Movie Review: G.I Joe: Retaliation

The G.I Joe's are back hoo-rah! Much like the 2009 original, G.I Joe Retaliation offers up plenty of cheap kinetic thrills. This installment sees almost a complete overhaul of the cast with only Channing Tatum, Ray Park, Jonathan Pryce and Byung-Hun Lee returning from the first film. The new additions to the cast make the film's high-octane absurdity flow a lot better. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is a lot more convincing and just plain better of a hero than Tatum was in the original. Johnson is one of the torchbearers for modern action stars. He just understands what it takes to drive an action movie and always elevates what ever material is thrown at him. The new additions to the supporting cast including Adrianne Palecki, D.J Catrona and of course, Bruce Willis all pull their respective weight. Willis especially kills it as the namesake for the G.I Joe squad, who is now retired. Willis has his signature smirk and wise-ass one-liners out in full force and the time he is on screen are amongst the most enjoyable of the whole film. His 20 minutes of screen time here is substantially more enjoyable than the entirety of Willis's last big screen appearance last month in the monumental letdown otherwise known as A Good Day to Die Hard. Of course the most important element to a movie like G.I Joe Retaliation is the action and it delivers the goods in that department. You got everything from giant shootouts in Washington D.C to ninja sword battles on the side of mountains in the Himalayas all captured with unapologetically absurd glee. Director Jon Chu does an excellent job executing the big and bold action scenes with a nice combination of slo-mo and fast-paced action sequences. This is the first action film he's ever done and he has a good feel for the large-scale set pieces blockbuster action films offer up. So with the improved cast and great action sequences you would think you would have an improvement over its predecessor? Not exactly. The one knock I have on Retaliation is how seriously it takes itself sometimes. Rise of the Cobra did not have one serious bone in it's explosion-filled body, it was just ridiculous fun for two hours. Don't get me wrong Retaliation is also plenty of fun, there are just times where it takes itself way too seriously when offering up bad dialogue and overly-dramatic situations (mostly the scenes with just the villains talking amongst themselves and the cringe-inducing sequences with RZA as ninja prophet Blind Master suffer from this problem.) It's a G.I Joe movie, don't try to overact and take away from the mindless fun the rest of the film offers up. G.I Joe Retaliation is a competent action flick with a strong cast that brings summer thrills a few months early.

3.5/5 Stars

Summer Slaughter 2013 Lineup

In case you haven't heard yet, Summer Slaughter unveiled the 2013 edition last Friday. The lineup is as follows:
The Dillinger Escape Plan
Animals as Leaders
Periphery
Norma Jean
Cattle Decapitation
The Ocean
Revocation
Aeon

There are allegedly two more bands (which may or may not include the opener) that will be announced in the coming weeks. Like the past two years, the fans get to vote on who the opening band is. This year's options for openers are:
Abiotic
My Bitter End 
Erra
Howl
Last Chance to Reason
Fit For An Autopsy
Rings of Saturn
Thy Art is Murder
Vektor
Nekrogoblin
Intervals
Soreption
King Conquer
Dark Sermon
Today I Caught the Plague
Into the Flood
As They Burn
Syqem
(Rings of Saturn and Thy Art is Murder are currently tied for the lead. My vote was for Last Chance to Reason, but they are pretty far behind the leaders. I really hope Thy Art is Murder pulls it out because Rings of Saturn is one of the worst bands in metal in my eyes.)

This lineup is getting a lot of shit from the metal elitists due to the lack of death metal compared to other years (Almost half the lineup is still death metal so they really need to stop bitching,) but I find this lineup to be badass. I don't really care that there isn't as much as death metal as usual because all of these bands (save for Norma Jean) are great. You have everything from death/thrash (Revocation) to prog/sludge (The Ocean) to instrumental (Animals as Leaders) bands on the same bill. It's also fitting for Dillinger Escape Plan to be headlining this since they have one of the most chaotic live shows in all of metal. I have to praise the organizers for putting together another diverse and excellent lineup for this tour and I'm crossing my fingers that the rumor of Gojira being added to the bill is true. Regardless of who gets added, I can't wait for Summer Slaughter yet again this year.

Album Review: Intronaut-Habitual Levitations (Instilling Words with Tones)

California prog/sludge titans Intronaut has picked up quite a following over the past few years through major tours supporting such iconic bands as Mastodon, Cynic and Meshuggah and creating some of the best records this genre has seen recently in Prehistorcisms and Valley of Smoke. Their latest Habitual Levitations (Instilling Words with Tones) is another intriguing dose of progressive metal from one of the genre's best bands.

Habitual Levitations sees Intronaut expanding upon the more progressive sound they introduced on their last record Valley of Smoke. This is easily the most melodic material Intronaut has produced in their career thus far. While there are still sludge elements to the music, there are virtually no harsh vocals and more of an overall focus on melody. Intronaut are brilliant at composing music at both ends of the spectrum so the transition to a more progressive-based sound is pretty seamless for them. The melodic sections are appropriately dark and create a really gloomy, interesting landscape that the album centers around. Helping emphasize the power of the album's landscape is the contrasting presence of heavy riffs and Intronaut's secret weapon: bassist Joe Lester and drummer Danny Walker. The heavy sections perfectly complement and accentuate the murky power of the melodic sections. The transitions between both ends of Intronaut's sound are well-executed throughout (the best of the bunch though is on album closer "The Way Down") and they never cease to be able to get the most of every section of music they create. The rhythmic section of Lester and Walker is a big reason why Intronaut's music is so effective. Few bands in the metal world (or music in general for that matter) use bass and drums as prominently as Intronaut, which gives the band a really unique dynamic. The rhythmic compositions they come up with are just outstanding. I wish more bands would put an emphasis on having such a strong and well-utilized rhythm section. Lester and Walker never fail to impress me on every record and that will never change as long as Intronaut continues to make music.

The one issue I had with Habitual Levitations was that it does drag at times. Most of the tracks are haunting and atmospheric, but "Harmonocon" and "Eventual" are just stagnant and don't really go anywhere. They break up the flow after the first five excellent tracks and didn't really strike me like a majority of the record did. It's only a small blemish on a primarily great record, but it did knock down the overall quality a bit.

Habitutal Levitations is another well-crafted record from Intronaut. I do miss the harsh vocals of their previous material, but Intronaut are excellent musicians and the more progressive sound suites them well as a band. The melodies are stunning for a majority of a record and the heavy parts have amazing riffs ("The Welding" has one of the best riffs they've ever written.) Intronaut are one of the most important bands in the world of progressive metal at the moment as far as I am concerned and while it doesn't quite reach the highs of Prehistoricisms and Valley of Smoke, Habitual Levitations is still an essential listen for fans of the band or the genre.

