Jay: The man, The Myth, The insane

So I think it's funny how we do mock farewell leaves on the blog but when some one does leave they are gone forever with no knowledge to our loyal readers what happened to them. Well, Jay this tribute is for you.

Jay loves Carl Monday. You can say he kinda has a man-crush on him. HE loved it when Monday caught the library masterbater with a combat vet father.

Jay loves metal. He likes it so much that his penis is made out of hard metal. He likes other artisitc music as well but metal is is forte.

Jay also likes saying odd stuff on other peoples blogs. It makes my heart skip a beat when he comments on someone's post and makes it funny. Johnny Smecklerburg; you're going down.

My greatest memory of Jay is a post from a movie called CB4. A movie with chris rock in it. when this video was posted I was in tears.



Thanks Jay for the memories. This one's for you.

Funny thing I saw on the way to school.

So I am driving down 71 this morning to go to class at ashland. when I saw this guy riding on my bumper trying to pass me. It was kinda hard since i was in a construction zone and was along side a propane truck. Well when I finally got around, I looked at the back of the guy's truck and on the window had a big window sticker that said, "Combat Veteran." Made me thing of our late great writer, Jay. May he rest in peace with Dani Filth...all 3 of them.

Cannibalism Progress

Well readers, Micah announced the making of music history in his most recent post, and I figured I could update you on progress. Micah and I just walked out of Vicious G's home studio, and I am pleased with the progress we have made thus far. We layed down the lead guitar tracks and it went very well. We did it on an average of 3 takes per track, as opposed to the 13 takes we attempted last time. After that, we talked about how Micah would be laying down the law with the rhythm tracks, which he and Vicious will be working on soon enough. The song is turning out very well. I can't and won't tell you all the details in terms of sound and lyrical content, just know that this song will give you a nice refreshing kick to your naughty bits. There is also a little 'Making Of' documentary in the works, which should prove to be very interesting. Until those come out for your viewing and listening pleasure, let the tension mount. I have also gotten pics of us performing the song in the studio, to give you a brief taste of this amazing experience. Here they are:


Vicious G exploring his options in the area of vocals for this song. He was wounded in the process by the hack-saw that is Micah on rhythm guitar, hence all the blood. The man in the background is his father noodling around on Jay's axe before going out to tend the garden.





This is Micah working on the rhythm tracks. He put on his good-luck corpse paint and his leather pants to enhance his ability of laying foundations of insane riffery under the blazin' lead tracks.



Jay laying down the leads for Cannibalism. Though he didn't feel at home at first with his black-metal brethren, he fit right in after he showed them what riffs he had to bring to the table.


There you have it. Obviously, we are enjoying this immensely. We think you will too.

My Latest CD Binge

As of March Eighth, 2007, I have no job. This is a great misfortune for me, due to the fact that I greatly enjoy purchasing albums, whether they be new releases, CDs released in years gone past, or gently used records from The Exchange. I always took great pleasure in pulling 30-40 bucks out of each check, while the rest lay dormant in the bank, waiting to be blown off on prom, IYC, driving classes, Christmas/Birthday gifts, College Admission Expenses, etc. Fortunately, Uncle Sam likes to open up his doors to the citizens once a year and say 'I'm sorry for being so greedy, I'll make it up to you by letting you fill out all these totally pain-staking documents and give you some of your money back'. Thank God for this. I got my refunds as of a week ago, and was pleased with the sum. What makes it better is the fact that I have $100 more coming. I paid a friend of mine who sold me a computer, put some in the bank, and kept just $30 to pick up some new releases that I was greatly anticipating. The anticipation was not in vein, I am pleased with each purchase, and I have decided to discuss them here, after listening to them many times through and getting a feel for them.


Unfortunately, I could not find album art. This is a shot of the band.

Shadows Fall - Threads of Life
I have been waiting a long while for this CD to come out. I have been waiting so long, it got to a point where I went against what I find acceptable, and formed some expectations. That's, right, I went into listening to this album with a rather closed mind. Luckily for me, Shadows Fall has managed to pull off a brilliant release. This record shows that the composer in all of them has completed his soul searching, and knows what he wants. Many will be disappointed simply because Brian Fair has vocals less dense in the area of screaming, and has allowed clear-throated singing and energetic growls to filter through. This, of course, does not mean that his distinctive wolf-like wailing is not present. It is present, and prominent. The guitar work on this record is amazing, even when the raging solos break out, the rhythm underneath is feeding the listener some very sweet ear candy. Some people refer to Shadows Fall as 'metalcore', a widely hated genre in the metal community, but that term needs to be thrown out the window. Shadows Fall is a modern band. They are a thrash band with a modern twist on it. I'm sure if some old-school metal elitist read this, he would hate me for calling Shadows Fall thrash, but I don't care. They aren't Kreator, they aren't Slayer, they aren't Megadeth. This is thrash in 2007, God forbid we should move forward. Old school thrash kicks ass, but we should embrace this as well. Shadows Fall put a gem on the shelves.
My rating: 9/10


Once again, album art is unavailable. Yet another band shot, before the original bassist Joe [on the right] left the band.
Chevelle- Vena Sera
Typically, I stay away from the whole alternative/hard rock/etc. genre, but I don't really force myself to. Many of these bands just repel me, such as Seether. The simplistic riffs and radio-friendly sound/lyrics make it all the worse. For some reason, I even find myself becoming quite queasy after listening to it enough, I kid you not. However, I can always make exceptions where appropriate; such is the case with Chevelle. This may be due to the fact that they are only like these bands in very few ways. They somehow manage to fit snugly into the genre, but defy it at the same time, like a rebellious youth speaking out against the parents who let him stay in their house. First off, the conveyance of emotion is amazing. You can feel a darkness in the riffs and the vocal style. In any other band, the vocals are merely done with style for the sake of....style. Chevelle's riffs are rather simplistic, but still rock pretty hard, and fit well with the music. You may remember me speaking of Nirvana, and how songwriting is more important than technical proficiency. This applies here. I can play a few Chevelle tunes, and I can tell you that they rock pretty hard, and are very fun to play. Pete's voice does not seem all too unique or special, but at the same time, unlike that of those who seem to play music in a similar vain. While other bands attempt to go down the middle of the vocal path, going for a rough and gravely growl, Pete goes from one side to the other, going from smooth and clean singing to all out screaming. I'll wait a while, someone is bound to tab out this album. I plan on learning few tunes. The only downfall of this album is the fact that it shows no evolution or progression, it seems like 'This Type of Thinking...' Part II. A small price to pay, considering they are different tunes, and that record rocked anyway.
My rating- 8/10, an easy 9 if it weren't for that last point I made.


Modest Mouse- We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Surprisingly, I was anticipating this even more so than the new Shadows Fall outing. I haven't been waiting as long, but the magnitude of my anticipation was twenty fold that of Threads of Life. I knew a 2007 release was in the making, but it wasn't until Micah showed me the music video for 'Dashboard' that I knew the new work was on the horizon, and that's when I got pumped. When I listened to this record for the first time, I was surprised at how it grabbed me just the first time through, a rarity. First, I was glad to see it still had the quirkiness of their previous release. One may think that through their commercial success, they would gear themselves towards a more mainstream and 'normal' sound, if you will. Not true. Also, they manage to put that one track on there that is very emotionally scathing, entitled 'Parting of the Sensory'. This song definitely strikes a chord with me, and I still have yet to find words to describe such a feeling. Overall, I would say Modest Mouse is back in the game with a great sense of refreshment. I've said this so many times before, but I don't care, really. Modest Mouse have shown progression, but still maintain the same tasty flavor as 'Good News For People Who Love Bad News'. This record has made me want to look into their older works, as well as hearing several tracks off of 'Lonesome Crowded West'. A very solid release.
My rating- 9.5/10, no joke.

