Severed Reality

My Severed Reality

2010-05-05T19:56:00.001-07:00

As most of you know, I've been in Florida for the last year-ish, going to Florida Tech. I've met a lot of really amazing people, and learned a great deal about myself. I also learned a great deal about how fucked up our "education" system is, notably past high school. To make a very long story short, I've grown to hate the school I attended, not for the people, not for the education, but for the way they run the "institute".

I suppose I should have seen it coming, really.

To illustrate the way this school is run, I'm going to present two cases, both completely true, but with names removed for privacy.

Student A is a high-GPA student with a peaceful demeanor and the seeming incapability to intentionally bring harm to anyone or anything. After one of his scholarships failed to renew, due to circumstances outside his control, he was put $3,000 in debt to the school. The school kicked him out with two weeks remaining in the semester, and banned him from the school grounds, stating that any attempt to return would result in an arrest being made.

Student B is, quite literally, a 0.0 GPA student. He attended few classes his first semester, and even fewer his second. He was caught selling weed to an undercover, and his dorm was raided. Finding large amounts of weed in his room, the police arrested him and a judge set his bail at $160,000. His mom promptly flew here, bailed him out, bought him an apartment off-campus, and is now fighting the arrest. The school, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that he has no interest in a higher education, has allowed him to finish this semester and continue his tenure next semester as well, so long as he is only on campus for classes.

The person who wanted, needed, and deserved an education is being deprived of one, where the one who can pay for the schooling in full (despite showing no interest in it whatsoever) is wasting it. I can't believe that this is what the world has come to- the Almighty Currency. Never has this glaring fact been so apparent to me. I've known it for a long time, but I never imagined it spread as far and as densely as it has.

Right now, the school is becoming so overwhelmingly costly that my parents can't afford the interest on my loans for my first year. It's that bad. My merit scholarship is up for review, and without that the bulk of my financial aid is gone. Essentially, if my merit scholarship doesn't renew, I can't go back. If I can't find $18,000 in scholarships in the next three months, I can't go back. If any part of a delicate situation slips, falls through, breaks, whatever- I can't go back.

The problem is, I'm not sure I want to go back. The school has driven off many of the people that I care about, mostly for money. My best friend at the school is leaving because she hates how much like a high school the place is. A lot of the people there seem to be a soulless fucking shell of a human being, following blindly their high school habits and becoming the pathetic "Animal House" stereotype. The genuine people, the ones that wanted a quality education, the ones with personalities beyond "get laid, party 'til you puke, and do it all over again tomorrow" are leaving. And why?

The Almighty Currency.

This should be the part where I talk about how we could improve the system, or boycott it, or rally against it, or fight for reform, or something else. I'm not so self-absorbed to think that I can make a difference on the scale I want to, so I'm not even going to bother.

So to you, my FIT friends, I will miss all of you, but I'm not coming back next semester, or ever. I doubt I'll ever set foot in Melbourne again if I don't have to. To my closest friend from FIT (you know who you are), I will miss you more than words can describe. It's been an honor to know you all, but I can't foresee a means of me coming back to that hellhole. I can't bring myself to do it.

4/20 Hypocrisy

2010-04-20T17:21:00.000-07:00

[Unedited]

Right. So, today, as most anyone with a high school education knows, is the unofficial stoner holiday, 4/20. I'm not gonna get into my own use, nor will I talk about how it should be legalized. Pardon the pun, but those are arguments with no need of re-hashing. No, I'd rather like to rant about how fucking annoying people are about this day.

So, let's get started with the obvious- there are going to be people out there who do not want to smoke marijuana. That's a given with most anything- vegans, the "straightedge" movement, and people who refuse to shop at Wal-Mart are all pretty common examples. It's not for everyone. Again, that should be painfully obvious- despite the all-too-common argument against decriminalization, everyone in the world isn't going to blaze before work or take a bong rip before walking down the aisle if weed is legalized. There will always be people who, for whatever reason, do not like marijuana.

There. That's taken care of. Now, down to business.

I've noticed that, in the days leading up to (and including) April 20th, more 4/20 related statuses have been popping up on Facebook, tweets about it are rampant, and bloggers/news outlets are jumping on the pot hype. The annoyance isn't with dissenters; I'm comfortable with people standing up and saying "No, I don't really want to smoke. It's not my thing." My problem is when every other update on Facebook is "______ liked "I Will Not Be Smoking Pot On April 20th - 4/20" or "________ all this 420 shiiiat is super annoying. please refrain from talking about how much weed you're smoking today, no one carrreeees."

I get it. You don't think smoking weed is cool. Fine. But when, out of my 222 friends, exactly one stoner posted, where at least 15 non-smokers did things like what I mentioned above, I feel a bit of hypocrisy. The lone smoker posted, early in the day, this exact message: "happy 420 everyone be safe and don't let PD get you".

Happy 420. Be safe. Don't do something stupid and get caught. That's his entire message. Nothing about how much weed he was going to smoke, nothing about the parties going on, nothing about legalization. He was presented with a current reality- one where smokers are persecuted and prosecuted-, and reminded fellow smokers to be careful, and to not attract unnecessary attention. THAT'S FUCKING IT.

Everyone else that popped up in my News Feed was talking about how they'll never smoke marijuana, how 4/20 is a bullshit holiday, how stoners are worthless jobless lowlifes, etc. Right. I could list off the countless list of celebrities, businessmen, and so forth that smoke, but that too has been overdone. Everyone knows Steve Jobs and Bill Gates smoked. They just refuse to accept that, in time, marijuana will overcome the negative stigma it has accrued from political agendas and corporate lobbying and be legalized.

Until then, it appears that every self-righteous asshole with an opinion is going to loudly proclaim how proud they are about not smoking and judging those of us who do. To you, the judgmental asshats for which this post was written, I should kindly ask you to refrain from bashing those who live a different lifestyle than you, when no harm befalls anyone directly because of their lifestyle. I would, but I know you will simply leave flame-bait comments or try to argue things I've specifically said are not the topic of this note.

So, instead, I will kindly tell all of you to SHUT THE FUCK UP. I don't go around screaming about how I'm Atheist on Christmas and Easter, so do me a favor and stop being so fucking self-absorbed for a second and let us have our day.

Peace, in whatever form it may find you in.

-Andrew

I Think It's Time for a New Post on Here

2009-12-29T03:45:00.000-08:00

I haven't slept well these last few nights. As a result, I've had a lot of thinking time. So, in my darkened room, I sit, covered in blankets, legs crossed, music playing, and going over the last 6 years of my life. In that time, I think I've come to a very important- and very depressing- conclusion: I don't want to be happy.

