Best of 2013 Musical Releases PART II

Continuing where we left off, first up for review is:

1. Ghost (B.C.)- "Infestissumam" Having picked up a new moniker for shows in the US (B.C.), Ghost (Sweden) released their sophomore effort. I really enjoyed this release, though I will say that it moved more towards melody and away from heavy doom riffs. They are still there, but the proportions have greatly changed. What the album lacks in heaviness it more than makes up for in catchiness. Ghost still sound like they are writing albums back in the 70's heavy rock scene, so if sounds in that style over sarcastic anti-Christian lyrics sounds good to you, check out this album! Interestingly, the single released from the album "Secular Haze" is probably my least favorite on the album, though still very good.

2. Gift Of Gods- "Receive" Darkthrone's Nocturno Culto brings us a 4 song, 25 minute mini-LP of excellent Heavy Metal Thunder! 3 songs are original, 1 is a cover of the (Swedish?) band Universe. My favorite is the last track, 'Last Solstice' which features a tough riff with a mega catchy finish. The songs overall are long and mighty and fall much more in the realm of early heavy metal than most Darkhrone songs. Those familiar with Ted "Nocturno Culto" Skjellum's guitar style though will recognize the obscure riffings that sound totally familiar and totally unique. How this man invents riffs is quite beyond me! This is a top pick for one of my favorite releases in 2013, Ted can do no wrong! I am eagerly anticipating seeing him perform with Sarke at Maryland Deathfest 2014!!!

3. Grave- "Morbid Ascent" This EP features 2 new tracks by the Swedish Doomy Death Metallers, 'Venial Sin' and 'Morbid Ascent' with a cover of Satyricon's 'Possessed' and 2 more tracks of alternate versions of older material. The new tracks are classic for Grave, fast and brutal like someone dropping tombstones on you followed by a slow doomy breakdown like someone dropping an entire mausoleum on you, excellent combo!

4. Grave Miasma- "Odori Sepulcrorum" This London Death Metal band, feat. 2 members of Cruciamentum, has been on my radar since they played the first Martyrdom Fest in NYC in 2012. This album brings us a progression of earlier material, so there is still the fast/slow death riffs, now with even more dissonance! There is a bit more experimentation with guitar tones to create some demented atmosphere. Overall, I like where the band is going and recommend this release to fans of their material. If you haven't heard of them and like stuff like early Incantation, I recommend checking it out!

5. Haemorrhage- "Live Carnage" The twisted Spanish goregrinders/Death Metallers bring us a live album created at Maryland Death Fest 2012 (I was there!) I may even me visible as a pixel or two in the booklet's picture of the audience, hahaha! Anyway, I love Haemorrhage, they do a Carcass-like medical Death Metal thing but with more punk and hardcore influence present (hail the d-beat!) so that makes them stand out. If you haven't yet heard them, this is a good place to start as I had only heard a few tracks prior to this performance myself (afterwords I became a full devotee!). The sound is excellent on the recording as well. Notably, the band's vocalist Lugubrious has a unique deep voice that he uses to screech occasionally to great effect. The whole band is talented, but I'd like to give extra credit to one of their guitarists, Ana Belen de Lopez just because Metal needs more females. The ladies often rock harder and longer than you do gents! So with that sentence, let the jokes roll...

6. Hellbastard- "Sons Of Bitches" EP These English boys brought us the title of the "Crust Punk" genre and were very influential in developing its blueprint. This release brings us some great slabs of crusty crossover thrash that's worth a listen or ten. I was first introduced to these guys at Maryland Death Fest 2012, though I had some notion of the band prior, and have been following them since. If you already like them, this release won't disappoint. If you would like to hear the present sound of some progenitors in the crusty crossover scene, this would be a good place to start!

7. Helloween- "Straight Out Of Hell" So I am a sometimes fan of these German Power/Speed Metallers. They have some really solid songs and releases and some that are a less powerful. This one was dead on. If you are unfamiliar with them, I often describe them as the German answer to Bruce Dickinson-era Iron Maiden. The album is loaded with hooks and is admittedly quite melodic but that's part of their charm. I was able to see them live for this album which was quite fun, great set list, tons of on-stage energy, fanatic crowd; it's an experience I'd recommend even to passing fans of Helloween. On a tangential note, what is Klaus Nomi doing in their video for 'Halloween'?

8. Hot Graves - "Fashion Victim" EP. I love these Florida D-beat Punk/Hardcore/Black/Death/Thrash/everything'ers. Notably, this band was featured on Fenriz's "Band Of The Week" though I was rocking the demo tracks just prior. These guys are funny as hell and write some tough, nasty, awesome shit if you like Metal and Punk. They are basically all the good parts of your favorite bands put together. They were hilarious and punishing live so see them, if you are privileged to have the chance! If you've already heard them, you know what you're getting and should have bought this already. If not, and above description sounds even remotely enticing, get it!!!