Staff Biography: Jay

In order to make the readers more acquainted and familar with the people behind this blog and what all we do, I decided to compile a brief biography and survey of each member. This is it. It isn't much, but if you learn anything about the sordid minds behind this masterpiece, I have done my job.

Recognized across the globe as the world’s best orthodontist, Jason has done fancy tooth-work for an estimated six billion people, even for such icons as Elton John, Eddie Van Halen, and Burzum. Jason strives to make the world a better place by making sure everyone has teeth as perfect as his. While not on the job, Jason can be seen shredding it up on his deadly precise axe, writing some of the most amazing tunes that will never be released, and wallowing in self pity and loneliness.

Full Name: Jason Scott S*****

Role at the 38 Radius Blog: I drop knowledge in the form of my opinion on matters dealing with a healthy mix of things, mainly music. Aside from that, I have managed to glean tid-bits of expertise in the area of controlled rants with a dash of logic.

Birthday: July the Third

Age: Older than you.

Job Status: A washed up has-been.

Pets: I have two cats, a dog, and a rabbit. My little brother is temporarily taking care of his class pet- a hermit crab by the name of ‘Prince’.

Favorite Bands: There are many. Among them are Incubus, Rancid, Mastodon, Shadows Fall, and Enya.

Favorite Live Show: I really enjoy going to strip clubs with my friends and pounding a few beers whilst I enjoy the spectacle. Anything of that nature would qualify as my favorite, I suppose.

Favorite Book: You may think I am queer, or not, but I really enjoy Hamlet. I also like ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’, the basis for a film adaptation that followed.

Favorite Movie: Shaving Ryan’s Privates.

Best song on Earth: Cannibalism by Vicious G, featuring a guest appearance Eddie Van Jaylen on the axe.

Favorite TV Show: Family Guy. Typical, I suppose, but I’m not one to care. I also enjoy Metalocalypse.

Favorite Animal: When I go to the zoo, I like to see the Giraffes. Unfortunately, the local zoo has around 3 exhibits. I guess the lemurs are my favorite there.

Ideal Meal: A suitcase full of guts.

Most Embarrassing Moment: I attempted to perform an enema on an elephant and it pooped on my head.

Hobbies: Guitar, womanizing, macking my game, hitting on chicks, trying to get a date, scopin’ out the ladies, wallowing in desperation.

Things You Hate: Elitists, Smart-a**es, acne, McDonald’s, unemployment, white lies, Writer’s block

Hottest Animated Character?: I am WAY over that, friends. However, around the age of five, I had a massive crush on Angelica from Rugrats. She exercised such authority….so sexy……

Little Known Super Power: I can fit two glazed donuts in my mouth, presumably due to the abnormal arrangement of my teeth.

Thing You MUST Know About Me: Saying the word ‘snuggle’ or ‘cuddle’ makes me feel gay

Top Reasons Why I Will Not Miss High School

Normally during Physics, I like to catch up on my sleep, or perhaps do work for another class. Today, however, I entered a train of thought that ran for an easy fourty minutes. I was thinking about the school I attend and about how in less than two months, it would no longer be a part of my life. I am not hurt or worried by this at all, because I hate it. And I'm not saying I hate it like all those white trash kids that listen to Godsmack and say 'Y3AH MANZ LEIK I H8 THIS SKOOL IM GUNZAH BLOWED IT UP SOMEDAY!!!'. No, I have a few things against the school, and I envy those who have enjoyed it. They get something that I just don't. Some of these things are nit-picky and trivial, others quite large. Some very personal, some that I am willing to share with many. The ones that I am willing to share with you are as follows:

Hallways- Yeah, the halls. The narrow paths that link class to many another class serve to allow the students at THS to navigate from one area of the school to another by foot. Unfortunately, this seems a daunting task for many people, while others seem to think that no one else in the school needs to be somewhere. Between every class, I run into that clutter of stupid freshman-sophomore-sometimes junior/senior girls that hang out in a large group SMACK-DAB in the middle of the halls, conversing about I don't know what, maybe how drunk they are getting this weekend or how 'LIKE, OMG, MY STRAIGHTENER DIDN'T WORK THIS MORNING, SO I HAD TO CURL IT INSTEAD :( :( :(!!!'. As a result, myself and many other students have to squeeeeeeze through in order to pass on. The girls ALWAYS refuse to budge, and when you accidentally shove one of them [accidentally, mind you], YOU are always the bad guy.
On top of that, I always find myself stuck behind a group of kids who seemingly purposely walk slower than molasses as they converse or jokingly beat on each other. The slow pace is possibly a method of contributing to their pseudo-bada** image. Often times, they will stop dead in their tracks once or twice, reasons unknown, and other kids are known for doing this as well. This perplexes me.

Lunch Bell- This always results in a massive horde of kids pushing and shoving each other as they run through the halls to get to the cafeteria before anyone else. I can only imagine the thoughts going through their heads as their mouths water at the thought of undercooked [though they often manage to burn it], preservative-laden pizza with a side of Baked Lays. This chaos is usually ensued by a massive wave of fat kids running to the cafeteria in excitement that surpasses that of their able-bodied brethren. They would have gotten there before anyone else, but they had to run, and...well... they aren't exactly competent on that score. While the fat kids cover all four classes, the other kids are usually freshmen or sophomores, the occasional upperclassman thrown into the mix.

Politics - For the entire four years that I have attended THS, the students that attend this school have tried to make themselves out to be political scientists in the making. Everyone makes it a point and/or goes COMPLETELY out of their way to express their political stance on everything. They strive to spark a debate. Unfortunately, these students are retarded. The only things these students care to talk about are worn out topics like gay marriage, abortion, and war in Iraq. This is where they fail. The ideas and theories they present in a dim-lit manner are only ideas that have fallen right into their laps through biased parents, biased media, and biased friends. I want to make a large stamp that says 'FAIL' so that I can put it on their foreheads every time they try to start an uprising through the presentation of trite ideology. If one more student claims themselves to be a 'Republican' or a 'Democrat', I am going to off myself in the bathroom. I hope that they someday realize that no matter what party you assume, you have made a grave mistake in assuming a party.

Drinking- Hey, guess what, class of 2007? Drinking is not cool! That's right, stumbling about like an idiot unable to speak English properly while being easily coaxed into making poor decisions due to intoxication is definitely not a good thing. I don't think waking up covered in your own piss and vomit is a good thing either. I find it odd that all the kids in my class that help with all the anti-drug programs are the ones that go out on the weekends and are found three-sheets-to-the-wind within three hours with all their friends. They then come to school and talk about their drunken antics and how many drinks they pounded. Cool...I guess. Almost as cool as killing someone in a car accident, or destroying your life or the lives of family members through an alcohol problem. Believe it or not, one of the biggest reasons I decided to commute to Akron for college rather than go out of town is to easier resist the temptation of involving myself in this. I only wish I could escape this pet-peeve of mine after High School, but I know that in college I'll hear some kids talking about last night, or crazy nights to come.

Miss O*****- Holy crap, will you just retire!? Man, this is easily one of the most bitter staff members I have ever had to deal with in my entire life. Even asking to go to the bathroom will result in a good firm scolding from this teacher. I was stupid enough to sign up for one of her classes TWICE, the second one only last semester. She HAS long since been divorced, so I guess she must be sexually frustrated. What better a reason to be filled with bitterness and take it out on other students?

