Planned Stuff For Tomorrow 5/1/09

Online experiences with Left 4 Dead free day (PC), Bionic Commando Multiplayer (Xbox 360), news and rants, and maybe a review as well.

Six Days in Falluja pulled by Konami.

Link to Kotaku article.

I expected this to come. It seems a bit insulting to make a game based on a conflict that's hard to acknowledge. With Konami out of the table; game is now publisher-less and seems unlikely to actually make it to store shelves with the initial reaction and this current event.

Maybe Pandemic will get into the belt and help reach it's goal for authenticity but now it seems like it will stay in development hell. I can expect a possible resurgence soon.

Red Faction: Guerrilla demo out!

"Good Times with Weapons"

On August of 2008, I played the closed beta of the latest "Red Faction" game being worked on by Volition who also done the previous games as well as the "Grand Theft Auto" clone-y game "Saint's Row". It was a sort of a stealth test as it was dominated by bigger major league shooters but people who paid attention or still loved the previous "Red Faction" games got in with little info on what the game was all about. Months after it's end, I still remember the good times playing the game properly; destroying the shit out of the buildings and rebuilding to repeat the hilarious process.

They released the demo yesterday and the only simple reaction I can say after beating the very quick demo is... amazing. Ever since the demo to Fight Night Round 3 during the launch of the Xbox 360, I haven't had much fun until this demo was released. Consisting of 3 quick parts of one mission (out of the alleged 120 missions in the final build), it utilized three (or four) different mechanics including a third person shooter and a rail section and it featured so much ways to complete it. Constructed of an open world sandbox framework, it doesn't rely on linear design as opposed to the objectives. You can either for example:

1. Jack a car to get the very maniacal Walker vehicle (will mention in a bit)
2. Go guns blazing
3. Run for it head on
4. Go stealthy around the base
5. Hammer the crap out of everything

I can mention more but I am still in a euphoric state. Besides the main objectives, there are secondary targets which can help or hurt the common meters in the game including public morale within the oppressed Mars, the resources of the enemy forces of the Earth Defense Force (Isn't that a game too?!), and others. I believe it's going to affect the future missions for the final game.


After getting the Walker, it shown how effective physics are in "Guerrilla". This is when destroying everything comes to effect when the mechanical monster can destroys the hell out of anything without any effort. Result is numerous parts falling flying and falling down with the thunderous feeling of actual buildings being destroyed. Volition seems to give time and care for the forceful desconstruction of buildings. Thank you Geo-Mod 2.0 for making me happy with physics again and reminding me that we can all be like Godzilla!

Then we have the final section of the demo which is the rail shooting. Giving a gun that's just a souped up "Halo 3" gauss gun and trying to flee from multiple EDF cars that can really kill is just plain awesome. Passing through buildings and cliffsides just reminds me of those classic chase movies. Also add a cool cinematic physics effect when the cars fly when shooting below them is just a great compliment to a great demo.

Uncharted 2 multiplayer demo in inFamous!

Article from Kotaku

I am very thrilled that they Naughty Dog is providing beta keys to Uncharted 2's multiplayer. I am no owner of the PlayStation 3 but I can say that Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was one of the best games on Sony's new console as I borrowed my friend's console and a assortment of games (including Uncharted). It felt very similar to other games like Gears of War and Tomb Raider but it's universe makes it feel intriguing.

Now I wish for a PlayStation 3 to play this beta. I can say people will love playing this as the shooting/cover system is smooth and well effective in the original which makes me more jealous that I cannot play the sequel to pretty much one of the best games I have ever played.

Agoraphobic Nosebleed - Agorapocalypse

"21st Century Machine Killer"

As I said (and in a more specified and less childish manner), Agorapocalypse breaks the end of Agoraphobic Nosebleed's constant assault of the ultra-speed cheap programmed drums main extreme electro beater Scott Hull has used in almost every release including the always ending 100 song album mini CD of Altered States of America. Ever since, full of splits and compilations keep the bestial machine alive while Scott does more somewhat serious work with deathgrinders Pig Destroyer. It's good to see the machine back in a new form.

