Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Forum Replies

A true highlight of symphonic/avant-garde metal with awesome eerie vocals:

A more brutal brief standout of riffing/vocal madness to summarize this band's sound:

A two and a half minute highlight of metalcore/deathgrind, name-dropping the MCU Iron Man actor in its song title:

As the song title would imply, just some lifeless plodding sh*t that doesn't enhance the aggression I would've enjoyed:

A 7-minute metal/hardcore epic that has brushed aside the EP's lack of the more lively elements from their full-length album:

1. Gateway playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 10)

2. Infinite playlist - 4.5/5 (number of songs commented: 11)

3. Revolution playlist - 4/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 31)

4. Sphere playlist - 4/5 (number of songs commented: ALL 29)

For the clans I've made the monthly playlists for, I've listened to the entire playlists! I'm grateful to Saxy and Daniel for their playlist works. I really dig the tracks I've reviewed in the Gateway and Infinite playlists made by Saxy, and I'm glad the two playlists I've made have paid off. I recommend them to any fan of the clans' respective genres and anyone who isn't into those genres but wants to get into a great start in enjoying them. Thanks, Daniel, for accepting these playlists, and good work all!

THE GATEWAY: Code Orange - "The Above" (2023) 4.5/5

THE INFINITE: Epiphanic Truth - "Dark Triad: Bitter Psalms to a Sordid Species" (2021) 4/5

THE REVOLUTION: Gulch - "Impenetrable Cerebral Fortress" (2020) 3/5

THE SPHERE: Omega Lithium - "Dreams in Formaline" (2014) 5/5

Having listened to and reviewed this month's feature releases for all my clans, they all came out really great. My Gateway and Sphere nominations are glorious gems that I would recommend to fans of their respective genres. The Epiphanic Truth album is also well-done, but the Gulch one, not so much. Keep up the good work on the feature releases, all! I look forward to more...

A true symphonic black metal highlight where the orchestral synth melodies take the front stage:

A yummy gigantic track from the most famous (and infamous) man of NDH:

I just hate the deflation in quality occurring in this filler track:

One of the greatest early metalcore/deathcore songs that I would recommend for fans of Abnegation and the late 90s eras of Embodyment and Underoath:

No disrespect to the late Joey Jordison, but he really could've written his songs better for Roadrunner United, especially this alt-pop rock stinker with the vocals by Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw coming out lame:

A modern thrash/groove/metalcore anthem featuring members of Machine Head, Killswitch Engage, and Annihilator:

A wonderful hard rock/alt-metal power ballad by two core members of Trivium and Fear Factory:

Arjen Lucassen's spin-off project to Ayreon, Star One has created majestic compositions of progressive space metal:

A few of the bonus tracks in the limited edition of Space Metal also rule, like this kick-A tribute medley to an earlier space rock band:

I've done my review. Here's its summary:

You gotta admit, Arjen Lucassen is a true talented space metal genius. He can make a song with just a couple riffs and transform it into something beyond belief. I was once a fan of Ayreon and remembered the mind-blowing status of his albums. I suppose one day I can check out some of his former projects that I missed out on like Stream of Passion, but for now, let's escape into a wonderous dimension of progressive space metal! Musically, Star One's debut picks up where Ayreon left off in Flight of the Migrator, including that album's heavier D-tuned sound. This time, only one of the two discs is the main album, and there are 4 vocalists in every song; Russell Allen (Symphony X), Floor Jansen (ex-After Forever, Nightwish), Damien Wilson (ex-Threshold), and Dan Swano (ex-Edge of Sanity, Nightingale). The music speaks in loud fury while in spacey beauty. The deep synth/guitar momentum adds to the heaviness factor, though a few tracks lean closer to the earlier hard rock of Deep Purple, and there are some moments that sound a little too pompous. But the main verdict is an Ayreon spin-off project of progressive metal with the speed of power metal and the cosmic vibe of Hawkwind that you shouldn't miss out on. This man's a true genius!

4.5/5

While I still have a couple songs from Iced Earth's Night of the Stormrider in my mind, I know the intro to the album's opening track is based on O Fortuna:

But its epic orchestral synth vibe makes me think of the intro to the opening track of Kamelot's debut. Similar aspect and influence, different notes:

While I don't really listen to Dimmu Borgir, I have heard of that Stormblast controversy. "Sorgens Kammer" is not even a cover of the Agony theme, it's a straight-up copy! And that wasn't the only case of plagiarism on that album... Listen to the one and a half minute intro of the album's opening track:

Some people might think "Hey, that sounds identical to the intro of that Magnum song", and that's because it is:

Stian Aarstad performed the intro for that song note-by-note and never told Magnum about this, let alone asked them for permission. For the Dimmu Borgir album's 2005 re-recorded version, Stormblast MMV, that intro was left out, along with "Sorgens Kammer". Two new songs were add to the re-recording, one of them with the title "Sorgens Kammer - Del II". Also, at 0:40 in Magnum's intro, there's a beautiful piano melody that reminds of that in the outro of this Iced Earth epic (8:15), though much more of an influence than just plagiarism:

I actually want to revisit that Star One album too. Thanks for this, Rex, I'll check it out soon.