9. Inquistion- "Obscure Verses For The Multiverse" For those not familiar, Inquisition started as a Thrash Metal band in Columbia, but is now an American Black Metal band of the highest order. They are, in fact, towards the top of my list for best North American Black Metal.This release is probably my favorite by the band and is a progression of the style they've been developing and honed on their last release, 2011's superb "Ominous Doctrines Of The Perpetual Mystical Macrocosm." They have a base style that is reminiscent of Immortal (a HUGE favorite of mine) in the vocals and guitar arrangements. This is a comparison many make and I feel is starting to plague the band because they are so much more than that, they most assuredly have their own sound that blends dissonance and melody in a truly unique and powerful way. Additionally, their lyrical content is noteworthy in that it has developed along with the beliefs of the band's frontman, Dagon. Most particularly, this album delves into 'Cosmic Satanism' for lack of a better term, that is it discusses the destructive and creative forces in the blackest regions of space, astral projection and black holes, the utter unstoppable-ness and rebellion against order (seemingly) that take place in the cosmos. Think something like the last Dissection album mixed with Carl Sagan. Yeah, that good. Hail Sagan, Hail Inquisition!!!

10. KMFDM "Kunst"- For those already familiar with the idiosyncratic Kap'n K and the Ultra Heavy Beat, then know that this album is AWESOME! It is a bit of a return to their older sound with simpler, analog synths, catchy, fast, and heavy guitars; and self-depreciating lyrics, including a throwback to the old rumor about killing mother-fucking Depeche Mode, not to mention the classic Brute! artwork and main discussion of the Russian Punk band, Pussy Riot. For those NOT familiar, KMFDM are an electronic band with very sarcastic and topical lyrics that really can't be summarized too well by me other than heavy rockin dance, I can only suggest you listen.

11. The Legendary Pink Dots- "The Gethsemane Option" LPD, UK pioneers in the gothic rock and industrial scene, return with a new album of heavenly and bizarre electronic spacey tripfests. Of note to those familiar, LPD have worked a bit with cEvin Key of Skinny Puppy of both their own releases and collaborations. If you want to hear what it would sound like if you put Hawkwind and Bauhaus together with Tangerine Dream, trouble yourself no longer with searching for that elusive Hawkhaus Dream record, buy the new LPD album (...and pretty much all the rest of the them)! Expect a post discussing the live performance I caught of them (SPOILER: it was incredible!!!).

12. Manilla Road- "Mysterium" I'm not cool enough to have heard about these guys before they were booked to Maryland Deathfest 2013, but I have been hooked every since I first heard 'Necropolis' on "Crystal Logic." This album ups the hammers and gets the ole fist pumping. If you want some classic early Heavy Metal like the first few Iron Maiden albums mixed with Judas Priest and ever so slightly slowed down, this band is for you!

13. Metal Church- "Generation Nothing" Metal Church are an American Heavy/Thrash Metal group known for their high vocals, catchy and crunching riffs. This release is a bit of a return to their earlier sound of the first 2 albums, but still with the Power Metal type sound that developed in more recent releases. If you don't like Metal Church, this is unlikely to convert you. If you are already a fan, this album probably won't blow you away but I am reasonably pleased with it and feel that it will probably grow on me quite a bit. In any case, I can hardly wait to see them live in March!

14. The Mission (UK)- "The Brightest Light" The Mission bring us another great Goth Rock album, heavy on the rock, which I appreciate. The album overall is a bit lacking in the hooks of early Mission recordings like the classic "Gods Own Medicine" but is still a solid release and probably my favorite by them in the 2000's. 'Black Cat Bone' is way catchy and my favorite on the album. The digipack version has some demo tracks which weren't that special but cool to include anyway. This was another act I finally got to see live this year, and they didn't disappoint, but more on that in other postings!

*STAY TUNED for the final posting in the series, where I will also name the best releases of those reviewed!

*Review copyright The Samnambulist, 2014*

Best of 2013 Musical Releases PART I

     So, firstly, this post is to discuss and rate albums that came out in 2013 that I heard. There were plenty of releases this year that I either didn't listen to or didn't know about, so the list is lacking quite a bit, especially in the Death Metal realm. What this post lacks in completeness I hope it gains in diversity so that any reader can find an interesting new release to check out. If I can spread music to at least one other person, this post will have been worthwhile.
     I would also like to add that while I discovered a number of (now) classic (to me) releases this year, they did not come out in 2013 or were compilations of older material that was re-released. I may utilize a separate post for discussion of said releases.
     Also, I will gladly review any music that you, the reader, would like me to, simply leave a message on one of my posts or email me at bromideovbarbas36@gmail.com

AND NOW, GET ON WITH IT!!!

