Chronicles of the inferno

2008-01-20T17:52:00.000-08:00

HIBRIA - Defying the rules (2004)
1. Intro 01:56
2. Steel Lord on Wheels 03:54
3. Change Your Life Line 04:25
4. Millennium Quest 06:51
5. A Kingdom to Share 05:37
6. Living Under Ice 03:45
7. Defying the Rules 05:49
8. The Faceless in Charge 06:58
9. High Speed Breakout 05:01
10. Stare at Yourself 07:45

Tip: Turn up the volume for best results

The album starts out with an awesome riff on "Steel Lord on Wheels" with soaring vocals and drums hammering down, annihilating everything in sight. The first song itself hints about the things to come. The next song "Change your life line" proceeds in the same vein. "Millenium Quest" has great bass solo in the middle. One thing that stands out beyond the great instrumentation and vocals is the production on the album which is quite brilliant to say the least considering that this their debut album. Every instrument can be clearly heard, even the bass. This is not one of those bands who are ashamed to show their bassist off. Also, the songwriting is exquisite and none of the songs get boring even though most of them hit the 5:00 mark consistently.

Then comes one of the first and I still believe, the best power metal songs to be ever written with a brilliant bass solo to begin and a thunderous and catchy riff which serves as the backbone for the entire song. The guitar solo is also very prominent and the chorus will stick in your head forever. Next comes "Living under Ice" which is a bit ballad-like but Hibria know how to keep it short and effective. The title song "Defying the rules" starts of with cool drum solo and then an ultra fast riff which grabs you by your ... and does not relent till the end, although there is a slow bass/vocal bridge in between. Then come "The Faceless In Charge" (which has the best bass/guitar duel of all) and "High Speed Breakout" which are also equally effective and scream heavy metal from the word go. Hibria wanted to keep their progressive songwriting for the last song "Stare at your Yourself" which has moments of total brilliance with perfect time changes throughout. It is progressive without it being total guitar wankery (DT anyone).

This is one of my favourite power metal albums alongside BG's "Imaginations from the other side", Helloween's "Keeper of the seven keys II", Lost Horizon's "Awakening the world", Kamelot's "Fourth Legacy", Jag Panzer's "Ample Destruction" etc.

People who like keyboards in their daily dosage of metal stay away from this one(stratovarius, sonata arctica anyone).

Best features of the album:
-soaring vocals
-excellent riffs and leads throughout the album
-cool basslines with occassional bass solos
-great drumming with nice fills and no overuse of double bass.
-No keyboards.

2007-07-16T18:54:00.000-07:00

AnOther OPINION

A near-perfect analogy for the nirvana grunge syndrome, as well as the mallcore/nu-metal (think, KORN, slipknot, Machine Head) revolution that has taken over the rock(hate that word)-music scene today vs The Underground Metal scene, would be Microsoft's standoff against GNU/Linux (well, not much of a standoff, MS has over 90% marketshare). With the popularity of certain (free) linux distros rising(Ubuntu, not SUSE), I hear the MS fanboys cry foul. Well all the negative points against Linux have been iterated here
A counter argument is given here. As with all the people who have difficulty switching from the same old structured musical drone of these stereotypical grunge/mallcore/nu-metal bands to traditional metal, it is obviously going to be difficult for windows users to switch to Linux (yes, you cannot escape the shell as of yet).

YES, LINUX IS NOT FOR NOOBS, atleast not for some time to come I guess. Well, today everyone wants a shortcut to life. With such a mentality I am all too sure we're going forward...ha...ha.

One more clarification,

OPEN SOURCE not equal FREE (source is GPL'ed i.e you can modify the source and redistribute it under the GPL)
FREE software is as good as FREE BEER, if you get what I mean.

LINUX RULES, METAL RULEZZ!!

If you feel the comments are biased you can suck it, cause it is meant to be.