I was wondering why the outro of "Fairies Wear Boots" sounded familiar. Metallica certainly made it sound more metal when pushing the plagiarism bounds.

Sorry to hear, Xephyr. It is sad and painful to lose an essential part of your music life. It's times like this when it's good to enjoy and appreciate what we have while we still have it.

Glad things are going well at your new job, Daniel.

That really does sound like plagiarism! Dream Theater would also take it further with the soft intro and verses (especially that guitar melody) in this epic sounding like that Metallica track:

But for Dream Theater, it's more of an influence than plagiarism, and it also coincidentally resembles the verse riff of this Michael Jackson song:

Ben, please add Withdrawn. Their sole album Seeds of Inhumanity is an early example of deathcore mixed with metalcore, was released as a CD, and can be found on Spotify.

A dark monstrous 22-minute epic of experimental prog-death metal:

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

Nothing like some dense dark experimentation, eh? Epiphanic Truth is an anonymous trio whose photos only show them masked up and in monk robes, and having come from some former unmentioned bands. You might think of their album Dark Triad: Bitter Psalms to a Sordid Species as a 3-track EP, but those 3 acts cover a total runtime of almost 44 minutes. And there's a lot in their experimental prog-death metal journey with some pieces of ambient black-doom and psychedelic jazz to make this an adventure of complex heaviness blended with intricate atmosphere. The dark triad is said to consist of psychopathy, narcissism and Machiavellianism to warn us of civilization's bitter future. Epiphanic Truth prefer not to relive the past but shape up said future with their strange new realm....

4/5

Female-vocal symphonic-infused gothic/industrial metal made fresh from the beating heart:

A scary yet catchy masterpiece composition of female-led gothic/industrial metal:

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

Omega Lithium can make songs to get stuck in your mind, and I was certainly hooked! This is full-on industrial/gothic metal to please your ears. As this young cyber-sorceress Mya Mortensen guides you with her serene clean vocals through this dark sci-fi apocalyptic realm, you can hear evil bleak synths mixed with dark heavy riffing, along with lyrics detailing terrifyingly pleasant stories of love, horror, and destruction. I really love this album, and there's nothing here I don't like! Well, except for a small bit of the bonus track. Although this band is no more, their music shall continue shining in the future!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "Infest", "Stigmata", "Nebula", "Snow Red", "Hollow March", "Point Blank"

For fans of: Deathstars, Genitorturers, Theatre of Tragedy's 2000s albums

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

16volt - "Perfectly Fake" (5:10) from Skin (1994)

Code Orange - "A Drone Opting Out of the Hive" (3:21) from The Above (2023)

Fear Factory - "Controlled Demolition" (4:25) from Mechanize (2010)

In This Moment - "Army of Me" (3:10) from Godmode (2023)

Mushroomhead - "Episode 29 (Hardcore Mix)" (4:26) from Remix (1997)

Oomph! - "Ich bin Du" (6:13) from Oomph! (1992) (I personally think that track is metal enough to be in a Sphere playlist, based off of the compilation 1991-1996 The Early Works (1998))

Total length: 26:45

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

Architects - "Naysayer" (3:26) from Lost Forever // Lost Together (2014)

Bullet for My Valentine - "Waking the Demon" (4:07) from Scream Aim Fire (2008)

Chelsea Grin - "See You Soon" (3:31) from Eternal Nightmare (2018)

Emmure - "You Got a Henna Tattoo That Said Forever" (3:24) from Goodbye to the Gallows (2007)

From Autumn to Ashes - "Lilacs & Lolita" (2:42) from The Fiction We Live (2003)

Upon a Burning Body - "Thunderheart" (3:15) from Fury (2022)

Winds of Plague - "Anthems of Apocalypse" (5:46) from Decimate the Weak (2008)

Total length: 26:11

Here are my submissions for the December Infinite playlist:

Anacrusis - "Sound the Alarm" (5:36) from Screams and Whispers (1993)

Opeth - "Hex Omega" (7:00) from Watershed (2008)

Periphery - "Dying Star" (5:17) from Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre (2023)

Star One - "Human See, Human Do" (5:14) from Victims of the Modern Age (2010)

Tool - "The Pot" (6:21) from 10,000 Days (2006)

Total length: 29:28

Here are my submissions for the December Gateway playlist:

Alien Weaponry - "Whispers" (4:17) from Tu (2018)

Beartooth - "The Better Me" (3:15) from The Surface (2023)

Code Orange - "Take Shape" (3:24) from The Above (2023)

Five Finger Death Punch - "Burn MF" (3:37) from The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 1 (2013)

From Ashes to New - "My Fight" (3:21) from From Ashes to New (2013)

Godsmack - "I Stand Alone" (4:06) from Faceless (2003)

Lacuna Coil - "Survive" (3:34) from Shallow Life (2009)

Slipknot - "Custer" (4:14) from .5: The Gray Chapter (2014)

Total length: 29:48

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

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

4.5/5. Kicking off this playlist with a bang is this fantastic crushing intro. The song features humans within this machine; drummer Gene Hoglan, guitarist Jed Simon, bassist Byron Stroud, and Devin Townsend who also plays guitars while screaming with a bit of clean vocals. Great start!

