Abandon hope, ye who enter.

2 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	I heard it in the wind I saw it in the sky I thought it was the end I thought it was the 4th of July
Time:	3:14 am.
Music:	Kyuss Conan Troutman.

So the 4th of July weekend mixed with that CONvergence stuff made for a slow night at Zero, but

dj_nitrogen and I decided to throw caution to the wind and just have some fun. It was a pretty eclectic mix and Craigy Craig even threw in some classic Public Enemy for gits and shiggles. We took turns, alternating every couple songs and I couldn't tell you all that he played but here's what I contributed from what I can remember;

Lords Of Acid The Crablouse
My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult Delicate Terror
Junkie XL Billy Club
Angelspit Kill Kitty (KMFDM Remix)
Aesthetic Perfection Spit It Out
Uberbyte Say What??
Imperative Reaction Fallout
KMFDM Never Say Never
Hocico Fed Up
Noisuf-X Voodoo Ritual
Alter Der Ruine Elevator Noise
Prong The Banishment (Wolfzilla The Angry Moon Mix)
Strapping Young Lad Fucker
Prometheus Burning Ouroboros Deathride
ESA Dead Fucking Desire
ESA Cursing
High Wycombe Room 101

I had a fun ride home. Perhaps I'll get into that at some other time when both my mind and body aren't fried.

7 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	No Title
Time:	1:46 am.

I suppose I could chime in with all the obvious jokes like everyone else and belittle MJ and chuckle over his sad fate because, y'know, the guy was a freak. Right? I mean, he was acquitted of those child molestation charges in a court of law but obviously he molested children. Isn't that right? He had to have molested them because he was such a freak. He loved children. He probably loved them a little too much. And he was so "weird." So obviously he was touching them. Beyond that there was all the garish plastic surgery and the goofy animals and collections and...hey, waaay beyond eccentric. Easy target.

We built this man up as one of the greatest music figures of the twentieth century and then, rather predictably, we tore him down. That's what we do as a society. We build 'em up and knock 'em down because it's fun. And it sells advertising and it sells magazines. And hell, he made it so easy. I mean, just look at the guy. I'm sure he reeked of pederasty in person.

Well, y'know what? Fuck you. MJ furthered music in his time. He was a brilliant artist and performer. I was a huge fan. I see no shame in admitting that. From the time he burst on the scene as the young(est), short(est) member of a fantastic group of brothers called the Jackson 5 he mesmerized audiences everywhere. And when he grew up and went solo he won over the hearts of every music admirer. He took Soul, R&B and Pop and fused it all together into something powerful and irresistible. Then this thing called MTV came along and he elevated the "music video" into an art form. He was cutting edge, he was musical brilliance, he was performance bliss. He was the spirit of not just one age but a few. At one time it seemed there would never be a moment when Michael Jackson wasn't the "King Of Pop" because no one could touch him.

There were the ailments. There was all the plastic surgery. Personally, I think they really fucked up the surgery and then spent so much effort trying to fix it that they kept fucking it up more. It's like when you put together a song or a sketch/painting/portrait and there's something that doesn't work so you try to fix it but just fuck it up even more. It's horribly unfortunate but it happens. And it wasn't as though he had an enviable childhood. Read up on his parents sometime. And he was thrust into the spotlight from the beginning. You have no idea what that does to a person. It skewed his whole perspective and affected the way he developed in an extreme way. I always felt bad for the guy. But I also really dug his music, all the way up through Dangerous.

MJ had more impact on music than most any other artist out there. It's a shame that things ended the way they did. And I'm not just talking about the last twenty-four hours. The last fifteen years were hard. But that just follows suit with how the greats end up. Greatness and misery go hand in hand. And this was another Elvis situation, quite frankly. Someone recognized that as much as society loves to build up stars and tear them down they also love a good comeback and there are people who put down a lot of money to see Jackson rise again. To ensure it would happen they "augmented" his health with whatever it would take to make the upcoming tour happen. They got him addicted to drugs that ultimately did him in. I'm convinced of that. While it's rich in irony it's also utterly ridiculous that it could happen in this day and age. But Jackson was like a child, even at 50. He was too trusting and too ignorant in the face of those who were manipulating him.

