The Squees of Spring: An Update

Once I purchased Persona 5, I fell into a deep rabbit hole in which I think I'm climbing back out of. It's hard to say at this point since I'm still in the middle of being distracted. I haven't streamed or updated my blog due to my narrow focus as of late. At least I have uploaded nearly 20 chapters of my Persona 3 fanfic on a semi-regular weekly basis, though I had to pause briefly to make some additional changes to my drafts before continuing the upload.

I will keep working on my Mass Effect: Andromeda post, but with the three released patches and the news that Bioware's Montreal team is being downsized due to all the backlash and EA being EA, I still don't feel entirely confident rendering judgement on the game. My excitement has sobered considerably, particularly because Persona 5 is vastly superior in nearly every single way, and I have been unable to bring myself to complete my third run with my Vetra-mancing Ryder despite being 75% done the main story. That sentence might damn the game more than a long rant, but I have to be honest about where I'm sitting as of today.

Rather than focus on lukewarm topics, I'll share more positive news.

'Artifact' and the Art of Screwing Artists

As much as I love video games and music, I tend to go through periods of preferring one over the other for a year or two. My high school years mostly had me listening to all kinds of bands Pandora and my online friends recommended. After finding a nearly a hundred, only ten or so are bands I still frequently listen to as I play video games during my days at college. One of them is Thirty Seconds to Mars.

They're not one of my all-time favorites, but I've enjoyed enough of their work to have the majority - if not the entirety - of their discography (along with Lacuna Coil, Bentley Jones, Breaking Benjamin, and HIM). I generally like Thirty Seconds to Mars' take on alternative rock with lots of melodies, a touch of harsh vocals, and occasional periods of building atmosphere to set a song's unique tone. Most of their songs tend to stand out to me because the band occasionally changes up the "format" of a song. They tend to follow the standard verse-chorus-verse-chorus pattern, but sometimes they throw in an instrumental break near the middle of a song that typically happens in the progressive rock genre. Throw in lyrics with tons of references to literature, religion, and mythology, some pretentious and philosophical music videos, and a tiny bit of self-awareness and that's Thirty Seconds to Mars. If more "ambitious" people who sing, act, direct, and be a celebrity who don't make huge holier-than-thou asses of themselves and their work like Jared Leto, I might be less of a skeptical person.

Or maybe Jared is an elitist asshole who hates his fans. Haven't seen or heard of any meltdowns yet on Twitter, so I'm staying optimistic.

Mini Shots: Linkin Park

Ah, "nu metal", music for angry white men. Music that was too immature and lazy to truly sit under the heavy metal umbrella and too obnoxious to be liked by pop enthusiasts. The late 1990s early 2000s were a dark time for rock music. Anyone who liked this crap was piece of scum, contributing nothing but garbage to society.

Well, that's what people keep telling me. But here I am, a certainly non-white female, who indulged herself in the genre for a few years. Mentally, however, I probably went through a similar rebellious phase while in grade school. Pop music sounded terrible to me, my classmates did not give a crap about my existence. So in turn, I did not care about their taste in music and went to find my own. And thus began Fangirl's long journey to finding music that sounds good.

While Evanescence was my first love that helped me appreciate the melancholic, Linkin Park prepared me for the anger. They were a gateway that indirectly later helped me stomach some stuff from the libraries of In Flames, Moonspell, and even Rammstein. Unlike Evanescence, they simultaneously disappointed me more but made me more fond of them as time went on. I'm in the crowd who still likes their older work. Despite how whiny and angsty they sound lyrically, I can at least say they had energy and a pulse. They defined rap-rock for me, and I can't help but think they were the most memorable in that odd music marriage.

So... let's see what road this band took Fangirl and where they are now.

'Tears on Tape'

After nearly killing myself over a stupid video game, I'm ecstatic that I could cast aside some of the worst thoughts to finally greet my favorite band's new album back in April. I remember greeting Screamworks around Valentine's of 2011 with universe-destroying period cramps that made me leave school early. (Men are so lucky...) When I checked the mail, my massive limited edition purchase sat there and my bloody angry mood crumbled into dust. Not a few hours later, a snow storm came and I had an extra day off to enjoy the awesome music.

This time, similar luck happened. I desperately NEEDED the sweatshirt I got in my preorder for my final art project. And the weekend I come home to get my things for it? Thanks for being a loyal Fangirl, me! ^_^

... But this has nothing to do with the quality of the album at all, does it?

And so, how is HIM's eighth studio album, Tears on Tape?

For one, I love the cover art. It's so bizarre with the lyrics of the chorus to "Tears on Tape" written in cryptic symbols, Malachim to be exact, within the snake. That and the heartagram surrounded by a heptagram and the abstract tiles... Oh, I can squee over this band forever and bore everyone else on the planet!

I'm done gushing... for now. ...Maybe.

... But the drummer is healthy again after that really scary nerve damage in his wrists from repetitive stress! Yay! Thank the superior being(s) he recovered before the band considered breaking up! :D

...Darn it. Shutting up. >.<

Mini Shots: Evanescence

After many years of bashing them whenever I can, now is probably the time to be a bit more honest and less angry towards the band I owe so much. I have come across as a rebellious child kicking and screaming every single time I hear of Evanescence. Most of the time, my outbursts come from an irrational place. How some bands continue to get recognition despite boring both my ears off never ceases to baffle me. How some of the more interesting musicians do well enough to keep making music while others lay on their backs, basking in fame and glory while they mass produce thin-skinned balloons pisses me off.

