tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1659270084872423702024-02-20T00:37:32.529-08:00MudarisaMudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-84445500206834422712010-09-22T10:16:00.000-07:002010-09-22T10:28:22.823-07:00Blistering.com Reviews (Part 5)<strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Ana Kefr - Saturday, September 4th, 2010 - Whisky A-Go-Go</span></strong><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br />A Saturday night in Hollywood is always exciting, but a holiday weekend Saturday night is like one giant party. The night wouldn't be complete without drunken drama on a street corner or witnessing someone stumbling towards the windshield of an oncoming car! Tonight, Ana Kefr played at the Whisky A Go-Go, and people were lined up at the door to get in.<br /><br />Downefall was the first band to play. There is always a certain level of admiration for the band that has the first slot of a show. It cannot be easy to be the ones who kick-off the evening and especially if tickets are still being checked at the door! Audience members hardly had a chance to allow their pupils to adjust to the darkly lit room and get used to the fact that they were now in one of the most historic venues in Hollywood- where some of the greats have once played. Downefall did not seem threatened by their situation and managed to stir up a fair-sized moshpit. They are a five-piece metal band from the bay area of Northern California. If you like bands like Avenged Sevenfold and Trivium, chances are, you will like what Downefall has to offer. In fact, they performed an A7X cover flawlessly, and had the audience singing along!<br /><br />Gaining the privilege of backstage access to speak with the bands before and after their performances, Blistering approached Brendan and Kyle, the guitarists of Ana Kefr, and asked them what their thoughts were in anticipation for the show. Brendan stated that waiting to play is "like waiting for Christmas when you are a little kid." Kyle mentioned that the set for the evening's show is "fucking tasty." Interesting fellows! The air thickened with anticipation.<br /><br />Pieces of Teeth, a metal quartet from Oceanside, California, have an amazing drummer and they also managed to get a moshpit moving after a little audience encouragement. While their sound consists of what one might typically expect from a metal show, the last song on their set had all heads bobbing. InSilence, the main support act of the night, have played at this location before, and if memory serves, have a decent following. During the performance, the members put forth abundant energy and enthusiasm.However, it is clear who the star of the night's show is: Ana Kefr. Before InSilence could even finish clearing their gear, a noticeably large crowd had piled in front of the stage. The crowd was strangely diverse, consisting of a balance of women, men, and all ages. Then, a tempestuous march unexpectedly exploded into "Tonight We Watch the Children Fucking Burn," and the show has begun.<br /><br />Rhiis Lopez looked intensely intimidating on the stage with his boot propped up on a PA, talking down to the audience. Each song smoothly flowed into the next, and a long-time fan could detect slight variations from the recorded versions of each song. They even incorporated a saxophone into the beginning of "Avenue of the Queen!" Rhiis delivered part of "The Day that Guilt Turned White" with an amplified megaphone, and the bass player, Fonzy, signaled the queue to mosh by swirling his guitar neck around in the air. Ana Kefr also provided their fans with a special treat by playing "Truthless" live for the first time in over a year, and it was apparent that the crowd already knew the words because they were all singing!<br /><br />After a brief introduction, there was an opportunity for the audience to take a break and simply listen while Ana Kefr played an emotional song called, "The Orchid." Rhiis leaned down to sing a few of the lines to an audience member. It was also noticeable that Shane, on the drums, has excellent timing and outstanding delivery. The final song for the night was "Avenue of the Queen," and everyone was more energetic than ever! At the end, the house lights went on, but the audience insisted on an encore. Alas, it was over.<br /><br />Saturday, September 4th, was a glorious night to be in Hollywood. Some drunkards may not even remember, but there are many who will never forget. After the guys had a chance to catch their breath, Blistering caught Rhiis on his way out, and asked for his thoughts on the show. He said, "This may have been the last performance in support of Volume 1, and what a show it was! But if you thought that was intense, you ain't seen nothing yet."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/anakefr"><strong>www.myspace.com/anakefr</strong></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Black Anvil - Triumvirate (Relapse Records)</span></strong><br /><br /><br />[8.5/10] The word "triumvirate" means "any joint ruling by three men." The album, Triumvirate is a musical expression by three men, and according to the band's drummer, Raeph Glicken (or R.G.), "This record's all about us, and we want the record to kind of dictate the fact that it's about us three and where we're at now, and where we came from." The members of Black Anvil are from New York and only just formed in 2007. Triumvirate is their sophomore album and, like a cold beer on a warm day, it is quite tasty.