Yes, he was way past his "prime." He was in no physical condition to be of any relevance in what the "market" has now become. His death isn't just a "shock," it's symbolic of the death of the way things used to be. Everything that built MJ up is gone now. Everything is completely different now. He was a relic. And he was also difficult to behold and sort of creepy as well.

That doesn't lessen his impact. He may have exhibited a childlike ignorance which ultimately did him in but he also possessed a creative brilliance that affected generations and influenced most every musician of the past forty years.

I regard his passing as sad. I mean, it is what it is. But it's unfortunate. And I still love his albums. People can tear him down all they like. The man can pass into the restful black. But the music is still there and it's still just as great as the first time I heard it.

MJ FTW.

1 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	This Is The New Shit
Time:	11:47 am.
Music:	Overkill Devil By The Tail.

So here's something really super mega bitchin' cool:

Over at The DTC Blog Dan Clark of Stromkern, Null Device and The Dark Clan has begun writing a regular guest blog detailing the trials, tribulations and travails of being a recording/touring artist (and much love to my wife for designing the banner). This is something I've wanted to include for a while now and will seek out other musicians to contribute as well. I've always figured that since musicians in this scene are pretty cool about making themselves accessible to their fans they might appreciate a forum where they can give said fans some idea about what they go through as they build on their artistic venture. If fans gain some more understanding maybe so many won't be so quick to torrent the albums for free, complain about ticket fees, merch prices or performance woes, etc.

And maybe someday we'll have world peace.

Or, at least, whirled peas.

15 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	The Night That Was
Time:	3:32 am.

Alright. So Hard Mondays is difficult from a DJ standpoint. Until tonight I'd only DJed at Zero. Being up in the stand at HM cuts you off from being able to hear what you're doing. As such my mad mixing skills (or lack thereof) became an issue. Even so it was a pretty large crowd and we had a lot of fun. And I promised Craig I'd post my playlist so here ya go:

Prometheus Burning - Blackmagick Tongue
Das Ich - Kannibale (Rmx Inline.Sex.Terror)
Heimataerde - Unter Der Linden (Club Version)
yelworC - Spy vs. Spy (Remix)
Download - Glassblower
ESA - Dead Fucking Desire
Alter Der Ruine - Elevator Noise
Cenotype - Save Me (Remixed by Clive Reinhold)
Grendel - Void Malign (Amduscia Remix)

Angels on Acid played a little longer than expected so, unfortunately, I only got to spin three tracks for my "second set."

Orange Sector - Death Rides The Highway
Hocico - About A Dead (meant to play Fed Up but cued up the wrong track)
To Mega Therion - The Sermon Of Setekh (Pass The Collection Plate Remix By Alter Der Ruine)

I had plenty of other shit lined up, including Uberbyte, Endif, Noisuf-X, XuberX, Unter Null, Supreme Court, Prong, Angelspit, Vicious Alliance and Strapping Young Lad (I heard the guitar player for AoA was all about the Metal) but oh well. There's always next time.

And actually, we tentatively have an anti-CONvergence club night planned for the 3rd at Ground Zero. Nothing against the geek crowd, we're just planning a special night for all those who really don't care for that particular ordeal. So if you're not planning to pony up the cash for CON then write in GZ for your Friday night because we're going to have some fun with it.

6 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	Electropunk ain't Punk, simply because they have nothing to say
Time:	2:57 am.

So this is essentially what I grew up on. And I still love this shit. Blow it out your ass Jerry Falwell. Blow it out your ass Jesse Helms. Blow it out your ass Ronald Reagan.

You call yourself the Moral Majority
We call ourselves the people in the real world
Trying to rub us out, but we're going to survive
God must be dead if you're alive

You say, 'God loves you. Come and buy the Good News'
Then you buy the president and swimming pools
If Jesus don't save 'til we're lining your pockets
God must be dead if you're alive

Circus-tent con-men and Southern belle bunnies
Milk your emotions then they steal your money
It's the new dark ages with the fascists toting bibles
Cheap nostalgia for the Salem Witch Trials

Stodgy ayatollahs in their double-knit ties
Burn lots of books so they can feed you their lies
Masturbating with a flag and a bible
God must be dead if you're alive

Blow it out your ass, Jerry Falwell
Blow it out your ass, Jesse Helms
Blow it out your ass, Ronald Reagan
What's wrong with a mind of my own?

