Baltimore Ravens: Baltimore is of course coming of the heartbreaking loss to the Patriots in the AFC Championship game last year, but don't fret Baltimore fans they have a good shot of returning there this season. This is pretty much the same Baltimore team that has been in place for a while. There is a great chemistry on both sides of the ball and they know what is expected of them to win and put themselves in a position for a potential championship run. The only problem I can foresee is the absence of Terrell Suggs, who was tore his Achilles tendon in the off-season and will miss at least a majority of the season. He is a huge factor on defense, but I am confident that Baltimore has the talent to replace him and won't allow their who team to crumble while he's gone.
Cincinnati Bengals: Cincinnati was one of the surprise teams last year. They snuck into the playoffs behind solid play from rookie quarterback Andy Dalton and future superstar wideout A.J Green. I expect the Bengals to keep improving while Dalton and Green continue to grow as players.This offseason they addressed some key issues in the draft that should help them the defensive side of the ball. They took promising corner Dre Kirkpatrick in the first round and underrated defensive tackles Devon Still and Brandon Thompson in the second and third rounds respectively. These moves add a lot promise to a subpar Bengals defense who struggled at times last year. In free agency, they took a gamble signing BenJarvus Green-Ellis to replace the effective yet troubled Cedric Benson at running back. Green-Ellis was decent with New England, but he has never been the lone feature back before so this will provide a very interesting challenge for the Bengals. The Bengals are a solid team, but they are a few years away from being a serious contender.
Cleveland Browns: The Browns have been a perennial doormat in the otherwise really strong AFC North and I don't really see that changing this season. There are some signs of hope for the future after this seasons draft. This hope has come in the form of Trent Richardson, who I believe is the most promising running back to enter the league since Adrian Peterson. Like Peterson, he's got power and speed and should be a nightmare for opposing defenses. Richardson is really about the only bright spot on an otherwise lackluster Browns team. Rookie Brandon Wheeden has a strong arm, but at 28 (he will be 29 in October) he's older than current star quarterbacks such as Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan. Wheeden has bust written all over him (Chris Weinke ring a bell anyone?) and he definitely is not the franchise quarterback the Browns are looking for. Even if Wheeden plays well, he has a lack of weapons in the passing game and the Browns have no defense to fall back on. I honestly feel really bad for Browns fans, unless a miracle happens, there looks to be no end in sight for your suffering.
Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers like the Ravens are getting old. But unlike the Ravens they are also beat-up. The amount of injuries they had last season was staggering and it cost them a run in the playoffs. Going into this season, veterans James Harrison, Casey Hampton, Max Starks and Rashard Mendenhall are all banged up and with the exception of Mendenhall are getting up there in terms of age. These guys are all vital to the team and if they're are not 100%, it could be highly detrimental to the Steelers. Another lingering issue is signing number 1 wide receiver Mike Wallace (who is holding out and has not nor has any intention of showing up to training camp without a new deal in place). The Steelers have other playmakers at wide receiver in Antonio Brown and Emanuel Sanders, but Wallace is the most dangerous threat they have and that could ruin a lot of the explosiveness the Steelers offense has. That being said, Pittsburgh is a veteran team and amongst the few that come out and play even with these problems on and off the field. They still have Ben Rothelisberger, who is still an elite leader and a lot of firepower and depth on both sides of the ball (including a pretty deadly running back attack of Issace Redman, Johnathan Dwyer, and if healthy, Rashard Mendanhall.) If they are still banged up, they should get a wild card spot and if they are at full strength, they could contend for the AFC title. Should be another unpredictable and exciting year for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Predictions for the AFC North standings:
1.Baltimore Ravens (12-4)
2.Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
3.Cincinnati Bengals (9-7)
4.Cleveland Browns (4-12)
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
NFL Preview: AFC East
Football season is right around the corner (Thank god, I'm getting really sick of all this Olympic coverage). Over the new few weeks, I'll be previewing each division in the league and giving my thoughts how I think each team will do this season starting today with the AFC East. Feel free to leave comments, I am open to having discussion with anyone about the upcoming football season.
Buffalo Bills: Buffalo surprised a lot of people last season (myself included) by coming storming out of the gates last season with a 5-2 start. After that though they stumbled to a 1-8 finish in their last 9 games. This season could end up being a pretty decent one for Buffalo if they play like they did in the first portion of last season or a pretty disastrous one if they play like they did in the second half of last season. Personally, I think they will be right in the middle. The plus side of things is Fred Jackson and Ryan Fitzpatrick (He was playing with broken ribs for the second half of the season last year which is definitely part of why they did so poorly at the end of the year) are back at full health. Having Jackson back is especially key. He was having the best year of his career last year before he got hurt and if comes back with a vengeance this year, He could potentially have a 1,500 yard season. Defensively, they made some huge free-agent signings with Mario Williams and Mark Anderson. Mario Williams is a monster and will single-handily improve their pass rush. Mark Anderson is streaky, but when he's on his game, he's a damn good pass-rusher and the combination of him and Williams could be lethal. The thing that keeps Buffalo from being a playoff contender is their inconsistent play on both sides of the ball and lack of receiving threats outside of Stevie Johnson. Buffalo is definitely the most confusing team in the AFC outside of the AFC West and it really comes down to what Bills team decides to show up this year. They could be a dark horse or they could be a joke, The jury's still out.
