Thursday, June 30, 2011

Update

Alright, so here's the deal. I am going to North Carolina for the next week with my mom's entire extended family. I will not have internet access on the drive down there, so I won't be posting tommorow or Saturday. Besides the next two days I hope to write throughout the week. I plan on doing some mid-year recaps for all the movies i've seen and music i've heard this year. On top of that, I hope to review the new Grieves, Unearth, Suicide Silence, Sepultura, and hopefully more. I will be back in Massachusetts on July 11th and I got some good shit planned for the rest of the month. Thank you for reading my blog and I will get back to posting on Sunday!

Movie Review: Transformers: Dark Of The Moon


As I have mentioned in the past, I am a big fan of the Transformers films. The first installment is one of my favorite films of all time. It was a near-perfect blockbuster that is pretty much unmatched when it comes to pure entertainment value. The second one wasn't nearly as good, but it still was a solid blockbuster. Transformers: Dark Of The Moon is smack dab in the middle of it's predecessors when it comes to quality.

If you were a fan of the other Transformers films, Dark Of The Moon will be right up your alley. It features the same formula as the other films: explosions, crazy action scenes, some humor, and other eye-candy. Unlike the other Transformers films the action is actually pretty limited until the finale. The storyline at the beginning isn't bad, but it's kind of dragged out for too long. The script is nearly strong enough to have the story go on for that long without any action. What makes the beginning sequences engaging is the humor (which is actually funny here, unlike the godawful jokes in Revenge Of The Fallen). Shia Labeouf, John Turturro, John Malkovich and a scene-stealing appearnce from Ken Jeong keep the laughs coming and make your forget the films shortcomings. The finale really makes it all worth it. It's one of the finest action sequences of the year so far. The level of chaos and destruction during that sequence is astonishing. The last 45 minutes alone are worth the price of admission and seeing the film in 3D (this film is one of the few that is actually worth seeing in 3D, it's very well done and adds to the enjoyment of the film.)

What makes this film not nearly as good as the first one besides the plot line, is the lame villains. Sentinel Prime (voiced by Lenord Nimoy) and Patrick Dempsey are both stupid and pointless villains. It was seriously a lot better when it was just Megatron and Soundwave. These new villains just pissed me off, especially Dempsey, who is completely god awful every second he is on the screen. I can't believe I went this long without mentioning the burning question of this film, is Rose Huntington-Whiteley better than Megan Fox? The answer is... hell no. I mean Megan Fox was bad, but Rose Huntington Whiteley is even worse. It doesn't really effect the film that much because her character is pretty much there just to look at and it's the fucking Transformers not high art, never the less she does a horrible job.

Even with it's flaws, Transformers: Dark Of The Moon is a very good film. It does exactly what it's supposed to, it entertains, it's funny, and the action is top-notch. The film is also visually stunning and the 3D makes a wonderful addition to the franchise. Compared to the other films in the series, it's not nearly as good as the first one, but it is an improvement over the second one. Transformers: Dark Of The Moon is a fine summer blockbuster that entertains and should delight it's target audience.

4/5 Stars


Wednesday, June 29, 2011

July In Film

I figured I would do my July film preview early because the first films of the month come out on Friday and I am going on vacation (to small number of frequent readers, don't worry, I will still be posting while on vacation). I have to say this the weakest looking July in recent memory for me. The number of films I want to see is extremely limited. Here are my thoughts on the full slate of July films.

Films I want to see
2.Horrible Bosses(7/8)-Horrible Bosses looks like it could very well be the comedy of the summer. The early test screening buzz is excellent and the cast is completely amazing. Comic veterans like Jason Bateman, Jason Sudekis, and Charlie Day thrown in with other great, normally non-comic actors including Kevin Spacey and Colin Farell, How can you go wrong with that? It looks to be pretty amusing and I am quite excited to see how this turns out.

1.Cowboys and Aliens(7/29)-Outside of the god awful title, this movie looks awesome. The idea of a western meets sci-fi thing is a really cool idea (unless it turns out to be a Wild Wild West-esque.disaster.)  Jon Faverau's presence as a director assures this film will be well-made, he has turned into one of the finest action directors around right now. Daniel Craig looks like a complete bad-ass in the lead role and Harrison Ford and Sam Rockwell make the cast very well-rounded. Hopefully this will be one of the better summer films.

Films I am unsure about
Larry Crowne(7/1)-Despite a solid cast, this looks to be an incredibly straightforward and lifeless comedy/drama. I will hold out hope due to how awesome Tom Hanks is, but I am not really liking the odds.

The Zookeper(7/8)-The trailer is far funnier than it should be just like the last Kevin James's family film Paul Blart: Mall Cop. I am assuming similar results for The Zookeeper, an average, harmless kids film with a few laughs, but overall nothing special.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2(7/15)-This is the best looking Harry Potter film in quite some time. But due to my love/hate relationship with these films, I can't get really too excited about this film.

Friends With Benefits(7/22)-Will Gluck's last romantic comedy Easy A was actually very funny. This alone gives Friends With Benefits a shot to be good. I do like Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis, but this could end up a very formulaic rom-com. We will see how it goes.

Crazy,Stupid,Love(7/29)-The trailer looks alright. The cast is solid, but I am afraid this film will have tone issues.

Films that I don't want to see( but will have to anyways due to my goal for 2011 films)
Monte Carlo(7/1)-Selena Gomez in a a rich girl traveling to France, no thanks. I am pretty sure this will be one of the worst films of the year.