2007-07-05T15:54:00.000-07:00

Black Sabbath(Heaven and Hell moniker) pics taken from my Fuji Finepix S5200 \m/

Lineup:
Ronnie James Dio - Vocals
Tony Iommi - Guitars (Rhythm and lead)
Geezer Butler - Bass
Vinnie Appice - Drums

2007-07-04T17:50:00.000-07:00

Movie Roundup ...

Saw some pretty good movies during this summer, would like to mention some of them here.

English:
CUBE - low budget movie which tries to explore facets of the human psyche especially those of helplessness and despair when survival is an impossibility. Of special note is the first feeling when confronted with a harsh reality is that of rejection of such a possibility and acceptance of an alternate state of conciousness (dream/delusion). Although the acting is not that great, the concept is pretty intriguing.

Hitchcock classics - Rear Window, Vertigo, Psycho, Birds - Must watch!!

Jacob's ladder - A thriller/horror movie about a vietnam war veteran. A scary plot about the delusions he has after he returns from war, and he is not the only one... A good movie which might unsettle some.

Sergio Leone's classic Wester movies - Fistful of dollars, For a Few Dollars more, The good the bad and the ugly.

Japanese:
Akira Kurosawa - Seven Samurai(shinchin no samurai)

Grave of the fireflies - A beautiful animation movie concerning 2 orphans after the world war II bombings. Must watch!!

Malayalam:
Kadhavasheshan - Directed by T.V. Chandran, backed by some good acting by Dileep is the story of a person disaffected with his surroundings especially concerning the popular culture (Senseless idolatry) viz. cricket, bollywood and some that touched his life those of poverty, riots and starts losing his faith in humanity and life as a whole and commits suicide. The direction is good and for the most part the feelings echoed are subtle but some of the coincidences shown in the movie are ridiculous. I guess that was just a way to get the point across. But, I digress.

Kireedam(The crown) - A brilliant movie involving a father(Thilakan) and son(Mohanlal). The plot is brilliant and to top it the acting by both Thilakan and Mohanlal is outstanding. After seeing this movie I realized how multidimensional and versatile actor Mohanlal is. The last scene where he portrays multiple emotions of sorrow, anger, despair is plain brilliant. Haven't seen any actor do it with such ease.

Another slew of good malayalam movies that I've seen are Nadodikaatu, Bharatham, Nizhalkuttu, Vellanugalude Naadu.

Movies in the pipeline,
Vana Espuma(Idle Mist) - Low Budget spanish movie. Supposed to be really good. Unfortunately am not able to find it.

Vaanaprastham - National Award winning movie with a great performance by Mohanlal as a Kathakali artist.

Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam (Chapter One: A wail) - Brilliant movie by T.V. Chandran about the life of a poor muslim girl who gets married at an early age.

Yojimbo,Rashomon - Kurosawa's classic movies. Sergio Leone(Dollars Trilogy fame) was inspired by his movies and did some remakes.

Books in the Pipeline:
Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
Gulag archipelago - Alexander Solzhenitsyn

2007-07-03T14:07:00.000-07:00

Bloodied angels fast descending \m/

"The closer you get to the meaning
The sooner you'll know that you're dreaming" - Heaven and Hell(1980), Black Sabbath

It was the 1st of May, four of us sabbath fans all geared up to go. The concert was in San Antonio, TX at 7:00 pm. We started from here about 4:00 pm clueless as to what was heading our way. The last thing you want, a thunderstorm, after about a 45 mile drive. Had to stop by a gas station for about 30 min as the visibility had become really poor. Then we started and drove pretty much above the speed limit due to the time crunch. By the time we reached the Verizon Wireless amphitheater, we were already an hour late. Machine Head and Megadeth were the supporting bands. We could hear "Peace Sells ... " being played, from the parking lot and being an ardent fan of Megadeth couldn't resist the temptation to make a dash for it. Well, unfortunately I tripped over a steel rope and had a nasty fall, nearly missing by balls, another thing being it was the last song by Megadeth for the night. So much for the run. Fortunately we made it in time for Sabbath to start.