Miami Dolphins:The story of the Miami Dolphins offseason was sell, sell, sell. They are clearly in rebuilding mode bringing in a new head coach, trading Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall to the Bears, and releasing veterans Yerimah Bell and Phillip Merling. There is a lot of uncertainty with the Dolphins right now and that should lead to a long year in Miami. They have a three-way quarterback battle going on right now between last year's starter Matt Moore (who did a decent job closing out the year), veteran David Garrard, and coveted rookie Ryan Tannehill. All three of these guys aren't bad at all, but they aren't going to lead them anywhere right now (Tannehill might have his day at some point in time, but that moment is not right now). Another big problem is the lack of receiving options. Unless Chad Johnson has a huge resurgence (which is highly unlikely considering how bad he was for the Patriots last year), they have pretty much no one to throw to and that will cause their offense to be very one-dimensional. The good news for Miami is that Reggie Bush is coming off the best year of his career and he is primed for another big year considering the shakiness of their quarterback/receiver situation and they still have a pretty solid defense anchored by linebackers Cameron Wake and Karlos Dansby. With a weak roster and stiff competition, Miami is pretty much a lock for last-place in this division.
New England Patriots: If you follow football at all I don't need to tell you how dominating the Patriots offense is. The amount of weapons they have in the passing attack is unfair and Tom Brady hasn't lost a step at the quarterback position. They added another weapon this offseason in Brandon Lloyd He isn't as dangerous as Rob Gronkowski, Wes Welker, or Aaron Hernandez, but he will add yet another deep threat for the Patriots and concern for opposing defenses. Despite their dominating pass offense, everything else is a concern. They lost starting running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis this offseason which is going to mean a return to the famous Belicheck mediocre running back by-committee system with Danny Woodhead and second year backs Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen. If Woodhead performs like he did in his breakout 2010 season, they should be fine. If not, they could have a huge problem. Their biggest problem though is still on defense. Their two first-round draft picks Chandler Jones and Don'ta Hightower have a lot of potential and should help their awful pass rush, but they ignored their biggest problem which is their secondary. They allowed at least 300 passing yards in almost every game last season and they still have the same guys as projected starters for this season. Even with these problems, The Patriots will be fine this season. Their dominant passing offense, excellent coaching, and incredibly easy schedule cancel out their flaws and all but guarantees at least 13 wins this year.
New York Jets: The Jets got cocky last year promising a Super Bowl after making it to the past two AFC championship games. The results were pretty poor finishing 8-8 and failing to makes the playoffs for the first time since Rex Ryan took over as coach. This year the Jets seems to be way more focused and humble. Mark Sanchez isn't a game-changing, elite quarterback, but when he's on his game the Jets tend to win games. The addition of Tim Tebow could end up paying off big time. He might be a terrible quarterback, but he is a tremendous athlete and having him at your disposal for wildcat/option plays gives them a really dangerous threat in the running game. Their defense is also elite. They were still great last year in a down season and the addition of hard-hitting safety Laron Landry only makes them scarier. They also didn't have any huge losses which is also a huge plus. They do have their question marks at running back (if Shonn Greene doesn't step up) and receiver depth, but I honestly think the Jets can make the playoffs this year. They might be a year or two off from making it back to the AFC championship game, but they have the talent to make the playoffs for sure.
Predictions for the AFC East Standings:
1.New England Patriots (14-2)
2.New York Jets (10-6)
3.Buffalo Bills (8-8)
4.Miami Dolphins (4-12)
Buffalo Bills: Buffalo surprised a lot of people last season (myself included) by coming storming out of the gates last season with a 5-2 start. After that though they stumbled to a 1-8 finish in their last 9 games. This season could end up being a pretty decent one for Buffalo if they play like they did in the first portion of last season or a pretty disastrous one if they play like they did in the second half of last season. Personally, I think they will be right in the middle. The plus side of things is Fred Jackson and Ryan Fitzpatrick (He was playing with broken ribs for the second half of the season last year which is definitely part of why they did so poorly at the end of the year) are back at full health. Having Jackson back is especially key. He was having the best year of his career last year before he got hurt and if comes back with a vengeance this year, He could potentially have a 1,500 yard season. Defensively, they made some huge free-agent signings with Mario Williams and Mark Anderson. Mario Williams is a monster and will single-handily improve their pass rush. Mark Anderson is streaky, but when he's on his game, he's a damn good pass-rusher and the combination of him and Williams could be lethal. The thing that keeps Buffalo from being a playoff contender is their inconsistent play on both sides of the ball and lack of receiving threats outside of Stevie Johnson. Buffalo is definitely the most confusing team in the AFC outside of the AFC West and it really comes down to what Bills team decides to show up this year. They could be a dark horse or they could be a joke, The jury's still out.