(In alphabetical order by artist):
1. Autopsy- "The Headless Ritual"
This American Death Metal Act is one of my all-time favorite for the genre and in music overall. They are inventive and fiercely original. They traditionally combine over-the-top drumming with even more over-the-top vocals that sound like a demented Cookie Monster alternately belching or being castrated. This all over a nasty, doomy, bloated and distended sounding death riffs that only Autopsy could muster. This release is no exception. In fact, I am tempted to call it my favorite since the bands re-formation in 2008/2009 though all said releases have been solid. The album starts out with 'Slaughter At Beast House' which has some super old sounding leads and quickly breaks into some tight almost d beat drums and evolves into some atmospheric soloing and doomy riffs before slamming right back into the grue. 'Mangled Far Below' keeps a more steady pace but, as always, with very interesting drumming. 'She Is A Funeral' gets points for its length (7+ minutes!) of solidity with some interesting effects on the guitar to open and some very clean sounding solos that work. 'Coffin Crawlers' is nice and creepy on the riffs. 'When Hammer Meets Bone' has some great drumming with excellent riffage, the main riff masterfully manages to mangle some minor notes then get even faster. Then the song starts crawling in slimy doom, it's a powerful transition that hasn't failed to amaze every time I listen to it. 'Thorns And Ashes' has as its main riff a bit of a change for Autopsy, less demented sounding, more powerful sounding but it works as a segue piece for 'Arch Cadaver' a great fast-to-mid-paced sing along saturated with catchiness. The last three tracks 'Flesh Turns To Dust,' 'Running From The Goathead,' and 'The Headless Ritual' are all solid and work in a similar vein to the rest of the album. Overall this album continues in the steps of 2011's "Macabre Eternal" in that Autopsy still sounds like Autopsy but the members of the current line-up have let some more influences flow through to keep the Autopsy sound fresh and always interesting. If you like Death Metal, BUY THIS! If you like muppets, BUY THIS!

2. The Beyond- "FrostbitePanzerFuck"
This release continues the sleazy punk rock style that has been creeping into this American Black Metal band's act. This is most notable on the opener "Roto-Cunt." The rest of the album continues with alternations between sounding more like early Norwegian Black Metal with tons of tremolo picking and blackened punk rock sleaze, though the opener is definitely the best example. I was a bit disappointed by this release as I expected the band to have gelled their style a bit more, but it seems to me that they are clinging too much to the Black Metal when they really want to let the sleazy punk rock in, and they should because they do it well. This is an American Abigail waiting to happen. Other songs of note are "Necro Overlord" for its thrashy overtones with a very punk approach, I hear plenty of Motorhead in there too. I also liked the album closer "Exterminate Humanity" for its slowness and doom in the mega-tough main riff that sounds quite a bit like an early Darkthrone rip-off (in a good way!), The Beyond actually manage it quite well considering the rest of the album keeps it pretty snappy in the speed department.

3. Black Sabbath- "13" (review of digipack release with bonus tracks)
Let me save you the trouble of reading below, BUYBUYBUY BUY NOW! If you now or have ever liked Black Sabbath in any incarnation, this release will not disapoint! Black Sabbath are without doubt in the upper reaches of my top 5 bands EVER and this album solidifies that position. I will also add that having seen them tour for this album in Philly, they still deliver and excellent stage show!
Ok, so about the tracks: 'End Of The Beginning' got a good bit of radio play, which it deserves, the opening riff is slow and doomy reminiscent of Black Sabbath's title track from their eponymous debut, without being derivative. The song flows through with some more classic riffs that satisfy most deeply, not mention Ozzy sounds great! This song really feels like an intentional throw back song to the old Black Sabbath material with Ozzy in both sound and lyrics and is a fantastic way to open the record, showcasing that fact that the band and the magic are back. Never Say Die! Right, so then we have 'God Is Dead?' which is nice and moody and does the doomy blues as only Black Sabbath can. This also got plenty of radio play and deserves it. The riff development and progression towards the end really hit the spot, including a slow, restrained solo. 'Loner' is a fun track that feels more like something off "Never Say Die" in composition and style but keeps some restraint and slowness so that the song goes from semi-slow doom crawl to hard rockin mid-pace quite well. 'Zeitgeist' gives us an effect-laden opening and some acoustic guitars and feels quite a bit like 'Planet Caravan' again without being derivative. 'Age of Reason' opens with some catchy drums and a catchy as all hell guitar lead, this track should have gotten more airplay, as it is a bit more accessible than other tracks, but it still very majestic and characteristic of mid-to-later Black Sabbath sound. 'Live Forever' gives us some sturm und drang with slow doom and mid-pace heaviness that is quite good. 'Damaged Soul' follows with plenty of blues and soul, possibly with some the most underrated riffing on the album. 'Dear Father' has some super heavy and powerful riffs in classic old Sabbath tradition, it easily could have come from the "Master Of Reality" album. 'Methademic' also starts with some moody, sad acoustics and picks up with some slow to mid paced riffing. This is a decent track but weaker in comparison to the rest of the album. 'Peace Of Mind' has some great classic style as well, with the bass pounding on through, just the way it should be in a slower Sabbath song. This also feels like a slowed-down version of something that could have been on "Never Say Die!" which is A-OK by me! The album closes with 'Pariah' which is also slow and sad then flows into some mid paced heavy and memorable riffing. This may not be a super epic closer worthy of the incredible opening but it more than satisfies and would be quite remarkable if it didn't have to keep pace with the rest of the album. It's like comparing a handful of gems to a hill of gold, all are valuable just one is more-so.

