DRAUTRAN - THRONE OF THE DEPTHS
Norse in nature, yet not Norse in nature. Make zero sense? Yeah, probably. Drautran defies typical convention of black metal with heavy Norse mythology themes in that it's pretty fast, raw, and wicked when compared to many of their contemporaries. Granted there's plenty of imagery of oceans, trees, and warrior-related things, but the sound, oh my the sound! It starts off mellow, your expectations seem pretty low, then BAM!, it justs unleashes a massive artillery barrage! Nothing relenting here and certainly no such thing on the horizon. My cup runneth over with wickedness, and here I am practically begging for more! (FA)
LUPUS LOUNGE
www.lupuslounge.com, info@prophecy.cd, www.drautran.com, www.myspace.com/drautran
FARSOT - IIII
I gather that's four of the letter "I" in the album title. Don't really get the significance, nor do I care. Farsot is kickass mix of various tempos and crystal-clear production delivering an intense black metal concoction. Each track is followed by a short interlude and it all finishes with one 20 minutes track that I'm sure must have been death in the studio to play, given its epicness.While they may be a bit more mellow in their "extreme" approach to black metal, therein lies the appeal of the solid, stunning piece of art which should always, always be the focus over mean dick-hanging contests of "extreme evil". I would consider Farsot leaps and bound above anything so trivial. (FA)
LUPUS LOUNGE
www.lupuslounge.com, info@prophecy.cd, www.farsot.de, www.myspace.com/farsotband
HELRUNAR - BALD OK ISS
Now seriously, if you've been pursuing this music for any decent length of time, you know that the band name and album title just scream Vikings, and not the Minnesota kind. Helrunar dig their paganism and have all the makings of old Enslaved and Einherjer to boot. We get some acoustics, some spoken word, and a whole lot of blazing ferocity. Where it really shines is in the clean, hymn-like singing that paints the picture of a Norseman calling to Valhalla from atop an icy mountain somewhere where giants once roamed. Good for bands like Helrunar who embrace a past that I'm sure certain establishments would so love to see forgotten. Not as long as artists like Helrunar roam the lands! (FA)
LUPUS LOUNGE
www.lupuslounge.com, info@prophecy.cd, www.helrunar.com, www.myspace.com/helrunarhorde
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
IA TIAMATU!
Sweden's Tiamat are current streaming their entire new album "Amathenes" on the band's MySpace page. The album is Due May 2nd in Europe and May 27th in North America from Nuclear Blast Records.http://www.myspace.com/tiamat
http://www.churchoftiamat.com/
www.nuclearblastusa.com
www.myspace.com/nuclearblastusa
MR. STUCK MOJO RISIN'
Today, legendary crossover metallers STUCK MOJO announce two more North American tour dates for June. In support of their Napalm re-released Southern Born Killers and a brand-new studio album forthcoming later this year, STUCK MOJO will be headlining these two new dates, with more to be announced very soon:June 21st - Columbia, SC @ New Brooklyn Tavern
June 22nd - Charleston, SC @ Music Farm
These dates follow these previously announced North American dates:
June 6th - Augusta, GA @ Red Lion Pub
June 7th - Spartanburg, SC @ Ground Zero
June 9th - Huntington, WV @ Monkey Bar
June 10th - Columbus, OH @ C.B.R's Bar
June 11th - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's Concert Club
June 12th - Grand Rapids, MI @ Intersection Lounge
June 13th - Mokena, IL @ The Pearl Room
June 19th - Charlotte, NC @ Amos Southend
June 20th - Raleigh, NC @ Volume 11
June 7th - Spartanburg, SC @ Ground Zero
June 9th - Huntington, WV @ Monkey Bar
June 10th - Columbus, OH @ C.B.R's Bar
June 11th - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's Concert Club
June 12th - Grand Rapids, MI @ Intersection Lounge
June 13th - Mokena, IL @ The Pearl Room
June 19th - Charlotte, NC @ Amos Southend
June 20th - Raleigh, NC @ Volume 11
*****MORE DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON*****
For more info, please consult www.myspace.com/stuckinthemojo.
EARLY REVIEW OF BURZUM'S "ANTHOLOGY"
BURZUM - ANTHOLOGYThe mere mention of this one-man band will either make you groan or swear some sort of allegiance for reasons you probably can't even figure out. The subject of countless underground and mainstream media circuses and the centerpiece for when many metal encyclopedias begin to delve into the realm of black metal, Kristian Vikernes/Varg Vikernes/Count Grishnack has been discussed with fierce determination for a time frame spanning two decades and wearing a shirt of his glaring mug holding a club (which happens to grace the cover of this release) is a fashion statement in its own way. After x numbers of bootlegs (including another one called "Anthology' that was beyond shoddy), we finally have an OFFICIAL collection of cuts from each Burzum album that conveniently flow in chronological order. The progression in sound from raw black from to synth-heavy and length black metal dirges to mere MIDI and synth medieval soundscapes recorded from jail. It's a rather cursory look at a storied and trouble career that according to various sources may or may not continue after his release from prison, and that date has still yet to be determined. If you're new to all this hoopla, this is as good an introduction to black metal as anything. It's still is no excuse to not purchase each and every one of his albums as soon as you can. (FA)
CANDLELIGHT RECORDS
www.candlelightrecordsusa.com, www.burzum.org
Saturday, April 26, 2008
WELCOME TO THE BEIRUT HILTON.
MORIBUND is extremely pleased to announce the signing of Lebanese duo AYAT. Absolutely the most insane and crazed band the label's heard in forever, AYAT's forthcoming Six Years of Dormant Hatred album is a nuclearblackmetalgoatpunk assault on everyone and everything, poetic in its depravity but unmindful of its consequences.
In a prepared statement, vocalist Filthy Fuck said the following: "Ayat wishes to inform you that the debut album Six Years of Dormant Hatred, a devastating red high tide of a little less than an hour, is now hot and ready and will be released and distributed via the Moribund Cult. Six years went by and the hatred was being warmed and brewed at almost human temperature in the most violent brothel around, the clashing point between the East and the West: the violently epileptic city of Beirut. Hell is right here. Six infinite years, larded god-figured swines praised on every roof, a succession of annihilative relentless wars, conspiring whispers late at night, murderous toothless gangs of children, psychotic mass murderers madly in love, schizophrenic militias deprived of sleep, black-eyed hysterical prostitutes, fascist officers cheering with champagne and reeling belly dancers on crack, wooden cases of smuggled alcohol pulled to the tops of minarets with ropes, a suicide in every cheap hotel room, an endless stream of martyrs, aspiring prophets tied to hospital beds, Muslim heroin junkies stuttering on their prayer rugs, dried cum on the walls, and the veins of the marble bulges once the sun strikes too hard."
"So yeah, this shit is not for everyone.You have been warned."
"So yeah, this shit is not for everyone.You have been warned."
The release date for Six Years of Dormant Hatred has been set for July 29th. For more info, consult www.geocities.com/swineayat.
"STEWPID HOBBITSES!"
From www.variety.com
In a major step forward on "The Hobbit," Guillermo del Toro has signed on to direct the New Line-MGM tentpole and its sequel.
In a major step forward on "The Hobbit," Guillermo del Toro has signed on to direct the New Line-MGM tentpole and its sequel.
The widely expected announcement -- which had been rumored for several weeks -- came Thursday afternoon jointly from exec producers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, New Line president Toby Emmerich, and Mary Parent, newly named chief of MGM's Worldwide Motion Picture Group.
Del Toro's moving to New Zealand for the next four years to work with Jackson and his Wingnut and Weta production teams. He'll direct the two films back to back, with the sequel dealing with the 60-year period between "The Hobbit" and "The Fellowship of the Ring," the first of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
New Line is overseeing development and will manage production. Both pics are being co-produced and co-financed by New Line Cinema and MGM, with Warner Bros. distributing domestically and MGM handling international.