Miami Dolphins:The story of the Miami Dolphins offseason was sell, sell, sell. They are clearly in rebuilding mode bringing in a new head coach, trading Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall to the Bears, and releasing veterans Yerimah Bell and Phillip Merling. There is a lot of uncertainty with the Dolphins right now and that should lead to a long year in Miami. They have a three-way quarterback battle going on right now between last year's starter Matt Moore (who did a decent job closing out the year), veteran David Garrard, and coveted rookie Ryan Tannehill. All three of these guys aren't bad at all, but they aren't going to lead them anywhere right now (Tannehill might have his day at some point in time, but that moment is not right now). Another big problem is the lack of receiving options. Unless Chad Johnson has a huge resurgence (which is highly unlikely considering how bad he was for the Patriots last year), they have pretty much no one to throw to and that will cause their offense to be very one-dimensional. The good news for Miami is that Reggie Bush is coming off the best year of his career and he is primed for another big year considering the shakiness of their quarterback/receiver situation and they still have a pretty solid defense anchored by linebackers Cameron Wake and Karlos Dansby. With a weak roster and stiff competition, Miami is pretty much a lock for last-place in this division.
New England Patriots: If you follow football at all I don't need to tell you how dominating the Patriots offense is. The amount of weapons they have in the passing attack is unfair and Tom Brady hasn't lost a step at the quarterback position. They added another weapon this offseason in Brandon Lloyd He isn't as dangerous as Rob Gronkowski, Wes Welker, or Aaron Hernandez, but he will add yet another deep threat for the Patriots and concern for opposing defenses. Despite their dominating pass offense, everything else is a concern. They lost starting running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis this offseason which is going to mean a return to the famous Belicheck mediocre running back by-committee system with Danny Woodhead and second year backs Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen. If Woodhead performs like he did in his breakout 2010 season, they should be fine. If not, they could have a huge problem. Their biggest problem though is still on defense. Their two first-round draft picks Chandler Jones and Don'ta Hightower have a lot of potential and should help their awful pass rush, but they ignored their biggest problem which is their secondary. They allowed at least 300 passing yards in almost every game last season and they still have the same guys as projected starters for this season. Even with these problems, The Patriots will be fine this season. Their dominant passing offense, excellent coaching, and incredibly easy schedule cancel out their flaws and all but guarantees at least 13 wins this year.
New York Jets: The Jets got cocky last year promising a Super Bowl after making it to the past two AFC championship games. The results were pretty poor finishing 8-8 and failing to makes the playoffs for the first time since Rex Ryan took over as coach. This year the Jets seems to be way more focused and humble. Mark Sanchez isn't a game-changing, elite quarterback, but when he's on his game the Jets tend to win games. The addition of Tim Tebow could end up paying off big time. He might be a terrible quarterback, but he is a tremendous athlete and having him at your disposal for wildcat/option plays gives them a really dangerous threat in the running game. Their defense is also elite. They were still great last year in a down season and the addition of hard-hitting safety Laron Landry only makes them scarier. They also didn't have any huge losses which is also a huge plus. They do have their question marks at running back (if Shonn Greene doesn't step up) and receiver depth, but I honestly think the Jets can make the playoffs this year. They might be a year or two off from making it back to the AFC championship game, but they have the talent to make the playoffs for sure.
Predictions for the AFC East Standings:
1.New England Patriots (14-2)
2.New York Jets (10-6)
3.Buffalo Bills (8-8)
4.Miami Dolphins (4-12)
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Concert Review: Mayhem Fest-- Mansfield, MA-- August 3rd, 2012
Well here we are again at what has become a staple of my summers for the past five years: The Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival. This year boasted another great lineup and another immensely fun day of metal.
My friends and I go there a bit late around 3:15. We unfortunately missed Whitechapel, who was the only band that I cared about seeing that we did. I have seen them four times so it's not that big of a deal, but I did want to hear their new material live. Thankfully they are coming back in September with Hatebreed and All Shall Perish so I will try to catch that show. The first band of the day I actually caught was The Devil Wears Prada. Their show was exactly what I anticipated it would be: The band sounded good, The clean vocals were good, and Mike Hranica's voice is completely blown out causing the whole set to be derailed. It's the same problem that plagued their most recent album Dead Throne and it make become even more of prominent issue during their live show. It really is a damn shame that Hranica's screams are so weak. The band has progressed so much in every area, but they are being held back with underwhelming lead vocals. They really need to get a new vocalist immediately. If they got a new lead vocalist and continued to grow as musicians , They would be a pretty fucking great metalcore act. I give them points for the musicianship and improved stage presence from the last time I saw them in 2010 with Killswitch Engage, but the grating screaming vocals prevented me from enjoying their performance.