<br /><br />We are introduced to the album with, "What is Life if Life Not Now!" a song that addresses the uncertainty of life after death. This fast-paced song kicks off the album with an utmost brutality. The insect-like buzzing quality produced by the guitars, toward the end, is enjoyable. It is intimidating, hair-raising, and you feel lucky to come out of it alive.<br /><br />"Dead and Left" currently represents this album online, and it is very well put together. It begins with a punch and is ruthless and unforgiving. The flow of the song sounds as though it is set to the repetitive rhythm of shoveling a dead man's grave, which seems very fitting. The completion of the grave digging is accompanied by higher-pitched fearsome guitar riffs and terrorizing roars.<br /><br />"Crippling" and "Eliminate" serve as two interludes of the album. "Crippling" could prepare us for diving into a scary movie or might lay the foundation for a recurring nightmare! It is simple yet ominous. "Eliminate" must be aiming at setting the scene for a traditional tribal ritual or an execution. The drums create the mood for this track. These interludes are a refreshing veer off the norm, and illustrate the band's versatility. If aspects from these ideas were inserted unexpectedly throughout the other songs in the album, it would make for an even more brain-stimulating experience.<br /><br />One of the best songs of Triumvirate is, "With Transparent Blood." The vocals sound like a ravaging demon and the guitars create a menacing presence. An ascending scream morphs into a growl, and emphasis on the double bass kicks the song into another direction. It slows down to a doom sound, and then the joint ruling by the three men is complete.<br /><br />Each time songs from Black Anvil's Triumvirate reverberate through your eardrums, the songs seem to be continuously improving and stick to your insides like a piece of swallowed gum! If this thriving trio continues the way they have been, we should expect yet another album to be coming out in 2011, and we should be prepared for total annihilation.<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://www.myspace.com/blackanvilny">www.myspace.com/blackanvilny</a></strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Armagedda - I am (Agonia Records)</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><br />[7.5/10] Armagedda disbanded in 2004, but have released the EP entitled, I Am in September of 2010. It seems strange that a band that was only around for about five years would produce a never-before-released EP. One would think this is something that only legendary bands from decades past could get away with. Just as diehard fans began to heal the wounds from the loss of their beloved Armagedda, the scars are once again peeled open with bittersweet remembrance.<br /><br />Armagedda, which translates to "Jehovah's Hell," produced music that is true to the nature of traditional Scandinavian black metal. It is raw, cold, and of poor recording quality. It is thought by many that traditional black metal is not meant to reach an audience, but meant only for the band's enjoyment. If this is true, why bother releasing an EP or album at all? Upon first impression, this screams, "Give us money."<br /><br />Even though Armagedda is following tradition, the recording quality of I Am is terrible. It is mixed in such a way that the drums are nearly inaudible and sounds like it was recorded in someone’s garage. While it is admirable to stick to tradition, the drums sound like they might be doing something interesting in "Den Skirvna Eskatologin," and it is unfortunate that it cannot be determined whether they are or not. The guitar riffs are also very repetitive, which most likely follows suit to the black metal traditional style as well.<br /><br />"De Vanhelgade" starts off with a long vocal belt accompanied by nightmarish guitars. The vocals are very raspy and sound as though coming from a mangled voice box! "I Am" is the best song on the EP, and has previously been performed in concert. It opens slowly with sounds of hopelessness and dread. It is definitely the climactic section of this release and I imagine could be played during the depressing scene of a movie where the main character has lost all hope and draws a final bath. Wrists slit into painless freedom. Do not combine this album with prescription medication or heavy drinking!<br /><br />It takes a few listens before the message from the music can be heard over the poor quality of recording. You have to be in the right mood to listen to Armagedda, or else they will put you there. It is saddening to already know that Armagedda will not continue to progress after sharing I Am with the world, but who knows? Maybe one day, they will resurface from within the darkened chambers of the abyss and be resurrected.<br /><br /><strong>www.myspace.com/armageddaonline</strong>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-23291512532017242132010-08-09T11:07:00.000-07:002010-08-09T11:27:14.579-07:00Blistering.com Reviews (4)<span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>My Ruin - Ghosts and Good Stories (Tiefdruck Musik)<br />By: </strong></span><a class="metal" href="mailto:siinraapi@gmail.com"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Sara Heitman</strong></span></a><br /><br /><br />[10/10] <em>Ghosts and Good Stories</em>, My Ruin’s sixth studio album, blows all of the others out of the water. A combination of everything that makes My Ruin so remarkable, the duo (married, that is) of Tairrie B. and Mick Murphy have made what is creative, angry, passionate, and fun! This charming husband and wife duo kick ass, colloquially speaking, and <em>Ghosts and Good Stories</em> is their latest testament of this.