Thursday, July 9, 2009

The Days of Grays




On September 18, one of my most anticipated albums for this year will be released! Sonata Arctica will release their newest effort The Days of Grays. I, for one, am very much looking forward to this release! Tony Kakko just happens to be my most favorite male vocalist! <3

The cover art for the album was released along with the track listing.






01. Everything Fades To Gray (Instrumental)
02. Deathaura
03. The Last Amazing Grays
04. Flag In The Ground
05. Breathing
06. Zeroes
07. The Dead Skin
08. Juliet
09. No Dream Can Heal A Broken Heart
10. As If The World Wasn't Ending
11. The Truth Is Out There
12. Everything Fades To Gray (full version)


And now to commence the countdown to the release..

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Music and the '09

I can barely keep up.

There have been so many incredible releases so far this year..  Some I haven't even been able to pick up yet.  Ones I have been able to pick up are Sirenia's The 13th Floor, The Gathering's The West Pole, Lacuna Coil's Shallow Life, and Lunatica's New Shores.

The 13th Floor features Sirenia's fourth singer, Ailyn.  This new albums seems to recall the flair of the earlier albums, featuring music that far outshines everything on Nine Destinies and a Downfall (with the exception of the amazing song "The Other Side").   The choir plays a hugerole in this album, which I always love to hear, and the orchestration was beautiful and epic throughout the album.  Highlights on The 13th Floor would include "The Mind Maelstrom", "The Seventh Summer", "The Lucid Door", and "Sirens of the Seven Seas", although the album is a fantastic listen as a whole.

Now what can I say about The Gathering?  Well, for starters, I was anticipating the new release, The West Pole, knowing that the new singer, Silje, had quite some large shoes to fill. And she does it beautifully..  There are times when her voice vaguely reminds me of Anneke's, but she has her own identity and brings it to the band all the while The Gathering still retains that musical essence I love. And, too boot, they had guest vocalists on the album as well, one of them being none other than Marcela Bovio of Stream of Passion, whom I love almost as much as Anneke.  The West Pole is going to be another album I listen to all the way through when I am in my creative zone, but some of the best songs include the title track "The West Pole", "No Bird Call" (the best, an instant Gathering classic), and "Pale Traces" (Marcela's song).

Ah, Lacuna Coil.. my first real concert experience.. and I have loved you dearly since (it was 2006, I know.. lame.. I was a late bloomer).  I am so happy to say that Shallow Life is a better album than Karmacode.  Don't get me wrong, Karmacode is a solid album, but it's replay value is just.. kinda low.  Comalies is Lacuna Coil at their finest in my opinion, but that doesn't stop my support and love for new music.  Heck no.  This album quite frankly is amazing.  It covers a lot of musical territory much like Comalies, but it's just not "there".  However, a few songs are, such as "I Won't Tell You", "I Like It", and "The Pain".

Lunatica's Fables and Dreams is one of my overall top albums, and unfortunately The Edge of Infinity was lacking the special sound that provided the staying power that Fables and Dreams possessed.  However, New Shores sees the return of that sound, combining the best of each of the proceeding albums.  Andrea has a wonderful, unique voice, which makes Lunatica a frequent listen amongst my many bands. New Shores showcases Andrea's further developed vocals, and she shows of the power she can now project.  The best songs include "How Did It Come To This", "My Hardest Walk", "Into the Dissonance", and "The Day the Falcon Dies"  (which I immediately recognized as being based on one of my favorite movies, LadyHawke, how awesome is that?).

And now for anticipations..

So, I heard Sonata Arctica are going to be releasing a new album this year!  Tony Kakko had been quoted saying that a new single will be released in August and that a new album will follow in the fall.

A couple of days ago, Arjen announced the releases dates, track list, etc. for Guilt Machine, perhaps what I have been anticipating the most since the announcement about the project.  I will most definitely ordering a pre-order of the Limited Edition version of the album.

Still haven't got a hold on Delain's new album.. Darn iTunes.. Nor have I had the opportunity to download Stream of Passion's The Flame Within...  That, my friends, is at the top of my list, and will be mine (darn it) soon.

Okay, wow.. what is the deal with this new band named "We Are the Fallen"?  

