Life, The Universe, and Everything

My blog is shit, really. Well, perhaps that is too harsh. I think I do a decent job, when I actually do it, but my posts are as rare as hen's teeth. No matter, I never had a following to disappoint! So I guess this blog has become an outlet now. Whenever I feel compelled to write, it will be there for me, and I can think of no better time to act on such a compulsion.

Right now, I am at an interesting point in my life. I just finished school. Specifically, college has been a constant for me for the last 10+ years. I defended my Ph.D. dissertation back on October 11, 2011. A wholly satisfying accomplishment, it also signified the end of a time that I truly enjoyed. I managed to stave off leaving for a few months since I had some things to finish and was still technically registered as a student through December. Just before heading home to my parents' house for the holidays, however, I cleared out my desk and began the process of moving out of my apartment (the same apartment I started living in six and half years ago).

The process hurt. It still hurts.

I am going to miss school. I am about to turn 29 years old. Because of graduate school, I can honestly say that I am happy with person I have become. I had the freedom to explore all avenues of intellectual and personal discovery and hone in on the paths that I felt most passionate about. I am not simply referring to the academics and the mental challenges involved in getting a graduate degree. I am also including the friends, hobbies, extra-curricular activities, relationships, travel, and all the ideas I was exposed to and excursions I took. Each and every one of these things I consider invaluable to the process I underwent to become who I am. I regret nothing. Would I do some things differently if given a second go around? Probably. People change. We are graveyards for all of our former selves. Our experiences change us. The present self may not make the same choice given the same situation one of our past selves encountered. If, however, one can look back fondly on those deceased past selves and revel in who those people were, then it is a healthy and rewarding process. I am happy to say that I can indeed do that. I can move forward in life and take on the next thing - the "real world" - without fear of dwelling on past disappointments.

The prospect of the real world scares me and that fear is the result not of preconceptions I have formed on my own, but by what others have claimed and by what society presents to us all. Job, marriage, kids, saving money, retirement, death. A bit of an extreme synopsis, but often the summary that the masses would have you believe exists. What can I do to avoid that? How can I continue the activities yielding personal growth that I cherished during graduate school?

My path simply MUST NOT be the norm. I will not stand for it. Does this mean that I will not take a job that suits my degree? Not necessarily. As horrible as it sounds, sometimes a job is a means to end. Ideally it is not just a means to an end, but also yields some form of satisfaction. There are those lucky few that find total satisfaction in the job they have, but I would venture to guess that I am more like the majority of humans; those who have not a singular passion, but find great joy in exploring all of their diverse interests to the fullest. Given that seemingly common scenario, making money through a job that excites you on at least one level becomes a means to a very important end: chasing the remainder of your passions. Those things are different for everyone, and I truly believe that if people looked at their jobs more often in this light, then they would probably see things are not so status quo after all.

One of the things I enjoyed most about being in graduate school and being around the other students and people I met whom I counted among my friends was the time spent together talking about life, the universe, and everything. Did we ever solve any of the great mysteries? Of course not. We never, for example, even came close to a viable solution for any of the problems plaguing our great nation (which as it turns out is no simple matter anyway). Some might say that in some respect, as individuals blessed with different sets of intellectual talents, Ph.D.s and their like have an obligation to tackle the multitude of problems facing humanity. I would present, once again, another horrible interpretation: that none of the figures in the annals of history that are considered among the great minds ever did what they did for purely selfless reasons. Even if the selfish reason was as subtle as, "I enjoy doing this," that variable in the equation must be taken into account. It is rare indeed, that a great mind, striving for intellectual fulfillment, stumbles across a new vista of enlightenment and, additionally, has the foresight to understand that humanity will benefit from it. Perhaps that combination is what results in society placing such people in an elite category. Often the benefits to humanity are inherent in the discovery and that foresight is not needed, so again the raison d'etre stems from personal satisfaction not a humanitarian quest. I am certainly not the first to put forward the postulate that there are no purely selfless acts, but I see no reason why such a mindset should be looked upon negatively. If people all viewed life and their work as a quest to satiate their passions, then such beneficial discoveries may come more frequently as a welcomed side effect.

I have no simple formula or set of instruction for making what I am suggesting a reality in everyone's life. I will be the first to admit that my logic probably has loopholes and that in general "easier said than done" would likely be the most reasonable response. Society and life seem to be struggling against us all in this sort of endeavor. As Jean Anouilh said, "There is love of course. And then there's life, its enemy." I nearly cried when I read that quote for the first time. Most would apply that quote to matters of the heart. I, however, find its applicability in matters of all passions. Something always seems to come up that sets us on a path away or slightly askew from the direct route to our desires. That is not to say that the new path may not become sufficient or what we wanted all along, but there does always seem to be a force in life working in the opposite way in which we are striving.

I also find applicability in the direct interpretation of Anouilh's quote: life as the enemy of romantic love or consummate love. I have made sacrifices that have been in direct opposition to my desires in such matters. I have also been frustrated when encounters with what appears to be a perfect scenario become seemingly impossible due to diverging paths. That something as simple as timing and geography set such matters awry is an unfortunate tragedy, the like of which has been told time and again! It is an area of my life that - though I do not feel old nor do I feel like time is running out - my 29 years of age is starting to make more relevant. Clive Barker wrote in his novel The Hellbound Heart that, "The seasons long for each other, like men and women, in order that they may be cured of their excesses." I find this to be an appropriate comparison. Finding someone to temper certain personality traits and elicit fervor where none existed is as natural as the changing of seasons ridding us of harsh and mild weather alike. Finding the right person to do that, however, is no easy task, nor is possessing the willingness to soften certain excesses that we find pleasures, whether they be of the guilty or innocent variety. Nevertheless, the drive to find someone that is my match and completes me in this way (as cheezy as that sounds) is becoming a desire for me and something I will not deny has been a topic of thought. When it happens is yet to be seen, but I have always been of a mind that it will happen naturally. When the opportunity arises, I will be ready for it.

Though I am painting a somewhat bleak picture, I assure you that I do not lack for optimism. I hope that the reader can see the traces of that in each paragraph. My goal here is to simply put into words the insecurities and emotions that I am experiencing at this crossroad in my life and to share a modicum of the reflective mood currently set upon me. Do not interpret this as a cry for help or attention. I am fine, trust me. I love my life and who I am and I look forward to what the journey has in store for me.  Like I said, the next step will not be the norm.  It will be an adventure, even if that adventure is in the guise of a 9 to 5.

Why Would Someone Choose Death?

I have been inspired to write a new post. This inspiration has come from several sources over the last half year or so and could even be traced back to my December 2009 post when I briefly mentioned that I had begun listening to Nile. More recently I have started exploring the technical death metal genre thanks to my roommate who first introduced me to The Faceless. I had also previously got into a band from Germany called Obscura, which is a very progressive melodic death metal. Furthermore, I have been nurturing my love of ALL things Nile and I just cannot get enough of them. So perhaps my acclimation to the harsh sounds of Nile can be linked to my current obsession with that most extreme of all metal genres: Death Metal

I must admit that previously I fell into the category of metalhead that thought, "Death metal is just too much, I cannot get into it." It is not that I never gave it a chance. I listened but I would venture to say that my opinion was probably already colored with preconceptions. Those preconceptions were not misconceptions. I know just how technically difficult death metal is and I know that the lyrics are offensive but not to be taken literally. I think it is just too sporadic and incomprehensible for a casual listen to do it justice and to be more than just a casual listener, one must get over the accessibility hurdle that the vocals often present. With the new mindset that Nile gave me, I began to delve deeper and give death metal the chance it deserved... and I am completely infatuated! And I reckon that it will be more than an infatuation as I see no signs of losing interest.