Do I sound like a hipster? Hmm, perhaps. "I liked them before they were cool" is not a commonly used phrase, although "I liked them before they began to suck" sounds more like me. Minor technicality I guess.

In late 2006, this band saved me. An exaggeration to some, I guess, but Evanescence really did kickstart my changing preference in music. Pop lost its appeal to me at some point as it sounded very shallow. Whenever people would talk about the latest hit, all I would hear was about how the beat was awesome or the melody catchy... and that's it. Lyrics were irrelevant. The next thing the world knew, that one hit song would vanish into the trench of the lost and forgotten, never to be mentioned again. Why did such a music genre and its followers have such a short attention span? Were there any songs worth hanging onto? Apparently my dissatisfaction with what society thought was "cool" lost its appeal and I tried to find something different.

Evanescence was the first step. They were my diapers, my training wheels, my crutches... then I outgrew them. I could find new music on my own, I could try out other bikes, and I could walk without feeling intimidated. The journey was long and many changes happened, but I'm happy where I am. Now, I need to come to terms with where it all began. Hopefully, I can do this in a more mature fashion than some of my past rants.

Candy for the Ears

Midterm exams are underway soon and I'm trying to hit the books. On the other hand, I just got a Playstation Vita and I'm trying really hard to not play with it too much. Predictably, I give into temptation easily.

It's been a long time since I had anything to say about my taste in music. Over the past several years, my library has slowly grown and my mood has fluctuated. My Pandora account is in use sometimes, but I only really expand unless I'm really bored. The last musical goldmine I ran into was Bentley Jones.

Covering J-pop, remixing currently popular songs, and overusing autotune might not sound very appealing, but if more pop music sounded more like what Bentley does, then I'd love to turn the radio back on again. Heck, his PHUNKSTR remixes often sound a lot better than their original versions. Or maybe that's my biased ear talking.

Regardless, I've been listening to his new album lately. It took several listens, but it has grown on me. Such a decent voice should not be masked by so much autotune. (TT-TT) At least his melodies are really good.

Yeah, if this blog goes down like the Titanic, I only hope that at least one person that visited here would be interested in this guy. The dude needs more attention. His stuff is on iTunes. Give the guy a buck or two. Or at least five minutes of random music preview samples.

*shrug* I'm used to preaching to the choir.

When I'm not indulging in pop music that only the Japanese are willing to put on their store shelves, I always go back to HIM. No surprise, I know. After XX - Two Decades of Love Metal came out, I decided to go through their entire library again for old time's sake. Whatever comes of Tears on Tape, I really hope their cover of "Strange World" is not them at their best after that post-Screamworks hiatus. They better not be out of juice yet...

At least they have seven other albums to cling to.

Okay, that's enough cheesy-poppy music to make your teeth grow cavities. But heck, it could be MUCH WORSE. All the girls get into Justin Beiber and One Direction, I get into sappy pop-rock with pretty-boy singers that make and perform their own music without as much exposure. So hipster of me.

Anywho, the third piece of musical awesome I'm diving into is good ol' Breaking Benjamin... which are also on hiatus. (Just my luck.) They are probably the only "nu metal" act I still enjoy. Ever since the un-freakin'-listenable A Thousand Suns, Linkin Park just continues to piss me off. Evanescence continues to subconsciously come off as trying to be gothic metal while actively denying any hints proving the statement right. Three Days Grace has some great emotion... with hilariously silly lyrics. Nickleback does not exist on my playlists, and Disturbed is a kiddy meal next to In Flames. I can go on and on...

Breaking Benjamin... I'm not sure why I go back to them so often.

For actual metal music though... hmm... I go back to Moonspell sometimes. Too bad Grooveshark has deleted their entire library of songs. Now how am I to get my fix without commercial interruptions? They just released some new material too. Yet another thing to add to my list of music to listen to before I kick the bucket.

I guess for now a whole assortment of songs are floating around in my head. Some rock, some pop, some video game soundtracks, some obscure, some embarrassingly not. It's kinda hard to pinpoint what exactly I listen to when talking to people. It's even more fun when people have no damn clue what I'm talking about. Try asking some random person on the street what symphonic metal is. Then good luck explaining it without boring the person to death.

Which is why I keep to my self like a recluse. :)

Enjoy [or ignore] the rest of the songs I randomly post here.

And the finale. I have no shame. This song is awesome.

Credit to all the people who worked their butts off on these songs to get a paycheck.

Now... back to studying...

リヴィド ~ 'Livid'

"Livid"... "Rivido"
same word, different pronunciation and language.

Why review an album in which you understand absolutely NONE of the lyrics?

Due to my limited exposure to Japanese, yes, I cannot truly comment on the lyrical style Nightmare uses throughout Livid. Yet I can still say the music is pretty darn catchy and lively. The lyrics seem to flow nicely and the vocals are quite nice. No complaints.

The two or so anime fans who read my blog may recognize Nightmare as the band that provided "The World" and "Alumina" as opening/ending themes for the first half of the Death Note series. Despite the songs' reputations for being deemed "emo J-pop" and my barely lasting to episode 20, I found Nightmare far more interesting than Maximum the Hormone. That or iTunes had their music and I liked what I heard from the samples.

Either way, the Japanese come up with really bizarre band names. @_@

'Sonic Adventure: Original Sound Track'



Why, oh, why must a physical copy be over $100?!