<br /><br />The album starts with a strong beginning, just the guitar, in "Diggin' for Ghosts." Vocals layered with whispers and spoken word set an eerie tone to the album, sending shivers down your spine. The music is remorseful and we are given the impression that a painful past is being exhumed, confronted, and then left behind. There seems to be an underlying theme throughout the album that trust ends in regret, and things believed eventually prove false. What is appealing about My Ruin is that their heavy songs have a memorable quality that could easily become stuck in your head. "Long Dark Night," to name one, has such a quality with its energetic rock beat and colorful guitar riffs. We can also relate to this one on a personal level.<br /><br />Skipping ahead a bit, "Eyes Black" points a feminist finger at a very touchy subject. It is controversial to even mention topics of this nature, mostly because it seems that anyone who does tends to suddenly disappear. There are certain cultures in this world with people who believe it is perfectly acceptable to treat women as possessions, forcing them to cover their "meat" so to not attract unwanted attention. While the believers of these traditions behave as though they are perfectly content with this (even the women), it definitely attracts some attention from the rest of the world. Tairrie does not seem like the kind of woman to take these practices lightly, and continues to be an admirable role model to our misguided gender.<br /><br />A more intense version of The LVRS is what immediately comes to mind when hearing the song, "Deathknell," which is the last track on <em>Ghosts and Good Stories</em>. The LVRS is an intimate, spoken-word side project which brings the listener into a dark, quiet place. Slow and tragic, holding onto pain, this expression of anguish is also apparent in "Excommunicated," which also dips into spoken word. Tairrie's prolonged scream of agony will continue to reverberate in your mind. "La Ciudad" holds a similar shape, while simultaneously sounding intimidating, and we realize that Tairrie's voice could easily be placed in a lounge, atop a piano, coated in a smooth layer of southern whiskey.<br /><br />There are too many noteworthy elements of this album. So, before getting carried away, we will end only after briefly mentioning the musical middle finger held up in "Money Shot," a Rollins Band cover of "Turned Out," and the gut-wrenching screams of "Suicide Tuesday." There is a thrilling solo in every song by Mr. Mick Murphy. Each one is unique and amazing in its own way. However, the song where the solo personally strikes a nerve is in "Malediction." Here, he shreds the kind of solo that makes you turn to your neighbor with a look of surprise and mouth the words, "Holy shit." At least, that's what I did! In short, <em>Ghosts and Good Stories</em> is gracefully bone-chilling, filled with teeth-chattering terror, and leaves your unworthy soul melted in a puddle on the floor. A masterpiece!<br /><br /><a class="METAL" href="http://www.myspace.com/myruin" target="_BLANK">www.myspace.com/myruin</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Hero Destroyed - Throes (Relapse Records)<br />By: </strong></span><a class="metal" href="mailto:siinraapi@gmail.com"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Sara Heitman</strong></span></a><br /><br />[8/10] If you want something, you need to be proactive. Very seldom does life throw you a house-warming party and just hand you a basket of soap. Amazing things don't just happen; you have to make them happen. This is how I came to know the album, <em>Throes</em>, by Hero Destroyed. I knew that I wanted to write a review for Cephalic Carnage's new album, Misled by Certainty, so I contacted Relapse Records to have it sent to me. Along with it came a copy of <em>Throes</em>. So the listening begins.<br /><br />Hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Hero Destroyed has been around since 2005 and released a self-titled EP in 2008. They are described as hardcore, death metal, or metalcore. When I think of metalcore, though, bands like Killswitch Engage and Bullet for My Valentine come to mind. This is not the sound of Hero Destroyed. Thankfully, metalcore, in the annoyingly commercial-to-the-Hot-Topic-bone sense of the word is not detected. Instead, Dustin Newman (bass), Pat McNicholas (vocals), Neal Andrus (drums), Zach Moore and Jeff Turko (guitars) have put together a tasty little full-length debut for us, to be released in the end of August through Relapse Records.<br /><br />Of course the cover of the album was my first impression, and it is very intriguing- a human heart, protruding with desperate arms, <a class="iAs" style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal! important; FONT-SIZE: 100%! important; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1px! important; COLOR: darkgreen! important; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: darkgreen 0.07em solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent! important; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://www.blistering.com/fastpage/fpengine.php/link/1/templateid/20089/tempidx/4/menuid/2#" target="_blank" itxtdid="23825027">connected</a> by machinery. It reminds me of the "real world" where humans live in <em>The Matrix</em>. I was expecting something breathtakingly mind-altering and unexpected. I was impressed, yet somehow disappointed. The first, and most obvious disappointment, for me, are the vocals. Sorry, Pat. There is something that rubs my eardrums the wrong way, and they stay consistent throughout the album, which becomes slightly annoying and boring eventually. You could describe them as old-school hardcore punk meets metal vocals. Also, at times the recording sounds a bit muddy, but it is possible that could be due to the performance. Throes includes numerous areas where the compilation of sounds is very technical and complicated. In order to achieve this successfully, each instrument needs to be performed precisely to keep up; starting with the drums.