And finally, I was pushed completely into this obsession by my first real death metal show. I went to the Decibal Defiance tour late last year and saw Suffocation, The Faceless, Decrepit Birth, and Fleshgod Apocalypse. The energy was incredible. Having almost zero previous knowledge of these bands (other than The Faceless), I found myself completely engrossed and lost in the music. I was overcome with sheer joy at the utter heaviness of the sound which led to uncontrollable headbanging and moshing (which I felt the effect of for several days afterwards!) At the time, I knew of only a few Suffocation songs, and probably would not have recognized those songs if they played them, but it did not matter. I just ate up whatever came out of their amps.

The thrill of the weeks after that concert were like nothing I had experienced except maybe for when I first discovered power metal. I scoured the internet and Ian Christe's book "Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal" for the essential back catalog of death metal and to find out who the new leaders in the genre are. At times over the last few years, I had thought, "I know what kind metal I like and I know what is out there. Discovering new stuff is getting more and more difficult. Do I have to wait for some new band to form to really pique my interest again? If so, it looks pretty bleak with all the metalcore emo trance bullshit out there." But no, I just had to grow as a listener. I felt like a kid in a candy shop. There is so much for me to discover. Death metal has a nearly 30 year history which has not died out due to lack of mainstream metal recognition because of the passion of its die hard fans. That translates to a lot good news for me.

On to some genre history...

I do not know quite as much about this genre since I am admittedly so new to it, but I have been doing some extensive research and can relate the basics to you. Death metal's origins can be traced to the late 80s when mainstream glam was dying and the most popular form of "true"

metal was thrash, which is due to the success of bands like Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax. Death metal was a response to thrash in the same way that thrash was a response to classic metal: faster, heavier, more, more, more. These guys wanted to throw all the rules out the window. Who was the first death metal band? The answer is debatable, but we are fairly sure who coined the term. In 1985 the SF Bay area band Possessed released their album Seven Churches and it contained a song entitled "Death Metal." Again, it is debatable whether or not this was the first death metal band, as Possessed still retained many thrash elements in their instrumental stylings, but there was one important trend started with that album. The vocals were by and large harsh, guttural grunts. This was the starting point of the push to make a kind of music that lost all of its connection to the classic metal, something completely new and unrecognizable.

To that end, bands that are now classified as the first wave of death metal bands began to spring up. To find these band in the late 80s, one had only to travel to Tampa, Florida. Not so much a concert scene as a centralized location for the movement, the far southern state became the holy land of death metal. As Ian Christe points out in his book, in the continental US, you could not find a place as geographically or psychologically further from Seattle and the grunge movement, which was also in its infancy during this time period.

The main reason for the choice of locale would have to be the existence of one man and his band. "Evil" Chuck Schuldiner is considered the godfather of death metal. A brilliant guitarist, under

appreciated for his progressive and technical influence by the mainstream, Chuck's appropriately named band Death was among the first purely death metal bands. Along with Deicide and Morbid Angel, the early unholy trinity of death metal was born. 1987's Scream Bloody Gore by Death, laid the ground work for the other albums that followed. Technical, super fast riffing characterized by palm-muting and tremolo picking on heavily down-tuned guitars was the order of the day. The drumming was equally, if not more so, technical and precise with blast beats and double bass drumming as an essential component of most every song. And once again, perhaps the biggest accessibility hurdle to the genre, guttural vocals whose harshness and function as an additional rhythm layer were more important than understandability. While certainly not the first genre of metal whose lyrical focus was death and its many permutations, death metal took that kind of lyrical content to the extreme.

(Chuck Schuldiner passed away in 2001 from brain cancer, but not before he left his undying mark on heavy metal with his superb, progressive, genre-defining guitar work)

Other early albums that are considered foundation laying or groundbreaking are Morbid Angel's Alters of Madness (1989) and Deicide's self titled release from 1990 (Deicide's lead singer Glen Benton is pictured below in full performing armor). Not to be overlooked are

Obituary's Slowly We Rot (1989), Morgoth's Cursed (1991), and Suffocation's Effigy of the Forgotten (1991). And of course, I cannot leave out the best selling death metal band in the USA and probably the most well known: Cannibal Corpse. Transplanted from Buffalo, NY to Tampa, their first album Eaten Back to Life (1990) is still a fine example of brutal death metal.

At this point in my research I was a little overwhelmed, as I am sure the readers of this may find themselves. Their is so much to talk about such as the influence of Napalm Death on the whole thing (which led to Grindcore) and how Long Island's Suffocation used their NY hardcore influence to perfect the use of the breakdown in death metal. Then one must further analyze how each of these aspects lead to the branching out of the current subgenres (brutal, slam, technical, etc.). But for the sake of this post, that is enough history.

Also, for brevity's sake (not my strong suit) I will keep my recommendations of bands to myself for now, but feel free to contact me if you want me to shout at you to listen to Nile, Necrophagist, The Faceless, and Vital Remains (another band featuring Glen Benton's vocals).

I will not, however, waste any words in expressing to you the valuable lesson I learned from my new found acceptance of death metal. Death metal is not for everyone, and I didn't think it was for me either. But NEVER let that color your opinion of what you hear before you decide. We all evolve as people and that obviously includes our taste in music. Do not be close minded to something new because of a genre label. And do not be surprised when you listen to something a second time and hear it in a totally different way. Just as we grow up disliking the taste of one food or another only to find we quite like that same food as an adult, the same thing can happen with art of all kinds. I will echo the sentiments I have expressed before: 1) explore what is out there and be open to all kinds of music and 2) heavy metal and its musicians are constantly underestimated. Don't do it. For more on that second point, I will direct you to the following link:

http://www.wikihow.com/Appreciate-Death-Metal

This wikiHow on "How to Appreciate Death Metal" does an amazing job of conveying what fans of the genre love and guard closely. I especially like the comparison to jazz music and I have heard that reiterated by many musicians within the genre. Like jazz, death metal basically gives you the license to do whatever you want musically. No rules. Have at it. Death metal is HARD TO PLAY. PERIOD. Many will argue against technicality for technicality's sake, and there are cases when I would agree, but that doesn't take away from one's ability to appreciate what they are doing is impressive even if you don't like the music.

Two words of power to finish it off: TURTLE DICKS....

As in, pickles shall hence forth be known as:

Thanks to my roomie Chris for the above.

God speed on the Devil's thunder, getcha' pull, and may the power of the riff compel you always.

R.I.P. Ronnie James Dio and Paul Gray

Nobody really reads this, but hopefully writing this will help me to get my feelings out. It is with great sadness that I am writing this post. As some of you may know Ronnie James Dio passed away on May 16, ending his battle with stomach cancer. Fewer of you may know that two days ago, Slipknot bassist Paul Gray was found dead in a hotel room. In a short span of time, heavy metal has lost two people that were dear to me.

It grieves me that my last three blog posts (this one included) have contained this kind of news. First the announcement of Dio's cancer, then the anniversary of Dimebag's death (which is admittedly more of a celebration of his life), and now one of the founding members of Slipknot has left us. While that is certainly my fault for being lazy and not posting more, the fact is that it is this kind of news that triggers emotional responses that require some kind of outlet. Some of you may ask, "Chip, these are not people you knew, why mourn so much, why let this affect you the way it does?" This is something I had to deal with when Dimebag was murdered and while these deaths perhaps do not hit me as hard as Dimebag's passing, I cannot help but feel the hurt of the loss. The same question could be asked to the thousands, if not millions, who mourned the loss of John Lennon. Why do we mourn the loss of musicians or any celebrity, artist, etc. that we enjoy without ever having met them? Now, I know some would consider it blasphemy to hear me compare these men with someone who had the global impact that Lennon and the Beatles had, but, to some people, what they did to enrich their fans' lives is no different.

