Safe Text

Text messaging. Some people can't stand it. Others can't go 5 minutes without reaching into their pockets for another thumb workout session. People say it ruins everything from romance and dating to our ability to spell. On the other hand, when you're sitting in class or at work looking for a quick escape from reality, texting a friend is a simple distraction that can help keep us sane. The key, like a lot of other things in this world, is finding a balance.

Do I text people? Absolutley. Pretty often actually. However, I don't text like a 13 year old girl, communicating every thought I have with a series of abbreviations and emoticons. Sometimes I actually call people, as well. With my cellphone. The same one I use to text people with. For real. It's all about balance. Sure, texts can be convenient. That's why I use them. But often times, its even easier to just speak with the person, rather than texting back and forth 30 times.

I'm sure it's possible to have a long debate on the social and psychological ramifications of the impersonal communication medium that is text messaging. Suffice it to say however, that it's merely a problem of moderation. Safe texting people...it's not that difficult.

Really?

I couldn't pass this one up. Brokencyde, if you haven't had the pleasure, is a band that falls under the category of "crunk-core." Which basically means they have screaming vocals, mixed with club beats and hip hop. So you know....it's pretty terrible. I mean holy hell, who was the talent executive that OK'd signing this band. Cause that man should probably be imprisoned somewhere. Which is kind of funny actually, considering the name of the album is "I'm not a fan, but the kids like it!" That sounds like something a douche-bag talent exec would say. I digress, but in all honesty, I find myself almost liking a few of the songs, just because of how catchy they are. But you can't listen to them without laughing. So if that's all they were going for, good job. But I don't see how anyone can take them seriously. Let me illustrate my point with some lyrics. Here goes, enjoy:

"You're just a groupie. Bitch, I don't need a roofie to get up in that butt. Here's a list of bitches I fucked; Maddona, Casandra, Kintana, Kiana, your mama, Brandy, and Sandy, Mandy, Melissa, Rachel, and Candy, Jessica, Sarah, Jaquilin, Kelly, Kristina, Jasmine, Crystal, Maria, Madisson."

followed, of course, by...
"Now here's a list of other bitches that I happen to fuck;
Alisha, Theresa, Alyssa, Marissa, your teacher, your grandma, your auntie, your girlfriend, and probably your sister.
Nichole, Victoria, Lindsay Lohan, and Miley Cyrus, I probably fucked every girl in this room tonight (BE QUIET)."

I like how he insists everyone "be quiet" at the end. I can only assume this is because miley cyrus is like 14, and someone told them that publicly admitting to statutory rape isn't the best way to sell albums. Although, it has worked in the past (see: Eminem...also, most other rappers.)

BUT, let's not forget about possibly the best lyrics in music history:

"Lets get retarded. We'll throw a party, drink some Bacardi, and blaze some chronic. Let's keep it gangster baby, let's drink some gin and juice. You know you want me baby, I got them sexy moves. I drive those bitches crazy, cause I'm a sexy dude. But don't expect on having sex unless you shave your pubes."

Few orators possess a true mastery of the English language. I'm assuming none of them have "Get Crunk" tattooed across all 8 of their fingers. Good attempt though guys. A for effort. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's truly awful. Like...just, terrible. But still, I guess you had some fun, made some records, apparently had sex with a plethora of women, and people like me are writing articles about you on the internet. Can't say I blame you.

Shirts for a Cure

Do you hate cancer? Absolutely. Not into wearing pink, though? Try a Fuck Cancer T-shirt, in any color. Now you can hate cancer in style!!

A Day to Remember...and apparently Ron Jeremy

So I've been listening to this band quite a bit lately. If you're not familiar with them, they're one of the pioneers of the Pop Punk/Hardcore genre. The guys grew up listening to bands like blink 182 and A New Found Glory. At the same time, they rushed to see hardcore shows with bands like Poison the Well and Madball. When they came together as a band in 2003 , they decided to blend both of these sounds together. I wasn't too enthusiastic about the idea at first. Pop punk and metal? Together? It just seems wrong. But A Day to Remember pulls it off.

Their first album, And Their Name Was Treason is a solid debut effort. However, the the combination of the two conflicting styles of music is a little harsh. Tracks like Heartless open up with a brutal metal breakdown, then kick into a catchy pop punk melody...right back into growling vocals...It sounds like Simple Plan spliced with the Black Dahlia Murder.

Their next release For Those Who Have Heart earned the band a solid fan base, and with good reason. A Day to Remember really develops their own sound on this one. It's like taking you're typical high energy pop punk sound, then giving it horse steroids. This album is what changed my mind about the whole pop punk/hardcore genre. Their latest, Homesick raises the bar once again. There's fluid transition between the hand-clapping, high energy pop punk verses and the brutal, chugging metal breakdowns. Not the bastard offspring of Screamo that I thought it would be after all.

Well that's it for now. Make sure you check out the video if you haven't already and let me know what you think.