Del Toro won't leave for New Zealand immediately as he's still in post-production on U's "Hellboy 2," due out in July. His previous pic, "Pan's Labyrinth," was released through New Line's Picturehouse and set a record as the highest grossing Spanish language film in U.S. box office history.
The official signing of Del Toro comes four months after New Line settled a lawsuit with Jackson over "The Lord of the Rings" and announced that it had agreed with MGM to turn J.R.R. Tolkien's "Hobbit" into two live-action films. Sam Raimi had been preceived as the initial front-runner as director but Del Toro had emerged in recent months as the likely candidate.
The studios didn't give a start date on production and don't yet have a script. Though no screenplay deal's been set, it's expected that the "LOTR" scripting team of Jackson, Walsh and Philippa Boyens will collaborate with Del Toro.
With Del Toro blocking out four years for the project, it's likely that the studios are aiming at starting shooting next year and releasing the films in late 2011 and 2012.
Jackson's WETA stages, post-production and visual effects facilities -- built for "The Lord of the Rings" -- will be used for both films. And New Zealand will again be the site of Middle-earth, with the story centering on Bilbo Baggins taking the Ring of Power from Gollum.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
CRAFT MACARONI N' CHEESE
Introducing the drummer of the new album.Since the news are few and far between, we'll take the time to introduce our drummer for the upcoming album, Dirge Rep, also known for drumming in Orcustus and Gehenna. We are certain that the end results will be awesome. His style works great with CRAFT, as he has been a long time fan of our music and has a great understanding of what makes a CRAFT riff tick, as well as having a good ear for details.
We'll finish this post by adding that the album is currently being recorded, even though the deadlines haven't been met (just like every other album). The working title of the album is "Void".
http://www.oblivioncreations
http://www.myspace.com/craftbla
THE NADIWRATH OF KHAN
Today, MORIBUND RECORDS officially announces the signing of Greek black metal band NADIWRATH. Formed last year and featuring DODSFERD mainman Wrath on vocals, NADIWRATH released a three-song demo last summer, which caught the attention of MORIBUND with its catchy-yet-caustic anthems of traditionalist pestilence. Promises Wrath of the imminent debut album, "The NADIWRATH full-length will be sicker and more violent than before! Black metal propaganda against all!" For more info, consult www.myspace.com/nadiwrath. www.moribundcult.com
Monday, April 21, 2008
STICK AROUND FOR THE FIRST LEG OF STUCK MOJO'S U.S. TOUR
June 6th - Augusta, GA @ Red Lion Pub
June 7th - Spartanburg, SC @ Ground Zero
June 9th - Huntington, WV @ Monkey Bar
June 10th - Columbus, OH @ C.B.R's Bar
June 11th - Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's Concert Club
June 12th - Grand Rapids, MI @ Intersection Lounge
June 13th - Mokena, IL @ The Pearl Room
June 19th - Charlotte, NC @ Amos Southend
June 20th - Raleigh, NC @ Volume 11
*****MORE DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON*****
www.stuckmojo.us
www.napalmrecords.com
THE SHADOWS MAKE THE FLYER HARD TO READ (CLICK TO ENLARGE, AND GOOD LUCK!)
Gathering of Shadows "Penitence"June 27th & 28th, 2008
The Gathering of Shadows is a clandestine gathering of Black Metal musicians and musical devotees in the seclusion of the deep Rocky Mountains. The venue is the forest and the night sky. The bands play whatever they wish, for as long as they wish. There are no restrictions placed on the musicians or the audience. The intention and purpose of the Gathering of Shadows is to take this form of art away from the irreverence of bars and nightclubs in order for the music to somewhat transcend entertainment. The Gathering of Shadows presents an opportunity to express Black Metal, through live performance, which is not available otherwise.
The Gathering of Shadows has been an unparalleled event for the last four years, setting a new standard for live Black Metal. The program has remained unchanged. No money is charged of anyone and no money is paid to anyone. It is a free show. There are no tickets sold and no profits taken. The bands travel to perform at this event at their own expense. We simply provide the opportunity for all in attendance to experience Black Metal in a completely unique environment, free from the distractions and limitations of typical venues. This is the only Black Metal performance that is set up this way. The 5th Annual Gathering of Shadows will be made possible once again with the help of Full Moon Productions, Hate War Productions, and Forever Plagued Records. Obviously this event is intended for, and dedicated to, individuals who are committed to Black Metal as an ultimate art form. Those who follow this path are welcomed.
The Gathering of Shadows is an Invite Only event. However, we do our best to include an acceptable amount of people who contribute to the idea of Black Metal.
For information about attending the Gathering of Shadows send an e-mail to:
Hordeofdarkenwood@hotmail.com
STREAMING TESTAMENT
Thrash Titans TESTAMENT are currently streaming their entire new album, The Formation of Damnation, exclusively on MySpace.com!From April 18th until April 24th, the TESTAMENT album stream will be featured in MySpace Germany, Brazil, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Holland, Austria, Switzerland, and India.
From April 22 and until April 24, TESTAMENT will be the featured artist on MySpace USA!
http://www.myspace.com/metal
MONSTER CABLE TRIVIAL LAWSUIT
From www.audioholics.comMonster Cable has issued a Cease-and-Desist order to Blue Jeans Cable (Tartan Cable) over analogue cable connectors. In particular, the design of the Tartan component, composite, coax digital and stereo audio cables supposedly violates Monster Cable's design patents. From the letter:
It appears that the design of the connector portion of the Tartan Cable component video, composite video, stereo audio cable, and coaxial digital cable infringes a variety of our client's design patents, including patent nos. D456,363, D366,863, D367,036, D376,580, and D366,862 (see Exhibits A-E enclosed herewith), along with our client's related trademark registration nos. 2,060,139 and 3,075,541, (see enclosed Exhibits F and G) and trade dress rights. Furthermore, the connector housing design of the Tartan Cable S-Video cable appears that it too may infringe the aforementioned '363 design patent.
Monster Cable is insisting that Blue Jeans Cable immediately cease and desist all sales, offerings, advertising, distribution, manufacture use and importing of the aforementioned cables. In addition, Monster is insisting a RECALL of such products and a full accounting of all units sold including profits made form the sales.
Monster is expecting an answer by the 11th of April.
While we don't speak for Blue Jeans Cable, we'd like to supply an answer on their behalf: "Mwuhahahahaha, haha, haha.. ahem. *cough...."
We thought there had been a lull in the numerous Monster Cable lawsuits which had percolated throughout the industry in the last few years. Apparently the lawyers needed more to do.
Design patents represent nothing more that that: design. There is no technological content within design patents. The net effect is that Monster cable suing Blue Jeans is like you suing someone who copied the custom paint job on your car.
What makes this even more comical is that the owner of Blue Jeans Cable is a lawyer by trade. We hope he takes this as far as it needs to go to shut down the lawsuit and end this nonsense.
For a long time, we've actually stated a general dislike for Monster Cable's connections that are mentioned in this letter and associated exhibits. They frequently tear off RCA connections as they attach themselves too tightly to the receiving end and require massive amounts of twisting in order to release them safely - something not always possible in cramped quarters and closely spaced connection blocks. If anything, Blue Jeans has improved the connector and perhaps should license the improvement to Monster Cable - of course that has more to do with a real patent than a simple design patent.
BADASS BESTIAL MOCKERY MERCHANDISE
Merchandise for sale; "Hail Occult Masters" is an evil split EP, our final one after a long row, this time with our brethren, the occult black magicians in the death metal coven, Karnarium released via Hells Headbangers Records to assure top notch quality now for sale via the band for 5 euros paypal preferred. Next week a 4 split CD with Sathanas, Crucifier and Throneum is out via Time before Time Rex and for sale for 10 euros via the band also next week a 6 split Tribute M-LP "In the sign of Sodom", the whole In the sign of Evil + track from Obsessed by Cruelty re-recorded by us and our brothers in arms; Protector, Vomitor, Toxic Holocaust, Suicidal Winds and Nocturnal yet another brilliant Hells Headbangers release for sale for 10 euros too over and out from the trenches of Armageddon – to order send an email to bestialmockery@hotmail.com
Thursday, April 17, 2008
LUKEWARM RECEPTION TO BLOCKBUSTER'S BID FOR CIRCUIT CITY
From www.homemediamagazine.com
Wall Street April 14 reacted negatively to news that Blockbuster Inc. had tendered a $6-to-$8 per-share cash offer for consumer electronics retailer Circuit City Stores Inc.