The guitar riffs kicked in and Oh man! what a sound. It was great to hear these old geezers live especially the creative force behind the first metal band ever, Mr. Tomy Iommi himself. Metal never sounded so good and it takes you back to the late 70s and 80s when Metal was at it's peak, while mainstream grunge was rearing it's ugly head. Metal saw it's demise in the early 90s as Kurt Cobain (Nirvana), Lar$ Ulrich(Metallica) and the rest of the lot ushered in an era of talent-free living. Well you people better watch out, Black Sabbath is coming for your filthy asses.

Coming back to the concert, Sabbath belted out classics like Heaven and Hell, Sign of the Southern Cross, Children of the sea, Lady Evil, Die Young with Neon Knights being the encore. RJD(Ronnie James Dio) was brilliant as the frontman. Every note that he hit was perfect and Iommi was awesome to say the least. He nailed all the riffs and the leads were great too especially the extended lead on "Heaven and Hell" where he turned the 6 1/2 min. song to a 9 min. monster with a jaw dropping solo.

The concert got over at about 11:00 and for about an hour I was having difficulty hearing to what my friends were talking. Well, it was a WALL OF SOUND.

Will post the pictures soon. Till then, \m/

2007-07-03T14:05:00.000-07:00

Am back on blogspot. Will try to write regularly from now on. Well, have a lot to write so most probably will. Next one in line is the Black Sabbath (Heaven and Hell if you will) concert, my first and what an experience.

2006-08-11T15:40:00.000-07:00

momentary delusion of vanity...

It's not hard to see how some things bring out the dark side of you. "The silent enigma" by Anathema is one of those. Can't help but perceive yourself to escape from this worthless existence.

Here's one of those songs...

Undying odyssey... a myriad of times

The soul has seen
Through eyes of heaven
The imperium of earth
There's nothing left to perceive

Help me to escape from this existence
I yearn for an answer... can you help me?
I'm drowning in a sea of abused visions and shattered dreams
In somnolent illusion... I'm paralyzed

Infinity distraction
A pious human disorder
Blind to passage of souls
Conclusion from one remembrance

Help me to escape...

Transfixed... I gaze through my window at a world lying under a shroud of
frost. In a forlorn stupor I feel the burning of staring eyes, yet no one
is here. Detached from reality, in the Knowing of dreams, we know the
entity of ensuing agony waits to clasp us in its cold breast, in an empty
room. We awake and it's true...
I dreamt of the sun's demise, awoke to a bleak
morning. In the emptiness I beheld fate for the dead light is a foretelling
of what will be... I saw a soul drift from life, through death, and arrive
at Elysian fields in welcoming song. Yet I stand in a dusk-filled room
despondently watching the passing of the kindred spirit... and there
is no song... just a delusion of silence.

--Shroud of Frost (The Silent Enigma-1995) by Anathema

2006-07-23T23:50:00.000-07:00

HOW CAN YOU GET ANY EVIL THAN THIS?

Respecting your wishes
My brother, you wish to die
In a bed surrounded by tubes
Immobility's cast its shadow
In your body numbness reigns
You've calculated your demise
Your future racked with pain
I'll take the life behind your eyes

There was a time when death was distant
And the fire of life burned bright
Now we realize life's no constant
No will to life, death's a right
Euthanasia, not murder
Act of mercy to escape
Society's form of torture
To let you live this way

Death is certain
Life is not
Your mind's in torment
Waiting to rot
The final curtain
Always draws it close
When death is certain
The end unfolds

From the neck down, you're senseless
From the neck up, you're alive
And the politics of humanity
Refuse to let you die
And all the while you plot your death
With me at your side
Your last wish, your brain to rest
Your bondage ropes untied

And the prayer for miracles is through
For there's no god to care
Do unto others as done to you
Without a doubt he isn't there
I won't make a mistake with faith
Christ's a waste of time
How can I put my trust in god
With innocent people dying?