You don't want abortions, you want battered children
You want to ban the pill as if that solves the problem
Now you wanna force us to pray in school
God must be dead if you're such a fool

You're planning for a war with or without Iran
Building a police state with the Ku Klux Klan
Pissed at your neighbor? Don't bother to nag
Pick up the phone and turn in a fag

Blow it out your ass, Terry Dolan
Blow it out your ass, Phyllis Schlafly
Ram it up your cunt, Anita
'Cause God must be dead
If you're alive
God must be dead
If you're alive

5 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	Eh. It's a Sunday.
Time:	10:13 pm.
Music:	yelworC Legion.

A wise man once said, "Not try...Do." Okay, it wasn't a man, it was Yoda. And he's a friggin' Muppet and all. But you get the point.

I do. I do a lot. But I still feel like I'm just trying most of the time. I'm just trying to accomplish what I can get accomplished. I'm trying to keep everyone happy. I'm trying to accommodate those I can and I'm trying to be a better person. I try, I really do. Sometimes I may end up disappointing people but dem's da breaks. I wish I had the time and wherewithall to get more done. I wish I could hang out with everybody all the time. I wish I could do everything. But there aren't enough hours in the day and I don't always have the stamina I wish I had. I'm getting on in years, y'know?

Everything's so complicated right now. But I'm trying. As my wife might say, "Yeah, you're very trying."

I just hate to disappoint.

sell your soul

engram:	Fuckin' Sweet
Time:	12:29 am.

So I like a lot of "Pagan Metal" bands. The mixture of raging, heavily distorted guitars with traditional instruments such as the accordion, mandolin, tin pipes, hurdy gurdy, etc. just, well...fucking rules. And a lot of these bands take all the strengths of classic folk structures and supercharge them to create the kind of music that should be destined for arenas (if only the world were actually fair).

Anyway, one such band I really, really dig is Finland's Korpiklaani. They've got a great sound and attitude, their music is fantastic and fun. They just began streaming a new track from their forthcoming album Karkelo (English translation: "Pleasure" or "Party") due out June 26th. It's called "Vodka." Heh. But it should be called "VODKA!!!" judging from the music. Imagine listening to this at unseemly decibels in a bar while the audience is banging their fists in the air chanting "Wodka! Wodka!" along with the chorus. THAT, my friend, is fucking bliss.

All their albums are great so buy them. ( And here's some video support: )

16 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	Achtung Foodies
Time:	12:10 am.
Music:	Bloodbath Eaten.

So hey you Twin Citians:

My Parents' 40th Anniversary is coming up in about a month. My sister and I would like to take them out to a really, really nice restaurant here in the Twin Towns Of Terror. But we're having trouble deciding where.

Neither of us ever really go out to eat. We're more into cooking for ourselves than paying a shitload of money to have someone cook up something our amateur asses could probably do better. We would like to be impressed but more importantly our 'rents should be satisfied as well. And while we're fine with dropping some money on the dinner we don't want to have to take out a second mortgage on our houses merely for a friggin' night of food.

So if any of you have experience dining out in the Cities I'm interested in your opinions. But don't expect me to make it easy on you. Here's what we're looking for;

My Father likes steaks. Whichever restaurant we pick should serve a damn good steak that's a cut above what you might find in your typical-to-upscale establishment.

My Mother isn't very picky but she does like Italian cuisine. And seafood.

My Sister is a seafood expert as she works for a seafood distrbutor. She's also a wine snob who thumbs her nose at inferior brands.

My wife and I are pescatarians (vegetarians who eat seafood). Whichever restaurant we pick doesn't necessarily have to cater to our proclivities but should have a few solid choices that will make it worth our while so that everyone is happy and no one feels like they're just enduring the night.

In summary: Great steaks, good menu, fine wine selection, vegetarian options and spendy but not beyond our means.

Aaaaaand...GO!

2 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	Trekkin'
Time:	9:26 pm.
Music:	Aphorism Chrysanthemums For Carrion.

Last year I only watched saw two movies in the theater. Indiana Jones And The Cold War Relic (or whatever) and Repo! A Genetic Opera. One was fantastic and wildly entertaining and the other...ehhhhhh, not so much. I don't fork over the ridiculous amount of cash they want for movies unless it's something I really want to see on a big screen (who the fuck pays ten dollars for a friggin' drama?!?!).

