(Here goes. Supposedly I need to do this more often. I’ll try to provide mulitiple ways of listening to the albums with every review.)

Geneva – Russian Circles

1. “Fathom” – 4:55
2. “Geneva” – 5:49
3. “Melee” – 7:39
4. “Hexed All” – 4:29
5. “Malko” – 4:43
6. “When the Mountain Comes to Muhammad” – 8:00
7. “Philos” – 10:26

Genre: Post-metal (Instrumental)

Quick and Dirty: First things first, Geneva is not really geared towards the track-at-a-time listener. It simply works, sounds, and feels better as a whole. As such, it contains far fewer catchy riffs than its predessors (fewer, but many to be had none the less. Hit up the title track for some classic Circles heavyness), but this is canceled out by the addition of strings and a much more atmospheric feel.  This is one enormous sounding record. The musicianship is excellent, in particular Brian Cook’s bass work is top notch, and is now more accesible than ever with more bass in the mix. On that note, the prodution is wonderful, but a bit unpolished at times, though not enough to be distracting. Kudos is in order for the last track, Philos, which at over 10 minutes never left me bored. Much, much more diverse song writing as well. Up for some intrumental metal goodness? Than your in for a treat…

Top Track: Geneva

In Depth: Philos

Meh: When the Mountain Comes to Muhammad

4 cookies out of 5. Solid Album.

Listen here, young man…

I write quite a bit on this blog, and I set most of it as private, but I figure its about time that it gets thrown on here that I’m officially in a relationship with Stephanie Gilmore. Thats right. I said it. She is a smart, caring, spunky, fun, great looking young woman, and somehow I managed to convince her to date me .  To quote something I wrote about her on this very spot a few weeks ago:

“She is the first girl who i can honestly say honestly cares about me and isn’t kidding around. the first one to take me seriously. the first one that really means something new to me deep down. Speaking of down, how could i be around her! she is almost as crazy as i am, and best of all we are crazy about each other.”

I guess this is my way of saying “Dear blog, life is finally looking up”. She seems to have managed to save me from my worst enemy…(excluding Gagnon of couse)…myself.

And I’m posotive about one thing:…I’ve fallen for her. Hard. And that is absolutly, posotively beyond OK. In fact, it might be the best thing ever.

New NIN + Justin on bass + Old Goldtop Paul + TRENT REZNOR = epic

If you ever find yourself with an open mind, a bad day, and ten extra minutes, give this a listen. Under the right circumstances, this band is damn near life changing. For real.

Some if the most fascinating bass work I’ve seen in a while. It was seeing this a week or so ago that has inspired me to get back on bass 110%

Wow. I need to blog. Bad. And I will, because I’m, (for the most part) done with twitter, and many other things of that nature. I think going back to this will be a good way for me to get what I want to get out…well, out, and the people that want to see it can see it, and if they don’t, thats ok.

It’s just now 2009…and as a music nerd its about time I made my choice for album/record/CD whatever of the year.

The 5 runners up:

Attack & Release -The Black Keys

Station-Russian Circles

The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IV – Thrice

Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends – Coldplay

Lost in the Sound of Separation – Underoath (Very close second)

Album of the Year…TIE

…In Rainbows – Radiohead…

or Only By the Night by Kings of Leon…

You decide

i want less of my past and more of my future. i dont know what that future is, but it has to be better than what i have been through.

The test

everything in your life

is too good to be true

someday it’ll hit you

then you’ll be dead too

-

lying there on the ground

with no end in sight

an eternity lived

in one long night

-

as you awake to the sound

of your own burning bed

there’s blood spattered around

it’s all from your head

-

and as you cry out

“Someone please save me!”

there is no repose

you’ll rest now in safety

-

but his rod and his staff

have come to your aid

there is always a price

a price to be paid

-

and now that your saved

your life will be torture

as hell pulls you back

back into it’s corner

-

as the devil hunts you

you’ll find no quarter

all you have is a bible

no gun, and no mortar

-

and whenever you ask

ye shall always receive

unless of course

it is peace you seek

-

for the life of a Christian

is a life without rest

but a life with hope

a life, nay, a test…

-

there is it, the best poem i have ever written….

Here it is…I think it’s the closest I get to picking out just one song to have as an all-time favorite.