Winnie The Pooh(7/15)-I love Winnie The Pooh when I was a kid, but now at 19 I really don't care.

Captain America: The First Avenger(7/22)-This is easily the worst looking superhero film ever. It looks like a complete pile of horse shit.  There is so many signs this movie is going to be awful it's not even funny. First, you got one of the worst directors in Hollywood, Joe Johnston, at the helm. Then, you have the writers of The Chronicles Of Narnia films doing the script. Throw in a cast, that judging by the trailers, seems to be aware how bad the film is. I am a big superhero film fan, but I really do not want to see Captain America at all.

The Smurfs(7/29)-Dear god I can't even believe this is real. The trailers looks like Alvin and The Chipmunks, but with even worse jokes. This looks to be another contender for the worst films of the year.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Movie Review: The Rite(Film Number 5 In My Goal For 2011 Films)

The genre of exorcism horror has never really appealed to me and The Rite didn't do anything to change that. I use the term "horror" lightly in this case because The Rite is more of a drama about exorcism then a horror film. The problem with The Rite isn't that it's not a horror film, it's that it's just not an interesting film. I was completely bored throughout the entire film. This film does very little to hold your attention. It drags through it's near two hour runtime with a dull plotline and emotionless acting (for the most part). Lead actor Colin O'Donoghue does a pretty weak job in his first film. If this performance is any indicator, I would say his days as an actor are numbered. Anthony Hopkins is the only reason that film doesn't completely fall on it's face. Hopkins is magnetic whenever he is on the screen and this is his best performance in quite some time. Even with Anthony Hopkins on his game, The Rite is still a complete snore of a film.

1.5/5 Stars

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Album Review: August Burns Red-Leveler

As I mentioned earlier this week in my review for The Black Dahlia Murder's new record, there are very few metal bands that consistently put out great records. August Burns Red is another of the bands that are in that elite company. They have continued to improve from record to record and Leveler is their best work to date.

Leveler is the most progressive August Burns Red record to date. Their last record, Constellations, saw the incorporating of some progressive sections, but Leveler takes it even further."Carpe Diem" is the most progressive (and one of the best) August Burns Red songs to date. The mid-section dives into a full on Between The Buried and Me-esque style which was really awesome to hear. The highlight of the progressive material here is on the fantastic "Internal Cannon". "Internal Cannon" starts off with a crushing riff, but then soon goes into a Latin-guitar interlude, which was a completely unexpected and fucking awesome surprise. Latin guitar is a pretty unusual inclusion (even for progressive metal bands), but it works here to perfection and provides a very unique experience for the listener.

Leveler is not only the most progressive work August Burns Red have ever done, it's also the heaviest. There are points of this record that border on melodic death metal. The incredible riff of "Cutting The Ties" sounds like something from an old In Flames or Dark Tranquility record. Other heavier fare like "Divisions" and "Pangaea" really caught be my surprise. I wasn't expecting to hear stuff this heavy from August Burns Red, but it's a sound that really works for them. August Burns Red hasn't completely abandoned their trademark breakdowns, but they have been cut down quite a bit. The good thing is when they are used, they work to perfection. Each breakdown completely fits and actually makes the song better (which is a rare, rare occurrence.)

Leveler is a damn fine record. August Burns Red has continued to improve as a band from record to record and this is their most mature/best effort to date. It's really great to see how much their sound has advanced over the years. They have become a complete force on the metalcore scene. This is the type of record that I can see August Burns Red gaining a lot of fans from. This is a diverse,heavy, and melodic record that should please a lot of metal fans from all over the scene.

4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Internal Cannon
2.Cutting The Ties
3.Carpe Diem

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Album Review: The Crimson Armada-Conviction

The Crimson Armada was a band that caught my attention a couple of years ago at New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. They played very early in the day on the main stage and put on one hell of a show. I met them later and I had a pretty long conversation with them. They were some of the nicest and most humble musicians I have ever met. Their debut record, Guardians , was quite good and it showcased the potential they had as a band. That is why it completely pains me to say that their new record Conviction is one of the worst records I have heard in years.

Conviction left a bad taste in my mouth months ago when the title track was released, but I held out hope anyways. Sadly, my fears came true. The Crimson Armada has become one of the most boring and terrible bands on the scene. I have heard a lot of people talk about the hate on this album because of the "new sound" and I would have to agree. Personally, I have no issue with a band changing sound when it's to advance their music, but The Crimson Armada's music has taken monster steps back. The technicality of the first record has been completely sidelined for tedious breakdowns that wear out their welcome out by the end of the first song. Then thrown in the unnecessary estrogen-charged clean vocals that every single post-hardcore band uses. The clean vocals on Conviction are vomit-inducing. Just when I didn't think it could get any worse, they started using the same rapping style that Emmure uses on "Composed Of Stone". That was the last straw for this album. I honestly couldn't believe what I was hearing. It's completely jaw-dropping how much this band has gone backwards with their sound.

Conviction is completely awful. It sounds like the lovechild of Emmure and A Skylit Drive(or any of the other dime-a-dozen whiny post-hardcore bands out there). I didn't think it was possible for The Crimson Armada to go down the tubes like this. This is some of the most uninspired, bland garbage I have heard in a long time. This band had a lot of potential and they are a great group of dudes, it's a shame to see them make as a big of a stinker as Conviction.