Well, for starters, it consists of several ex-Evanescence members (including the infamous Ben Moody), it's named for the best selling Evanescence album, and well, there's always this statement made  by the modest Moody, who was asked to differentiate between the two bands:
"Its different in the fact that this is a real band. It was never set up that way in the past. This band is one hundred percent democracy. Everyone is equal. Everyone brings their own crap to the table. And what also is different is that I believe it's better. The music is more exciting. It's got more intensity behind it. This is bringing more energy than Evanescence could ever muster. And I mean Evanescence in its best day. We’re older. We’re better. We’re tighter. The music is louder. The music is heavier. This is just better."

And in response to this new "project", Amy Lee announced that Evanescence is working on new music, and to expect it in '10. (I believe that her announcement was entitled, "Will the Real Slim Shady please stand up?")

Going back to We Are the Fallen, their single was released Monday, and it isn't bad at all.  However, Ben's behavior is making me question whether or not I want to give this band a chance.  Bah...  I'm currently planning on it despite his superior attitude, what could it hurt?

There's bound to be more goodies of the musical nature as the year progresses, but I think I've rambled enough for one night.


Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Work in Progress.

Been in the ceramics studio a lot lately.  I won't be able to fire for a couple of months, but that's certainly not stopping me from working.  Right now I just have work in progress.  A couple of things have been bisque-fired, but most is still greenware.




I hope to have more soon. Much more. I'm tapping into my sculptural side too, so that too will be revealed.

1 Year.

I've been blogging for a year?  Already?

Are you sure??

Here's to many more posts - Cheers!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Down the Rabbit Hole.. Again.

On March 5, 2010, Tim Burton will release his newest creation (other then 9 which is coming out this fall) and the visuals are nothing short of stunning.  In Burton's adaptation, the story occurs 10 years after Alice's original trip to Wonderland, so that should be fairly interesting. 

Here are some visual goodies that were released just hours ago..
(click for full version)











That's Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Helena Bonham Carter as the Queen of Hearts, Anne Hathaway as the White Queen (she looks so beautiful!), Mia Wasikowska (an Australian actress) as Alice, and Matt Lucas (a British comedian) as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.

Looks phenomenal..

For addition images and info about the story, you can go here.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Do I see a New Gadget in my Future?

Why yes... yes I do.

In 2006, I became an Mac Fanatic.  Since then, I've been all Apple, all the time.  I have an iPod mini (1st gen.), and iPod nano (2nd gen.), 2 iPod shuffles (1st gen.), an iPod Classic (1st gen), and an 2003 model iBook.  Yea, I know, that's quite a few iPods, but my newest Classic is the best one I've gotten yet.  I'm all about capacity, and I went from 4 GB to 80 GB.

Well, I foresee another Apple product being added to my ensemble.  Within a year, Apple hopes to release a new version of the iPhone on Verizon!  The first cell service provider we had was AT&T and the coverage just wasn't that great.  We switched to Verizon in 2004, and haven't gone back since.  Back at the beginning of June, it was finally time for my cell phone upgrade, and well, I think I'm going to wait.  I've been stuck with a busted phone for months already.. what's a few more?  Especially if it means I can get an iPhone!  So yea, it will be worth the wait.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Elfonía's This Sonic Landscape: A Review (en Español).

Scroll down for English version.


  Elfonía es un raro tipo de talento musical que se puede encontrar en Mexico. La cantanta del banda, Marcela Bovio, ha pasado a ser el principal vocalista de una de mis bandas favoritas, Stream of Passion, creada por el musical cerebro holandés Arjen A. Lucassen. Marcela encontró la voz cautivadora, como sabía que tenía potencial, a pesar de que ya había tenido éxito en Elfonía.

El álbum This Sonic Landscape es un viaje a través del ambiente a través del escenario pintado con la guitarra y sintetizadores. Marcela de la voz son la joya de este álbum, y se dispara en cada actuación.

La intro "Gigantes IV" comienza sutilmente como Marcela la bella y exótica voz se escuchen. Ella vocalizes más de un fondo de guitarras y sintetizadores fantasmal, y la introducción es por la casi instantáneamente disonante melodía de la primera pista, "Máquina". Quizás uno de los más canciones en el álbum, que imita el sonido de su título. Es una canción de ritmo rápido, sólo una suave desaceleración de interludio con un sintetizador en solitario.