4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.The Welding
2.The Way Down
3.Sore Sight for Eyes 

Movie Review: Spring Breakers

Despite the fact that I hadn't previously seen any of his work, I had heard a lot about the abstract wackiness of the films of writer/director Harmony Korine. He's made a name for himself on the independent film circuit as a polarizing director whose films leave viewers on either side of the spectrum with absolutely no in-between. After gaining my first exposure to his work with Spring Breakers, I can confirm everything I'd heard about Korine's films was correct.

Spring Breakers is a fucking trip to watch. The film just puts you in a brain-melting trance for an hour and a half. Parts of it are brilliant, parts of it are awful, all of it is captivating. This is a movie all about the excess of the party culture in the United States. Gratuitous nudity, sex, drugs, and violence are all on display behind a pumping electronic soundtrack from composer Cliff Martinez (Drive) and dubstep artist Skrillex are on all display, but don't let that fool you: this is a serious piece of social commentary. It's not always the easiest film to watch (one scene in particular involving Ashley Benson, Vanessa Hudgens, James Franco and two pistols will haunt me for the rest of my life,) but that's exactly what Korine intended. Korine wants to overwhelm the viewer with shocking images, non-linear storytelling and repeated dialogue all while brilliantly skewering the attitudes and behavior of young adults in America. Save for the crazy shootout finale (which is a fitting, over-the-top ending to a film that is all about excess,) just about everything is scarily dead-on about the attitude of young adults in this country. I'm almost 21 myself and while I don't share the love of exorbitant partying that is portrayed in this film, but a lot of people my age absolutely do. It's genuinely terrifying and though this film seems like its ridiculous at times, it's largely rooted in truth. Plenty of people put the hard-partying lifestyle of heavy drinking, lethal drug use, and other reckless behavior ahead of everything else and this film captures just how wrong and dangerous that attitude is. A lot of audiences are going to write this film off as just as a pointless film with no story that borderlines on porn or be disappointed that it portrays partying in such an unglamorous light, but there's far more to Spring Breakers than meets the eye. For the most part the abstract nature and intensity of the film overshadows the actors, but James Franco's role as rapper/drug mogul Alien is nothing short of priceless. When Alien shows up, the film escalates from slightly crazy to absolutely bonkers. Franco hits all the right notes and matches the over-the-top tone of the film perfectly. I'm still trying to fully process Spring Breakers (it will probably take multiple viewings for me to form a firm opinion on it) due to how visceral and strange it was. One thing is for sure though, no matter what your opinion is on Spring Breakers, no film this year will garner strong reactions from audiences. Spring Breakers is far from perfect, but it's a hypnotic film that will be embedded deep in my brain for a long time.

3/5 Stars

Best/Worst Moves of NFL Free Agency So Far

It's been nine days since the free agency period opened in the NFL and there has been a vast amount of moves made already and there is still plenty of talent available on the market. Here is my roundup of the best and worst moves so far as well who I believe are the best players still on the market.

Best Player Move: Wes Welker to the Broncos
There are only a few teams in the league outside of the New England Patriots where Wes Welker could be incredibly effective and Denver is one of them. Welker gives the already potent Broncos receiving corps another proven weapon to torment defenses with. On top of his skills in the slot, Welker also gives young star wideouts Demariyus Thomas and Eric Decker a veteran leader and mentor who has played at a high level for a long time to look up to which only makes the already great Thomas and Decker that much better. I don't think Peyton Manning could be any happier now that he has the three-headed beast of Thomas, Decker and Welker anchoring his receiving corps (not to mention the talented tight end duo of Joel Dressen and Jacob Tamme.) Welker's addition to the Broncos is an absolutely brilliant move that makes Denver even more of an instant championship contender.
 Honorable Mention: Percy Harvin to the Seahawks, Anquan Boldin to the 49ers, Steven Jackson to the Falcons

Worst Player Move: Dannell Ellerbe to the Dolphins
There is no question that Dannell Ellerbe had a great run in the playoffs with the Ravens this past season. The question is a guy that has only played in 46 games in his five-year career and only seen significant playing time for one season worth a five-year/$35 million contract? If Ellerbe plays at as high of a level as he did during the playoffs then this signing will be worth it. The problem is that Ellerbe only has one season of substantial playing time under his belt and has never been expected to lead a linebacking corps before. The Dolphins are hoping Ellerbe is their middle linebacker of the future, I'm just not so sure he is given his overall lack of experience in a starting/leadership role in the league.
Dishonorable Mention: Ricky Jean Francois to the Colts, Danny Woodhead to the Chargers, Drew Stanton to the Cardinals

Best Re-Signing: Dwayne Bowe returning to the Chiefs
Prior to acquiring quarterback Alex Smith from San Fransisco, The Chiefs made sure they brought back number one wideout Dwayne Bowe so they could have a trusted, true top option for Smith to throw to. Bowe is an immense talent that will benefit greatly from having someone that should actually be able to get him the ball for the next five seasons after having the worst year of his career with Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn under center last season. I expect the Chiefs bringing back Bowe to pay dividends for the franchise moving forward.
Honorable Mentions:Tony Gonzalez returning to the Falcons, Henry Melton returning to the Bears, Brian Hartline returning to the Dolphins

Worst Re-Signing: Kyle Arrington returning to the Patriots
I honestly laughed out loud when I heard this. Kyle Arrington is just a downright terrible corner. He may be versatile, but his coverage skills are nonexistent no matter where he lines up. The kicker is the Patriots locked him down for four years/$16 million when more talented guys like Sean Smith and Carey Williams were available for around the same price. Given Arrington's laughably bad play and who was available on the market, this move makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.  
Dishonorable Mentions: Jerome Simpson returning to the Vikings, Leodis McKelvin returning to the Bills, LeGarette Blount returning to the Buccaneers

Most Underrated Player Move: Reggie Bush to the Lions
I'll be the first to admit that Reggie Bush hasn't been the most consistent player in his career. That being said, He is still a player who can impact games if utilized properly and I think Detroit will do just that. Bush is most effective when being utilized as a dual threat in the rushing and passing game (which coach Tony Sparano did with the Dolphins in 2011, the best season of Bush's career and exactly what Joe Philbin did not do in 2012, hence Bush's dropoff.) Integration of running backs into the passing game is right in head coach Jim Schwartz and offensive coordinator's Scott Linehan's wheelhouse and they have never had someone as talented as Bush in the backfield. Bush should be in paradise in the Lions' frantic offense, which perfectly suites his style as a player. With his playing style and the coaching style of Schwartz, Bush seems like a godsend to this Detroit offense and gives this already insanely productive offense yet another weapon to utilize on opposing defenses.
Honorable Mentions: Danny Amendola to the Patriots, Dashon Goldson to the Buccaneers, Shonn Greene to the Titans