I never considered seriously listening to video game soundtracks. Heck, I never payed much attention to music in any video game. Is it because the mind is so focused on the distracting graphics or the difficult gameplay that one has no chance to care?

Well, I must thank that darned blue hedgehog who forced me to stop and listen.

Sonic Adventure is nearly fourteen years old, and I can see you sticking your noses in the air and saying, "Hmph! The 90's?! How ancient!" If so, then you deserved to be punched. And shot. And smashed by a hammer. And homing attacked. Repetedly.

But yes, there are some tracks that sound kinda dated. Music in most of today's games don't sound like this anymore. Though a far cry from traditional bleeps and bloops from a Gameboy, Sega Genesis and their siblings and parents, this ain't polished electronic noise. Yes, there are some electronic tracks, but the majority of the music here is rock... and a tinge of hip hop... and jazz. Just a tinge... *squirms*

Some may argue that Sonic Adventure is the cream of the crop in terms of any game in the franchise post-1997. Well, in a way, these folks are right. This soundtrack is has the most variety with - truly - most songs not sounding identical. Every track complements its use in the game and sets the mood perfectly. With "The Dreamy Stage" you feel like you are in a casino, in "Tricky Maze" you wander in the dangerous ruins of an ancient civilization, and with "Red Hot Skull" you can almost feel like you're burning up near lava.

Even simple tracks like "Sadness" or "Happiness" are so genuine, it really affects you, especially when playing the game. As dark and emotional as others have been, not many Sonic games gave more heartbreaking tunes over something dramatic. Not even "Reflection" from Sonic Adventure 2 could top "Sadness."

The main problem is to cover an entire soundtrack with 69 songs that differ from each other so much. Those provided barely represent a third of the pie. But as a few honorable mentions, "Station Square," "Twinkle Circuit," "Mystic Ruin," and "ZERO the Chase-master" are some of the many that are too nostalgic to forget.

Fans of Sonic Adventure should definitely take the time to sit back and recall some of the best music this franchise has offered. Not to single everyone else out, but listening alone is nowhere near as rewarding as experiencing the game. However, that cannot stop you from giving these babies a chance. At the least you might hear some melodies that remind you of music you enjoy. Heck, even "Trickery Way" sounds like a demo from The Birthday Massacre!

Though my childhood is rushing back too quickly for my poor emotional heart, I leave you with this: Sonic Adventure: Original Sound Track is long, but entertaining for road trips or any form of time-consuming travel. It has a good mix of electronic rock, rave, orchestral, jazz, and other fun stuff to keep even the most ADD person to not be bored. At the end of the day it all comes down to preference and experience. The choice between playing the game or not makes all the difference.

Pros: Strong :D
- versatile styles fitting various themes
- universal and easy on the ears
- far, far, FAR from repetitive

Cons: Moderate :/
- sixty nine tracks on two disks = over two hours long
- accessible more to those who played game

4 out of 5

And as a bonus. The track playing to one of the most memorable moments in Sonic games.
Too bad I don't have that exact clip. :P

Happy Halloween!!

Once again, I am still not fully in the dark, creepy spirit of Halloween. (It doesn't help that we got over five inches of snow on Saturday...) Call me lazy, but after I tried with movies, I simply said "screw it!" and gave up. Oh well. :P

However I decided to provide some stuff slightly related to things spooky. Enjoy the trick or ignore the treat. Pick your poison. :)

And, you know what, MM? Sadie's cover blows yours out the water. Sorry! >:)

"What You Want"

(CREDIT: to Evanescence... about time...)

RANK: 2 out of 5 <-- Try Again

After FIVE freaking years, Evanescence FINALLY released SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!!! (yeah, there was "Together Again", but that's another story...)

My impression of "What You Want?" "...bleh."

You all know how I feel about this band, so I won't dive into what drives me up the wall. Yet my most viewed posts are related to Evanescence. Either you like to read my obnoxious nitpicking, or you like to stick to what's familiar. Whatever the reason is, that is an irrelevant issue here.

As a sneak peak into the new album, "What You Want" is - admittedly - decent on the heads side of a coin. Unlike most tracks off of The Open Door, a balance between the band and Amy exists in a more harmonious manner. In a way Amy's vocals in "What You Want" reminds one of Simone's in "Never Enough" by Epica (check it out.) This in a way is not terrible, because this single sounds more complete and satisfying than anything since Fallen. On the other hand, Amy still dominates so much that my annoyance meter is in the red. A mixed bag is the final result instead of an improvement. Oh well.

The actual music is repetitive and catchy, but not memorable. Feel free to sit back and listen to "What You Want" when your ipod is set on random. No harm done in such a mindless setting, but this song has very little repeat value. No new territory in mainstream rock has been explored, especially when it's needed in this sea of club songs, bragging raps, and tasteless auto-tune. Still, "What You Want" is not "Bring Me to Life" but maybe this marks a chance for rock to get solid footing again. If only Evanescence's new album doesn't suck...

I am not excited about it, but I might check out the new album sometime in the future. My cynical self will not be quick to give Evanescence any praise for originality and authenticity until they fully deserve it.

Once again Evanescence remains stuck in the shadow of European "gothic metal" bands with female singers. Almost every song released by this band can be compared to that of such acts. As a result, people place Evanescence in the same box as Lacuna Coil, Epica, Nightwish, and The Gathering and claim that such acts are inferior. However, one must acknowledge that Evanescence is a mainstream band, at most a gateway towards the aforementioned bands.

