School is starting and I don't like it. I am only taking one class but it is every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:35 PM to 5:55 PM, that is a long time for a Tuesday/Thursday class. I applied for a couple of jobs here and there, I hope I get at least one call back. I applied to work at a GameStop, Hollywood Video, the Wal-Mart electronics department, Block Buster, and Hastings (which is a music, movie, and book store). I would really like to work at the GameStop as I like gaming (I own all three consoles), I would want to get the inside information, I want to help people make educated decisions about purchasing a gaming console, and everyone who works their says they like their jobs. They also pay pretty good so that is another reason. I would only want to work 15-20 hours a week so I can still have a college life. It would really be nice if I found a job that would let me work two 10 hour shifts, one on Monday and the other on Wednesday. That way I can be done with working early in the week and still have Thursday night, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off.
I went to The Family Values Tour 2007 in Albuquerque, NM last week. It was pretty awesome. All of the bands were good except for Nuerosonic. I didn't really like them as they couldn't tell if they wanted to be a ska, rap/rock, punk, or emo band. Their best song was about Ashley Simpson and I don't know why they would ever sing about her in the first place. Evanescence played an alright show. I saw them on a headlining gig a while back and they had a lot more energy and were just better then. As always, Korn put on a hell of a show. It seems like they keep getting better and better every time I see them. They played for about 1 hour and 45 minutes which is pretty long as most sets only last 90 minutes or less. There was this one guy in front of me that kept flipping Korn off, it was irritating me and my friend. We kept telling him off but he was probably drunk and did it just for the attention. Some kids behind us kept throwing quarters and other shit at him but they continually missed. That guy ended up jamming out to Twisted Transistor and Coming Undone though, probably the two softest Korn songs ever (this includes the ballads on their new untitled album and Tearjerker at the end of See You On The Other Sidde). That guy must have been a pussy or something as Korn put on a damned good set, here is the set list they played:
Intro
Here To Stay
Good God
Starting Over
Dead Bodies Everywhere
Hold On
Falling Away From Me
Bottled Up Inside
Faget
Coming Undone
Trash
Ever Be
Another Brick In The Wall
Encore:
Twisted Transistor
Evolution
Freak On A Leash
Blind
Munky was drunk during their performance as he kept leaning up against a pillar, laying down, and there was a point whenever he sang into Jonathan Davis's mic stand. The only problem was that JD has the mic on the other side of the stage and he was singing into it. So basically Munky sang into an empty mic stand. He still played very well though and JD went all crazy at the end of Another Brick In The Wall. I had seen him go crazy at the end of that song but not that crazy.
The concert as a whole was pretty good but there were some disappointing parts. FYE pulled out of sponsoring Family Values so they didn't have the autograph tent at that venue (I wanted to purchase some CDs and get them signed), I was going to meet Munky but he decided not to go through with the little meet and greet for Emotional Symphon street team members as we was feeling a little under the weather, and the power went out for about 40 minutes during Flyleaf's set. It was funny as the bassist for Flyleaf was jumping off of a box, he was going to strum his guitar once he landed (that was when their song would kick in). Well, he landed and nothing came out. It was funny but boring. HELLYEAH put on a excellent show and I think they turned up the volume just for them as no other opening act was that loud, I think they were as loud as Evanescence as well. HELLYEAH should have opened for Korn though as they got the crowd going.
I took a bunch of pictures with my disposable camera but they didn't come out. They were allowing digital cameras into the venues on this tour (they even allowed digital cameras for Ozzfest 2007) but the big rumor was that Amy Lee got pissed so they only allowed disposable cameras. Well, we all know how disposable cameras do in low light situations. Almost all of the pictures came out blurry (even though I stood still and used two hands), there was a metal bar that kept getting in the way even though I was standing well above the bar when I took the pictures, and the only good night shot picture that came out was of that asshole flipping off Korn. So there is nothing to post in terms of pictures.
Atreyu will be touring in October down here so a friend and I will be hitting up that concert. Other than that, nothing else. School sucks, it sucks not having any money to do shit, and I am bored a lot. Hence, I think I need a job to keep grounded and to give me some spending money. I think I can earn about $140 to $200 a week depending on how many hours I work a week. That will be about $300-$400 a month just to fuck around with. I can finally start paying off my credit card and start purchasing other shit that I don't need.
I went to The Family Values Tour 2007 in Albuquerque, NM last week. It was pretty awesome. All of the bands were good except for Nuerosonic. I didn't really like them as they couldn't tell if they wanted to be a ska, rap/rock, punk, or emo band. Their best song was about Ashley Simpson and I don't know why they would ever sing about her in the first place. Evanescence played an alright show. I saw them on a headlining gig a while back and they had a lot more energy and were just better then. As always, Korn put on a hell of a show. It seems like they keep getting better and better every time I see them. They played for about 1 hour and 45 minutes which is pretty long as most sets only last 90 minutes or less. There was this one guy in front of me that kept flipping Korn off, it was irritating me and my friend. We kept telling him off but he was probably drunk and did it just for the attention. Some kids behind us kept throwing quarters and other shit at him but they continually missed. That guy ended up jamming out to Twisted Transistor and Coming Undone though, probably the two softest Korn songs ever (this includes the ballads on their new untitled album and Tearjerker at the end of See You On The Other Sidde). That guy must have been a pussy or something as Korn put on a damned good set, here is the set list they played:
Intro
Here To Stay
Good God
Starting Over
Dead Bodies Everywhere
Hold On
Falling Away From Me
Bottled Up Inside
Faget
Coming Undone
Trash
Ever Be
Another Brick In The Wall
Encore:
Twisted Transistor
Evolution
Freak On A Leash
Blind
Munky was drunk during their performance as he kept leaning up against a pillar, laying down, and there was a point whenever he sang into Jonathan Davis's mic stand. The only problem was that JD has the mic on the other side of the stage and he was singing into it. So basically Munky sang into an empty mic stand. He still played very well though and JD went all crazy at the end of Another Brick In The Wall. I had seen him go crazy at the end of that song but not that crazy.