Most Overrated Player Move: Greg Jennings to the Vikings
This isn't a knock on Greg Jennings, who I felt was the best player to hit the free agent market this year, it's just his team choice. For such an elite talent as Greg Jennings to go to a team with such a poor, unproven quarterback in Christian Ponder really doesn't make much sense to me. Jennings isn't really too great in the short passing game, which is where Ponder does most of his passing, and Ponder doesn't have the arm strength to be effective in the moderate/deep passing where Jennings does his best work. It's an extreme mismatch of styles between quarterback and receiver and  I honestly don't think the Jennings/Vikings relationship will work out.
Dishonorable Mentions: Aqib Talib returning to the Patriots, Cliff Avril to the Seahawks, Glover Quin to the Lions

Best Overall Team in Free Agency: Kansas City Chiefs
After a dismal 2-14 season in 2012, The Chiefs are making a ton of moves this offseason and a majority of them have been great. This is a team that is setting itself up for success with the amount of depth and talent they are adding to their roster. The biggest moves for them were of course the trade for quarterback Alex Smith as well as the re-signings of wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and tackle Brandon Albert. Smith gives the Chiefs a much more stable option at quarterback than Matt Cassel while Bowe and Albert are two of the most underrated players in the league that respectively give Smith a top-notch receiver and run/pass blocker to work with. The Chiefs also got a new pair of corners in Sean Smith and Dunta Robinson and added veteran role players like wide receiver Donnie Avery and tight end Anthony Fasano to give the team reliable and consistent options to help fix their offensive woes from a year ago. The Chiefs got both quantity and quality with their signings, which puts them firmly at the top in term of the league's free agent hauls.
Honorable Mentions: Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, San Fransisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans

Worst Overall Team in Free Agency: Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals have made nothing but head-scratching moves throughout free agency. First off, they pick up unproven, career backup Drew Stanton to be the starter next season while simultaneously keeping all three of the quarterbacks (Brian Hoyer, John Skeleton, Ryan Lindley) who threw for a combined 3 touchdowns and 18 interceptions in the final 10 games last season and releasing Kevin Kolb, who played very well and lead them to a 4-1 record before a rib injury knocked out for the season in Week 6 against the Bills. Secondly, they bring in the inconsistent Rashard Mendenhall to be the new starting running back. Mendenhall was absolutely horrendous last year and  had a slew of off-the-field and health problems as well. Most importantly, The Cardinals have done nothing to address their offensive line woes that plagued them last season. Clearly the draft hasn't happened yet and they have the number 7 pick in the first round, but the 2013 Cardinals don't seem to be headed in the right direction with their weak free agency moves.
Dishonorable Mentions: Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Buffalo Bills

Best Player Still Available on the Market : Ahmad Bradshaw (running back)
I honestly can't believe Ahmad Bradshaw is still on the market. He has had some injury problems, but he still managed to have a 1,000-yard season last year and at only 27, he has plenty of years ahead of him. A team like the Steelers, Packers or Jets could desperately use a bruising, workhorse back like Bradshaw. I believe that Bradshaw is fully worth his injury risk because of his work ethic and ability to run hard consistently.
Honorable Mentions: Sebastian Vollmer (tackle), Elvis Dumervil (outside linebacker/defensive end), Nnadmi Ashomuga (cornerback), Brent Grimes (cornerback), Brandon Lloyd (wide receiver), Bryant McKinnie (tackle), Charles Woodson (safety), Fred Davis (tight end), Eric Winston (tackle) 

Album Review: Suffocation-Pinnacle of Bedlam

The Suffocation of old is back people!

 Pinnacle of Bedlam sees the brutal death metal legends unleashing their most vicious attack in years. I don't know what caused this sudden re-ignition of fury in Suffocation's music, I'm just glad that it has returned. It's not that Suffocation's last few records were bad or not heavy, they were just missing the savage edge that their 90's releases had. The fire has undeniably returned and Suffocation wastes little time proving that point with the opening track "Cycles of Suffering". The guitars are chunky and loud, the drums are roaring and Frank Mullen is screaming his lungs out, every second of it is glorious. "Cycles of Suffering" is just the start of the brutal death metal master class that is Pinnacle of Bedlam. There are a boatload of memorable, uncompromising riffs, pounding blast beats from new drummer Dave Culross (who does a great job replacing legendary founding drummer Mike Smith,) and of course, Frank Mullen's legendary pig squeals/low screams areon full display. There are even tracks like "Sullen Days" where they go out of their comfort zone and throw some melody into their songs. I never thought I'd see the day where one of the most relentlessly heavy bands of all-time puts melody into their music, but I must say it works well. It's not prominent enough to make Suffocation's music any less intense, but it does make for a nice brief diversion from the sledgehammer-esque heaviness that consumes most of the album.

Pinnacle of Bedlam is hands down the best Suffocation release since 1998's Despise the Sun. The grizzled death metal vets have finally released a record that is in the vicinity of the quality of their older material. This is some crushing material with a bit of new found melody to change things up a little bit without sacrificing any of the record's brutality. With Pinnacle of Bedlam, Suffocation can now proudly join fellow old-school brutal death metal torchbearers Dying Fetus as a band that is still making quality, in-your-face brutal death metal well into their second decades as a band. Hopefully Suffocation can continue to pump out records as good as Pinnacle of Bedlam for the rest of their career.

4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Cycles of Suffering
2.Eminent Wrath
3.Sullen Days
 

Movie Review: The Man with the Iron Fists

Leave it to a kung-fu obsessed rapper to make the first quality film the genre has produced in years. Unlike the other recent American attempt to pay tribute to the Asian martial arts genre of yesteryear (I'm looking at you Ninja Assassin,) The Man with the Iron Fists is the perfect martial arts film with almost unfathomable amounts of gore and cheese that is a more than worthy tribute to the world of Asian kung-fu films. The Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, who directs, writes, and stars here, understands the spirit of old-school martial arts films and applies that fully to The Man with the Iron Fists along with an undeniably cool style. While not nearly as polished or clever as his pal and filmmaking mentor Quentin Tarantino, RZA applies the same manic enthusiasm and love for his material that Tarantino demonstrates. The script from RZA and Hostel director Eli Roth is appropriately bonkers with a ridiculous plot and an overlying theme of revenge. In other words, characters betray other characters in a Chinese town know as Jungle Village and the blood starts spilling amongst rival clans and that's really all that matters about this film. The action sequences are the essence of kung-fu movies and The Man with the Iron Fists delivers big time in that area. The fight scenes are heavy on slo-mo to showcase the copious amounts of gore and are consistently very entertaining and well-choreographed. On top of quality action and a passionate directing effort from RZA, The cast is completely game for the zaniness this film has to offer. I still can't believe Russell Crowe agreed to do this film and even though he looks confused throughout, he gives an excellent over-the-top performance as an opium-smoking, knife-wielding British solider known as Jack Knife, who is one of the many colorful assassins who takes up residence in Jungle Village amidst this deadly war between clans. The Man with the Iron Fists is not everyone's cup of tea, but it's a bloody fun ride if you don't mind unapologetic, full-blown cheesiness.