<br /><br />Overall, this album is interesting and unique with a mixture of styles. The music is unpredictable with unexpected timing changes, and aspects of math metal make it interesting. There are some oddly-timed, uncommon riffs, and while they can be repetitive, they keep the album moving forward. "That's an Axe," "Army of Draccoons," "The Last Upper," and "Dom Wampus" all have sections that highlight the bass guitar. As someone who is currently learning to play the bass, I appreciate this display of the dimension the bass adds to music. "Cerberus" is my favorite track. It is instrumental and strange, and sets a different tone.<br /><br />Take the vocals out of <em>Throes</em> and you have Cephalic Carnage's little brother. The deadpan vocal delivery is the only thing that is keeping me from purchasing this album for my own personal collection. The major downfall of this album is that they have no variation, but the music does. In the future, it would be nice to hear vocal variety, whether it is full-fledged death growls, spoken word, clean vocals, or even a whisper. Anything would help break them up enough to match the level of variation in the music. There are certain musical aspects, like in "Army of Draccoons," where each instrument joins in after the other into an erratic rhythm, and in "Minion" where each guitar is playing something different and recorded so that one guitar plays in your right ear and the other in your left. It's like a massage for your brain and it would be great if the vocals contributed to that!<br /><br />It is difficult to determine whether or not Hero Destroyed will develop and progress with their sound. It is apparent that they are still experimenting with their own style, but there has not been much variation with <em>Throes</em> compared to their previously released EP. If some of the creative elements from "Permian - Triassic" or the almost psychedelic-sounding beginning of "Army of Draccoons" were brought into the mix more, it would bring a wider sense of dynamics to the songs and help advance their already unique sound even further. Hero Destroyed needs to push through to the next level.<br /><br /><a class="METAL" href="http://www.myspace.com/herodestroyed" target="_BLANK">www.myspace.com/herodestroyed</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Cephalic Carnage - Misled By Certainty (Relapse Records)<br />By: </strong></span><a class="metal" href="mailto:siinraapi@gmail.com"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Sara Heitman</strong></span></a><br /><br />[10/10] Astounding. <em>Misled by Certainty</em> is an album that needs to be listened to multiple times in order to grasp all of the individual elements that exist in each song, and that is the plan. After <em>Xenosapien</em>, we couldn't imagine anything better, but Cephalic Carnage has succeeded at surpassing their own boundary.<br /><br />In <em>Misled by Certainty</em>, each song is completely unique and fully capable of standing alone, yet we get the sense that there is a strong connection between the songs and their themes. From Cephalic Carnage, a more emotional, melodic, and even humorous side to them has surfaced with this new delicious jewel.<br /><br />The album kicks off with "The Incorrigible Flame," which, research shows, has been around since late last year and was even performed in Denver without vocals or a name. It starts off with a catchy guitar riff and later descends into darkness when it slows down and horrifying vocal growls stomp in. At times, the guitars emanate the sound of giant bees dying a slow and painful death. "Warbots A.M." presents us with unbelievably fast guitar riffs and the first somewhat noticeable display of connection between songs. The word "cordyceps" can be made out from the lyrics, which is also part of the title of one of the other songs.<br /><br />There is a variety in vocal styles during this song which helps add to the depth of their sound, and in the end we are whisked into an H.P. Lovecraft story with a tribal chant to Cthulu which achieves a chilling effect of intimidation."Cordyceps Humanis" embraces a menacing beginning, staying slow and brutal. One can appreciate that Cephalic Carnage does not find it necessary to create every song as fretboard-burningly fast as the next, and it is just as effective. "Cordyceps Humanis" ends with slower dramatic guitars, followed by what sounds like a U.F.O. spacecraft preparing for flight and then taking off into "Raped by an Orb." What a humorous title, and too closely <a class="iAs" style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal! important; FONT-SIZE: 100%! important; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1px! important; COLOR: darkgreen! important; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: darkgreen 0.07em solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent! important; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" href="http://www.blistering.com/fastpage/fpengine.php/link/1/templateid/20128/tempidx/4/menuid/2#" target="_blank" itxtdid="23825027">connected</a> to be a coincidence.<br /><br />There are two other songs with humorous demonstrations. The menacing "Pure Horses" ends suddenly with a horse's neigh. While appropriate to the song's title, this inspires a couple of chuckles from the listener. "P.G.A.D." begins abruptly with a high-pitched scream. It is very loud and chaotic, and before you realize, it's ending with obnoxious chewing sounds, and dare I say, a fart!