Miss D***** [sp] - Also known as the Decapitator, this is the new Principal, delivered just in time for my Senior year. She was assisstant principal at North, and went on to Garfield to be the head principal. Her arrival brought along several rules and regulations that are total b.s., among them the rule that we are not allowed to wear a hat indoors, simply because they 'are meant to be worn outside', and the no iPod rule, due to the fact that they serve as a distraction. My school day has become slightly more miserable due to the fact that I cannot enjoy some Children of Bodom, or perhaps a little Rise Against in the middle of my school day, to ease a little tension, most of which builds up because of the things I have already listed.

Hot chicks that never talk to me - Oh, wait. I'll be going through life like that.

The School Newspaper - I have never seen such a lack of skill and originality in writing. The Devil's Tale is a HORRID publication that rivals Plugged In on the the score of stupidity. They writers write about things that are PURELY trivial, and that no one cares about. Much like the politics mentioned above, this just seems like an opportunity for the kids to talk about what they believe in. They talk about things such as 'fitting in', dealing with peer pressure, and religion. The kids at THS love to go WAY off topic for the sake of stating their religious beliefs, especially if they are atheists. I am not saying this because I am not an atheist, I honestly see it this way. Also, they love to talk about fashion, such as what skirts are popular, and the appropriately named 'UGG boots'. I can see why the sports section would be published, but other than that, not much of anything else. I have tons of copies, so if any non-THS students want to take a glance, I will gladly forfeit them. I don't think I should be missing them any time soon.


Ladies and gentlemen, the list goes on from here. I'm sure many of these issues are things you deal with on a daily basis, no matter where you attend school. If there is anything else you want to address, go ahead, it should be interesting to see the comment area turn into a discussion of the woes we face in school.

In The News : Student Driver the Victim or Freak Backing-Out Accident

T******, OH - We hear often of teen aged driving and the risks behind adolescents taking their place behind the wheel of an automobile. As a safety measure to at least partially counteract these risks, laws have been put in place which allow young teens to receive a learner's permit, known in slang as 'temps', which allows them to take the wheel as young as fifteen, in the presence of a parent or any adult approved by the parent, aged twenty-one or older.
However, a recent event has triggered heavy debate and discussion in the city of T****** as to whether or not these young teens should be given legal permission to take the wheel, regardless of the presence of a parent. On April 3rd, at approximately 3:35 PM, a young teen, who has asked that his name not be revealed, was backing out of a friends driveway after dropping him off at his residence. Shortly after entering the roadway, a crash was heard, and the driver was in a ditch, a place no teen driver should ever have to find himself in.
In an interview, his friend describes the incident: 'Well, he drove me home, and it was fairly smooth. He swerved once or twice, nothing too bad. Of course I cannot expect him to match up to my skill and prowess behind the wheel. When we got to my home, we shared in a quick joke and I exited the vehicle. As I began walking up my driveway, I heard a slight noise, sounding as if someone had maybe fallen off of their bike or something. I turned around, and there it was. My best friend was in a ditch, and I was consumed by shock and worry. Smoke was billowing from the inside of the car. As I ran towards the car calling his name, I could only imagine what had caused something like this to happen. Most likely, he was distracted by thinking of how amazing I am and how lucky he is to be my friend. As I got closer, I saw him getting out the car. Half of his body was burned to black, and I could see where the fire caused his skin and his shirt to become one. It was purely repulsive. Lucky for us, his mother was at the scene and knew exactly what to do. She opened a can of Pepsi, the family favorite, and used it to it's full capacity so that it may douse the fire down to nothing but mere embers in the back seat. Then, she told us to push her out of the ditch. Dumbfounded by what we just saw, we obeyed her order and pushed her, successful on the first attempt. She got out, my friend got in, and the events that ensued were nothing lacking normality. I thanked God for our good fortune and went on as if nothing had happened.'
Although things ended well, future victims of the same freak accidents may not be so lucky, as was discussed at a community meeting only hours after the event. Community voters will decide in only weeks, through a vote, whether or not adolescents as young as fifteen should be allowed to be behind a wheel without any formal training beforehand.
Until any further updates, here is a dramatization of the event. All persons present are paid actors and do not resemble any persons at the scene.

UnderOath:Define the Great Line, A Review

Before you read this review of UnderOath's latest release, Define the Great Line, I suggest you visit www.pluggedinonline.com and read some of the the reviews they do on secular music in which misinterpretations are in abundance.

UnderOath-Define the Great Line

Pro-Social Content
None

Objectionable Content
Taking the Lord's name in vein seems to bring great joy to vocalist Spencer in many of the tracks, laced with this filthy obscenity, such as the track 'There Could Be Nothing After This' (Oh God, everything around me...). The title of this track suggests doubt in an afterlife spend with our creator whilst the track 'A Moment Suspended In Time' suggests a crude sexual encounter between two unmarried teens (So lay back now and take it in...). Salmarnir features an unknown man speaking in Spanish, suggesting approval of illegal immigration, in contradiction to where President Bush stands on the issue. Yet another sexual reference taints this album in which voyeurism is suggested on the track 'Returning Empty Handed' (I Am Being Watched/This is Overwhelming...). The track 'Casting Such a Thin Shadow' suggests that the singer does not need the LORD to live his life (I'll take this on my own), while "Moving for the Sake of Motion' boasts yet another use of our good LORD's name in vein (Oh, My God). The track 'Writing on the Walls' suggests the drummer/singer's desire to listen to vulgar rap music, which he seems to miss (...and how we missed your beat again). The track 'Everyone Looks So Good From Here' makes references to a teen who has reached a state of complete emaciation as a result of an eating-disorder (I swear I've slipped right through the cracks in the floor). The finishing track seems to exhibit even more support of the aforementioned illegal immigration (Set your sights to North and press on).
Summary Advisory
Overall, a filthy disk inside and out. These young adults should get their acts together before stepping into the spotlight and trying to raise our teenagers. The obscenities that lace this disk show that these young boys still have much maturing to do, and much Prozac to take. UnderOath? Call it filthy smut. Don't let your children sign themselves under this oath.

Christian Alternatives: Do it RIGHT, For the Love of God!

I've been thinking, as well as talking to many a Christian friend of mine [meaning around....two people], and the things I have been telling them fall somewhere along the lines of 'Christian Metal [with exceptions] seems to me a watered-down version of the real thing'. Not just metal, but the whole 'hard music' scene in general [check out Pillar, P.O.D., Thousand Foot Krutch]. This got me started on a whole chain of thought revolving around the concept of Christian musicians/media and the market for Christian merchandise trying to sell stripped-down [comparable to fat-free] alternatives to youth-group kids across the globe. I put together a few specific things, and they are as follows:


Bible Man.
Are you freaking kidding me? Look at that. Can't have our kids watching Superman stomp a mud hole in the arse of Bizzaro, and God-forbid they should witness a good ol' blue-collar beating at the hands of Wolverine or Spider Man. This hero delivers a beating of a different kind, a good hard Bible-thumping!
Moving along.....

Godtube- The Christian YouTube alternative. http://www.GodTube.com
Man, are you kidding me? Talk about gee-ay-why, this is a good, healthy and neo-nazi way to keep your kids from watching those filthy videos of the dude inflating a condom on his head through his nose. If you REALLY new how to raise your kids, i don't think this would even be necessary, you stupid 'I work 16 hours a day and therefore have no time to instill proper values into my children, so I'll let GodTube do it for me' parents.

