New Halo patch!

In order to address an issue with the Halo server, Bungie have released Patch 1.08. This also allows to run the game without a CD! The patch should auto-update next time you turn on the game, but more info can be found here if you’re having problems.

Enjoy!

Prost!

Hello Underground readers!

I’ve decided to give Rockin’ Friday a break this week because I can’t think of any underground material. Instead, I bring you a hilarious thai ad for beer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K5Md4xakb4

I’m also collecting a list of different ways to ask for beer in different languages. Off the top of my head I have:

English: One beer please

Italian: Posso una birra

Spanish: Una cerveza por favor

French: Une bier s’il vous plait

Dutch: een biertje astjeblieft

Finnish: Yksi olut kiitos

German: Eine bier, bitte

Latin: Mihi vinum des

So, have you got anymore? Please leave a comment and help me build my list!

Rockin’ Friday – Maiden Heaven

Slash of Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver

Well, not much to say this week. In Kerrang magazine, released on Wednesday, an exclusive Maiden Tribute album was released called ‘Maiden Heaven’, which was actually pretty damn good. A few songs were a bit dodgy, but on the whole the track was WICKED SICK. Black Tide, Metallica, Machine Head and surprisingly Fightstar (that band with the guy from Busted) stood out more, but most of the tracks were just as good.

In particular, Dream Theatre did an amazing job of ‘To Tame a Land’, so here’s a video of it. Well worth listening to:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_F28H6oxtQ4

Anyways, won’t be around perhaps for a while, so enjoy your holidays if you’re on them.

Rock on! \m/

Rockin’ Friday! – ‘The myth of fast learning’

Janick Gers of Iron Maiden

Sorry for not posting last week, I did not remember to post early and before I knew it I had gone on holiday and had no access to a computer.

And apologies again for a short post this week 😛 Unforseen events have got my attention, but I have a little to say on fast learning sites. Thanks to CRKD Omegga for this post.

We’ve all seen them, those websites that offer ‘LEARN HTML IN X DAYS!’ or ‘LEARN GUITAR IN 24 HOURS.’ As Omegga said, I just want to say that these sites CANNOT deliver on their promise. You might be able to pick up some basics from it, but things such as these take a year or two of dedication before you can reap the benefits of learning.

For more, check out this thread: http://www.dafinity.com/index.php?topic=1134.0

Rock on! \m/

Rockin’ Friday – Vacation

Sonic the Hedgehog in SSBB

Smash Brothers FINALLY came out today in Europe. So I’m taking a break to play this with my friends. Rest assured, it’s an awesome game, and many laughs have been had. And I’m sure, many more laughs are to be had.

If you want something music related, then I found these guys a while ago. Tagged ‘the worst band ever’, they are pretty funny to watch. Here’s ‘Complete’!

http://www.pappasblog.com/2008/06/04/probably-the-best-worst-band-ever/

Rockin’ Friday – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Dexter Holland and ‘Noodles’ of The Offspring

So this week saw the release of the new Offspring album, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace. I’ll be honest, on the whole, they’re not my cup of tea. I like quite a few tracks on their greatest hits, namely ‘Can’t Repeat’ and ‘Can’t Get My Head Around You’. But as a punk outfit, they’re not what I normally listen to.

So I’ve listened briefly to the new album. And what I’ve listened to is decent. It doesn’t blow ME away, and in fact none of it sounds particularly amazing, but I’m a metalhead. And in trying to open my mind, I’ve mildly enjoyed the songs I’ve heard. It reminds me a little bit of the older stuff by them I like, Green Day (who I also like), a little of Panic! At the Disco (bleurgh!), and some of the lighter Lostprophets stuff.

I can’t give a very in depth review of this album, but I will say it’s worth checking out if you’re into this stuff, to see if you do actually like it. Hammerhead and Half-Truism (which is VERY reminiscent of Helena by MCR) are pretty good songs. In fact, in true Underground style, here is the whole album below. Check it out, and see for yourself if it’s good or not:

PLAY FOR GREAT JUSTICE

Now, I shall return to my Megadeth and Machine Head 😀

Rock on! \m/

Rockin’ Friday – Headbanging!

Jeff Loomis of Nevermore

Hello readers! Hope you’re all looking forward to a fun rock-filled weekend 😉

Anywho, thought I’d talk a little bit today about the manners of a metalhead, namely the rawkfist, the headbang, and the mosh.

THE RAWKFIST

Figure 1 – The Rawkfist.

The Rawkfist, otherwise known as ‘Rock Fist’, ‘Devil Horns’ or ‘Corna’, is most usually an outward gesture of inner appreciation. Simply put, the user of this gesture thinks whatever he’s gesturing at or about is awesome. But you all knew that.