1/5 Stars

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Movie Review: Hall Pass

After suffering through quite a few straight shit films on DVD, I finally see a film I actually wanted to see! Hall Pass is not a film that is going to redefine the comedy genre, but it's still a solid comedy that is pretty amusing. It's been a while since the Farelly Brothers have done anything worthwhile, and thankfully Hall Pass breaks the cold streak they had been on. Hall Pass brings back the vintage Farrelly Brothers gross-out humor, but it's actually funny this time unlike in The Heartbreak Kid where it fell flat. Owen Wilson and Jason Sudekis make for two likable leads. You sympathize for their characters, even though they are sex-obsessed men who treat their wives like shit. I hope Sudekis continues to get roles and become more popular. He is one of the best parts of SNL and he is a completely hilarious dude. Hall Pass is a bit generic, but that doesn't mean it's not funny. This is a good time-waster that has pretty frequent laughs, a likable cast, and even some heart. Hall Pass gets the job done where other recent Farrelly Brothers films did not and provides a pretty amusing film.

3.5/5 Stars

Monday, June 20, 2011

Album Review: The Black Dahlia Murder-Ritual

There are just some bands that can come out and consistently make amazing records. The band has to be really special to pull it off. The list of the bands that can pull of this amazing feat is short and The Black Dahlia Murder is on it.

Ritual is not only an amazing album, it's the best out of a long line of amazing albums. The Black Dahlia Murder has pushed their music even further this time. There is a more mature,heavy,melodic, and faster vibe this time around. Ritual takes the classic Black Dahlia Murder formula and just adds a bunch to it. It's evident from the opening seconds of "A Shrine To Madness" that the listener is in for brilliance. The subtle string arrangements are paired flawlessly with the first of many killer riffs that Ryan Knight sprinkles throughout the record. Knight's guitar playing and songwriting ability is a big reason that Ritual is so special. This is the first record he played a big part in writing and he just does such an amazing job. There is the perfect combination of breakneck speed and haunting melodic undertones. The guitar solos are the best to date from him and that's quite the accomplishment considering how great of a player he is.

Ritual is not only amazing because of Ryan Knight. The whole band goes above and beyond their previous work. Trevor Strand, who was already the best vocalist in modern death metal, makes his vocals even more menacing. I thought it was impossible for him to sound any better, but once again he rises to the occasion and continues to improves. Ditto with Shannon Lucas. He's always been an awesome drummer, but here he steps his game up even more. It's really amazing how dedicated they are to music and how they continue to push themselves to get even better over time. Some band at this point in their career start to get lazy, but not The Black Dahlia Murder.

Ritual is completely fucking incredible. The Black Dahlia Murder is in the minuscule number of bands that get better with each release they put out. This is Black Dahlia at their absolute finest. Every single song is completely amazing and it is a god damn hard task to pick favorite songs on this record, the whole record is that good. The Black Dahlia Murder continue to prove why they are modern death metal legends, they are absolute gods of the genreRitual is an instant classic that will be remembered for years to come in the death metal community.

5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Carbonized In Cruciform
2.Moonlight Equilibrium
3.Blood In The Ink

Friday, June 17, 2011

Movie Review: Super 8

Super 8 was a film surrounded by mystery prior to its release. In true J.J Abrams fashion, there was a teaser trailer released over a year ago that got everyone buzzing about the film without even knowing much about it. It was an effective tactic for Abrams, Super 8 doesn't only live up to the hype, it greatly surpasses it.

Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) and his friends are out of school for the summer. His friend Charles (Riley Griffiths) goal is to make a film and enter in a Super 8 film contest. One night while shooting a scene for Charles's film, Joe and his friends see a pick-up truck drive onto the train tracks to derail a train. The kids witness a monumental train crash in which the cargo of the train has escaped. Soon after, strange things begin to happen in the town. The military arrives, people and animals begin disappearing, and other strange phenomenons occur. Joe's father Jackson (Kyle Chandler) is the deputy in the town and the people are coming to him for answers which he can not supply. Joe and his friends are also busy looking for answers to what they saw the night of the crash and what could possibly be destroying their town.

Super 8 is the type of old-school entertainment we don't tend to get very often. This is a throwback to the 70's and 80's adventure flicks such as The Goonies with the alien elements of Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. Super 8 is a near-perfect film that provides non-stop fun for two hours. J.J Abrams is able to create one of the most original and engaging films in year. Abrams, who has already proved his brilliance with films such as Star Trek, shows yet again why is he is one of the elite filmmakers in Hollywood. Along with Abrams's outstanding script and direction, is the wonderful young leads. These kids really stepped it up. Every single one of them does an amazing job and should have long careers ahead of them.

Super 8 is just an awesome movie. It's one of the most original,fun, and entertaining films to come out in the past few years. J.J Abrams has made a film with literally something for everyone. Hollywood needs more films that are as good and original as Super 8. I am not necessarily opposed to the recent Hollywood trends of remakes and adaptions (as long as they are good), but it's always nice to see a film with an original idea during a time where they are few and far between. Super 8 is easily among my favorite films of 2011 and I can expect it to finish in my top 5 (at the very least) at the end of the year.

4.5/5 Stars 

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Album Review: In Flames-Sounds Of A Playground Fading

There are really no words for how low my expectations were for the new In Flames record. Their last record, A Sense Of Purpose was pretty awful and when I heard their vocalist Andres Friden say the record "was darker and would have less screaming" a red flag went off in my head. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, I find out the album is called Sounds Of A Playground Fading. With a title like that, you would think this is a HIM record. Against all odds, the new In Flames record is actually pretty decent.