Looking back over the last 6 years, one thing rose to prominence. I realized that, in lieu of allowing myself to be happy for an extended time, I subconsciously sabotage almost everything that could make me content. From relationships to events to achievements, I never allow myself to be happy. I initially rejected metal as banal, bland, and worthless, and if you know me you know that that my discovery of metal is the turning point in my life. It changed who I am and will stay with me until I die.

I've asked myself "Why?" many times over the last few nights, and have yet to come up with a solution. Hopefully one will come soon, because I don't think my body can take another night of fitful and shallow sleep.

Idiocracy Is Right (But Not Why You Think It Is)

2009-07-27T14:38:00.000-07:00

XKCD, one of my favorite webcomics, ran one about a month ago called "Idiocracy" after the movie. Basically, it "shows" that the movie is laughably incorrect, in that the general populous is not getting dumber; rather, the standard for "intelligent" is getting higher, dragging the "mediocre" benchmark up with it. While many of these comics are delightfully insightful, witty, or otherwise engaging, this one got me thinking, and I have my rebuttal.

Quite simply, you are correct; the standard for intelligence has gone up- quite drastically, in fact. Someone I know put it thusly; "2000 years ago, you were a fucking genius if you could read or write". The average intelligence hasn't gone up or down, but rather the perceived brilliance of individuals has become more obvious. The problem with the argument is that the requirement for average intelligence has gone up. For example, 2000 years ago, reading and writing was a skill reserved for (usually) royalty, the rich, and those who showed a great aptitude. Now, it's taught to everyone in free, public schools. Driving a car would have made Aristotle shit bricks; hell, the EXISTENCE of mechanical transport would have blown his mind.

So when someone doesn't understand why a retail worker can't materialize a Wii console out of thin air, I can see why people leap to the conclusion that people are "getting dumber". I think the real problem is a lack of good parenting. I'm a retail monkey, so I see all of it. I've seen parents buying kids candy every time they ask for it, and the ones who tell them no. I see kids that are free to run around the store, doing as they please, and I see the byproducts of this- the teens who, later in life, go around the store and knock things over, steal, hit all the "Help" buttons throughout the store, and the like.

I think parents, who often lack in "common sense" themselves, pass this inconsiderate nature onto their kids twofold. That might be the single biggest factor in the "people are getting dumber" thought movement. It makes sense, really- in the movie, the dumb people breed indiscriminately while people of intelligence wait until they are in good financial position, but wait so long that one or both become infertile. Such is the case in my scenario- social stigmas prevent intelligence from breeding. Abortion's negative stigma forces many to keep babies fathered from rape, accidents, or "that one time in Cancun". Sexual education in the nation is less effective than "pulling out", as most of the "education" is abstinence only, which has been show to be completely ineffective against teenage hormones.

In short, we as a people are not doing enough to keep people from becoming the dystopian drones that Idiocracy depicts; it will not be from lack of intelligence, but rather the wasting of it.

Your Proudest Gamer Moment

2009-07-08T21:06:00.001-07:00

An article on Gamespy recently caught my attention, and started bringing up memories of many years past. The article was about the proudest moments in gaming- those achievements that, while on paper seem rather mediocre, for those that know are badges of honor. Beating Guitar Hero II on Expert? Good. Beating "Jordan" on Expert? Better. Beating the entire game, 5-starring everything, and FC-ing the main setlist? That's a sight to see.

I saw a lot of comments from gamers relating their proudest moments. I started thinking, and I the first one that came to mind was a night to be envied on the COD4 servers. Knifing my way up from a 60-point deficit, against numerous 55's, many of them prestiged many times over, I managed to get a last-second, luck-would-have-it, once-in-a-lifetime double kill. As I knifed my way to 120, I saw a sniper lying behind a truck, face the other direction. I wanted this one to be one for the ages, so i cooked my last frag as long as I dared and bounced it off his skull. I pops as he starts to stands, and the match ends. For a short time, I was the target- the guy to go after.

Then, working later that day, I started thinking about other times an achievement in a game had ever made me proud to sit on my ass and play games. I remembered outracing my gearhead brother in Gran Turismo 3 the first night we had our first PS2. I remembered, at a LAN party, being so frustrated by a player named "Hitler" that I changed my name to "Anne Frank" and gunning for him the entire match. Seeing "Anne Frank killed Hitler" was so epic, the entire LAN went AFK for a few seconds from the sheer force of laughter.

I thought long and hard, and I finally remember my single most favorite gaming moment. I was 6 years old at the time. I had spent a good 2 hours walking with my family at one Disney park or another- I don't rightly remember which- and we stopped in to get some lunch. I ate quickly, and saw a 4-seat cluster of a Mech-game sitting in the corner. As I looked on, a kid stormed out of the booth. He looked to be about 16, so I decided I'd take a turn. I hopped in quietly, dropped in my quarters, and joined the match. Much like my COD4 story above, I quickly began an utter domination the likes of which I could never replicate in that genre of game. When the match ended, I heard banging, grunts, and sighs of disappointment from the other three booths. Pissed and wanting to see what asshole had just dominated them, they pulled back the curtain to find 6-year old me, grinning like an idiot, not even realizing how badly I had beaten them. After watching three teens' jaws drop in rapid succession, I walked away with my family, still smiling ear to ear.

So I'd like to know from you, the readers; What's your favorite gaming moment? What made you stand up and want to proclaim your badassery to all you can see? What moment of self-accomplishment cements your place in the Halls of Gaming? What's your story?

Pokemon, and a format change

2009-06-15T14:36:00.000-07:00

Alright, so for some time now I've been writing for Defenders of the Hate, a metal-themed blog. Since redundancy is a pet peeve of mine (as is the phrase "pet peeve", oddly) I've decided to make this blog a bit more personal-though oriented, like our friends over at Negative Zen and Eye of the Ages. That said...

I love Pokemon. Inside, I'm an obsessive-compulsive 6-year old who's just "Gotta' Catch 'Em All!". I'm not the rabid Pokefan who buys game systems based on having a Pokemon game in their library, nor am I the one who knows all 493 by heart and sleeps next to a giant plush Pikachu (even though I totally have one).