"What You Want" made a tiny scratch, noticeable for a short while, on my thick skin, only to heal without a scar. Take it as you will, because I'm not really interested in how well or badly it is received. I do not mean to discourage you from checking this out or having a different opinion; however, I have simply distanced myself from Evanescence on an emotional level a long time ago.

Geez, this song is so bland, I have brought little to the table in terms of criticism. In conclusion, "What You Want" is an Evanescence song, but there is little to no signs of actual growth despite the four-five year hiatus. It makes one wonder what was going on...

Now that this 2-ranked average review is over, time to listen to some legitimately interesting pop music. Oh, Ben-chan! Will you share your new single to the rest of the world instead of letting Japan hog it...?

'The Open Door'

(CREDIT: to Evanescence.)

Rank: 1.8 out of 5 <-- VERY wasted potential

Ah, Evanescence, I remember like it was only yesterday when you introduced me into rock and heavy metal. Thank you for leading me to the path of enlightenment and blunt honesty. As much as I am grateful to you, you are not as important to me as you once were.

Don't ever get the impression that I despise the band because Lacuna Coil, Nightwish, and After Forever kick them in the behind and bury them in the mud. The highest praise I can give Evanescence is that they are a perfect gateway for anyone interested in gothic metal and its fellow siblings in spirit. Amy Lee can deny it for all eternity, but that is the truth. My problem with Evanescence lies more in their atmosphere and execution, both seeming artificial, overdramatic, forced, and fake. Maybe that is part of what some define as "mainstream."

At this point, I am almost completely uninterested in this band anymore for reasons already mentioned. Another sign of my growing apathy is my forcing myself to listen to an entire album, which has been more noticeable in the past several months. I sure am grateful, but I'm outgrowing my musical diapers - if I put it that way.

As for The Open Door... I cherish it because a transfer student whom I befriended years ago gave it to me for Easter. That's pretty much where my praise ends. Don't misunderstand, there are great tracks ("Lacrymosa," "Lithium," and "Snow White Queen"), but there are far more that are bland or just plain old rotten eggs. "Lose Control" and "Your Star" are the lowest points of the album, bringing down the quality so much that the last half of the album is 90% unlistenable. "Good Enough" is okay, but it's not worth playing when everything between that and "Lacrymosa" are terribly forgettable and lazy. Even when I listened to Evanescence frequently, I still never could finish beyond "Lacrymosa."

To better explain the "laziness" and "blandness" of the album, let's just say that it's like a person who is used to eating incredibly salty food has to eat plain rice with a subtle, bitter flavor. As a person who likes salt, I would have a terribly hard time liking something bitter. Sure, over time the flavor might improve, but there are other people you can run to to make the same rice, but do something to make it more likable. The second half of this album is like that. If I want a song that is seductive ("Lose Control"), I can just pop in HIM's Razorblade Romance or try out Moonspell's works. If I want a song about overcoming odds ("The Only One") I can just listen to Within Temptation's The Silent Force. If I want a song about badmouthing some jerk ("Your Star") Emilie Autumn does it better with Opheliac. Evanescence had lost their energy and will to keep you entertained at that point; although many bands can have an album with it being half good and half bad, I can't name many that are this intolerable.

I could go on and say how Amy Lee sounds more obnoxious than ever by singing so loud that you can't hear the actual music, but maybe I'm too used to less "mainstream" music. No, even Marilyn Manson knows when to tone down his loud voice in his music. As good as a voice as she has, Amy Lee needs to learn that from this album, Evanescence is not just her, but the BAND with GUITARS and DRUMS. The instrument department is rather lackluster and not worth noting at all.

To the album's credit, the imagery is very beautiful and polished, the latter being something some lesser known bands have difficulty with, maybe due to available resources. Also, a great friend gave it to me; I really miss her so much...

The worst part is that Evanescence has potential, but they sound too unnatural by trying too hard. Because of my current taste in music, I can see them as a cheap cardboard copy of better bands. Dommin, Lacuna Coil, Darling Violetta, and even I Am Ghost just do far better in melancholy, melody, emotion, and/or all the above. I'm sorry, but I don't care if you want to check this out or not. Check it out, but don't buy it because a half good album is not worth $10.00+ for.

That does it. I'm going to research some cool gothic rock and metal bands with albums I'm more willing to invest in...

'Escape the Fate'

A music review? *gasp*

(CREDIT: to Escape the Fate... obviously.)

Rank: 4.5 out of 5 <-- best new album I bought in a while

Either I have found no good music lately, or every act in the universe is on the downward path. In a time when music continues to disappoint me more and more, this new album truly is an oasis.

I might have said so earlier, but I can't say I love Escape the Fate. Yet I have bought every single CD they have released. The only band where I invested that much time and dedication is HIM for obvious reasons, so it feels kinda odd. These guys are not high on my list of favorite artists, but I think they are climbing in the ranks quickly.

Escape the Fate's self-titled album is by far their most mature at this point, if stripping whines away and replacing them with singing and screaming can be deemed "mature." Regardless, it's a relief to not hear Craig whine pitifully like he did in "Something" and "Ashley" from This War is Ours. Thankfully this third album has screaming all throughout from beginning to end, unlike in the previous record when it begins in "The Flood" - the halfway mark.