I would guess that the obvious answer to the question is that we cannot underestimate the power that music has in our lives. Music's power is experienced by not just the musicians themselves. Also, I am not merely talking about all the various people in the music/radio/journalism industry that have lived a life that centered around music. I believe that you have to include every person that can say that "some part of who I am is defined by the music I listen to or the band that I love." For those people, music is more than entertainment and it changed their life in a positive way. I am not going to get into the myriad of reasons that people feel this way about music. That is a topic that sociologists (or whatever) have studied and will continue to study for years to come. But there is no denying that music can be strongly tied to our emotions and our emotions are a part of who we are.

I think that anyone who knows me knows how strongly passionate I am about heavy metal. I have told the story of my gravitation towards the genre to many people on numerous occasions. At the center of the story are Pantera and Slipknot. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Pantera was the first heavy metal band that I could say was my favorite and Slipknot was right behind them. Those bands were such a huge part of my high school years for many reasons: concerts with friends, getting pumped for football games, driving with stereo blasting, watching the band's home videos with friends. Those activities all point to what is probably the paramount reason for my attachment to metal: those bands pointed me in the direction of the friends and people with whom I identified. And though it may sound contradictory, I would argue that in defining who I identified with, I also developed my own sense of individuality. This may not be the case for everyone, but since that time, my passion for those bands and the genre have not wavered and have only grown more ingrained in my personality, though the people around me have not remained constant.

So though I did not know Dimebag personally, there was no reason for me to be completely void of any sense of loss. What he created had an effect on me. Then one must ask is it that much different, indirect as it may be, than what a teacher, friend, etc. can do to a person? Would you not mourn if that teacher or friend that influenced you passed away? No, it is not exactly the same as having known the person, but again, the sense of loss still exists.

Having said that, I would like to talk about Paul Gray and Slipknot. In high school I was a Slipknot maniac. A member of the "Maggot Corp" if you will. Myself and four of my friends owned the official Slipknot jumpsuits... yes, I still and will always own my jumpsuit:

My friends and I instituted "Slipknot Thursdays" during my senior year. We all wore our jumpsuits to school. To stand out? Yes. But the passion about the band made us do things together as friends. Paul Gray embodied that spirit of Slipknot. People scoffed when Slipknot came out. "Why in the world do they need 9 members in the band?" But Paul Gray knew, and the other members echoed the sentiment in a press conference yesterday, that Slipknot is about the 9 members of the band, each being vitally important to the whole. Paul Gray was one of the founding members of Slipknot and understood that well. While the other members had side projects, the majority of his focus was Slipknot and I thank him for what he gave me. I am somewhat off put by metal websites already asking whether or not Slipknot will replace him. I do not want to get into it so soon, but the philosophy of "The Nine" was apparent in Slipknot from the start. I am not saying I do not want Slipknot to go on, but it is a delicate topic. The bottom line is he made great music, had people around him who loved him (he leaves behind a pregnant wife), and the fans appreciate him. Thanks for everything Paul.

As for Dio, what can I say that hasn't already been said? The man was a living legend. Eddie Trunk is one of the most respected men in heavy metal radio/journalism. He knew and was friends with Dio. His blog expresses many of the sentiments that I feel much more eloquently than I can convey:

http://www.eddietrunk.com/index.cfm/pk/view/cd/NAA/cdid/420696/pid/401816

Lars Ulrich did the same on Metallica's website:

http://metallica.com/index.asp?item=603183

These two men give you just a glimmer of what a revered, respected, and classy individual Dio was. All that aside, there is no denying that the man had some pipes. If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times, Ronnie James Dio has the quintessential heavy metal voice. He started his career in a perhaps lesser known band called Elf and then joined forces with Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore in Rainbow to create such amazing tracks as "Stargazer." During those early years he laid the foundation for the fantastical lyrics that infiltrate all of power metal today. The power in his voice and his lyrical artistry enticed the Black Sabbath members to seek him out when finding a replacement for Ozzy Osbourne. Big shoes to fill, but Dio did it. He went on to have an amazing solo career, continuing to pen such metal classics as "Holy Diver" and "Rainbow in the Dark." Most recently he reunited with the members of Black Sabbath under the moniker Heaven and Hell and created an album just as powerful as ever. Dio was a diminutive figure, but what he lacked in stature he made up for thousandfold in vocal prowess. His voice really was never touched by time.

Though I cannot claim Dio as one of the early favorites that influenced me, as my library of metal knowledge and albums increased, he became sacred to me for his contribution to the genre over the last four decades. I revere his voice as one of the greatest and I envy those who knew him because he is a man that I have never read or heard an unkind word about. Thank you for your voice Dio, you will be missed. We are forever your "Rock and Roll Children." Lastly, thank you for the symbol that metalheads all over the world identify with: The Horns.

No two words of power this time. Just put on some Slipknot, some Dio, or whatever else moves you and find the power in that.

Godspeed on the Devil's thunder, getcha' pull, and may the power of the riff compel you always.

Getcha' Pull

R.I.P. Dimebag Darrell. You are missed and forever loved!! Thank you for all that you gave me and the world.

Caught in a Bad Romance

I am back. Nobody missed me, but I am back. After months of laziness I have decided that coming to Tennessee again to do research was the perfect time to finally post again, having come "full circle, " if you will, as I began this blog whilst in Tenn. As the title indicates, this blog and I have a "bad romance" (yes, I know that is a popular Lady GaGa song right now, I will get to that). With this blog I have so much to say but it takes a lot of effort to put these together: bad romance (sorry, that's cheezy).

A lot has gone on in the world of metal while I was away so I am going to seem like I am rambling more than usual. This post will depart from the genre-describing format for the time being.

Two big stories immediately come to mind. First and foremost, get well Ronnie James Dio!! My prayers are with you and heavy metal needs your voice. Some of you may have heard the unfortunate announcement that Dio has early stage stomach cancer. More of you know that the diminutive singer for Elf, Rainbow, Dio, and Black Sabbath/Heaven and Hell has one of the quintessential voices in the history of metal. His influence is seen in so many aspects of heavy metal: fantastical lyrics and the devil horns themselves come immediately to mind. So send Dio some love as he starts his battle.

Speaking of "the horns," I need to mention Dee Snider's new movement/publicity move, that turns out to be quite a good cause and praise worthy in my opinion. Dee Snider gets a bad rap sometimes, but he has it right in this case: Take Back the Horns!!!

http://www.takebackthehorns.com/

Get Well Soon Dio!!

The horns get flashed at the wrong time by too many of the wrong people. To any metalhead it is immediately obvious when the horns are being appropriately or inappropriately used, but hopefully this website will get the word out to those posers that abuse the hand sign. And with the battle cry of early thrash metal in mind, "Death to posers!!!!!"