MyPraize- The Christian Alternative to MySpace. http://www.MyPraize.com
What? Great way to keep kids from getting raped via the Internet! What makes you think a pedophilic murderer is going to look here, and say 'Nah, I won't rape a Christian, I ain't dirty like that'? Man, if you're stupid enough to get raped by some pedophile that found you online, it's bound to happen no matter where you go. Ever heard of a Catholic Priest? But man, spelling Praise with a Z sure makes this site much more edgy and appealing to teens.


Testamints- The Mint With A Message
What? Stay away from the Ice-Breakers, 'cuz if you enjoy an Ice-Breaker, you're breakin' your way to hell! Enjoy this Testamint instead! Not only do they taste all too much like the wrapper they were placed in, but each individual candy, as well as the whole package, has a nice little Bible verse printed on the side! What a great way for you to never open your Bible again! Genuine time spent with God in reading and prayer? Naaaaahhh. Crappy mints with tiny little versus printed on them? Yes, please!

If you would do it right, I wouldn't HAVE to watch violent comic-book movies, or listen to that vulgar secular music.

Vicious' Long Lost Brother

That's right, ladies and gentleman. Our very own Vicious seems to have a brother that either he never told anyone about, or that has song since been estranged from the entire St***** family. Here he is, and I was surprised to see that Vicious part II was actually saying something I agree with in this video, Carlos Mencia sucks.
Here he is, and don't tell me he doesn't look like the late great ViciousG:


BIG balls.

The Teenagers of Today: Lazy, Ignorant, Unoriginal, Every Other Negative Thing You Can Possibly Concieve

As I look around the LBC during a senior class meeting, I cannot help thinking to myself, 'Are you f-ing kidding me? These shet-bags are gunna run this country someday?' Man, I am embarrassed to be a part of this generation. You know why I only have four, maybe five friends? Because if I tried to associate myself with any more of these absent-minded mini-wastelands, I would become a robotic retard like them. We were in the LBC to listen to a guest speaker. It was 9/11, and this guest was telling us of his experiences with the attacks. He was right there, working in the building, and had a rather perilous journey to the floor level so that he could escape the soon-to-be level tower. It was great; I enjoyed it. I appreciated what the man had to say. After the man was done speaking, there was an open question-answer session. People asked questions, some of which were good, but these all came from the teachers. For example, this gentleman talked a lot about how he owes his survival to God and how God was merciful to him. Mr. Obney asked about the man's faith [if he lost or gained any, how it was altered]. A decent question. You wanna know what the genius teenagers asked? Heres one: "Ummmmmm has being a part of the attacks like, effected how you feel about the war in Iraq?" The gentleman, dumbfounded by the stupidity of the question, gave a little chuckle and explained that he did not want to get into politics. Are you serious? This is how my generation thinks. It's all the same crap that you hear about every freaking day, and so the only thoughts that pass through their ingorant skulls are the same trite, worn out, conventional BS that gets mentioned every freaking day. This man was caught in the middle of the attacks of September Eleventh, and all you care about is how he feels about the war in Iraq? Totally irrelevant. A few more questions were asked, fairly trivial stuff, but nothing too stupid. THEN, another retard raises his hand and is called upon to ask a question. Wanna know what he says? Well, he says this: "How Do you feel about President Bush?!" The LBC erupted with laughter. The guest, dumbfounded tenfold the last time, snickered yet again, and explained [AGAIN] that he did not want to go into politics. Heh. Bush. The War in Iraq. The only things teenagers care to debate about these days are abortion and gay marraige. You know why? Because it's been pounded into their skulls since the turn of the century, and they don't care to think outside of the stupid sheltered worlds they live in. They only care to know what they are told by their parents, the media, or by the Democrats and Republicans that sold this country out in the first place. Think outside the box? No way. Heck, teenagers have been INDOCTRINATED by advertising, they only know to think outside the BUN. Empty vessels. Go to school. Go to work. Aspire to go to a 'good' college. Get wasted. Get laid. Grow up, die, and turn into a filthy pile of ashes that was once food for hungry maggots. These are things that EMBODY the stupid generation into which I was born. The generation before me is breeding hatred, war, violence, and greed. As their children, we bathe in it, and it is worse than bathing in our own excrement. The filth and grime is everlasting. The fact that we are so absent-minded makes our indoctrination easier. Must it be that hard to think for ourselves? I has been done! Think of the generations before us. Think of the revolutions. This is the crap that the world will be destroyed by. The filth that we are raised with, and accept in complacency. Never stop to consider. Never question why. The more you quesion, the more genuine your beliefs come. That is why I feel solid in my faith in God, and this will only become more so. We must not know our history very well, then. Because we are repeating it. Genocide, territorial religious wars and death at the hands of the collective masses of tunnel-visioned self-indulgent tools. You may read this and think I'm talking about Bush or the military or something, but it goes far beyond that, and the horizons will stretch towards infinity. And before we get there, we will have long since reached a state where escape is impossible. There will never be another revolution in which there is clear resolve, even if only temporary. The only people that exist anymore are these empty-headed children, and the exeptions may be too afraid or just not motivated enough to do something. Someday I will find out if this includes me.


*I am fully aware of the fact that I am a teenager. I am not claiming myself to be better than any of these people. If you think otherwise, we'll take it outside.

Green Leaves: Undeniably the Best Japanese Boy Band in Existance

Thats right, ladies and gentlemen. I have recently discovered the single most amazing boy band in existance, GREEN LEAVES, of Japan. If you want to see what I mean, just watch this video, for the song entitled 'Yatta'. I apologize for the bad quality, but you will be able to see enough:




Like what you see? If not, I apologize, but these are some amazing performers. Never in my entire life could I have thought to pull something like this off, and if I had, I never would have thought that screaming girls would come in droves to see the live show. My hat goes off to you, Green Leaves!

And thank YOU Micah, for further opening the door for me to YouTube, and showing me the joy that it beholds. This would not have been possible without you.

NASCAR: Head Contributor to World Destruction, Brick-Layer of the absent-minded redneck lifestyle

Man, To think that back in my day I was a fan of NASCAR. That's right, folks. Between the ages of eight and twelve, I, THE Jay, was a fan of the single most asinine sporting event in history. Yeah, #24, Jeff Gordon. That was my boy. But Lately, I've got beef with the sport, and here's why.




Look at that crap! Do you know how many of these things are wasted during a NASCAR event? When last I checked, there are 43 partakers in these events, and often times they travel up to 500 miles to complete the AMAZING feat of driving in circles faster than their competitors. If my math is correct, that is a total of 21500 miles driven. Drill in ANWAR? Well, we wouldn't friggin have to if these rednecks would find something productive to do, like put some nice siding up on their friggin' trailers. Here is the answer to the fuel crisis, my friends. What makes it worse is the fact that the nerf-hurder that fills up the cars during a stop spills a bunch of the crap all over the place.



Holy freaking crap. I almost puked up my intestines when I saw this picture! Honestly. Unfortunately, this is a bulk of the retardedness I see on the net and on Television when I try to muscle through a race with my father. Not so much when enjoying the NFL or some college football. Of course, there are the drunken queers and people that paint themselves, but THIS? Come ON! He probably used duct tape.