Dallas-based Blockbuster, which sent the proposal via letter to Circuit City chairman and CEO Philip Schoonover Feb. 14, said it went public after Circuit City failed to respond and provide regulatory due diligence.
The news sent Blockbuster shares falling more than 13% as analysts attempted to come to terms with the proposal one called "bone headed."
The No. 1 DVD rental service said publicizing the bid would make Circuit City shareholders aware of their options and give them an opportunity in determining "the destiny" of the company.
The company said Blockbuster board member and largest shareholder Carl Icahn supported the move and a report said the maverick investor was willing to back the deal financially.
Combining Blockbuster and Circuit City would realize an $18 billion global retail enterprise. Blockbuster operates nearly 8,000 stores globally while Circuit City operates 693 stores domestically and 779 locations abroad.
"Our proposal offers Circuit City a significant premium to its existing stock price and creates a game-changing retail concept with a sustainable competitive advantage," said Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes, in a statement.
The former top executive at 7-Eleven, Keyes has mandated transitioning Blockbuster into a retail-centric entertainment provider that delivers both packaged and digital media.
Richmond, Va.-based Circuit City has been under pressure to resurrect itself as revenue and earnings results continue to disappoint.
Adding to the tumult, dissident shareholder Mark Wattles, who co-founded Hollywood Video, recently submitted a slate of board nominees and called for new management, including the firing of Schoonover.
Circuit City said it would not cooperate after failing to receive proper financial assurances from Blockbuster. The retailer advised its shareholders to reserve judgment.
"While willing to engage in discussions to further understand Blockbuster's proposal, Circuit City is unwilling to provide additional detailed due diligence information and embark on a highly conditional undertaking until these questions are answered satisfactorily," the retailer said in a statement.
Speaking to investors Monday, Keyes said Blockbuster's offer was compelling and at $6 per share represented a 54% premium on Circuit City's closing price April 11.
He said that despite initial negativity by the market toward the offer, Blockbuster remained committed and believed the upside for shareholders of both companies was "simply too attractive to ignore."
The CEO said the rental company had the cash to complete the deal but was willing to issue additional shares to existing shareholders to make it happen. Keyes said the move did not reflect a retraction of efforts toward distributing movie rentals via kiosks and electronically.
His enthusiasm was perhaps bolstered by the fact that Blockbuster expects to report a profit of $30 million for the first quarter fiscal 2008 (which ended March 31), compared to a loss of $49 million during the same period in the previous year.
Keyes said combining Blockbuster's entertainment content with Circuit City's CE prowess would result in a financially stronger company and a "compelling consumer proposition … that our peers simply could not match."
The CEO envisioned a Blockbuster rental kiosk in Circuit City stores and Circuit City video game terminals in Blockbuster.
Analysts aren't so sure.
Henry Blodget and Aaron Task, analysts with Yahoo's Tech Ticker, belittled the proposal, calling it one of the worst mergers & acquisition offers ever.
The two said they first assumed Best Buy Co. had made the offer and couldn't believe it was actually Blockbuster, which they said doesn't have the available cash or mojo to pull it off.
"It's just hard to fathom how these two companies are going to come together that makes sense," Task said. "It's really ridiculous."
Blodget said that conceptually combining Blockbuster with a major CE retailer would work only if you ignored the evolution of entertainment distribution, including DVD rental pioneer Netflix Inc., digital video recorders and video-on-demand.
He said both companies are in trouble financially, with Blockbuster and Circuit City's stocks down 52% and nearly 80%, respectively, from a year ago.
Task said Circuit City continues to be plagued by poor strategic planning, including the firing of more than 3,400 sales personnel he said actually knew what they were selling.
"If I'm a Circuit City shareholder this morning, I'm saying, 'thank you Blockbuster, I'll take your cash,'" Task said. "If you put two bricks together, they're still not going to float."
"It just screams trouble," Blodget said.
Michael Pachter, media analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities in Los Angeles, was equally circumspect.
He said Circuit City had been slow to respond since it didn't think Blockbuster had the financing to make its bid viable.
"We are surprised by this news and do not believe that Blockbuster's desire to acquire Circuit City is good for Blockbuster," Pachter said in a note.
He said Blockbuster's stock would rebound once management abandoned the bid following investor concerns.
"We believe it is prudent for Blockbuster to stay the course on its own restructuring, with ever-increasing focus to accelerate the pace of asset sales and debt repayment, with a more immediate return to shareholders," Pachter said.
Wall Street April 14 reacted negatively to news that Blockbuster Inc. had tendered a $6-to-$8 per-share cash offer for consumer electronics retailer Circuit City Stores Inc.
Dallas-based Blockbuster, which sent the proposal via letter to Circuit City chairman and CEO Philip Schoonover Feb. 14, said it went public after Circuit City failed to respond and provide regulatory due diligence.
The news sent Blockbuster shares falling more than 13% as analysts attempted to come to terms with the proposal one called "bone headed."
The No. 1 DVD rental service said publicizing the bid would make Circuit City shareholders aware of their options and give them an opportunity in determining "the destiny" of the company.
The company said Blockbuster board member and largest shareholder Carl Icahn supported the move and a report said the maverick investor was willing to back the deal financially.
Combining Blockbuster and Circuit City would realize an $18 billion global retail enterprise. Blockbuster operates nearly 8,000 stores globally while Circuit City operates 693 stores domestically and 779 locations abroad.
"Our proposal offers Circuit City a significant premium to its existing stock price and creates a game-changing retail concept with a sustainable competitive advantage," said Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes, in a statement.
The former top executive at 7-Eleven, Keyes has mandated transitioning Blockbuster into a retail-centric entertainment provider that delivers both packaged and digital media.
Richmond, Va.-based Circuit City has been under pressure to resurrect itself as revenue and earnings results continue to disappoint.
Adding to the tumult, dissident shareholder Mark Wattles, who co-founded Hollywood Video, recently submitted a slate of board nominees and called for new management, including the firing of Schoonover.
Circuit City said it would not cooperate after failing to receive proper financial assurances from Blockbuster. The retailer advised its shareholders to reserve judgment.
"While willing to engage in discussions to further understand Blockbuster's proposal, Circuit City is unwilling to provide additional detailed due diligence information and embark on a highly conditional undertaking until these questions are answered satisfactorily," the retailer said in a statement.
Speaking to investors Monday, Keyes said Blockbuster's offer was compelling and at $6 per share represented a 54% premium on Circuit City's closing price April 11.
He said that despite initial negativity by the market toward the offer, Blockbuster remained committed and believed the upside for shareholders of both companies was "simply too attractive to ignore."
The CEO said the rental company had the cash to complete the deal but was willing to issue additional shares to existing shareholders to make it happen. Keyes said the move did not reflect a retraction of efforts toward distributing movie rentals via kiosks and electronically.
His enthusiasm was perhaps bolstered by the fact that Blockbuster expects to report a profit of $30 million for the first quarter fiscal 2008 (which ended March 31), compared to a loss of $49 million during the same period in the previous year.
Keyes said combining Blockbuster's entertainment content with Circuit City's CE prowess would result in a financially stronger company and a "compelling consumer proposition … that our peers simply could not match."
The CEO envisioned a Blockbuster rental kiosk in Circuit City stores and Circuit City video game terminals in Blockbuster.
Analysts aren't so sure.
Henry Blodget and Aaron Task, analysts with Yahoo's Tech Ticker, belittled the proposal, calling it one of the worst mergers & acquisition offers ever.