Sounds Of A Playground Fading is pretty much nothing like other In Flames records. It has a lot more clean vocals, but it still maintains the heaviness that In Flames is known for. Even with the enchanced focus on clean vocals, you still tell this is an In Flames record, which is the big reason this blows the doors off of A Sense Of Purpose. "A New Dawn" is the best track In Flames has made since at least Reroute To Remain, maybe even Clayman. It opens with a catchy, vintage In Flames riff and it throws twists and turns (including a symphonic mid-section) in it's near six-minute duration. Unforunately, the rest of the tracks aren't even close to as good as "A New Dawn", but there are a few other gems here. "The Puzzle" and "Fear Is The Weakness" are the two other tracks that remind of vintage In Flames and are easily among the standout tracks on this record.

Sounds Of A Playground Fading is not exactly a full return to glory for In Flames, but it's a decent enough record. It has a few missteps ("Liberation" being the biggest), but it's such a huge improvement over their last record that I can forgive them for the flaws on this record. If you're looking for the next Clayman or Whoracle, you're out of luck. But if you are an old fan and want to hear the new version of In Flames, check out Sounds Of A Playground Fading and you might be pleasantly surprised like I was.

3/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.A New Dawn
2.The Puzzle
3.Fear Is The Weakness

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Revisiting 2010's Albums

At the halfway point of every year, I like to look back at the previous year's albums and where they stand at the current moment in time. It also gives me a chance to revise my list and add the album I didn't hear until after 2010. This year's revisions aren't quite as a big of a shake up of last year's, but there are still some shake-ups. Here is my revised list of 2010's albums.

EP's
4.(4)The Devil Wears Prada-Zombie EP(3.5/5)
3.(3)Chiddy Bang-The Preview(3.5/5)
2.(2)Atmosphere-To All My Friends...Blood Makes The Blood Holy(4/5)
1.(1)Fleshgod Apocalypse-Mafia(4/5)


LP's(Previous ranking from my year- end list in parentheses, albums I listened to after making my making my year list have new in parentheses)
72.(57)Eminem-Recovery(1.5/5)
71.(56)Carnifex-Hell Chose Me(1.5/5)
70.(55)Bring Me The Horizon-There Is A Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is A Heaven, Let's Keep It A Secret.(1.5/5)
69.(54)Godsmack-The Oracle(1.5/5)
68.(53)Iron Maiden-The Final Frontier(1.5/5)
67.(52)Rob Zombie-Hellbilly Deluxe 2(2/5)
66.(new)Pendulum-Immersion(2.5/5)
65.(new)Kid Cudi-Man On The Moon II:The Legend Of Mr.Rager(2.5/5)
64.(51)Bullet For My Valentine-Fever(2.5/5)
63.(50)Disturbed-Asylum(2.5/5)
62.(49)Avenged Sevenfold-Nightmare(2.5/5)
61.(new)I,The Breather-These Are My Sins(2.5/5)
60.(47)Mutiny Within-Mutiny Within(2.5/5)
59.(48)Black Tusk-Taste The Sin(2.5/5)
58.(46)Exodus-Exhibit B: The Human Condition(2.5/5)
57.(45)Fear Factory-Mechanize(2.5/5)
56.(43)The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza-Danza III: A Series Of Unfortunate Events(3/5)
55.(42)A Day To Remember-What Separates Me From You(3/5)
54.(41)Demon Hunter-The World Is A Thorn(3/5)
53.(44)Kylesa-Spiral Shadow(3/5)
52.(39)Beneath The Sky-In Loving Memory(3/5)
51.(40)Miss May I-Monument(3/5)
50(38)Arsis-Starve For The Devil(3/5)
49.(new)The Damned Things-Ironiclast(3.5/5)
48.(36)Abigail Williams-In The Absence Of Light(3.5/5)
47.(new)Trash Talk-Eyes and Nines(3.5/5)
46.(35)Korn-Korn III:Remember Who You Are(3.5/5)
45.(33)Dark Tranquility-We Are The Void(3.5/5)
44.(34)Cephalic Carnage-Misled By Certainty(3.5/5)
43.(30)Whitechapel-A New Era Of Corruption(3.5/5)
42.(37)Nachtmysitum-Addicts:Black Meddle Part II(3.5/5)
41.(new)Zoroaster-Matador(3.5/5)
40.(32)Cancer Bats-Bears,Mayors,Scraps, and Bones(3.5/5)
39.(new)Cruel Hand-Lock and Key(3.5/5)
38.(27)After The Burial-In Dreams(3.5/5)
37.(31)GWAR-Bloody Pit Of Horror(3.5/5)
36.(28)Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers-Mojo(3.5/5)
35.(new)The Ocean-Heliocentric(3.5/5)
34.(26)Through The Eyes Of The Dead-Skepsis(3.5/5)
33.(29)Parkway Drive-Deep Blue(3.5/5)
32.(new)Sick Of It All-Based On A True Story(4/5)
31.(23)All That Remains-For We Are Many(4/5)
30.(24)Terror-Keepers Of The Faith(4/5)
29.(22)Bison B.C-Dark Ages(4/5)
28.(17)Vampire Weekend-Contra(4/5)
27.(21)Eluveitie-Everything Remains As It Never Was(4/5)
26.(16)-Annotations Of An Autopsy-II: The Reign Of Darkness(4/5)
25.(new)The Contortionist-Exoplanet(4/5)
24.(new)Kingdom Of Sorrow-Behind The Blackest Tears(4/5)
23.(new)The Ocean-Anthropocentric(4/5)
22.(new)Periphery-Periphery(4/5)
21.(19)Veil Of Maya-(id)(4/5)
20.(20)War Of Ages-Eternal(4/5)
19.(14)Finntroll-Nifelvind(4/5)
18.(new)Arcade Fire-The Suburbs(4/5)
17.(18)Black Breath-Heavy Breathing(4/5)
16.(15)The Acacia Strain-Wormwood(4/5)
15.(new)Decrepit Birth-Polarity(4/5)
14.(13)Coheed and Cambria-Year Of The Black Rainbow(4/5)
13.(12)Unleashed-As Ygdrasil Trembles(4/5)
12.(11)Volbeat-Beyond Hell/Above Heaven(4/5)
11.(25)Deftones-Diamond Eyes(4/5)
10.(8)Nas/Damian Marley-Distant Relatives(4/5)
9.(9)Howl-Full Of Hell(4/5)
8.(7)Landmine Marathon-Sovereign Descent(4/5)
7.(10)Son Of Aurelius-The Farthest Reaches(4/5)
6.(6)The Sword-Warp Riders(4/5)
5.(5)Overkill-Ironbound(4.5/5)
4.(4)Intronaut-Valley Of Smoke(4.5/5)
3.(3)High On Fire-Snakes For The Divine(4.5/5)
2.(2)As I Lay Dying-The Powerless Rise(4.5/5)
1.(1)The Dillinger Escape Plan-Option Paralysis(5/5)