The other big news involves another of the founding fathers of metal... well, the founding father of metal, the Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne. After over 20 years together, Ozzy has decided to part ways with Zakk Wylde. Initial reaction: shock. Then the press announcement that Zakk didn't find out the news initially from Ozzy, rather he found out from the media. After that died down, we realize that it was not a falling out between the two. So for me, in retrospect, this is a good decision that was handled poorly. Poorly because I think Ozzy has the wrong producer. Good decision, because though it pains me to say it, Ozzy has become less relevant in recent years. That may well be the unfortunate road taken for the end of Ozzy's career, but I think that with the renaissance in metal that it going on

right now with regards to the number of genres and the availiblility of the music to the globe, that the choice of guitarist has positioned Ozzy to make a good record. Ozzy has chosen Gus G (pictured ->) of Firewind fame to replace Zakk. I have never been a big Firewind fan, but there is no denying the chops that Gus G has at his disposal. Firewind is a power metal act from Greece and I am hoping that Ozzy's sound will now gravitate to that epic power metal feel that Randy Rhoads had shades of in his playing. Zakk certainly could do that and played those old songs well and respected the tradition of Ozzy's band, especially with regards to Rhoads, like no one else, but his style of composing was more sludgy rock and roll metal. And though it was not the same as Black Label Society, there is no denying the similarity. We will see what happens with Gus G, but I am hoping for the best.

What else is new? Dethklok of the Adult Swim cartoon Metalocalypse dropped Dethalbum II. It is amazing. I could never believe I would like a fictitious band this much. This album is a legit metal record. The album is less tongue in cheek than the first, though those moments remain in places, the production is top quality, and so are the songs. Check it out for sure.

On the topic of new music, I will now reveal the reason (other than describing my relationship with this blog) for titling my post after a new Lady GaGa song's opening lyrics.

Here goes...

I feel guilty. Dirty on the inside. But I have come to step one: admission. I admit that I, in fact, like Lady GaGa and it is not due to an attraction to the woman. I have had a couple of really good conversations with people about this. What is it about her that would make a metalhead like me not merely just take notice (because everyone and their fat mother has at least noticed Lady GaGa), but to listen and decide that he likes this pop superstar? It all comes down to two things: 1) talent, 2) provocativeness. The girl can sing. She absolutely crushes the "talent" from American Idol, but I won't get into my feelings about that cornerstone of pop culture. The songs are catchy. I do not know exactly how the songs come together (lyrics, beats, etc.) but they certainly feel like she has made them her own. I would also consider one of her talents to be the willingness to do the provocative things she does. The dress is obviously the first thing that comes to mind. She is certainly not the first to use outfits to catch the eye of the masses, but she is certainly one of the most wildly popular acts to do it in such a eccentric way. Again, is the art design all hers? Probably not, but she is willing to do it. Someone involved knows how to make people uncomfortable, but at the same it is so visually stunning that people do not look away (Early Marilyn Manson anyone?). It is amazing that now, in 2009, whatever MarilynManson does, we just write it off. But a huge pop superstar comes along and does things that are mild comparatively and draws the attention of so many. Quite surprising for a culture that has moved past so many so-called profane or questionable acts in all forms of show business. Do I need to explain myself further? No, musical taste is an opinion. As long as you listen and formulate an opinion based on your tastes, I will support your choice to listen to whatever you so choose. Maybe this is a short-lived fad for me, but it is a notable departure for me. While it makes me unsettled, I do not mind. It makes life fun. Just like these pictures, Dethklok Rules!!!!

Thanks to MetalSucks for the "MURDERGAGA" picture:

http://www.metalsucks.net/

It is a great metal blog site.

Check it out.

Onward...

Now, I hope that the above makes it clear that I am not a music snob (i.e. "metal is the only kind of music anyone should ever like") nor am I a snob about what types or genres of metal one should listen to. Again, if you listen and like it, fine. But I am really having a hard time understanding why some bands are popular amongst teens, particularly in the deathcore or screamo/metalcore genres. (I am gauging this off of media publicity and the fact that their merchandise is in Hot Topic, and we know what the means.) I understand about bands like Whitechapel, Job for a Cowboy, and The Black Dahlia Murder that may not be my cup of tea, but are clearly doing some impressive things musically. I will even give Suicide Silence a pass on any harsh criticism. Regardless, I cannot get into these bands. Is it the harsh guttural vocals? Or is it the sporadic song structures? Either way, it is not something I particularly like to listen to. Harsh, complex, brutal, or dissonant is not the problem. I am a guy who enjoys Dani Filth's vocal stylings and is a big fan of bands like Cannibal Corpse, Death, Skeletonwitch, Immortal, and Emperor. There are even bands that do very similar things with song structure like The Faceless (thanks to my roommate Chris for introducing me to them) that are just infinitely better to my ear and I have recently even started listening to Nile.

So, why do bands that are well established that have been so brutal and aggressive for so long not seem to be as popular amongst the younger listeners as these aforementioned bands? Sure it may be that they need to be different and listen to what is new, but with the accessibility of music in this day and age, it is surprising to me. I am inclined to believe I am overreacting on this front because it is a fairly new development and I think that the old bands that have been doing these things for years are slowly getting and will get their deserved recognition as people are becoming more and more accustomed to the harsher sounds of these sub-genres.

What I cannot overlook and merely give a pass is this screamo/metalcore/emo/techno hybrid-type stuff. (The above bands in question can probably all be grouped into deathcore, which I guess is an easier pill for me to swallow.) There is some awful stuff going on with these next bands. The leader of this mix-and-match genre that evolved from metalcore (i.e Killswitch Engage) is probably The Devil Wears Prada. I will not hate on them in particular, but the latest stuff I have heard from their emulators has become so formulaic that it is sickening. It does not help that the kids doing this stuff all look and dress like emo kids with their tight jeans, gaudy bright colored clothing, and "I-cannot-see-but-I-think-I-look-cool" haircuts. This is how I feel about emo kids:

Having made myself perfectly clear with that image, I will throw out the names of two bands that are the epitome of what I am talking about:

Miss May I: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X0046oaHfQ

and

Attack Attack!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5886Nb_psg

One could initially be fooled by the slick sounding riffs and the heavy breakdowns, but check out what they do. Fashion aside, the songs can both be dissected as follows:

1. heavy riff

2. verse with singer #1 who screams so harshly his throat should bleed

3. breakdown riff

4. melodic riff (mix parts 1-4 any way you like)

5. an oh so beautiful chorus from singer #2,

6. repeat above as needed,

7. "super heavy," a.k.a. slow, breakdown riff.

Why do so many young bands feel the need for this "super heavy" breakdown. They can be cool, yes, but do not shoehorn it in there. It should come from a necessity to the song, not as part of a formula. Attack Attack! throws in an electronica-type section, which is interesting and kudos to them for that (no points for the stupid dance during that part of the video), but in their attempt to do something different, they forgot that the rest of the song is the same as what everyone else like them has done 1,000 bigillion times before. Emulation is one thing, but the similarities are too staggering to ignore. They are not like each other, they are each other.

AND WHAT IN THE WORLD IS WITH THIS STUPID SQUATTING HEADBANGING!?!?!?!?

(there is not enough room for the number of ?'s and !'s I would need to do my feelings justice)

Did they all get together and decide, "yeah man, this looks really cool, we need to do this all the time." How could more than one band come to the same conclusion? I cannot fathom that. Again I point out that in this day and age when music is so readily at our finger tips, why would any band do things so similarly? Tell me why I should like one of those bands more than the other. What are they doing to set themselves apart in any way to anyone? Good for them for starting a band, good for them for learning their instruments, and good for them for having a measure of success.  That is just my way of saying that I respect the effort and the work, but we will never see eye to eye. But this is the price we pay for music being readily at our fingertips: there is so much of it out there that we have to educate ourselves to be able to wade through the shit and put in the effort to find what pleases us.

whew...