<br /><br />Compared to<em> Xenosapien</em>, <em>Misled by Certainty</em> is heavy in a more melodic and emotional way. The emotion bleeds through in songs like "Ohrwurm" with the bass guitar and saxophone stealing center stage. Also, heartstrings are yanked in, "When I Arrive" and "Repangaea." Although "When I Arrive" is capable of invoking a sense of anxiety and disorder, it touches on an emotional and controversial topic (if my analysis is correct). Also, the ending is a bit surprising. However, this modern sound could be an interpretation of a very biblical idea. "Repangaea" is undoubtedly going to be the most buzzed about track. It takes you to a different place and time; simultaneously gallant and mournful.<br /><br /><em>Misled by Certainty</em> takes you on a journey. This "rocky mountain hydro-grind" group has come together to bring the metal world something completely awe-inspiringly brutal and unique. It is refreshing to hear something so tangled and strange, yet so beautiful. It is also pleasing to know that these guys are still just a bunch of fun-loving characters who aren't afraid of letting their personalities out in their music. Finally, we ask to please make sure the "compruder" remains fixed so we may hear more!<br /><br /><a class="METAL" href="http://www.myspace.com/cephaliccarnage" target="_BLANK">www.myspace.com/cephaliccarnage</a>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-57042325915028069062010-07-22T00:45:00.000-07:002010-07-22T00:50:09.375-07:00Blistering.com Reviews (3)<h4 style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire - Songs of Ill Hope and Desperation <i>(Prosthetic Records)</i></span></h4> <p align="JUSTIFY"><b>[9/10]</b> A band's name is like the title of a book. It is often a deciding factor in whether or not the audience will take that extra step to read the book or, in this case, listen to the album. With a name like Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire, it almost tells a story in itself. In a recent interview with the vocalist from Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire (hereafter known as CTFF), Ethan stated, "Our name comes from the idea of holding onto something completely and utterly fucked/hopeless/ruined..." Bands with unusually long and descriptive band names, for the most part, will either produce extremely impressive music or total garbage.<br /><br />Fortunately for CTFF, they have succeeded in creating something that fans of several genres can appreciate. According to some tags from a website, if you like brutal deathgrind, chaotic grindcore, power violence, smoking pot, worshipping Satan, and being unreasonably pissed off, you will probably enjoy listening to CTFF and <i>Songs of Ill Hope and Desperation</i>.<br /><br />Band members include: Ethan - vocals, Ben - Guitar, Zach - Bass, and J.P. - Drums. Ethan uses gruesome vocals alternating between harsh roars, and screams that could be resonating from a torture chamber or uttered from someone being burned alive. The drums create unexpected beats. Guitar and bass use unique riffs, clashing in all the right ways.<br /><br />The album starts off with a blast of heat. If you are having a problem waking up, "Teeth and Hair" will solve it for you. It will slap you in the face like opening a scorching hot oven. Your eyebrows are singed, and you love it! Everyone had better get out of your way when this song is playing. <i>Songs of Ill Hope and Desperation</i> is what sounds like death metal and grindcore mixed with doom metal. It has elements of sludge metal, and has been referred to as "funeral grind." Each song is out of the ordinary, and that is refreshing. CTFF uses dissonant chords and bizarre progressions making it difficult for your ears to collaborate with your brain to process what is happening. Needless to say, they are outside of the box. In fact, you could say they are so far outside of the box, they have stomped on the box, run over it with their horse and plough, and buried it under 300 acres of shit!<br /><br />CTFF's collective sound is remindful of early Anal Cunt (think <i>Morbid Florist</i> EP). My favorite song from the album is, "They Smeared Shit on Their Skin to Blend in at Night." It has such a splendid and amusing title, and reminds me of Ana Kefr's "Feed a PETA Member to a Starving Child in Africa." This song by CTFF is different from the other songs overall. It seems to roll around in every direction and has a brief spotlight on an accelerated bass. It is power and violence, inspiring destruction past the breaking point.<br /><br />"Made of Coal" delivers angry screams accompanied by ultra-fast drums. Then it slows down to a stoner sound, with some of the riffs reminiscent to the work of Adam Jones from Tool. In "Boquet of Self Pity," our cochleas are pierced with a high-pitched squeal, and a slow start makes the drums stand out. The doomier moments of CTFF sound like some of the better doom elements of Cephalic Carnage; the song "G.lobal O.verhaul D.evice" as an example.<br /><br />Overall, CTFF has managed to bring us material that the music world is severely lacking- something unique. What is particularly impressing is the last track of this album, "Remove the Light." Without giving it away, the ending is very dramatic. After it is over, we are left feeling disoriented, like after waking up from a terrible dream. It feels strange to return back to reality. Personally, there has never been another album that manifested such a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. That, in short, is stupendous!