But I've been a Star Trek fan since I was a little shitlet. I grew up on the classic series. I've seen all the television incarnations and movies. Even the shitty ones. I still vividly remember my Uncle Tom taking me to see Wrath Of Khan opening night in New York. I really dig Star Trek. Even when it's shitty.

The classic series can't be beat. Sure, it looks horribly dated now. But seeing it as a kid was amazing. And the emotional attachment I developed back then never diminished.

The Next Generation was pretty damn cool too. Except Wesley Crusher. I fucking hate Wesley Crusher.

Deep Space Nine started out rocky but as it went along it became absolutely amazing. By the time they decided to end it I was pissed because I didn't want them to stop. I'm still pissed they never included DS9 in any of the movies, or even based a whole movie around the DS9 saga.

Voyager sucked ass. I hated every character except Kes simply because I wanted to violate the prime directive in each of her orifices. But then they killed her off so after that there was no point.

Even though I sat through Enterprise I'm still trying to pretend it never actually happened. And if I ever get the chance to slit the throat of the sappy fucker who wrote that opening tune I will relish it with glee.

Anyway the whole thing hit a HUGE dead end so "rebooting" it only made sense. And while I'm not all that familiar with the dude at the helm of the reboot (Cloverfield is the only thing he's done that I've watched - saw the first two episodes of Lost and thought it was one of the stupidest things ever...then, for whatever reason, it became a sensation) I was excited to see what they would do with it.

My verdict? Pretty good. It was a damn fun movie. I don't go to conventions and I don't wear Spock ears. I "have a life." I just really enjoy Star Trek. The story was okay and the things that were altered were explained somewhat satisfactorily. Bones rocked. Loved the actor's spot-on characterization. Sulu was...meh. But then, the old Sulu was pretty meh as well. Chekov seemed to be overdoing it but he was alright. Uhura was annoying. Scotty was great. Spock...needs to grow into the character I think. I dig Sylar and all but he just didn't win me over. Yet. Kirk wasn't at all Kirkish to me in any sense. Don't like Kirk. Go back to Abercrombie and fucking Fitch Kirk. I did dig Pike's alternate fate. I always felt bad for Christopher Pike. He was a hero. The original captain of the Enterprise. And in spite of the fact that the studio was originally more interested in "losing the guy with the pointy ears" they replaced Pike with Shatner and relegated the character to an iron lung and dopey expression forever. I was happy with what they did for Pike.

Everything was very purty. I like the way the movie was shot. Why anyone hires Eric Bana for anything is beyond me. I've seen more range out of a manatee. Seriously. This guy must have one fuck of a good agent because I can't imagine any casting director watches his performances and says, "Yeah! That's the guy we need for this role!"

I was EXTREMELY pissed off they somehow managed to inject Winona fucking Ryder into the picture. But I was moderately amused that they killed her off pretty quick. Anytime Winona Ryder is killed is a treat I suppose.

Sarek was no Mark Lenard. If Mark Lenard was Sir John Gielgud this twit was Rob Schneider. Suck.

Overall I enjoyed the movie. Hopefully they can rebuild the "franchise" without turning it into 90210 in space. But that Kirk fuck annoys me. As much as everyone else got their characterizations correct Kirk was totally and completely wrong. It didn't ruin the movie for me but...yeah. Fuck Kirk.

sell your soul

engram:	Devastating
Time:	5:04 pm.

I should be writing a lot more than I am today but I've been listening to a lot of Daylight Dies instead, due to my current mood. I interviewed the drummer of this band and their last release, Lost To The Living, was one of my favorite albums of last year. It's heavy. It's metal. Here's a YouTube rip of the song "Woke Up Lost." It's more accessible because of the clean vocals so you might dig it.

I used the word devastating as a fulcrum point to the review of the album. It rings true. There's a lot of weight to their music. It's beautiful, impossibly heavy, dirgey doom metal.

Most of their stuff is even heavier with growling vocals. If you can appreciate the above clip check out "This Morning Light," a song with riffs that cut so deep during the chorus they opted against vocals.

The Morning Light - Daylight Dies

I adore this band. Particularly during times like this.