PAIN - "Revolution" from Revolution (2023)

5/5. I only became interested in PAIN this year, and there's never a boring song. This is a beautiful inspiring masterpiece of a song. Peter Tagtgren is such a creative dude.

In This Moment - "Godmode" from Godmode (2023)

5/5. Maria Brink is a beautiful talented leader of her amazing band. Godmode already hints at a return to their heavier feel.

Rammstein - "Zeit" from Zeit (2022)

4.5/5. Mourning this virus-ridden cruelty, this ballad has soft piano and vocals, sounding restrained while still beautiful and remarkable.

Danzig - "Sacrifice" from Danzig 5: Blackacidevil (1996)

4/5. This one starts with a Nine Inch Nails-like intro before launching into a perfect industrial metal single that should've ended up in the 1997 Spawn film soundtrack.

Fall of Because - "Life is Easy" from Life is Easy (1999)

4.5/5. This song was re-recorded for Godflesh's Streetcleaner, with an approach easily compared to Swans before they moved out of their original industrial-noise sound at that time. Thanks to the dual guitar attack, bands like Pitchshifter would be able to emphasize their discordant lead work and help develop industrial metal.

Misery Loves Co. - "My Mind Still Speaks" from Misery Loves Co. (1995)

4/5. At the start of this track, you already know what a great industrial metal journey this is gonna be. The abrasive metal guitars play through the vocal blend of the growls of death metal and the singing of alternative metal.

White Zombie - "Electric Head, Part 1 (The Agony)" from Astro-Creep: 2000 - Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head (1995)

4.5/5. This one starts the album with awesome rock/metal riffing. There's intense speed, though not in faster metal levels, giving the track mighty power. This album and Fear Factory are great examples of industrial metal getting you higher than stoner metal listeners, without ever having to use drugs.

Genitorturers - "Sin City" from Sin City (1998)

4/5. This aggressive track offers some stylistic tricks up their sleeve.

16volt - "Motorskill" from Wisdom (1993)

4.5/5. This is an amazing industrial metal track like none other. The coldness of the riffing and beats march on with no fear. Anyone who thought this kind of mix shouldn't exist would be wrong!

OLD - "Marzuraan" from Lo Flux Tube (1991)

5/5. One of my favorite songs from this band with innovative catchy noise, surpassing some of Godflesh's greatness.

Fear Factory - "Soul Hacker" from Genexus (2015)

4.5/5. Another groove-powered anthem worth it for the mosh pit.

HEALTH - "CHILDREN OF SORROW" from CHILDREN OF SORROW (2023)

4/5. A powerful jam of dark synthwave metal.

Static-X - "Z0mbie" from Z0mbie (2023)

4.5/5. Xero's smashing vocals may have a bit of a Rob Zombie vibe, but they help keep Wayne's legacy alive. RIP Wayne Static

Celldweller - "ShutEmDown" from Soundtrack for the Voices in My Head Vol. 02 (2012)

5/5. Awesome metalstep that should fit well for a boss battle.

Sybreed - "The Line of Least Resistance" from God is an Automation (2012)

4.5/5. Holy f***, this cyber metal sound is just too good not to listen!

Illidiance - "Breaking the Limit" from Damage Theory (2010)

4/5. F***ing great piece of modern metal history! Those drums shall unleash a dark vortex as part of the bad-a** music.

Minority Sound - "Hate Circulation" from Drowner's Dance (2015)

4/5. More of this cyber metal potential to follow up from the Sybreed and Illidiance tracks.

T3CHN0PH0B1A - "Abduction Starfleet" from Grave New World (2008)

4.5/5. Sounds like this band has more of a harsher electronic sound, a bit like Psyclon Nine with Cradle of Filth vocals. The vocalist performs ungodly shrieks to unleash the industrial beast. I guess this can be spacey blackened electro-industrial metal. This is a different example of cyber metal from, say, Herrschaft, and it works well. You can also think of this as Blood Stain Child gone Immortal/Mayhem for a Kovenant-like blend. Still a bit of the energy from the keys and drums is missing, needing a bit of a kick.

Aborym - "Mental Striken Terror Action" from With No Human Intervention (2003)

5/5. Now there's the industrial black metal energy kick that I needed. Bravo!

ASP - "Furst der Finsternis" from Horrors - A Collection of Gothic Novellas (2023)

4.5/5. I was wondering when some more of the Neue Deutsche Härte would show up. This one's quite excellent though.

Hanzel Und Gretyl - "Aufweiderschen" from Uber Alles (2003)

4/5. This one fits well for when you're moving out of your childhood home and starting an independent path. I haven't had that experience yet, but I'll keep this song in mind for when I do. Beautiful whispers in a city in ruins before one final divebomb destroys the remains.

KMFDM - "WWIII" from WWIII (2003)

4.5/5. A great song to love, especially in the banjo intro before turning up the heavy volume. Seeing how this decade was suffering from COVID, followed by a couple wars in different regions, it may seem like WWIII may happen in the future. Stay peaceful, everyone! I can barely dig any of KMFDM's songs, but this one I can.