Oh man! This circular track just BREEDS excitement! And the mere thought of 43 cars going AROUND that bad boy hundreds of times just makes me soil myself! Wait, how many times have I heard a NASCAR fan say that this sport involves skill? Countless times, which must be why you stick them all in a round track and make them to the same repititive shaithe for 5 hours. Man, turning right must be a HEART ATTACK for these fecking red-necks. Lets put them on THIS badboy:


YEAH! Not so bad now, are ya?

Come on. How do you endure this mundane crap, and enjoy it? Maybe there's something there that I just don't understand. I remember the depressing weekends where I was somehow enthused by all this.


*Disclaimer: I recognize that not all fans of NASCAR are niether red-necked nor mongoloid, but let's face it. Non-mongoloid people do mongoloid things.

Ridiculous Metal Pics: Part One: Black Metal Edition

Well hello, for all two of you that read our blog! I have decided to start, yet again, a series. I am going to post some ridiculous photos of metal bands, both live and promotional, on this site. I decided to do this because I have seen many a heavy metal pic, and due to the magnitude of the music these men [sometimes women] play, the faces they make are RIDICULOUS! The first part of the series is going to be the Black Metal edition, because let's face it, these guys need to get their crap together! I also want you to know that I will not place bands in these posts based on how much I like them, but how retarded the pictures are. Now here it is, the first post [and only one for a while, one blog can only hold so much metal without getting stupid].



Immortal- Abbath and Horgh
Wow! For such dark, evil, and fearless agents of Satan, you guys sure do look dismayed! It looks like Abbath is caught in oncoming traffic, and just can't move! The sheer amazement of the truck headed his way has frozen him in fear. Horgh, unable to help his friend and brother in Satan, can only watch and scream 'ABBAAAAAAAAAAAAAATH!' Well, looks like it's time for Horgh to move on and start a solo project. It worked for Burzum, right?


Rob Darken of Graveland
What the heck is this?! BOW DOWN TO ROB DARKEN, MASTER OF LIVE ACTION ROLE PLAY! Honestly, you'd think this guy was geared up to go on a quest to cast out THE ONE RIIIIIIIING. Nice freaking Jack Sparrow boots, by the way! Can you imagine this turd burglar waking up in the morning to put all that crap on? The mere thought of him even giving it THOUGHT is inconceivable.


Dimmu Borgir- An Earlier Line-up.
First, I wanted to let you know that I actually like Dimmu, they aren't half as retarded as a majority of the black metal scene or their absent-minded fans. Also, this is not their current line-up. The only men[?] in this photo that are still in the band are vocalist Shagrath [front and center] and pianist/keyboarder Mustis [second from left], and MY, MY do they look sexy! These amazing Calvin Klein model cum Black Metalers have cooked up an AMAZING combination of sexyness, style, and Satan! And I don't know who that guy on the far right is, but he's lookin' at Shagrath like he wants a piece of that leather-clad booty!


Cradle of Filth [if you call it black metal] live with stage performer.

Do I even need to say anything about this one?!!?!!?!!?



Moving on.....



Burzum- The Solo black metal project
Cover your buttholes tonight, folks! If you don't, that D&D mace is goin right up in there! Honestly, why would you promote your evil black music as an epic quester of the medieval era? And look at the SIZE of those freaking gauntlets! Looks like he'll be slaying dragons with that LVL 32 club of his, protected by his LVL45 breast plate[with 65 DEF points]! Man, I'll bet he can't wait 'til the boys in Dimmu come over to his mom's basement for a little 'role play' activity. It's no wonder your vocals suck, you've been suckin down all those..... hot dogs.

Did you know this retard was convicted of murder? Here's the Mongoloid in custody:


That wolf's been CAGED! Thank God.


Well, hope you enjoyed. I will dust off this series eventually, but I have decided to shift the focus of my posts. And for the record, I do not condone satanism in any way.

Jay Favorite Albums Of ALL Time : Part III

Here it is, the final twelve. I'm sure by know you know what the deal is. And need I remind you? No stupid comments like 'Uh, dood! Where's The Greenday?? They're SUPER HARDXCORE and liek, screw Bush LAWL!!!@!!! or 'You listen to metal? Only gay people listen to metal! You bath[sic] in horse feces and I have down syndrome!' But please, tell me how you feel about my choices in a mature and logical manner, or discuss the music in an otherwise reasonable manner. Thank you.


22) Nirvana- Nevermind
Disturbed as I am about the baby wanker on the cover, this is a good record. They are HEAVILY overrated, but they were a great band and to judge a band based on how others rate them is pure ignorance. These guys were not the best musicians [I could play anything of theirs with my fingers cut off], but technical proficiency is not of the utmost importance. Kurt Cobain was the spokesperson of a generation, and had some very interesting ideology. The grunge movement was a huge breakaway from the hair scene, which was nearly decimated by this refreshing Seattle explosion. The angst and frustration in the grunge scene CRUSHED the hair scene [thank God], and so now we have music with lyrics that mean something, whether blatant or underlying, rather than songs about sex, drugs, and parties. Rap took up that responsibility. I surprised Kurt Cobain hasn't killed himself yet....oh,wait.......


23)DragonForce- Inhuman Rampage
That's right, folks. Dragonfoooooorce! This cheesy and over-the-top power-metal band based in the U.K. struck a chord with me, and it sure felt great! So many haters,but I don't care! There is some serious talent here, our Jr. Yngwies Sam and Herman have definitely made it to the summit of Mt. Shred, and this record is so full of lightning riffing, it's flowing out of the cracks in the CD case. The vocals are clean, not many screams to speak of here, and I think ZP Theart's vocals are huge. I know it sounds cliche, but this album is epic, and the lyrics are so CORNY I read them ALL the time.


24) KillSwitch Engage- Alive Or Just Breathing
Killswitch Engage are a monster of a band, and that is not to say that they are super heavy, but they have done a lot of things no metal band would dare to do. This record is HEAVY, but saturated in melody, too. The riffs are not too complicated, but like I said before, technical proficiency is not everything, the ability to write is just as, if not more, meaningful. These guys are brilliant writers, the riffs are very dense, and sink right into your skull. They are not afraid to break the numerous stereotypes about metal. They are not afraid to be emotional in some parts [My Last Serenade, The Element Of One], and actually write songs about LOVE and HOPE, contrary to the popular beliefs of outsiders. The melody plays just as much of a role as the heaviness. The fact that this album is BRUTAL, especially in the vocal department, but melodic and meaningful as well, really hit close to home with me, because the combination here is ideal.


25)Rancid- Indestructible
Here it is again, my favorite band of all time, with their latest release. The theme of this record is that the human spirit is indestructible, and that with good music, your will can never be broken. Many people say that this record blows, claiming it to be 'emo', but I just don't see it. I think they might be thinking so because of 'Fall Back Down', but they would still be off. Tim Armstrong just got divorced from a 7-year marriage, and so he wrote this song thanking his friends for helping him through it. How can you blame the man? I applaud him for dedicating a song to his crew, as a matter of fact. This record has shifted gears only slightly, but it is still full of raw energetic punk tunes, and I was happy to see that they managed to keep it true while avoiding the same beaten path, like many artists tend to do. The evolution was smooth for Rancid, and they have yet to lose their spirit.



26) Shadows Fall- The War Within
The latest full-length from Shadows Fall [save the Fallout From The War b-sides record], this album is very polished and shows that Shad have found their niche in heavy metal. The shred is amazing, especially the arrpegiated intro to 'The Light That Blinds'. They also show a liking for the melodic stuff, with the song 'Inspiration On Demand', which itself has a rather impressive solo. This record is heavy as all heck, but singing along is unavoidable. I cannot wait until the new record, Threads of Life, hits the shelves.