6 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	Catapulting Capitulation
Time:	4:28 pm.
Music:	Social Distortion I Was Wrong.

Here's one of those, "I might have been wrong," posts.

I just want to say that I'm not a geek. But I grew up watching Star Trek, I love the original series (see, not a geek; I didn't call it TOS), I really enjoyed The Next Generation and grew into Deep Space 9 (it got much better as it went along). Voyager and Enterprise were both complete piles of shit which should be disregarded and forgotten. And I'm looking forward to the new movie.

Okay, that's an understatement. I can't friggin' wait for the new movie.

But I always hated hated hated Wil Wheaton. The only part of The Next Generation that sucked were the scenes with Wesley Crusher. That whiny little pissant should have been killed off or dispatched in some way a lot sooner than what actually came to fruition. And in the end they made this douche look like a complete, unwarranted hero. Fuck Wesley Crusher. And fuck Wil Wheaton. He sucks as an actor and every scene in which he participated ruined an otherwise great show.

But the more I read the stuff he's written (he's got a lot of geeks on his side for some reason and the shit he writes inexplicably attracts a lot of readers) the more I realize he's a pretty cool guy and that I like the way his mind works. He may still be a completely shit actor who should never be in front of a camera again but I...I kinda like him. He's got heart and an interesting personality.

I'll still delete any Wesley Crusher episodes that the tivo captures but I'm forced to admit that Wheaton is a cool guy. Hopefully it's never revealed that he's actually a pederast or something. I kinda sorta dig the guy.

Just sayin'.

2 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	The Unknown Knows
Time:	4:21 am.
Music:	Totakeke The Things That Disappear When I Close My Eyes.

Because I'm in a mall all day every day during the week I get to do quite a bit of people watching while handling my deliveries. Many of the people I see are regulars to the mall, most of whom fall into the category of "mall walker."

Mall walkers are typically either hausfraus desperately trying to lose weight (most likely to gain some attention from an uninterested husband) by speedwalking through the mall while chatting up a companion yenta, people who are attempting to overcome some disability - physical or otherwise - or elderly folks just trying to remain active.

Of this latter group there is a particular couple I see pretty regularly. I assume this man and woman are married and have been for a great number of years. They're at the mall quite often and I've never seen them speak to each other (or to anyone else for that matter) yet they seem completely devoted to one another. Considering they appear to be in their mid-to-late seventies (quite possible older) what more could they possibly have to say at this point anyway?

The woman almost seems zombie-like. She needs a shopping cart, against which she leans, as they slowly progress through the mall. He is always at her side and he walks exactly like the old character Tim Conway used to play on the Carol Burnett Show. Baby steps all the way. But his hand is always on hers. Both are looking straight forward at all times but the physical contact is always there.

The woman seems to need rest frequently, and they'll come to a bench and stop. She'll sit while he remains standing, his eyes ever fixated on her. Eventually he'll put out his hand to help her back up. This seems to be an indication that he's ready to get going again but it doesn't necessarily mean she's rested enough just yet. He'll keep his hand held out for her, sometimes for a number of minutes, until she looks up, grabs it and leans back up against the cart. Then they will begin their slow progress forward once again. This often goes on for hours. I couldn't tell you how they get to and from the mall because I've never seen them arrive or leave. But I imagine that one day I'll stop seeing them and I'll know that one finally succumbed to advanced age and/or ill health. It will be sad because they certainly seem like a couple that should end their lives just as they lived - together.

Without speech or much expression their relationship looks to be more solid than most I see. It's as though only the two of them exist in this world and they spend every last moment together just trying to get by for another day, content that they have their long-lasting partnership. And they each seem to wear the same clothes all the time as well which only makes them stand out to me even more. I'm not sure anyone else ever notices them.

Sorry. There's no point to this story. I'm drunk and just figured I'd share it. I suppose I should go to bed since I suddenly feel I should be beside my beautiful wife.

Anyway.

2 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	DJ devil
Time:	10:55 am.
Music:	Straftanz Blood In Blood Out.

Last night's DJ set went over quite well. I wasn't at all prepared and had no idea what I was going to play but aside from a couple awkward transitions at the onset and the fact that there were two occasions when I picked the wrong track off the CD (not that anyone would have noticed) I kept 'em dancing.