The two said they first assumed Best Buy Co. had made the offer and couldn't believe it was actually Blockbuster, which they said doesn't have the available cash or mojo to pull it off.
"It's just hard to fathom how these two companies are going to come together that makes sense," Task said. "It's really ridiculous."
Blodget said that conceptually combining Blockbuster with a major CE retailer would work only if you ignored the evolution of entertainment distribution, including DVD rental pioneer Netflix Inc., digital video recorders and video-on-demand.
He said both companies are in trouble financially, with Blockbuster and Circuit City's stocks down 52% and nearly 80%, respectively, from a year ago.
Task said Circuit City continues to be plagued by poor strategic planning, including the firing of more than 3,400 sales personnel he said actually knew what they were selling.
"If I'm a Circuit City shareholder this morning, I'm saying, 'thank you Blockbuster, I'll take your cash,'" Task said. "If you put two bricks together, they're still not going to float."
"It just screams trouble," Blodget said.
Michael Pachter, media analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities in Los Angeles, was equally circumspect.
He said Circuit City had been slow to respond since it didn't think Blockbuster had the financing to make its bid viable.
"We are surprised by this news and do not believe that Blockbuster's desire to acquire Circuit City is good for Blockbuster," Pachter said in a note.
He said Blockbuster's stock would rebound once management abandoned the bid following investor concerns.
"We believe it is prudent for Blockbuster to stay the course on its own restructuring, with ever-increasing focus to accelerate the pace of asset sales and debt repayment, with a more immediate return to shareholders," Pachter said.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
"CAMPFIRE" ALBUM IN THE WORKS
Norway's KAMPFAR has begun working on their new, yet untitled, album. Charismatic frontman Dolk and his companions entered the Silvertone Studio in Norway to forge another Pagan Metal classic. A release is tentatively scheduled for fall 2008.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
PS3 TO GET MAJOR FIRMWARE UPGRADE TODAY
Arguably the best Blu-ray player on the market and the one most user friendly and future-proof, the PlayStation 3 will be getting a firmware upgrade today via internet enabling it to utilize lossless DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS-HD High Resolution , a higher bitrate version of its codec. This should please both early Blu-ray adopters and home theater fanatics alike. Blu-ray truly is an orgasm for the eyes and ears, and I'm eagerly awaiting the day it overtakes the DVD dinosaur and become a household term. What's your excuse for not having embraced the future yet?
http://www.us.playstation.com/
http://www.us.playstation.com/
Sunday, April 13, 2008
IBEX MOON RECORDS SALE
IBEX MOON RECORDS CD SALE APRIL 2008!!!
UNBELIEVABLE SALE!! (Offer valid until April 30st ONLY!)
+BUY 3 CDs - GET 1 FREE
(Yes, 1 CD of your free choice!)
++BUY 5 CDs - GET 2 FREE
(1 CD of your free choice and 1 of our releases, that's 2 Free CDs!)
+++BUY 10 CDs - GET 4 FREE
(Yes! Believe it or not, 4 CD's of your free choice at no extra cost!)
PLEASE SEND YOUR ORDER INFO TO: info@ibexmoonrecords.com
www.ibexmoonrecords.com
www.myspace.com/ibexmoonrecords
You can make payment by PayPal to: info@ibexmoonrecords.com
Thanks for the support!
Ibex Moon Records titles:
BLOODY SIGN - "Vana Vigala Loïts" - CD $8.99
DAWN OF AZAZEL - "Sedition" - CD $8.99
DENIAL FIEND - "Dead Awakening" - 7" EP limited to 500 $6.00
DENIAL FIEND - "They Rise" Digi CD with bonus DVD $11.00
ESTUARY - "The Craft of Contradiction" - CD $9.99
FUNERUS - "Festering Earth" - CD $8.99
INCANTATION - "Primordial Domination" - CD $9.99
HELL-BORN - "Legacy Of Nephilim"- CD $9.00
HELL-BORN - "Cursed infernal steel" - CD $9.00
NERVOCHAOS - "Quarrel in Hell" - CD $9.99
NOMINON - "Terra Necrosis" - CD $10.00
PENTACLE - "under the black cross" - Digi CD $9.99
THORNAFIRE - "Exacerbated Gnostic Manifestation" – CD $9.99
Ibex Moon Records
P.O.Box 5321
Johnstown, PA 15904
USA
UNBELIEVABLE SALE!! (Offer valid until April 30st ONLY!)
+BUY 3 CDs - GET 1 FREE
(Yes, 1 CD of your free choice!)
++BUY 5 CDs - GET 2 FREE
(1 CD of your free choice and 1 of our releases, that's 2 Free CDs!)
+++BUY 10 CDs - GET 4 FREE
(Yes! Believe it or not, 4 CD's of your free choice at no extra cost!)
PLEASE SEND YOUR ORDER INFO TO: info@ibexmoonrecords.com
www.ibexmoonrecords.com
www.myspace.com/ibexmoonrecords
You can make payment by PayPal to: info@ibexmoonrecords.com
Thanks for the support!
Ibex Moon Records titles:
BLOODY SIGN - "Vana Vigala Loïts" - CD $8.99
DAWN OF AZAZEL - "Sedition" - CD $8.99
DENIAL FIEND - "Dead Awakening" - 7" EP limited to 500 $6.00
DENIAL FIEND - "They Rise" Digi CD with bonus DVD $11.00
ESTUARY - "The Craft of Contradiction" - CD $9.99
FUNERUS - "Festering Earth" - CD $8.99
INCANTATION - "Primordial Domination" - CD $9.99
HELL-BORN - "Legacy Of Nephilim"- CD $9.00
HELL-BORN - "Cursed infernal steel" - CD $9.00
NERVOCHAOS - "Quarrel in Hell" - CD $9.99
NOMINON - "Terra Necrosis" - CD $10.00
PENTACLE - "under the black cross" - Digi CD $9.99
THORNAFIRE - "Exacerbated Gnostic Manifestation" – CD $9.99
Ibex Moon Records
P.O.Box 5321
Johnstown, PA 15904
USA
CANDLELIGHT'S UPCOMING "BUZRUM" COMPILATION
This one-man band retains a vital role in the early development of Norway's famed black metal scene. His contributions to what was once merely a small circle of friends grew to immense popularity, the genre now having sold hundreds of thousands of records around the globe. Compared to his peers - Mayhem, Darkthrone, Gorgoroth, Immortal - Burzum possessed a very distinct sound. Using ancient mythology as his lyrical muse (the very name Burzum coming from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings), he became known for fearless experimentation; each record expanding on previous efforts.
Anthology is a special first-time collection of material that spans the musician's ten-plus year recording legacy; most unfortunately still unavailable for US fans (other than pricey imports). Featuring selections from each of his six albums (and including one from his popular EP Aske), Anthology is anticipated to be a highly sought-after recording for long-time fans and those curious newcomers who up-til-now only knew of the name and not had opportunity to bear witness to the musician's blackened fruit.
www.burzum.org
www.candlelightrecordsusa.com
www.myspace.com/candlelightrecordsusa
www.burzum.org
www.candlelightrecordsusa.com
www.myspace.com/candlelightreco
AWESOME USE OF CARCASS' "HEARTWORK"!
A friend "turned me on" to this and I thought I'd share with the class.