27)Chimaira- Self Titled
HOLY CRAP, this album kicked me straight to the nads when I heard it for the first time!This is honestly one of the heaviest records in existence, the riffs are indescribably relentless, and the impact of the drums is ineffable. They have some nu-metal roots; their less-than-mediocre debut, Pass Out of Existence, bore a striking resemblance to Korn, slightly heavier. I figure I should let you know, I hate Korn. After that, they put out a pretty good record, The Impossibility of reason, which I like a lot, as it shows them inching their way towards finding out who they are as a band. This record was quite a step-up, but still had a few teaspoons of Korn thrown in the batter.Then, this record came out. Chimaira have found themselves, this record is, as I've said before, a real headbanger. This album has not a trace of nu-metal, it is a complete heavy metal kick to the grill.


28) Rise Against- The Sufferer and the Witness
With the release of Siren Song Of The Counter Culture, Rise Against seemed to have lost their authenticity. It was a great record, and got me into the band, but it seems a little watery compared to their other three, it wasn't as beefy. With their newest release, The Sufferer and the Witness, Rise Against are back on track with their energy, anger, and angst filled political punk tunes, filled to the brim with crunchy riffs and intricate base lines, as well as vocals and lyrics than beckon you to join the cause. Tim calls out to everyone in America and all over the world as if we have been in a deep sleep for ages [which we have], and he is the only one that can wake us up. I only disagree in a few areas, and this record does prove to be quite the wake-up call. And need I say again, Greenday, regardless of how long they've been together, couldn't hold a torch to these guys. If you LOVE Greenday, then excardon me.



29)AFI- Decemberunderground
It's time again to embrace the change, because AFI have done it again with their June 2006 release, Decemberunderground. This album is VERY different from AFI, as well as anything else I've ever heard, and so it is very difficult for me to explain the sound of this record. There are a few rockin' tunes here, but they break away from it to make musical poetry in many of the other tracks. In track like 'Summer Shudder', Davey creates freezing cold yet BEAUTIFUL vocals while Jade's guitar showers the listener in sparks. They also went into some electronic stuff here, breaking away from the raw guitar-singer-bass-drums oriented music they once played.


30) Avenged Sevenfold- City of Evil
Avenged were at one point a gothic/hardcore/Atreyu-esque band , but now, they show their love of the old school with this super heavy record, City of Evil. This record is a monster, almost as huge as the budget they had to make it. A few years ago, vocalist M. Shadows blew out his throat from the harsh vocal technique of previous works, and underwent surgery. When he came out, he underwent voice training to emerge with a new set of pipes, and he really shows them off in the record. They have thrown themselves off the screaming bandwagon, but the vocals are just as powerful as any metal scream or wail. Also, the crap that guitarists Zacky Vengeance and Sinister Gates pull off are amazing ans so tech, no wonder Gates got the best shredder award in 2004. Also, the drummer is break-neck fast, I wish I could play drums like that. While they are no longer a goth outfit, they maintain that sort of darkness in the guitar tones they use, and also in the lyrics, which often sound like they came straight out of the last book of THE book.

I cannot find the cover art for this album, so I will post a picture of this prime rib sandwich:
31)Incubus- Light Grenades
The latest record from Incubus is a welcomed change. Not like anything they've released before, Light Grenades brought some real rockin' jams to the table, but still stands tall alongside Morningview and A Crow Left of the Murder, both of which had a fair percentage of mellow jams. I was pleasantly surprised to hear the more upbeat tunes here, like Anna Molly, Rogues [my personal favorite], A Kiss To Send Us Off, and the title track, Light Grenades. They have energy to blow off this time around, and this record definitely has rubbed that off on me. It also has a couple slower ballad-ish songs, Oil and Water and Dig come to mind. The only downfalls of this album are the track Earth to Bella Part I and Part II. Aside from that, this record sounds as if Incubus died and rose from their own ashes as a new being, with their eyes set hard on a goal.

32)KillSwitch Engage- As Daylight Dies
After the release of Alive of Just Breathing, the departure of their original singer brought about the recruitment of new vocalist Howard Jones [also the manager of August Burns Red]. This was a welcome change, but the first record he performed on, The End of Heartache, was mediocre at best. I like it, but it was ALMOST one of those sophomore slumps. However, Howard has proved himself as a worthy member and valuable asset to the band on this November 2006 Release, As Daylight Dies. Killswitch Engage have really bounced back, doing again what I loved about Alive or Just Breathing, mixing up the perfect batch of brutality meets melody. From the screams of 'OOOOOHHHHH DAYLIGHT DIES!' on the title track to the persistent and hopeful calls 'We Will Not Die This Way/ This is Absolution', this record shows that they had a good time making this record, and obviously did not come up with some trite crap for the sake of pushing out a record to please their label.


33) Rancid- Let's Go!
Sick of seeing Rancid on the list? Well too bad, cuz I'm not. There's really not much to say about this album, and that's just how some albums are. This is yet another raw punk record put out by Rancid and is what many regard as thier best album. I like it a lot, there's really not much I NEED to say. If you want to know how it sounds, just ask me to borrow it or somethin.



Well, this brings about the end of the lists, peoples. Hey, maybe if you petition for it, I'll post a few more records on here, maybe 4 or 5 more. If you want it, of course.

Jay's Favorite Albums of ALL Time : Part II

Here it is, ladies. You know the drill from the first post. If not, I suggest you read Part One first. These are not the top ten of the thirty-three, so I will not bother to put them in any particular order. And as before, no stupid comments like "I L3IK DEESTURBED DOODZ, LI3K WHY ARENT THEY HERE LOL??? MARYLYN MANSON IS TEH JEEZUS!", but feel free to make comments [positive OR negative, preferably with your logic]. I will do eleven items this time. Part three will feature the final twelve.


11) Megadeth- Peace Sells...But Who's buying?
Anyone who has the cahones to rival Metallica after being kicked out for drug abuse is a respectable man in my book, and Dave Mustaine did just that when he took on the task of fronting this monster of a thrash pioneer, Megadeth. No sophmore slump here; Peace Sells is one monster of a second realease that is a staple both of Megadeth's career, AND the genre of thrash metal. The palm- muted thrashy riffs are the focal point of this record, Dave Mustaine takes on the role of lead guitarist while singing, rather than rythym like James Hetfield of Metallica. I can just imagine Dave Mustaine listening to Metallica and going 'OOOOHHH Master of Puppets!', then rolling out with the sinister track about a serial murderer, 'Good Mourning/Black Friday'. He hacks down his victims like pieces of meat. At first I was dissapointed to see that there were only few tracks [8], but this is a worthy strategy. Some artists load em on, and some of these tracks tend to get neglected as a result. Every track here is good to go, I just pop it in and let it roll. It is important for any fan of metal to go back to the older days, and this is one of those records that should be payes attention to, among many others. And with all due respect, Metallica is a great band, but Megadeth dwarfs them.