The concert as a whole was pretty good but there were some disappointing parts. FYE pulled out of sponsoring Family Values so they didn't have the autograph tent at that venue (I wanted to purchase some CDs and get them signed), I was going to meet Munky but he decided not to go through with the little meet and greet for Emotional Symphon street team members as we was feeling a little under the weather, and the power went out for about 40 minutes during Flyleaf's set. It was funny as the bassist for Flyleaf was jumping off of a box, he was going to strum his guitar once he landed (that was when their song would kick in). Well, he landed and nothing came out. It was funny but boring. HELLYEAH put on a excellent show and I think they turned up the volume just for them as no other opening act was that loud, I think they were as loud as Evanescence as well. HELLYEAH should have opened for Korn though as they got the crowd going.
I took a bunch of pictures with my disposable camera but they didn't come out. They were allowing digital cameras into the venues on this tour (they even allowed digital cameras for Ozzfest 2007) but the big rumor was that Amy Lee got pissed so they only allowed disposable cameras. Well, we all know how disposable cameras do in low light situations. Almost all of the pictures came out blurry (even though I stood still and used two hands), there was a metal bar that kept getting in the way even though I was standing well above the bar when I took the pictures, and the only good night shot picture that came out was of that asshole flipping off Korn. So there is nothing to post in terms of pictures.
Atreyu will be touring in October down here so a friend and I will be hitting up that concert. Other than that, nothing else. School sucks, it sucks not having any money to do shit, and I am bored a lot. Hence, I think I need a job to keep grounded and to give me some spending money. I think I can earn about $140 to $200 a week depending on how many hours I work a week. That will be about $300-$400 a month just to fuck around with. I can finally start paying off my credit card and start purchasing other shit that I don't need.
Well, this is the week that Korn's new album came out and I definitely picked it up. This is the album that I have been waiting for. I have been listening to Korn since late 1994, I was 9 years old whenever I first heard the song "Blind" and I have never stopped listening to them. They have changed their sound over the years, some of it was for the good while some was for the worse. My favorite albums were always Issues, Untouchables, and their Self Titled debut. See You On The Other Side was a disappointment when compared against past Korn albums. It was a good album overall but it just didn't stand up to their past work. Their new Untitled album really changes that. It sound like Korn took their entire career, put it in a blender, added a bottle of tequila, mixed everything up, then drank what came out. They have really outdone themselves with this release. Here is a track by track break down:
1. Intro - This is a introduction song that they recorded for their European tour. It has a dark circus like melody that really fits with the theme of the album.
2. Starting Over - The intro song flows right into Starting Over. This song pretty much sums up the entire feel of the album, Korn are starting over after the departure of Head and David. This song changes for faster to slower beats in split seconds and Jonathan expresses a nice vocal range. I give it a 4/5
3. Bitch We Got A Problem - Korn usually write songs about freaky relationships (A.D.I.D.A.S., My Gift To You, Beat It Upright) and this song fits right in. It has a heavy bass grove that never lets up. This is just a song that must be heard. 5/5
4. Evolution - The first single off the album. I don't think it is the strongest track but it contains musical elements used throughout the album. It should be used to get a good feel for the album but that is it. It is not the last song that will contain a message about how people are just not intelligent anymore. 3/5
5. Hold On - A positive message song, Korn doesn't come out with very many of those. It has a quasi-industrial sound to it and Jonathan's voice growls pretty much throughout the track. This is just one of the best tracks off the album. 5/5
6. Kiss - A ballad about being in love with a person that doesn't love you back. I am sure many people can relate to this song and its message. I think it is a strong attempt from Korn and it is much better than Tearjerker off of See You On The Other Side. 5/5
7. Do What They Say - There are many thoughts about this track. It could be considered that Jonathan is singing about people who just fall in line with the rest of the crowd. He could also be singing about the departure of guitarist Brian "Head" Welch and how he fell in line with those Christian sheep (I am Christian so don't take offense). Either way, it is a pretty good song with a industrial underline and the high pitched guitar works. Compared to the other tracks on the album though, it is not the best. 4/5
8. Ever Be - This is a song that is about Head and all the excuses he made (detailed in his book, which I will review later) and how he just crapped all over Korn after he left. This is another one of the strong tracks off the album. It consists of a slow beat that never picks up but the chorus gets heavy. 5/5
8. Love And Luxury - This is another song that is directly about Head. Jonathan even talks about Head's book in the very beginning. It is about how Head gave up all of his luxuries and the people that he loved (not including his daughter or family members). It also talks about the criticism that Jonathan took in the book which wasn't all that bad but it can be conceived that way. Musically, this is probably the weakest track on the album as it is really poppy. It makes Twist Transistor sound like Dimmu Borgir. However, I like this song. 4/5
9. Innocent Bystander - Another industrial laden song with a heavy groove and a chorus that picks up the beat. A good release. 5/5
10. Killing - This is the heaviest song on the album and it is pretty good. The beats are faster, heavy, and never let up. This song also has a death metal-esque ending. Does it sound exactly like death metal? No. Believe me, I know my death metal whenever I hear it and this is not it. However, it does sound like Korn was influenced by Cannibal Corpse a bit whenever they made this track. 5/5
11. Hushabye - Another ballad. This is a must listen, that is all I can say. 5/5
12. I Will Protect You - This is a darker themed song that also has a industrial flavor to it. If you didn't hear this song whenever Korn released it through their myspace page then you missed out. This song features a crazy drum session from Bozzio (David's temporary studio replacement) that happens in the middle of the song. The robotic Jonathan voice really helps with the feel of the song. 4.5/5
13. Sing Sorrow - This is a bonus track that is included with the enhanced edition of their album or off of the iTunes Store. It is a anthem song that talks to the listener directly. I can see how it would be good live but I don't really care for those types of songs. The chorus goes: "If you're with me, sing sorrow." Those kind of lyrics just don't really get me going. It has a pretty trippy guitar bride though. 4/5
14. Overture Or Obituary - This song is only available if you pre-ordered it through the iTunes Store. This is probably the weakest song Korn has released in quite a bit of time. The song never really gets out of first gear and the band sounds like they are playing at level 5 when they could go all the way up to 11. If you didn't pre-order the album from the iTunes Store then don't worry, you aren't missing out on much. 2.5/5
Overall, not including the bonus b-side tracks, I give this album a 5/5. It may not be a perfect album but it is damn close. Including the bonus tracks, I would give it a 4.89/5. That Overture Or Obituary song really doesn't fit with the album and I can see why Korn didn't put it on the disc. Fans that were disappointed with See You On The Other Side will definitely like this album. Older Korn fans, like myself, should embrace it as sounds of the old Korn have come back.