<br /><br /><strong> </strong><a class="METAL" href="http://www.myspace.com/clingingtothetreesofaforestfire" target="_BLANK"><b>www.myspace.com/clingingtothetreesofaforestfire</b></a></p><p align="JUSTIFY"><br /></p><p align="JUSTIFY"><br /></p><p align="JUSTIFY"><br /></p><p align="JUSTIFY"><br /></p><h4><span style="font-size:130%;">Mose Giganticus - Gift Horse <i>(Relapse Records)</i></span></h4> <p align="JUSTIFY"><b>[7/10]</b> This is not a typical metal album. In fact, it is a stretch to call this "metal" at all. Others have described the genre of <i>Gift Horse</i> presented by Mose Giganticus as grunge metal, synth punk, electronic, and death metal. This also isn't a typical metal band. It is even a stretch to call Mose Giganticus a "band" at all! The style and sound of Mose Giganticus is created by the keyboardist/drummer/programmer/songwriter/vocalist Matt Garfield of West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />Personally, anything that is outside of the box is favorable. So, when playing <i>Gift Horse</i> for the first time, a curiosity arose. A blend of synthesized sounds combined with electric guitar-themed music, create a mellow image with a rock energy. There is a quality comparable to the Berlin electronica sound. The majority of it is <a itxtdid="23855292" target="_blank" href="http://www.blistering.com/fastpage/fpengine.php#" style="font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important; border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen ! important; padding-bottom: 1px ! important; color: darkgreen ! important; background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none; padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;" classname="iAs" class="iAs">entertaining</a>. I, the reviewer, have stepped out from behind the shadows of the music, and taken the liberty to coin the term "relaxation metal" as a new, softer branch of the genre to describe the album. <br /><br />We begin <i>Gift Horse</i> with "Last Resort." An upbeat synth sound welcomes us, and brings to mind visions of a sunrise. It has a slow tempo with a Dream Theater essence, but heavier vocals. The vocals retain the same quality throughout the album, and at times can sound like players of a football team belting out team spirit. The combination of the melodic sound with the guitar riffs in "The Left Path" make for a catchy beginning of the track. The lyrics are simple and follow straight-forward patterns. One source states that the lyrics in <i>Gift Horse</i> are written from the perspective of the Christian god and the fallen angel, Lucifer, having a conversation. However, when the "football vocals" (another term I have coined for this album) are remindful of the chorus from Chumbawumba's "Tubthumping," it is hard to imagine they are based on a topic of such serious nature.<br /><br />By the third track, "Demon Tusk," the uniqueness of the synth metal sound loses its luster. Everything starts sounding repetitive, and it gets difficult to establish the differences between each song. They do, however, become songs that one might find useful to help cure insomnia, or to play after the end of a sporting event or a movie as the masses begin shuffling out to their cars. Background music. <br /><br />There are two tracks that stand out in this album. "White Horse," and the last track, "The Seventh Seal" both have memorable aspects. "White Horse" begins with a high-pitched keyboard melody which jumps around energetically and sounds like it is running a race. Then, the guitar comes in to run alongside it. The fast keyboard accompanied by the slower guitar musically creates the idea of "The Tortoise and the Hare." Some may find the bouncy keys to be annoying, but this is personally entertaining, because it continuously brings to mind the scene from the movie <i>Revenge of the Nerds</i> where the nerds perform the ultimate synthesized musical number and it blows everyone away!<br /><br />"The Seventh Seal" seems to have the most variation. It is not a happy song, and presents slow, clean vocals. The sorrow, in my opinion, would have been conveyed more effectively with one solitary, heartfelt voice, instead of the use of layering again. There is even a short solo here! Though, it seems that it is almost too little, too late.<br /><br />A gift horse is an apparent gift that has substantial, associated costs. Maybe that is how we are to treat this album. It is a gift. Take it or leave it, but if you choose to accept, don't criticize. Applause should go to Mr. Garfield for his ambition and drive to create this full-length album practically on his own. There are not many people who have that kind of motivation. Mose Giganticus has given us the gift of music, and while it may not be everyone's cup of tea, <i>Gift Horse</i> has the ability to inspire our imagination.<br /><br /><strong> </strong><a class="METAL" href="http://www.myspace.com/mosegiganticus" target="_BLANK"><b>www.myspace.com/mosegiganticus</b></a></p><p align="JUSTIFY"><br /></p><p align="JUSTIFY"><br /></p><p align="JUSTIFY"><br /></p><p align="JUSTIFY"><br /></p><h4><span style="font-size:130%;">Waking the Cadaver - Beyond Cops. Beyond God. <i>(Siege of Amida/Candlelight Records)</i></span></h4> <p align="JUSTIFY">Occasionally, before even listening to a new band to review, researching the band and their history, and observing what others have to say about the music will give an idea of what to expect. In the case of Waking the Cadaver, there was no other conclusion to be made from previous reviews but to expect the absolute worst piece of garbage that one has ever laid ears on in the history of music's existence! Seriously. Here are some excerpts of reviews written for the band’s debut album, <i>Perverse Recollections of a Necromangler</i> found on Encyclopedia Metallum - The Metal Archives:<br /><br />"The breakdowns are uninteresting, generic, and boring."