WARNING: ADULT CONTENT!
http://www.redtube.com/3565
WARNING: ADULT CONTENT!
http://www.redtube.com/3565
Thursday, April 10, 2008
DUAL ASSAULT FROM AGONIA
NEFARIUM - HAERETICHRISTUS
Hailing all thing wicked and taking it to the tenth power, Nefarium's furious attack of blasting blackthrash raises hell in oh so many ways! Pure evil and chaos breeding blazing riffs, scathing hymns, and utilizing the forgotten art of film samples make Nefarium's war on the righteous something not to be taken for granted. With appearances by a member of Dark Funeral and Setherial, "Haeretichristus" is a true meeting of the diabolical minds. Don't take my word for it, take the risk yourself and read the rewards of devilish delights! The lucky number nine is the number of tracks this brutal creation assails you with. May there be 666 more! (FA)
AGONIA RECORDS
www.agoniarecords.com, info@agoniarecords.com, www.nefarium.org, www.myspace.com/nefarium
TOTAL HATE - DEPOPULATING PLANET EARTH
Well that's a heck of an album title, and right now with every human born literally contributing to global warming (and some "cultures" claim that collecting children is a badge of honor, unfuckingbelievable!), it couldn't have come at a better time. Yes, by all means, please do! Total Hate's minimalist black metal approach to mass destruction is presented with no shiny shills and no fucking computer generated scams featuring vampirish vixens; it's just raw, utter disgust and hatred for religion and, you guessed it, mankind. And by raw, I mean the kind of unpolished sound one craves with their maniacal guitars and artillery drumming. Really, it's that ugly, and therein lies its appeal. This is definitely to soundtrack to herald the upcoming apocalypse. This is Total Hate! (FA)
AGONIA RECORDS
www.agoniarecords.com, info@agoniarecords.com, www.myspace.com/totalhate666
Hailing all thing wicked and taking it to the tenth power, Nefarium's furious attack of blasting blackthrash raises hell in oh so many ways! Pure evil and chaos breeding blazing riffs, scathing hymns, and utilizing the forgotten art of film samples make Nefarium's war on the righteous something not to be taken for granted. With appearances by a member of Dark Funeral and Setherial, "Haeretichristus" is a true meeting of the diabolical minds. Don't take my word for it, take the risk yourself and read the rewards of devilish delights! The lucky number nine is the number of tracks this brutal creation assails you with. May there be 666 more! (FA)
AGONIA RECORDS
www.agoniarecords.com, info@agoniarecords.com, www.nefarium.org, www.myspace.com/nefarium
TOTAL HATE - DEPOPULATING PLANET EARTH
Well that's a heck of an album title, and right now with every human born literally contributing to global warming (and some "cultures" claim that collecting children is a badge of honor, unfuckingbelievable!), it couldn't have come at a better time. Yes, by all means, please do! Total Hate's minimalist black metal approach to mass destruction is presented with no shiny shills and no fucking computer generated scams featuring vampirish vixens; it's just raw, utter disgust and hatred for religion and, you guessed it, mankind. And by raw, I mean the kind of unpolished sound one craves with their maniacal guitars and artillery drumming. Really, it's that ugly, and therein lies its appeal. This is definitely to soundtrack to herald the upcoming apocalypse. This is Total Hate! (FA)
AGONIA RECORDS
www.agoniarecords.com, info@agoniarecords.com, www.myspace.com/totalhate666
KOMPLETELY KICKASS KOVERS BY KULT OV AZAZEL
Check out these kovers of klasickkks by Satanic fiends Kult ov Azazel!http://www.kultovazazel.com
Also
www.myspace.com/kultovazazel
www.kultovazazel.com
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
IDIOT!
From The Associated PressSANTIAGO, Chile - A Finnish tourist who chipped an earlobe off an ancient Moai on Easter Island is being allowed to go home after paying a US$17,000 fine and agreeing not to return for three years, police said Tuesday.
Marko Kulju, 26, deposited the money into a bank account overseen by the court that handled his case, the Easter Island prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
At prosecutors’ request, Kulju also wrote a public apology for damaging the figure, one of 400 statues carved out of volcanic rock between 400 and 1,000 years ago to represent deceased ancestors. The statues are protected by Chilean law.
Kulju was taken into custody after being caught by a local Rapanui woman two weeks ago trying to steal a piece of the Moai’s ear as a souvenir. The woman reported him to police on the South Pacific island.Kulju called his attempted theft “the worst mistake of my life,” in comments published by the Santiago daily newspaper La Tercera in its online edition Tuesday.
It was not clear exactly when he planned to leave the island, a Chilean territory.ZELL'S ON FIRE!
LEVIATHAN - MASSIVE CONSPIRACY AGAINST ALL LIFE
Finally, this album is released! I have been waiting for a new full-length from Leviathan to come out for the past four years! I remember when I bought "The Tentacles of Whorror" in a local mom and pop store. I drove around listening to it at 10:00 at night. It was outside that day from rain so the creepy atmosphere present in the music was the soundtrack to my driving, whether in was out in farmlands or in the suburbs. So what is different this time 'round, you might be asking? Well at times I want to say that compared to "The Tenth Sub Level of Suicide", Wrest may have gone back to his roots black metal wise. The album begins with an ambient section and then starts blasting but there are weird noises throughout to add to the atmosphere already present from instrumentation. The things that always catch my ear is is he will play the regular riffs and then he will harmonize it with either a keyboard, an ebow, or another guitar riff. It's because of the sporadic use of these harmonies and counter-melodies that I have become addicted to this album. It is very chaotic, but also very melodic. It reminds me of a Joy Division album done up in a black metal fashion, still depressing and suicidal but very hateful and very pissed off. Also, because of the change in melodies along with the noises, it continuously reminds me of an acid trip. I highly recommend this album. I have owned it for three days and have listened to it 11 times already. (ZH)
MORIBUND CULT
www.moribundcult.com, orders@moribundcult.com
DEADBOY AND THE ELEPHANTMEN - WE ARE THE NIGTHSKY
So me being a Dax Riggs fan and all, I picked this up on another day of me stumbling around sedated because of my hate for the public. Anyone who knows Dax Riggs knows he is very versatile. He can go from hardcore-ish screaming death to depressed bluesy howls. Well "We Are the Nightsky" tends to follow the blues part mixed in with the raw feel of punk. It has a very southern bar feel to it. The guitars don't have much distortion to them but it does give the music more of a rock feel. The best comparison I have for this band is The White Stripes. Both bands consist of two people: a male guitarist and a female drummer. It's not bad music in the least. Either the songs have a clean guitar playing with harmonized vocals or it has a hard rocking feel, the rockin' kind of sound you drink to at some bar in the middle of nowhere. I hope that maybe they will gain some some fame after this release because I think they deserve it. (ZH)
FAT POSSUM RECORDS
www.fatpossum.com, justin@fatpossum.com
PIG DESTROYER - PHANTOM LIMB
This is quite a hard album for me to review, to a certain extent. At the time I bought the CD I was heavily medicated on many different medications that seemed to be contradicting each other. So I was a different person and extremely hateful towards anyone who was near me. This album was the soundtrack for me everyday. This is as violent as it gets, I think. You can listen to this album and backstab someone with no regrets, which I did on several occasions. This album reeks of hate, if you hear it you will know what I mean. Pig Destroyer has upped the ante by adding a keyboardist/sample player to the group. Pig Destroyer apparently loved working with Merzbow so they wanted the noise element to be permanent. So here n' there you get static playing with the music. It actually all works very well. Some of my favorite tracks on the album are "Heathen Temple", with its rocking guitar riffs and lyrics like "This heathen temple will stand tall till the day I die!" or "The Machete Twins" which ends the album with the lyrics "They got cornered last year in a Nashville hotel. THEY HAD TO CHOP A WHOLE SWAT TEAM TO PIECES!"What you get in the end is what happens when you give a schizophrenic LSD and a butcher knife. This album is that soundtrack. Enojy it while you're still sane! (ZH)
RELAPSE RECORDS
www.relapse.com, relapse@relapse.com, www.myspace.com/therealpigdestroyer
PIG DESTROYER - TERRIFYER