4. Carcass- "Surgical Steel"
I love Carcass and this album was a great return to the melodic Death Metal that they pioneered. It opens with '1985' a great stage-setting instrumental that suddenly drops away to 'Thrasher's Abbatoir' which delivers just as much thrash death metal brutality as its name suggests, great solos! 'Cadaver Pouch Conveyor System' goes for more of a melodic approach but has mega-speed and toughness. 'A congealed Clot Of Blood' feels much older in the riffing and drum approach. Overall it has a feel like "Tools Of The Trade" updated a bit in production and style. This pattern of older style with a great mix of the more melodic style continues throughout the album with some more rocking riffs in 'Intensive Battery Brooding" (available in the digipack version or as a B-side on the "Captive Bolt Pistol" single 7"). If you like mid-period Carcass (and you should!) then this is a great release. They lyrics contain plenty of the classic Carcass medical musings but also a good bit of politics as well, which was much appreciated by yours truly. Keep in topical and brutal guys!

5. Coffins- "Fleshlands"
Coffins are an incredible doomy Death Metal band from Japan that sound an awful lot like the first Black Sabbath album mixed with Autopsy and the Amebix, so you know I love that shit! This album delivers very nicely their usual style with 'Hellbringer' being notable for its d beat smashfest that Coffins to so well, as well as 'Tormentopia' for its interesting and stonerish solos. A bit unique for Coffins! I look forward with great relish to seeing these guys at Maryland Deathfest in 2014!

6. Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult- "Necrovision" The female-fronted German Black-Death Metallers deliver another unholy slab of dark nastiness. If you like their prior work, this will not disappoint! The whole album is perhaps more on the side of Black Metal than previous releases, though it is more balanced about halfway through the album. Overall it sounds like some very necro-productions from the early days of the Norwegian scene as bands were just starting to experiment with the sounds that would become their brand of Black Metal, so this release should appeal to fans of that sound as well. Onielar does great vocals and guitars throughout the album though perhaps her best screaming is on the last track "Necrocosmic Vision"

7. Darkthrone- "The Underground Resistance"
Darkthrone continue to let their older and older influences shine through with each release, this one sounding like a classic and slightly progressive album from the 70's mixed with a slight touch of your choice of awesome early 80's bands and of course filtered through Darkthrone's own sensibilities. These guys are yet another of my favorite acts for their devotion to the riff and production, who are not afraid to evolve their sound to keep the sounds of the underground alive. 'Dead Early' has a great tough riff and is mid-paced. 'Valkyrie' is slow and majestic, score on this one guys! 'Lesser Men' starts off with a mean riff that moves in some obscure directions that continue to feel progressive but darkly so like Voivod, and a bunch of other stuff I can't put my finger on. 'The Ones You Left Behind' is an awesome fist-pumping sing-along that sticks in your head like crazy glue, Darkthrone has been showing quite a talent for this on the last 4 or so albums. 'Come Warfare, The Entire Doom' earns its name with its slow Sabbath-y intro followed by some galloping and rocking bits with some excellent tough riffs that just blow you away about halfway through and don't let up until the solo'd out end. Finally, we end the album with the extra-powerful and progressive sounding "Leave No Cross Unturned." How one song can be so long (13+ minutes!) and remain so catchy, intense, and urgent is quite a feat. Fenriz has made it long known that he loves long tracks and this one showcases his skill at composing such songs. This song also marks the record as longest Darkthrone song ever, beating 1992's 'Kathaarian Life Code' by a full 3 minutes and 10 seconds. This is quite a feat when you consider the amount of atmospheric intro on 'Kathaarian...' GET THIS ALBUM!

8. Death In June- "The Snow Bunker Tapes" (Peaceful Snow Demos)
This album continues in the vein of Death In June's acoustic folk albums. If you like this period of DIJ's career, this release won't disappoint. If you are not, this release is not likely to convert you. If you've never listened to DIJ, check them out if you are interested in a melancholic and misanthropic acoustic guitar-driven folk band that focuses on themes related to Germanic culture. By the way, DIJ are ultra Left-wing and Douglas P (the brainchild behind DIJ) is openly gay. He's worked with Boyd Rice though, so take that how you may. See my prior review of DIJ live for more info on the band.