<br />"...guitar playing that is an insult to the instrument..."<br />"It shows no emotion other than a rape of a snare skin and a palm muted open note..."<br />"Just about everything sounds the same."<br />"Combining poor growling skills and cheap production with oinking, they seem to come from the most pissed off pig you will ever see."<br /><br />Several reviewers claimed <i>Perverse Recollections of a Necromangler</i> was literally the worst album they had ever heard, and one said that the album was great if you were looking for a laugh. So, now that Waking the Cadaver are releasing their second album, <i>Beyond Cops. Beyond God.</i>, have they taken any of these remarks into consideration?<br /><br />My answer is both yes and no. First, "no" because, as a whole, the album is, as quoted, "uninteresting, generic, and boring." It is lacking originality, and the ability to make anyone want to listen to it again. I would have to say that it is a bold move to copyright the term "Slamming Gore Groove," if it is in fact copyrighted. However, after listening to the album, it seems like it is a last ditch effort to look like they are unique on paper. They are trying too hard to sound tough. This is apparent from the album title alone, and could be compared to the authoritative identity that Eric Cartman from <i>South Park</i> created for himself. A child stating, "I am above the law," or "Respect my authority!" is comical. There are ways of letting people know you are tough besides simply declaring it.<br /><br />That brings us to the lyrical aspect of the album. From what is available to read, this member of the musical audience is not impressed. The lyrical themes are of rape, gore, and violence. From a female metal fan's perspective, songs about rape don't make you sound powerful, they make you sound pathetic. The lyrics in "Beyond Cops," from <i>Beyond Cops. Beyond God</i> are simplistic, and seem juvenile and forced. To me, the words are important, especially in the metal genres. The majority of the time, they are masked by the delivery, so listeners have to take that extra step's worth of interest in the band to look them up and read. One hopes to be amazed with eloquent poetics or impressed by intelligence. Instead, with the lyrics for "Beyond Cops," one must solely be satisfied with the fact that the extra step of effort was made at all. <br /><br />With that being said, it was not <i>all</i> that bad. Every song on the album is at least more interesting than "Chased Through the Woods by a Rapist," which seems to be the most popular of the previously released songs. The vocals are diverse. Pig vocals alternated with deep, guttural growls keep it interesting. There is an impressive stretch of time with one prolonged roar, making the song worthy of the title "Waking the Cadaver." At times the vocals sound like someone removed the catalytic converter from a monster truck! They also emulate a dog's bark and an elongated belch in "Suffering Upon Revenge." Actually, "Suffering Upon Revenge," is the most noteworthy song, in my opinion. Towards the end of the song, the drums start producing an ultra-fast blast beat, and then there is a fluttery guitar melody unexpectedly added into the mix! Short-lived, but exciting!<br /><br />Waking the Cadaver is formerly known as Death to Honor and is from Shore Points, New Jersey. They have just started walking the path of their musical careers, and have a long way to go. <i>Beyond Cops. Beyond God.</i> is not as bad as some would lead you to believe, but it is definitely not quite ready to be described as "good." They can play their instruments, it is just not that interesting. There is always potential and the hope for creating a better sound. Finally, I give my compliments to the band for not giving up despite receiving some brutally harsh reviews for their debut.<br /><br /><strong> </strong><a class="METAL" href="http://www.wakingthecadaver.net/" target="_BLANK"><b>www.wakingthecadaver.net</b></a></p>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-24101549831769438102010-07-09T07:46:00.000-07:002010-07-09T08:12:46.372-07:00Music Reviews Part 2: Blistering.com<strong><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;">Early Graves - Goner</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">[6.5/10] Do you feel like jumping into a mosh pit and giving somebody a bloody nose for no reason? Do you have the urge to piss off your parents or a religious person, perhaps? Do you have 25 minutes to kill? Listen to Goner by Early Graves. They have risen from the remains, and dusted off the ashes of what used to be known as Apiary, having developed a new sound. The new sound is unprecedented with a unique combination of genres. Imagine thrash metal mixed with hardcore punk; pour and bake, and you have a delicious batch of some angry cupcakes! Goner this group's second album, has only just been released, and Early Graves are currently on a national </span><a class="iAs" style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal! important; FONT-SIZE: 100%! important; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1px; COLOR: #2b65b0! important; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #2b65b0 0.2em dotted; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent! important; TEXT-DECORATION: none! important" href="http://www.blistering.com/fastpage/fpengine.php/link/1/templateid/19783/tempidx/4/menuid/2#" target="_blank" itxtdid="7010638"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">tour</span></a><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"> in celebration.