An avid ANb fan would feel a bit wary as it lacks the selfish lightning clashes of post-Scum structures but it pays off in result as everything is now an attractive balance affair that's enjoyable instead of just trying to remember the patterns of what was in the Honky Reduction 10". You can still try to remember the patterns on Agorapocalypse but at least there are riffs that are audible enough to give more spirit in each of the songs. Also Scott handling the Toontrack Drumkit from Hell programmer, he learned how to give more seconds without excessive blast beating or d-beating by using slow grooves to compliment the riffs especially in "Question of Integrity" (which features a very accurate drum solo which alone should give a strong amount of points). Add the vocals of powerviolence-yore and growling, and it's a serious game with necessary humor about the band itself and something about a "Druggernaut Jug Fuck". If that's not worth a chuckle, I don't know what can motivate. Also give respect for newcomer Katherine Katz who removes the male monotony with her roars of agony.

Agorapocalypse can pretty much ruin the spirit of what was Agoraphobic Nosebleed but I appreciate Scott and his will to evolve to not become just a constant super fast cyber/grind/violence group even though that's not a bad thing. If you want the fast parts only, listen to the beginning and ending sets of the album; they still have the heart of Old Man ANb! YEEEHAWW!!!

8/10

FULL STREAM LINK (TEMPORARY): http://agorapocalypse.com/

Rolo Tomassi - Hysterics

"Wanna Get It On Eva?!"

Rolo Tomassi's "Hysterics" feels so hysterical when I listen to it. The haunting yet childishly odd melodies is a propeller to very weird math-y based punk band filled with other cool influences like video games. The initial song Oh Hello Ghost feels like Luigi's Mansion with more 8-bit and a hardcore influence. Coming from Sheffield, England, I thought I would be expecting an offshoot of something by fellow Steel City brethren Bring Me The Horizon. Although in the "-core" background, Rolo Tomassi far different from the metal tones of Oli Syke's band to promote himself to scene kids all around the world... ahem I mean Bring Oli The Horizon. DAMN!

It feels comfortable to listen to the unknown and the wackiness that's "Hysterics" likely due to a interesting blend of a clean production and a garage recording. Drums feels distant but not flying away from another country when compared to metalcore drum production being overdominant. It helps compliment the off-time and groovy stylings of guitar and keyboards which help make necessary discordance and atmospherics in songs like I Love Turbulence and Trojan Measures. If this was a negative review, I would be mentioning that you should listen to The Dillinger Escape Plan to have the feeling but Rolo Tomassi gives new approaches of mathcore that can make Ben of DEP feel jealous. Vocalist Eva Spence has a good arsenal of vocals to match the music, sounding like a very cute girl at one part to a monster at the second; when comparing to her very attractive and girly physique, she would be a great date for any competent and respectable metal/hardcore fan. The mix of all these elements are mastered in their 14 minute finale of craziness, sadness, and closure Fantasia.

Although the surface Rolo Tomassi looks like a boring scene band, the sub-floors are filled with music that gives feeling and effort. It can possibly entice the very jaded extreme music listener and make him or her giggle like a Catholic school girl and can't resist listening to any of the songs.

8/10

Assassin's Creed 2 - Update Part 2

After somewhat underwhelmed with the "teaser" for Assassin's Creed 2, I have been a little happy that the 2nd teaser emerged.



Along with the Game Informer issue released, I can say I am impressed with what's happening so far. Although the setting was obviously revealed, it was for the better as it can propel the mechanics that can be introduced in this iteration. The previous felt a bit limited but filled with so much ambition and possibilities but likely with the deadlines, it might have defeated the possibly astonishing. Maybe they are going to have a deadline as well with Assassin's Creed 2 (due to their long development of Splinter Cell: Conviction), but at least there is a stronger chance to expand and overall give more appreciation towards the general gaming public, even if the previous iteration had large sales during launch while receiving underwhelming reviews.