So I plan on getting back to the initial format with the next post. I have been wanting to do a black metal post for a while now, so that is what I will do. I also want to do a post about Christmas and metal, which will be fun for everyone. But black metal comes first, so expect the next entry to be appropriately grim and frostbitten!

Two words of power to finish it off:

HORSE CHOKER

(see The Boondocks episode where Riley gets Xzibit to pimp Grandad's car)

God speed on the Devil's thunder, getcha' pull, and may the power of the riff compel you always.

Geef Mij Leverworst!!!

I once again find myself in Delft, The Netherlands. My chemical engineering graduate studies have taken me abroad for a second time. I had the opportunity to spend a little over 4 months in Europe at the end of 2007 and into 2008. My time was divided between two cities in France: Caen and Lille, and Delft in The Netherlands. Each city had a University where I was able to perform experiments to gain experience towards my PhD, though this time around I have it quite easy. I am simply here to observe and learn about a unique experimental setup and the equipment involved so that when I return, our lab can purchase and recreate this system. For those feigning interest (Nerd moment #1), it is an ATR FT-IR spectrometer and cell modified for UV irradiation for monitoring photocatalytic splitting of water… Metal? Not so much. Brutal? Depends who you ask. Anyways here are some friends and people I worked with at the Technical University (TU Delft):

On a personal note, I wanted to express my feelings as I pulled into the train station in Delft and saw the crooked and leaning bell tower of the Oude Kerk (Old Church). I simply smiled and laughed to myself, "I am in Delft... again!" I have been travelling a lot within the US to do my research and have had the previous stint in Europe, so I felt kind of jaded and hassled when I first learned I was to return to the Netherlands. But at that moment in the train, I had to remind myself that I should not take this for granted. I never expected to spend time in Europe as part of my graduate studies, let alone be lucky enough to travel across the pond twice. Pretty cool.

So I could talk about Dutch metal, but (no offense to their metal scene) the world has not been too greatly affected by Dutch metal. I will however offer up Holland’s biggest musical export as my discussion since this band could fall into the outskirts of symphonic metal.

But first let me clear up something for the people that are really confused at this point by my use of “The Netherlands, Dutch, and Holland” to describe where I am and the things within that place. You see… IT’S ALL THE SAME THING!! The Netherlands is the country and we call the people from that country and the things from that country Dutch. Holland is a large region of the Netherlands so technically may not apply to all things Dutch, but for most all intents and purposes, it is the same. I have heard too many Dutch people make fun of Americans for not knowing this during my time here and I honestly do not care, but I prefer not to have defend Americans' right to stupidity by isolationism, so if you read this, just take note.

OK, symphonic metal from The Netherlands: Within Temptation, as I said, Holland’s biggest musical export. Check 'em out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reGlno9aUpw

For Americans, they should remind you of Amy Lee’s Evanescence, but to those in the know, Within Temptation formed in 1996 and had European success long before the commercial success of the American goth rockers' album Fallen in 2003, but only now are truly reaping the benefits due to Evanescence's international success. Indeed, since 2004 Within Temptation have released their music under Roadrunner Records, one of the biggest, oldest, and well respected labels in metal. There are a few other Dutch, female fronted goth/symphonic, rock/metal bands (whatever you want to call them) that clearly formed due to Within Temptation’s success. Whether or not this is what the Dutch actual prefer, I know not, but like I said, it is their largest contribution to the worldwide metal scene. And of course there are those that would argue this kind of music’s metal credibility (this goes for both Within Temptation and Evanescence). I am not here for that discussion today. It is certainly not my favorite style of music, but it can be very beautiful and certainly has its place. My opinion is that it is only very slightly metal and certainly not that heavy. I want to talk about this whole metal vs. not metal and true metal vs. fake metal BS another time.

I mentioned just a second ago, that I was unsure as to whether or not the Dutch prefer this brand of metal. Well, from what I can see, the "popular" majority prefer very, very dirty euro techno. It’s disgusting. I cannot handle it or the fashion that goes with it and I will leave it at that. As for the metal heads, if I had to guess based on the my exposure to the metal social scene in Delft, Within Temptation is not the order of the day.

One thing I do really love about Europe is the ease of finding a metal bar. Two of the 3 cities I lived in had a great one, and I am guessing the third did as well, though I did not know to look for it at that point. Forget a dance floor, it is a “mosh floor.” No, you do not need live music to have a mosh pit. It is awesome. And the one in Delft played all the classics and not so much the symphonic/goth metal. "Raining Blood" by Slayer came on in the Delft bar and I got so revved up whilst moshing that I completely slipped and ate shit right on my knee. But like any good mosh pit where the “unwritten rules” are in effect, someone is there to help you up.

I am inclined to talk about some of the observation I have made in the Netherlands such as how tall everyone is, their love of milk and sandwiches, their ability to speak English well, the Red Light District, and the koffie shops. But I am told that I tend to ramble in my blog and, as I am doing now, I do not seem to have clear point to the paragraphs I write. I am of the belief that this is because I just have too much that I am trying to get out at once. I have received complaints about the length, but as J.R.R. Tolkien (Nerd moment #2) said of his work, my only regret is that it is too short. It turns out that I have a lot to say about all this and in my attempts to get as much in as possible, it comes out as rambling. I am convinced that I have at least improved my writing on a sentence to sentence basis… that’s what I am going to go with, anyways.

So I will just wrap it up with the “Power of Two Words” phrase of the day. It is going to be something in Dutch. As many of their words sound the same as ours, it can lead to some great phrases. One of my favorites comes from the television commercials that come on after midnight when the airwaves are taken over by phone/texting sex advertising. One of them allows you to text where you are so that you can drive and meet up with someone for what they call:

PARKEER SEX

Literally this means “parking sex,” but I just really like it because when an English speaker hears this phrase it, of course, sounds like “park here sex,” which essentially is the same thing but just more audibly entertaining. It is actually not that novel a concept for the US especially if you are in high school.

Godspeed on the Devil’s thunder, getcha’ pull, and may the power of the riff compel you always.

The Lord of the Metal

I am back after a short hiatus and I am bringing to you the several times promised entry on Power Metal. This sub-genre of metal music is perhaps my most favorite and is definitely the music's most popular incarnation throughout the world. While this is unfortunately not the case in the US, I would certainly argue that power metal is favored the rest of the world over. South America goes absolutely nuts for it, I have already discussed Japan's love for it, and Europe is the birth place of the purest form of the style. I cannot stress enough how much different the metal culture is in these other places than in the US. To give you an idea of how popular power metal is in other countries I will use one of the bands that laid the ground work for all power metal to follow as an example: Iron Maiden. They recently released a DVD called Flight 666, chronicling their travels on their private commercial jet to various gig locales (that's right, their own private 757, Ed Force One, piloted by none other than lead singer Bruce Dickinson). Both this live DVD and their previous two, Live After Death and Rock in Rio, are awesomely powerful examples of the popularity of Iron Maiden and consequently power metal.

Check out this video from Rock in Rio, where they played to over 250, 000 reverent fans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28GaKoCuobU

Pay attention to how the audience not only sings every word of the song but also "whoa oh oohs" the melody to every instrumental part. As an American heavy metal enthusiast, to put it mildly, I am astounded to see that outpouring of dedication to a metal band. Do you know the words and melody your favorite song? How about every song in that artist's catalogue, because I promise you that those fans do! And it's not just Iron Maiden that receives this treatment. Because of Maiden's relentless world travelling when touring, they have built this incredible international following and left a passion for their style of metal, which evolved into power metal, in their trail. As proof of this, check out this video by Blind Guardian. Have you even heard of them? Would you imagine going to their concert here in the US and hearing this many fans that know every word to the songs? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYdd4fMtW_A

The point is that this wildly popular form of metal is vastly underappreciated in the US and regardless what you decide as a listener, if you love harder music, you should be aware of this brand of metal. I consider it amongst the most, if not the most (other than Metallica, who even your grandma likes), approachable forms of metal to the casual listener and several of its characteristics make it thus.

