

23. Fange - "Grand-Guignol" from Purulences (2025)

24. Khost - "Transfixed" from Many Things Afflict Us Few Things Console Us (2024)

25. Mechina - "Anagenesis" from Progenitor (2016) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

26. Death Therapy, Brook Reeves - "Reject" from Reject (2020)

27. Lord of the Lost - "Ordinary World" from Weapons of Mass Seduction (2023)

June 2025

1. ERRA - "Cure" from CURE (2024)

2. Architects - "Elegy" from The Sky, the Earth & All Between (2025) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. Like Moths to Flames - "Real Talk" from Sweet Talker (2010)

4. Undying - "Echoes" from The Whispered Lies of Angels (2000)

5. God Forbid - "Nothing" from Determination (2001) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

6. The Autumn Offering - "Embrace the Gutter" from Embrace the Gutter (2006)

7. Shadows Fall - "Souls Devoured" from Souls Devoured (2025)

8. Trivium - "Throes of Perdition" from Shogun (2008) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

9. Bleeding Through - "Dead But So Alive" from Nine (2025) [submitted by Saxy S]

10. Shadow of Intent - "Feeding the Meatgrinder" from Feeding the Meatgrinder (2025)

11. Parkway Drive - "Sacred" from Sacred (2025)

12. Carnifex - "Dead but Dreaming" from Until I Feel Nothing (2011) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

13. Imminence - "Death Shall Have No Dominion" from The Return of the Black (2025) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

14. 7 Angels 7 Plagues - "Silent Deaths, Crowded Lives" from Jhazmyne's Lullaby (2001)

15. LEVELS - "BREED" from PULSE (2024)

16. Invent Animate - "Forest Haven" from Everchanger (2014)

17. Spiritbox - "No Loss, No Love" from Tsunami Sea (2025)

18. I Prevail - "Violent Nature" from Violent Nature (2025)

19. Born of Osiris - "Through Shadows" from Through Shadows (2025)

20. Out of Vision - "Dissolve" from Deceiving Lights (2024)

21. Daughters - "Nurse, Would You Please Prep the Patient for Sexual Doctor?" from Canada Songs (2003)

22. Converge - "This is Mine" from The Poacher Diaries (1999)

23. The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza - "The Lost & Damned" from Danza III: The Series of Unfortunate Events (2010)

24. The Chariot - "Forgive Me Nashville" from The Fiancee (2007)

25. Rolo Tomassi - "Party Wounds" from Cosmology (2010) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

26. Car Bomb - "M6" from Centralia (2007)

27. The Ghost Inside - "Shiner" from Fury and the Fallen Ones (2008)

28. Allt - "The Orphan Breed" from From the New World (2024)

29. Aerial - "Foresight" from Foresight (2016)

30. Graphic Nature - "The Downpour" from A Mind Waiting to Die (2023)

31. Worm Shepherd - "Winter Sun" from Ritual Hymns (2022)

32. The Amity Affliction - "Stairway to Hell" from Severed Ties (2008) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

June 2025

1. Apocalyptica - "Worlds Collide" from Worlds Collide (2007)

2. Nightwish - "Wishmaster" from Wishmaster (2000)

3. Volbeat - "The Human Instrument" from Rock the Rebel / Metal the Devil (2007)

4. Serpent Rider - "Radiant" from The Ichor of Chimaera (2025) [Suggested by Sonny]

5. Iron Maiden - "The Evil That Men Do" from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)

6. Black Sabbath - "Iron Man" from Paranoid (1970)

7. Ozzy Osbourne - "Flying High Again" from Diary of a Madman (1981)

8. Megadeth - "Symphony of Destruction" from Countdown to Extinction (1992)

9. Metallica - "Moth Into Flame" from Hardwired...to Self-Destruct (2016)

10. Queensryche - "Neue Regel" from Rage of Order (1986)

11. Rainbow - "Gates of Babylon" from Long Live Rock N Roll (1978)

12. Brainstorm - "Your Soul That Lingers in Me" from Plague of Rats (2025)

13. HammerFall - "The Dragon Lies Bleeding" from Glory to the Brave (1997)

14. Battle Beast - "Out of Control" from Battle Beast (2013)

15. DragonForce - "Tomorrow's Kings" from Maximum Overload (2014)

16. Mob Rules - "Future Loom" from Future Loom (2025)

17. Unleash the Archers - "Crypt" from Time Stands Still (2015)

18. Masterplan - "Heroes" from Masterplan (2003)

19. Blind Guardian - "Ashes to Ashes" from Somewhere Far Beyond (Revisited) (2024)

20. Mechina - "Bellum Interruptum" from Bellum Interruptum (2025) [Suggested by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