One of the best things of the album is how dark and eerie it is. Songs such as "Massacre" or "Lost in Darkness" can fit in pretty well on a horror film soundtrack. Some songs before could be seen as gruesome, but in the case of "Lost in Darkness" the lyrics are far more disturbing than those in "My Apocalypse" from their debut album. In fact, I can almost imagine it fitting a Higurashi anime music video... If you want a heavy, dark album to check out, feel free to jump all over this one. Though they are "post-hardcore", this current Escape the Fate pleases the Fangirl and her heavy metal and goth rock loving soul.

Really, I can't say anything really objectively positive here. I can best sum this up as epic and intense; I am also pissed that I only spent $7.00 on it at Target. I would have paid $14.00 for this if I could.

The main issue I have, however, might just be a fabric of my imagination, but at some points, Escape the Fate began to sound like Marilyn Manson. At the very least, "City of Sin" sounds too much like "mOBSCENE" in beat, rhythm, the chorus, and the chant right after the chorus. Feel free to compare if you'd like to, or play the "mOBSCENE" music video on mute and play "City of Sin" over it.

Like almost every record there are a few skippable or forgettable tracks here such as "Day of Wreckoning", otherwise, Escape the Fate is a solid album. It seems that this was the album in which Craig has proved to be a great vocalist for the band after Ronnie's issues. A fine example of this is "World Around Me," a ballad far better than This War Is Ours' "Harder Than You Know," a whiny pity fest in comparison. If only such a great feat was accomplished in the previous record... oh well, better late than never. By far this is the most impressive record this band has released to date and I really recommend it to fans of this genre of rock/metal/punk... oh just check out the linkies. :P

Back to playing this nonstop again. After a small spell of dull music, I am glad this album pumped my spirits back up. Yay. ^_^

Two Music Notes

Usually I'm one of the last people in the world to hear about updates of any kind; however, this is my blog and I can post stuff whenever I want. I could go back into my super-research mode like I used to, but life gets hectic or life gets dull and I have either no information to know about, or stuff that is really old. Whatever. *shrugs*

Still Sweet Talking to a Coma Patient

That best sums up my position on Evanescence at this point. They still piss me off because of reasons I already covered, and they still have the guts to now spill enough info for their wiki page to be more... "up-to-date".

Anywho. According to a post from Kerrang!'s website, the third (or fourth if you count Origin) album might possibly be released in October of this year. Plus, Amy Lee posted a video on Twitter of her playing a bit of a song that might be on the album. I did listen to it... but I have nothing really to say about it since it's only a preview where nothing happens. FINE. It's kinda boring so far, but it's only a minute long.

Insert Random War Pun Here

Now that it's been six months from being released from prison, Ronnie Radke and his new band Falling in Reverse will release their debut album July 25 in the UK and the 26 in the US.

Since I have their first two albums, I can admit into being a fan of Escape the Fate. I don't love them per se, but they have a few good tracks. Personally, I don't think Ronnie or Craig was better overall for ETF; however, I think Ronnie is a better screamer, while Craig sings better.

With that said, I'm excited for Ronnie's band and their new album. Their song "Raised by Wolves" is pretty sweet! But from the obvious pokes at ETF... I'm praying for no dog fights, no matter whose "war" it is.

And More Impatient Fans Leave...

(Obviously, not mine.)

I know I was thinking this for at least two years, but I think it's 97% official: I AM THROUGH WITH EVANESCENCE.

The very band that made my music taste the way it is today has been going through hard times for the past few years. After they fired guitarist John LeCompt and drummer Rocky Gray departed back in 2007, Evanescence went through a very long hiatus. Although they replaced their drummer, the band deprived the fans with news on their situation. Only small little notes saying "we're working on new material" about once a year kept very little security; furthermore, the official website has now blocked out their news and tour information, showing information to those who signed up for the newsletter.

And then... these came along.

Kerrang! article: http://www.kerrang.com/blog/2011/02/evanescence_start_recording_ne.html

Will Hunt quote: "The Evanescence thing is still going to happen, it's just a matter of when. We're still in this writing process that hasn't really stopped."

HOWEVER!!!!!!!! According to this site, http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=53310, Evanescence started recording BACK IN FEBRUARY 2010!!!!!!!!!

I'm no expert in the world of music, but the last time I checked, one writes music before recording it. How can one perform a play without know what his character is and what the story is about? How can one count when he hasn't learned the numbers? How can one write a thought without coming up with a thought?!

So, here are my few opinionated ideas as to what the hell could possibly be going on:

1. Evanescence has no direction.

The fact that they have been in the writing process for so long can be a sign of laziness or a lack of motivation. I am sure the band members have their own issues and dramas within their lives, but a musicians job is to perform and create music. For five years now, the books continue to sit on the shelf and gather dust. The band can easily be compared to a sick patient on life support: pull the plug, or let it live. The only problem is when to let it die or let nature take its course. But if a choice isn't made, it might be too late.

2. Evanescence is antisocial.

I sure gave Three Days Grace crap loads of grief for playing the "oh, we'll be recording soon" game for two years, but at least an album came to be by the end of 2009. At the same time, however, the band gave nice little updates a few times per year. Evanescence, however, refused to say even one small little "hello," to update their website, or to give a sign that things are okay. Communication is an important factor in all relationships. If a company refuses to keep the customers happy, the buyers will go someplace else. That is what happened to me back on Valentine's Day of 2009.

3. Evanescence is planning something huge.

And to this, I sincerely hope the band does not pull any ridiculous jokes on the loyal fans who waited for so long.