3.5/5 Stars  

Mayhem Fest 2013 Lineup

The Mayhem Fest lineup for this year was finally unveiled today. The lineup is as follows:

Main Stage:
Rob Zombie
Five Finger Death Punch
Mastodon
Amon Amarth

Jager Stage:
Machine Head
Job for a Cowboy
Battlecross
Huntress
Butcher Babies

Musician's Institute Stage:
Children of Bodom
Behemoth
Emmure
Born of Osiris
Motionless in White
Thrown Into Exile

Sumerian Stage:
City in the Sea
More TBA+local bands

Lineup looks good to me overall. Of course there is some bands I hate (Butcher Babies, Motionless in White, Emmure), but that's pretty standard for a large, touring festival like Mayhem. There is more than enough quality in this lineup to make me go for the sixth year. I'm the most stoked to see Rob Zombie, Amon Amarth, and Behemoth for the first time in 3+ years. Machine Head, Children of Bodom, Born of Osiris, Job for a Cowboy, Battlecross and of course a little band named Mastodon that happens to be my all-time favorite band also have me excited. All in all it's a solid lineup and I'm excited for this tour to roll through Massachusetts on July 16th.

Concert Review: Every Time I Die, Boston, MA, March 15th, 2013

I really don't think there is a way to put into the words the amount of fun and utter chaos that occurred at this show, but I will attempt to do so during this review.

This show started bright and early at 5 due to the Royale being a nightclub. California's No Bragging Rights had the honor of kicking off the night. I didn't know a thing about them prior to this show so I pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable their set was. Their sound is equal parts hardcore and post-hardcore with plenty of catchy riffs, breakdowns and energy to go around. I also admired their message as a band. Their vocalist was sincere when he was talking in between songs about dealing with depression, abuse, etc and was never even close to preachy. No Bragging Rights was a quality opener and they have all the makings of a band set to explode on the post-hardcore/hardcore scene.

Hundredth hit the stage next. I just starting listening to these guys about a month ago so I was intrigued to see them live and they didn't disappoint. They remind me a lot of The Ghost Inside musically and much like them, Hundredth's melodic hardcore style is especially good in a live setting. They have a nice contrast between melodic riffing and the raw intensity of old-school hardcore. It also helps that their singer was completely nuts running all over the stage only stopping to spit up in the air every couple minutes. The new song they played was very good and I'm excited to hear their new EP when it comes out next week. Hundredth is another up-and-coming band to look out for on the hardcore scene in the next couple years.

Vanna played next. I wasn't really looking forward to their set because I'm not a fan of their studio material so naturally I wasn't expecting much from them. Let's just say I ended up being proven dead wrong. That being said, it was essentially a tale of two sets for these guys. The first half of their set was pretty mediocre and in line with what I expected from them. Musically they were just alright and the crowd was pretty tame (especially for a hometown show). Somewhere around the fourth song though all hell broke loose and things took a thing for the drastically better. The band and crowd just started going off and things got rowdy really fast. The bassist jumped in the crowd, the guitarist started throwing water bottles into the crowd (he was whipping them really far and even nailed some dude square in the face with one. I think the Jets should give him a look to be Mark Sanchez's replacement, the dude's got a cannon and he's deadly accurate), and someone even legitimately stole the mic from their vocalist at the end of "We Ate the Horse You Rode In On". The chaos all culminated during set closer "Trashmouth" when the stage was flooded with non-stop stage divers and the band just completely lost their shit. I have never seen a bigger display of pure, unadulterated bedlam at a show in my entire life. I had to pick my the pieces of my jaw off the floor after the song was over. The explosiveness of the second half of their set took their set from the bowels of mediocrity to infectiously enjoyable. The one beef I had with their set was their vocalist's banter in between songs. Save for Adam Warren from Oceano, I have never heard a bigger load of faux-tough guy bullshit in my life. Everything that came out of his mouth was so corny and was basally telling the crowd to beat the shit out of each each other for no reason. Clearly I've never actually met the guy, but judging from his stage presence the guy is a complete tool. Overall though Vanna's set was one of the most surprisingly enjoyable and chaotic sets I've ever seen.

Fellow Massachusetts act The Acacia Strain was up next. I've seen them five times now and they were as enjoyable as ever. The last time I saw them at New England Metal and Hardcore Festival last year their sound was god awful and it dragged the set down substantially, but thankfully that was not the case last night. I always manage to undersell how heavy they are in a live setting, these guys are incredibly heavy live. As expected, the crowd responded very well to their set (especially "Whoa! Shut It Down", "Dr. Doom", and of course, "JFC")  and vocalist Vincent Bennett was very appreciative of the hometown fans. I really like Vincent Bennett's stage presence. He does say some some things I don't completely agree with about how dark the world is and such, but he is also hilarious and genuinely appreciates the fans of the band.  He also pointed out that this was only their third time playing in Boston in 10+ years as a band which surprised the hell out of me and I can happily say that I've seen every one of their performances in the city of Boston. The Acacia Strain was their typical heavy and energetic selves and I loved every minute of it.

Every Time I Die wrapped up the evening. I had seen Every Time I Die twice before at Warped Tour 2010 and 2012, but last night might as well have been the first time because the first two times I saw them don't hold a candle to the spectacle that was their performance last night. The amount of intensity and passion from the crowd and the band was just incredible. From the minute "Floater" started to when 75% of the crowd was on stage with the band for set closer "Indian Giver" (vocalist Keith Buckley climbed on top of the amps and performed the song from there just so more people could get on stage.), the crowd was in a complete frenzy feeding off of the colossal stage presence and energy that Every Time I Die gives off. Adding to the energy being given off from everyone in the room was the incredible setlist that Every Time I Die played. The set was loaded with material from their newest (and best in my opinion ) record Ex Lives, which absolutely kills in a live setting. "I Suck (Blood)", "Underwater Bimbos from Outer Space", and "Typical Miracle" were crushingly heavy live while the aforementioned "Indian Giver" made for an epic, mid-paced closer that closed off the night in grand fashion. The presence of "Wanderlust" in the set made me extremely excited as well, It's one of my favorite Every Time I Die songs an I had been waiting to hear it live for years and I was stoked it was in the set. Keith Buckley also impressed the hell of out of me vocally. His screams are far more intense live and his clean vocals are absolutely pitch-perfect. Besides impressing vocally, Buckley also made me laugh frequently. The funniest moments of the show were when he stopped and restarted "Bored Stiff" because some guy did an awful stage dive (the dude pretty much just fell off the stage and Keith said he hoped someone filmed so the worst stage dive in the history of music was documented) and when he was trying to convince the audience to break a net full of balloons that were on the ceiling of the venue by saying there was a dollar in every single one of them (someone didn't tie the knot properly on one of the bags so there were balloons sporadically flying around the whole show which was hilarious and awesome.) I honestly can't fully describe with words how great this performance was, it was an almost euphoric experience. Every Time I Die brought down the house last night and has clinched a spot as one of my favorite live bands of all-time. I expected this show to be enjoyable, but I didn't expect it to be such a downright crazy and fun time with excellent performances from every band on the bill.
Scores:
No Bragging Rights 7/10
Hundredth 7.5/10
Vanna 8/10
The Acacia Strain 8/10
Every Time I Die 10/10