21. Time Requiem - "Attar of Roses" from The Inner Circle of Reality (2004)

22. Warmen - "Return of Salieri" from Accept the Fact (2005)

23. Orden Ogan - "The Long Darkness" from The Order of Fear (2024)

Here's my review summary:

One of the albums that marked a defining landmark in industrial metal is Godflesh's Streetcleaner. The torch would be shared with other different bands of this genre and era. Jagd is a bleak heavy continuation of Godflesh's sound in Streetcleaner, albeit by a much lesser-known band. Guitars are the key, and so are the d*mn destructive drums! They're often slow and sludgy with not much speed. All just repetitive yet mighty rhythms. The guitars are pretty much rhythmic all the way through. There aren't any harmonics that are as slashing as the cover art (see what I mean!?). Those riff chords have an apocalyptic vibe and perfectly fit well with the bass and drums. As a result, the tone is filled with menacing power. Honestly, I love old-school industrial metal when it has that mechanical rage going on, unlike the more dance-y sh*t from some bands. You can't give the machine any impact to make it stop. The impact that happens is what the machine gives you. You don't have time to relax in any peaceful moment before the bleak industrial riffing crashes in and crushes anything its path in mechanical greatness. You can also hear some lovely synths later on. The harsh vocals fit greatly with the lyrics. Jagd might just be my favorite industrial metal album from 1990 or earlier that isn't Godflesh. A true recommendation!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Saturation", "Tortured (Dub)", "Ritual", "Symptom", "Glory"

For fans of: Fear Factory's slower but heavier tracks, Godflesh, early 90s Pitchshifter

Here's my review summary, which I've copied from an earlier post:

Roadrunner Records is one of the most famous and diverse metal/hard rock record labels of all time. Famous and infamous bands signed to the label like Slipknot, Trivium, Fear Factory, and Machine Head have made the label as big as it is. And the then-core members of each of those 4 bands were chosen for ambitious project conceived by ex-vice president of the label Monte Conner. He wanted to do a special thing for Roadrunner's 25th anniversary. He wanted 4 members of different bands band together to make an album dedicated to the label. But then he decided to upgrade his idea into something more ambitious... The 4 chosen ones, ex-Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison (RIP), Trivium frontman Matt Heafy, Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares, and Machine Head frontman Robb Flynn were tasked in each recording 4 songs (though one captain would have a bonus 5th) and choose any member of a Roadrunner-signed band past or present to record with them. The end result is a massive 18-song 77-minute album featuring 57 artists from 45 bands! Here's to another impressive project like this in the future, hopefully in Roadrunner's 50th year, 2030.

4/5

Recommended tracks: "The Dagger", "The Enemy", "In the Fire", "The End", "Tired 'n Lonely", "Baptized in the Redemption", "Blood and Flames", "I Don't Wanna Be (A Superhero)", "Army of the Sun"

For fans of: Fear Factory, Machine Head, Slipknot, Trivium, and pretty much every band whose members were involved here

Here's my sneak peek submission for the July Guardians playlist:

Xerath - "Veil Part 2" (from Xerath III, 2014)

Update for July:

THE FALLEN: SONNY, Vinny

THE GATEWAY: SAXY, Andi

THE GUARDIANS: ANDI, Sonny, Karl

THE HORDE: KARL, Vinny, Sonny

THE INFINITE: ANDI, Saxy

THE NORTH: SONNY, Karl, Vinny

THE PIT: VINNY, Sonny

THE REVOLUTION: ANDI

THE SPHERE: ANDI

That's good to hear, Daniel. Hope things will continue working out well and you can stay healthy.

Ben, please add Wolves at the Gate's 2014 album VXV. It's considered melodic metalcore in RYM alongside post-hardcore. And please add their 2016 album Types & Shadows, to bridge the gap.

Sorry to hear, Sonny. Hope your wife can recover soon.

Ben, please add Disparaged.

Incredible speed in this epic deathcore highlight, only slowing down at the end for one of the darkest breakdowns of the year:

After sharing those two new singles by the master bands of epic deathcore (Shadow of Intent and Lorna Shore), I realized that I haven't shared this other single from Shadow of Intent's upcoming album Imperium Delirium. This one's so f***ing brutal and even includes guest vocals by none other than Corpsegrinder from Cannibal Corpse. This is also a sneak peek for next week's June Revolution playlist:

New I Prevail single, and it's violently heavy and killer as f***:

If you listen closely to the "na-na na-na, na-na na-na" hook throughout this Falling in Reverse song, do you hear anything familiar?

It's "Elmo's World"! I swear I can hear Elmo singing "Elmo's World" in my mind every time that hook comes on. That's gotta be a coincidence! See the first 30 seconds of this video:

Small fact about me that I once thought was embarrassing but I now have the guts to say here: When I was a small kid 20 years ago, singing along to that show's theme song, I kept singing "Elmo's Squirrel" instead of "Elmo's World". My parents were a little confused, thinking "Elmo has a pet squirrel?!"