After a brief bathroom and Rockstar break, In which I walked past Upon A Burning Body playing on the Sumerian Stage and laughed my ass that they were playing a breakdown with the lyrics "The stars at night are big and bright, Deep in the heart of Texas!" Borrowing from a Texas state anthem trying to sound heavy? And these guys take themselves seriously? Unbelievable. Anyways it was time for As I Lay Dying to hit the stage. As always, they were great. They are in the absolute elite league of metalcore bands especially in a live environment. Tim Lambesis is such a monster of a vocalist and they played everything perfectly. The crowd was noticeably way more into their set with large circle and push pits throughout (with a few hardcore dancers who were getting pissed that people were actually legitimately moshing) and a wall of death during "Confined". The set was full of their staples which is perfect for a festival and "The Sound of Truth" was a spectacular choice for a closer. That being said, This was without a doubt my least favorite of the three times I've seen As I Lay Dying because of a pretty weak sound mix throughout (First few songs the guitar was way too low in the mix then the last few the vocals and drums were too low in the mix). The shit sound didn't effect their set too much and they still put on a great show. I definitely want to see them again soon, hopefully headlining after their new album comes out in September.
Anthrax closed out the Jager stage for the evening. Anthrax was definitely the band I was most excited to see that I hadn't seen before on the bill. They did not disappoint at all with a 40-minute set that was one of the best on the whole day. Joey Belladonna sounded spectacular and he is also a great frontman getting the crowd pumped and running around like a maniac on stage. He was also surprisingly funny cracking a lot of jokes in between songs. My only complaint with their set was them playing two covers. Granted they were pretty good, but I would've have much rather heard two Anthrax originals instead of two covers given their relatively short set time. I can scratch another iconic band off my to-see list after seeing Anthrax yesterday and I would love to see them again at some point in time.
The worst part of the day had arrived: It was time for Asking Alexandria. As expected, they were fucking earth-shatteringly terrible . I felt like I needed to see a grief councilor because my ears had been raped by Danny Worsnop and his scene-haircut posse. They whined along for what seemed like an eternity doing nothing but fixing their hair and playing the same open note breakdowns while little girls screamed their lungs out and everyone else looked bored as hell. This band is everything wrong with metal at the moment. They are a fucking boy band with guitars. They are one of the few bands around that is strictly image-based who plays the most mind-numbingly generic metal possible in an attempt to make money and get groupies. The fact that little girls pretty much run the music industry is the only reason they are popular. Unless you have a vagina or you're a pedophile who gets hard at the sight of prepubescent tits being flashed, Stay far, far away from Asking Alexandria. An unholy abomination of performance and a definite contender for the worst live band I've ever seen (and I've seen a TON of bands).
Anything would've have sounded good after Asking Alexandria had just queefed on the stage for a half-hour, but British hard rock legends Motorhead tore it up. They were loud (though I don't agree with Kerry King when he said they are louder than Slayer), catchy, and most of all, just a lot of fun to watch. I am sucker for good riffs and Motorhead has them in droves. Their setlist contained songs that spanned most of their 30-year career and they even threw in an awesome drum solo at the end of "The One to Sing the Blues". One thing that made me laugh about their set was hearing Lemmy talk in between songs. He is so fucked up from years of heavy partying he's like a slightly more coherent Ozzy Osbourne. It doesn't really matter, he is known for his rough vocals and he still sounds great vocally well into his 60's. They did have to cut "Overkill" which is unfortunate (They didn't confirm this, but Phil Campbell mentioned after "Damage Case" that they almost missed the show because of traffic getting to the venue). Motorhead rocked hard and it was cool to finally see these icons.
The almighty Slayer was up next. From the opening notes of "Disciple", they instantly reminded me just how perfect they are live. Slayer isn't flashy when it comes to stage presence or energy, but they play their songs so perfectly that it doesn't matter. I almost threw out my neck from headbanging for their entire set. They sounded even better than they did the last time I saw them and they had one of the most badass stage setups I've ever seen (Fire everywhere with inverted cross stack-amps and a giant flaming Slayer eagle behind them). Gary Holt did an awesome job filling for Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King and Dave Lombardo blew my mind with their spot-on playing. The highlight of the set for me was "Angel of Death". Hearing Tom Araya do the opening scream perfectly is one of my favorite concerts moments ever. One of the loudest, heaviest, and best live bands around, Slayer destroyed and remain the best thrash band I've ever seen.
Slipknot closed out the show with a bang. It was awesome getting to see them again after the death of Paul Gray in 2010 and it honestly made them perform even better. It was clear where to trying put on the best possible shows in his memory and they succeeded. They might not write the amazing music or be the best musicians on the planet, but their live show is outstanding. It's so intense and full of energy that it's impossible to not get completely awe-struck by their performance. The biggest improvement over the last time was the setlist. I was so stoked to finally hear "Wait and Bleed", "Eyeless", and "Spit It Out" (participating in the iconic "Jump the fuck up" part of the song was incredible) live. "Gently" was a nice deep cut and the other staples such as "The Heretic Anthem", "Duality" (which was dedicated to Paul Gray), "People=Shit", and "Surfacing" were amazing. My only tiny complaint is I wish they had played at least one more song off of All Hope Is Gone. Seeing Slipknot has a huge nostalgia factor for me. They were one of the first metal bands that I listened to and though I was never as into them as I was other bands such from that era such as Korn or System of a Down, but they were still an essential in my early teenage years. Slipknot re-confirmed they're one of the best live bands on the planet with their spectacular set to cap off another great Mayhem Fest. Hopefully the organizers can get it right again next year and keep this insanely fun festival alive (Please have High On Fire do it next year to make up for them dropping off this year).