12) Incubus- Morningview
Incubus has three full-length releases before this one, and you will hear many fans say that they miss the old days, when Incubus was heavier and had the edge. I, however, am not one of those people. There are a few pretty rockin' tunes here, but the edges have been smoothed, and they break away from thier alternative-metal roots into something more mellow and carefree. I guess it's hard to be edgey when you write and record an album right next the the ocean and beach. The track 'Wish You Were Here' was what got me hooked, and its hard to describe the emotions it pours into me, but it sure is good. It makes me feel like I'm just kickin' on the beach with a few of my good friends, not worrying about the daily stresses of life. What really makes this record different from the other works of Incubus is the mellower, quieter, and more slow-paced songs, like 'Echo','11 AM', and 'Are You In?". Each one of those have thier own unique qualities. Echo has a great flow, the music is very smooth, and Einziger, the guitar player, does a few slides in there that are so smooth, it sounds like his guitar doesn't even have any frets. Are You In is a very fun song that gives me mental images of just chilling with some friends at a party and just enjoying the company. The focal point of this song is DJ Kilmore's DJ work. My personal favorite track, however, is Aqueous Transmission, a very quiet and relaxing song, that sounds like it came straight from Japan, save the english vocal part. It makes me feel like im, as the singer Brandon says in the song 'Floating Down a River', in the quiet of the night.


13) System of a Down- The Self-Titled Debut
"Announce Your Anthems On the Cieling, We Dance, Annexed By Power. Casual Neckties Embrace, The Hungry Hunger Further, Images Rule Through The Media, Commercial Orwellianism, Producing Unvieled Icebergs, Running Transparent Electrical Cables, Curving String Ensembles, Witnessed By Hangings From Flagpoles of Souls Avenged By Dr. Clock. Fresh Paint, Naked Melting Figures Mixing the Revolution Against TV Sentencing, At the Hands of Brutal Men and Thier Military Business World. LET US INVESTIGATE THE REVOLT, DOWN WITH THE SYSTEM!" I have only the slightest idea what all this means, but I sure do think the boys in System are angry, and it shows in thier music and lyrics. They are EXTREMELY cynical, and they are clever in the lyrical writing department. This album packs some serious heavy punch, and is THE album to start with if you are becoming a SOAD fan. We've all heard Mezmerize/Hypnotize, but this record is in a different leaugue, nowhere near as strange, ten times as heavy, and twenty times as good. Sure, I love thier newer works, but this blows them off the shelf.


14) Shadows Fall- The Art of Balance
The boys in Shad Did some serious homework befire jumping into making thier third record. The shred is amazing, the technique blew me away. What really stands out is Brian Fair's vocals. His vocal style has completely changed, trading in the lower bellowing for the higher [but not high] style, a style that souds more like his natural voice. His voice is no longer typical, you can hear this and say 'Yeah- that must be shadows fall'. It is also much more melodic. Also, they threw in a cover of Pink Floyd's 'Welcome to the Machine', and Fair shows that he really can sing, trashing the 'its all screaming and wailing' stereotype. The subject as far has lyrics has changed, now dealing with battling inner demons and false desires to achieve physical and mental balance, thus the album title.


15) Gojira- From Mars to Sirius
France is full of snail-sucking pansies, but the exception proves the rule. This is an exception. These French metallers show that those Euro-queers can definately rock out, and still manage to eat copious amount of le cheese. I was blown away. The riffs that couple up with relentless blast beats and double bass sear into your skull, and the playing precision is scrotum-squeezing tight. The vocals have a range of styles, ranging from dirtier bellowing to all out sreaming to angry growls to clean vocals. These guys know thier metal, and they play it well. It's no wonder Randy Blythe of Lamb of God has been singing thier praises.



16)Lostprophets- Start Something
Same deal as thier debut- a really fun record that sticks. On this record, they went a little heavier on some songs, but also realeased the radio freindly 'Last Train Home', which was worn out by the time i got this, so thank God all the other tracks stand on thier own. If you want to know anything else, just read my review for The Fake Sound of Progress, but don't let that make you think these two are carbon copies.


17)Zao- The Funeral of God
Sorry to say it, but often I feel like Christian metal is a watered-down version of the real thing *cough Demon Hunter cough*, but this is not one of those records. This album is so dark and sinister, you'd think they were in league with bands like Gorgoroth [despite sound differences]. This album is so heavy, I needed a fork-lift to take it out of The Exchange. The drums are pummeling, the guitars, while not having much complexity, compensate for thier simplicity while still managing to be catchy and raw , and extremely heavy. Dan Weyandt's vocals are HUGE and so evil sounding, you'd never associate Christianity with this. But you know God gives this record a spin every day. He has every record they've put out AND every record they'll put out in the future.


18)AFI- Sing The Sorrow
When people become a fan of a certain band, they tend to buy new releases from this said band with preconcieved expectations. This is a bad idea. Bands change and progress, and AFI makes HUGE changes from record to record. When buying new releases from AFI, you need an open mind. I was very quick to embrace this record. It is very emotional, some idiots have been quick to label this record 'emo', but I don't care what it's called. You can call a turd a turkey sandwich, but it won't be edible, it is what it is, and this IS a great record. It has some very dark elements, but it also has some upeat energy layered underneath the despair. Davey Havoc's unique and really high-pitched vocal style is unforgettable, and he isn't afraid to make them the focal point of this record, despite the fact that many call him 'gay' because of it. I don't care if he's gay, straight, or has sex with trees. This record has hooks.


19)Underoath- Define The Great Line
Many many bands fall victim to the sophmore slump. They get together and have years to spend honing thier first songs before they are signed. When they get signed, they then have much less time to push out thier second record. Unfortunately, this can be said of Underoath. They're Only Chasing Safety was a great record, but mediocre at best. It was the first one from them I heard, andI liked it, but then I heard the changing of times, and was sad at the fact that a different path, one much less rockin', was taken on Theyre Only Chasing Safety. However, I was compelled to purchase this, mainly because it recieved acclaim from Micah, and also becasue it was only five bucks. I am not dissapointed. It is heavier than the sophmore album, and they experimented a little in some ares. There is certainly more angst, and though the riffs are not and never were very complex, they are sure to bust some strings. The downfall of the album is the fact that Aaron won't shut up and just play drums.


20)Shadows Fall- Fallout From The War
Shortly after the release of 'The War Within', and slightly before the release of thier upcoming record, 'Threads of Life', Shad decided to get together and release all the songs that never quite made the cut on thier previous works, as well as some cover songs, and a couple new tunes as well. This was a brilliant idea. It's always good to hear what almost never was, these songs are all definately very worthy of space on a CD. From the pounding and thick riffs of 'In Effigy', to the searing and desperate howls and riffs of 'Deadworld', this record, though a companion piece to The War Within, stands on it's own two feet, and delivers a very powerful punch. This was a great way to feed hungry Shadows Fall fans like myself while awaiting the arrival of 'Threads of Life' on April 20th.


21)As I Lay Dying- Frail Words Collapse
Remember how I said that Christian heavy music was fairly watered-down, but there were some exceptions? Heres another one. Man, these guys definately hit me hard when I gave this record it's first listen. The European influenced guitars, blazin-fast drums,and wide open vocals make this one METAL record, I don't care what the elitists have to say for it. This record is a real headbanger, and after learning to play 6 As I Lay dying songs, my love of this record only grew. Its hard not to scream along to track like 'The Beginning', of 'Forever'.