So here is my little playlist (because I know Craig likes to keep track of these things):

MY Life With The Thrill Kill Kult - "Delicate Terror" (13 Above The Night)
Imperative Reaction - "Fallout" (Minus All)
C-Tec - "Nightbreed" (Cut)
Uberbyte - "Industrial Bitch" (Dos)
Straftanz - "Industrieschnee (Ode an die Heimat)" (Forward Ever, Backward Never)
Unter Null - "Sick Fuck" (The Failure Epiphany)
Cenotype - "Save Me (Remixed by Clive Reinhold)" (Origins Unfold)
ESA - "Cursing" (How Pure Would Your Utopia Be?)
Orange Sector - "Legend" (Mindfuck)
Experiment Haywire - Game Called Life (Autoclav1.1 Vivify mix)" (Remix Riot)
XuberX - "Forgive, Forget (remixed by Iris)" (Intelligence: Revised)
Combichrist - "All Pain Is Gone (Matthew Grim Deathmix)" (Heat - All Pain Is Beat EP)

4 souls sold - sell your soul

Time:

2:20 am.

Y'know, I know quite a few good people who happen to consider themselves Conservatives. While I can't for the life of me understand why they subscribe to their particular philosophy I can only imagine how mortified they must feel about this whole "teabagging" thing. I mean, christ. It's as though every stupid ass nutjob on the Right suddenly came crawling out of some hole to flash a three-toothed grin for the awaiting cameras, spewing some of the most illogical and totally factually incorrect slogans for the world to see and hear.

I mean, honestly, I'm glad it's happening. This just guarantees more converts to my way of thinking. I'm not going to speak out against the "teabagging" because the more this sort of thing happens the less likely it will be that we'll have to face down a government dominated by Cons. But man. It wasn't at all entertaining to watch. It was downright painful. I feel for the Conservatives. I really do.

They're not all like that. Most of them, perhaps. But not all.

5 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	This is so...it's just...beautiful.
Time:	1:48 am.
Music:	Napalm Death Diktat.

Okay, so I know everyone's tired of my whole "Conservatives are evil" spiel. The election's long over and even though the Cons are using every minute of every day to make it seem like the world's going to Hell in a handbasket even though they directed it there, the world caught on and dumped their asses and now the Progressives are in charge of digging us out of the hole. The Cons are intent on making it seem like the Hell around us is actually because of the Progressives, uhh...somehow. But this clip says so much about the denial on the part of the Cons. It's priceless. This is exactly why the good guys are going to win. Limbaugh actually impugns a veteran.

The more the Cons keep talking, the more FOX news utilizes their bullhorn of ignorance, the more Progressives we will have. And our great land will no longer suffer the growing income disparity we've come to know under Conservative/Republican rule as well as the system where all the advantages lean toward the wealthy and powerful. The working class make up the majority. The working class are what drive the country. And this time we're in offers the best hope of a leadership that actually represents the working class.

Hey, if you're anti abortion, anti gay rights and anti homeless it's not like I can argue with you. You're going to accept whatever bigoted worldview you accept and no amount of convincing is going to change your mind. But I'm not going to accept an ideology that says, "Look, there are rich and powerful people. These people control a great deal of the wealth and jobs in this country and as long as we keep feeding them wealth and power and keep them happy they will push some scraps off their plates that will fall from the table and trickle their way down to you working class saps on the floor. And we'll all be happy! Can't you see that?" WE are the ones that award wealth and power. WE are the ones that break our backs as workers for the wealthy and powerful, devoting our services for THEM. And THEN we utilize their goods and services though payment so THEY make more wealth. This country is about US. The driving force in capatalism is the WORKING CLASS. It's time things were skewed OUR WAY. No more of this Conservative trickle-down, cut taxes for the rich bullshit.

And no, I don't feel better now. Only temporarily pacified.

But fuck Rush Limbaugh. And fuck Sean Hannity. And fuck Jason Lewis. And fuck Glen Beck. And fuck that Levin motherfucker. I listen to all of them and their lies and distortions are so fucking apparent. Yet they have a massive audience who hang on their every word. It's astounding to me.

8 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	Wasted
Time:	2:02 pm.
Music:	Orwell Firefighting In Hell.