Tyrant of Death - "Nuclear Nanosecond" from Nuclear Nanosecond (2013)

4/5. The razor-sharp drumming blows my mind as much of the rest of the track that would fit well in a sci-fi movie/video game soundtrack set 100 years from now. This is pretty much instrumental atmospheric industrial deathgrind/progressive metalcore that sounds like if Celldweller and Mick Gordon made a collaboration for the Devil May Cry or Blade Runner soundtrack. The last minute of the track is certainly worth headbanging to. This can almost surpass the extreme factor of Strapping Young Lad's City!

Die Krupps - "Road Rage Warrior" from V - Metal Machine Music (2015)

3.5/5. Road Rage! He's a Road Rage Warrior!

Andrew Hulshult - "Keepers of the Gate" from Dusk (Original Game Soundtrack) (2018)

4/5. Some kick-A DOOM-like gaming metal with horror-filled atmosphere. Near the 3-minute mark, we switch to an eerily beautiful section with shotgun rhythm.

Godflesh - "The Infinite End" from Post Self (2017)

4.5/5. This track lets everything out from the band before ending with eerie synths, though it sounds like there should be more to come from the band. But at least there are a couple tracks to give this playlist a more complete ending.

Acumen Nation - "Bleed for You" from More Human Heart (1997)

4/5. This one makes me think of Red Harvest blended with the groove-ish instrumentation of Vision of Disorder at that time.

2wo - "Bed of Rust" from Voyeurs (1998)

3.5/5. Closing the playlist is the original album's epic-sounding climax. Seriously, you should stick around and be rewarded, despite a bit of trouble!

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

Here are my thoughts on all the selected tracks:

XavlegbmaofffassssitimiwoamndutroabcwapwaeiippohfffX - "Bone Saw" from Gore E.P. (2016)

4.5/5. Behold, "Bone Saw". The opening track of my first Revolution playlist after my 3-month break. Interesting track submission, Daniel! From around the 45-second mark comes a funky groove for a brutal deathcore song that can work well for a zombie slasher film. And holy sh*t, what a f***ing groovy solo for a grind-ish deathcore track! Seems like they invented a new subgenre that they call "groove to the flesh grind". Stay classy, grinding gentlemen, those are some disgustingly silly lyrics that can still be enjoyed. Also even though I don't usually put the deathcore section into the beginning of a playlist, I thought it would work well as a heavy brutal comeback for me in working on the playlists, including that Xavleg submission. If you can't handle that much deathly chaos, maybe skip to track 6 or 7 and start there.

Lorna Shore - "Welcome Back, O' Sleeping Dreamer" from Pain Remains (2022)

5/5. I was originally planning on this epic track being the one to start the playlist before that Xavleg submission came in. It begins with an ominous intro, where symphonic orchestra rises as if you were expecting Two Steps From Hell. Then at the top, the band strikes in a devastating touchdown, as the guitarists conjuring a searing riff storm raining down on you. A brutal breakdown chops you down to size, then sharp riffing once again decimates you while fitting well with the brilliant cinematics.

Mental Cruelty - "Obsessis a Daemonio" from Zwielicht (2023)

4.5/5. Some might think of this total blaster as Dimmu Borgir on steroids. At over the 3 and a half minute mark, Lukas attempts some clean power metal-like singing like some of the male guest vocalists of Avantasia.

Gravemind - "Deadspace" from The Deathgate (2017)

4/5. A killer brief transition from one part of the deathcore section to another.

The Browning - "Poison" from Poison (2023)

4.5/5. As I listen to this raging new single by The Browning at night (as of this comment), I feel like f***ing kicking a hole in the wall next to me during the brutal breakdown. Fortunately, I've never done that.

Dagames - "Die Die Die" from Die Die Die (2016)

4/5. See, this is the kind of music that I've been interested throughout my early 20s, solid deathly melodic metalcore. This time, another song from the masters of making metalcore tunes based on video games "Can you feel the edge?! (DIE DIE DIE!!!)"

Any Given Day - "Unbreakable" from Unbreakable (2023)

4.5/5. One h*ll of a headbanging anthem for the live crowd! With heavy beauty and powerful lyrics, lots more attention is what this band really needs.

Parkway Drive - "Vice Grip" from Ire (2015)

5/5. This is a much stronger metalcore song than most of its original album, and it's an excellent choice for the album's lead single; a catchy anthem about perseverance rebelling against opposition.

Polaris - "Nightmare" from Fatalism (2023)

5/5. The ultimate Polaris anthem! An easy metalcore banger with all of their signature aspects; screamed verses, melodic choruses, heavy riffs, and powerful vocals, all leading up to the mighty end. This is full-on rage you just gotta experience!

Amaranthe - "Viral" from Manifest (2020)

3.5/5. This one is a little off because of the gigantic hooks being cheesy, but they're swept away by the triple-vocal attack and crushing metal.

Kingdom of Giants - "Burner" from Passenger (2020)

4/5. Although I've only given this track 4 stars, its original album should've had more fame, especially when they had Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox in a different song.