2010 records I still want to check out:
Watain-Lawless Darkness
Conducting From The Grave-Revenants
Misery Index-Heirs To Thievery
The Red Shore-Avarice Of Men
Triptykon-Eparistera Daimones
Orbs-Asleep Next To Science
Fleshwrought-Dementia/Dyslexia
Allegaeon-Fragments of Form and Function

Monday, June 13, 2011

Congrats To The Dallas Mavericks

I would like to take the time to congratulate the Dallas Mavericks on winning the NBA title. The Mavericks have been one of my favorite NBA teams for a while (I'm not a bandwagon jumper, I honestly have been a fan of theirs for a long time.) and it was great to see them after getting so close so many times. It was even sweeter that they took out the trash-talking shitheads also known as the Miami Heat. Seeing the Heat lose was extremely satisfying. Their arrogance is sickening to me and hopefully Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh will realize how big of assholes they are. Don't hype yourself up with a giant show and guarantee eight titles before you've even stepped on a floor together. The Heat are going to play as a TEAM to win a title, not rely on three players. The Mavericks played as a team and everyone stepped up and they are the ones that came away with the title. Congrats to the Dallas Mavericks for winning the title, they completely deserve it.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Movie Review: The Roommate(Film Number 4 In My Goal For 2011 Films)

This might be a new record, three straight films I have seen on DVD have taken over the title of worst film I've seen this year. The Roommate is complete fucking garbage. It's mind-numbingly generic and overdramatic. How a film this utterly ridiculous takes itself so seriously is insane. Every event that happens and the characters reactions are completely preposterous. The whole film is a big fucking joke, but the actors and filmmakers are blissfully unaware. The Roommate is the first film this year that was exactly as bad as I anticipated it to be. This is the epitome of a thrill-less thriller. Stay far,far away from The Roommate.

1/5 Stars  

Album Review: Job For A Cowboy-Gloom

A lot of metal bands get shit talked about them, but few bands get more than Job For A Cowboy. "TrOO" metalheads always talk about how are they are deathcore garbage because of their first EP and the scene kids are pissed that they have evolved from their pig squealing beginnings. Job For A Cowboy has silenced their critics with their furious new EP Gloom.

Gloom is straight death metal. I have to say I absolutely love the new direction Job For A Cowboy has gone in. Their earlier stuff really wasn't anything special, but between this and their last studio album Ruination, they have become a pretty damn good death metal band. Gloom is the heaviest and fastest thing they have ever done. When album opener "Misery Reformatory" kicks in you know Job For A Cowboy has gotten even better. The bands sounds tighter than ever and everybody is at the top of their respective games. "Misery Reformatory" is just a small sample of what Gloom has to offer. The next two tracks "Plastic Idols" and "Execution Parade" are the two best songs Job For A Cowboy has ever made. These tracks have crazy blast beats, solid riffs, and guitar solos galore. If there were two songs to silence Job For A Cowboy' critics, these would be it.

Job For A Cowboy has made a damn fine EP. Despite it's short length (it's fifteen minutes long), This is the best material they have made. They have proven over the past couple of years how much they have improved as a band. This is not the same band that made Doom in 2005. They have evolved from the pig-squealing deathcore record to become a legitimate death metal band. I hope some of the legions of Job For A Cowboy haters, check out Gloom. This is a strong, straight death metal EP. I am very excited for the next full-length, Job For A Cowboy keeps getting better and better.

4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Plastic Idols
2.Execution Parade
3.Misery Reformatory

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Movie Review: X-Men: First Class

Among the barrage of superhero films being released this summer, X-Men: First Class was easily the one I was most excited for. X-Men is pretty much the only comic I read on a consistent basis as a kid, and I have enjoyed all the films so far. I am happy to report that X-Men: First Class is a near-perfect origin story of the X-Men, and is among the best superhero films ever made.