THE HEADBANG

Figure 2 – The Headbang

The art of headbanging is a form of dancing reserved for the most rocking of situations. Usually done to the beat of whatever song the user is listening to. (If not in beat with anything, see moshing below. If no music can be heard or seen in the form of headphones, back off slowly.) It is worth nothing that there are various forms and degrees of the headbang, all seen here, as ridiculous as some of them are.

THE MOSH

Figure 3 – The Mosh

The Mosh, to the untrained eye, is a furious melee of drunk revellers, all running, pushing, shoving, punching, kicking, and generally paying tribute to the glorious Satan worshippers that are playing on stage in front of them. THIS IS (mostly) NOT TRUE. Well, that’s a half lie. A lot of people do enter the moshpit to beat the daylights out of their fellow concert-goers. But for plenty of others, it’s merely an extended form of the headbang, and in the right circumstances can be an expression of almost brotherly kinship, with fellow moshers picking up their brethren if they fall. That being said, it can be dangerous AND CANNOT BE ADVISED FOR THE WEAK OF HEART OR PREGNANT. They are also frowned upon at many metal concerts, notably at Iron Maiden gigs, which is less of a moshy affair than a Slayer concert. So save it for the right place, or you risk getting a kick up the arse or a kick out of the venue!

And that’s all for this week! Enjoy your weekends everyone!

Rock on! \m/

Rockin’ Friday – A few random videos

Brian May of Queen fame

Hello again readers 😀 Not much for you this week, so just a bunch of random videos I found:

First, here is the work of a comedian known as Jon Lajoie, who has a made a number of humorous songs, some of which are listed below:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5PsnxDQvQpw&feature=user

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qqXi8WmQ_WM&feature=user

http://youtube.com/watch?v=wxp3zqIqO68&feature=user

http://youtube.com/watch?v=i2spZ-NDfS4&feature=user

The next thing I have is a band labelled as ‘the worst band ever’, Complete.

And that’s all for tonight 😀 Sorry for this rather tame and dry post, but until I find some more material you can revel in the brilliance of Complete 😉

Rock on! \m/

Rockin’ Friday! – ’10 Inconvenient Truths’

Marty Friedman -Ex Member of Megadeth

Hello everyone! This week I will reply to this site I found about music piracy, simply titled ‘Music Piracy – Ten Inconvenient Truths.’ I found this on the ‘IFPI’ site, which represents the worldwide recording industry. Here are the 10 inconvenient truths it listed:

1. Pirate Bay, one of the flagships of the anti-copyright movement, makes thousands of euros from advertising on its site, while maintaining its anti-establishment “free music” rhetoric.

2. Allofmp3.com, the well-known Russian website, has not been licensed by a single IFPI member, has been disowned by right holder groups worldwide and is facing criminal proceedings in Russia.

3. Organised criminal gangs and even terrorist groups use the sale of counterfeit CDs to raise revenue and launder money.

4. Illegal file-sharers don’t care whether the copyright infringing work they distribute is from a major or independent label.

5. Reduced revenues for record companies mean less money available to take a risk on “underground” artists and more inclination to invest in “bankers” like American Idol stars.

6. ISPs often advertise music as a benefit of signing up to their service, but facilitate the illegal swapping on copyright infringing music on a grand scale.

7. The anti-copyright movement does not create jobs, exports, tax revenues and economic growth – it largely consists of people pontificating on a commercial world about which they know little.

8. Piracy is not caused by poverty. Professor Zhang of Nanjing University found the Chinese citizens who bought pirate products were mainly middle or higher income earners.

9. Most people know it is wrong to file-share copyright infringing material but won’t stop till the law makes them, according to a recent study by the Australian anti-piracy group MIPI.

10. P2P networks are not hotbeds for discovering new music. It is popular music that is illegally file-shared most frequently.

Now, I wish to to dispute a few of these comments, and add my own. Of course, I have no numbers to back me up, unlike the IFPI, and this is merely my opinion. If I’ve said anything that’s blatantly wrong, let me know in the comments and I’ll take it back. So here are my 10 inconvenient truths:

1. (Point 1) The Pirate Bay making money through advertising has little to do with the “free music” it provides/advocates. Advertising companies pay the Pirate Bay for advertising space, and therefore Pirate Bay can afford to provide free stuff. Webcomics such as Ctrl-Alt-Del sell advertising space so they can afford to continue writing their comics and hosting them. The Pirate Bay making money in such a way means that they aren’t making money at anyone’s expense.
2. (Point 3) Sure, counterfeit CDs can be sold to make money for criminals. But what money can they possibly make from free file-sharing?
3. (Point 5) Reduced revenues for record companies and therefore reduced interest in underground bands just forces these underground bands to find other ways to get in touch with the people which these record companies are further alienating through their brutish attempts to control them. An example is the Arctic Monkeys, who, although now a huge UK band, started off gaining mainstream popularity through MySpace. Underground bands don’t need record companies to get popular if they’re good. ‘Bankers’ do.
4. (Point 7) Anti-copyright movements mostly consist of the consumers who are getting more and more fed-up with the methods of organisations such as the RIAA. They may not know much about the economical aspect of the music industry, but they know a lot when it comes down to how their rights are being treated, hence the backlash.
5. (Point 10) Anti-piracy campaigners often claim that it is the underground and small bands that suffer, yet how is this true if it is mostly the popular music that is downloaded?
6. And if it is the popular bands that receive the most attention from pirates, surely they are also the ones most able to handle it financially?
7. The most money a musician or band makes is rarely from album or single sales. Merchandise and Live performances are the true money-makers for most.
8. Due to the way the consumer is being alienated by these organisations and record companies, musicians are finding other ways to get in touch, and those that don’t are losing popularity. Look at what happened to Metallica when they took on Napster. And now look at bands such as Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead, who are finding new ways to bring their music to the masses.
9. Record companies and copyright organisations are, on the whole, still not realising the potential that the Internet provides financially, and therefore, rather than embracing it, they are trying to fight against something which is impossible to control. Again leading to the alienation of the consumer.
10. The customer is always right 😉

Yeah, that’s all. Again, if I’ve made an incorrect claim, let me know. I have no agenda, just playing devil’s advocate 🙂

Rock on! \m/

Rockin’ Friday – The Happy Metalhead

Robert Flynn of Machine Head

Hello readers! This week I will respond to an article on heavy metal that I stumbled earlier on in the week. The article in question can be found here, and comments that heavy metal, jokingly referred to as ‘angry white boy music’, is an outlet for people’s frustration. While I will agree that is a valid assumption, I wish to disagree slightly and put my own thoughts on it, myself being a metalhead. Bear in mind I’m doing this for the sake of discussion, not out of anger towards that article or anything of the sort.

First, it is a gross misconception and stereotype to say that all heavy metal is angry music. When saying ‘heavy metal’, you have to remember you are referring to everything from Led Zeppelin to Slayer, and beyond. As a result, the genre ‘heavy metal’ covers an immense variety of different music, and therefore different emotions. Not just anger! Here’s an example of a song that isn’t angry (Remember Tomorrow by Iron Maiden)

While not necessarily happy, it certainly isn’t an angry song. So that should show that the ‘angry’ stereotype doesn’t hold true for all of heavy metal.

The next thing I wish to discuss is the idea that heavy metal is used to vent out frustration and anger. The important thing to bear in mind here is that everyone takes something different away from music. That metal is for anger may very well be true for some people, although it holds for very few people I know or have met at concerts. Because attitudes are different from person to person, I can’t give you one thing that people take from metal, as the other article tried to do. I will say that I listen to heavy metal for a number of reasons, some of which I will try to explain.

1. The first is simply that some of it gets me excited, or perhaps more fittingly, it gets me ‘pumped’. The vibe and energy that the songs can carry is enough to get me carried away. The best example I can give to a non-metalhead is a song such as Red Hot Chili Peppers’ ‘By The Way’. A metal equivalent would be ‘Davidian’ by Machine Head. The energy, which is not a necessarily angry one, but simply an excited, energetic one, is one kick I get out of heavy metal.
2. Another is the content of the lyrics. Not all, and probably the minority, of heavy metal carry meaningful lyrics. For example, System of a Down often employ the use of seemingly pointless and random lyrics while achieving the above affect. But other bands do have songs whose subject matter can get to me. I will use two examples here: the narrative ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ by Iron Maiden and the angry (yes, and angry metal song 🙂 ) and political ‘Clenching the Fists of Dissent’ by Machine Head. The former, based off the poem of the same name by the 18th century poet Samuel L. Coleridge, is about a Mariner who disregards the nature around him and faces the consequences. Clocking in at 13 minutes in length, this is a monster of a song that, for me, carries a very compelling story and message. The latter is a song in which the protagonist displays anger at the state of the world, mostly the political side, and again this strikes a chord with me. It gets me thinking, more than making me angry or anything.
3. The final aspect that I can think of for me is the community, although this is not conveyed in each individual song. This refers to what happens outside of the studio albums, at concerts, between band members and on message boards. Particularly at a rock or metal (I would argue more for the latter) concert, as well as being blasted with noise, there is a true sense of unity between you, the crowd, and the band. All of you singing at once, jumping up and down, and experiencing an awesome event all together is a truly amazing feeling. I can only imagine what it’s like for the band up there. I would argue that, while this is true for all types of music, it is particularly the case for heavy metal due to its underground nature.

Finally, I would like to emphasise that while metal does not exist simply to vent out anger, it is surely one reason and I have barely scratched the surface with what I take from it. This is also no doubt true for all kinds of music, although that’s a discussion for another day.

My apologies for the length of this post 😀 If you’ve made it this far, I salute you as I do the rest of my fellow metal brethren 😉 Thanks for sticking with me.

Rock on! \m/