Sikth - "In This Light" from Death of a Dead Day (2006)

4.5/5. Beautiful song filled with emotional lyrics and a f***ing irresistible solo. This can easily work well as part of the Fallout soundtrack. Somehow I think of this song as The Contortionist gone Sum 41.

Trivium - "Sickness Unto You" from What the Dead Men Say (2020)

5/5. This highlight has a darker mood and breaks through technical limits with an extreme storm of riffs and drums possessing your body. Who needs MTV?! You got this song that's far more fun than any of those lame pop music videos!

All That Remains - "Dead Wrong" from For We Are Many (2010)

4.5/5. This one makes another backward turn through history with some melodeath: Fast pummeling drumming, sawing guitar leads, deep resonant bass, and evil sounding death growls. Dissonant yet pleasing! At least there's some clean signing to fit well with the howling and growling.

Left to Suffer - "Consistent Suffering" from Feral (2023)

4/5. Feral deathly metalcore right here! At over the one and a half minute mark is an unreal blend of sped up trap with the usual growled vocals. It's so crazy how much eerie brutality and clean melody can be found put together. H*ll, those lyrics may seem sad, but the vocals make them sound mad.

Demon Hunter - "The End" from Outlive (2017)

3.5/5. While this track sounds metal in the verse and breakdown, the rest of that song just sounds like straightforward rock. Still a nice way to break the flow a little bit.

Every Time I Die - "Revival Mode" from Ex Lives (2012)

4/5. "There's only room on this rescue boat for butchers and bakers and men with hope! And will machine gunners please step forth?!" Holy sh*t, those lyrics towards the end are timeless, right before the last of the chorus that's also good, "Thanks Lord but I don't need anymore poor advice, poor advice." The solo by John Christ of Danzig during the aforementioned bridge is super cool!

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

4.5/5. Scr*w the haters who attack this album. The Flood is the best album by the band, and this is one of many great songs there.

Invent Animate - "Naturehold" from Everchanger (2014)

5/5. Another golden highlight! ERRA clean vocalist Jesse Cash adds pure beauty to this Invent Animate track.

Termina - "Blood Echo" from Dysphoria (2021)

4.5/5. My favorite part of this track is the clean singing at the one and a half minute mark. And the rest of the song is so insane!

Rising Insane - "Demons" from Demons (2023)

4/5. And speaking of insane, it's crazy how this band can add a lot of texture to the modern metalcore template for something so beautiful and brutal. Great lyrics too! There's so much in this killer banger you just can't miss. Raising your hammer of fire high against those demons! It's just so great. The screams and higher cleans are some good sh*t there with a similar vibe to Architects vocalist Sam Carter. There's also the wildness of the newer albums by Northlane. A bit generic and overdone in the execution of the vocal melodies, but standing high all the same.

Annisokay - "Monstercrazy" from The Lucid Dream (Er) (2012)

3.5/5. Pretty good, though not really the best I've heard from this band. However, the quality increases throughout the last minute.

Hollow Front - "Letting Go" from Letting Go (2023)

4/5. A more well-made modern metalcore track. Moving on...

Heart of a Coward - "Around a Girl (in 80 Days)" from Hope and Hindrance (2012)

4.5/5. Better riffing and raw vocals, all in heavy instrumentation, plus some clean vocal emotion. F***ing sh*t-loads of destruction!

Johnny Booth - "Follower" from Firsthand Accounts (2019)

4/5. Solid blend of beauty and chaotic energy right here! This might reminds some of the band Beloved. And G****MN, the final third of this song is so awesomely brutal, ending with perhaps one of the most destructive breakdowns I've heard in metalcore.

Knut - "Shine" from Leftovers (1997)

4.5/5. Another song to love from this band. RIP Didier Séverin

The Dillinger Escape Plan - "The Running Board" from Calculating Infinity (1999)

5/5. This mathcore standout probably works better in the Under the Running Board EP. After a chaotic minute, the song switches to a western noir theme that escalates into some more jazz fusion. Still there's no denying that the song is a hardcore anthem for metalheads.

Converge - "Drop Out" from You Fail Me (2004)

5/5. Continuing the hardcore metal insanity, guitarist Kurt Ballou shows his versatile talent with an incredible ending riff.

Frontierer - "Tumoric" from Unoxidized (2018)

4.5/5. A f***ing mathcore gamechanger of intense destruction! This shall make up for the loss of The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza. And speaking of that band...

The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza - "Sammy Jankis" from Danza 3: The Series of Unfortunate Events (2010)

4.5/5. Holy h*ll, this is amazing furious djenty mathcore sh*t with Joshua Travis on guitars. Nothing but the sweet sound of f***ing crushing chaos! Especially in the final minute with the most of the djent. Remember Sammy Jankis!

Betraying the Martyrs - "THE VEIL" from GODSPEED (2023)

5/5. There's no better way to end this playlist than with a farewell song from this incredible symphonic metalcore band. It was shocking hearing about the breakup of this band that I've listened to 5 years, but I hope the members go on with their future projects. This is a total masterpiece of a banger! Thank you for everything, BTM....