9. DOA- "We Come In Peace"
Much like Death In June, this album sounds like their other releases so if you like them, you'll like this, if not, this won't change your mind. That said, I love DOA so this albums was great! It doesn't sound like a copy of older work. Stand out tracks are 'We Occupy' and 'Who The Hell Do You Think You Are.' Also much like DIJ, see my earlier posting on DOA live for more info on the band.

10. Dubcon "UFO pon di gullyside"
Here's another great cEvin Key (of Skinny Puppy) collaborative side-project. Dancy and tripped out, this is a great release to sit down and do something weird (or mind-altering!) to. If you like the stuff his Subconscious Communications label has been putting out and you like his Plateau project and want more in a similar vein, this release is for you.

11. Evil Army- "I, Commander" 7" EP
Their first major release since their self-titled full-length debut in 2006, this EP delivers what this American Thrash Metal group is known for: catchy hooks with fast nasty riffs and drumming, overall sounding like some of the best 80's black thrash that effortlessly incorporates some punk roots. I got to see the band on tour in support of the 7" and they sounded awesome! Even more powerful than on the recordings, quite blistering. I will say that a ton of rumors circulated around the tour suggesting that the members of Evil Army were stealing equipment, but I can neither confirm nor deny. I can only judge the music. Also, the show I saw ended very quickly and abruptly. The band showed up late, played only about 20-30 min (even though they were headlining) and then they bailed out early so that was a let down. This was exacerbated for some in attendance by the fact that Suffocation was playing a few blocks away at the same time and many had to choose between shows. I will add that it was an incredible, energy-packed 20-30 minutes though. If they can keep their shit together, this will be a band to watch, and they have already been featured on Fenriz of Darkthrone's 'Band of the Week.'

12.  Front Line Assembly-"Echogenic"
FLA is a mostly Canadian electronic band known for its prolific frontman, Bill Leeb and its early contributions to the industrial and body music genres. This album was a departure from even FLA's varied sound. It seems like Bill Leeb (FLA mastermind and former Skinny Puppy member) is having a hard time keeping all his projects separate (I can't even count how many projects he has, it seems there is always another or a new one), since this album is missing the intensity or directness characteristic of most FLA albums in favor of a slower, slightly trippy, and often pop or disco like leads/hooks hiding behind the distortion. I can't really get into this album too much, at best it will probably live on as background music for me at best. The album does attempt to return to a more focused and stripped down sound, which I appreciate, but it is largely unsuccessful. I hope this serves as a transitional album in the bands career, with the new line-up gelling together and pooling their talents for a killer release next time.

*Review copyright The Samnambulist, 2014*

The Boy Of Locked Gardens And The Woman Spread Thin (A Children's Story)

The Boy of Locked Gardens and The Woman Spread Thin

There once was a boy who had many beautiful gardens. He would spend hours and hours in his gardens, joyfully frollicking amonst the flowers and leaves, saturating himself with the scents of earth and blossoms. There was a problem with his gardens, however. He was the only one that could see them. He tried many times to show his friends and family the gardens he had grown, eagerly gesturing past the main gate to the treasures within. And many times they left shaking their heads in confusion or anger, shaming him for what they thought he had imagined. The boy became discouraged and lessened his visits to the gardens. He soon stopped visiting at all. The gardens grew unkempt and soon impassable. The boy found one day, when he tried to return, that he had even lost the key to enter the main gate. He had been careless in his pain, unable to share his pleasures with others.

Then one day, while the boy walked along the crumbling outer walls of his gardens, longing for the halcion days he once spent inside their confines, he noticed something new. He felt something or someone nearby, but could see nothing. "It's like trying to find a candle in the dark" he thought, "except you don't know if the candle is really there." Little by little, a form materialized in front of him. It was a woman! She stretched out over the whole valley, over the horizon even and the boy could not see the end of her, though she was spread so thin that there was hardly any of her left to see. "How come I can barely see you?" he asked. "I have had my pieces spread out far and wide, stretched many miles until I am nearly a ghost, invisible to most people who look upon me," she replied. "But how'd you get that way?" the boy persisted. "A great many of my pieces were taken from me, those who did not have enough body of their own would steal some of mine and run far away with it. Sometimes I would give my pieces away to those that needed it more than I. Thus my body would become stretched thin and taut," she answered. "Like not enough butter over too much bread?" asked the boy. "Precisely," she agreed. As the boy and the woman became friendly and learned of each other, the boy came to understand that the woman had given quite a bit of herself up to others, in fact, it seemed as though every moment she became more tangible with the gaining back of some piece of her body, some other part of her would slip away just as fast. He found it much like watching fog blow into a room through a door and then out again through a window.