Power metal's roots can be traced back to what is largely called classic or traditional metal. The two finest examples of this genre are, indeed, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Thus it was largely associated with the awkwardly abbreviated (thanks Ian Christe) New Wave of British Heavy Metal, NWOBHM. It was faster and less bluesy than the Black Sabbath version and was more bombastic or intense in its guitar playing and vocal stylings. These two bands along with bands like the Scorpions created the dual guitar (lead and rhythm) band structure that countless metal bands would emulate there after. The style generally had high pitched vocals, but were not to be confused with those of the glam metal genre to follow. The vocal range and ability of the lead singers were and still are of generally higher quality, but the fact that power metal uses this singing rather than the growling (which Americans associate as inherently metal) that is the first reason that makes the genre more approachable.

So classic metal laid the groundwork, but to become power metal, other influences were needed. First was speed metal, a genre that took classic metal and played it at break-neck speeds, but with articulation and accuracy that was absolutely pinpoint. The new genre was created in response to the desire for more aggressive music and that, it certainly was. We can largely thank Germany for pioneering speed metal. Bands like Kreator, Sodom, Helloween, and Blind Guardian are some of the best and earliest examples. However, two of those bands, Kreator and Sodom, are considered part of what was largely going on the US, that is the start of thrash metal. Basically it boils down to how aggressive the music is. Thrash metal, such as Slayer, is super fast, draws influences from punk, and generally has much more evil overtones and gravely vocals. It was the other two bands, Helloween and Blind Guardian, that were part of what was and still is power metal. The music was faster than classic metal but kept the cleaner vocals, and in some cases, due to symphonic influences, was not aggressive or evil at all; the other attribute making power metal so approachable. Power metal also uses keyboards in the song arrangements, which is largely taboo in thrash.

If you do not like the screaming, yelling, growling, ultra-distortion, sludgy sounds, etc. of heavy metal, but love the guitar technicality, double bass drumming, speed, etc. of the genre, I implore you, GIVE POWER METAL A TRY! The symphonic overtones and the lack of necessity for the "evil" make it more diverse musically in the sense that it does not have to have quite as specific a sound. The minor key is no longer the only key. For those of you that do not know, musicians can use the key (or mode) of a song to evoke a certain mood and the minor key inherently sounds more dark or gloomy. The use of the major key in power metal tends to have a bright, upbeat sound. Metal can be an uplifting genre and the songs can make you happy. It is not all doom and gloom. This is yet another reason to give it a listen.

There is a final aspect of power metal that I really like, but may be a roadblock for others, and that is the prevalent use of fantasy in the themes and lyrics. This goes hand in hand with symphonic nature of a lot of power metal, and for nerds like me, we cannot get enough of it. It is understandable if this is not your cup of tea. It does, however, open the door to those of you that love classical music. I would argue that there is no other kind of music that lends itself to classical types of arrangements than power metal. Albums have been created that focus on concepts or even have movements like a "metal opera." Blind Guardian's seminal concept album Nightfall in Middle-Earth is just such an album. It is based on J.R.R. Tolkien's Silmarillion and contains songs such as "The Curse of Feanor" and "Time Stands Still (At the Iron Hill)." Just check out this album cover from another of their outings for an idea or the pervasiveness of fantasy themes in power metal:

As you start listening to many power metal bands, especially if you have listened to one of today's most popular power metal bands, DragonForce, you will encounter some reoccurring themes. The concepts of glory, honor, and "carrying on" will keep creeping up on you and it all comes from the fantasy themes whose lineage in metal can be traced way back. Perhaps the most overt ones coming from the diminutive metal singer with the huge voice, Ronnie James Dio. He sang for Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and finally in his solo band Dio and brought fantastical imagery into the forefront for each of those bands. Thanks, Dio!!! Many power metal songs feel epic and they build to a grand conclusion, just like the fantasy culture that influences them, and it indeed evokes powerful emotions. For me the most powerful one is an overwhelming love for the music and what we can do with the medium to please the mind and body.

I should not ignore the early Scandinavian influence from bands like Stratovarius and Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, who also brought the shred aspect into power metal (DragonForce should thank them for that) . Stratovarius is of particular note because in addition to having uplifting themes, they placed a large focus on socially and environmentally conscience songs. Songs like "Paradise" are about preserving our Earth. This idea runs throughout many other power metal bands as well. Two songs from Helloween come to mind: "Eagle Fly Free" and "Livin' Ain't No Crime" which are about the environment and living life to its fullest, respectively.

Basically, as it stands today, power metal has many permutations. It has evolved into many of its own sub-genres like pagan metal and viking metal and has influenced the formation of melodic forms of black and death metal. I will use this discussion for another entry, because power metal deserves it. There are so many bands out there that I want you to know about and experience.

I would like to give you a short list of what I think is some of the essential power metal listening, both old and new. You can do your own search as well. Just search YouTube for something like "best power metal" and you will find loads of lists. Or this Wikipedia page is a good place to start: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_power_metal_bands

Helloween: Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt I and II

Blind Guardian: Nightfall in Middle-Earth

Stratovarius: Visions

Avantasia: The Metal Opera

Iced Earth: Something Wicked This Way Comes

DragonForce: Valley of the Damned

Edguy: Vain Glory Opera (but really EVERYTHING they have done)

Hammerfall: Glory to the Brave

Kamelot: Epica

Gamma Ray: Land of the Free

I would also recommend Manowar, Metal Church, Rhapsody of Fire, and Sonata Arctica though I must admit to not knowing as much about them other than that they are influential, popular, or unique.

I wanted to further emphasize my note above that everything Edguy has done is quintessential power metal (accept some of the more recent work, which is still good in its own right). They really, in my opinion have it figured out. They are another German band fronted by Tobias Sammet, who is one of my favorite voices in metal. Their songs just ooze epic fantasy and speed metal. In fact, Tobias Sammet is responsible for another member of the list, Avantasia. It is exactly what it says: a metal opera and he recruited other big names in power metal to create it with him and sing different character's voices. But unlike many operas in the traditional sense, each song stands on its own and is just damn good.

Look for the next entry on power metal, and until then, The Power of Two Words:

EASY FLAPS

tee hee...

Godspeed on the Devil's thunder, getcha' pull, and may the power of the riff compel you always.

Caprice No. 3

So I know I said I was going to talk about power metal, but seeing as that is on the agenda (and I certainly will not forget), I would rather post about what is currently on my mind: Neo-Classical Shred. "What is that, Chip?" you may ask. Well neo-classicism refers to a movement in music when composers tend to mimic the styles of the Classical period of Western music (1750-1820) during which composers like Beethoven and Mozart made their mark. Neo-classical shred (or metal) is not quite that specific. It does not refer to that specific time period, but rather encompasses the mimicry of all traditional classical styles, i.e. Baroque, Classical, Romantic. But here the focus is on the flashy, complex, technical solo compositions. Thus, shred: to play the hell of the guitar.

Two very important men can be linked to this style of metal/guitar playing.

The first did not play guitar.