Scores:
The Devil Wears Prada 5/10
As I Lay Dying 8.5/10
Anthrax 9/10
Asking Alexandria 0/10
Motorhead 8/10
Slayer 10/10
Slipknot 10/10
Setlists:
The Devil Wears Prada (may be missing a song):
Born to Lose
Escape
Outnumbered
Assistant to the Regional Manager
Dead Throne
Danger: Wildman
Dez Monies
Mammoth
As I Lay Dying:
Condemned
94 Hours
Anodyne Sea
Through Struggle
Nothing Left
Cauterize
Confined
The Sound of Truth
Anthrax:
Caught in a Mosh
Got the Time (Joe Jackson cover)
Fight Em' Till You Can't
Antisocial (Trust cover)
Indians
Madhouse
I Am the Law
Motorhead:
Bomber
Damage Case
I Know How To Die
Stay Clean
Over the Top
The Chase Is Better Than the Catch
The One to Sing the Blues (with drum solo)
Going to Brazil
Killed by Death
Ace of Spades
Slayer:
Disciple
War Ensemble
Die by the Sword
Hate Worldwide
Mandatory Suicide
Altar of Sacrifice
Jesus Saves
Seasons in the Abyss
Hell Awaits
Dead Skin Mask
Angel of Death
South of Heaven
Raining Blood
Slipknot:
(Sic)
Eyeless
Sulfur
Wait and Bleed
Before I Forget
Disasterpiece
Gently
Vermilion
The Heretic Anthem
Psychosocial
Duality
Spit it Out
People = Shit
Surfacing
My friends and I go there a bit late around 3:15. We unfortunately missed Whitechapel, who was the only band that I cared about seeing that we did. I have seen them four times so it's not that big of a deal, but I did want to hear their new material live. Thankfully they are coming back in September with Hatebreed and All Shall Perish so I will try to catch that show. The first band of the day I actually caught was The Devil Wears Prada. Their show was exactly what I anticipated it would be: The band sounded good, The clean vocals were good, and Mike Hranica's voice is completely blown out causing the whole set to be derailed. It's the same problem that plagued their most recent album Dead Throne and it make become even more of prominent issue during their live show. It really is a damn shame that Hranica's screams are so weak. The band has progressed so much in every area, but they are being held back with underwhelming lead vocals. They really need to get a new vocalist immediately. If they got a new lead vocalist and continued to grow as musicians , They would be a pretty fucking great metalcore act. I give them points for the musicianship and improved stage presence from the last time I saw them in 2010 with Killswitch Engage, but the grating screaming vocals prevented me from enjoying their performance.
After a brief bathroom and Rockstar break, In which I walked past Upon A Burning Body playing on the Sumerian Stage and laughed my ass that they were playing a breakdown with the lyrics "The stars at night are big and bright, Deep in the heart of Texas!" Borrowing from a Texas state anthem trying to sound heavy? And these guys take themselves seriously? Unbelievable. Anyways it was time for As I Lay Dying to hit the stage. As always, they were great. They are in the absolute elite league of metalcore bands especially in a live environment. Tim Lambesis is such a monster of a vocalist and they played everything perfectly. The crowd was noticeably way more into their set with large circle and push pits throughout (with a few hardcore dancers who were getting pissed that people were actually legitimately moshing) and a wall of death during "Confined". The set was full of their staples which is perfect for a festival and "The Sound of Truth" was a spectacular choice for a closer. That being said, This was without a doubt my least favorite of the three times I've seen As I Lay Dying because of a pretty weak sound mix throughout (First few songs the guitar was way too low in the mix then the last few the vocals and drums were too low in the mix). The shit sound didn't effect their set too much and they still put on a great show. I definitely want to see them again soon, hopefully headlining after their new album comes out in September.
Anthrax closed out the Jager stage for the evening. Anthrax was definitely the band I was most excited to see that I hadn't seen before on the bill. They did not disappoint at all with a 40-minute set that was one of the best on the whole day. Joey Belladonna sounded spectacular and he is also a great frontman getting the crowd pumped and running around like a maniac on stage. He was also surprisingly funny cracking a lot of jokes in between songs. My only complaint with their set was them playing two covers. Granted they were pretty good, but I would've have much rather heard two Anthrax originals instead of two covers given their relatively short set time. I can scratch another iconic band off my to-see list after seeing Anthrax yesterday and I would love to see them again at some point in time.
The worst part of the day had arrived: It was time for Asking Alexandria. As expected, they were fucking earth-shatteringly terrible . I felt like I needed to see a grief councilor because my ears had been raped by Danny Worsnop and his scene-haircut posse. They whined along for what seemed like an eternity doing nothing but fixing their hair and playing the same open note breakdowns while little girls screamed their lungs out and everyone else looked bored as hell. This band is everything wrong with metal at the moment. They are a fucking boy band with guitars. They are one of the few bands around that is strictly image-based who plays the most mind-numbingly generic metal possible in an attempt to make money and get groupies. The fact that little girls pretty much run the music industry is the only reason they are popular. Unless you have a vagina or you're a pedophile who gets hard at the sight of prepubescent tits being flashed, Stay far, far away from Asking Alexandria. An unholy abomination of performance and a definite contender for the worst live band I've ever seen (and I've seen a TON of bands).