Quick suggestion: TOM HANKS. Do it Ubisoft Montreal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lead us Jeanne Fury!!!!

Tomorrow, this Saturday is Record Store Day! Jeanne is forcing us to buy shit there! Fuck yeah, still waiting for the subtle release of Graf Orlock's Destination Time Today, buy Agoraphobic Nosebleed's Agorapocalypse, or other great new releases from Relapse Records.

Thank goodness Dimple Records and The Beat are participating stores, as well as some new stores I have found out today! MUSIC TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I want some nachos... for the WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!

This is a band I should have been listening to a while ago. Powerful metallic undertones that shout the now defunct Canadian band Cursed and the people who is willing to keep powerviolence alive. The magnitude is just headinducing, headaching, headblowupping and head(negative stuff)ing. Well known after their contribution to This Comp Kills Facists Vol. 1 complilation by extreme metallist Scott Hull. Thank you Scott, Decibel, and other fuckers who made me like this band, Weekend Nachos.

Planned Stuff

Reviews:

• Agoraphobic Nosebleed - "Agorapocalypse"
• Brutal Truth - "Evolution Through Revolution"
• Tombs - "Winter Hours"
• War From A Harlots Mouth - "In Shoals"
• Rolo Tomassi - "Hysterics"
  

Oceano - Depths

"Hey mambo! Mambo Oceano!"

Deathcore is still walking a very thin balance beam where the floor is 10,000 feet down. It's been treated by hipsters who want to cash in and follow the same fashion of the same grooves and breakdowns we heard millions of other times. When will it all end?! It feels like never and the line will seem to get thinner/the notion that the copied over-monotony of the style is cool and will get you laid by the latest 16 year old Brokencyde fans. Oceano who is a deathcore band and released their debut on... Earache Records (THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE) is no absolute exception.

Too be honest with this album, it's very hard to listen and digest; it's not that there is some complex patterns or whatever (it doesn't), it's that probably almost every song here is pretty much the same formula as Whitechapel and other cookie cutter deathcore bands done. I felt like every song I go to, I will get a headache for pretty much every second as there is very little and mediocre d-beat action then go straight to the... *drum roll* BREAKDOWN! And how long does this last?! I cannot average but it's long enough for you to throw up like in that episode in Family Guy as it's dominated by the boring low B-note Mesa/Boogie amplified guitars with drums that sound like obvious EZ Drummer triggering. The vocals don't help either as it's more of a poor man's Vincent Bennett (of The Acacia Strain). It seems that the songs last too long as it should; it's like every song is like Discordance Axis' A Leaden Stride to Nowhere from The Inalienable Dreamless but boring. One notable but barely helpful exception is the album-titled instrumental which adds some interesting Meshuggah effect with some keyboards but it doesn't help the breakdown domination.

Defeated by the breakdowns (I hate this word now), thin production, and the annoying traits of everything else is just a damn shame. At least Oceano made one song interesting; which prevented the band from beating Suicide Silence as the worst deathcore band. I think I have brain cancer.

1/10

Tom Hanks should be in the game or ELSE! - Assassin's Creed 2 Teaser

ANIMUS: THE OFFICIAL TEASER SITE

*SPOILER WARNING*

The trailer begins with sketches of the Assassin's tools of the trade including the signature Altair wrist blade and leading up to The Virtruvian Man by The Great Renaissance artist, Leonardo da Vinci. It ends with the newly updated Assassin's logo. I take a look back at the previous images and they seem to fall in the da Vinci sort of illustrations. I went to a conclusion that a part of Assassin's Creed 2 will have a character use the Animus in The Renaissance period. We are not sure if it's Desmond in control or someone else of the modern society of the Assassins but it's gonna be someone and we will know soon in the coming weeks and months.