She in fact gave some of herself to his gardens, as he always found his flowers more upright and less wrinkled, brighter and less dull after her every visit. Soon he found he had vibrant gardens once again. They had not yet risen to their former glory but they were too strong now to lapse back into their former state, excepting for seasonal changes of course. With the woman's help, the boy took down the gate to the garden so he could never be locked out again.

This continued for some time, the woman visiting the boy and his gardens growing healthier and healthier, until one day he noticed the woman let out a sigh. It was a painful sigh, one of much tiredness and weariness. He then realized how awfully, dreadfully tiring it must to hold oneself up so long over many miles, especially when ones legs where not underneath. He decided then that he would go on a quest. A quest to help her return the stolen peices to herself, so she could be happy again and not have to strain so hard just to stand up. She had done so much for him and he found that he cared for her so deeply that he was compelled to help. As she was the first in a long time to see his gardens and the beauty possible therein, so too did he see her coporeal and majestic beauty waiting to be returned.

He traveled for many days that became months that became years. Sometimes he stumbled and hurt himself but the woman would appear and lend him a part if he needed it. His gardens stayed beautiful overall, tending themselves with open gates. Some people even began to visit and love it and help with the tending. This brought the boy and the woman much joy for his gardens truly were a wondrous place, though the boy was often too bashful to admit it. He continued on his quest, not noticing that not only did his garden grow and not only did the woman become more solid as she walked alongside him during their visits, but he grew too. One day he found that he had grown into a man. Eager to show his friend, the woman, he waited in a familiar grove for her arrival. Finally she did, and for the first time, he saw all of her present and together. Speechless with awe, he took her into his arms and held her close. She knew then that someone saw all of her, even the pieces that were not yet there.

Together, the man, the woman, and the garden all grew together larger and larger, more beautiful than anything anyone had ever seen before. Many people came to visit. Some were rejuvenated by the wealth they generated, others left some of their own wealth for others. All in all the gardens were a happy place, tended to and grown with love and care for all to share and adore.

THE END

*Content copyright The Samnambulist, 2013*

Iceland Trip, Days 2-5

So, back to Iceland info! Day 2 consisted of getting up extra early, catching a taxi to the local airport (though the hotel was located adjacent to the airfield, the terminal was on the far side), and flying north to Akureyri (~40 km from the arctic circle!). We were greeted at the airport by Disa of the Skjaldarvik Guesthouse, where we stayed for two days. If you take nothing else from these Iceland posts, hear this: STAY AT THIS GUESTHOUSE! Disa and her husband were super-nice, that is superbly-para-humanoid nice. Given, we were almost the only people staying at the guesthouse at that time so we perhaps got special attention, but it was very evident that Disa takes care of her guests.
Details? Well, firstly you should know that it is a converted retirement/long-term managed care center though it has been remodeled beautifully so that the only evidence is in the large industrial bathrooms which still have some grab bars and associated paraphernalia. As a Physical Therapist by trade, I actually quite appreciated this and hope that the bathrooms remain accessible to all. Apparently the history of the guesthouse is well known locally (but then Iceland is so small everyone practically knows everything about everybody it seems). This was made plain by several jokes made by tour guides as they picked us up or dropped us off.
There is also an honor system bar, a lounge with telescope, an above-ground geothermally warmed hot tub, two very friendly dogs, a horse, and many chickens. The fjord on which the guesthouse sits is also very gorgeous, everywhere I looked, it was like living in a National Geographic issue.

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

http://www.skjaldarvik.is/en/

That night we attempted to see the Northern Lights, but alas, were mostly thwarted by clouds. We did spy some flashes behind the clouds, it looked to me a bit like concentrated heat lightning. Interestingly, we met a couple from our neck of New York who we kept encountering throughout the rest of our trip, including on the plane home. Small world!

The next morning we were off mega-early for a day of touring the countryside. We saw several remarkable sights, including some boiling mud pits (smelled like rotten eggs because of the sulfur), a dormant volcano with a lake in the basin, a natural springs underground convict hide-away in a hillside, a cow farm where we had geyser bread (bread baked by burying it underground near a geothermal heat source) and milk straight from the source, a hot spring lagoon (they are just as blue as pictured!), the God Falls, and the Dimmu Borgir! Our tour guide was pretty cool and apparently likes Rock Music. He related an awesome story from when he used to be an air traffic controller and actually guided in Bruce Dickinson!