Death is certain
Life is not
Your mind's in torment
Waiting to rot
The final curtain
Always draws it close
When death is certain
The end unfolds

Paralytic disease infests your brain
Debilitates your mind
A vegetable wasting, decaying
You're running out of time
All I know is what you said
Before the comas' grip
Don't want to live your life brain dead
To death you crave to slip

The needle's pulled from in your arm
The pulse of life has stopped
Your granted plea, a painless death
To arrive at the end you'd sought
The cryptic statement - bonded truth
Lie peaceful in your grave
Did we just give up on you?
I hope you have been saved...

Death is certain
Life is not
Your mind lies dormant
Proceeding to rot
The final curtain
Has drawn its close
When death is certain
The end unfolds!

--Band: Dark Angel
Album: Darkness Descends

2006-04-07T20:28:00.000-07:00

And then there was Jorge Cham.

I wish I could be a Mike Slacknerney.

If the terminology seems unfamiliar, go here,
I bet you'd be the next aspiring grad student.

2006-02-23T03:22:00.000-08:00

It's just my opinion(ahem)...oh, cut the crap...

Have been thinking about this for quite some time now. I also have been regularly going through articles and stuff to find out in detail regarding Veganism, Vegetarianism (wiki) has the been the source of most of the info, also www.Goveg.com). People have varied opinions on this subject, and it is also one of the most controversial ones. Am not trying to stir it further, but am trying to dig deep.
We are so much immersed in our own messed up/self-centered lives that we don't even have time to give second thoughts on the things we do. Eating habits are one of those. Forget empathy for the animals, it's just apathy towards the subject that makes me blow my top. Expressions such as "animals are only there to serve us", "we have been destined to eat meat" are plain ridiculous. Come on, people, get a life!!
There are some hajjar benefits of vegetarianism/veganism, enumerating which would be a pain. But doesn't it seem logical enough that the if the amount of grain that is used to feed livestock could be used to feed humans, a major portion of the problems due to hunger could be solved. It would be humane on our part considering that a majority of the population of underdeveloped countries such as sudan, etc. is poor and die of hunger, forget malnourishment. U.S, is one of the main culprits in this game (Cornell scientists have advised that the U.S. could feed 800 million people with grain that livestock eat, [1].
Isn't all of this a good enough reason to stop killing animals just for the satisfaction of our palates.

2005-10-27T15:05:00.000-07:00

Literary musings...the Indian kind

Fantasy has never appealed to me greatly, especially all the LOTR's and HARRY POTTER's however engrossing and great they may be. I have always liked reading stuff which is closer to reality, because you can relate to the characters pretty well (atleast for me). Although there may be exceptions, i've never really taken a liking to fantasiacal characters.

Coming to the point, I'm presently reading literary works by Indian authors and I've found it engrossing. "A suitable boy" by Vikram Seth has been a pretty good experience (till now). Considering the mammoth size of the book, I would be able to fit in another couple of novels in there. Am also reading Rohinton Mistry's "Family matters" and it has also been a wonderful experience. I wouldn't want to ruin the experience of the readers by quoting the story here, but I can say that they are well worth a read.

I feel I 'll become an Indian literary aficionado soon. Looking forward to read...

Untouchable - Late Mulk Raj Anand
Coolie - Late Mulk Raj Anand

2005-10-21T20:22:00.000-07:00

Guts to live up to yourself...everything else is hypocrisy

I was just going through a blog written by a friend of mine. I was thinking on the same lines, and they have been plaguing me since a long time. It's about what I am presently doing in life, and does it makes sense to do it. These thoughts occured to me while I was talking to my brother. He asked me not be hasty in committing to a PhD. He was telling me about all the stuff regarding people getting bored with research during their years as a Doctoral student. I was quite dumbfounded by that comment of his. It dawned upon me that I have never thought about that. My ultimate aim in life is to do research, and if I were to get bored with that what would I be left with, an empty shell. Earning money in a big firm, yeah that life would be so much better for many (not for me though). I would be lost in the crowd. It finally boils down to doing what you really love and go about it as strongly as you can. "If you fear it's going to cost you dear".