Pretty good playlist I've made, huh? Despite some bumpiness in a couple places. Anyway, I recommend this to any metalcore fan and anyone who isn't into metalcore but is up to getting into a great start for the genre. Thanks Daniel for accepting this and your help with your submission, and I hope the rest of you enjoy it like I've had!

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Between the Buried and Me – Ants of the Sky (Live) (2008)

5/5. This 13-minute epic to start off this playlist that I still love from this band has wonderful aspects of blues groove and organ, with some hard rock/thrash added in, as the soloing ranges from jazz to Queen-esque to country. Soon it leads to an epic slow bridge that then quiets down for a bit of clean soloing. And then another country-like moment, this time with banjo-like guitars and a background bar fight (WHAT?!), before ending with an uplifting neoclassical outro similar to Pachelbel's Canon.

Opeth – Forest of October (1995)

5/5. Another 13-minute epic that I still love to bits, having melodies of beauty and sorrow from one of the band's most memorable earlier compositions. The song is quite d*mn long, but what makes those long epics superb is, there are some different emotions in different sections, all ranging from aggressive brutality to acoustic melancholy. One of my favorite Opeth songs, though still behind "The Drapery Falls"!

Disillusion – Back to Times of Splendor (2004)

4.5/5. I haven't heard anything from Disillusion in over a year when my prog-metal interest was at fault, but now that I'm reviving it slowly, this is yet another 13+ minute epic to strike my heart. It's crazy how emotional and powerful this composition, so much so that it should've been more popular. I'm glad I discovered this amazing sh*t 3 years ago via a recommendation, and I enjoy the lyrics here like "morning sun beyond the clouds". Think of this wonderful deathly progressive metal piece like Ne Obliviscaris collaborating with Amon Amarth. I mean, Ne Obliviscaris didn't fully start yet back in 2004, but still. This kind of music with tons of melody deserves more attention. At least the band is still around and producing music, even after a 13-year break at the same time as that of Tool. Near the 5 and a half minute mark is an Opeth like-section. The softer section two minutes later also rules. Things get more emotional at the 11-minute point. And two minutes later is the best ending. All in true deathly progressive metal!

Edge of Sanity – Crimson Pt. 3 (1996)

4/5. This track is actually part of a 40-minute progressive melodeath album/epic (almost as long as the first 3 epics of this playlist altogether!), but the digital edition of the album uses the slightly shortened version from the When All is Said compilation and splits it up to different parts, not caring about the movements within the lyrics. I think this is the ending of the "With Broken Wings" segment followed by most of the "War" segment (Yes, I still remember the names of the segments that I've made up). I would probably have much a better revisiting experience with this album/epic in its full form.

Haken – Elephants Never Forget (2023)

3.5/5. This epic was already in last April's playlist, but I don't mind sharing my thoughts on it again. The starting move into a more prog-rock-ish style is a bit forgettable, but still worth enjoying. After a one-minute intro, the band's Gentle Giant influence kicks in, especially in Ross Jennings' vocals. That goes on for a minute until Haken's own classic sound enters, further taken another minute later into their typical chorus. Yet another minute later, it ends sounding closer to a bit of the industrial rock of Nine Inch Nails. At the 7-minute mark is an insane bridge to make up for the earlier drag. This is then followed a minute after by the progressive metal glory that I wish there could be more of without sounding too melodic.

Caligula’s Horse – Autumn (2020)

4/5. A melodic half-acoustic half-electric ballad, slightly better than that Haken track.

Mastodon – Gobblers of Dregs (2021)

4.5/5. "All that I needed from you was your warm embrace. Turns out, that was mine to give." Tear-shedding emotional beauty!

Caligula’s Horse – Marigold (2023)

4/5. Whoa, hold the phone... Two Caligula's Horse songs here?!? Ain't that a break from the one song per band playlist rule! I suppose I can try making an exception in one of my own playlists later. Anyway, this has lots of Opeth vibes mixed with the clean vocals of Leprous.

Monosphere – Method Acting (2023)

4.5/5. Some killer progressive metalcore here! Anyway...

Ne Obliviscaris – Painters of the Tempest – Part II (Triptych Lux) (2014)

5/5. The chaos is unleashed with part 2 of "Painters of the Tempest". Even though the entire suite is 23 minutes long, this part would still be Ne Obliviscaris' longest song at 16 and a half minutes, and the longest epic of this playlist! This is perhaps my favorite Ne Obliviscaris song even though it's NOT in Portal of I. There are so many brilliant ideas! This part is actually is split into 3 smaller movements. The first movement, "Creator" has a couple transitions between fast storms and soft melodies. Then the second movement "Cynosure" is more acoustic/violin oriented, unlike the overpowering guitars in the other two movements. The avant-garde jazz themes are more apparent with only clean vocals and mid-tempo melodic grooves, until it builds back up to a crescendo of metal and growls. The last movement "Curator" is back to some of the most intense powerful chaos of the album until a nice ethereal ending.