Damn protesters.

It's only Thursday night, and already the G20 protesters have started damaging businesses around the city. Boston Market, KFC, Baum Boulevard BMW, and even the old Taco Bell on Baum, have all been vandalized, just to name a few. Now this is crossing the line. Who on earth would do anything to damage a Taco Bell? That's just wrong, people. Anyway, It's been weird watching the G20 coverage on the news though. World leaders are congregating in places I used to go for extra credit in high school. It's all just kinda of cool to see, I guess. I could definitely do without the protesters destroying the city, though. Maybe that's just me...

A few more shows coming up...

@MrSmalls:

Attack Attack! and Miss May I are playing with a few others Oct. 24th.

Haste the Day is stopping by a few days later on the 28th (One of very few bands I really like that I've never seen play. I'm definitely trying to get to this one).

Senses Fail is also playing a show Oct. 30th. Not exactly metal, I know. But I figured its worth noting.

@Club Zoo:

All That Remains, Lacuna Coil, and Maylene and The Sons of Disaster are gracing us with their presence this Sunday, September 27th.

All in all it looks like there's quite a few opportunities to check out some good bands in Pittsburgh coming up soon. I swear we always get shafted and all the bands end up in Cleveland, or out in Lancaster or something. And if they do come, its usually on one of those huge Ozzfest, Warped Tour, Mayhem Fest kind of shows, where they play for a half hour if you're lucky, and you're so far away you can barely see them. So its nice to see all of these bands coming through here all in the span of about a month, at smaller local venues. Check them out if you get the chance.

It could be worse

Well, I'm pretty damn sick. Which sucks, yes. But at the same time I haven't really done anything today but sit around, drink vault zero (seriously, that shit is delicious), and listen to music. Oh, and uh...study. Ahem. So I suppose it could be worse. Unless it turns out I have the swine flu. Then it really can't get too much worse. Anyway, I finally got a chance to listen to the new-ish album Constellations by August Burns Red, from Lancaster, PA. I've been a fan since they released Thrill Seeker in 2005, but I'm amazed at how much this band has progressed.
Constellations is easily one of the best CD's I've heard in a long time. And I'll point out that I try to listen to about 5-8 new CD's a week. But I honestly can't stop listening to this album. The band's sound is so crisp and cleanly played, it's unreal. How can someone shred a guitar that fast, yet every single note is played flawlessly? I've heard a lot of songs I like from the first time I hear them. With Constellations, I would say it's more like I had to listen to the whole album once in astonishment, just to give myself some time to process how the fuck they just did that. If you are a fan of metal, I defy you not to love this CD. Especially tracks like "Indonesia" and "Rationalist" that make me re-consider my choice not to have a 100 pound punching bag in my living room. Forget red bull. Metal gives you wings.

A Good Place to Start...

Well, this seems like a perfect way to start this off, and say a little bit about what Steel City Metal is. Next Thursday, October 1st, is a date you should probably write down somewhere. Four amazing bands will be in town at Mr. Small's in Millvale (I'm going to assume if you're reading this you probably don't need to be told what or where Mr. Small's is, but if you've never been there check out the link). In Flames, Between the Buried and Me, 3 Inches of Blood, and The Faceless is the lineup - something that should make for an awesome show with some of metal's finest. I have to say, I can't wait to see this show. I like the mix of these guys all playing together. You're hard pressed to find another show at a small venue with four bands of this caliber. But that's not the only thing I like about this show. All of these bands have such completely different sounds and styles. There's The Faceless, with some of the most brutal double bass in all of death metal, and then you have 3 inches of blood, whose shrieking vocals remind you of the days before Bruce Dickinson was completely insane (Note: Iron Maiden is amazing. Sorry Bruce...but damn you're weird). Not to mention the intricate math-metal of BTBAM, and of course the show's headliner - In Flames.
Lately, In Flames seems to be one of those bands that people either love or hate, with absolutely no middle ground. Well, no surprise here then, but I love In Flames. That being said, I understand the complaint a lot of people have about the band. Try to compare 1997's Whoracle with their latest effort, A Sense of Purpose. They sound like two different bands. The thing is, I like both of the bands. Maybe its because the band practically started my metal obsession when I first heard the song "Cloud Connected" my freshman year of high school. I'll admit I have a bit of a soft spot for them because of that fact. Regardless...In Flames has been a driving force in melodic death metal for almost 20 years, and you have to respect that. Even if they seem to focus more now on the melodic aspect, rather than the death metal.
Well. Enough on that. I'm definitely pumped for the show. And I'm pretty excited to get Steel City Metal up and running. Check back for reviews, pics from the concerts, and pretty much anything metal that comes my way. Band news, hell...if you just want to bullshit about metal, drop me a comment on something you want to hear about. That's what I'm going for here. Just a place to rant and rave about something I love, and hear what other people have to say. So let's see where this goes.