Niccolo Paganini is perhaps, if not definitely, the greatest violinist to ever live. His 24 Caprices for solo violin are some of the most amazing and difficult pieces ever written for the instrument. Each of the caprices tended to focus on a certain technical aspect of playing. Caprice No. 24 is considered the most difficult, period. Check out this performance of Caprice No. 24 by Alexander Markov, it is my favorite version. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ307sM0t-0. At approximately minute 3:00 he starts doing what is called left-hand pizzicato. I did not know that this was even a classical violin technique until I saw this video. As a guitar analogy, it essentially amounts to aggressive fret hand finger-plucked pull-offs. It sounds really awesome and is definitely the coolest thing I have ever seen on the violin.

Bottomline is that this flamboyant style was the influence for shred guitarists. And for those of you who are thinking, "That's not metal! That's some pansy ass classical music shit!" Think again. Paganini is very metal. You may have heard of blues guitarists that were rumored to have sold their souls to the devil (Robert Johnson, Tommy Johnson), but Paganini did it long before them to gain his musical prowess... That's the rumor anyway. Very Metal \m/. If Paganini were born today, he would be a shred guitarist.

The second man we must pay tribute to for this style is Lars Johan Yngve Lannerback, or as he is better known, Yngwie J. Malmsteen. While guitarists like Randy Rhoads and Ritchie Blackmore were classically influenced and technically advanced, it was this Swedish guitarist that really kicked it up a notch to the over the top Paganini virtuosity. Directly citing the violinist as an influence, Yngwie's use of diminished chords, harmonic minor scales, his historic muse, and his reworking of classical pieces for electric guitar, like Bach's "Air on the G String," made him distinctly neo-classical. Yngwie has even composed a piece called "Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra in E Flat Minor, Opus 1," which he has performed live with the New Japan Philharmonic. He is truly a virtuoso in his own right. Setting him apart technically was his use of laser accurate economic picking, sweep picked arpeggios, and legato fret hand technique (hammer-ons/pull-offs, slides) that was above and beyond anything anyone had seen before and allowed him to play at super-sonic speeds and cleanly. This technicality is what makes the music shred and Yngwie's prima donna attitude certainly makes him a modern day Paganini. For a taste of the experience that is Yngwie, check out his "Arpeggios from Hell" video. His "humility" really shines through when you listen to him talk in the intro. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS_IYe5JTZ4

Yngwie has several of these instructional videos where he basically just does demonstrations that are not at all helpful, but rather he shows off the impossible things he can do. I like to call it:

Malm-sturbation

(Power of Two Words phrase of the day!!!)

It's also worth it to look up more of him performing, his stage presence is just ridiculous. Just look at this picture and tell me whether or not you think Yngwie likes him some Yngwie.

After Yngwie was discovered in the early 80s, the style was at its height in the mid to late 80s/early 90s. Shrapnel Records is responsible for Yngwie and then the flood of shred guitarists to follow. They did a worldwide search for guitarists of this type and they found them. The time period was inundated with guitarists that were so good it was stupid. Paul Gilbert, Tony MacAlpine, and Marty Friedman were some of the bigger names. This bombastic style was the order of the day in the 80s. Even though glam metal is scoffed at as silly and overindulgent by many nowadays (except for collegiate females who cannot get enough of Poison and Bon Jovi, and want you to "Pour some Sugar on" them), in retrospect many of the guitarists were way better than their bands. At the end of the 80s a particularly talented shredder appeared by the name of Jason Becker. He was so good at such a young age that it is a crime that Lou Gehrig's disease robbed him of his ability to play. It is a tragic story, but touching because he has not given up on music and to this day, with the aid of software and his family and the caring people around him, still composes the melodies in his head, giving him the will to continue living life to its fullest. Check out the story and a video if him playing Paganini's Caprice No. 5 arranged for guitar, at the end it's like his fingers are a spider over the fretboard.

Story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFjQgDe_a0E

Caprice No. 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jK978921Yw

The end of the story shows him playing a cover of an Yngwie song called "Black Star" at a talent show. I have heard a story that he learned it the day of the performance. I would not be surprised if that were true. If Jason Becker was not, sadly, so afflicted so young, I firmly believe that today he would be on everyone's short list for best guitarist in the world.

Unfortunately, many of the guitarists, either because of ego or the overwhelming technicality of their playing, did not achieve mainstream success or performed with a band with popular appeal. The ones that did tended to back off from the shred aspects of their playing when performing with those bands (i.e. Paul Gilbert in Mr. Big. You know the song: "I'm the one who wants to be with you..." I know you know the words). But, once again, metal never dies. Shred has remained in metal and found its way into the genre in many appealing formats. It definitely creeps into power metal with bands like Michael Romeo's Symphony X and Timo Tolkki's Stratovarius. More aggressive metal has it's shredders as well, particularly in the symphonic or melodic black/death metal scene. Alexi Laiho is doing amazing things in Children of Bodom, as is Jari Maenpaa of Wintersun. The Scandinavians (especially the Finnish) just rip the fretboard!! The solo performing artists live on as well. Yngwie just released an album and Steve Vai (of Frank Zappa's and David Lee Roth's bands fame) and Joe Satriani (guitar teacher of Metallica's Kirk Hammett) are widely considered two of the best guitarists in the world. The difference with the last two guitarists I mentioned is that while they shred, there is less of the neo-classicism in their playing. They use music theory to its fullest, but are less bound to its constraints. Their soulful playing incorporating Jazz and Blues makes them more distinct and unique; truly virtuosos of their own making and they are genre transcendent. I will talk more about virtuosity in a later post, as it is something I am really fascinated by. One of the most over the top shredders today is Michael Angelo Batio (as if you couldn't tell by the moniker he has chosen). He plays a double neck guitar. No, not like the one Jimmy Page used to play Stairway to Heaven during live performances. He plays one like this:

(FYI, yes, he really plays both necks simultaneously)

I will leave with you one last video which was the spark to get me looking back at the shred guitarists. Jeff Loomis is an American guitarist (from Wisconsin, so probably of Scandinavian descent) that performed originally with Sanctuary and then created his own band Nevermore. He plays a very aggressive form of neo-classical shred, pushing it towards a more distinct style that focuses on heavy metal technique and elements. He recently released a solo album, Zero Order Phase, and it is just silly. This video is a performance he did to support Schecter guitars at the National Music Merchant (NAMM) trade show in 2008. HOW IN THE WORLD DOES HE DO THIS?!?!?! It is just astonishing. See for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP9llsABGdo&feature=related This is part 2 of the video, check out part 1 for more. Again, sweep picked arpeggios: the order of the day for shred. INSANE! At ~3:10 his fingers must nearly fly off! All these guitarists have fret hand pinkies that can just strike like the cobra!

Remember this: heavy metal and its musicians are constantly underestimated. Do NOT do it.

Godspeed on the Devil's thunder, getcha' pull, and may the power of the riff compel you always.

Itadakimasu!!

I decided to buy a Nintendo DSi. It's their new handheld. Why? Well, several reasons. Anyone who knows me, knows I like video games. Not ashamed of it and I consider myself part of a generation where it will be acceptable to do so throughout life. Recently my gaming has focused nearly entirely on my Guitar Hero addiction. I have tapered off a bit, but I am good... really, really good. I will add the disclaimer that I started playing the real guitar before the game and the finger dexterity helps, but in no way am I as good at real guitar as I am at the game. While most people see this as sad, if you have played the game at all, you would likely be somewhat impressed and I am not ashamed, so whatever. I am currently ranked #39 (as high as 28) on the Playstation Network for one of the series' more recent iteration, Guitar Hero Metallica. http://community.guitarhero.com/accounts/773502. Click the "Solo" tab when you get there.