So yeah. Home because I'm sick. It used to be that I never, ever got ill but apparently age and children changes things. I had a tremendously sore throat all weekend to the point where I was concerned it was strep (even though adults rarely come down with strep). In any event I couldn't swallow my own saliva without writhing in pain. Add to that body aches and constantly feeling cold and, well, it was a miserable weekend. Unfortunately it didn't subside in time for the beginning of the work week though it has gotten a touch easier to actually swallow things. Not much, but it's progress.

So I'm not doing Twitter. Sorry, but I have yet to hear one convincing argument as to why I should. And I've pretty much heard all the arguments at this point. I resisted MySpace for a long time because it seemed like just another passing fad. Eventually I capitulated because I was able to use it for a number of things I still find important. It's an invaluable resource in keeping up with artists and labels. As far as "social networking" goes, I couldn't care less. My sister conned me into Facebook against my better judgment and after a number of months on there I find it to be almost completely useless. Aside from the fact that I'm now in touch with a bunch of people I haven't thought about in decades and was never really that interested in being in touch with them in the first place, Facebook is of no value.

Twitter seems of even less value than Facebook. It's clearly just another fad that won't last long, more than likely. It's Facebook for the attention-deficit crowd. And you know what I miss? Livejournal. The only "social networking" site that seems to have any worth. Because on Livejournal people open up. People actually write, in detail, about their lives. I learn more from Lj than I do all the other sites combined. So fuck MySpace, fuck Facebook and definitely fuck Twitter. I'm not going to be a fad hopper anymore.

I'm sticking with Livejournal. If you need me, that's where you'll find me.

sell your soul

engram:	SuidAkra
Time:	1:38 pm.

I don't know if it's the change of season or what but I've been craving the Pagan Metal lately. Here's an act I just discovered out of Germany called SuidAkra. They weave Celtic melodies into a mix of Powermetal and Balckened melodic Death Metal. The vocals are mostly of the raspy sort with occasional melodic breaks and every so often a sixteen member choir (!!!). They throw in some bagpipes, banjo and tin whistles periodically too.

The vocalist does remind me of Alan Rickman on steroids. And the battle scenes in this video for "Shattering Swords" are so bad they're laughable. I kinda dig these guys though. I just wish they would get a little more creative with the broad instrumentation. Although that can be tough when you're essentially a three-piece.

The album this song is taken from is called Crógacht and the story (as well as all the artwork in the 16 page booklet accompanying the CD) was arranged by famous Belgian graphic artist Kris Verwimp. It tells the story of the hero Cuchulainn’s epic journey to the Isle of Skye, where he seeks to learn the arts of war from the Scythian warrior woman Scáthach. The decisions he then has to make set the events in motion that will lead up to his son Conlaoch’s tragic fate. Cue the cliffhanger music.

Anyway, this is the sort of act you're not going to get into unless you really dig Metal but they kind of remind me of a dark, aggressive version of Blind Guardian for some reason. Without all the Tolkien worship.

2 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	The Blackest Of The Black
Time:	2:22 am.
Music:	Gorgoroth God Seed (Twilight Of The Idols).

So let me say this: all my experiences with Norwegian food have led to my hatred toward that particular culture. However, the pictures I've seen of Norway mixed with the reputation of being the premier birthplace of Black Metal have led to my desire to one day see the country. Of all the subgenres of Metal, Black Metal is probably one of my least favorite but the acts that do it well are amazing to me.

And then there is Gorgoroth. While they don't have the murder/church burning history of an act like Mayhem their music has always been chaotic, raw and - the more you listen to it - possessive of an inherent beauty that comes from somewhere that may be difficult to imagine...until now.

This is a documentary that was done a few years ago. Since then an internal battle erupted within the band that led to a split and a long, drawn out court case over who owns the name "Gorgoroth." The final word only recently came down and guitarist Infernus now legally owns the right to the name. Gaahl and King will be recording under the name God Seed (the title of a song from the last Gorgoroth album).

This was an important documentary not because it gave a complete history of Black Metal - it didn't - but it accurately represented Gorgoroth and was less a view/critique of the musical style than a brilliant character study of a man named Gaahl (born Kristian Eivind Espedal). Seriously, this is one of the most haunting portrayals I've ever seen and I think about it often because I can put myself in Gaahl's shoes. It really doesn't matter if you like or hate or are indifferent toward the music. This is some stirring journalism you should see and the five parts add up to just over a half an hour of your time with an ending that will, more than likely, disturb you quite a bit. I think it's worth watching.