"Soundscapes", la siguiente canción, fue escrita en Inglés y también se señala que el álbum de su título. Una canción muy suave, crece más apasionados en el coro, con las voces e instrumentos. Marcela de la dulce voz de sonido especialmente emotivo en esta pista, y logrando la pista, "Desaciertos", es tan suave. Las voces están acompañadas por un piano en todo y, a continuación, a medio camino, unidos por una guitarra y percusión para crear una roca blanda siente.

"...de los libros del tiempo" tiene una mística melodía. Una vez más, los instrumentos son de una naturaleza muy ambiente, con la ocasional riffs de guitarra que antes de llevar la canción épica direcciones.

"Camaleón" La canción sigue siendo fiel a su nombre que la canción es mucho más duro que el procedimiento de la canción, el cambio de dirección musical. Las guitarras en esta canción suena como lo que usted esperaba en su nueva banda de marcela, Arroyo de la Pasión. Su voz se disparan en este viaje impulsado por la emoción-ambiente a través de la roca. Las guitarras, tanto el plomo y el bajo, mostrar el camino.

"Letargo", sin embargo, es la canción más ambiente en el álbum. Es instrumental, con sólo el sintetizador ... el zumbido que repican y la creación de un sonido en algún lugar entre un francés en un callejón del distrito y un club de jazz. Muy tranquila, hermosa y sensual innegable.

"Mañana" ofrece un sonido muy pop, y es también una de las canciones más rápido. La canción progresa rápidamente las notas en forma de remolino alrededor de un carácter lúdico, al presentar el nido pista. Jazziest la canción en el álbum también es el segundo a ser escritos en Inglés.  "Travelling", a pesar de su jazz exterior, está plagado de riffs de guitarra, la canción ayuda a resaltar del resto del álbum.

Los tres últimos temas son parte de una grave reflejado en la introducción. "Gigantes" de la serie comienza con ningún otro que yo "Gigantes I", que es una canción muy extraña, pero es más corto así. La canción es la más lenta en el álbum, arrastrándose a lo largo de su volumen cada vez mayor antes de introducir la segunda parte de la serie.

"Gigantes II" es un instrumento, casi en silencio al principio. Marcela empieza a vocalizar, cerca de la final de la pista, ya que se acumula a la tercera y última parte de la serie, así como el final del álbum.

"Gigantes III" comienza con su suave voz, y esta última canción es también en Inglés. La larga epopeya, ambiente pista tiene el oyente de un apasionante viaje que, al mismo tiempo, prepara para el final del álbum.

Elfonía de sonido se destaca en su género específico de Rock ambiente, dejando al oyente inspirado y relajado. Un perfecto equilibrio de voces, guitarras, así como los sintetizadores crear una atmósfera que envuelve al oyente, creando un lugar tranquilo a retirarse si se relaja, o necesita un escape.

__________________________

Elfonía is a rare breed of musical talent that can be found in Mexico. The band's lead singer, Marcela Bovio, has gone on to be the lead vocalist in one of my favorite bands, Stream of Passion, created by the Dutch musical mastermind Arjen A. Lucassen. He found Marcela's vocals captivating, as knew she had potential, even though she had already found success in Elfonía.

The album This Sonic Landscape is an ambient journey through scenary painted through the guitar work and the synthesizers. Marcela's vocals are the jewel in this album, and she soars in every performance.

The intro "Gigantes IV" begins subtly as Marcela's beautiful and exotic vocals are heard. She vocalizes over a backdrop of ghostly guitars and synthesizers, and the intro is jarred instantly by the almost dissonant melody of the first track, "Máquina". Perhaps one of the hardest songs on the album, the sound mimics that of its title. It is a fast-paced song, only slowing for a soft interlude with a synthesizer solo.

"Soundscapes", the next song, was written in English and is also where the album draws its title from. A very soft song, it grows more passionate in the chorus, with both the vocals and instruments. Marcela's vocals sound especially sweet on this emotional track, and the succeeding track, "Desaciertos", is just as soft. The vocals are accompanied by a piano throughout, and then halfway through, joined by a guitar and drum to create a soft rock feel.

"...de los libros del tiempo" has a mystical melody. Once again, the instruments are of a very ambient nature, with the occasional guitar riffs that soon carry the song in epic directions.
The song "Camaleón" remains faithful to its name as the song is much harder than the proceeding song, changing musical direction. The guitars in this song sound like what you would expect to her in marcela's new band, Stream of Passion. Her vocals soar on this emotion-driven ride through ambient rock. The guitars, both lead and bass, show the way.