I will review the Head book once I am threw reading it. It is about 225 pages in length and I purchased it two days ago, I am already past the 1/2 way point.
Wow, I haven't posted here in quite a bit of time and that is because absolutely nothing has gone on and that is exactly how I wanted my summer to do. *WARNING - CONCERT SPOILERS* However, I did attend Ozzfest 2007 last night in Albuquerque and I must say, it was a damned good show for being free. I was a bit disappointed with the second stage as the bands were playing out of the back of a semi-truck trailer so the stage was extremely small and it was placed on a very crowded dirt parking lot. I was completely squished during Hatebreed's performance but I was standing about 300 feet from the stage. The bands that took note of off the second stage were ChthoniC, Nile, and Behemoth. I had never heard of these bands before but I will definitely be listening to their material. I was looking forward to seeing Hatebreed, In This Moment, 3 Inches Of Blood, and DAATH on the second stage. None of the bands that I wanted to see disappointed. There were some bands that I could not get into like Ankla. They were heavy but it sounded as if they needed a second guitarist on stage with them. Their studio work sounds polished and has two guitars in it but their live work just wasn't as hard and the drums overpowered their entire set. There were also two bands that just absolutely sucked: Circus Diablo and The Showdown. Circus Diablo had more of a commercial rock sound which didn't mean they were bad but they definitely didn't belong on Ozzfest and I don't care for commercial rock. The Showdown are trying to form a new genre called Southern Metal, it is very similar to Southern Rock in its guitar sound and singing style (think of a heavier version of Lynyrd Skynyrd or Ted Nugent). To me, this sub-genre of metal didn't really sound like it flowed. The band had moments were they had the sound of a metal band and could start up a circle pit, then they would completely change it and the singer would start in. I just couldn't get into it though. Still, I can't really complain since the tickets were free. Technically, they weren't free as I had to pay $10 for Ozzy's "Black Rain" album and another $20 for parking but I still think I got a good show for $30 (the cost of two tickets) with the second stage alone as the average Ozzfest ticket will cost around $45-$60 depending on where you want to sit.
Now, the main stage. This is where the value of the ticket prices was really reflect. The three big acts on the main stage were Static-X, Lamb Of God, and Ozzy Osbourne. The main stage openers were a band known as Lordi. I had never heard of them before Ozzfest and now I know why. This band is pretty much the Finish (ie they are from Finland) version of GWAR. They come out in costumes, have all sorts of pyro, and they look demonic yet their music is about "rock and roll" or about how the "devil is a loser." Since I don't care for GWAR, I didn't really care for Lordi. They put on a hell of a show as they only put on a 45 minute set but had pyro and stage props for every song but their music was not the best. The guitarist and drummer have talent but Lordi (the singer) can't sing and tries to act evil while singing about a positive message. I am sorry but a guy who looks like a demon would not be calling the devil a loser. I am not saying that they should praise the devil or anything like that but the Ozzfest mascot has always been cartoon demon.
Static-X took the stage next and they did not fail to impress. They too put on a 45 minute set which included past hits like This Is Not (the song where I get my name from), Cold, Destroy All, Bled For Days, and others. They also played two new tracks off of their Cannibal album and the crowd loved them both. This was the first time I had seen Static-X live and I have been wanting to see them for about 8 years now. Anytime they came to my area, it would always be during a time that I couldn't go and they would always play a club. The problem with club gigs is that they aren't always advertised for. You only know about the shows if you listen to the radio or know someone who listens to the radio (I don't really know anyone who likes mainstream rock so I don't really know anyone who listens to the radio much). Ticketmaster normally doesn't handle the club gigs either unless it is a really popular band (like Deftones or Papa Roach). So it was nice seeing Static-X for the first time. Their music has always had a clean and polished sound off their album so I was surprised to hear that they carried that sound over to their live show. At moments, if you closed your eyes, you could have sworn that you were listening to their CD. They put on a good show though, I just wish that their set was longer than 45 minutes.
Lamb Of God stepped out after Static-X and they put on a fucking good show. I don't care what people say about Lamb Of God (or Hatebreed), I like them and I will always like them. There were some assholes in the crowd who would chant "You suck" in between songs but those fuckers were a bunch of pansies. Lamb Of God played all of their hits from Ashes Of The Wake and As The Palaces Burn. They also played a few newer tracks off of their Sacrament album and closed the show with Black Label, a song off of their very first album ("New American Gospel"). As always, Lamb Of God were fucking brutal, heavily interacted with the crowd, and played their music to perfection.