I recently began playing them again, and I will go on record as saying they are one of the best game series' ever created. Based on a typical set of criteria for any game-review site, they were legendary for their time. The visuals were simple at first, and never strayed too far from that. The "helicopter-style" top down view is iconic, and provides a simple interface for all ages. The plot is simple- become the best Pokemon Trainer in the world. The world is expansive, even by some console standards of the time. With each successive generation, new Pokemon were added, new challenges, new worlds, and new ways to interact with the world.

But what I always wished for was a console-based Pokemon game. The logic is profoundly simple- do exactly what you did with the GBC/GBA/DS versions, only on a much more grand scale. Pokemon Stadium was a promising start, but that didn't quite cut it. Think about the possibilities! Full-animation 3-d battles, real-time action, and no more 4-move caps for all pokemon. The previous versions have shown that a 20-30 hour STORY mode is possible on a cartridge; imagine what a DVD or a Blu-Ray could do. Next gen graphics show Blaziken actually kick the shit out of a Graveller, instead of just moving toward him menacingly. No more "harware limitations"; go balls out and give fans what they want.

And that opens up another question, one that recently sprung up in the wake of World of Warcraft's domitation of online gaming: why not make a Pokemon MMO? The money to be made there is impossibly large. Pokemon seems like the perfect base for this- the story is about becoming the best in the world, so prove it! Fight people from all over the world! The possiblities are insane! So why haven't they done it?

Because they have fallen into the "Sports Game Redundancy Loop". Essentially, they update the roster (Pokedex) and add a few new features (Secret Base, tag-team fights), and sell it as a unique game. You've just cut the cost of production by half (using code from a prior game as a base) and made a killing from fans who want to see what new Pokemon they can catch.

Will we ever see a console RPG or an MMO from the Pokemon Universe? Possibly. If either project gets a green-light, the fans will go ape-shit for it, because it could represent a new era for Pokemon games. No more hadheld battles; nay, a 1080p bout between a team of Pokemon would be the proper way to see two trainer compete. The likelyhood? Slim, because the update method is almost fool-proof. If you have a formula, just keep adding minor, inconsequential details to it and make millions.

But a guy can always hope, right?
No, no he can't, because there's no TM for hope.

inFamous- a Sucker Punch Production

2009-06-03T21:03:00.000-07:00

Haven't been on here in a long time... Sorry 'bout that. I've been busy plugging away over at Defenders, and haven't really thought about this blog in some time. Oh well, here goes- what has been consuming my time over the last 4-5 days? inFamous, a game by cult favorite developers Sucker Punch.

For those unfamiliar with Sucker Punch, they have a very small library of games, so I don't blame you. They made the surprisingly awesome Sly Cooper series, a trilogy about a raccoon descending from a line of raccoon thieves- the first game is all about getting back your family's book of thieving secrets, the aptly titled Thievius Raccoonus. A childish premise, but quirky and entertaining no less. SP has been inactive until recently, when they declared the development of inFamous, a superhero game in the same vein as Fable, in that you get to choose between good and evil based on what actions you chose throughout the game.

You are Cole MacGrath, a bike messenger in Empire City. After unwittingly delivering a bomb to the heart of the Historic District of Empire City, you wake up with superpowers based around electricity. Starting out, you can survive large falls (in essence, you can't die from jumping off a building), shoot bolts of lightning from your hand, cause a "Shockwave" (a concussive blast that can flip cars and send people flying) and draining electricity from any source of power- a lamp post, parked cars, or one of the power lines that litter the city. Eventually, you learn how to snipe (Precision), grind on power lines and railroad tracks (Induction Grind) and, my personal favorite, fire massive rockets of electricity that cause spalsh damage, plus an extra spalsh if the guys happens to blow up. Many more are unlockable, from offensive to defensive, and each carries it's own role in the game.

I am a man impressed by details, and one that stuck out is that they explained everything. EVERYTHING. Cole can climb buildings like Spiderman. Why? He was into "urban exploration" before the blast. He can also jump over cars, climb just about anything in the city, and sprint for miles without stopping. They provided a semi-logical explanation for his powers, and even made getting new powers a plausible experience. The city's power grid is almost entirely out, and by re-connecting high-voltage underground transformers (by hand) your powers increase from the sheer force of energy flowing through you.

Plot: 10
The story is excellent, in my opinion. Betrayal, love, time-travel- all your basic plot-points are covered. The story is told through short cuts scenes and scripted gameplay, a'la Half-Life. Appropriately, the cut scenes are more like a comic panel than movies (in most cases) and are well drawn. It has enough twists that you may not see these things coming. Also, the plot goes one of two ways, depending on the path you choose (Good or Evil).

Graphics: 10
Solid graphics, without the ridiculous amount of bloom found in EVERY GAME nowadays. Even for a 720p game it still looks great. Cole actually changes appearance depending on the path chosen, and noticeably too. The lightning powers are awesome to look at, and the explosions are nice as well.

Sound: 9
Good to see they didn't sell-out and put T.I. as the sole soundtrack. Very atmospheric, changes with the circumstances, and never overbearing. The voice-acting is good (not notable, but sufficient). Essentially, the standard you've come to expect with next-gen consoles.

Mechanics: 8
Don't get me wrong; on the whole, the game plays smoothly. There are just a few points around each district that glitch horribly. For example, you lose the ability to walk in any direction but off a building, or you might find that walking through certain walls is not a problem for the Human Lightbulb. It's more of a nuisance than anything, but otherwise the game is superb. The aiming is great, the platforming is great, just the random glitches.

Atmosphere: 10
Do I feel like a superhero when playing this- kind of. Does Cole seems to be aware of his surroundings? Yes. Are people in the city aware of Cole? Yes. Does this feel like a city where a superhero might be needed? Yes. Problem solved.

Overall Experience: 9
Worth the $60, but not without flaws. A must have for current PS3 owners, but not a reason to buy the system itself.

Concert Preparations: Compiling the Perfect Playlist

2009-04-19T17:44:00.000-07:00

With the first in our concert trilogy fast approaching (2 days out as of post), I need to kick into prep mode. There are certain things I make sure are set- rides, tickets, and homework, among other things. Entertainment it key as well, namely the music for the ride up and back. Last thing we need is a boring ride up, or the driver falling asleep from Thrash Deprivation. I sat down about 3 hours ago and meticulously crafted a playlist based heavily around bands we will be seeing, along with bands that are sonically comparable. Here it is.

(a * denotes a band on the bill for any of the 3 shows currently on the radar)

Accept- Balls to the Wall
Airbourne- Running Wild
Alice in Chains- Dirt, Facelift
Amon Amarth- Discography
Annihilator- Alice in Hell, Never Neverland, Metal, The Best of: Annihilator
Anthrax- Spreading the Disease, Among the Living, State of Euphoria, Persistence of Time
Anvil- Metal on Metal
Arch Enemy- Wages of Sin, Anthems of Rebellion, Rise of the Tyrant, Doomsday Machine
*As I Lay Dying- Discography
Atheist- Discography
At The Gates- Slaughter of the Soul
Austrian Death Machine- Discography
Bathory- Bathory, Under the Sign, The Return..., Blood Fire Death, Nordland I & II, Octagon
Behemoth- Demigod, Satanica, Thelma 66.6, Zos Kia Cultos
*Belphegor- Blutsabbath, Bondage Goat Zombie, Goatreich-Fleshcult, Lucifer Incestus,
Black Sabbath- Paranoid, Heaven and Hell, The Mob Rules, Dehumanizer
Blind Guardian- A Twist in the Myth
Bloodbath- Discography
Blue Oyster Cult- Agents of Fortune, The Revolution By Night
Bolt Thrower- Warmaster
Bootsy Collins- Back in the Day: The Best of Bootsy
Buckethead- Crime Slunk Scene, Buckethead and Friends: Enter the Chicken, Decoding the Tomb of the Bansheebot, Population Override
Celtic Frost- Morbid Tales
Chrome Division- Discography
Dark Angel- Time Does Not Heal, Darkness Descends
Dark Tranquility- The Gallery, Damage Done, Haven
Death- Human, Individual Thought Patterns, Scream Bloody Gore, The Sound of Perserverance
Death Angel- Killing Season
Deep Purple- Shades (Disc 2)
Demolition Hammer- Tortured Existence
Demons & Wizards- Discography
Destruction- D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N, The Antichrist,
Dethklok- The Dethalbum (Special Edition)
Dio- Holy Diver, Last In Line
Dragonlord- Discography
Dublin Death Patrol- D.D.P 4 Life
Ensiferum- Discography
*Epicurean- A Consequence of Design, V.II R.VI
*Exodus- Bonded by Blood, Shovel Headed Kill Machine
Evile- Enter the Grave
Faith No More- The Real Thing
Fastway- Fastway
Finntroll- Nattfodd
*God Forbid- IV: Constitution of Treason
Gojira- The Way of All Flesh
The Haunted- the Haunted Made Me Do It, Versus
Headhunter- Parasite of Society
High on Fire- Discography
Iced Earth- Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Tribute To The Gods, The Glorious Burden
In Flames- Colony, Clayman, Jester Race/Black Ash Inheritance
Iron Maiden- Number of the Beast, Powerslave, Piece of Mind
Judas Preist- British Steel, Screaming for Vengeance, Painkiller, Jugulator
Kalmah- Discography
Kamelot- Dominion, Eternity, The Fourth Legacy, Karma, Seige Perilous
Kataklysm- In the Arms of Devestation, Prevail, Sorcery/Mystical Gate
King Diamond- Abigail, Them, Voodoo
*Kreator- Coma of Souls, Endless Pain, Enemy of God, Extreme Aggression, Hordes of Chaos, Pleasure to Kill, Terrible Certainty
Lacuna Coil- Comalies, Karmacode, Unleashed Memories
*Lamb of God/Burn the Priest- Discography
*Lazarus A.D.- The Onslaught
Led Zeppelin- Early/Latter Days, Led Zeppelin II
Lordi- Deadache, The Arockalypse
Marilyn Manson- Antichrist Superstar
Megadeth- Countdown to Extinction, Hidden Treasures, Killing is My Business... And Business Is Good!, Peace Sells... But Who's Buyin'?, Rust in Peace, So Far, So Good... So What?, United Abomination, Youthanasia
Mercenary- 11 Dreams
Mercyful Fate- Melissa, Don't Break the Oath, The Beginning
Metallica- Kill 'Em All, Ride The Lightning, Master of Puppets, ...And Justice For All
Michael Schenker Group- Michael Schenker Group
Morbid Angel- Alters of Madness, Blessed Are The Sick, Covenant, Domination
*Municipal Waste- Discography
Nailbomb- Point Blank
Necrophagist- Discography
Obituary- Slowly We Rot, The End Complete, Xecutioner's Return, World Demise
Paul Gilbert- Solo Discography
Possessed- Seven Churces
Primus- They Can't All Be Zingers
Rainbow- Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Rising, Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
Riot- Thundersteel
Sabbat- History of a Time to Come, Dreamweavers
Scar Symmetry- Discography
Sepultura- Roots, Chaos A.D., Arise, Beneath the Remains, Schizophrenia
Shadows Fall- The War Within
Sigh- Hangman's Hymn
Slayer- Hell Awaits, Reign in Blood, South of Heaven, Seasons in the Abyss
Sodom- Agent Orange, Code Red, M-16, Persecution Mania, Masqeurade in Blood
Strapping Young Lad- Alien, City, The New Black
*Testament- Discography
*Unearth- The March
Venom- Black Metal
*Warbringer- War Without End
Wintersun- Winter Madness
Zimmer's Hole- Discography

Comment with any Suggestions!

Hypocrisy and the High School Mind

2009-03-19T13:18:00.000-07:00

Hypocrisy is everywhere; everyone has been guilty of it at some point. However, this bugs me a little bit, and I need to get it of my chest.

Our school has a fairly loose dress code, but there are a few rules that I personally refuse to abide by, due to a lack of coherent reasoning behind them. Namely, the wearing of camouflage is banned district-wide, due to "encouraging militant and/or gang activity". That would make sense, if we weren't a 97% white school situated firmly between a long row of fast food joints and Suburbia. I'm not racist, so don't take my comments as such. If we were a 50% white, 50% black school, the likelihood of crime or violence would be much greater, more so if we were an inner city school. But what do our administrators hope to prevent with not allowing camo?

It's supposed to be the "banning of wearing 'colors'", if I'm not mistaken. Essentially, they are wanting everyone to stop wearing camo because that's a traditionally militant symbol. The funny thing is, we don't get in trouble for wearing all black. If the teachers see a group of students wearing black outfits with evil-looking designs or something of the sort, not a word is spoken. I'd think that would be the first thing on the chopping block after Columbine. Yet camo is banned. What if it's not a military pattern? What if it is hunting pattern, like Mossy Oak Breakup? That's not militant, it's hunting. (By the way, no popular company/department store sells a military camouflage pattern.)

The next one is the wallet chain. I wear one roughly 2 feet long all the time. If a teacher asks me to put it in my pocket, I do. But I will not take it off. Teachers haven't told me to take it off this year. Yet today, I got stopped by an administrator for the camo and got yelled at for the chain as well. I'm not a troublemaking student by any means, but I will fight this just for the hell of it.

One thing every administrator failed to notice was the fact that my new Watchmen t-shirt has a photo of The Comedian on it, holding a sniper rifle, with a flask sitting on a foreground table. Not a single person metioned it.

The administrator that originally busted me for it was in the office, and I was making copies in there. She came up and asked me how many people had also talked to me about the shorts. When I told her "None whatsoever", she looked appaled. She brought in another vice principal to see, an with both of them there, I said this:
"Well, no one has talked to me other than you about the shorts and the chain, but it seems like you didn't notice the most egregious violation I'm wearing. My shirt clearly shows a man holding a rifle, pointed out the window at a crowd. There is also a flask sitting on the table near my waistline. Not to mention, not a single person in over three weeks has noticed that I wear my (I pull back my hair to show) headphones all day long."

Their collective looks of shock were priceless. Honestly, so worth it. They were speechless, so much so that all they could do was walk back to their offices, heads slightly hung in unadmitting shame.

I will be wearing the shorts again next week.

Concert Month: A Preview

2009-03-17T15:21:00.000-07:00

Alright, so all last year I bitched about how few good shows came around here: Gigantour (April) was in Louisville, Behemoth (May) @Bogarts in town, and Children of Bodom (Sept./Oct, I think) was in Columbus. And that was about it. It sucks being a metalhead resident to Cincinnatio, due to an unspoken "Fuck playing near Ohio- Cleveland sucks enough, fuck the rest of them" pact taken by most notable bands. Matal Masters was closest in Philly and Cleveland, and Iron Maiden was in Cleveland as well, a show only our devoted Maiden fan Jake went to.

This year is looking right the hell up, folks. Great shows, both festival and headlining tours, are headed within 150 miles of the good 'ol Nati. First up, we have the month of April. Headlining at the Madhatter across the river, Napalm Death are tearing up the (513) with support from Kataklysm, Toxic Holocaust, and Trap Them. That's the 13th. Then, one week later on the 21st, the No Fear Energy Tour hits Columbus- HARD. Lamb of God headlining to support Wrath, As I Lay Dying, Children of Bodom, God Forbid, and Municipal Waste supporting. This is a can't-miss-show for me, because I love LoG and MW, and the rest will be fun to see live.

May rolls through, and hits us like a brick. Back to back are Paganfest and Testament, both in town, both amazing live shows. I love Testament, and I love the Paganfest lineup this year. Then the Thrash show to end all Thrash shows: German legends Kreator are playing over Exodus, Belphegor, and newcomers Warbringer. If you haven't checked them out, I give my highest recommendations to fans of old-school thrash records like Darkness Descends and Bonded by Blood. Their debut was one of my top picks for 2008, and their new album due out this year shouldn't disappoint.

Alright, barring some scheduling conflicts, I can hit most of the shows listed, and I'm psyched as hell for them. If any locals are reading this blog and thinking of attending, comment of what shows you'll be seeing. I may see you there.

Scapegoating: In Reply

2009-02-28T18:44:00.000-08:00

(This post is a response to The Mosh Pit's post about censorship.)

I must wholeheartedly disagree with you, Garrett. I don't see censorship as a major concern in today's more tolerant, liberal society. The far more important issue is that of constant scapegoating of vaguely controversial media, like music, movies, and video games. However, even that is coming to a bit of a finality. Still though, it is far worse for fans of these media than censorship because the majority of censorship comes from this baseless blame.

See, the art of scapegoating is essentially a means of deflecting blame to someone/thing/where else. For example, rather than admit their fault in the shambles they called an economy, post-WWI Germans were eager to blame someone else. Hitler came forward, spouting off about the Jews' supposed control of the banks and all the world's money and claimed conspiracy. Thus, in the minds of common Germans, the concentration camps were at worst a neutral issue in their minds; an "out of site, out of mind" policy, if you will. Things have changed in Germany, but the example remains as relevant as ever.

Parents began straying from traditional punishment-based parenting around the 60's and 70's, in an effort to "not become their fathers". However, once is came to punishing their kids for ill behavior, they were unwilling to take necessary measures. Their unwillingness culminated during their children's teen years, when the lack of punishment for misdeeds resulted in children everywhere (in the U.S.) taking an attitude of "You can't punish me". Teachers everywhere lost faith in humanity, parents lost control of their kids, and politicians looked (like they commonly do) for a way to spin a negative into a positive. In comes, first, heavy metal.

What could be easier to blame than a music teaching kids to question the world as it is handed to them? "We're Not Gonna Take It". "You've Got Another Thing Comin'". The "KISS Army". These kids are obviously the scum of the Earth, and violate every human right known to man... right?

Except that they dont. In fact, they go with tradition: when your reality sucks, do what you can to positively alter it. History supports me on this, many times over. Being American (and not having ever taken a serious World History class [not my choice, by the way]) I think I'll use American History to support.

Reality: A king 3000 miles away is taxing the shit out of everything you buy, making arbitrary rules just because, and making YOU pay for wars you aren't fighting.
Alteration: Form your own country after fighting your American ass off for it.

Reality: Economic sinkhole just opened up and swallowed the world market.
Alteration: Join a growing war that we (thanks to an attack on our soil) have a stake in, convert factories and such at home into a war economy, make money, end war by using history's first true "Super-Weapon".

But, of course, the blame is on metal, simply because it talks about issues politicians would rather we were in the dark about. The music isn't aggressive, it's violent. The lyrics aren't political, they're anti-government. The appearance isn't about evoking a good fear in fans or about attracting attention to increase record sales, it's about worshiping Satan. Everything is twisted, everything is distorted, and everything about us is EVIL.

Video games come along and, with each generation of consoles becoming "more realistic", the blame shifts to them. Jack Thompson made his entire law career (which is over now) on fighting video games. Suddenly, in ten years time, games go from cute little hedgehogs and plumbers to unstoppable killing machines and psychotic serial killers. Suddenly, they aren't games anymore; there is no entaertainment value to them. Now, according to politicans, they are "murder simulators". They are "death trainers". Rather than provide a means of stress release in a controlled, implication-free environment, they teach that the real world is just as the game world- without law, order, or punishment.

In this Digital Age when an artist can attract an audience no matter how controversial their work, censorship is not the problem. Blaming real world problems on entertainment media instead of accepting that the true nature of these problems lies with how children are raised is the REAL issue.

I have a twitter Now.

2009-02-21T20:34:00.000-08:00

Yeah. So, not much to this one... I have a Twitter now. check it out: www.twitter.com/thetompkins

Wisdom Teeth, Delta Blues, and Droogies

2009-02-13T20:46:00.000-08:00

Okay, so for my first major surgery in 4 years, I have three (luckily not yet impacted) wisdom teeth removed today and well, it wasn't as bad as everyone seems to thing it is. I took some Valium about a half an hour before my appointment, and was drowsy on my on my way there (I was driven, don't worry). I got there, and the went through the mandatory "Are you nervous? Do you need me to numb where I'm gonna place the IV?" thing and went into the operating room. The last thing I remember was the nruse saying something to the effect of "You're going to start feeling more and more relaxed until yo-".

Out cold.

I wake up at home,mouth stuffed with gauze, with only a minor headache and an insatiable craving for Vanilla pudding. Thankfully, one of the foods you're allowed to eat is in fact soft pudding, so lucky me. I started watching American Psycho, and it is a spectacular movie in much the same vein as Metamorphosis, a novella we recently read in AP English. I finished it, and watched possibly my favorite dystopian future movie ever, A Clockwork Orange. An adaptation of Anthony Burgess' legendary cult novel, it is by far one of the most twisted movies ever. Hell, less than 30 minutes in, Burgess/Kubrick manage to work in two completely logical rape scenes (I say logical in the sense that they don't fee forced in any way). I recommend both movies it you like twisted storytelling at its finest.

One other thing I did do in preparation was to download some eerie music to accompany my downtime- namely Blue Oyster Cult, The Sword, and Robert Johnson, the most legendary bluesman ever. With only one known song stretching over 2:59, his 29 original recordings are must-haves for aspiring blues guitarists. In general his music is above anything I have ever heard in terms of feeling, soul, and that sense of "He poured his heart into this song" that accompanies blues like a shadow.

It's been about 14 hours since the surgery itself and, other than a dull ache in my lower jaw and one loose stitch end on my top left, I'm actually feeling back to fairly normal.

Gods of Metal, grant me a way of convincing my parents that going to two concerts in Louisville two school nights in a row is a good idea?

(Post- publish: I apologize for the numerous grammatical mistakes in my last post, but the sedative hadn't quite worn off yet.)

More Things That Piss Me Off

2009-01-29T18:55:00.000-08:00

All right. Here we go again. I will start this off clearly explaining who is pissing me off this time.

FUCK YOU BLACK TIDE. FUCK YOU.

Ok, why am I angry at Black Tide? Well, it's novelty hyping bullshit. For some reason, people (namely the mainstream) attribute teens (or worse, pre-teens) playing instruments to being ROCK GODS!!!!!

And clearly, they are not.

Now, I'm all for new talent breaking the mid-20's mold, but that's the problem. With age comes experience, at least in this case. Most metalheads (because that is the genre I will be focusing on) start playing somewhere between 12 and 18- right about when they start LISTENING to metal. Thus, when they hit 25, they can have anywhere from 7-13 years of experience under their belts. Gabriel from Black Tide (lead vocals/guitars) isn't even legal yet (according to Wiki ATOW, 16 be the age).

They got kicked off the Jager stage at Ozzfest BECAUSE of their age.

Now... the meat of the problem: their medocrity. (Disclaimer: Gabriel IS A BETTER player than I am. No question there, but I've only been playing for 4 months.) I'm saying that, for the level of critical praise they recieved (3.5/5 from AllMusic, positive Kerrang! and Blabbermouth reviews) they aren't that good.

I like a good novelty act now and again, but to keep me interested you need to have a lot of talent to back up the hype. Kittie is a good example, but they petered out. Girlschool is fantastic. Lordi is hilarious, but they can throw out some of the best hooky riffs in the business. Black Tide accomplishes no such feat. See, they tried to break into Thrash Metal, a predominately Old-Guard dominated genre. Mistake. Then, they recorded what can only be described as fitting the music store label of "Pop-Rock". Mistake. Then, they recorded a shirtless, campy "Sk8r" video for Shockwave, their first single. MISTAKE. Either go all-out camp (Lordi) or go badass (Warbringer). Half-ass it and pay the price.

Stop now. Seriously, it's been established that people trying to stray too far from the metal genre (while still calling yourself metal and fanbasing metalheads) are shot down in miserable balls of flames.

Bright Possibilities

2008-12-20T15:17:00.001-08:00

Sony has been catching a ton of shit lately for its failed PS3 hyping- LittleBigPlanet, Resistance: Fall of Man, and Warhawk, among others, have been getting crazy press for their own takes on their respective genres, but the sales have done nothing to reflect the quality. Nintendo hasn't even put out a post-Thanksgiving Nintendo franchise game like Mario or Zelda for the Wii. Everyone is absolutely in love with the Xbox360 and all its fucking majesticness- yet the fact that it had a 67% FAILURE rate for its launch year has somehow not phased people. I know many of my friends are on their second, third, or even fourth 360 since they adopted the console a Xmas or two ago.

That said, the PS Network is looking up. The PS3 is getting some great games in the coming year, the library of DLG/DLC on the PlayStationNetwork is growing rapidly, and interconnectivity between the PS3/P is getting more useful every day. I recently began using the PSN Store, much like the 360's Marketplace, and finding some great gems hidden amongst the library of good DLGs. For one thing, the PSN allows users to download PS1 classics, for those of us who grew up playing not Mario or Zelda, but Crash Bandicoot, Twisted Metal, and Spyro the Dragon. That library is getting more expansive every week and month. The games return in all their former glory, and most are playable on the PS3 OR THE PSP. Portable Crash? I have two, and at $6.99 apiece, I'd say thats a great deal.

The orginal content is even more exciting. Games under $10 like echochrome, a game full of puzzles inspired by the works of M.C. Escher, is intensly entertaining and offers a $5 expansion featuring hundreds of different user-created puzzles (a feature in the game). With nearly 60 fun and challenging puzzles in the game itself, it makes for a great single or multiplayer experience. Beats, a $4.99 game from Sony Europe, is a portable rythym game based on titles like Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and DDR. 2 things seperate it from these titles: it needs no expensive peripherals to play, and it uses the music you already have. That's right, you add music to your PSP, select the track from the in-game menu, and it generates a challenge BASED ON THE SONG. Playing a speed metal track- get 30-note strings with rapid changes to different notes and areas on screen. Funk- weird transitions and breakdowns.

All that is well and good, but what about the PS3 owners who want a 30, 40, or 50 hour game and are not concerned about cost? We're fucked for exclusives! The best one we have is MGS4, and that only lasts as long as you want it to! Resistance was fun, but it got overshadowed by Gears of War for 360. Warhawk was online-only, and no story mode. GTA IV- no DLC even announced for us yet. What's a guy to do?

OH wait, that's right, wait for God of War III, due out soon next year. HD bloodshed like no one else can do bloodshed. Or how about inFamous? Coming out of SuckerPunch Studios (of Sly Cooper fame) it tells the story of a morally ambiguous character named Cole (before you skeet your collective selves, he's white and NOT voiced by "Terrible" Terry Tate) who gains developing superpowers based around electricity after an explosion rocks New York City. In the same vein as Fable and Elder Scrolls IV, your actions determine your social standing and public opinion- as well as publishers having hinted that the more brutal you are, the more violent your powers are; thus, the more evil you become, the more difficult it is to reverse. While it's not a PS exclusive, Brutal Legend shows the most- well, fuck hyping this game again, even though it deserves it. Read my last post.

The PS3 is looking up in the coming year and if it can get some big name titles under it's belt SOON, it might begin working it's way out of the 3rd place hole it has dug itself into. Stop hyping "1080p support and Blu-Ray capability" Sony- start pushing the "Our games kick ass" creed you have always done so well. If you aren't off your high horse yet, you better start dismounting soon or the 360 will push you guys the way of Sega- making occasionally noteworthy games for other people's consoles. Don't fuck around in '09, guys- we still believe in you, but you need to step it up. You should realize now you aren't invincible, and that now YOU are the late one to the party- you need to play catch up this time, not Microsoft, not Nintendo.

***UPDATE*** One of the lesser known gripes PS3 owners had is the inability to view flash videos outside of YouTube. That means Cracked.com, Metacafe, Dailymotion, and Break were all lacking video support. However, that has been fixed with a recent update allowing users to view flash videos from almost every known FLV source. Cool as hell, in my opinion.

Fucking 2/3rds Rule.

2008-12-14T16:00:00.000-08:00

Since Brad and Jake both posted, figure I might as well. I must warn you, It's not going to be Jake's super-sentimental post, nor will it be Brad's dreamscape post. I want to talk to you about Brutal Legend, the most awesome game ever. I gotta get this out of my system and fast.

Brutal Legend tells the story of Eddie Riggs, a roadie, who's belt buckle transports him back to the Age of Rock, a time ruled by Heavy Metal. Eddie, voiced by Jack Black, sets out on a quest to defeat the scourge of the land- various enemies voiced by the likes of Rob Halford and Lemmy- and become a Rock God. At his aid are his axe, his actual axe, and a roadster built from parts he finds across his new home. This, along with a troupe of monsters at his disposal, will be his only defense against the likes of General Lionwhyte (who's mane of hair is so glorious it actually allows him to fly).

Why am I so pumped for this game? A few reasons. The underground hit Psychonauts may ring a bell for some, and those that know it love it. Tim Schaffer, the genius behind it, is writing, producing, and overseeing this project. 2 points. It's a game centered specifically around heavy metal. 3 points. It features voiceovers from Halford, Lemmy, JB, and Dio. 18 points. This is their trailer. 100,000 points of pure unbridled win.

The cone of silence, please.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Knowing the rave reviews Psychonauts got, Brutal Legend is sure to please. Plus, with tracks like "Mob Rules", "Screaming for Vengeance", and "The Hellion/Electric Eye" already confirmed (and more certainly on the way), this has a better soundtrack than the original Guitar Hero- a hard act to follow.

HTZ's Best of '08

2008-12-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

So, I just got done reading my buddy Brad's yearly wrapup for his own favorite music and figured, what the hell, why not? 2008 was a great year for Metalheads everywhere: we see the long-awaited reunion of old-school Testament, a new Judas Priest album, and quite possibly the single greatest tour ever comprised- the Metal Masters Tour.

Testament: The Formation of Damnation
Let me start off by saying that, above ALL other Thrash bands (including Megadeth- sorry, Brad) I love Testament. So to see that they were releasing their first new material in 10 years was awesome, to say the least. Chuck Billy has recovered from his bout with cancer, Alex Skolnick has returned to lead guitar duties, and warming their revolving-door drum stool is Paul Bostaph (ex-Slayer). All in all, a great lineup, and the album delivers. Combining Billy's 80's thrash vocals and 90's death growls, the album flows as well as any other Testament album ever has, and rocks just as hard.

The Haunted: Versus
For those that don't know, the Haunted spawned out of legendary Swedish MDM band At The Gates, as a project of the bands' brothers/guitarists/songwriters. While their early releases like The Haunted Made Me Do It were geared toward MDM again, Versus has the band taking itself in a new, more Thrashcore direction. An excellent album, no less. It rocks like any other Haunted album, but with a stlye more akin to Shadows Fall.

Amon Amarth: Twilight of the Thunder God
Music is as epic as the cover. Simple as that.

Scar Symmetry: Holgraphic Universe
Though the album has gotten mediocre reviews, it genuinely suprised me. MDM, but adding much more of a sci-fi feel to it. Kind of like listening to Rush, except Geddy decided halfway through the recording that he wanted to do death metal for a while.

Judas Priest: Nostradamus
Jake, I know you'll hate me for this, but... I can't stand to listen to the new Priest album. This was the last album I purchased, and was not only disappointed but angry too. People were absolutely in love with this album and, while the concept is good, the music is terrible and completely un-Priestly. No standout riffs, no mind-blowing vocal performances, and no killer drumming- while I didn't expect another British Steel or Painkiller, I certainly didn't expect Turbo, Pt.II.

Children of Bodom: Blooddrunk
Disappointing, but a step up from 2005's "Are You Dead Yet?". Not the sheer technique one expects from Alexi and crew, but not the brutality from AYDY? either. All in all an average record for Bodom- which is still great compared to others.

Lamb of God: Walk With Me in Hell (Live DVD/ Tour Documentary)
Any of my friends will tell you that, as of the last week or so I've been pretty much obsessed with this band. And rightfully so, as they kick enough ass to headline any tour you can name, any festival you can name, hell-they should probably perform every soundtrack for every movie ever while they're at it. This DVD chronicles the band's tour cycle for 2006's Sacrament, an absolute mindfuck of an album. With the music video for their first single Redneck, a "making Of" special for the album, AND the full 2007 Download performance, this movie clocks in around 4 hours- and it will be a very good 4 hours for you.

Metal Masters: Summer Tour 2008
If I were to tell you that Dio was getting back together with his-era Sabbath and doing a US tour, would you be excited? What about if Judas Priest, hot off the release of their first new album with Rob Halford in 18 YEARS were touring as well? Motorhead too? Thrash legends Testament, new;y reformed with Alex Skolnick back on lead guitar were hitting the road TOO? This year is gonna be awesome for heavy metal! But, what about dates conflicting- one band in Philly the same night as another in Cleveland? Damn. Oh, wait- THEY'RE TOURING TOGETHER. BEST. SUMMER. EVER.

That about wraps it up, though I will say this- if, for some holy purpose, Demons & Wizards were to, say, team up with Lamb of God, there would be a trail of blood and abortions between my house and every single one of their shows.

Things that piss me off, Episode One

2008-11-30T19:03:00.000-08:00

Okay, so why the hell does EVERYONE that comes to the Guest service counter have to be an inconsiderate unintelligent asshole? Guy comes in to return a WoW bundle we sell.

Here is our return policy, so you know: Unopened- cash back; opened- if broken/defective, exchange for SAME GAME ONLY (this comes into play), if just unsatisfied, you are shit out of luck. Printed on the receipt, by the way.

Okay, so he brings in an OPEN bundle, and says "Hi, I'd like my money back on this."

Me: "Is there something wrong with this?"
Asshole: "Error code 2 (laughs)?"
Me: "Okay, since it is open, store policy says we have to exchange it for the same item only."
AH: "No, I want my money back."
Me: "Sir, I am sorry, but the FCC mandates this policy. They want to try and combat piracy."
AH: "What the hell kind of sense does that make? You're lying to me."
Me: "Sir, people can take the disc home, copy it onto their computer, download what is called a crack- a tool used to play the game in lieu of having the disc- and return the game to the store, saving $50 bucks in the process. We and the FCC don't like being scammed, so we enforce this policy regardless of circumstance unless the product is defective."
AH: "Well, I goddamned CALLED BLIZZARD and they said they shipped out defective ones. What are YOU going to do about it?"
Me: "Absolutely nothing. That is the manufacturer's error, not ours. I have told you what we can do, so here are your options: Either you can calm down and make the exchange and try a new copy, OR you can continue throwing your little fit and leave with your pre-established defective product. I can always call over DJ, our security guard, and have him escort you out, if you so choose."

So, the guy makes the exchange, but not before calling me a liar at least 2 more times during the process. If by some miracle you are reading this, you are a prick, sir.

Oh, that, and people who abbreviate unnecessarily in blog posts, PMs, or anything else.

Square One: An Introduction

2008-11-14T19:40:00.000-08:00

Why hello there folks, why don't you step on in...

All the boring stuff is in my profile, so if you feel you learn best by reading limited entries related to arbitrary categories then so be it, but here is the gist of ME.

Upon meeting me, one would traditionally see me as a slacker, a waste of teachers time, and a general Know-Nothing. A grain of truth, but not wholly accurate. I am constantly reminded by teachers, friends, coworkers, and everyone else of how much of an underachiever extraordinaire I tend to be. With a 2.9 GPA and a 32 on the ACT, it's hard to argue with their assessments.

After about five minutes, you find out that I love heavy metal and most everything associated with it. While I have a certain affinity for classic rock, blues, and classical music, I can almost always find some band from Amon Amarth to Zimmer's Hole that suits my mood that day. Finding heavy metal made me who I am today, and I wouldn't change it for anything.

Ten minutes go by, and you realize that, while I can be a well-meaning guy, I choose not to be. I find the being the villain is much more fun, if only in my own insignificant ways. People see me as a bit "different", but really I just feel like a villain's motives are not always as clear as a hero's- and that intrigues me.

15 minutes is usually when my opinionated personality comes out. It doesn't take long for me to find something to disagree about. I'm Atheist, and that gets a lot of attention. I've been asked by kids I know are as smart as I am the same questions everyone else asks: "What happens when you die?" or "Then where do your morals come from?" That's a discussion for a later day.

Now you know me, time to know why I call this blog "Square One".

Recently, there has been a rather large movement in metal that, inadvertently, has brought metal into the mainstream. In some cases, this is great, because new bands are achieving critical AND commercial success without sacrificing the music. Lamb of God is a perfect example of such- they are one of the best reviewed bands of recent memory, their most recent albums (Sacrament and Ashes of the Wake) both got Grammy noms for Best Metal Performance, and are still one of the most evil-sounding bands on the face of the planet (thanks in large part to Randy Blythe).

My problem stems from bands that do in fact sacrifice the music for better album sales, but still try to fly the "Heavy Metal" banner. Avenged Sevenfold, I'm looking at you. Your clean-vocals and glam/nu-metal hybrid guitars make you sound like Lifehouse heard an old Slayer record and decided to try metal out, as a joke. But before I get flamed from A7X fanboys who are absolutely in love with Synyster and Zack(y), I will say this- these two do have real potential.

Here is my proposition: we round up all of the "commercial metal" bands and forcibly disband every one of them. Then, we stick them in groups based on who was influenced by what music (guys who started playing drums because of Gene Hoglan's performance on Darkness Descends by Dark Angel get together with a vocalist, bassist, and a pair of guitarists who share that inspiration) and have them start from

Square One.

They start out like many big metal acts- playing covers of their favorite bands. Metallica started out playing Diamondhead covers, for example. This will (hopefully) inspire them to get heavy, get technical, and get respected by the REAL metal fans. Release demos of their new material and work their way back up. Megadeth still tours, Slayer still tours, Priest, Maiden, Sabbath, Motorhead- all of them toured this summer. These guys are in their 40's, fifties, and in some cases 60's and they STILL rock. Bruce Dickenson still draws a crowd, even sans his legendary red flowing mane. If Chuck Schuldiner and Ace "Quorthon" Forsberg were still alive (may their music live on forever), Death and Bathory would both be touring, and not just to support new albums- no, they would tour for the fun of touring and for us- the fans.

I suppose I should wrap it up for tonight. Check out Negative Zen and Eye of the Ages for more quality ranting and raving between spurts of insight and political satire.

Just remember one thing- if metal is your thing, don't let family/peer/social pressure keep you from it, or it from you. That goes for everything. If you play an instrument, get out there and find some like-minded people and jam- who knows where we would be if Sabbath hadn't taken a chance on Ozzy?