Also some information was revealed in the ANIMUS site with a date for either the May or June issue of Game Informer (04/16/09) which is either going to release the cover or release the issue being Assassin's Creed 2 is the main story. Also there is a weird looking logo at the end of the trailer. Clicking on the logo goes to a PDF file with the directions:

TO LOAD CORRESPONDING MEMORY FRAGMENT:

1. PRINT ARTIFACT SYMBOL.
2. LOCATE WELL LIT WORK AREA.
3. ACTIVATE LOCAL WEBCAM.
4. INITIATE VIRTUAL INTERFACE.
5. DETERMINE MATCHING PARTITION.

This is pretty much a viral campaign. Unusual usage but interesting.

UPDATE!

With the power of the internets I looked at the results of the webcam and seen that it shows multiple images involving the Assasins. I also tried doing it and it was pretty cool.

Capcom trying to stay high in these times?!

Link to IGN's article on the released Resident Evil 5 versus mode DLC.

During the Gears of War 2 release on November 7th, 2008, people who reserved the limited edition and went to the midnight madness event at a local GameStop were able to recieve codes to unlock the gold plated Lancer assault rifle and the Hammerburst assault rifle respectively. The interesting thing is that the gold plated skins for the weapons are already in the game and the codes acts like a key for use. I am fine with those kind of bonuses, it's pretty good use of bonus supplement material but what happens when you take these extras which are already in the game for a price to unlock?

Then here we go for the Resident Evil 5 versus mode that was released for download today for a decent fee of $5 (or 400 Microsoft Points in the US). Interesting thing is that the download size is 1.86 MB. I always thought that it would be at least 40 MB or something in that parameter as it's a new mode but apparently I was wrong. The mode was built in the game apparently and the download acts like a key to it.

In these troubled times and people are making choices on what they should be getting; not saying that we should'nt get video games at all, it's just a more deciseful situation on what can spend our time the most. Resident Evil is $60 new as it was recently released but when releasing a mode for $5 which is already inside the disc from day one is a high class of bull-shittery.

I only played the demo but I understand the controls enough to visualize the mode. Pretty much who aims and shoots first and/or has a stronger weapon wins. The problem is that it's gonna be like a Western standoff and it's gonna bore us. Also the brief cover system I saw later on in the game is gonna be non-existant which makes it worse; Capcom is not using their opportunities.

My questions goes out for Capcom... Who the hell made this bad marketing decision? Was it the same guy who decided the Resident Evil 5 demo should come to Japan months before the US demo release?

Hey mambo, mambo Oceano?!

Monotony in deathcore is very obvious especially this time around. Trying to be brutal like brutal death but becoming "xXxBROOTALxXx" as it's more hardcore influenced (but not saying hardcore is bad). Just 10 second d-beats, 1 minute breakdowns, 3 minute breakdowns of breakdowns, 20 more minutes of breakdowns breaking down the breakdowns that have been broken down, etc. One whole album will eventually just be 7-string B-note "xXxBROOTALxXx" breakdowns with no variation of discordance; musically trying to plummet someone without a god damn hammer. This influence has been applied to every type of band within "hardcore" and people still appreciate it; some though use some other influences but it's how effective sonically it is which no band I heard within the "scene" does well and imaginatively (I am talking to you I Wrestled A Bear Once).

But let's go to how breakdowns of deathcore influence the breakdowns of deathcore. The video is by Oceano. The newest hippest deathcore band dominated by boring breakdowns and other brief stuff influenced by Whitechapel (Jack The Ripper and all, why chose the name which reminds me of Jesus Christ, marrige, and Judas for Christ sake?). Signed by...

EARACHE RECORDS!

The label that helped propell grindcore to a larger audience has now turned to a deathcore label?! TRYING TO BE HIP AND GET LAID BY 16 YEAR OLD FAT CHICK FANS OF BROKENCYDE DIGBY PEARSON?!

I kid. But sign a band whose mostly known for "violent" acts of shows? Fuck, black metal bands from Norway have more vile shows than a mediocre band who gives us a notion that the substance is just breakdowns. Nothing wrong with deathcore bands I will say but like every type of music (including post-metal) will have bad performer(s).