No Bragging Rights included:
Legacy
No Salvation

Hundredth:
Carry On
Weathered Town
Ruin
Desolate
Live Today

Vanna included:
Safe to Say
We Ate the Horse You Rode In On
Trashmouth

The Acacia Strain:
Beast
The Mouth of the River
Dr. Doom
Doomblade
Ramirez
Whoa! Shut It Down
Passing the Pencil Test
Dust and the Helix
Tactical Nuke
JFC

Every Time I Die:
Floater
Wanderlust
Partying is Such Sweet Sorrow
Underwater Bimbos from Outer Space
Holy Book of Dilemma
A Wild, Shameless Plain
Bored Stiff
I Suck (Blood)
Apocalypse Now and Then
No Son of Mine (w/Pantera medley)
Kill the Music
The Marvelous Slut
The New Black
Off Broadway
Typical Miracle
Ebolarama
We'rewolf
Indian Giver

Concert Review: Coheed and Cambria, Boston, MA, March 14th, 2013

It may only be March and the second show I've attended in 2013, but the Coheed and Cambria/Between the Buried and Me/Russian Circles show at the House of Blues last night is an early contender for show of the year.

Instrumental post-rock/sludge metal act Russian Circles opened up the night. I was skeptical as to how well they would fit in on a bill with Coheed and Cambria, but I was definitely mistaken as they set a nice tone for the evening. It took them a little bit to win the crowd over, but once they did everyone got pretty into it. These guys are just great musicians and their music has a lot of power in a live setting (especially set closer "Death Rides a Horse") Despite only being a casual fan of their studio work, I enjoyed Russian Circles's set quite a bit and I wouldn't mind seeing them again.

Between the Buried and Me was up next and per usual they killed it. There is a damn good reason I've seen them live more (Last night marked my eighth time seeing them) than any other band, their live show never ceases to astonish me. Their music just hits it's full potential in a live setting and leaves even more of a lasting impression than their records do.  The setlist was absolutely outstanding. The Parallax II material is immense live ("Lay Your Ghosts to Rest" is up there with the best live songs in their discography) and the presence of older stuff they don't play very often like "Ants of the Sky", "Prequel to the Sequel" and of course, "Selkies: The Endless Obsession" was badass. I was particularly happy about "Prequel to the Sequel" and "Selkies" being in the set. I hadn't heard "Prequel to the Sequel" live since the first time I saw BTBAM in 2008 and "Selkies" is honestly the best live song I've ever heard and the solo at the end is so strikingly beautiful that it never fails to give me chills. The biggest surprise of the set for me though was how well they went over with the Coheed crowd. With the heavy parts of their music being so abrasive, I expected a lukewarm reception, but it was quite the opposite with a majority of the crowd singing along and enjoying the hell out of the set. This was one of the best performances I've seen from Between the Buried and Me and I will continue to see them every possible chance I get.

Coheed and Cambria closed out the night in spectacular fashion. Much like they did when I saw them in Worcester in September, they put on an energetic, infectious and memorable performance. I'm in still awe that this is the same band I saw in 2006 that looked like they would rather be any place but the stage. The Coheed and Cambria of the present day is almost like a new incarnation of the band with their enormous stage presence. Also like the last time I saw them, the setlist was great. The set was mainly focused on material from last year's The Afterman: Ascension, which was awesome since they since only played two songs from that record the last time I saw them and it's my favorite album of theirs since From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness. Much like the studio album, The entire "Key Entity Extraction" series was the highlight of the set. "Vic the Butcher" was way more intense live and "Evagira the Faithful" was really atmospheric and trippy live. The old set staples like "A Favor House Atlantic", "Welcome Home" and the epic "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3" were awesome as always and even songs I'm not too fond of on record like "Here We Are Juggernaut" and "Dark Side of Me" were excellent live. My only complaints are having an acoustic song in "Wake Up" start the encore and swapping out "The Crowing" for "Delirium Trigger" (Don't get me wrong, "Delirium Trigger" is a great song, but "The Crowing" is one of my top 5 favorite Coheed songs) Other than those miniscule complaints, Coheed and Cambria put on an outstanding performance and their pairing with another one of my all-time favorite bands, Between the Buried and Me, made for one of the most memorable concerts I've ever been to.

Scores:
Russian Circles 7.5/10
Between the Buried and Me 10/10
Coheed and Cambria 9/10

Setlists:
Russian Circles:
Harper Lewis
Geneva
Mladek
Death Rides a Horse

Between the Buried and Me:
Astral Body
Lay Your Ghosts to Rest
Ants of the Sky
Prequel to the Sequel
Selkies: The Endless Obsession

Coheed and Cambria:
Pretelethal
Key Entity Extraction V: Sentry the Defiant
Key Entity Extraction II: Holly Wood the Cracked
A Favor House Atlantic
Delirium Trigger
No World for Tomorrow
Key Entity Extraction III: Vic the Butcher
Key Entity Extraction IV: Evagira the Faithful
The Afterman
Here We Are Juggernaut
Dark Side of Me
In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3

Encore:
Wake Up
Key Entity Extraction I: Domino the Destitute
Welcome Home

 

Album Review: Bring Me the Horizon-Sempiternal

England's Bring Me the Horizon has never exactly been my favorite band in the world. Their first two records, Count Your Blessings and Suicide Season, are amongst the most generic and just plain worst metal records I've ever listened to. Their last record There is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There is a Heaven, Let's Keep It a Secret had some nice ideas and a couple of good songs, but it often went back to their generic roots and wasn't really worth the listen overall. I checked out their latest record Sempiternal based on the reception it's been getting and I have to say I was genuinely surprised with the results. 