Anyways, wanting to enjoy the games that I like best outside of guitar peripheral requiring music games, I decided to get the DSi. It has a nice selection of RPGs and classic 2D scrollers that I really enjoy. The reason for the concentration of these types of games on the handheld system stems from trends currently occurring in Japan. They love handhelds, Nintendo, and RPGs. So it made sense to me to have one as well. Plus it has wifi access which is cool since I don't do that with my phone... AND it takes pictures and can play music. The whole camera/take picture thing plays nicely into the Japanese stereotype... Stereotypes are great because there is generally truth in them, which is a source of endless comedy. And as long as you don't generalize, it remains harmless.

For a source of endless Japanese stereotypes, check out jpopasia.com/

Of course, J-Pop is Japanese pop music. Stereotypes are generally found in any country's pop culture ESPECIALLY THE USA (Honkey Tonk Badonkadonk? Seriously?) But stereotypes are not the reason I like this website. I like to go to there for a few reasons. The superficial one being that I am of the opinion that Japanese women are some of the most attractive in the world. Just hot. Sorry, that's the way it is. Don't believe me? Just poke around this website for a while until you see something you like http://asianposes.com/ (relax, it's safe for work). Or just check out this cosplayer (Don't know what cosplay is? Look it up)

But I am also there to keep my finger on the pulse as to what is going on with Japan's hard rock and metal scene. It is amazing to me how so many Americans, myself included until recently, take for granted that our pop music is the be all end all. There are so many countries/regions with a pop culture all their own and it is very unique and can be quite an experience the first time you are exposed to it. The cultural interchange between the US and Japan is certainly not anything that is new or hidden/obscure. The popular music interchange between the countries I believe started with glam metal. It was and still is popular in Japan. Bands like the Loudness and X Japan are great examples of Japanese glam metal. X Japan is of particular importance because while I do not think they are necessarily the creators, they are certainly one of the pioneers and the time period's most popular visual kei band. Visual kei translates to "visual style" and is one way of categorizing Japanese bands in multiple genres (pop, rock, and metal). For more check out the Wikipedia post: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_kei

Now the Japanese are returning the favor and the fashion of visual kei is coming to the US. What is now being called "scene" is essentially visual kei. Check out the beginning and end of this video to see the two compared: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXTNNV-FmBc.

Now, that style is not so much for me nor do I really think it works for guys at all since it is such a feminine/androgynous look (for girls it's not so bad), but some of the metal that has come out it has certainly caught my attention. The band that made me gravitate toward this was Dir En Grey. They are truly a unique, distinctly Japanese metal band. It has the progressive style of Tool and the aggression of the nu-metal genre mixed with the genre called noise that achieved large popularity in Japan. Check 'em out here: http://www.jpopasia.com/play/4600/dir-en-grey/dozing-green.html

X Japan has some stuff I like, especially a song they did for the Saw IV soundtrack, but to appreciate how, with visual kei, they took glam to the next level check out this image:

Finally, the genre that I will talk a lot about in posts to come, since it is underappreciated in the US, is POWER METAL. It is huge the rest of the world over and Japan is no exception. In fact, many former 80s metal or neo-classical shred guitarists (i.e. Paul Gilbert of Mr. Big/Racer X and Marty Friedman of Cacophony/Megadeth) have made a living in Japan after the trend faded (metal never dies). Power metal itself tends to combine classic metal (Judas Priest, Iron Maiden) and neo-classical shred with added speed or aggression and typically contains clean vocals. I will get into it more later, but I recently came across a visual kei power metal band called Versailles. They have a female lead guitarist which is cool and rare and I like them. http://www.jpopasia.com/play/21125/versailles/ascendead-master.html

So next time I will probably get into power metal with a bit more depth, but in the meantime do not be afraid to check out what is going on internationally in the genre that you like, especially metal. Enjoy stereotypes. Laugh at them, but be aware of them. Because if you know they exist, you can go beyond them and appreciate other aspects of cultures.

And now, from the depths of a chemical engineering transport phenomena book, the awkwardly named property that has made it as today's Power of Two Words phrase:

Skin Friction

Imagine the hilarity that ensued after the unassuming professor first mentioned that in class.

Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder, getcha' pull, and may the power of the riff compel you always.

The Beginning of All Things to End

So as my brief "About Me" section over to the right --> says, I am a chemical engineering grad student. Writing may not be my forte; I am certainly no cunning linguist (hehe), but I am about to attempt to put some order to the entropy in my head. My head, of course, being a "metal" one. I love heavy metal and the gist of what you are about to get in my postings to come is simply this: I am going to talk about whatever is on my mind with regards to my most favorite of music genres. In this way I will disseminate not just those thoughts, but also augment them with metal history and little bits on guitar and guitarists (I try to arpeggiate a bit myself), and perhaps even thoughts on life and current events and their ridiculousness.

Before the metal comes... Bare with me, I have some preamble-ing to do...

Being a chemical engineer, I am currently spending my 4th of July weekend in Oak Ridge, TN where a national lab is located. I had plans with some friends that ended up falling out, so it turns out I am on my own for the weekend with little else to do than finally bosh this blog out. Git r' done. I say finally, because this blog has actually been a long time coming. Doing a blog was an idea my brother John and I had a while back. Initially it was to be a direct response to some other family members' blogs, but that was mostly an attempt to get a rise out of our mother. Unfortunately, she doesn't give a shit and ignores our banter and repartee. After many instances of saying,"We should put that in the blog!" I realized it would be kind of cool to actually do it, however we were both unwilling to be the one to actually write it up. Therefore because my brother is a lazy porkchop, I am taking the idea completely for myself so that I can also write about metal without his bitching (as if he actually had a choice either way). However, I will incorporate a lot of the ideas we had into this blog because I also wish to make fun of my family, friends, media, politics, etc. (and to allow my brother to claim he is the muse for the endeavor). Hopefully I will figure out a way to nicely dovetail the metal with the rest, once again referencing my inability at being a cunning linguist.

On to the metal...

My first seamless integration of metal and the comedic genius that John and I came up with deals with the power of two words. This isn't so much the hardcore metal stuff that I will get into, but it is worth it for the trend that I intend to start with every post. When you are starting a metal band (any band really), one of the best ways of coming up with a name is to take two really cool, brutal, gross, etc. words and stick them together. Let's face it, most of the really good one-word band names have been taken: Slayer, Metallica, Pantera, Anthrax, Death, Tool, Testament... you get the idea. But the vast majority of bands have really kick-ass two word band names: Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and I do not need to go on. I am sure if you keep reading you will notice the trend. There are even a lot of one-word band names that are some crazy contraction of two words, so in essence they are actually a two-word band name, i.e. Devildriver. Similarly, there are many 3-word band names where the 3rd word is just an article or preposition, i.e. Cradle of Filth. Take note as you read future posts.

The point of all this is that two words can be quite powerful. You can, of course, really screw it up, but that's where I am going with this. Two words can be HILARIOUS when the right two words are stuck together. This was an amazing euphoric realization for John and I (and surely we were at the forefront of human thinking when we had it) and the basis of much high comedy amongst him, myself, and our Dad and various family members.

So I am starting a trend, whether it be comedy (which it will be mostly) or a sweet band name I heard, every post will have its "Power of Two-Words" phrase of the day. Feel free to comment on what you think it is or if it is really funny, cool, brutal, etc.

With that I leave you,

Godspeed on the Devil's thunder, getcha' pull, and may the power of the riff compel you always.