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

  Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

We booked our trip through Icelandic Farm Holidays, who basically did all the planning work for us, I recommend them:
http://www.farmholidays.is/

We opted out of a second round of Northern Lights spotting that night, partly due to fatigue after our day of travels but mostly due to the still cloudy sky. The next afternoon we were off to Reykjavik again for our last day in Iceland.
We again visited downtown and had some good, cheap Asian fusion food (though Icelanders can't handle spicy food it seems, their 'spicy' was like a 'mild' to my tongue). We also visited the oldest cemetery in town, which is host to several endangered ferns and mosses!

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

Photos copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

We enjoyed another night in the domestic airport hotel, then took the shuttle to the international airport and were on our way back to New York. Iceland was truly a moving experience and I highly recommend a trip there to anyone even remotely considering it. The locals tell me it gets quite busy in the summer, so if you handle the cold, go in the off season like we did.

Until next time,
-Sam

*Content copyright The Samnambulist, 2013, unless otherwise noted*

Broken Hope "Omen of Disease" (2013 album review) + BONUS live reviews

I just listened to the new Broken Hope album today, and YES it is killer! It certainly lived up to the hype for me. The songs are short and brutal with the classic mash up of chunky slow grooves and rapid-fire leads with blistering solos. The new line-up really works well together.

Let me say that I have been a Broken Hope fan since the early 2000's so I was super pumped when they announced a reunion tour, though I was skeptical of how they would sound without their original singer, who tragically died many years ago. The live show delivered, both in support of Obituary and at MDF 2013. Thankfully, these performances seem to have brought a whole bunch of new fans to the band. If you like stuff from the early 2nd wave of American Death Metal, such as Immolation, old Cannibal Corpse, old Suffocation, etc then you NEED to check out Broken Hope.

I haven't yet decided where the new album falls in relation to the other releases, one listen isn't enough. I will say that "Swamped In Gore" and "Bowels of Repugnance" are quite hard to top for me so this album will probably fall somewhere after them. Don't let that discourage you from listening to the new album though, it truly is brutal and has some disgusting lyrics (as always) which might be some of their best!

As for the above show, I saw the tour at the Gramercy Theatre in Manhattan, at great venue with sloping floor so General Admission people can see pretty much anywhere. There are also seats for those who want them. Obituary DEMOLISHED live, they played a long, long set and the crowd rewarded them by going appropriately bananas. Decrepit Birth was a little to 'technical' with way too many blast beats for me (meaning that the notes to brutality ratio was unbalanced in favor of the notes), Jungle Rot was great and had a solid set (as always, I've seen them at least 3x) though their sound was not as good this show (I blame the sound guy). Encrust was interesting, sounding like Death Metal and Crust as their name implies but not combining and of the best elements of either to me so they also fell short of amazing me. I will say all the bands put on an energetic show, I just didn't get into Decrepit Birth or Encrust.

http://www.brokenhope.com/HOME.html

*Review and photo copyright The Samnambulist, 2013*

A FABLE

I found myself in a secluded village during my life's journey, pondering the progression of my life and lamenting over its state of perceived futility and fragility. An old man in the town in which I was staying told me an interesting tale. He told me that there was a mighty drake that soared through the skies on certain evenings and that he was indescribably beautiful and old. Furthermore, if one were able to kill the drake, that person would inherit the drake's immortality.

As I had been of late much concerned with my own mortality and age, I decided to await the drake on the appointed nights with a magical weapon in hand. This spear had been forged by the local armorsmith, a man of legendary weaponry, and blessed by a powerful local shaman. Eager to have the matter of my trial against the drake over as quickly as possible, I paid these local experts to prepare these items for me. Wealth I had, eternity I did not.

After some nights of failure to spot the drake, waiting impatiently on sparse wind-bitten steppes, I finally caught sight of my prey. He was indeed beyond any words I know and likely beyond any that exist in the tongues of man. Nonetheless, I can say that he gracefully wound across the whole sky, back and forth, too quick to fully interpret his moves yet too slow to be unawed at their magnificence. He cast color about in all directions, lingering longest where he had last wound and coiled his titan form across the welkin.

He suddenly yet purposefully turned back towards me as though he was aware of his challenger but wished to display his grandeur before approaching in his regal fashion. This all after he wound ahead for what appeared many miles, though speed and distance were hard to judge, owing to his massive size and aforementioned timeless motions.

Picking up speed, he appeared to instantaneously grow many sizes larger, though I quickly realized this was because he was charging at me. As his tremendous bulk struck the ground I managed to leap and perchance land upon his body, clining barely with my extremities. Though the force with which he seemed to strike the ground was shattering, if he left any marks upon that virgin though spartan land, I did not see them and could not find any later. It was as though his force was concentrated only upon me and my mission, that we existed in a realm beyond that around us.

I managed to find projections and undulations to grip and maneuver about his body, though the wind as we rushed over the landscape was fierce and though his light was blinding against the ever-dark backdrop of the clear night sky. Once I had adequate purchase, I looked about for a weak spot from which the drake might be dispatched. I was raised my magical weapon as I looked, ready to attack at a moment's notice.