Rivers of Nihil – Hellbirds (2023)

4.5/5. Let's end this playlist with a new single by Rivers of Nihil, their second one with bassist Adam Biggs on lead vocals. The vocals are incredible in both Adam Biggs' death growls and guitarist Andy Thomas' melodic singing. The drumming, soloing, and breakdown are all so intense! And this band has been up in prog/tech-death game since their formation in 2009.

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Pyrogenesis – Survival of the Fittest (2020)

4/5. Killer start to this playlist! Not the best, but I'll survive.

36 Crazyfists – Better to Burn (2017)

4.5/5. Now this is a better song to love! Still can't believe this band ended up calling it quits.

Sleep Token – The Summoning (2023)

5/5. Then I get to hear this awesome track with heavier breakdowns leading to a soulful bass/vocals ending. The song is highly popular on Spotify, and I can understand why.

Alien Weaponry – Kai Tangata (2018)

5/5. This highlight continues the heavy aggression while having another shining melodic chorus. I love it!

Alter Bridge – Fortress (2013)

5/5. This 7 and a half minute epic is the perfect ending to the hour-long tale of its original album. The textures and time changes are produced perfectly in experimental glory.

Any Given Day – Wind of Change (2022)

4.5/5. As time goes by, a f***ing boring rock ballad ends up getting the amazing metal cover treatment. Any Given Day's cover is a real tear-jerker, and it's a pleasant break from the band's Soilwork-infused melodic metalcore.

Celldweller – Switchback (2003)

5/5. A classic released 20 years ago and still sounds fresh! The more material I find from Celldweller, the less likely I'm able to SWITCHBACK.

In This Moment – In The Air Tonight (2017)

4.5/5. Another impressive remake of an earlier hit. This is the probably best cover I've heard of this Phil Collins single. Cinematic beauty and drama ends up taken to higher levels. Hearing this cover again on the day after Halloween (as of commenting) is a f***ing phenomenal experience. The whole "cover sounding better than the original thing" strikes again! My only complaint is how muffled the drumming sounds, even during the beat-drop leading to the final chorus. Nonetheless, Maria Brink and co. nailed it!

Spiritibox – Cellar Door (2023)

4/5. Pretty sick! Enough said.

Evanescence – Far From Heaven (2021)

3.5/5. The beginning is like Within Temptation gone Tears for Fears, with the piano and soft operatic singing. But the rest of the ballad isn't that strong. I'll head out now....

Update on the feature release roster for December:

THE FALLEN: BEN, Daniel, Morpheus

THE GATEWAY: SAXY, Andi

THE GUARDIANS: SHEZMA, Morpheus, Rexorcist, Xephyr

THE HORDE: BEN, Daniel

THE INFINITE: REXORCIST, Saxy, Shezma, Andi, Xephyr

THE NORTH: DANIEL, Shezma, Xephyr, Ben

THE PIT: REXORCIST, Daniel, Ben, Morpheus

THE REVOLUTION: ANDI, Daniel

THE SPHERE: DANIEL, Andi

November 2023

1. Strapping Young Lad - "Imperial" from Alien (2005)

2. PAIN - "Revolution" from Revolution (2023) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. In This Moment - "Godmode" from Godmode (2023) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

4. Rammstein - "Zeit" from Zeit (2022)

5. Danzig - "Sacrifice" from Danzig 5: Blackacidevil (1996)

6. Fall of Because - "Life is Easy" from Life is Easy (1999)

7. Misery Loves Co. - "My Mind Still Speaks" from Misery Loves Co. (1995)

8. White Zombie - "Electric Head, Part 1 (The Agony)" from Astro-Creep: 2000 - Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head (1995)

9. Genitorturers - "Sin City" from Sin City (1998)

10. 16volt - "Motorskill" from Wisdom (1993) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

11. OLD - "Marzuraan" from Lo Flux Tube (1991) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

12. Fear Factory - "Soul Hacker" from Genexus (2015) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

13. HEALTH - "CHILDREN OF SORROW" from CHILDREN OF SORROW (2023)

14. Static-X - "Z0mbie" from Z0mbie (2023)

15. Celldweller - "ShutEmDown" from Soundtrack for the Voices in My Head Vol. 02 (2012)

16. Sybreed - "The Line of Least Resistance" from God is an Automation (2012)

17. Illidiance - "Breaking the Limit" from Damage Theory (2010)

18. Minority Sound - "Hate Circulation" from Drowner's Dance (2015)

19. T3CHN0PH0B1A - "Abduction Starfleet" from Grave New World (2008)

20. Aborym - "Mental Striken Terror Action" from With No Human Intervention (2003)

21. ASP - "Furst der Finsternis" from Horrors - A Collection of Gothic Novellas (2023)

22. Hanzel Und Gretyl - "Aufweiderschen" from Uber Alles (2003)

23. KMFDM - "WWIII" from WWIII (2003)

24. Tyrant of Death - "Nuclear Nanosecond" from Nuclear Nanosecond (2013)

25. Die Krupps - "Road Rage Warrior" from V - Metal Machine Music (2015)

26. Andrew Hulshult - "Keepers of the Gate" from Dusk (Original Game Soundtrack) (2018)

27. Godflesh - "The Infinite End" from Post Self (2017) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

28. Acumen Nation - "Bleed for You" from More Human Heart (1997)

29. 2wo - "Bed of Rust" from Voyeurs (1998)