Sempiternal is completely unlike anything Bring Me the Horizon has done in the past. It's primarily rooted in post-hardcore/rock with touches of ambient and electronic music opposed to the metal/deathcore they've explored in the past (To be fair, there were bits of post-hardcore and experimentation on their last record, but nothing quite like this.) The change in sound is a welcome one for the band, who undoubtedly crafts the finest music of their career thus far on Sempiternal. Save for the singles "Shadow Moses" and "Anti-Vist", Nothing on this album sounds like anything they have ever done before. I honestly can't even believe this is the same band that recorded songs like "Pray for Plagues" and "Chelsea Smile". The music on Sempiternal is catchy and often atmospheric. There is an unexpected plethora of cool synth lines, interesting string arrangements, and quality riffs from guitarist Lee Maira. The first two tracks, "Can You Feel My Heart" and "The House of Wolves", are particularly impressive from a musical standpoint and managed to get stuck in my head immediately. Who knew that a band that had been so generic for so long was able to create something infectious and memorable? The amount of melody and complex song structure is a far cry from the breakdown-heavy material we're used to hearing from Bring Me the Horizon and while it might drive away some of their old fans, they've never sounded better musically.

For all the progress they've made musically, there is still one thing dragging Bring Me the Horizon down: vocalist Oli Sykes. Sykes turns in yet another poor vocal performance that all but ruins the strong music the band was able to create on this record. I will admit that his clean vocals that are used on a majority of Sempiternal are better than his screams, but that's really not saying much since his screams we're a large part of why their first couple records are so intolerable. Sykes's cleans are stagnant and strained and don't really fit the style of the music they are going for on this record. Tracks like "Crooked Young", "And The Snakes Start to Sing" and "Empire (Let Them Sing)" would've been excellent with solid vocals, but Sykes completely drops the ball and makes these tracks only listenable from a musical standpoint. It's really a shame that an album that is great musically ends up being average due to weak vocals.

Sempiternal is a frustratingly average record. It could've been so much more if Oli Sykes wasn't the vocalist. Sykes's presence on this record makes a very good album instantly mediocre. That being said, this still is a major stepping stone album for Bring Me the Horizon. The evolution this band has gone through on Sempiternal makes me very optimistic for their future. They have just about completely abandoned their boring old sound and have found a new niche in the post-hardcore/ambient community. If they had a different vocalist, Sempiternal would be one of the best records I've heard so far this year, but sadly it's one of the more average ones solely because of the feeble vocals of Oli Sykes.

2.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.The House of Wolves
2.Can You Feel My Heart
3.Hospital for Souls  

2013 NFL Mock Draft

In a approximately a month and a half on April 25th, the best potential prospects will gather at Radio City Music Hall in New York City for the first round of the NFL Draft. This draft class is unusual because it's very deep with offensive lineman and defensive players, but pretty weak for quarterbacks, running backs and to a lesser extent, wide receivers. The only guarantee this draft has is that it's sure to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory with no clear-cut top pick and a lot of guys that are even in their potential. I've spent some time looking at the prospects and the needs of every team in the league and here's how I think the first round will shake out at this point in time.

1.Kansas City Chiefs: Luke Jockel, tackle (Texas A&M)
Now that they traded for Alex Smith, The Chiefs aren't completely helpless at any position, but there are plenty of positions where they could use improvement. With this investment in Smith, I think the Chiefs will want to protect him as best as possible and I think this will result in them picking up highly-touted offensive line prospect Luke Jockel. Jockel is athletic as hell and can block in a traditional dropback passing or option scheme with equal effectiveness. The Chiefs did just franchise their star left tackle Brandon Albert, but I don't think this will deter them from taking Jockel. Jockel will perfectly compliment Albert and give the Chiefs a great tackle combo that should give Smith plenty of time to throw and the backfield plenty of holes to run through.

2.Jacksonville Jaguars: Bjoern Warner, defensive end (Florida State)
I would make the argument that there is no team with more problems in the league than the Jacksonville Jaguars. They are fine at running back and wide receiver and that's about it. With the amount of issues they have, it makes this pick hard to predict, but I think Flordia State defensive end Bjoern Warner makes the most sense. The Jaguars pass rush was absolutely awful last year and Warner has the potential to become one of the best in the league.

3.Oakland Raiders: Geno Smith, quarterback (West Virginia)
Let's face it: This quarterback class is pretty awful and I'm not sold on any of them being any good. If there is one team that is known for taking risks that don't pay off, it's the Oakland Raiders. Geno Smith is the best quarterback in this weak class and he seems like the type of player Oakland will overvalue and take in the top 5. If I were them, I would take one of the many talented defensive players available since their defense needs works across the board, but Oakland's general management has expressed doubt in the aging Carson Palmer and that mentality leads me to believe they will select Smith in the first round.

4.Philadelphia Eagles: Lane Johnson, tackle (Oklahoma)
Philly is definitely going offensive lineman with this pick and while Central Michigan's Eric Fisher is another possibility, I think they will go with Oklahoma's Lane Johnson with the fourth pick. Johnson is the type of freakishly athletic player (he is a converted quarterback that ran a 4.72 40 at the combine) that seems like the perfect fit for new head coach Chip Kelly's run-heavy system.

5.Detroit Lions: Dee Millner, cornerback (Alabama)
Detroit has a clear need at corner and although I think Millner is a bit overrated, he certainly has the coverage skills and raw athleticism to be a great corner at professional level.

6.Cleveland Browns: Dion Jordan, defensive end/linebacker (Oregon)
Cleveland has plenty of money to spend this offseason paired with a lot of needs on both sides of the ball. Their front seven on defense is of particular concern and even if they pick up someone like Cliff Avril or Paul Kruger in free agency, they are going to need additional help. Dion Jordan seems likes the perfect fit for me because of his versatility and speed off the edge. The Browns can't rush the passer at all and adding Jordan would certainly help them out.

7.Arizona Cardinals: Eric Fisher, tackle (Central Michigan)
If Geno Smith slips to number 7, don't be surprised if they take him. Otherwise, they need to address their horrendous offensive line and Eric Fisher seems like a great place to start. He can play on both sides of the line and blocks equally well against the run and pass. Fisher would be a godsend for whoever ends up playing quarterback for the Cardinals at the start of next season.

8.Buffalo Bills: Shariff Floyd, defensive tackle (Florida)
Buffalo's run defense was 31st in the league in the last year and having a defensive tackle like Shariff Floyd in the middle of the line would greatly help matters. With Buffalo switching to a 3-4 defense this year, they need an anchor nose tackle to stop the run and help open up the pass-rushing lanes for Mario Williams and that is exactly the type of player Floyd is.

9.New York Jets: Ezkiel "Ziggy" Anzah, defensive end/ outside linebacker/defensive tackle (BYU)
The Jets are a complete mess in a lot of areas, but their defensive line and linebackers are particularly of concern. They need a dynamic athlete to lead the defense after letting go of most of their defensive leaders to free up the salary cap and Ezkiel Anzah has the potential to be that guy. He has an almost mirroring story to New York Giants defensive Jason Pierre-Paul. Anzah is a versatile pass-rusher with a ton of raw athleticism who didn't start playing football until much later than most of their counterparts (Pierre-Paul didn't play until his senior year of high school and Anzah didn't start playing until he got to BYU.) The Jets will hope that Anzah will be as good as Pierre-Paul and with a defensive wizard like Rex Ryan as head coach, he very well could be.