The main story line relates the early friendship between mutants Charles "Professor X" Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik “Magneto” Lensherr (Michael Fassbender), who bond over their common goal to unite mutants and present themselves as a benefit to humanity and not a threat. They end up teaming up with FBI agents Moira McTaggert (Rose Byrne) and the Man In Black (Oliver Platt) to assemble a team to take out a band of evil mutants, known as the Hellfire Club, led by the villainous Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), a mission that Erik takes particular interest in because Shaw was responsible for the death of his mother when he was a child. The team they put together consistins of Raven aka "Mystique" (Jennifer Lawerence), Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones), Havok (Lucas Till), and Dr.Hank McCoy aka "Beast" (Nicholas Hoult) to help save the world from Shaw and his cronies and hopefully make the world see mutants in a positive light.

X-Men: First Class is an exceptional comic book film, which expertly tells the story of the beginnings of the X-Men. The script is quite strong, with a great blend of action, story, and even some comedy, anchored by two excellent lead performances from McAvoy and Fassbender. They were two perfect choices for this film, and they brought so much depth to their characters, you couldn't help but believe they were indeed the best of friends, despite the fact that you know it was doomed to failure. I would go as far to say that McAvoy and Fassbender outperformed Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, who portrayed the same character in the first three films. The supporting cast also does a fine job, and Kevin Bacon actually made a damn good villain. He was actually the only casting choice I was skeptical with and he proved me dead wrong. He did a fantastic job, albeit in a very cartoony way.

Matthew Vaughn deserves a ton of credit for how good X-Men: First Class turned out. His direction was completely brilliant. As he proved with last year's Kick-Ass, he is complete natural at directing comic-book films. His style is a perfect fit for these types of movies and I really hope he does even more in the future. At this rate, he may soon approach a Christopher Nolan-level of genius when it comes to comic-book adaptions.

X-Men First Class is, hands down, the best superhero film since The Dark Knight. It's brilliantly acted, scripted, and directed. This film captures the origins of X-Men to a the letter. I hope they make another installment soon, because I am really intrigued by this story arc and I would love to see it continue. I know it's a little early to say, but I can just about guarantee X-Men: First Class will be the best superhero film of 2011, and likely the best one until The Dark Knight Rises next summer.

4.5/5 Stars

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Album Review: Devin Townsend Project-Ghost

As I said when I reviewed Devin Townsend's other new album, Deconstruction, Devin Townsend is one of the most unpredictable musicians around. His explorations across the musical spectrum are unmatched by anyone else in the music industry. That's why it pains to me to say that Ghost is the first Devin Townsend album that I don't enjoy.

Ghost is easily the most mellow Devin Townsend record to date. I was actually pretty excited to hear Ghost at first. I was very intrigued to hear his take on acoustic, ambient music. Unfortunately Ghost is a pretty damn boring record to listen to. The diversity of Townsend's music is completely abandoned here. This is such a one-dimensional and dull record. Every song sounds just about the same and drags on for a long time. It's extremely repetitive, lyrically and musically. I kept thinking it was going to get better, but it never really did. It just continued to drag and bore the living hell out of me. I never thought I would call a Devin Townsend record boring, but Ghost is just that.

Ghost just didn't click for me. I am sure there are a lot of people that will love it, but I just found this to be a really uninteresting listen. I don't what it is, maybe it's not my cup of tea, but I really didn't find much to like here. It's not like the music is hear is completely awful, it's just that I just didn't enjoy it. Ghost is the first Devin Townsend record to date that I haven't enjoyed. I will continue to listen to Deconstruction and his other works frequently, but I don't think I will ever listen to Ghost again.

2/5 Stars

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Movie Review: The Dilemma (Film Number 3 In My Goal For 2011 Films)

"The Dilemma is a mess". That's how I would summarize The Dilemma in one sentence if anyone asked me my opinion on it. The Dilemma is one of the most muddled films I have seen in quite some time. It can't decide if it's a comedy or a drama and it really doesn't do either well. The laughs are very few and far between and the drama comes out of the blue and feel very awkward. I will say the cast is the main reason this isn't a complete disaster. None of the excellent cast is on the top of their game, but they do enough to save this film from being absolute shit. This is probably the worst project Ron Howard has been associated with as a director. I was honestly surprised he did this film considering his resume. The Dilemma is an uneven mess and is it currently the worst film I have seen this year(the second film in a row that I've seen on DVD to claim that honor.)

2/5 Stars

Monday, June 6, 2011

10 Most Underrated Bands In Metal(Songs By The Bands Featured)

Here are some songs by the bands in the previous post. Enjoy!


The 10 Most Underrated Bands In Metal

This is the set of bands that I really don't get enough attention in the metal scene and kind of full under the radar. These ten bands, more than other bands in metal, deserve a bigger following and more respect for what they do. Without further ado, here are my picks for the ten most underrated bands in metal

Fleshgod Apocalypse: Fleshgod Apocalypse is a brutal/technical death metal from Italy. What has really struck me about their sound, is their insane speed and classical-influenced orcherstra arrangements. Their use of strings adds a fascinating component to their remarkably heavy sound. If you are going to Summer Slaughter this year, show up early and check these guys out.