Last but not least, Ozzy Osbourned closed the show. After all, it is not fucking Ozzfest without Ozzy Osbourne. He (and his band) played for about 90 minutes total. Ozzy was on stage for about 75 minutes as Zakk always has his signature solo moment which lasts for 15 minutes or so (it is a great solo by the way). Ozzy played many songs spanning his long career including Mr. Crowley, Bark At The Moon, I Don't Want To Change The World, I Don't Know, Suicide Solution, Road To Nowhere, Mama, I'm Coming Home, and Crazy Train. He also played two new songs called Not Going Away and I'm Here For You. Ozzy continued to stun the audience by playing two Black Sabbath era songs: Paranoid and War Pigs. I have seen Ozzy perform Paranoid before but never War Pigs. It was interesting to hear Zakk's guitar style being played on such an old song, it was almost as if it was an entirely new song. Zakk Wylde had a signature guitar sound whenever he plays. His signature sound is normally toned down a bit during an Ozzy performance but it full blast whenever Black Label Society (his band) takes the stage (they didn't play this year). However, Zakk's sound was audible throughout Ozzy's entire performance and was amplified in Ozzy's newer work.
Overall, the entire concert was pretty fun and successful. I had read reviews on the internet saying that arenas were 1/2 empty and that people were bing disappointed. Well, I don't know who these people are and where these 1/2 empty arenas are as the Journal Pavilion in Albuquerque was backed to the brim and people seemed to be enjoying themselves. The lawn was completely full along with the lower pavilion seating. I would say that everyone got their value that night and enjoyed the show. I saw a few Hatebreed and Lamb Of God haters but those people were just retarded to begin with (no offense to the actual mentally retarded as they can't help it, these people were choosing to act retarded). Overall, I give the concert a 9/10 as it is hard to knock a basically free show not to mention the cost of shirts were drastically decreased as well (from $35-$40 to $25).
Oh, here is a picture of me with the lovely Maria Brink, the singer from In This Moment. She was featured in Revolver's Hottest Women Of Metal 2 magazine issue and I know why. Sorry for the quality, it was taken with my cameraphone. I didn't know that they were allowing in digital cameras or I would have taken my 10MP camera for much higher quality shots.
Now, the main stage. This is where the value of the ticket prices was really reflect. The three big acts on the main stage were Static-X, Lamb Of God, and Ozzy Osbourne. The main stage openers were a band known as Lordi. I had never heard of them before Ozzfest and now I know why. This band is pretty much the Finish (ie they are from Finland) version of GWAR. They come out in costumes, have all sorts of pyro, and they look demonic yet their music is about "rock and roll" or about how the "devil is a loser." Since I don't care for GWAR, I didn't really care for Lordi. They put on a hell of a show as they only put on a 45 minute set but had pyro and stage props for every song but their music was not the best. The guitarist and drummer have talent but Lordi (the singer) can't sing and tries to act evil while singing about a positive message. I am sorry but a guy who looks like a demon would not be calling the devil a loser. I am not saying that they should praise the devil or anything like that but the Ozzfest mascot has always been cartoon demon.
Static-X took the stage next and they did not fail to impress. They too put on a 45 minute set which included past hits like This Is Not (the song where I get my name from), Cold, Destroy All, Bled For Days, and others. They also played two new tracks off of their Cannibal album and the crowd loved them both. This was the first time I had seen Static-X live and I have been wanting to see them for about 8 years now. Anytime they came to my area, it would always be during a time that I couldn't go and they would always play a club. The problem with club gigs is that they aren't always advertised for. You only know about the shows if you listen to the radio or know someone who listens to the radio (I don't really know anyone who likes mainstream rock so I don't really know anyone who listens to the radio much). Ticketmaster normally doesn't handle the club gigs either unless it is a really popular band (like Deftones or Papa Roach). So it was nice seeing Static-X for the first time. Their music has always had a clean and polished sound off their album so I was surprised to hear that they carried that sound over to their live show. At moments, if you closed your eyes, you could have sworn that you were listening to their CD. They put on a good show though, I just wish that their set was longer than 45 minutes.
Lamb Of God stepped out after Static-X and they put on a fucking good show. I don't care what people say about Lamb Of God (or Hatebreed), I like them and I will always like them. There were some assholes in the crowd who would chant "You suck" in between songs but those fuckers were a bunch of pansies. Lamb Of God played all of their hits from Ashes Of The Wake and As The Palaces Burn. They also played a few newer tracks off of their Sacrament album and closed the show with Black Label, a song off of their very first album ("New American Gospel"). As always, Lamb Of God were fucking brutal, heavily interacted with the crowd, and played their music to perfection.
Last but not least, Ozzy Osbourned closed the show. After all, it is not fucking Ozzfest without Ozzy Osbourne. He (and his band) played for about 90 minutes total. Ozzy was on stage for about 75 minutes as Zakk always has his signature solo moment which lasts for 15 minutes or so (it is a great solo by the way). Ozzy played many songs spanning his long career including Mr. Crowley, Bark At The Moon, I Don't Want To Change The World, I Don't Know, Suicide Solution, Road To Nowhere, Mama, I'm Coming Home, and Crazy Train. He also played two new songs called Not Going Away and I'm Here For You. Ozzy continued to stun the audience by playing two Black Sabbath era songs: Paranoid and War Pigs. I have seen Ozzy perform Paranoid before but never War Pigs. It was interesting to hear Zakk's guitar style being played on such an old song, it was almost as if it was an entirely new song. Zakk Wylde had a signature guitar sound whenever he plays. His signature sound is normally toned down a bit during an Ozzy performance but it full blast whenever Black Label Society (his band) takes the stage (they didn't play this year). However, Zakk's sound was audible throughout Ozzy's entire performance and was amplified in Ozzy's newer work.