"Letargo", however, is the most ambient song on the album. It is instrumental, featuring only the synthesizer... the chiming and buzzing creating a sound somewhere in between an alley in a French district and a jazz club. Very peaceful, beautiful, and undeniably sensual.

"Mañana" features a very pop sound, and is also one of the fastest songs. The song progresses quickly as the notes swirl around in a playful nature, introducing the nest track. The jazziest song on the album is also the second one to be written in English. "Travelling", despite its jazzy exterior, is littered with guitar riffs, helping the song to stand out from the rest of the album.

The final three tracks are part of a serious mirrored in the intro. The "Gigantes" series starts out with no other than "Gigantes I", which is a very eerie song, but is short as well. The song is the slowest on the album, creeping along before increasing its volume to introduce the second part of the series.

"Gigantes II" is an instrumental, almost silent at first. Marcela begins to vocalize near the end of the track as it builds up to the third and final part of the series, as well as the end of the album.

"Gigantes III" begins with her soft voice, and this final song is also in English. The long epic, ambient track takes the listener on an emotional journey while simultaneously preparing them for the end of the album.

Elfonía's sound stands out in its specific genre of Ambient Rock, leaving the listener inspired and relaxed. A perfect balance of vocals, guitars, as well as the synthesizers create an atmosphere that engulfs the listener, creating a peaceful place to retreat to whether you are relaxing, or need an escape.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Dude.

It's been a really long time since I've written...

It's my last semester as an undergraduate.. and it's been CRAZY.. Like INSANE.

For the past 6 weeks, I have been working on my senior show, which consisted of five posters I drew in Illustrator and then "painted" in photoshop.  My work was inspired by Art Nouveau, primarily my favorite artist Mucha. I have been so very busy... I printed the posters and framed them last night. The middle poster is 24" x 36", the two posters on either side of the middle one are 18" x 24", and the two posters on the outside of those are 12" x 36". The reception for the Senior Show is next week.. I'm so excited. I sent my invitations out Tuesday, so I'm hoping I'll have a good turnout.

It's just about that time again... exams. Oh boy.

In fact, I'm studying for a Spanish test right at the moment..

I hope to post pics of my work and the reception soon.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Guilt Machine.

Today, Arjen (Ayreon) announced his new side project!

"There's not been much news from us lately, but don't let that fool you. There has been a bustle of feverish activity going on behind the scenes here at the Electric Castle."

"With this update from ArjenLucassen. com we're excited to officially announce the details of Arjen's new project, Guilt Machine."


GUILT MACHINE

Arjen Lucassen: instruments, backing vocals

Jasper Steverlinck (Arid): vocals

Chris Maitland (ex Porcupine Tree): drums

Lori Linstruth (ex Stream of Passion): lead guitar


"As Ayreon fans have come to expect from Arjen, the music of Guilt Machine ranges from dark and heavy to atmospheric and melancholic. But Guilt Machine introduces some new twists as well, particularly when it comes to the vocals."

"Rather than putting together an ensemble cast of vocalists from the prog, rock and metal scene, Arjen has enlisted the talents of a single alternative rock vocalist, Jasper Steverlinck."

"How did Arjen get an alternative rock vocalist to switch genres and sing on a prog rock project?"

"In the beginning it was hard to convince Jasper to sing on this album, because he comes from a completely different musical background. He didn't even know what prog was, but we've made a believer out of him! What I admire about Jasper's voice, besides its beautiful clear timbre, is the emotion and credibility he puts into his performance and his enormous range. Because this project features just one singer I needed someone versatile enough to portray all of the different moods, and Jasper didn't disappoint. And he's a really nice and dedicated guy as well!"

"For Guilt Machine Arjen also chose to record with a different drummer, Chris Maitland (ex Porcupine Tree)."

"Chris was the ideal choice this time, having both the power for the heavy sections and the subtle touch needed in the more atmospheric parts."

"Rather than the explicit storyline you would expect in an Ayreon release, the songs of Guilt Machine revolve around a central theme. Instead of looking outward into a world of fantasy or science fiction, the songs look inward, exploring the destructive psychology of guilt, regret and the darkest form of secret -- the secrets we hide from ourselves."