10.Tennesee Titans: Chance Warmack, guard (Alabama)
The Titans desperately need to open up more running lanes for Chris Johnson and a bulldozer-esque guard like Chance Warmack will be able to do so.

11.San Diego Chargers: Jonathan Cooper, guard (North Carolina)
The Chargers could go with a corner here as well, but their offensive line needs some work if Phillip Rivers want to get back to the top of his game. Jonathan Cooper is a skilled guard that would help free up rushing lanes and give Rivers a bit of a boost in a pass protection.

12.Miami Dolphins: Xavier Rhodes, cornerback (Florida State)
With top corner Sean Smith probably leaving in free agency and the Dolphins set to spend big money on potentially re-signing Jake Long and Reggie Bush and bringing in a top-flight wideout like Mike Wallace or Greg Jennings, they are going to need to turn to the draft for a cornerback. Xavier Rhodes seems like a perfect fit for the Dolphins. He's a big, athletic corner with potential shutdown ability that will be put to the test when he faces guys like Stevie Johnson and (potentially) Wes Welker twice a year.

13.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Desmond Trufant, cornerback (Washington)
This might be the most obvious pick of the draft. Tampa Bay had the worst pass defense in the league in the last year and they are going to take the best available corner in the draft and that looks like it's going to be Washington's Desmond Trufant at this point in time.

14.Carolina Panthers: Star Lotuleli, defensive tackle (Utah)
Utah defensive tackle Star Lotuleli could very well end up the being the steal of the draft. Once thought to be the best prospect in this year's draft, his stock has went down recently because of a heart condition that kept him out of the combine, but the Panthers should absolutely take the risk on drafting him. Lotuleli has the potential to a premier run-stuffer which is exactly what the Panthers need. Carolina struck gold defensively with Luke Kuchely in the first round last year and if his heart condition checks out fine, Lotuleli has all the tools to be another defensive stud for the young Panthers team.

15.New Orleans Saints: Barkevious Mingo, defensive end/ outside linebacker (LSU)
As anyone who watched the Saints last year knows, the Saints are an absolute mess on defense. Given how bad their defense is all-around, they are going to be looking to take the best defensive player on the board when they are on the clock at pick no.15 and I think that will be LSU defensive end/linebacker Barekevious Mingo. Mingo is an exceptional athlete with the flexibility to play defensive end or outside linebacker and exactly the type of explosive presence the Saints need on defense.

16.St. Louis Rams: Cordell Patterson, wide receiver (Tennessee)
Both of the Rams starting receivers from last year (Danny Amendola and Brandon Gibson) are free agents this year and even if only one or none of them leaves, they should take Cordell Patterson as insurance. Patterson has great hands and is a dynamic athlete that reminds me of a guy like Julio Jones or Demaryius Thomas. Patterson is a bit of a project with his weak route running and only 1 season of college experience, but the reward could be very high for who ever gives him a chance.

17.Pittsburgh Steelers: Sheldon Richardson, defensive tackle (Missouri)
The Steelers defense is talented, but they are aging rapidly. Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson would be a perfect fit for the Steelers and a possible steal at pick 17. Richardson is raw, but extremely athletic that could very well take the reigns at nose tackle right away since Casey Hampton is a free agent. The Steelers have a great system and Richardson could learn a lot from their experienced and talented defense.

18.Dallas Cowboys: D.J Fluker, tackle (Alabama)
Dallas's offensive line is in ruins right now and to establish some form of continuity opposed to the utter chaos that ensued last year with practically no one finishing the year in the same place they started on the line, they need to draft an offensive lineman in the first round. D.J Fluker isn't quite as talented as Luke Jockel, Eric Fisher or Lane Johnson, but he's a solid pass-protector who will more than suffice for Dallas's ailing line.  

19.New York Giants: Alec Crabtree, inside linebacker (Georgia)
Alec Crabtree might have some character issues, but that won't deter the Giants from taking him. Crabtree is a top-notch talent that should fill the Giants inside linebacker void quite nicely and should help out the inconsistency problems the defense had last season.

20.Chicago Bears: Tavon Austin, wide receiver (West Virginia)
Tavon Austin's draft stock has skyrocketed after his strong showing at the combine. The Bears have showed an interest in revamping their offense after hiring Marc Tresman as their new coach and taking Austin would make complete sense. Brandon Marshall had very little help last season and while they drafted Alshon Jefferey in the 2nd round just last year, Austin's speed and ability has a deep threat would help open the Bears passing game and give Marshall a bit of break right away.

21.Cincinnati Bengals: Kenny Vacaro, safety (Texas)
The Bengals lone weakness on defense is at the safety position and Texas's Kenny Vacaro is a hard-hitting, solid safety that should be able to help out immediately.

22.St. Louis Rams: Matt Elam, safety (Florida)
The Rams defense is coming along nicely thanks to a great front seven. Their secondary needs some work though and I think Florida safety Matt Elam would be a good pickup for them. Elam is an enforcer who makes good reads on the ball and could very will fill the missing piece to puzzle for the up-and-coming Rams defense.

23.Minnesota Vikings: Kennan Allen, wide receiver (California)
The Vikings needs more options in the passing game and Kennan Allen seems like just the right guy to compliment Percy Harvin. He is also talented enough to take over as the number 1 guy if Harvin happens to leave the Vikings this offseason.

24.Indianpolis Colts: Jarvis Jones, defensive end/linebacker (Georgia)
The Colts have let go of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis is getting up there, so landing a guy like Jarvis Jones would greatly help the Colts. He's an elite edge-rusher with top 10 potential, but his health concerns will cause him to slip late in the draft and the Colts very well could be the beneficiary. If Jones lives up to his potential, he could be the next Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis terrorizing opposing quarterback for the Colts.

25.Seattle Seahawks: Justin Hunter, wide receiver (Tennessee)
Justin Hunter, much like Tavon Austin, had a great combine which bolstered his draft stock immensely. With the underwhelming numbers from Sidney Rice since he joined the team and Golden Tate not being number 1 reciver material, the Seahawks would love to have a speedster like Hunter around to grow with young quaterback Russell Wilson.

26.Green Bay Packers: Sam Montgomery, defensive end (LSU)
Sam Montgomery is a bit of a project, but Green Bay needs help at defensive end and Montgomery has shown flashes of excellence with his ability to spread the field and strong tackling ability.