Overall, the entire concert was pretty fun and successful. I had read reviews on the internet saying that arenas were 1/2 empty and that people were bing disappointed. Well, I don't know who these people are and where these 1/2 empty arenas are as the Journal Pavilion in Albuquerque was backed to the brim and people seemed to be enjoying themselves. The lawn was completely full along with the lower pavilion seating. I would say that everyone got their value that night and enjoyed the show. I saw a few Hatebreed and Lamb Of God haters but those people were just retarded to begin with (no offense to the actual mentally retarded as they can't help it, these people were choosing to act retarded). Overall, I give the concert a 9/10 as it is hard to knock a basically free show not to mention the cost of shirts were drastically decreased as well (from $35-$40 to $25).
Oh, here is a picture of me with the lovely Maria Brink, the singer from In This Moment. She was featured in Revolver's Hottest Women Of Metal 2 magazine issue and I know why. Sorry for the quality, it was taken with my cameraphone. I didn't know that they were allowing in digital cameras or I would have taken my 10MP camera for much higher quality shots.
I finally purchased my puppy last week on Tuesday. I have now owned him for one week and two days. So far everything is going fine. His name is Scotty Davis and he is a miniature dachshund. His official coloring is black and tan dapple but I think he is more of a black and gray dapple. He got his name from a movie and a person. His middle name, Davis (I didn't list the last name as it matches mine), comes from Korn singer Jonathan Davis. I figured that I have listened to Korn long enough now that I can finally have a pet named after one of the band members. Additionally, Scotty Davis just sounds interesting. Scotty lives with two other miniature dachshunds who both get their names from the movie EuroTrip. The two other dogs are female so they are appropriately named. I figured that Scotty would just fit right in with the other two dogs since he gets his name from the song "Scotty Doesn't Know" which is played throughout the movie. Anyway, I am still in the potty training phase which will hopefully end either this week or next week. He still makes mistakes but they tend to be really small. He has to go to the bathroom about once every 3-4 hours but, if he is playing on the floor, it is about once every hour. It shouldn't take him that much longer to learn as he seems like a smart dog. He is about one month ahead of his development cycle as he is already discovering his tale, he is recognizing his name, and he is beginning to come to me when I tell him so. Scotty is 8 weeks old now and he shouldn't start doing these things until he reaches 12 weeks old. Here are some pictures of Scotty.
Here is one of him wearing his walking harness for the first time:
Here is a picture of him sleeping in his bed on my bed:
Here he is playing with one of the other dogs on my bed:
Lastly, this is the first picture I took of him when I brought him home:
Here is one of him wearing his walking harness for the first time:
Here is a picture of him sleeping in his bed on my bed:
Here he is playing with one of the other dogs on my bed:
Lastly, this is the first picture I took of him when I brought him home:
Well, I picked up Marilyn Manson's new album today. It is called "Eat Me, Drink Me" and is very different from his past works. Although I already downloaded the CD of it a long time ago, I thought I would still purchase the album as he is a artist I like to support. This album touches more on Manson's personal feelings about love and life in general, he has moved away from his usual discussion of politics and religion. I think this change is welcome as I have been a Marilyn Manson fan since "Portrait Of An American Family" came out and he has pretty much always sang about politics and religion. He sang about the same material for more than 10 years now. "Eat Me, Drink Me" may have a strange title filled with innuendo and it is is lyrically different from his past works but musically, you can hear touches of his past albums. The lead track "If I Was Your Vampire" sounds like a mix between "Holywood" and "The Golden Age Of Grotesque" songs. Other tracks such as "Putting Holes In Happiness" and "They Said Hell's Not Hot" have a unique sound on their own. Songs like "Just A Car Crash Away" borrow much of their sound from his "Antichrist Superstar" album and "Heart Shaped Glasses (When The Heart Guides The Hand)" sounds like it could have been a b-side off of "The Golden Age Of Grotesque." Overall, this is most unique and diverse album ever. Older fans may shy away from this release as it is not the traditional Manson they have come to know. Newer fans will embrace "Eat Me, Drink Me" as it is much better than "The Golden Age Of Grotesque" (which wasn't a bad album at all) but it still retains some of that persona. I give this album a 4/5 as it is good but not his best release. I consider other albums such as "Mechanical Animals," "Holywood," and "Antichrist Superstar" to be better quality releases as they are more aggressive but "Eat Me, Drink Me" will definitely hold its own in my Manson collection.
I have decided to purchase a miniature dachshund from one of my roommate's professors. I was originally going to purchase one from a person I know but the puppies won't be born until after school starts. I want to have the 2.5 months I am off to train the dog so I decided to get it now. I will have to spend a shitload of money to get things going though. $30 for a bed, a unknown amount of money for shots and vet visits, $15 for wet food, $20 for dry food, a new dog dish, a new leash, I will have to get a new restraint when it gets older, and a bunch of other stuff I can't think of. All-in-all, it will be expensive but worth it. My two roommates have two miniature dachshunds and, after playing with them for almost a year now, I decided I wanted one. I will post pictures once I get the puppy. Hopefully it will be a dapple or chocolate. I don't want the common red (which looks brown) unless the red dogs have blue eyes. I am also looking at getting a female especially since the other two dogs in the house are female as well. They have been fixed but I don't think they would like being mounted every odd day.