To add some cushioning to myself, I have been looking up the band for a long time, and, I have found very insufficient information about what is going on. Sending bread to a starving child once every few months doesn't help his condition very much, you know?

But whatever is going on, I agree with Ben, a commenter responding to the Kerrang! article:

"They have actually pissed me off because we have been kept in the dark about this. No evanescence.com update since last winter. No tweets or updates from Amy. Makes me pissed, and almost want to say fuck them. But I can't. I can't wait to hear the new album. Just hope it was worth it and that they start treating their fans better. If it happens again, I won't ever buy their shit again. (unless there is an IMMACULATE excuse for this type silence). Stop the bullshit Evanescence."

Well... I have other bands to invest in. It's a shame that only a handful of their songs are still listenable for me. But the bright side? They aren't We Are the Fallen. *shudders*

'Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice, Chapters 1-13

Try saying that title five times in one breath. :P

(CREDIT: to owner. Music by HIM. You get the idea...)

Rank: 4.5 out of 5 <- a Valentine's Day treat

Just because I had this urge to celebrate it's being out for one year, I am excited to play nothing but my favorite band's music on Valentine's Day, and I must change from the explosive previous post to a more uplifting one... I present to you... Screamworks, the album that might as well been my gift for being a fan for one year.

Tenebris wrote a review of this last year, so maybe I'm copying her again, but I want to add my few cents. Though I disagree with her view on the album, I finally have the guts to admit, after many months of confusion, that HIM truely fell a few steps back. However, I am not completely sure why, so I have no idea what rank I want to give this right now. Maybe by the end I will know.

The good news is that this was the first HIM album without Ville consuming a drop from a beer bottle. Being sober for almost three years now, he looks and sounds better than ever (something we all needed after the last album.) Screamworks in a way represents his returning on a lighter path, though still pessimistic. Hence the line, "here's to the pain, the light of the oncoming train" from the epic "Ode to Solitude."

But before I transform into a drooling female fangirl praising and blabbering about Ville until you want to punch your monitor.... THE ALBUM ITSELF:

This sounds more like the old HIM again. After the more mainstream Dark Light with no Linde guitar solo action and the depressing Venus Doom, however with badass and epic instrumentals, this is the more melodic (Deep Shadows), melancholic (Love Metal), and energenic (Razerblade... but nowhere near as nausiating *wink, wink*) sound. "In Venere Veritas" is "The Funeral of Hearts" if it was a cheery celebration on a pirate ship; more upbeat, but a little morbid lyrically. Meanwhile "Love, the Hardest Way" reminds me a lot of Razorblade Romance, as blasphemous as it might sound to some. "In the Arms of Rain," hands down is one of the best songs on Screamworks, made me happy with a good old "WTF" moment in the beginning; and "Ode to Solitude" is badass and epic, almost like many tracks on Venus Doom. As a whole, the majority of the songs were very well written and performed.

Heck, even my dad really liked this CD.

But now the critiquing time. After viewing the Heartagram Boards and reading on which songs fans liked and disliked, I can think that several fans might agree that the album hits a rough road near the end. To be specific, "Shatter Me with Hope." By far, I have seen more complaints about this song than any other ("Acoustic Funeral" and the two singles come next,) and I agree with them. Something felt "off" about that as well as the afterward songs until the last track. The pacing seemed forced, lifeless, and rather dull. Most times I listen to the first nine songs then skip to the last one, which is a very royal, unexpected treat. But honestly, this is the first HIM album when I frequently want to skip tracks. Perhaps if the songs were arranged in a different order, the overall pacing wouldn't have declined. But really, I am no genius in this.

Another complaint? Ville. *gasp* *dodges projectiles from outraged fangirls*

Yeah. I honestly think that Ville, although thankfully in better health, chose to try a bit of screaming this time (not like Cradle of Filth or even Linkin Park, thank God. O_O) Some songs, like "Disarm Me" and "In the Arms of Rain," were fine with the experimenting, but other times, especially in "Shatter Me with Hope," I wanted him to put duck tape on his mouth. Plus, is it just me, or is 65% of the album nothing but vocals? I think the longest instrumental break is maybe 10 seconds long. Not that such a thing is horrible...

Anyway, I knew this would happen someday, so I'm not too upset, but it still feels odd. Like a kid realizing his idols do not possess invincible powers after all.

Overall, the reception was very positive, but sales... were embarassingly bad. People knew the music, but weren't buying the product. And the band was so excited and hoped it would sell too...

Hmm. This might hint for a later topic on the music industry...

For sure, this is a highly recommended listen. Screamworks is more accessible than Razorblade Romance, though it lacks the "originality" and overall satisfaction that older fans miss so much (you know how it is.) On the other hand this is more enjoyable than Dark Light in my opinion. Like hard rock with 80's influence? Try this out.

Time to celebrate Singles Awareness Day with my favorite band. :)

And to all the fans, Happy Heartagram Day!!!

'Meds'

(CREDIT: to Placebo. not the girl with no musical talent. :P)

Rank: 4.999999999999999999999999999999/5 <--almost ....="">

Well, it might be blasphemous to some that this album has a higher rank than Ozzy's Scream, but I'm Fangirl, an opinionated witch who doesn't care what half the world thinks of her. :P (If you are a first-time viewer, have no fear, I am not heartless all the time.)

