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I've always liked metal. I also like hacking. coding, and other fun nerd activities. Like many, I prefer to do all of that nerd stuff with some music playing in my headphones. I will occasionally come up with playlists for myself to listen to.

At the time of this writing we're in the crest of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, so naturally my dark self is embracing the madness, and my current playlist reflects that. I picked material for this particular playlist that is reminiscent of an apocalypse and the end of days. I’ll go through each song here, and I’ve created a YouTube playlist as well (linked at the end of the blog post).

This is always a good head banging song, the lyrics are top notch, and the video itself is decent when you consider the average budget of a metal band’s video is around $3-5k.

Machine Head - “Locust”

Architects is one of those newer djent-influenced metalcore bands that some people are not as fond of, but this is a great band and a great song.

Architects - "Doomsday"

How can you have a doomsday playlist without Dimmu Borgir? Nothing like some black metal performed live with full orchestra and choir. By the way the entire concert video is excellent.

Dimmu Borgir - "Progenies of the Great Apocalypse"

I have friends that hate Periphery and I don’t know why. This song isn’t particularly obvious as an apocalyptic song (it’s instrumental) but to me it is extremely dark. Perfect for the list.

Periphery - "Four Lights"

There are those that might argue that every song on every Meshuggah album is apocalyptic in nature, but the title track from the excellent “The Violent Sleep of Reason” is, according to the band themselves, reflective of end times. Good god I love this band.

Meshuggah - "The Violent Sleep of Reason"

To me this Tool classic is quite dark and gloomy. The lyrics suggest the darkness this list needs.

Tool - "Ænema"

I don’t know if this excellent Porcupine Tree tune is actually about the end of the entire world (and it is probably more prog than metal), but it definitely talks about societal breakdown. Maybe it is the striking imagery in the video that has cemented this as such in my mind. I love this song.

Porcupine Tree - "Fear of a Blank Planet"

End of days playlist without Lamb of God? No way! This is perfect for the list.

Lamb of God - "Reclamation"

Gojira is dark and heavy, and while I might be slightly stretching about the lyrics of this song to make it about doomsday (it is more post-apocalyptic, really), I do love me some Gojira.

Gojira - "Flying Whales"

The 13 minute epic “Larks’ Tongue in Aspic, Pt. 4” from King Crimson is savage. Mainly instrumental, the ending where the lyrics come in is brutally sad, reflecting on humanity’s failings over the last few decades proceeding its release 20 years ago.

King Crimson - "Larks' Tongue in Aspic, Pt. IV"

Here’s the link to the entire playlist: End of Days Metal Playlist

I hope you enjoy it. Happy coding and hacking!