Let's get to the video. Boring, check. Boring imagery, check. Boring performance, check. Boring atmospherics, check. Boring breakdowns, check. Boring boring, check. Earache has made a bad decision.

Oh yeah one more thing. GUITARIST, BASSIST, AND VOCALIST WHO HAVE MUDBUTT AND ARE STILL PLAYING?! Fucking check!

This is not the worst though. I would say give a year or so until something different can happen. Either pure death metal or pure hardcore punk. We will have to wait and find out. At least they are better than Scenacide Silence.

Going to listen to Oxbow. Eugene is black and he is awesome.

Destination Time Today

Hey, no download link! I am not a music blog! =)

At least we got the LP cover!

Release Dates:

LP: Preorders begin on April 15th, sign up for mailing list at Vitriol Records.
CD: Summer 2009 on Level Plane Records.

How to play boring guitar with Black Tide! YEAH!

I am lazy so here is the link to it.

Oh man that's boring to watch a band with the head honcho still 16 and trying to be the next Metallica. It's surprising that the band has a major label record deal and seemingly making and touring mediocre "heavy metal" as their form of living. If they were in an independent label, they would have likely died or broke up while on tour without support. You can say the record execs saved them; so they are the good guys this time around?! Just wow.

Just watching this video makes me feel uncomfortable in many unexplainable positions. Is this guy expecting us to just watch and read what is he doing instead of giving some verbal advisory? Hey the Guitar World lessons actually try to help in some cases. Hey look at the camera for once!

Boring as fuck.

New songs by Converge! With Jake barking!

(Newest song up top and other new song bottom)

Filmed by Sean Gresens (Metal Injection)

Jesus H. Christ monkey balls! Converge will always compel me to love extreme music; as well as inspire me to make the music! They will never fail me (not even the 2004 album You Fail Me didn't fail me) with just making fun and destructive mixes of hardcore/sludge/fast/thrash/whateverthefuck traits that blows my face off (not literally of course). These new ones are no exception.

The newest one (New Song #1) feels haunting throughout even at d-beat rate, it feels like someone is gonna die soon after listening to it; hope it's not some long haired chick who wants to rape and kill me or something in particular. Jake still blasts his great barks of fury with similar but enjoyable patterns. Short and definitely sweet just like other "conventional" Converge songs.

New Song #2 is just a powerhouse of destruction just like songs from the No Heroes album like the album titled song, Vengeance, Bare My Teeth, and To The Lions. Besides the blast beats and the downward spiral riffs, you got a new piece of weaponry by Kurt with... SWEEP PICKING?! I am not fond with shred stuff but that's fast enough for me to be considered sweeping. It reminded me of some parts from their pre-Jane Doe album, When Forever Comes Crashing. It's not of course When Forever but feels like more of a cool blend of both pre- and post-Jane Doe. Also notice in the video some dude threw Jake to the crowd halfway of the song and later had a rather interesting topic about rape and dumpster babies.

Oh hardcore, you and your good clean fun.

The Ocean - Precambrian

"Full of Volcanoes and Grasslands!"

Blasting out extreme and experimental sounds is a tough challenge especially for Robin Staps' The Ocean Collective who has members from Converge, Cave In, War From A Harlots Mouth, and even has performers from the Berlin Philharmonic, doing the orchestral work. That's a lot of responsibility for a dude to handle and absolute props for his previous efforts and this 2007 opus, Precambrian.

Giving a main concept to the natural land of mother Earth millions of years ago and having music with music to heavily back up the concept is just plain effective as Hadean can be imagined as a pool of lava flowing and flooding the hostile planet. This sense of evil exists only for almost a half hour but the execution of harsh progressive metal, hardcore punk, and sludge metal makes every listen of the first disc enjoyable until the end blast where it's time to get introduced to atmosphere, oxygen, and life.