"At first I asked my partner and personal manager Lori to quickly write scratch lyrics for one of the songs so I could record some guide vocals. I was so impressed by what she produced that I asked her to write the lyrics for all the songs. I was unable myself to create the type of darkly enigmatic, open-ended lyrics I wanted for these songs, my specialty being sci-fi lyrics about sinister aliens ;-) She definitely gave the songs an extra dimension with her lyrics, exorcising the demons we both had faced in the past few years. It's also no secret that I've always been a big fan of her melodic guitar style, so she also plays all the guitar solos on this album."

"Despite these differences, Guilt Machine still has much in common with Ayreon. The songs are mainly long, "epic" tracks that feature dynamic contrasts between softer, dreamy sections and powerful, heavy passages. There are intricate harmonies, complex rhythms, soaring melodies, and an eclectic selection of instruments -- all what you'd expect from an Ayreon release."

"In my view this is my best side project so far. It comes completely from the heart, for it was written and recorded during a new inspiring phase in my life after my heavy depression. This being an entirely new project there were no expectations whatsoever, which enabled me to just let my inspiration guide me without any (outside) pressure."

Now I can't wait for those audio samples. I wonder what release date we're looking at. <3

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Amazing Finds.

So it was finally time for a weekend mountain excursion. After our classes on Friday, my parents, Riley, and I immediately got on the road and made it to the lodge about 8 o'clock. This morning we got up about 11 and had lunch before setting out to go browse in two very large antique malls. We found some incredible things.

First, I was drawn to the several large jewelry cases. Inside the very first one was something with a style I immediately recognized, an Ary Nouveau Pin adorned with a Alphonse Mucha-esque woman. The tag was marked as $34, and, being the Art Nouveau enthusiast, I decided I would purchase it before I left.

As we continued throughout the booths, I spotted a familiar set of ceramic mugs on a wooden stand. They were mugs created by the Padilla family, and I actually had been wanting a set for myself since I saw the set Riley's Aunt Jinx has (actually, it's two sets). If I recall correctly, one mug (at a particular coffee shop) cost roughly $18-$25 dollars, that is if I remember correctly. The whole set at the antique mall (although it's kind of funny since these sets are far from antique) cost only $20, so I snatched that deal up. They are really lovely mugs, and I love the shape.

Our last find was an old postcard from 1944, which was written from a Private in WWII to a friend. We now have our own personal piece of history, with a message from one person to another from that era. Incredible. And only for $1.50!

After we left the first antique mall, we ventured across the highway to a slightly smaller one and continued to see if we could find anything that appealed to our interests. Well, we found a couple of awesome things, but unfortunately we don't have the funding. First, Riley found a musket from the (freaking) Civil War, and then Mom found a belt buckle that had been struck by a bullet from the same era. Dude.

Finally, i found something awesome AND affordable. It's a Whitman's tin from about the 1970s, and has one of my most Favorite Mucha images one it, "Zodiac". The tin is hinged and I thought for the price of $6, it's be really cool to store some of my papers (that are currently strewn everywhere) in.

And now the visuals:


Art Nouveau Pin












After we got back to the lodge, I decided to do a little research on the creator of the pin, since his name was etched so clearly on the pin. Turns out the artist is named Fernand Dubois, and he was an Art Nouveau artist from Belgium. He created jewelry among other things near the turn of the century, and so that would make my pin circa the 1890s. Awesome.


Fernand Dubois












Mugs with stand









One of my mugs









Front of Postcard









Back of Postcard









Mucha Tin

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Love Love Love.

Okay, so, for Valentines day, I decorated the halls in the Art building!  I made some quick garlands using yarn and construction paper leftover from when I taught Art on Tuesday. 



I also designed a poster to spread the love around.


Friday, February 13, 2009

The Five Year Mark.

So today is mine and Riley's anniversary.  We first kissed on Friday the 13th, 2004.  Quite the coincidence that our five year anniversary fell on a Friday the 13th as well, eh?

Friday, February 6, 2009

So there's this Tumblr thing..

And it's freaking awesome.

It's a nifty little thing... It allows me to post pictures on a whim, and since that I am a very visual person, it's a pretty sweet deal. Granted it's made to post just about anything, but my first love is this blog.

On a Steady Course to Planet Y will serve as a great addition to my main blog.