Anything would've have sounded good after Asking Alexandria had just queefed on the stage for a half-hour, but British hard rock legends Motorhead tore it up. They were loud (though I don't agree with Kerry King when he said they are louder than Slayer), catchy, and most of all, just a lot of fun to watch. I am sucker for good riffs and Motorhead has them in droves. Their setlist contained songs that spanned most of their 30-year career and they even threw in an awesome drum solo at the end of "The One to Sing the Blues". One thing that made me laugh about their set was hearing Lemmy talk in between songs. He is so fucked up from years of heavy partying he's like a slightly more coherent Ozzy Osbourne. It doesn't really matter, he is known for his rough vocals and he still sounds great vocally well into his 60's. They did have to cut "Overkill" which is unfortunate (They didn't confirm this, but Phil Campbell mentioned after "Damage Case" that they almost missed the show because of traffic getting to the venue). Motorhead rocked hard and it was cool to finally see these icons.
The almighty Slayer was up next. From the opening notes of "Disciple", they instantly reminded me just how perfect they are live. Slayer isn't flashy when it comes to stage presence or energy, but they play their songs so perfectly that it doesn't matter. I almost threw out my neck from headbanging for their entire set. They sounded even better than they did the last time I saw them and they had one of the most badass stage setups I've ever seen (Fire everywhere with inverted cross stack-amps and a giant flaming Slayer eagle behind them). Gary Holt did an awesome job filling for Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King and Dave Lombardo blew my mind with their spot-on playing. The highlight of the set for me was "Angel of Death". Hearing Tom Araya do the opening scream perfectly is one of my favorite concerts moments ever. One of the loudest, heaviest, and best live bands around, Slayer destroyed and remain the best thrash band I've ever seen.
Slipknot closed out the show with a bang. It was awesome getting to see them again after the death of Paul Gray in 2010 and it honestly made them perform even better. It was clear where to trying put on the best possible shows in his memory and they succeeded. They might not write the amazing music or be the best musicians on the planet, but their live show is outstanding. It's so intense and full of energy that it's impossible to not get completely awe-struck by their performance. The biggest improvement over the last time was the setlist. I was so stoked to finally hear "Wait and Bleed", "Eyeless", and "Spit It Out" (participating in the iconic "Jump the fuck up" part of the song was incredible) live. "Gently" was a nice deep cut and the other staples such as "The Heretic Anthem", "Duality" (which was dedicated to Paul Gray), "People=Shit", and "Surfacing" were amazing. My only tiny complaint is I wish they had played at least one more song off of All Hope Is Gone. Seeing Slipknot has a huge nostalgia factor for me. They were one of the first metal bands that I listened to and though I was never as into them as I was other bands such from that era such as Korn or System of a Down, but they were still an essential in my early teenage years. Slipknot re-confirmed they're one of the best live bands on the planet with their spectacular set to cap off another great Mayhem Fest. Hopefully the organizers can get it right again next year and keep this insanely fun festival alive (Please have High On Fire do it next year to make up for them dropping off this year).
Scores:
The Devil Wears Prada 5/10
As I Lay Dying 8.5/10
Anthrax 9/10
Asking Alexandria 0/10
Motorhead 8/10
Slayer 10/10
Slipknot 10/10
Setlists:
The Devil Wears Prada (may be missing a song):
Born to Lose
Escape
Outnumbered
Assistant to the Regional Manager
Dead Throne
Danger: Wildman
Dez Monies
Mammoth
As I Lay Dying:
Condemned
94 Hours
Anodyne Sea
Through Struggle
Nothing Left
Cauterize
Confined
The Sound of Truth
Anthrax:
Caught in a Mosh
Got the Time (Joe Jackson cover)
Fight Em' Till You Can't
Antisocial (Trust cover)
Indians
Madhouse
I Am the Law
Motorhead:
Bomber
Damage Case
I Know How To Die
Stay Clean
Over the Top
The Chase Is Better Than the Catch
The One to Sing the Blues (with drum solo)
Going to Brazil
Killed by Death
Ace of Spades
Slayer:
Disciple
War Ensemble
Die by the Sword
Hate Worldwide
Mandatory Suicide
Altar of Sacrifice
Jesus Saves
Seasons in the Abyss
Hell Awaits
Dead Skin Mask
Angel of Death
South of Heaven
Raining Blood
Slipknot:
(Sic)
Eyeless
Sulfur
Wait and Bleed
Before I Forget
Disasterpiece
Gently
Vermilion
The Heretic Anthem
Psychosocial
Duality
Spit it Out
People = Shit
Surfacing
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
August In Film
August marks the last month of the Summer movie season and what a great one it has been. August has a few exciting releases along with the typical end-of summer junk that is dumped out in the last couple of weeks of the month. Here is my thoughts on the entire slate of August films.