There are some types of rock bands that I'm not a huge fan of. Take Radiohead, Coldplay, or Muse, they might have a few good songs, but their sounds are a bit too repetitive, lifeless, bland, or inflexible. A few more examples, but I'm trying to get into more, are The Killers, 30 Seconds to Mars, Interpol, and Placebo. There's something about their music that I just can't really get into, and I am yet to know what it exactly is. But for a chick like me who doesn't like them too much, I'm surprised I like this album a lot. In fact, no. I hate that it's not longer.

Meds was a random chance for me, and I'm glad that this is far better than I thought. I enjoy every song on this album and that is a rarity unless the band's name is a pronoun. In fact, my experience with Meds was like those with HIM: some songs were just unpredictable and there were a few moments, especially a "WTF?" one, when I was caught off guard.

Fortunately, this album made a deeper crack into my doubts for Placebo. The music can be repetitive, such as "Drag" and "Post Blue", but you can tell the difference between the chorus and the verse, something many songs can often fail at. But thankfully, every song sounds different (compare "Blind" and "Broken Promise".) Nothing annoys me more than those two issues, and Meds has neither. Even Brian Molko's vocals didn't bother me as much as I originally anticipated. Maybe it's one of those things that one must get used to.

I really have little complaints about this record except what I said before: IT'S NOT LONG ENOUGH.

The edition I have is the US re-release with 15 songs, including the cover of "Running Up That Hill." I think Tenebris mentioned that cover in a past post, and I agree with her. Look it up as soon as possible. If you like rock music at all, I highly recommend checking out Placebo. It's nowhere near as scary as some of the other music I review here. :)

I highly doubt I'll ever be as lucky as I was this time, so maybe I should actually do more research so the next purchase doesn't make me regret giving this album praise.

'Enchant'

(CREDIT: to the obvious folks. not me for sure. ^_^)

My Rank: 5 out of 5 <- a lifesaver

Finally, I get to write a review about one of my favorite musicians of all time so far! (That was oxymoronic, wasn't it? ^_^')

This album saved my life last year. I was taking Honors Chemistry and struggling to get a decent grade on [what seemed to be] simple homework and long lab reports. Most times, I chilled on my bed and wrote out my recitations while Enchant played at top volume from my headphones, lying next to me. Sometimes she played during lab report nights, but frustration told me to blast a few Marilyn Manson tracks (I was experimenting with his stuff back then.) HIM would never cut it because I would get far too distracted by the desire to look up interviews.

Maybe I'm too attached to this album because it helped me so much in the hardest class I had ever taken in my school career up to this point. But this was perfect enough for me to focus on my work and not suffer a massive breakdown.

I can't fully describe what kind of music Emilie Autumn makes. She's crazy enough for a rock fan, upbeat and electronic like today's pop music, but adds a punch with amazing performances with violins, pianos, and harpsichords. Her voice isn't too bad as well. Opheliac clearly has these elements, plus a good overdose of asylum-esque insanity, but Enchant is different. This is a calmer, sweeter Emilie Autumn ("Across the Sky," "Juliet," "Save You") but still having a bit of spunk ("Chambermaid," "Rose Red," "Secondhand Faith").

Like every album, two or so songs aren't so fantastic here, but they never took away the experience of this album. This semi-metalhead willingly and happily accepted this short vacation from headbanging, aggressive screams, and guitar solos. I really can't explain how much this album has captured me. A trip down memory lane, when I used to thought fairy tales were not so embarrassing to dream of ("Juliet" did this to me for sure)? Now that I am no longer in Chemistry, I haven't listened to Enchant in its entirety in a while. Emilie Autumn, thank you for this masterpiece, this lifesaver.

Pandora Internet Radio says that fans of The Birthday Massacre, Evanescence, Within Temptation, and Epica. If you like female singers like Amy Lee, Sharon den Andel, Simone Simons, or other similar chicks in rock and metal, you might like Emilie. The Birthday Massacre is only similar due to slight gothic atmosphere, electronic influence, and their singer Chibi. Otherwise, this can be debated. These comparisons can be useful for Opheliac, but Enchant sounds too "folky."

I highly recommend Emilie Autumn as an artist to give a try. Opheliac and Enchant are brilliant, so it doesn't matter what you go by. But note that this is a rare time I will advise DOWNLOADING the albums. ESPECIALLY Enchant, because physical CDs are out of print. Have fun. :P

You know, why am I sitting and listening to Type O Negative right now?! *grabs iPod to look up Enchant...*

'Out of the Dark'

(CREDIT to owner, for it is not mine.)
My Rank : 4.5 out of 5 <- cheesy sometimes, but still amazing

For a band I found out of the blue a while back, I think I got lucky. Back when I wanted to buy a Negative album on Amazon (and got depressed by the insanely high price), the suggestions section listed this album. So what the heck, I clicked the link to read more about them and try out a few song previews. Next, I looked them up on Youtube and enjoyed "Undying Dreams" so much that I HAD to buy this album. Again, I was lucky that I found a good band.

This is probably one of the best albums I got as a Christmas gift. This album is immature since it being the first album; but like Evanescence's Origin, Breaking Benjamin's Saturate, and Three Days Grace's self-titled, Out of the Dark is cheesy and awkward in some places, but the flow remains and keeps you interested. In fact, I find this album better than the three mentioned.