27.Houston Texans: DeAndre Hopkins, wide reciver (Clemson)
Houston hasn't really had to worry about receivers for a while because of just how good Andre Johnson has been for them, but they really need to start looking at a second option and DeAndre Hopkins is a talented guy with great hands that could learn a lot from a star wideout like Johnson.

28.Denver Broncos: Sylvester Williams, defensive tackle (North Carolina)
Sylvester Williams is a big, disruptive force in the interior line that could make an already dangerous Denver defense that much better.

29.New England Patriots: Jonathan Banks, cornerback (Mississippi State)
The Patriots need corners desperately especially with Aqib Talib and Kyle Arrington hitting the free agent market and Jonathan Banks is a guy that has a fair amount of upside and reminds me a lot of ex-Patriot corner Asante Samuel (average speed, but tall with good ball instincts.)

30.Atlanta Falcons: Tyler Effert, tight end (Notre Dame)
Even if Tony Gonzalez comes back for another season, he's not going to be playing for much longer. Notre Dame's Tyler Effert is one of the more coveted tight end prospects in recent memory with the size, strength, speed and hands to be a top-flight tight end in the league.

31.San Fransisco 49ers: DaMontre Moore defensive end (Texas A&M)
DaMontre Moore is talented, but he needs some time to develop and with the amount of talent on the field and in the coaching staff, Moore could become something special.

32.Baltimore Ravens: Manti Te'o, inside linebacker (Notre Dame)
The Ravens are clearly going to need to attempt to fill the massive shoes left by Ray Lewis and I think they are going to make the high risk/high reward pick in Manti Te'o. Te'o is as risky as they come, but that breakout potential and Baltimore's willingness to take risks paired with a need for an inside linebacker makes this seem like a logical choice for the Ravens.  
  
      
    
       

Is Joe Flacco Worth His Record Contract?

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco turned a lot of heads over the weekend when he signed a record-breaking six year/$120 mil contract that made him the highest paid quarterback in NFL history. Immediately after the announcement, football fans and league experts across the league questioned if Flacco deserved his hefty contract. I for one could not even begin to fathom how this came to be. Does one incredible playoff run really justify a record-breaking contract?

If you take a look at Flacco's regular season numbers, they're hardly mind-blowing. He has yet to throw for 4,000 yards or eclipse 25 TD's in a season in his five-year career. He's never been an All-Pro or appeared in any Pro Bowls, hell he's hardly even won any weekly accolades (He's won Offense Player of the Week twice and picked up a few awards from Pepsi in his rookie year back in 2008.) Flacco has guided the Ravens to the playoffs every season since coming into the league and guided them to 3 AFC Championships and a Super Bowl victory this year, which is impressive, but that's not enough of a reason to give him such an astronomical contract. He is a talented quarterback who steps up in big games and has arguably the best arm in the NFL, but he isn't in the elite tier yet. His contract is especially ridiculous considering that is making $20 million in almost the same time frame than the perennial MVP contender and future first ballot hall-of-famer Drew Brees, who had the previous record for highest paid quarterback of all-time with the 5 year/$100 mill deal he signed with Saints prior to last season. How does a guy like Flacco get more money than a guy like Brees who holds/has held numerous NFL records and has an entire trophy case full of individual awards? You could argue that Brees's contract is also ridiculous, but he's proven time and time again that he is worthy of such a large payday by putting up big numbers every year and keeping the team competitive no matter what (What he did on the field this season between dealing with the bounty scandal and being saddled with the worst defense in the league was incredible.) Another hit to Flacco's large contract is it comes only a few days after another proven superstar quarterback, Tom Brady, took a $3 million/year paycut to help the Patriots re-sign players and pursue other free agents. Brady, as much as I despise him, made the right move in taking a paycut. He wants the team to have the cap space to bring in/re-sign guys that will help the team stay competitive so he gave up some of his money to help them do so. Like the Patriots, the Ravens also have a ton of key players set to become free agents including Ed Reed, Danell Ellerbe, and Patrick Kruger, who were vital parts of their Super Bowl run that need to be brought back and Flacco just ate up a ton of cap space that hurts their chances of being able to re-sign all of these guys. If the Ravens lose these guys, you can expect Flacco to take even more heat for his epic contract.

I really don't mean to be this harsh  on Flacco, I am sincerely a fan of his and I was glad to see him and the Ravens get a ring in February. He is an undeniably talented quarterback and he will continue to grow even further as his career goes on. It just seems a little ridiculous to give him an elite-level contract when he hasn't put up elite-level numbers in the regular season, especially when the Ravens have so many key players that are entering free agency this offseason. His playoff performance was outstanding, but no matter how strong his play was in January and February this season, it's not worthy of a record-breaking contract at the moment. Flacco very well could prove his worth over the next five years and silence me and the rest of his critics, but for now he is just a second-tier quaterback getting paid like a first-tier quarterback.

Album Review: Within the Ruins-Elite

Within the Ruins made a  label change from Victory Records to E1 Music. That's about the only change Within the Ruins went through during the process of making their third full-length album Elite.

The lack of change and new ideas is both a good and bad thing for the Massachusetts deathcore outfit. Their sound is still very frantic, energetic, and breakdown-laden. As with all of Within the Ruins's previous work, The most enticing parts of Elite is the guitarwork from Joe Cocchi. The high-flying, frenzied, guitar acrobatics really never fails them. There's all sorts of crazy sweeps, pull-offs and just plain cool guitar effects that are just a blast to listen to. The parts where they just let Cocchi run wild and do his thing on guitar is when this record is at its undisputed best. The same strengths of their previous material are present, but unfortunately so are the same weaknesses. Within the Ruins's biggest issue as a band is with their breakdowns. Every single breakdown is one-note and dull and completely takes away from the music. It's not just that the breakdowns are lazy and uninspired, they are frequent in every song on the record. Within the Runs is a textbook example of a band with far too many generic breakdowns. If they want to progress as a band, they need to stop watering down their music with gratuitous, pointless breakdowns.

Elite is an enjoyable albeit unremarkable record. It's exactly the type of record you've come to expect from Within the Ruins. There's plenty of technical prowess and breakdowns to go around which will undoubtedly please fans of the genre/band while simultaneously bringing virtually nothing new to the table. I'm sure I would have liked Elite more if it wasn't so similar to their superior last record Invade. Within the Ruins is a talented band and have exciting elements to their music, but they can/need to do better than this. If they want to become an elite band (god damn right I use bad puns), they are going to need step their game up in the songwriting department by cutting down on their abundant breakdowns. With the amount of technical excitement they have, I fully believe Within the Ruins can become one of the best deathcore acts in the game. Don't get me wrong, Elite is still a quality release, it's just frustrating knowing how much better Within the Ruins could be given the amount of talent they have as a band.

3.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Weightless
2.Ataxia II
3.The Charm