Films I want to see:
4.The Bourne Legacy (8/10)-While I do think the Bourne films are overrated, I still enjoy them. The Bourne Legacy looks to be the best of the series. I like the concept that there are more people like Jason Bourne out there and Jermey Renner is a great choice for the lead role. Early reception is good as well and this might be the first Bourne movie I see in theaters.
3.Lawless(8/29)-I am a big fan of westerns and Lawless looks to be a great one. It has a great trailer and talented cast anchored by Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Guy Pearce, and Jessica Chastain. This could also prove that Shia LaBeouf has a future as a legitimate actor and not just an action star. I also think making a movie about bootlegging could be very interesting since it's a topic that hasn't really been covered by too many movies.
2.The Campaign(8/10)-This movie has a ton of potential. Two of the finest comic actors in the business in Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis along with a strong supporting cast including Dylan McDermott, Jason Sudekis, John Lithgow, and Dan Akroyd and a script written by two of the writers of Eastbound and Down could make for another elite 2012 comedy.
1.The Expendables 2(8/17)-Being the action whore that I am, This is of course my most anticipated movie of the month. The first one was one of the finest action movies in recent memory. This one looks to be trying top the original by adding action legends Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme to the fold on top of the already stacked cast of action heroes past and present. Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger have also been given larger roles expanding upon their cameos in the first one which is awesome. The now confirmed R-rating (It was previously rumored to be PG-13) makes me just as excited to see this as I was the first one.
Film I'm not sure about
Total Recall (8/3)-Though the newest trailer is actually pretty good, I'm still on the fence on this one. It definitely could be cool given it's concept, solid cast, and Len Wiseman directing. At the same time the first couple of trailers were just alright and made it out to be a generic action movie. Kurt Wimmer's hit-or-miss screenwriting is also a bit unsettling. I am definitely somewhat intrigued but I'm not going into it with high expectations.
Hit and Run(8/22)-This is just barely in this section because the redband trailer didn't make me laugh once. The theaterical trailer isn't too bad though and it might end up being watchable. Might catch it on DVD depending on the reception.
Films I have no interest in:
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (8/3)-I saw the previous installment last year and I didn't like it, so I won't be seeing this.
Hope Springs (8/8)-I'm not even close to the target audience of older females that this film has. I'm sure it's well-made, but I can pretty much guarantee that I wouldn't like this.
The Odd Life of Timothy Green (8/15)-I am going to be completely honest this is one of the dumbest concepts for a movies I've ever seen. A movie about a couple that can't conceive a child so they put a bunch of qualities they would want in their kid in a box and bury it and the next morning this plant kid emerges on their front door. Seriously? It makes sense that Frank Zappa's wrote the story to this movie because a plot like this can can only be thought of while high on some type of hallucinogenic drugs. I wouldn't see this movie unless I was payed a substantial amount.
Paranorman (8/17)-Even though Tim Burton has nothing to do with this, It looks very much like the style of animated films that he does (stop-motion horror-themed comedies) so I will be steering clear of this.
Sparkle(8/17)-It's a musical, Enough said.
The Apparition (8/24)-Pretty stupid looking horror movie about an entity that was created during a college experiment gone wrong. I will give them points for thinking outside of the box a bit, but it still looks pretty bad.
Premium Rush (8/24)-Runner-up for stupidest concept I've heard in a while: Premium Rush. It's an action movie based around bike messengers in New York City having to deliver a dangerous package while being chased around a dirty cop who wants it. If it's really that dangerous of a package then why the fuck is a dude on a bike taking it? Even with Joesph Gordon-Levitt being in the lead role, I have no interest in seeing this.
The Possession(8/31)-It looks slightly better than most recent exorcism movies and Sam Rami's presence as a producer is encouraging, but it's still another demonic possession movie. I won't see this unless the reception is extremely positive.
Films I want to see:
4.The Bourne Legacy (8/10)-While I do think the Bourne films are overrated, I still enjoy them. The Bourne Legacy looks to be the best of the series. I like the concept that there are more people like Jason Bourne out there and Jermey Renner is a great choice for the lead role. Early reception is good as well and this might be the first Bourne movie I see in theaters.
3.Lawless(8/29)-I am a big fan of westerns and Lawless looks to be a great one. It has a great trailer and talented cast anchored by Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Guy Pearce, and Jessica Chastain. This could also prove that Shia LaBeouf has a future as a legitimate actor and not just an action star. I also think making a movie about bootlegging could be very interesting since it's a topic that hasn't really been covered by too many movies.
2.The Campaign(8/10)-This movie has a ton of potential. Two of the finest comic actors in the business in Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis along with a strong supporting cast including Dylan McDermott, Jason Sudekis, John Lithgow, and Dan Akroyd and a script written by two of the writers of Eastbound and Down could make for another elite 2012 comedy.