A friend had recommended this album to me years ago because of my pessimism towards people. Well I refused to listen to it for a while because of its association with grindcore. Well as I got older my taste has opened in many directions. I picked up this CD and this band is high up there on my list of great bands. When you open this album, it comes with a very well-written story of a girl's nightmare about an old boyfriend and soon the nightmare turns into reality. The lyrics within the album revolve around such themes. Women will fuck you over faster than meth addicts seems to be the message written in here. The music is very violent and fast. This helps the delivery of the vocals in the best way possible. Whereas it isn't focusing on the violent action but the mood that is in place when doing violent actions. The album is pretty short at being 32 minutes long while having 21 songs on it. On the other hand, the album comes with a DVD titled "Natasha" which seems to bring it all to an end that is very doomy in sound. (ZH)
RELAPSE RECORDS
www.relapse.com, relapse@relapse.com, www.myspace.com/therealpigdestroyer
Finally, this album is released! I have been waiting for a new full-length from Leviathan to come out for the past four years! I remember when I bought "The Tentacles of Whorror" in a local mom and pop store. I drove around listening to it at 10:00 at night. It was outside that day from rain so the creepy atmosphere present in the music was the soundtrack to my driving, whether in was out in farmlands or in the suburbs. So what is different this time 'round, you might be asking? Well at times I want to say that compared to "The Tenth Sub Level of Suicide", Wrest may have gone back to his roots black metal wise. The album begins with an ambient section and then starts blasting but there are weird noises throughout to add to the atmosphere already present from instrumentation. The things that always catch my ear is is he will play the regular riffs and then he will harmonize it with either a keyboard, an ebow, or another guitar riff. It's because of the sporadic use of these harmonies and counter-melodies that I have become addicted to this album. It is very chaotic, but also very melodic. It reminds me of a Joy Division album done up in a black metal fashion, still depressing and suicidal but very hateful and very pissed off. Also, because of the change in melodies along with the noises, it continuously reminds me of an acid trip. I highly recommend this album. I have owned it for three days and have listened to it 11 times already. (ZH)
MORIBUND CULT
www.moribundcult.com, orders@moribundcult.com
DEADBOY AND THE ELEPHANTMEN - WE ARE THE NIGTHSKY
So me being a Dax Riggs fan and all, I picked this up on another day of me stumbling around sedated because of my hate for the public. Anyone who knows Dax Riggs knows he is very versatile. He can go from hardcore-ish screaming death to depressed bluesy howls. Well "We Are the Nightsky" tends to follow the blues part mixed in with the raw feel of punk. It has a very southern bar feel to it. The guitars don't have much distortion to them but it does give the music more of a rock feel. The best comparison I have for this band is The White Stripes. Both bands consist of two people: a male guitarist and a female drummer. It's not bad music in the least. Either the songs have a clean guitar playing with harmonized vocals or it has a hard rocking feel, the rockin' kind of sound you drink to at some bar in the middle of nowhere. I hope that maybe they will gain some some fame after this release because I think they deserve it. (ZH)
FAT POSSUM RECORDS
www.fatpossum.com, justin@fatpossum.com
PIG DESTROYER - PHANTOM LIMB
This is quite a hard album for me to review, to a certain extent. At the time I bought the CD I was heavily medicated on many different medications that seemed to be contradicting each other. So I was a different person and extremely hateful towards anyone who was near me. This album was the soundtrack for me everyday. This is as violent as it gets, I think. You can listen to this album and backstab someone with no regrets, which I did on several occasions. This album reeks of hate, if you hear it you will know what I mean. Pig Destroyer has upped the ante by adding a keyboardist/sample player to the group. Pig Destroyer apparently loved working with Merzbow so they wanted the noise element to be permanent. So here n' there you get static playing with the music. It actually all works very well. Some of my favorite tracks on the album are "Heathen Temple", with its rocking guitar riffs and lyrics like "This heathen temple will stand tall till the day I die!" or "The Machete Twins" which ends the album with the lyrics "They got cornered last year in a Nashville hotel. THEY HAD TO CHOP A WHOLE SWAT TEAM TO PIECES!"What you get in the end is what happens when you give a schizophrenic LSD and a butcher knife. This album is that soundtrack. Enojy it while you're still sane! (ZH)
RELAPSE RECORDS
www.relapse.com, relapse@relapse.com, www.myspace.com/therealpigdestr
PIG DESTROYER - TERRIFYER
A friend had recommended this album to me years ago because of my pessimism towards people. Well I refused to listen to it for a while because of its association with grindcore. Well as I got older my taste has opened in many directions. I picked up this CD and this band is high up there on my list of great bands. When you open this album, it comes with a very well-written story of a girl's nightmare about an old boyfriend and soon the nightmare turns into reality. The lyrics within the album revolve around such themes. Women will fuck you over faster than meth addicts seems to be the message written in here. The music is very violent and fast. This helps the delivery of the vocals in the best way possible. Whereas it isn't focusing on the violent action but the mood that is in place when doing violent actions. The album is pretty short at being 32 minutes long while having 21 songs on it. On the other hand, the album comes with a DVD titled "Natasha" which seems to bring it all to an end that is very doomy in sound. (ZH)
RELAPSE RECORDS
www.relapse.com, relapse@relapse.com, www.myspace.com/therealpigdestr
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
NACHTMYSTIUM SET TO FIRE AGAIN.
The US release date for Nachtmystium's Worldfall EP is approaching, hitting stores on April 22nd, but available now via CM Distro and iTunes. CM Distro is offering the EP at a super low cost with a coupon towards the highly anticipated full-length Assassins: Black Meddle Part I, to be officially released in North America on June 10th.
North American journalists interested in interviewing Nacthmystium in advance of Assassins' release date contact Dave/Earsplit or George/Century Media.
In Europe contact Candlelight Records.
OH WELL, THE SHOW'S SUCKED MISERABLY BAD FOR OVER 10 YEARS ANYWAY.
From The Associated Press
CARACAS, Venezuela (April 8) - D'oh! A Venezuelan TV channel has yanked "The Simpsons" off the air because it may be inappropriate for children. Taking its place: "Baywatch Hawaii."
Televen TV station spokeswoman Elba Guillen said Monday that the decision to hand over the daily 11 a.m. time slot came after the National Telecommunications Commission received complaints from viewers.
"It had to be taken off," Guillen said. "They consider it to be a series that isn't appropriate for that time because it isn't appropriate for children."
The regulatory agency didn't specify which elements of the program were deemed offensive, but said showing the animated cartoon series at that hour could violate national regulations prohibiting "messages that go against the whole education of boys, girls and adolescents."
Guillen said it is up to Televen's management whether "The Simpsons" may be shown at another time of day.
"Baywatch," which features bikini-clad bombshells and musclebound hunks working as lifeguards on the Hawaiian coast, has been running in the 11 a.m. slot since Friday.
The station has not received any complaints about that show, General Manager German Perez Nahim told the Venezuelan newspaper Ultimas Noticias in its Friday editions. Perez was out of the office Monday and could not be reached for comment.
"We are hoping it will continue to have a good rating, because 'The Simpsons' worked very well - so much so that it had the highest levels of viewership for that morning timetable in the history of the channel," Perez said.
CARACAS, Venezuela (April 8) - D'oh! A Venezuelan TV channel has yanked "The Simpsons" off the air because it may be inappropriate for children. Taking its place: "Baywatch Hawaii."
Televen TV station spokeswoman Elba Guillen said Monday that the decision to hand over the daily 11 a.m. time slot came after the National Telecommunications Commission received complaints from viewers.
"It had to be taken off," Guillen said. "They consider it to be a series that isn't appropriate for that time because it isn't appropriate for children."
The regulatory agency didn't specify which elements of the program were deemed offensive, but said showing the animated cartoon series at that hour could violate national regulations prohibiting "messages that go against the whole education of boys, girls and adolescents."
Guillen said it is up to Televen's management whether "The Simpsons" may be shown at another time of day.
"Baywatch," which features bikini-clad bombshells and musclebound hunks working as lifeguards on the Hawaiian coast, has been running in the 11 a.m. slot since Friday.
The station has not received any complaints about that show, General Manager German Perez Nahim told the Venezuelan newspaper Ultimas Noticias in its Friday editions. Perez was out of the office Monday and could not be reached for comment.