November 2023

1. XavlegbmaofffassssitimiwoamndutroabcwapwaeiippohfffX - "Bone Saw" from Gore E.P. (2016) [submitted by Daniel]

2. Lorna Shore - "Welcome Back, O' Sleeping Dreamer" from Pain Remains (2022) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

3. Mental Cruelty - "Obsessis a Daemonio" from Zwielicht (2023)

4. Gravemind - "Deadspace" from The Deathgate (2017)

5. The Browning - "Poison" from Poison (2023) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

6. Dagames - "Die Die Die" from Die Die Die (2016)

7. Any Given Day - "Unbreakable" from Unbreakable (2023)

8. Parkway Drive - "Vice Grip" from Ire (2015)

9. Polaris - "Nightmare" from Fatalism (2023)

10. Amaranthe - "Viral" from Manifest (2020) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

11. Kingdom of Giants - "Burner" from Passenger (2017)

12. Sikth - "In This Light" from Death of a Dead Day (2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

13. Trivium - "Sickness Unto You" from What the Dead Men Say (2020)

14. All That Remains - "Dead Wrong" from For We Are Many (2010)

15. Left to Suffer - "Consistent Suffering" from Feral (2023)

16. Demon Hunter - "The End" from Outlive (2017) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

17. Every Time I Die - "Revival Mode" from Ex Lives (2012) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

18. Of Mice & Men - "Purified" from The Flood (2011)

19. Invent Animate - "Naturehold" from Everchanger (2014)

20. Termina - "Blood Echo" from Dysphoria (2021)

21. Rising Insane - "Demons" from Demons (2023)

22. Annisokay - "Monstercrazy" from The Lucid Dream (Er) (2012)

23. Hollow Front - "Letting Go" from Letting Go (2023)

24. Heart of a Coward - "Around a Girl (in 80 Days)" from Hope and Hindrance (2012)

25. Johnny Booth - "Follower" from Firsthand Accounts (2019)

26. Knut - "Shine" from Leftovers (1997) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

27. The Dillinger Escape Plan - "The Running Board" from Calculating Infinity (1999)

28. Converge - "Drop Out" from You Fail Me (2004)

29. Frontierer - "Tumoric" from Unoxidized (2018)

30. The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza - "Sammy Jankis" from Danza 3: The Series of Unfortunate Events (2010)

31. Betraying the Martyrs - "THE VEIL" from GODSPEED (2023)

Here's my review summary:

You know how much I like when bands are in a transitional phase through albums. This once-metalcore/hardcore band Code Orange is already making their way towards alt-/industrial metal, and although Forever and Underneath will share the reign in that transition, The Above is an amazing continuation! The band that would go on to perform massive tours and even a WWE concert started off as an underground high school band from Pennsylvania named Code Orange Kids. After releasing their debut Love Is Love/Return to Dust, they dropped "Kids" from their name and showed the world what they're capable of in I Am King and Forever. Then Underneath showed them adding a more industrial/alternative flavor to their metal/hardcore. With The Above, they drop the hardcore violence and let their new form emerge. Throughout these 14 songs that alternate between rock-on alt-metal to electrifying industrial metal, with some bits of their earlier metalcore/hardcore, lead vocalist Jami Morgan performs moody whispering and savage screaming while guitarist Reba Meyers adds in her clean singing. The other two guitarists Eric "Shade" Balderose and Dominic Landolina can pull off harmonic chords and brutal riffing. The rhythm section consisting of Max Portnoy (from Tallah, and the son of Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy) and bassist Joe Goldman has undeniable groove. And early on in this journey is a killer anthem in which the one and only Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins performs his signature nasal singing over an ominous bridge. The Above continues Code Orange's imagination in different eras. They look back at the past, stand by the present, and plan out their future, checking out different styles to add to their own. Their song delivery has always been in great display as they go above and beyond!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Never Far Apart", "Take Shape", "A Drone Opting Out of the Hive", "Splinter the Soul", "Grooming My Replacement", "But a Dream...", "The Above"

For fans of: Circle of Dust, Northlane, Tallah

My review from 3 years ago: https://metal.academy/reviews/17393/22547

These guys can deny the genre status of the style they popularized, but this is a prime example of modern djent:

Wow, they do sound similar! I honestly can't tell if that one's a coincidence or influence. Now here's another song (from a children's show!) that uses a similar riff to "Children of the Grave", but most likely an influence:

Good luck with your new job, Daniel!

An 11-minute progressive epic with different vocal/guitar styles contrasting well:

Prog/alt-metal with a groove-powered breakdown perfect for some live moshing:

Anyone who has deemed Slipknot as strictly nu metal probably hasn't heard their thrashier songs like this strong highlight:

Scathingly killer extreme thrashy nu metal:

Although it is likely to be a coincidence, it doesn't seem that way. The Vanusa riff sounds like if Black Sabbath recorded "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" 3 years prior, before Tony Iommi started downtuning his guitar.