Seriously. Stirring shit.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

4 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	Metal Without All The...uh, Metal
Time:	12:57 am.

One of my favorite bands of the "Pagan Metal" movement is called Eluveitie (pronounced el-WAY-tee). Their two albums, Spirit and Slania incorporated traditional instruments such as the hurdy gurdy, flute, tin pipes, hammered dulcimer, violin and more into a melodic death metal structure, weaving a brilliant tapestry of old and new.

But, y'know, they're Metal with plenty of screaming vocals so most people just wouldn't get it. At least, until now. Next week they're releasing Evocation I: The Arcane Dominion which contains 15 folk songs, most of them written in ancient Gaulish language. Most of the lyrics are between 1,600-2,100 years old.

Check out the video for "Omnos" below:

ELUVEITIE - Omnos

It's just so fuckin' Metal without, y'know, all the fuckin' Metal. Unfortunately they were forced to drop off this year's Paganfest tour (which probably means I won't attend) but if you ever get the chance to see them live don't pass it up. They're phenomenal.

1 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	Killing Is Their Business...And Business Is Good
Time:	8:40 pm.
Music:	Children Of Bodom Smile Pretty For The Devil.

New "Mobile Executions" in China more humane than previous methods.

China has traditionally always taken a ruthless, unemotional view of crime and punishment. Before injections and bullets, the most chilling sentence was death by Ling Chi - death by a thousand cuts - which was abolished only in 1905.

The condemned man was strapped to a table and then, in what was also known as 'slow slicing', his eyes were gouged out.

This was designed to heighten the terror of not being able to see what part of his body would suffer next. Using a sharp knife, the executioner sliced at the condemned's body - chopping off the ears, fingers, nose and toes, before starting to cut off whole limbs.

Traditionalists insisted that exactly 3,600 slices were made. The new mobile execution vans may, indeed, be more humane than this, but their main advantage in official eyes is financial.

4 souls sold - sell your soul

engram:	Bite It
Time:	1:29 am.
Music:	Overkill Fuck You!!!.

When it comes to the styles of music I like it always seems like it's a bad idea to associate with people who are into the same stuff as me. I mean, I like pretty much everything from Classical to Grindcore but in particular I dig Metal and Electro/Industrial. These styles have grown quite a bit due to the internet through message boards and such (Metal more so than electronic stuff) but it seems like people into these things wallow in constant negativity and want to cut down everyone in their path. It's all so self-defeating. I may not like every act out there. I may think some absolutely suck. I may even mention on occasion that I think certain acts suck. But I'm not going to go out of my way to describe people into those acts that I think suck as "sucky" people or ignorant people or idiots. Likewise I'm not going to cut people down for promoting these sucky acts. Sometimes I think that what I do with DTC is hopeless because the people into these styles only seem interested in shooting themselves in the foot on a near constant basis. You can't grow a plant when you're constantly chopping at the stem and you can't grow a scene when you're always hacking away at its players. And I know this is a big part of the reason why my wife walked away from "the scene." It just seems like every individual within the Electro/Industrial sphere is convinced they stand above everyone else, that their opinion is all that matters and everyone else is ignorant. And rather than sharing their views in a tactful and persuasive manner they're more interested in calling people out as "idiots" in an attempt to feel superior. Of course, this is usually done under the artifice of an anonymous screen name.

There's a reason why I started using my real name on the site as opposed to the "handle" I used to assume. I'm not hiding from anything.

There's been a lot of shit talk about how "the scene" is dying (relating to Industrial) but the bottom line is that the people who are into these styles do nothing to promote it. In fact the opposite is true: they're too busy cutting each other down to grow an actual "scene." It's maddening. It used to be that the older crowd took the younger crowd under its wing, taught them about the classics and led them on their way toward being part of something big. Now people just stand in the corner and glare or get on the internet and criticize (anonymously, natch). It's all so goddamn pathetic and it seriously makes me wonder why I sacrifice so much of my friggin' time.

It makes me wonder why I bother. I enjoy what I do. But I don't always enjoy it. Sometimes it's a real pain in the ass, particularly where others are involved.