Another thing that I found illogical in here is people asking me as to why I quit my job and come here (I think some of my friends back in India were so much more sensible). Well, people, what the fuck? Why does it always have to be about money? Why can't I be, for one moment, selfish enough to do what I think and love?

All these things piss me off so bad. Well, whatever...it has been great till now and satisfying. It has given me a sense of intellectual freedom and time on my hands to do what I want. I hope to do well and by the time it's over I hope to have the GUTS to look at myself in the mirror.

It's not about the PhD, neither about the industry, it's just about doing what you ought to.

2005-10-19T20:50:00.000-07:00

OPsessed with OPeth

Tasted the Blackwaters of Opeth during the final year of my undergrad studies in India. It was the most amazing kind of music I had ever come across. Am savouring the sweet taste still and am asking for more. Had my internet set up this week and the first thing I did was download songs by Opeth (will buy the cd's when I earn enough!!). Listening to "BlackWater Park", "Drapery Falls", "Bleak", "Deliverance".. (to name a few), sent my mind spiralling and over the top (again). Needed nothing else to get on a high. Akerfeldt is a GOD (General Operations Director..ha..ha), and so are his comrades. The extreme form of music with the melodious interludes (especially the acoustic guitar sections) and the haunting atmosphere make it all the more interesting. Don't know whether they'll keep on making this form of music, or sell out like f**king Metallica, but I am keeping the faith.

Want to end with some memorable lines from the Master's themselves (for their apprentices)

It is the year of death
Wielding his instruments
Stealth sovereign reaper
Touching us with ease
Infecting the roots in an instant
Burning crop of disease
I am just a spectator
An advocate documenting the loss
Fluttering with conceit
- OPETH, album "Blackwater Park", song "Blackwater Park"

it always burns within
the downward spiral never ends
when driven into sin
your salvation's found in a sinner's deed
the devil guides the day
tells me what to say
pours himself inside
and snuffs the final light
- OPETH, album "Deliverance", song "Deliverance"

2005-10-16T10:49:00.000-07:00

The Pleasure of finding Feynman

I accidentally stumbled upon a book by the Great Richard Feynman titled "The pleasure of finding things out" (although it was recommeded to me by a friend of mine a long time back). Anyways, I can say without the slightest doubt that it was my pleasure of reading such a book. It simply amazes me as to how can a single person hold such an immense quanta of knowledge as to have done something extraordinary in every field of science. His view on life is what inspires me the most. Although it is true that every person has his own perspective towards life, but his outlook is so simple, straightforward and "in the face". From, "the beauty of a flower" to "the atom bomb", to "the epaulettes and pope". Of special importance were, his view on "winning the Nobel Prize". It's like "I don't give a shit, just let me be and let me do my physics". What else can you ask for in life? You are peace with yourself. After reading that, for once I really wanted to be selfish.
I know for sure that this book and others by him will have lasting impression on my mind.

Another book that I read was "Feynman's lectures on computation", which although not as critically acclaimed as his "Lectures on Physics", is very interesting and didactic. The book exudes basic concepts of computing like Turing machines, semiconductors, quantum computation. Although the concepts are pretty simple, what is of utmost importance are his views at looking at the problems. I thought that the analogy of the Gas Equation to the concepts of information theory and coding, was plain brilliant and who could have done it better than Feynman himself.

Feynman has rekindled my interest in physics (although I think i've never lost interest, but am saying just for emphasis), and I'm afraid i'll be reading physics instead my course and research work and I hope this feeling stays with me for sometime to come.