Jay's Best Albums.....Of ALL Time Part I

Well, as you all may know by this point (or not), the bloggers in this little group LOVE music. And many have talked about it, posting videos, song suggestions, etc. This does not apply to me, but I love music, and sometimes it keeps me from eating a bullet. Or drowning myself, etc. I decided that I would share with all of YOU what I regard as the best albums ever made, and so I composed a list. I was able to whittle the list down to 33[alot, I know], so I will do the list in three parts. Remember, this is what I think is the best. If you don't like it, cry. I have WAY different tastes from the other bloggers in this group, I have heavier tastes, and have been into punk since 12 [hence Rancid]. When you read these lists, feel free to comment, but I don't want you to ask me any dumb questions like "WHY ISN'T NORMA JEENZORZ ON THE LISTERZ!?!!?one!!@". Just because It ain't on the list doesn't mean I don't like it. Even though there are many many items, I had to remove A LOT of bands. Norma Jean is a great band, trust me. And So is He Is Legend, Unearth, Dropkick Murphy's, etc... but none of these bands are among what I regard as the best, though He Is Legend barely missed the list. Without futher ado or adieu or adooouuugh or whatever, here is the top ten in order [item one is best] [the other two lists will not be in any particular order]:


10) Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around
I feel as though I don't even need to say much about this one. Cash was a genius, and was a legend even when he was still alive. His career spanned for decades, and he has influenced so many people. He was a great writer, writing songs that ranged from stories of personal experience to fictional pieces he himself came up with. His voice is definately very weathered by this time, and that ads great character. Though his voice has been worn, the emotion on tracks like 'Hurt', the NIN cover about the pain of addiction [something Cash knew all too well], is all-encompassing. Cash needed nothing to make thius album but his voice, his guitar, and his soul. Listen to this record and educate yourself.


9) Mastodon- Blood Mountain

They gave us Remission in 2002, and Leviathan in 2004, and this record definately takes the cake as the best Mastodon record. Of course, all three of the works by these Georgia natives are gems, but this surpasses the others. The vocals have a different approach, where they focus less on blowing thier throats out and more on making the vocals one of the focal points of the record. You can hear many of thier musical inflluences in this one [Pink Floyd, Iron Maiden, lsd], and the range of styles is great. I should also mention that the drummer is regarded by many as the best in the business. Every track is an instrumental orgasm, you can tell that all four of these strapping young men spend a lot of time in practice. They show thier love of many different styles, but this album is still pretty freaking metal, and one of the heaviest albums in existence. Even is you don't like metal, give it a listen. And if you don't like it the first time, keep listening. You may learn something.


8)Flogging Molly- Drunken Lullabies
I was only 13 when I bought this record, and it is far from wearing out it's welcome on my CD shelf. They love punk, and they love irish music. The singer/ guitar player also loves his home country, Ireland. All three of these things show on the record. They have a drummer, a bass player, and a guitar player. They also have a fiddle player, accordian player, and a couple members who play whatver they want [mandolin, flute, banjo, etc.] This record of full of energy, you can tell they love thier music [and booze]! It makes me want to river dance [sober, of course]. This cd ads some unique flavor to my mainly-metal CD collection. Its so hard not to get into this, and the man's lyrics have such fluidity, once I had them memorized, litening to the record became a new experience.


7) Flogging Molly- Within A Mile of Home
Two Flogging Molly Records in a row? Yep. Its just that good. They keep it fresh with this one. They aren't ridin' the same wave, but you can tell it's Flogging Molly. This album is not only fun, but it has been filled to the brim with emotion, and the energy was in abundance during the making of this record. They are skilled with thier instruments indeed, and this record makes me want to go to Ireland really freaking bad [so I can drive on the right side of the road and get smashed by a truck].


6) Children of Bodom- Hate Crew Death Roll
Sweden has given us some great metal acts. Arch Enemy, Soilwork, In Flames, and CHILDREN OF BODOM. I was blown away with this record. It's thrashy, heavy, dark, angry, majestic[yeah, I said it], and melodic, all at the same time! Alexi Laiho is a true guitar virtuoso, and plays some crazy stuff, singing at the same time! The keyboards add a GREAT feel, and there are even a few keyboard solos! The keyboards add a pretty dark atmosphere, and are the reason why I said majestic just a minute ago. These guys are not your typical run-of-the-mill metal band. They stand on their own two legs. Also, if you read the lyrics, you'll know that Alexi wants to get out there and beat the crap out of someone.


5)Rise Against- Revolutions Per Minute
Frontman Tim McIlrath's passion for politics and dissatisfaction with the state of America have made for some great songwriting material. This ain't Greenday. Greenday wish they were as good as Rise Against. This record is very edgy, full of angst, hopelesness, and it's even pretty cynical at times. The chords rip through your skull while the drums makes your heart explode in a bloody mess. Some songs are so rockin' I've busted my LOW E playing them [Heaven Knows, track 2]. The passion in Tim is so great that it has poured over into me, and I wish I could take his place at any given moment, as the frontman of RA. These guys prove that you don't need to do all the fancy stuff with your instruments to be a great songwriter, such was the case with Kurt Cobain. All you need is a passion for music, a worthy cause, and a freaking soul.


4)The Black Dahlia Murder
It's in thier videos. Headbanging in a graveyard. Headbanging in a cement room. Headbanging in a Church. Headbanging in a gorilla suit. The Black Dahlia Murder LOVE to headbang, and this is one headbang-inducing record. Its so freaking morbid that it makes you dream at night of digging up the body of your dead lover and doing er...passionate things to it. Such is the subject in thier lyrics. Trever Strnad obviousely loves horror movies, and they have released two horror records. The lyrics paint some very vivid pictures, once they release enough records, it will be like owning hundreds of horror movies. The drummer is INSANELY fast [even though they go through drummers like toilet tissue], and the riffs are sharp as a chainsaw. It's like both guitarists are there in front of you smacking you in the face...with laser precision and semi truck-like heaviness. They LOVE tremolo picking, and I think that this is what makes the record such a head-banger. Also, when I listened to this record, I thought there were two vocalists, but I was wrong. Trever is doing the high AND the low, and I thought that was pretty nice. This record makes me want to go headbang in a graveyard. In bright orange beach shorts.


3)Shadows Fall- Of One Blood
Before the making in 2000 of this second album, original singer Philip Labonte was replaced with Brian Fair, and LORD it was a good idea. He conveys such vehemence and fury through his low pitched screams, I ran away crying when I heard this record for the first time. He also conveys a sense of passion and solemness when he sings clean, and this is also reflected in the music, where there are fast, blazing, heart-attack riffs, but also some pretty intricate acoustic riffs, usually behind the clean vocals. Also, our guitar duo, Matt Bachand and John Donais, prove that they had chops even before the 'War Within' days. Suck a great record, so early in their career.


2) Lostprophets- The Fake Sound of Progress
I heard these guys for the first time five years ago, and I've been hooked ever since. This group from wales have some fun making thier music, you can tell. Listening to this record gets me going, and once the spring weather arrives, it is customary for me to neglect homework, pop this record in, and just enjoy my day. The tunes are so rockin', I could listen and forget about any burdens I have on my heart. And as of recently, it makes me nostalgic, probably because I got into it so long ago. I have fun listening to this record. The DJ rolls out. The singer has a great voice. 'Nuff said.


1!!!!)Rancid- ...And Out Come The Wolves
Rancid. My favorite band of all time. This is a masterpiece. These guys are punk, but you can tell they love thier reggae as well. The songs make you move whether you want to or not, and you can tell that these guys got by with thier love of music when they were growing up on the streets. The voices are great, but many would argue that Tim sounds like crap. I love it. Both Tim Armstrong and Lars Fredricksen gang up on the vocals, and the turnout is great. Much like Miasma, the stories on this record paint a vivid picture, though much less morbid. Not many people like punk, but these guys are unlike many of the others. And by now, they have tons of experience. Also, the bass is insane! Matt Freeman is a master of the practice, adn I'm sure many a bass player has commited suicide after hearing his amazing skill.