A private plane crash occurred before dawn last Thursday in San Diego, California. Sadly, all 6 people onboard didn't make it, one of them being former The Devil Wears Prada drummer Daniel Williams. His work in the band was quite phenomenal in the albums he was in. This is one of my favorite tracks from his time with the band. RIP

A true atmospheric black/melodeath highlight in which Skirge's emotion in his growls and screams help out the song's modern epicness:

I enjoy the vocals that give this song its Dark Tranquillity/In Vain vibe:

While the rest of this Shylmagoghnar album isn't progressive enough for The Infinite, this opening highlight alone certainly is, as everything shines in beautiful melancholy:

A perfect exploration through the more progressive side of the industrial/groove metal sound:

This highlight sounds nicely like a sequel to the title track of Mechina's "The Assembly of Tyrants", also having a Xerath-esque blend of symphonics and groove elements:

Ben, please add the new Sold Soul album Just Like That, I Disappear Entirely.

One of the heaviest most apocalyptic tracks of djenty deathcore:

A dark complex blend of brutal dissonance and accessible melody:

Thanks, Daniel.

The worst track of this f***ing tech-deathcore fiasco is like a badly-designed attempt at a tech-death Korn, probably worse:

A far better blend of brutality of dissonance, tearing down the walls the way technical deathcore is meant to:

One of only a couple songs in The Unspoken King that are deathly and enjoyable:

Although we're not up to splitting subgenres at the moment, I actually agree here, Rex. Tech-death is, like most other death metal subgenres, kind of an iffy genre for me to explore. It can either be the brutal side with bands like Suffocation, Cryptopsy, Nile, and Dying Fetus, or the melodic/progressive side (the side that I prefer) with bands like Allegaeon, Fallujah, Job for a Cowboy (2010s and later), and Obscura. I would call the former sound brutal tech-death and the latter sound progressive tech-death. I wouldn't be up to naming a sub-subgenre after a band though. That really makes it sound like a band of that style sounds similar to the band who pioneered the sound and really decreases its uniqueness. And that kind of thing has been done to death on social media.

Here's my top 10, though they're all just crossing over between The Horde and other clans, and I only include deathcore if a release of that subgenre is in The Horde as well:

1. Persefone - Core (progressive death metal) (more suitable for The Infinite than The Horde, but I'm adding it anyway)

2. Embodyment - Embrace the Eternal (death metal/deathcore)

3. The Red Chord - Fused Together in Revolving Doors (deathgrind/deathcore)

4. Trail of Tears - Bloodstained Endurance (melodic death/gothic metal)

5. Ryujin - Ryujin (melodic death/power metal)

6. Becoming the Archetype - The Physics of Fire (melodic death/progressive metal)

7. The Amenta - Flesh is Heir (industrial death metal)

8. 7 Horns 7 Eyes - Throes of Absolution (progressive/technical death metal)

9. Shadow of Intent - Melancholy (symphonic/melodic death metal/deathcore)

10. Cypecore - The Alliance (melodic death/groove metal)

Edge of Sanity and Septicflesh can also make some honorable mentions, but it's been a long time since I've last been in touch with most of their material.

Ben, please add Conflиct.

Deadguy is not dead! A few years after reforming, these legends of old-school metalcore/mathcore will unleash their first new music in nearly 3 decades next month with their second full-length album Near-Death Travel Services. Here's a single that can provide you a sneak peek of the album and what to expect:

Update: As soon as I made this post, my dad showed me the poster for the upcoming DreamWorks film The Bad Guys 2. In my mind, I thought "D*mn, that song can actually fit well for that movie, not just because of the band name sounding a bit similar."

Two brutally glorious new singles from the upcoming albums of these two master bands of epic deathcore:

Here are some bands and releases that have the melodic death metal tag, but the melodic side is overshadowed by the deathly side:

Allegaeon (technical/melodic death metal but their 2010s material and earlier is less melodic)

Becoming the Archetype's 2010s material (much less melodic than their surrounding works)

Dethklok (melodic death metal yet focused less on melody in many songs, especially in Dethalbum IV)

Obscura (technical/melodic death metal but their 2010s material and earlier is less melodic)

Stortregn - Finitude (technical/melodic death metal in the same ratio as the 2010s material of Allegaeon and Obscura)

Vicious new single by these NSW-based masters of melodic metalcore/alt-metal:

Two kick-A metalhead YouTubers unite with former Crystal Lake vocalist Ryo Kinoshita to make a modern alt-metal anthem:

Highlights like this one don't need to have a lot to sound awesome:

An intense progressive instrumental that should be remembered:

An odd yet cool track that's one of my favorites in Kong's debut: