Swine Flu

Swine influenza outbreak, news go wild, world is trembling, another mild threat blown out of proportion, that is all.

Pork anyone?

My Metal Awards 2008

I had bigger plans but ended up making a top ten list:

------ MY TOP 10 METAL ALBUM PICKS FROM THE YEAR 2008 ------

[ #1: Cynic - Traced In Air ]
tracklist:
[ 1. Nunc Fluens ]
[ 2. The Space For This ]
[ 3. Evolutionary Sleeper ]
[ 4. Integral Birth ]
[ 5. The Unknown Guest ]
[ 6. Adam's Murmur ]
[ 7. King Of Those Who Know ]
[ 8. Nunc Stans ]

[ #2: Sculptured - Embodiment ]
tracklist:
[ 1. Taking My Body Apart ]
[ 2. The Shape Of Rage ]
[ 3. A Moment Of Uncertainty ]
[ 4. Bodies Without Organs ]
[ 5. Embodiment Is The Purest Form Of Horror ]

[ #3: Protest The Hero - Fortress ]
tracklist:
[ 1. Bloodmeat ]
[ 2. The Dissentience ]
[ 3. Bone Marrow ]
[ 4. Sequoia Throne ]
[ 5. Palms Read ]
[ 6. Limb From Limb]
[ 7. Spoils ]
[ 8. Wretch ]
[ 9. Goddess Bound ]
[ 10. Goddess Gagged ]

[ #4: Septic Flesh - Communion ]
tracklist:
[ 1. Lovecraft's Death ]
[ 2. Anubis ]
[ 3. Communion ]
[ 4. Babel's Gate ]
[ 5. We The Gods ]
[ 6. Sunlight Moonlight ]
[ 7. Persepolis ]
[ 8. Sangreal ]
[ 9. Narcissus ]

[ #5: Gojira - The Way Of All Flesh ]
tracklist:
[ 1. Oroborus ]
[ 2. Toxic Garbage Island ]
[ 3. A Sight To Behold ]
[ 4. Yama's Messengers ]
[ 5. The Silver Cord ]
[ 6. All The Tears ]
[ 7. Adoration For None ]
[ 8. The Art Of Dying ]
[ 9. Esoteric Surgery ]
[ 10. Vacuity ]
[ 11. Wolf Down The Earth ]
[ 12. The Way Of All Flesh ]

[ #6: Scar Symmetry - Holographic Universe ]
tracklist:
[ 1. Morphogenesis ]
[ 2. Timewave Zero ]
[ 3. Quantumleaper ]
[ 4. Artificial Sun Projection ]
[ 5. The Missing Coordinates ]
[ 6. Ghost Prototype I (Measurement Of Thought) ]
[ 7. Fear Catalyst ]
[ 8. Trapezoid ]
[ 9. Prism And Gate ]
[ 10. Holographic Universe ]
[ 11. The Three-Dimensional Shadow ]
[ 12. Ghost Prototype II (Deus Ex Machina) ]

[ #7: Meshuggah - obZen ]
tracklist:
[ 1. Combustion ]
[ 2. Electric Red ]
[ 3. Bleed ]
[ 4. Lethargica ]
[ 5. obZen ]
[ 6. This Spiteful Snake ]
[ 7. Pineal Gland Optics ]
[ 8. Pravus ]
[ 9. Dancers To A Discordant System ]

[ #8: Stam1na - Raja ]
tracklist:
[ 1. Hammasratas ]
[ 2. Susi-Ihminen ]
[ 3. Muistipalapelit ]
[ 4. Vartijaton ]
[ 5. Voima Vastaan Viha ]
[ 6. Lääke ]
[ 7. Kädet Vasten Lasia ]
[ 8. Luova Hulluus ]
[ 9. Muuri ]
[ 10. Murtumispiste ]

[ #9: Ihsahn - angL ]
tracklist:
[ 1. Misanthrope ]
[ 2. Scarab ]
[ 3. Unhealer ]
[ 4. Emancipation ]
[ 5. Malediction ]
[ 6. Alchemist ]
[ 7. Elevator ]
[ 8. Threnody ]
[ 9. Monolith ]

[ #10: Opeth - Watershed ]
tracklist:
[ 1. Coil ]
[ 2. Heir Apparent ]
[ 3. The Lotus Eater ]
[ 4. Burden ]
[ 5. Porcelain Heart ]
[ 6. Hessian Peel ]
[ 7. Hex Omega ]

Moving Soon

I have signed a rental contract today, so I'm paying for half of the student apartment my cousin lives in already, which means I will be most likely moving there in the next few weeks time. Besides that I hope I will find something interesting to write about, since I haven't really shined in that department lately.

In other news: the Telecoms Package thing is not as bad as I speculated, if it will ever go through in the first place. Apparently the countries are allowed to do many things if it goes live but they aren't forced to do them.

On top of that I might try and make a "chiptune album" for fun if my patience allows me to.

Over and out.

Telecoms Package

EU is going down an interesting path; internet censorship.

The proposed "Telecoms Package" allows users to only view the websites included in their package. How limiting this will be is not in my knowledge, but ultimately it's a marathon backwards and fights against EU's own laws. EU is trying to be a "Big Brother", but it will backfire so badly that it's not even funny, mark my words.

Internet is full of useless information but people want to have their freedom and view that useless information as they like. People want to have their silly communes focused on their hobbies, people want to read silly underground webcomics, people want to be free!

The first stage of this proposal got easily over 50% of votes, so it's likely going to happen, setting it all up if it does go through is another story however.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecoms_Package
http://www.laquadrature.net/wiki/Telecoms_Package

Buckle up for the age of text-TV internet.

Digital Piano Action pt.1

Song: Chasing the Black-Caped Man
Game: Final Fantasy VII
Composer: Nobuo Uematsu
Player: Me
Instrument: Korg SP-250

Some faults are present: notes that aren't sounding, hitting extra notes on the side by accident, tempo fluctuation, leaving out a small scale from the D-part of the song, bad camera angle, and close to no dynamics - still it's not a bad run for me. I was also listening to the original song through headphones while playing this.

I have only played piano for 7 months (and I haven't practiced nearly enough during that time).

Pyjamas, messy room and nightvision (because I forgot it was on) also included!

In any case I hope you enjoy this average performance :)

Surreal Surroundings pt.10

(Disclaimer: this is a work of fiction)

The only real person I had seen in this hell was now a shining lump of flesh, determined to strike me down with no remorse. I can only feel the lingering whispers of death in my constraints. What is it like to die, or to be reborn, will I be there or is it just a machine? I feel the heavy air on my skin - the beckoning breeze.

Unlocked, dragged and put into place. Will I be a spectator of my own death? Five of them wear their hooded robes, the new member of their family doesn't get that luxury, but it seems he will get the luxury of severing my soul. All humanity flees with this inhumanity I'm surrounded by. I can already envision the last film roll gliding past my eyes, as the blade is being readied for a new dive.

(anticipating death)

It was apparent that this journey wouldn't be like the ones in fantasy books, where the good wins and the evil subsides. It was apparent I was lost in an unknown world - alone. After admitting that, I'm already an empty shell of organic processes and electricity - faceless like these aliens.

I have to succumb to this certain fate.

(thrusting blade of death)

I can't put it into words what it felt like to go through death, but I wasn't resurrected as a monster, I was merely seperated from my earthly shell. I'm a soul now, watching my own carapace from above.

When you cease to exist in the material world, you will receive a true face. The face that represents you in the minds of others - a legacy.

I bid farewell to my flesh and begin my eternal flight in space.

THE END

[Movie Review] Noroi: The Curse (2005)

Japanese atmospheric horror done in documentary fashion.

A japanese reporter tries to solve paranormal mysteries, this time around he gets entangled with a legend of a higher degree. I love how this movie gives out sublime messages as the plot progresses, you are inside a slowly unfolding puzzle, a creepy one at that. The movie is presented as a documentary the reporter made with his cameraman. Various clues are knit together as the reporter interviews people connected to the subject. The actors and scenery are mostly what you could expect from everyday life in Japan, they really make that humane side of the movie. Sound effects aren't overused and add a magnificent touch, which is to be expected. Note that this movie shows nearly no violence, it's all about the atmosphere and it works like a charm. The movie doesn't reveal everything, so your imagination works as a delicious side dish. Disturbing peek at paranormality that may haunt you for a while.

I'll give this movie a surreal injection 9+/10

Stepman

Since I haven't posted yet about this little "hobby" called Stepmania I will do it now. This stuff got me interested in playing piano, true story, it's just fun to hit keys. I haven't played a whole lot lately so I'm rubbish now but you can look at these old videos.

Video from 5 months ago:


Video from 3 months ago:

Metal To Be Had

I want to make a year 2008 top metal albums list, maybe top 5, maybe top 10, maybe even top 20, but for that I have to spend some time re-evaluating the albums I have heard (I have missed some good ones for sure, but that's to be expected). I will rate each song with a rating and make an average of the album, also other stuff counts for total score but songs count most. I will also award single songs that deserve it. When I finish this adventure I will make a post titled "My Metal Awards 2008", so stay tuned.

Aspects I will look at besides invidual song scoring: songwriting, lyrics, vocals, production, mood and song order.

In the end of the day it will still be just my collective opinion.

Audio Overload

Are you a video game music junkie? If so, go and get this program:
Audio Overload

You can listen to many direct rips from old consoles with it, for example sega mega drive which I grew up with. Here's a really nifty site with a wide variety of sega genesis & sega mega drive music:
Project 2612

Have fun.

Oh Snap!

21 years and counting.

Got a fancy Korg SP-250 digital piano as a present *wink wink*

Surreal Surroundings pt.9

(Disclaimer: this is a work of fiction)

I'm terrified by the mist persons, they seem so natural, yet so different from a normal human being. How does that mist work anyways? It must be a living thing, but it's as if smoke had intelligence, something too weird to comprehend for my small head.

The mist persons glide closer to me and blend into each other, they start swirling around me, forming a great barrier, as if I was standing inside the eye of a tornado. This blue stream encircles me, the interior I see has faces coming out of the stream, faces that seem somehow familiar.

(searching deep)

It dawns on me that the faces are those of my family, of my friends, of myself and whoever else I faintly remember - the great vortex of familiar faces. I'm confused and disgusted, the mist is clearly playing with my feelings. Now all of my life experiences start pouring into my head with excessive force. I have tears in my eyes and I fall on my knees. Will this ever stop?

(calm before the storm)

The tornado starts to settle down and I'm gasping for air, for the experience was truly exhausting. The things I remembered through that display only add to my pain and desperation. The mist divides into five shapes resembling a human being, like it was before it turned into a spiraling cloud. Only this time around the mist seems to solidify; now the things look like a huge clump of flesh in the shape of a human being, but lacking a face. They look like any human, just their face is sanded off. They grab my arms and start dragging me down the dead silent corridors of their domain.

(the arrival)

I'm brought to a large hall. There the aliens put on a greyish blue hooded robe. They lock me in place with some alien technology that prevents any movement and speech. They want me to watch their sick ritual. On the other side of the hall there is another human locked in place. They walk up to the person and free him from his restraints, he screams in horror, the whole hall echoes from his powerful panic attack. The aliens just ruthlessly drag him to the center. They put him on his knees and four of the aliens hold him in place, while the fifth raises a long sword-like object. The man still tries to scream while the aliens hold his mouth open with their disgustingly shining flesh hands. The fifth alien coldly thrusts the blade down the man's throat, I throw up from just looking at the event. The sword-like object glows blue now and only moments after his death the man starts to merge with the sword. The sword evaporates and the man jerks around violently, finally turning into a flesh alien like the others.

Six aliens slowly make their way towards me.

[Album Review] The Black Mages - The Black Mages III: Darkness And Starlight (2008)

Current members:
Tsuyoshi Sekito - guitar
Michio Okamiya - guitar
Nobuo Uematsu - organ
Kenichiro Fukui - keyboard
Keiji Kawamori - bass
Arata Hanyuda - drums

Track Listing:
01 - Opening ~ Bombing Mission 4:39
02 - Neo EXDEATH 4:39
03 - The Extreme 5:51
04 - Assault of the Silver Dragons 5:01
05 - KURAYAMINOKUMO 4:56
06 - Distant Worlds 7:32
07 - Premonition 5:23
08 - Grand Cross 5:34
09 - Darkness and Starlight 15:32
10 - Life ~ in memory of KEITEN ~ 1:38

Favourite songs : "Assault of the Silver Dragons", "Opening ~ Bombing Mission" and "Premonition".

I found this album pretty late but it was exciting to see, that the band continues to write and play new material. It's a band formed by Nobuo Uematsu that plays progressive rock arrangements of Final Fantasy songs. What could go wrong with that?

The arrangements are mostly superb and very lively, my only gripes are probably with the last two tracks of the album; the title track has japanese opera singing and very many phases, so it's sort of interesting, but the songs showcased in this track aren't my favorite at all. The last track "Life ~ in memory of KEITEN ~" is a soothing piano song but it's really short, even when it's original work I'd call it an average effort compared to the superior first 4/5 of the album.

The songs are played pretty softly and clearly in general, still a surge of power comes into play quite often, which is appreciated. The players don't use dynamics whole lot per say but the musical mood swings are dynamic enough for me. Every player in the band is highly skilled with their instrument, the playing is amazingly accurate and really brings another dimension into the old Final Fantasy songs.

The exciting "rock band" way of playing the existing songs really blows new life into the already marvelous songs, so if you are fan of Final Fantasy series and/or music you should check these guys out immediately.

I'll give this album a happy chocobo 9-/10

Magic Cubes

For any puzzle fanatics out there, I present some nice cube puzzles (no I haven't done them but I do find them interesting). Everyone knows the first one, it's just a virtual version of rubix cube 3x3x3 but it gets more and more absurd, for example; Magic Cube 4D as a 3x3x3x3 has more possible positions than our universum has atoms and Magic Cube 5D as 7x7x7x7x7 hasn't been solved by anyone in the world. Unbelievable I say. It goes without saying that the previous difficulty helps to understand the next, anyhow here they are:

Magic Cube 3D

Magic Cube 4D

Magic Cube 5D

and as a bonus a non-cube thing:

Magic 120 Cell

Here's the only existing solve of it:


Good luck if you wish to try any of them.