I have decided to purchase a miniature dachshund from one of my roommate's professors. I was originally going to purchase one from a person I know but the puppies won't be born until after school starts. I want to have the 2.5 months I am off to train the dog so I decided to get it now. I will have to spend a shitload of money to get things going though. $30 for a bed, a unknown amount of money for shots and vet visits, $15 for wet food, $20 for dry food, a new dog dish, a new leash, I will have to get a new restraint when it gets older, and a bunch of other stuff I can't think of. All-in-all, it will be expensive but worth it. My two roommates have two miniature dachshunds and, after playing with them for almost a year now, I decided I wanted one. I will post pictures once I get the puppy. Hopefully it will be a dapple or chocolate. I don't want the common red (which looks brown) unless the red dogs have blue eyes. I am also looking at getting a female especially since the other two dogs in the house are female as well. They have been fixed but I don't think they would like being mounted every odd day.
Still not a lot has happened. I guess that is why they call it summer break. For those unaware, Apple has officially updated the iTunes Store to include non-DRM tracks encoded at a bitrate of 256kbps using the iTunes AAC encoder. This is only for EMI artists so don't expect the entire store to be like this. The list of EMI artists is small but includes some big names like The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, and Korn (only their recent released through Virgin Records). Other artists affected by this are Demon Hunter and In This Moment with the later currently on tour with Lacuna Coil on The Hottest Chicks In Metal Tour. In This Moment will also be heading out this summer on the free Ozzfest 2007 summer tour.
There hasn't been a whole lot of music released either. I downloaded the new Smashing Pumpkins single and it is alright. It sounds like a twist on their old material but I am just not too into it. I prefer their older material but I still have a hard time listening to it as Billy can get pretty whiny. Instead, I have opted to pick up some older albums like In Flames - Reroute To Remain, Killswitch Engage - As Daylight Dies (I had this one downloaded but I like to supports artists whose music I listen to), and Demon Hunter - Summer Of Darkness. All in all, these are some good albums that I recommend to everyone. Reroute To Remain was the beginning of change for In Flames. They were known throughout Europe to be the best melodic death metal band around. They then changed their sound to be more like melodic nu-metal. The solos are few and the beats/grooves are mainly in the low frequencies (same with other nu-metal artists such as Korn, Endo, Godsmack, and Mudvayne) but it is still a powerful album. Many of the lyrics sound like they could have come from a Linkin Park album but it is still one of their best works. The Killswitch Engage album continues on their The End Of Heartache sound except it delves deeper into the Killswitch Engage world. Many songs are heavier yet software than previous releases. The lyrics are also much better than their previous work. The Demon Hunter album marks their second major release, it is also much better than their first self-titled release. The songs are much harder and the song writing has progressed much more. It is still not as good as their most recent release, The Triptych, but it is still a solid release.
Other than that, nothing new has happened. Hopefully things won't continue this way much longer. Some major concerts will be coming up in the next few months.
Oh, and good luck to one of my roommates as they have a major test they will be taking tomorrow. After that, it will be Margaritaville.
There hasn't been a whole lot of music released either. I downloaded the new Smashing Pumpkins single and it is alright. It sounds like a twist on their old material but I am just not too into it. I prefer their older material but I still have a hard time listening to it as Billy can get pretty whiny. Instead, I have opted to pick up some older albums like In Flames - Reroute To Remain, Killswitch Engage - As Daylight Dies (I had this one downloaded but I like to supports artists whose music I listen to), and Demon Hunter - Summer Of Darkness. All in all, these are some good albums that I recommend to everyone. Reroute To Remain was the beginning of change for In Flames. They were known throughout Europe to be the best melodic death metal band around. They then changed their sound to be more like melodic nu-metal. The solos are few and the beats/grooves are mainly in the low frequencies (same with other nu-metal artists such as Korn, Endo, Godsmack, and Mudvayne) but it is still a powerful album. Many of the lyrics sound like they could have come from a Linkin Park album but it is still one of their best works. The Killswitch Engage album continues on their The End Of Heartache sound except it delves deeper into the Killswitch Engage world. Many songs are heavier yet software than previous releases. The lyrics are also much better than their previous work. The Demon Hunter album marks their second major release, it is also much better than their first self-titled release. The songs are much harder and the song writing has progressed much more. It is still not as good as their most recent release, The Triptych, but it is still a solid release.
Other than that, nothing new has happened. Hopefully things won't continue this way much longer. Some major concerts will be coming up in the next few months.
Oh, and good luck to one of my roommates as they have a major test they will be taking tomorrow. After that, it will be Margaritaville.
Not a whole lot has happened over the past week. We watched some movies, played a little Guitar Hero II, that was about it. I am not a fan of Heineken but I purchased one of those 5L mini-kegs the other day. Beer straight from the spout of that mini-keg is damned good. To me, Heineken has always had that strange aftertaste when drinking it from the bottle or keg cans. The tap also somewhat had that strange taste. Well, if you drink straight from the spout, the min-keg is really good. I drank about half of my mini-keg while watching some older Angy Video Game Nerd episodes.
One of my room mates and I also tried Sand Pedro cactus, it is supposed to be a legal alternative to Peyote. I really didn't work. Most sites on the internet say that a person should consume about 4-8 inches of the cactus in order to feel the affects. I think we each had about 6-7 inches and it only gave us a small buzz. The buzz was no different that chugging 2-3 beers or hitting the beer bong. I was extremely disappointed. So don't even bother, it is way too much work. I had to de-thorn the cactus cuttings, skin them, then boil the skin to make a "tea" that tasted like boiled asparagus. The cactus itself tasted like big weeds that are found in backyards mixed with pesticides. It really wasn't a pleasant experience. That buzzed feeling lasted for quite a bit of time but it was a off and on feeling. There were sometimes when it felt like the back of my brain was being tickled but that was about it. Way too much work for something that gave me that feeling. It would have been easier and cheaper just to run to Wal-Mart to pick up a cheap bottle of tequila.