"I don't have to be good, because they think I have to be good" - Feynman

2005-10-09T15:32:00.000-07:00

Interesting Animation

Watched the movie, "Corpse Bride". Although the storyline was very simple, I loved the characters in the movie, especially the character whose voice was given by Johnny Depp (he's THE best). I loved it so much that I watched "Pirates of the Carribean" (for the 3rd time, i guess). I simply adore Keira Knightley (she's is stunnigly beautiful). Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow is damn good. I have no words to describe his performance.

2005-10-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

Enlighten me!!

I feel immense pride in hearing about some non-existent person, giving a helping hand in our time of need (or do I??). Come to think of it, it has always been that way. The statistics would have been reverse, if it were not so. Millions of poeple starve out here, but still we want to believe in some storyteller that yes, India is progressing. We want to diverge from the truth as feel we feel insecure about the same.

Yeah, people of India are so dumb that we need some Krantiveer to make us realize how messed up our state of affairs are. It's not the realization that matters, we don't have the f***ing balls to do anything about it.

Anyways, americans have never had very good diplomatic relations with India, except for on paper. It may be the same as during Nixon's time (i guess he called Indira Gandhi, "an Old Witch"). Same may be applicable today, just the names and dates have changed, who knows??

As I write this, I remember the song...

I was told the pain and hunger was not my fault
How could they be so wrong?
And man, of all five billion people you're only one
Believed them for far too long!
Clean hands
My land is my home

I'm inside the big machine and it's eating me!
And I am just a wheel in motion, too blind to see
The way we are heading now

-Pain of Salvation, album "One hour by the concrete lake", song "Inside"

2005-09-08T16:32:00.000-07:00

Encounters of the Nth Kind

Alone, I stand behind the wall. Battered and bruised, still sane from the barking of machine guns and pounding of shells. I know this place isn't safe and am also running out of bullets. I know I have to make a dart for a safer place lest I might not live.

I check to see if anyone's around, trying to peep from the side of the wall. I suddenly start to feel a strong sensation in my body. A numbing feeling creeps in. A warm liquid starts dripping from my forehead. I feel my vision going black, and there's darkness around. I feel dark shadows all around me. In fear I cringe and try to clench my gun hard. I've never been afraid in my life, always true my country, yeah I'm patriot. But as these thoughts start racing through my mind, a fear creeps in, the fear of dying... Suddenly I find something pounding in my head... I find myself panting for breath as I awaken from this horrid dream.

Yeah, this is the frightening dream, that the soldiers live with everyday. Now it's my time...

Can't Remember Anything
Can't Tell If this Is True or Dream
Deep down Inside I Feel to Scream
this Terrible Silence Stops Me
Now That the War Is Through with Me
I'm Waking up I Can Not See
That There Is Not Much Left of Me
Nothing Is Real but Pain Now
-Metallica, album "And Justice for all...", song "One"

Barking of machinegun fire, does nothing to me now
sounding of the clock that ticks, get used to it somehow
More a man, more stripes you bare, glory seeker trends
bodies fill the fields I see
the slaughter never ends
-Metallica, album "Master of Puppets", song "Disposable Heroes"

2005-07-13T23:27:00.000-07:00

AN ODE TO RUSSIAN AUTHORS/LITERARY GENIUSES:

I've been reading a lot of Russian literature these days, and every book that I come across, written by some of the literary giants such as tolstoy, dostoyevsky, aleksandr solzhenitsyn, chekhov (to name a few ), I get the feeling I am led by that unknown force into a whole new world of reality, a place where the words come and hit you right in the face. I have also come to believe that Russian literature is grossly underrated and read by very few.

It is a shame that such fine pieces of literary work gather dust while people scamper to the buy the newest piece of crap to hit the stores. (I do not mean to deride any book or author, but it's simply due to apathy for the same).

I have posted this as a tribute to all the Russian authors for enlightening us with some ornate literary works.