Then I lowered my weapon as my actions and their consequences seeped into my head like a gentle breeze against a fog bank. I could not bring myself to injure this creature, though it was quite doubtful I could at all, even marring his hide to claim some victory over his might would be fleeting. This besides, neither satisfaction, however great, nor life, however long, could compare with the pleasure of knowing such a beautiful creature existed untainted and untamed. I might live forever, but the drake's beauty would be lost forever to people the world over. I could not be so selfish nor could I feel fufilled were I to injure the drake.

He seemed to sense this change and wrapped me in light and warmth til I was blinded. It was as though I floated in a cloud on the sun. Then I saw a dark opening in the light and approached it, knowing intuitively that it led to the reality I had left when I first began battle with the drake. Though it was most comforting here, I realized that I must leave this place. Though it was serene it was also void of all other things. I needed to bring the lesson of the drake to the peoples of the world, something I could not do from deep in its bowels. I hesitated for only a moment to draw a deep breath, then I plunged into the darkness of the surrounding night.

I emerged upon a high hilltop near where my evening began, weapon alongside me. I looked up in time to see the drake sailing over a nearby mountain range. Though I cannot be sure if it was the wind in my ears, I fancy I heard some roar of acknowledgement from the drake as he departed. I made my way back to town feeling like a man reborn.

The next day I encountered the old man who had told me about the drake. He had a large smile and held up his hand to silence me before I had opportunity to tell my tale. He said, "Tell others what you have learned and live by it yourself. For no man can live forever in seclusion nor should he live to steal beauty. Beauty will come to him in its own time and a man's life is his own eternity for the universe is made only of his own perceptions and thus is born and dies with him." I then thought I heard a faint stirring of the wind like the voice of the drake and turned to look. Seeing nothing I turned back to the old man who had vanished. I returned to my life and home and lived happily by these lessons and the many that followed in their wake.

*Content copyright The Samnambulist, 2013*

ICELAND Trip, Day 1

"We're in... Iceland!" Very much unlike Wayne & Garth's not so excellent adventure in Delaware, I am super-excited to be in Iceland for the next few days. Though there was way too many last minute issues because yours truly can't plan a trip to save his life, I arrived in Iceland today with my beautiful partner to celebrate one year of marriage. On that note, perhaps I should post some photos of it someday. I dressed as a viking and cut a viking head-shaped cake with a sword, not to mention that we had a libation with a drinking horn.

We landed in Reykjavik at what amounted to about 2 AM our time, 6 AM local time and rode from Keflavik airport on a shuttle bus to downtown Reykjavik and our hotel. This in itself was somewhat confusing as their is a domestic airport right in downtown Reykjavik as well so if you ever travel here, be sure to check your airports!

Once checked in, we ate and crashed hard for a few hours. Thankfully 100 ISK go for roughly $0.82 USD currently so it didn't hurt THAT much to pay a ridiculous amount for hotel food. After our power nap, we headed downtown to shop and eat. Apart from some souvenirs for friends and family, I bought some excellent socks with a helm-of-awe and a viking head on them as well as a statue of the Icelandic female Krampus for myself. The statue is an old hag troll with goat's hooves, horns, and a bag of naughty children dragging behind. And right around Yule time too, perfect! Gruess Von Krampus! You KNOW that will be on display year-round at home!

All the staff at the hotel and at the shops downtown as well as all the citizens and fellow travelers we have met have been incredibly friendly and helpful, not to mention the air quality and view are markedly improved from our home near Manhattan. The water is crystal clear and the purest I've ever had anywhere. For dinner tonight we ate at Cafe Loki (how awesome?!). I ordered what was basically a traditional Icelandic Christmas dinner: lamb (smoked and both in texture and flavor indescribably blissful), boiled potatoes in cream sauce, red boiled cabbage, and peas. I washed it down with more water and birch tea. Yum!!

As of now, we are considering going out to try and spot the Northern Lights over Reykjavik tonight, but if not our next two nights are in Akureyri specifically for them so it's not necessary. Expect many more posts with pictures to follow as available. I guarantee a review of Icelandic lamb hot dogs, so be prepared!

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

This is right outside our hotel!

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

 This church was pretty beautiful. Though I am an atheist, I can appreciate the art of many religions, not to mention many cultures in general. I really liked how this place managed to be so spartan but so pretty. I also especially liked that the organ had some horizontally projecting tubes. Unfortunately, I was not treated to any dirges issuing from it...

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

 Dinner, day 1!

Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

 Photo copyright Maureen Shockey, 2013.

Leif Eriksson statue! Yes, I am stoked to be there.

*Content copyright The Samnambulist, 2013, unless otherwise noted*