Howl: Howl is a sludge/doom metal from Rhode Island. Even with only one full-length record under their belt, they have already established themselves as one of the best sludge bands around. They have mastered the lost of art of the riff and I can only see them getting better over time. Check Howl if your a fan of Mastodon,Crowbar, or High One Fire.

The Human Abstract: The Human Abstract is a progressive metal band from California. Outside of their disappointing second record, Midhaven, The Human Abstract have been making some of the best progressive metal around. The highlight of  their band is their spectacular guitar players Dean Harrera and A.J Minette. Their blend of progressive and technical guitarwork is astonishing. New vocalist Travis Ritcher adds even more depth to The Human Abstract and was a big part of why their latest release, Digital Veil, is their best to date. I would especially reccomend The Human Abstract if you are a fan of Between The Buried and Me or Periphery.

Intronaut:Intronaut is a progressive/post-metal band from California. Intronaut first caught my attention when I saw them open for Mastodon two years ago. I have been a big fan of their work ever since. Their last two records Prehistorcisms and Valley Of Smoke, are among the best records I have heard in the past 5 years or so. They are able to make such a stunning mark with their insane instrumentation that features prominent use of bass and drums and a variety influences from all across the musical spectrum. Intronaut has one of the absolute best bass players on the planet, their use of bass is one of the big reasons their such a special band. Check out Intronaut if you are a fan of The Ocean, Isis, or Baroness.

Last Chance To Reason: Last Chance To Reason is a progressive metal band from Maine. Last Chance To Reason is one of two bands on this list that I've only known about for a few months. I checked them out because they were playing NEMHF in April and I was really impressed with what I heard. They have a lot of progressive elements thrown in with chaotic bursts of keyboards and quick-fingered guitarwork. Their vocalist, Mike Lassard, has one of the impressive ranges in all of metal. He can hit every octave flawlessly and he is such a great talent. Last Chance To Reason is a must listen for fans of Between The Buried and Me, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and The Human Abstract.

Painted In Exile: Painted In Exile is a experimental metal band from New York. These guys are a completely mind-blowing band. The level of musical complexity they have at a such young age is staggering. Each and every one of their songs is a god damn roller coaster ride. They will come with some fast stuff, then go into a breakdown, then throw in some progressive soloing and then maybe some full on jazz parts. Their sound is completely unpredictable. What really blows my mind about them is they haven't even released a full-length album yet. If their two EP's are any indication, we could be looking at one of the best bands in metal. Listen to guys pronto if you are a fan of The Contortionist,Between The Buried and Me, or Veil Of Maya.

The Red Chord: The Red Chord is a death metal/deathgrind band from Massachusetts. The Red Chord is easily the most seasoned band on this list. They been grinding it out for over ten years now and they don't get nearly enough credit. They have been responsible for some of the best extreme metal of the past decade. Their creativity and unique approach sets them apart from most of the extreme metal crowd right now and the fact they aren't more popular is astonishing. If you haven't check out The Red Chord by now, you are really missing out. If you are a fan of The Black Dahlia Murder, Cattle Decapitation, or Cephalic Carnage, check out The Red Chord ASAP.

Revocation: Revocation is a death/thrash metal band from Massachusetts. The number one reason Revocation is spectacular is David Davidson. He is a great vocalist and an incredible guitar player. The whole band was classically trained at Berklee, so you know these guys can play. Their diverse musical background makes for some interesting arrangements. Revocation puts together thrash and death metal seamlessly. Check out Revocation, if you are a fan of Metallica,Death, or Arch Enemy.

Son Of Aurelius: Son Of Aurelius is a technical death metal from California. Son Of Aurelius released an incredible debut last year in The Farthest Reaches. I was blown away right off the bat with their complex song structure, excellent deranged vocals, and fascinating lyrics about Greek Mythology. Son Of Aurelius is probably the most criminally underrated band in all of metal. Check them out if you are a fan of The Faceless or The Black Dahlia Murder. 

War Of Ages: War Of Ages is a Christian metalcore band from Pennsylvania. What really makes War Of Ages standout is their brand of old-school metalcore. They have old-school hardcore influence thrown in with some melodic death metal. A lot of metalcore bands that have emerged and become more popular than War Of Ages in the last few years that aren't even close to as good as these guys. Their exposure has been upped quite a bit after tours with As I Lay Dying and Times Of Grace which is great. I hope their popularity continues to arise, they are one of the best metalcore bands to emerge in a long time. I highly recommend War Of Ages to fans of As I Lay Dying, Sick Of It All, and Unearth.

I will post some songs to check out by these bands in a few minutes once I gather the YouTube links.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Album Review: Morbid Angel-Illud Divinum Insanus

Where to begin with Morbid Angel? They are without a doubt one of the most iconic death metal bands ever. Personally, their debut, Altars Of Madness, is my favorite death metal record of all-time. So when I first heard about their new record, I was fucking stoked. It was the first Morbid Angel record in nine years and it marked the return of original vocalist David Vincent. With David Vincent back on vocals and this being their big comeback record, no way could it be bad right? WRONG! Illud Divinum Insanus is one of the most disappointing records ever made and it completely soils the name of Morbid Angel.