Ozzy's album was pretty good, go pick it up. While you are purchasing that, you should get the latest issue of Revolver, it is their 2nd Hottest Women Of Metal issue and features Cristina Scabbia on the cover. A room mate and I also watched Pan's Labyrinth. That movie was not what I was expecting. I was anticipating a movie that took place in a imaginative world with mythical creatures and many special effects. Instead, there weren't very many special effects and most of the story took place in the real world. The movie would have been better if I was expecting that but I wasn't. We also watched The Hitcher and Alpha Dog last night. Alpha Dog was much better than I was expecting. Justing Timberlake actually did a pretty good acting job. I really didn't want to see that movie because he was in that movie. The Hitcher wasn't good though, the two main characters kept making one bad choice after the next. Then, during the corniest moment of them all, they played Nine Inch Nail's "Closer" which had nothing to do with the movie and the song didn't describe anything going on in the movie. It was just dumb. Still, we had many laughs at the dumb parts. That is one thing you can always count on for those dumb horror/thriller movies, they will give you a good laugh especially when you are buzzed.
One of my room mates and I also tried Sand Pedro cactus, it is supposed to be a legal alternative to Peyote. I really didn't work. Most sites on the internet say that a person should consume about 4-8 inches of the cactus in order to feel the affects. I think we each had about 6-7 inches and it only gave us a small buzz. The buzz was no different that chugging 2-3 beers or hitting the beer bong. I was extremely disappointed. So don't even bother, it is way too much work. I had to de-thorn the cactus cuttings, skin them, then boil the skin to make a "tea" that tasted like boiled asparagus. The cactus itself tasted like big weeds that are found in backyards mixed with pesticides. It really wasn't a pleasant experience. That buzzed feeling lasted for quite a bit of time but it was a off and on feeling. There were sometimes when it felt like the back of my brain was being tickled but that was about it. Way too much work for something that gave me that feeling. It would have been easier and cheaper just to run to Wal-Mart to pick up a cheap bottle of tequila.
Ozzy's album was pretty good, go pick it up. While you are purchasing that, you should get the latest issue of Revolver, it is their 2nd Hottest Women Of Metal issue and features Cristina Scabbia on the cover. A room mate and I also watched Pan's Labyrinth. That movie was not what I was expecting. I was anticipating a movie that took place in a imaginative world with mythical creatures and many special effects. Instead, there weren't very many special effects and most of the story took place in the real world. The movie would have been better if I was expecting that but I wasn't. We also watched The Hitcher and Alpha Dog last night. Alpha Dog was much better than I was expecting. Justing Timberlake actually did a pretty good acting job. I really didn't want to see that movie because he was in that movie. The Hitcher wasn't good though, the two main characters kept making one bad choice after the next. Then, during the corniest moment of them all, they played Nine Inch Nail's "Closer" which had nothing to do with the movie and the song didn't describe anything going on in the movie. It was just dumb. Still, we had many laughs at the dumb parts. That is one thing you can always count on for those dumb horror/thriller movies, they will give you a good laugh especially when you are buzzed.
Eh, not much has happened over the past few days. I moved my HD projector to the living room so we now have a 7-8ft image up on the wall. I also moved my Xbox 360 out there so one of my room mates and I can play Guitar Hero II and so everyone can watch HD-DVDs and DVDs being upscaled. My room mates and I went to a bar in El Paso, TX Friday night and absolutely nothing happened there. There was a semi-hot bar tender and a hot waitress but that was it. A slut was there but I like not having any STDs. We plan on having a Mexican theme night tomorrow. I will be making some enchiladas from scratch and I purchased a giant Margarita mix bucket and already put the 750mL (~22 shots) of tequila in there. It will probably be the last time I heavily drink for a little while as I don't like to do any heavy drinking alone (it is bad enough having 1-2 beers alone).
I plan on purchasing The Ultimate Matrix HD-DVD box set tomorrow. I didn't purchase the last Matrix box set when it was released so I don't have the re-mastered films. The HD-DVD box set will feature re-re-mastered transfers of the films that have even higher quality than the previous box set. I also plan on picking up Ozzy's new album. I am liking the single and I have heard a couple more songs off that album. It seems like a real classic Ozzy album with a newer Zakk guitar sound. I have been anticipating this album for a while now and I am looking forward to Ozzfest 2007. I will get two tickets with the purchase of Ozzy's album so that is another bonus.
I finally gave a re-listen and another re-listen to Linkin Park's new album. Overall, it still isn't their best work but it isn't that bad either. It is more radio friendly in that the music is not as hard as it used to be. Linkin Park was never really a hard band (I always thought it was odd that they were on Ozzfest 2001) but they have taken a softer turn. You can compare Linkin Park's new album to Papa Roach's lovehatetragedy, Getting Away With Murder, and The Paramour Sessions albums. Powerman 5000 also took this same approach whenever they released Transform and Destroy What You Enjoy. I just don't know what it is about this year, I guess it is the year of different sounding albums or concept albums. Linkin Park, Nine Inch Nails, Dimmu Borgir, and Kittie have all released albums that don't have their usual sound while other bands like Sevendust, Megadeth, Chevelle, and HELLYEAH (they have the traditional Mudvayne and Damageplan sound) have all released albums that expand upon their current sound without leaving its roots.
I guess we will have to look at the future releases from Korn, Atreyu, and Marilyn Manson to see if this trend continues. Oh, I almost forgot. Check out Korn's MySpace page to hear two tracks off their up-coming album (which will be released July 31st). You can hear the new single Evolution off that page. It sounds different but I am liking it, liking it more than Twisted Transistor or Coming Undone.