Disc 2 is where Staps' mastery exists as the abrasive sounds of disc one and their previous album, Aeolian mix with the atmospheric characteristics of their first album Fluxion. Having the NeuroIsis touch but having a sound all their own flooded by sequentially proper background effects of unconventional instruments (glockenspiel say much?). In support of vocalists like Nate Newton, Dwid Hellion, Matt Beels, Nico Webers, the awesome Meta giving agony and elegence to the philosphical lyrics of the likes of Nietzsche and Trakl. Heck Kevin Spacey appears but as a audio rip from The Life of David Gale (still great though). All of these sounds processing impressively through songs like Ectasian and the epic Rhyacian is nothing but mind blowing.

Precambrian is over ambitious but when all else misses the mark for success, The Ocean hits it dead on like a big bang, excuse my Earth history joke.

10/10

Nachtmystium - Assassins: Black Meddle Part 1

"Back and Beyond"

Decibel magazine introduced me to a lot of things including the band Nachtmystium. Heck the name of the group sparked some interest. They put their album Instinct: Decay as one of the top 5 albums of their top 40 list in 2006. I wanted to take a listen as I wanted to start listening to black metal. Filled with low-fi buzzing psychedelia and somewhat inaudible but terrifying vocals, it was just fucking awesome to listen to. When I heard their new album Assassins, I felt a bit worried about the album being Instinct: Decay part 2. Hell, I was damn wrong. After a full listen, I didn't really care if they were really black metal or whatever. I just knew Assassins was just heavy and great.

"One of these nights, I am going to fucking die," the only lyric from the blasting "One of These Nights gives some preparation for the bombardment of fast black metal beats of "Assassins" and "Your True Enemy" telling us that they still have the dark edges. Even so, they seem to say goodbye to these traits with more slower and psychedelic tones of the instrumentals and the very heavy metal "Ghosts of Grace" thanks to Sanford Parker contributing with sound like cheesy yet nostalgic UFOs entering the planet earth. If I find a best metal vocals in a metal song award, it would be Blake sounding like an agonized drug addict in "Omnivore." The "Seasick" trilogy feels like a true farewell to the extreme roots and hello to a new world of experimentation; big thanks to Tony Laureano's off time and hi-fi drum work and Bruce Lamont's really relaxing saxophone helping make Nachtmystium's 4th album their most experimental and their best.

10/10

Trap Them - Seizures in Barren Praise

"Don't Call Off The Riots"

The noise and the Swedish buzz is always a call that Trap Them has come back to town with something destructive. They don't seem to know how to fail as their assaults of fast d-beat punk, deathgrind, and anthems of noisy experimental doom are just plain awesome. Seizures in Barren Praise continues and makes their previous releases sound like practice sessions as preparation for this monster.

Even with a cleaner and more transparent sound when compared to their garage-like Sleepwell Deconstructor and Séance Prime releases, everything is mixed just right so you can enjoy Brian Izzi's death metal riffs blended with somthing that Converge would make (which Kurt Ballou of Converge produced, always a great job), Steve Lacour and the much needed attack of his bass, and Mike Justian doing his best drum work since he was in The Red Chord. Lets not forget Ryan McKenney who sounds like a political rebel who will kick the ass of anyone against him. "Gutterbomb Heaven On The Grid" and "Mission Convincers" are great examples where both revisits the similar approach to "Deconstructioneer Extraordinaire" in Sleepwell Deconstructor where Ryan sounds like he is doing a very persuasive speech to the world supported by the doomy (and also now noisy drone) antics of Brian and Mike. Outside that are songs combining what sounded in your face in Sleepwell and the attack of Séance resulting with a more focused Trap Them. Seizures in Barren Praise has established the group's sound with every song that sounds catchy as fuck.

Mission accomplished guys.

9/10

Oh Creation!

Finally Spring Break has come and I can have time to work on something as a form of experience. Now I can work on writing reviews, making podcasts, and some other stuff like news.

I am primarily using this to primarily post news and reviews important to video games and extreme music (maybe not just). I might not post all what's in IGN or Metal Sucks but mostly stuff that interests me. A bit selfish but some of you might be interested.

Hope you guys like my blog if you read some of the crap!