The songs flow from one to another fairly well, the lyrics are well written, the mood fits my dark soul nicely, and it's an almost-solid rock album. The guitars are impressive (and by my standards, that means they are superior that Epica's repetitive mess pre-Design Your Universe,) the keyboards are really cool (especially in "Rainheart," which gave me a "wtf?!" moment that few bands can do,) and I enjoy Juha Kylmänen's voice very much. Maybe I like Out of the Dark so much because it reminds me of HIM in many ways, but that doesn't matter too much since I don't get any hints of Reflexion stealing anything. If the music sounds good, listen to it. ^_^

The mood is gothic and dark, but not so much that it's Dommin or Diminished 7 dark. This is the dark that HIM and some of the 69 Eyes do quite well. Scandinavian melancholy, perhaps? Essentially goth wouldn't be the best label for Out of the Dark, but such fans would enjoy it if you won't mind more rock. If this appeals to you, check them out at least. Even if you're just a rock fan, this is still a high recommendation to you. A fan of HIM (Greatest Lovesongs or Love Metal era), perhaps? This is a definite "give it a go" as well.

My next goal: buy Dead to the Past, Blind for Tomorrow and Edge...

'A Thousand Suns'

(CREDIT: to owner, who is not me.)

My Rank = 0.5/5
Shamefully, Horribly, Irritatingly Terrible

Beware of my wrath. This review is much more immature than I ever have been here. How can I begin to review the quality of an album that I have SEVERELY miscalculated? How could it be far worse than I predicted?

I am sorry to everyone who likes Linkin Park and this album. I am sorry to my one good friend who is probably tired of me complaining about this. But to be blunt, for Linkin Park... THIS ALBUM SUCKS. Don't get me wrong, the messages in the lyrics aren't bad, so I refuse to bash their meanings. Even some of the recordings in the tracks are decent. HOWEVER. The sound is still horribly slow and boring.

Because I am too lazy to write an entire paragraph on this, here are the cons:

- Every song has the same piano riff used over and over again...

- Every song is so damn repetitive, this makes Lady GaGa sound versatile.

- You have no clue where the verse ends and the chorus begins ("Robot Boy" and "Burning in the Skies" are perfect examples.)

- What kind of album has TWO INSTRUMENTAL TRACKS to start off?!

- "The Catalyst" still bores the hell out of me. The second single, "Waiting for the End," is much stronger, but still mediocre; however, it should have been the first single.

- This album makes me take back insults I had for Minutes to Midnight

- There is just a total lack of motivation. They clearly have a message to give us, but they fail to execute it enough to make one care enough to listen.

To add something else, in "Blackout" Chester screams and raps... my feelings of happiness and disgust have canceled each other out. And again, the whole thing sounds very sloppy. Because I know nothing about music, I'm not sure if the producer or mixer should have been fired for performing such a sloppy job. Or maybe it's the band to blame.

However, there are a few pros. "Wretches and Kings" sounds like the Linkin Park I used to know and love: fairly intense instrumentals, Mike's rapping, Chester's screaming, and Joe Hahn's turntables. Also, if I could use the MP3 Trimmer application on my computer, I would reedit one decent song on this album: "When They Come for Me." FINALLY MIKE SHINODA IS RAPPING AGAIN!!!! But the song is far too long with the too lengthy outro after the final chorus.

The first time I heard this album, I had to stop in the middle of "Robot Boy" and walk away from my computer. I refused to give the album another try until now to review it. That was a two month time gap. But wow. I can't say I wasn't expecting the album to bring my view of Linkin Park to fall, but I wasn't expecting it to go down so fast in less than fifty minutes. This does not sound like a rock act anymore; it sounds like a psudo-electronic pop-rap-rock album. What a scattered mess.

As of now, I still love Meteora and Hybrid Theory, but this album shatters my hopes for this band. I have grabbed a lifeboat and left the ship that is continuing to sink. I wish Linkin Park and their fans the best, but I can't join them on the journey anymore. This is embarrassing...

'Believe (II)'

(CREDIT: goes to owner, which is not me.)

My Rank: 3.75 out of 5 <-- ah, nostalgia...

Once you're exposed to something, it's almost impossible to fully get rid of it. Because of that, I'm slowly standing down from my position of bashing every pop act in existence. Though I still find Kesha (I refuse to add that stupid dollar sign) and Justin Beiber to be utterly embarrassing to all music everywhere, pop rock remains to be fairly tolerable. Or in this case, very enjoyable. Rock-driven pop always appealed to me, and chicks with guitars are no exception. Even Orianthi.

I won't go preaching pure blasphemy against bands I listen to a lot, but Orianthi's guitar playing makes a few others sound look like children playing Guitar Hero on easy. Not to say she's the best guitarist ever, but it makes me wonder if SOME BAND I KNOW would fire their guys and hire her. *cEoPuIgChAs* Sometimes it gets annoying that I have to hear a solo on every track, but they're not half bad. I think of it as a break from Deathstars or Breaking Benjamin's lack of guitar solos.

Granted, her songwriting doesn't impress me too much, but the lyrics are fairly decent. Can't expect too much from pop rock, folks.

In terms of singing, she's better than a good chunk of the pop-rock singers I used to love, and I indulge in sometimes. Smoother and less shriek-y than Avril, and more mellow and way more "restrained" in language than P!nk. Though not guilty of it, I'm fully aware that metal heads would laugh at me and dismiss me as one of them.

I really don't know what to say about this, but after a few decent listens, this album gets a safe 3.75. A few tracks I love are "Courage," "Suffocated," her cover of "Missing You," and the totally epic "Highly Strung." I strongly recommend "Highly Strung" (though maybe the title is far too corny...)

Maybe once I think of reviewing Unbeautiful, I might have a longer post...