1.The Expendables 2(8/17)-Being the action whore that I am, This is of course my most anticipated movie of the month. The first one was one of the finest action movies in recent memory. This one looks to be trying top the original by adding action legends Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme to the fold on top of the already stacked cast of action heroes past and present. Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger have also been given larger roles expanding upon their cameos in the first one which is awesome. The now confirmed R-rating (It was previously rumored to be PG-13) makes me just as excited to see this as I was the first one.
Film I'm not sure about
Total Recall (8/3)-Though the newest trailer is actually pretty good, I'm still on the fence on this one. It definitely could be cool given it's concept, solid cast, and Len Wiseman directing. At the same time the first couple of trailers were just alright and made it out to be a generic action movie. Kurt Wimmer's hit-or-miss screenwriting is also a bit unsettling. I am definitely somewhat intrigued but I'm not going into it with high expectations.
Hit and Run(8/22)-This is just barely in this section because the redband trailer didn't make me laugh once. The theaterical trailer isn't too bad though and it might end up being watchable. Might catch it on DVD depending on the reception.
Films I have no interest in:
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (8/3)-I saw the previous installment last year and I didn't like it, so I won't be seeing this.
Hope Springs (8/8)-I'm not even close to the target audience of older females that this film has. I'm sure it's well-made, but I can pretty much guarantee that I wouldn't like this.
The Odd Life of Timothy Green (8/15)-I am going to be completely honest this is one of the dumbest concepts for a movies I've ever seen. A movie about a couple that can't conceive a child so they put a bunch of qualities they would want in their kid in a box and bury it and the next morning this plant kid emerges on their front door. Seriously? It makes sense that Frank Zappa's wrote the story to this movie because a plot like this can can only be thought of while high on some type of hallucinogenic drugs. I wouldn't see this movie unless I was payed a substantial amount.
Paranorman (8/17)-Even though Tim Burton has nothing to do with this, It looks very much like the style of animated films that he does (stop-motion horror-themed comedies) so I will be steering clear of this.
Sparkle(8/17)-It's a musical, Enough said.
The Apparition (8/24)-Pretty stupid looking horror movie about an entity that was created during a college experiment gone wrong. I will give them points for thinking outside of the box a bit, but it still looks pretty bad.
Premium Rush (8/24)-Runner-up for stupidest concept I've heard in a while: Premium Rush. It's an action movie based around bike messengers in New York City having to deliver a dangerous package while being chased around a dirty cop who wants it. If it's really that dangerous of a package then why the fuck is a dude on a bike taking it? Even with Joesph Gordon-Levitt being in the lead role, I have no interest in seeing this.
The Possession(8/31)-It looks slightly better than most recent exorcism movies and Sam Rami's presence as a producer is encouraging, but it's still another demonic possession movie. I won't see this unless the reception is extremely positive.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Movie Review: The Watch
3.5/5 Stars
Friday, July 27, 2012
Movie Review: Wanderlust
4/5 Stars
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Album Review: Nas-Life Is Good
Life Is Good shows 110% that Nas still has it. It has a very old-school Nas vibe and it sees him returning to what he does best: Telling stories. The approach Nas takes on this album is in the same vein of his classics Illmatic, It Was Written, and Stillmatic and it is beyond awesome that he has returned to this style. In addition to his return to telling stories with his rhymes, Life Is Good sees Nas going back to blending his conscious side with his hardcore side. Both sides of his style are highly successful with equal lyrical bite and great production to suit the different vibes of each song accordingly. Even with these tone shifts, the album never looses focus and the transitions seem very natural. Surprisingly I found myself enjoying the deeper, more emotional tracks than the in-your-face hardcore ones. The 50 and 60's jazz vibes on "Stay" and almost classical sounding beat on "A Queen's Story" combined with the emotional and heartfelt lyrics made for some of the most enjoyable tracks on the album. At the same time, the hardcore tracks are also top-notch. "Back When" and "The Don" are absolute bangers that shows he can still spit with a ton of intensity and passion. Nas is also able to make great use of guest artists. Every guest artist (with the exceptions of Swizz Beatz on the albums lone dud "Summer On Smash" and Rick Ross on the otherwise solid "Ancient Murderers" ) improves each song substantially. There are some great hooks by Mary J.Blidge, the late Amy Winehouse, and master of great, catchy hooks in hip-hop songs, Anthony Hamilton. Each of these guest spots really drive home the power of each song and Nas could not have done a better job choosing these singers to do the hooks on his album.
Life Is Good is Nas best record since Stillmatic in my humble opinion. He's back in his element telling stories and his lyrics are as sharp and emotional as ever. This is a much-needed throwback album with meaningful themes and emotional power in spades. It almost seems like it should have come out fifteen years ago, Hip-Hop like this is rare these days. Hip-hop needs an elder statesman like Nas. He's been doing his thing and not hoping on any trends his whole career. The fact that he is notably absent from any best rapper alive discussion is both sad and sickening. Life Is Good will hopefully expose a new generation of hip-hop fans to the brilliance of Nas's work. Hip-hop needs more mainstream rappers willing to be different like Nas. Kudos to Nas for making another excellent piece of work and showing once again why he is such an important part of the modern survival of hip-hop.
4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Stay
2.A Queens Story
3. The Don
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