I created what I think is the best workout playlist, using the most anal retentive criteria imaginable.
1. The songs shouldn’t take longer than 5 seconds to get going in some manner, and there shouldn’t be more than 5 seconds of silence, feedback, or any fadeouts at the end. This eliminates a lot of songs, especially many that I personally liked. For instance, I love Silent Planet but every one of their songs had violating this rule, or the next rule in the list. A Plea for Purging’s “The Life“, a great song, but the intro goes on for a little too long. However, their “Heart of a Child“. from the same album, has a bit of a quiet ending, but it doesn’t last long enough to disqualify it. There’s not any pure punk rock songs on this playlist, but one thing to admire about those bands is that they often get right to the point, often quickly. They don’t waste your time.
2. No very extensive quiet or non-aggressive parts. All of those pre-2010s metalcore bands did this, and often very badly. More modern metal bands can do it much more effectively, but it still violated this rule. Out they go!
3. No successive tracks from the same album or the same artist, so there will be variety in the chronology of songs even if you play it straight through, without randomizing it. If I wanted to phone in this playlist like so many other people do, I could follow rule #1 and #2 and simply end up with a bunch of songs from my favorite albums. Lame! I’m not a low-effort curator.
4. They had to be Christian bands in some degree, however that is generally defined. I accept any accusations of corniness you would cast on me because of this. There are some worship songs, or the requisite song about girls, or general issue “life is like that, you know?” topical issue songs.
5. On some platforms, like on the version of the Android app I use, Spotify will play “songs related to this playlist,” when you try to play this playlist, a sneaky move that runs the risk of violating every rule here. Naturally, I don’t have control over that.
6. I wanted the first song’s title to be relevant to exercising, hence Haste the Day’s “Crush Resistance,” though the song is not about lifting weights at all.
Of course, all of this doesn’t matter if you find the music unlistenable.
The playlist is embedded below, but it only loads the first 100 tracks. You can also access here: Spotify – Metal and Hardcore Workout
9 Comments
Geez, some nice cuts here! That Benea Reach sample sounds sick; I like that music video of theirs with the creepy guys on stilts.
Would you believe I was listening to “Pop” by Staple just a few days ago? Flicker rocks harder. š
I wish Staple continued on. I think they tried to get back together around 2010, but it looks to have petered out.
Benea Reach didn’t get too far, either. I don’t think they got into a label that gave them the level of promotion they deserved.
Per #2: What you trying to tell me, homie?
Per #3: “Iām not a low-effort curator.” That’s the way!
#2 – Haha! I liked Solace’s parts, if that’s what you’re getting at. I liked the things LYW came up with when I was involved, too. Mortal Treason had a few songs that dragged on way too much, for instance, with the clean stuff. A lot of local bands, too. I can’t think of many because I shun them from my memory.
I’ll accept that high praise from a man of such refined, metallic taste. And I agree on LIYW, that was a good era. Also, I dig the playlist and I plan on giving it a whirl during my next kettlebell session.
I do have refined taste, don’t I? Haha.
Maybe I will try your playlist. I used to do workouts to Scorpions’ songs, which would violate your rules. But some of their songs are pure adrenaline to me. E.g. Rock You Like a Hurricane…terrible lyrics. Not very Christian at all. I attribute it to corny Germans trying to write badass English.
Is “Rock You Like a Hurricane” a euphemism? I assume every famous rock or pop song was–I say “was” because artists just saw stuff outright now.
It’s definitely a euphemism.