I don't even know where to start with this record's problems. First off, the god damn techno influences really shouldn't be here. It sounds like Morbid Angel got into fucking Skillrex or some other dubstep shit and just threw these parts in the songs for zero reason at all. These parts are completely unnecessary and just come of as a really stupid addition to their sound. If that wasn't bad enough, they also throw in some serious nu-metal elements. I almost shed a tear when I heard David Vincent scream "Kill, Kill, Kill A Cop" at the beginning of the biggest disaster on the album "Radikult". Is this really the same dude that did vocals and lyrics on classics like Altars Of Madness and Covenant? When the hell did he become Fred Durst? The laughable lyrics and vibe don't end here. Tracks like "Too Extreme!" and "Pro-Foundus-Mea Culpa" in particular, also pile on the laughs. "Too Extreme!" opens with the lyrics "We are your new religion/no religion", you really can't help but laugh out loud at those lyrics. Most of the record is a complete laughing stock. I honestly couldn't believe this was a Morbid Angel record. You really wouldn't expect this big of a stinker to come from a band that was so fucking good back in the day and had not released a bad record previously.

Illud Divinum Insanus is completely fucking horrible. If I hadn't head the new Emmure this year, it would absolutely be the worst record I've heard so far this year. The techno/ nu-metal is far too prominent and laughable to make this album even reasonably enjoyable. The death metal side of Morbid Angel doesn't even come out that much on this record and when it does, it's rarely good. The only I would say is even above average is "Nevermore". That was the only track on the whole record where I felt like I was listening to anything that was created by Morbid Angel. I just really hope they can bounce back from this. I do have faith with David Vincent back in the band that they can do something special, but they need to go back to the drawing board and erase Illud Divinum Insanus from everyone's minds.

1.5/5 Stars
Standout Track
1.Nevermore

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Album Review: Devin Townsend Project-Deconstruction

Devin Townsend's solo projects are completely unpredictable. Every single one has been completely different and Deconstruction  is no exception (His other new album Ghost, I will review within the next few days). Deconstruction is the heaviest and best of his solo releases to date.

Devin Townsend's different approach on each record is what makes him such a special artist. Deconstruction is the heaviest of his solo projects to date. Along with the increased heaviness, is a blend of chaotic and progressive elements. Townsend is in his element when throwing in all these different influences onto a track. Townsend's previous two solo projects Ki and Addicted! were a lot more restrained from Townsend's metal background. Deconstruction unleashes a full-fledged metal attack that more than makes up for the lack of heavier material on Ki and Addicted!. Not to say I didn't enjoy Townsend's previous two records, it was just awesome seeing him go back to a more metal sound. What makes Deconstruction that much more special is the slew of fantastic guest artists on the record. Having people such as Greg Puiciato from The Dillinger Escape Plan, Joe Duplantier from Gojira, and Tommy Rodgers from Between The Buried and Me adds to the fun of Deconstruction. Townsend brought in some of the best vocalists in metal to make these already great tracks even better. The variety of vocalists he brought in is also spectacular. Each vocalists is completely different from one another and provide an excellent contrast with Townsend's vocals.

Deconstruction is the biggest triumph of Devin Townsend's solo career. It's the heaviest and most spastic record of his entire career (yes including his time in Strapping Young Lad). Townsend's progressive elements go really well with intensity of the material. It's also great to see Townsend's witty sense of humor back on this record. There are moments of this record were I was laughing out loud. Deconstruction is one of the most enjoyable, fun, and just plain best records I have heard this year.

4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Planet Of The Apes
2.Stand
3.Juular

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

June In Film

June should be an interesting month for films. A good majority of the remaining films I want to see for the rest of the summer come out in June. It also has the largest number of films that I completely up in the air on. Here my thoughts on the releases of June.

Films I Want To See
3.Super 8(6/10-This is another great looking sc-fi film from J.J Abrams. Abrams did the script and directed it, which is a promising sign. His work is normally fantastic (especially Star Trek). I love the mystery vibe of the trailer and I am really intrigued to see this film.

2.X-Men: First Class(6/3)-There are almost too many reasons to list why I want to see X-Men: First Class. Matthew Vaughn, who directed two of my favorite films of all-time (Kick-Ass,Layer Cake) is helming this. He is such a fantastic director and his style of direction fits in very well with a comic-book film. The cast is also completely top-notch. James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, and Rose Byrne all look to be perfect choices for their roles. On top of all this, The early buzz and trailers are fantastic. I would say all signs point to brilliance on X-Men: First Class.

1.Transformers: Dark Of The Moon(6/29)-I expect to get some shit for this, but what I can say? I love the Transformers films. This looks to be better than the somewhat disappointing second installment and Megan Fox is gone, so I would say the chances of this being better than the previous installment are quite high. If they can recapture the magic of the first one, then this will most likely end up being one of my favorite films of 2011.

Films I am unsure about
Green Lantern(6/17)-Green Lantern is shaping up to be the biggest question mark of 2011 for me. The trailers I have seen have ranged from god awful to pretty decent looking. The cast ranges from horrible actors to great actors. I still don't know what to think. It's way too risky to see in theaters, but I am extremely curious to see this on DVD.

Bad Teacher(6/24)-The trailers are actually decently amusing and I do like the cast. The only redflag is that it was written by the writing team that did the unholy comedic disaster Year One.

Cars 2(6/24)-It is Pixar, but I didn't like the original. This one doesn't really look to be much better, but it's Pixar so I will give it a chance.

Films I have no interest in seeing
Judy Moody and The Not Bummer Summer(6/10)-Just no.

Mr.Popper's Penguins(6/17)-I do love Jim Carrey, but this looks completely stupid. Unlike most people my age, I actually never the read the book so I have zero nostalgia for it. This looks to be a completely tired misfire of an adaption.