"We are hoping it will continue to have a good rating, because 'The Simpsons' worked very well - so much so that it had the highest levels of viewership for that morning timetable in the history of the channel," Perez said.
Monday, April 7, 2008
NEW DARK FUNERAL ON DECK.
Ave everyone!
I guess it's about time to let you guys know what's going on here. Well, we are currently working on material for a new full-length album. We're in the very early stages of the writing process though.
There's still a lot of work before we're ready to hit the studio, but we're on the right course at least!
Plan is, however, to be ready to record a new album sometime during 2008, with a possible early 2009 release (but it all depends on when we're ready to record and so on, of course). We will keep you posted on the writing progress and what kind of time plan we'll put up for the new album.
We have also renewed our contract with Regain Records. So we will be releasing the next album through them too.
In the meantime, and during the wait for our new studio album, I'd suggest that you check out two killer DVDs that we have released, "Attera Orbis Terrarum" parts 1 & 2 (part two will be released on May 22). A trailer for the up-coming DVD will soon be posted on the band..s MySpace website and YouTube channel.
Also, keep your eyes open for the date when we'll launch our webstore "DIABOLISWEAR!"....
/
Lord Ahriman & Dark Funeral
www.darkfuneral.se
www.diaboliswear.com (official webstore - open soon!)
www.myspace.com/darkfuneral
www.youtube.com/darkfuneral
www.reverbnation.com/darkfunera
---SVENSKA---
Dags för lite nyheter. Vi har just påbörjat skrivandet till ett nytt album. Vi är än så länge bara i startgroparna, så just nu är det alldeles för tidigt att ge er mer ingående info än så. Vi har i alla fall ställt in siktet på att spela in ett nytt album under 2008, med en förhoppningsvis tidig 2009 release. Vi kommer att hålla er uppdaterade under tiden vi arbetar på det nya albumet, var och när vi bokar studiotid osv.
Vi har just förnyat vårt kontrakt med Regain Records. Så nästa platta kommer genom dem.
Medan ni väntar på ett nytt album från oss föreslår vi att ni kollar in de 2 dubbel DVD..s vi släppt "Attera Orbis Terrarum" del 1 & 2 (del 2 släpps den 22 Maj). Del 1 innehåller 3 spelningar från vår senaste Europaturne. Del 2 innerhåller material vi spelade in under vår senaste Sydamerika turné så förbered er på en förkrossande grym DVD! Båda DVDérna innehåller även en hel del bonusmaterial i form av amatörklipp inspelade under årens gång.
De går att beställa från tex www.bengans.se, www.discshop.se & www.ginza.se
Vi kommer även inom kort att öppna vår webbutik "DIABOLISWEAR" så håll även utkik efter ett datum för denna stora händelse.
/
Lord Ahriman & Dark Funeral
www.darkfuneral.se
www.diaboliswear.com (official webstore - open soon!)
www.myspace.com/darkfuneral
www.youtube.com/darkfuneral
www.reverbnation.com/darkfunera
NICE, BUT IT'LL COST YA.
From Engadget
Internet connections in the United States lag behind much of the developed world, but it looks like things are finally starting to improve. Comcast is launching DOCSIS 3.0, the next-generation of broadband technology, in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.
This new modem connection technology promises speeds up to 160 megabytes per second (Mbps) -- 50 times faster than current broadband speeds, which average around megabytes per second. This means you can download a full-length HD film in four minutes. Yes, that's minutes, not hours.
Of course, access to these kinds of speeds doesn't come cheap. Consumers are going to have to shell out around $150 each month for the top-tier access. All Comcast users will see speed upgrades, even if they don't decide to go with the extreme broadband (or "wideband") connection.
It's great to see faster Internet connections finally coming to the U.S. Comcast is rolling out these high-speed connections to the Twin Cities first, and Engadget reports that much of the rest of the country can expect wideband as early as 2009.
------------------------------------------
American readers, you may not be aware of this, but your Internet is -- to put it lightly -- sub-par. Compared to the rest of the developed world, broadband access in America is not only slow, but also more expensive.
The Communications Workers of America (CWA) performed a study of broadband speeds in the United States and other developed countries. Its findings? Turns out America is way behind in the broadband race. The average download and upload speeds in the U.S. are two megabits per second and 371 kilobits per second, respectively. At that speed, a feature length film takes about an hour and a half to download.
Those speeds compare pretty poorly to average downloads of 61 megabits per second in Japan, 45 in South Korea, 18 in Sweden and 17 in France. Even Canada averages seven megabits per second.
Meanwhile, the World Bank released a study that makes these speed numbers even more depressing. Turns out Americans pay more for their lackluster broadband service than other countries. South Korea spends $0.08 per 100 kilobits of bandwidth, and Japan $0.07. The U.S.? A whopping $0.49 per 100 kilobits a second, slightly higher than the per-kilobit price in France.
Well, at least our gas is cheaper.
From www.switched.com
Internet connections in the United States lag behind much of the developed world, but it looks like things are finally starting to improve. Comcast is launching DOCSIS 3.0, the next-generation of broadband technology, in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.
This new modem connection technology promises speeds up to 160 megabytes per second (Mbps) -- 50 times faster than current broadband speeds, which average around megabytes per second. This means you can download a full-length HD film in four minutes. Yes, that's minutes, not hours.
Of course, access to these kinds of speeds doesn't come cheap. Consumers are going to have to shell out around $150 each month for the top-tier access. All Comcast users will see speed upgrades, even if they don't decide to go with the extreme broadband (or "wideband") connection.
It's great to see faster Internet connections finally coming to the U.S. Comcast is rolling out these high-speed connections to the Twin Cities first, and Engadget reports that much of the rest of the country can expect wideband as early as 2009.
------------------------------------------
American readers, you may not be aware of this, but your Internet is -- to put it lightly -- sub-par. Compared to the rest of the developed world, broadband access in America is not only slow, but also more expensive.
The Communications Workers of America (CWA) performed a study of broadband speeds in the United States and other developed countries. Its findings? Turns out America is way behind in the broadband race. The average download and upload speeds in the U.S. are two megabits per second and 371 kilobits per second, respectively. At that speed, a feature length film takes about an hour and a half to download.
Those speeds compare pretty poorly to average downloads of 61 megabits per second in Japan, 45 in South Korea, 18 in Sweden and 17 in France. Even Canada averages seven megabits per second.
Meanwhile, the World Bank released a study that makes these speed numbers even more depressing. Turns out Americans pay more for their lackluster broadband service than other countries. South Korea spends $0.08 per 100 kilobits of bandwidth, and Japan $0.07. The U.S.? A whopping $0.49 per 100 kilobits a second, slightly higher than the per-kilobit price in France.
Well, at least our gas is cheaper.
From www.switched.com
Friday, April 4, 2008
ONLY 81 PERCENT? THAT'S ALMOST TOO GENEROUS!
From The Associated Press
NEW YORK (April 4) - More than 80 percent of Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, the highest such number since the early 1990s, according to a new survey.
The CBS News-New York Times poll released Thursday showed 81 percent of respondents said they believed "things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track." That was up from 69 percent a year ago, and 35 percent in early 2002.
The survey comes as housing turmoil has rocked Wall Street amid an economic downturn. The economy has surpassed the war in Iraq as the dominating issue of the U.S. presidential race, and there is now nearly a national consensus that the United States faces significant problems, the poll found.
A majority of Democrats and Republicans, men and women, residents of cities and rural areas, college graduates and those who finished only high school say the United States is headed in the wrong direction, according to the survey, which was published on The New York Times' Web site.
Seventy-eight percent of respondents said the country was worse off than five years ago; just 4 percent said it was doing better.
The newspaper said Americans are more dissatisfied with the country's direction than at any time since the poll's inception in the early 1990s. Only 21 percent of respondents said the overall economy was in good condition, the lowest such number since late 1992. Two in three people said they believed the economy was already in recession.
Still, the approval rating of President George W. Bush did not change since last summer, with 28 percent of respondents saying they approved of the job he was doing.