I plan on purchasing The Ultimate Matrix HD-DVD box set tomorrow. I didn't purchase the last Matrix box set when it was released so I don't have the re-mastered films. The HD-DVD box set will feature re-re-mastered transfers of the films that have even higher quality than the previous box set. I also plan on picking up Ozzy's new album. I am liking the single and I have heard a couple more songs off that album. It seems like a real classic Ozzy album with a newer Zakk guitar sound. I have been anticipating this album for a while now and I am looking forward to Ozzfest 2007. I will get two tickets with the purchase of Ozzy's album so that is another bonus.
I finally gave a re-listen and another re-listen to Linkin Park's new album. Overall, it still isn't their best work but it isn't that bad either. It is more radio friendly in that the music is not as hard as it used to be. Linkin Park was never really a hard band (I always thought it was odd that they were on Ozzfest 2001) but they have taken a softer turn. You can compare Linkin Park's new album to Papa Roach's lovehatetragedy, Getting Away With Murder, and The Paramour Sessions albums. Powerman 5000 also took this same approach whenever they released Transform and Destroy What You Enjoy. I just don't know what it is about this year, I guess it is the year of different sounding albums or concept albums. Linkin Park, Nine Inch Nails, Dimmu Borgir, and Kittie have all released albums that don't have their usual sound while other bands like Sevendust, Megadeth, Chevelle, and HELLYEAH (they have the traditional Mudvayne and Damageplan sound) have all released albums that expand upon their current sound without leaving its roots.
I guess we will have to look at the future releases from Korn, Atreyu, and Marilyn Manson to see if this trend continues. Oh, I almost forgot. Check out Korn's MySpace page to hear two tracks off their up-coming album (which will be released July 31st). You can hear the new single Evolution off that page. It sounds different but I am liking it, liking it more than Twisted Transistor or Coming Undone.
Well, I saw my grades online today from the Spring 2007 semester. I am pleasantly surprised as I walked away with two B's and an A. I don't know how I did that as I was expecting straight C's. I was taking three classes: Statistics For Engineers (math 371), Determinate Structures (CE 315), and Engineering Econ/Law (CE 450). My statistics class was scheduled every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It was the only class I took on Friday so I hardly ever went but I still scored a 100% for attendance. I don't know how I received an average of B for that class since my exam average was far below that and so was my homework average. I was maybe expecting a B in CE 450 but I could see me walking away with a C as I didn't attend the class very often (it started at 4:15 PM every Monday and Wednesday) and I didn't turn in a lot of homework. Still, a B will work. The class I got an A in was my CE 315 class. I really don't know how that happened as I know my homework average wasn't even high enough to pass and the professor said that our overall grade would come down to our homework average and final exam grade. We took a midterm test back in March and he never graded them so he gave everyone 100%'s for that test. Still, I should have ended up with a D in that class but I got an A.
Now I really have reason to celebrate in the coming week. Tomorrow is our Beerfest night which is held about 203 times a year. We have a Beerfest night every time we have a break longer than 4 days. I move my Xbox 360 out to the living room along with my HD projector and I put a image up on the wall (I think it comes out to about 8ft big but I have never measured it). We then have a JagerMonster (Jager mixed with Monster Energy Drink), pop in the movie, sit back, and drink a lot of beer. In the beginning, we keep up with Donal Sutherland. After that, we sometimes loose track of how much alcohol we have consumed but it is all fun. I will also be attending a post-graduation party on Friday. It should be fun as it will be held at a hole-in-the-wall bar that doesn't get too crowded (ie hole-in-the-wall in that it looks run down but really isn't). Still waiting for the pictures from last week's get together.
Now I really have reason to celebrate in the coming week. Tomorrow is our Beerfest night which is held about 203 times a year. We have a Beerfest night every time we have a break longer than 4 days. I move my Xbox 360 out to the living room along with my HD projector and I put a image up on the wall (I think it comes out to about 8ft big but I have never measured it). We then have a JagerMonster (Jager mixed with Monster Energy Drink), pop in the movie, sit back, and drink a lot of beer. In the beginning, we keep up with Donal Sutherland. After that, we sometimes loose track of how much alcohol we have consumed but it is all fun. I will also be attending a post-graduation party on Friday. It should be fun as it will be held at a hole-in-the-wall bar that doesn't get too crowded (ie hole-in-the-wall in that it looks run down but really isn't). Still waiting for the pictures from last week's get together.
A new blog for a new day. Just a reminder to all that you should go purchase Megadeth's new album titled "United Abominations." It contains a new performance version of À Tout le Monde (Set Me Free) featuring her hotness Cristina Scabbia. The video for the song is a little 80's-ish but still, a good song. I also don't recommend purchasing the new Linkin Park album. I will purchase it because I have purchased every Linkin Park album except that Collision Course shit they did with Jay Z. The Linkin Park album is for anyone who wants to hear 3-4 Bush bashing songs in a row and for anyone who wants to hear Linkin Park abandon their signature sound. Don't get me wrong, I hate Bush just as much as the next guy but I think that subject is getting a little tiring. I also get it when a band feels they need to change their sound, I loved Korn's "Untouchables" and Deftones' "Saturday Night Wrist." I guess this is the year of concept albums as we have seen Nine Inch Nails' "Year Zero," Dimmu Borgir's "In Sorte Dioboli," and so on. Still, I have always looked forward to Linkin Park's next album as they would almost always have a solid release while still maintaining their original sound.
Anyway, go out and purchase the new Megadeth album.
Anyway, go out and purchase the new Megadeth album.