The poll also found that Americans blame government officials for the housing crisis more than banks or home buyers and other borrowers. Forty percent of respondents said regulators were mostly to blame, while 28 percent named lenders and 14 percent named borrowers.
Americans favored help for people but not for financial institutions in assessing possible responses to the mortgage crisis. A clear majority said they did not want the government to lend a hand to banks, even if the measures would help limit the depth of a recession.
Respondents were considerably more open to government help for homeowners at risk of foreclosure. Fifty-three percent said they believed the government should help those whose interest rates were rising, while 41 percent said they opposed such a move.
The nationwide telephone survey of 1,368 adults was conducted from March 28 to April 2. The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.
NEW YORK (April 4) - More than 80 percent of Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, the highest such number since the early 1990s, according to a new survey.
The CBS News-New York Times poll released Thursday showed 81 percent of respondents said they believed "things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track." That was up from 69 percent a year ago, and 35 percent in early 2002.
The survey comes as housing turmoil has rocked Wall Street amid an economic downturn. The economy has surpassed the war in Iraq as the dominating issue of the U.S. presidential race, and there is now nearly a national consensus that the United States faces significant problems, the poll found.
A majority of Democrats and Republicans, men and women, residents of cities and rural areas, college graduates and those who finished only high school say the United States is headed in the wrong direction, according to the survey, which was published on The New York Times' Web site.
Seventy-eight percent of respondents said the country was worse off than five years ago; just 4 percent said it was doing better.
The newspaper said Americans are more dissatisfied with the country's direction than at any time since the poll's inception in the early 1990s. Only 21 percent of respondents said the overall economy was in good condition, the lowest such number since late 1992. Two in three people said they believed the economy was already in recession.
Still, the approval rating of President George W. Bush did not change since last summer, with 28 percent of respondents saying they approved of the job he was doing.
The poll also found that Americans blame government officials for the housing crisis more than banks or home buyers and other borrowers. Forty percent of respondents said regulators were mostly to blame, while 28 percent named lenders and 14 percent named borrowers.
Americans favored help for people but not for financial institutions in assessing possible responses to the mortgage crisis. A clear majority said they did not want the government to lend a hand to banks, even if the measures would help limit the depth of a recession.
Respondents were considerably more open to government help for homeowners at risk of foreclosure. Fifty-three percent said they believed the government should help those whose interest rates were rising, while 41 percent said they opposed such a move.
The nationwide telephone survey of 1,368 adults was conducted from March 28 to April 2. The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
OH I'M SURE SOME PEOPLE WILL BE TREMBLING WITH FEAR...
From The Associated Press
VATICAN CITY - Islam has surpassed Roman Catholicism as the world's largest religion, the Vatican newspaper said Sunday.
-----------------
And so what? I can't sympathize with any of them. The more followers any of them have, the more they want to assert themselves on the world stage. It's totally irrelevant that Western media says Islam is bad and Islamic media says Judeo-Christianity is bad. Submission to any collections of fairy tales is bad, who cares what you call it or what your superiors say about the classic "us is good, not us is bad!" argument that every society teaches its rabble!
VATICAN CITY - Islam has surpassed Roman Catholicism as the world's largest religion, the Vatican newspaper said Sunday.
"For the first time in history, we are no longer at the top: Muslims have overtaken us," Monsignor Vittorio Formenti said in an interview with the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano. Formenti compiles the Vatican's yearbook.
He said that Catholics accounted for 17.4 percent of the world population — a stable percentage — while Muslims were at 19.2 percent.
"It is true that while Muslim families, as is well known, continue to make a lot of children, Christian ones on the contrary tend to have fewer and fewer," the monsignor said.Formenti said that the data refer to 2006. The figures on Muslims were put together by Muslim countries and then provided to the United Nations, he said, adding that the Vatican could only vouch for its own data.
When considering all Christians and not just Catholics, Christians make up 33 percent of the world population, Formenti said.
Spokesmen for the Vatican and the United Nations did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment Sunday.-----------------
And so what? I can't sympathize with any of them. The more followers any of them have, the more they want to assert themselves on the world stage. It's totally irrelevant that Western media says Islam is bad and Islamic media says Judeo-Christianity is bad. Submission to any collections of fairy tales is bad, who cares what you call it or what your superiors say about the classic "us is good, not us is bad!" argument that every society teaches its rabble!
FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ARCKANUM – FRAN MARDER, KOSTOGHER, AND KAMPEN
They’re out again, they’re out again! Oh man, this is a great moment in history indeed! See, long ago, before the landslide of mediocre black metal that never quite stopped rolling downhill took charge, there was a one-man project called Arckanum shrouded in mystery and full of references to things we couldn’t quite make out. Who was he? What was he? Are those illegible song titles on the back of the CDs pagan or Tolkien-ish or what? At that time you couldn’t put a disc into a computer and be almost guaranteed the song titles would appear on whatever media player you were using, so you just listened and like what you heard and were clueless, but it was fine. It was fun. It was so long ago, I’d love to go back to the era and just stay there! The labels were much fewer and the music was so difficult to come by that you had to order almost everything from a specialty mail order distro, very few of which had even the crudest of websites! I’ve always wondered if these three albums were supposed to be a trilogy and I still can’t get a straight answer anywhere, but to tell you the truth, that’s perfectly fine. Even more mystique added to these groundbreaking releases, why complain? The many guest appearances on the first album, the intentional low-fi recording of the second, and the long insanity of the third make this “trilogy” etched into memory forever! Turns out Shamaatae is a believer is Chaos-Gnosticism, a very fascinating field to study, indeed. It’s too damn bad original label Necropolis Records bit off more than they could chew and went under so ungracefully while leaving a bad reputation behind (their website is now completely toast and no longer says “WE SHALL RETURN!” or whatever the hell it said for years). Here’s hoping that many more of their catalog releases find good homes on Full Moon or any other caring, responsible labels for the world to enjoy. Some of them are such gems that words alone cannot describe their worth. And the Arckanum CDs are at the top of that list. Watch for their new album on Debemur Morti (website info in Animus Mortis review below) previewed by a 7” EP featuring one new track and one Holy Moses cover. Seriously, a Holy Moses cover? Too cool! (FA)
FULL MOON PRODUCTIONS
www.fmp666.com, general@fmp666.com, www.arckanum.se, info@arckanum.se, www.mypsace.com/officalarckanummyspace
WEIVER SITROM SUNMINA
ANIMUS MORTIS – ATRABILIS (RESIDUES FROM VERB AND FLESH)
Some labels release too much, too often. Why is this any sort of issue, you ask? Well why is it a benefit, I ask? You can blindly release crap just for the sake of releasing crap with no motivation other than to amass releases all you want, but there’s no way I can help but find it disreputable and downright trying. Labels of this nature won’t be named, but they’re out there, and they know who they are. Heck, I’d swear some of them aren’t even shy about it! Luckily Debemur Morti seems to really have their act together and thus have a knack for only releasing more obscure bands and very few at that, all the while making sure that their material is exceptional. It’s quite a cesspool out there in black metal land these days for a number of reasons, and if they need to be explained, then you just must not be paying attention. Enter Animus Mortis from Chile, a nation while not as well known as other for its black metal “scene” (ugh, that word!) has definitely produced killer acts over the years. Moody, dark, and fine tuned with stellar production and a mix of speeds (leaning mostly toward mid-paced), Animus Mortis have what it takes to make skins crawl and stomachs churn. Any fanciness must have never even been a consideration. Just look at that simple yet wicked album cover. Eight tracks, none over five minutes, and all as addictive as that choking game that strikes fear into the heart of parents. Hey kids, wanna really rebel against society and get into black metal? Play the choking game and listen to this. That’ll teach everybody to not pay enough attention to you! (FA)
DEBEMUR MORTI PRODUCTIONS
www.debemur-mortil.com, void@debemur-morti.com, www.myspace.com/animusmortis
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