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">The album is filled with extreme, fast drumming, harmonic squeals, finger-shredding guitar riffs, and a bass that emulates thunder, all covered by the vocals which sound like they could drill a hole in your eardrums. The majority of the songs include these aspects throughout, and this is outstanding if you would like to hear the same thing over and over, but not so much if variation is what you appreciate in music. Now, Early Graves has something promising in their grasp, but they need to kick it up a notch and step out of the box a bit, or they may meet their own early grave.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Personal favorites on this album include "May Day" and "Wraiths" but for differing reasons. "Wraiths" stands out because it is stylistically different from the rest of the tracks. It has a slower tempo and the drums lean closer to a rock beat. It is a refreshing break. Aspects of this song send out the impression of pain and resentment. "May Day" paints pictures of various events using different musical techniques as brush strokes. In the beginning, the guitars resemble the rumble of helicopter blades beating the air. Then slowing down, and emphasizing the drums and the bass, this song sounds like it is coming to a close, but it is only halfway finished. One might be able to imagine the earth rapidly racing toward your flight craft, visions of memories flashing in slow motion as you face your premature death. Hope is lost, and the final signs of life disappear after a hair-raising guitar shriek. </span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">We are introduced to a fantastic solo at the end of "Bastard Tears," and backing vocals in "Give Up" and "Harm" adds some variation in this album. "Old Bones" contains interesting riff patterns. Harmonic squeals and shrill feedback contribute toward the uniqueness of this band, but are overused. The band are skilled musicians and they have presented us with a new take on metal genres illustrated in ten short tracks. Whether they create Goner 1.5 or continue to change and develop the unique style they have created for themselves, only time will tell what Early Graves will bring to the table next.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /><a class="METAL" href="http://www.myspace.com/earlygravessf" target="_BLANK"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">www.myspace.com/earlygravessf</span></a><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Dark Haven - Fallout</span></strong><br /><br />[8.5/10] A dying music box feebly tinks out the distorted notes of the theme song from Love Story. Wind blows, leaves rustle. There is close to no life left from our civilized world after an atomic bomb has exploded. Suddenly, heavy guitars come stomping in and break the silence. Dark Haven positioned atop a towering cliff, play over the Earth's remains. "Skyscraper" reduces everything to ashes leaving us questioning what it all means. Dissecting the tangled mess of reasons that caused the end of humanity, Dark Haven presents the world with our very own Fallout. They must determine whether this world is worth rebuilding or if we are undoubtedly destined to be destroyed. It is too late. The dust has cleared, and no life will remain.<br /><br />Looking for answers we are surrounded by conflict, both externally and internally. Outward, in "Aphelion," meaning the point in its orbit when Earth is farthest from the sun, everything is beyond reach. The guitars in this piece exude tragedy with an elegant quality. Varying vocal patterns and styles add emphasis to the words. Inside, feeling helplessly trapped, surrounded by walls, life resembles an insane asylum. We reach a breaking point and run screaming through the halls; throwing chairs and pulling out hair. A melancholy bass calmly puts his hand on our shoulder and leads us back inside. The keyboard emphasizes the feeling of defeat and mournful, repetitive screams are filled with anguish as reluctant acceptance sets in.<br /><br />For a debut full-length album, Fallout is indeed a statement. Dark Haven have been around for the last six years, laying low in Southern California's wine country. After they produced an EP titled Your Darkest Hour in 2005 and went on tour, Dark Haven found the message they wished to represent in Fallout. Like most bands, they have encountered the struggle of a changing line-up. Their current members include: Brennan Kilpatrick (Guitar), Don Linneman (Vocals), Nate Falzon (Drums), Ryan Kilpatrick (Bass), and Lance Orosco (Keyboard). The songs are about humanity and what will come if we do not change now.<br /><br />The lyrics in "Shades of Ivory" demonstrate one aspect of this message. Beginning with keys, a calm intro, we then become acquainted with slow, tortured bellows, higher-pitched screams, fast drums, and Kilpatrick's fingers dancing across the fret board. At the end, we are directed to take a moment to breathe and reflect on what is happening, like taking a long drive down a winding dirt road. Both this song and "Malice" suggest an angry sadness. The beginning of "Malice" tells us to get our asses up out of our chairs and down into the pit, because something major is about to happen. This song is ferocious; full of chaos and energy, but would not be complete without the sorrowful solo and clean vocals.<br /><br />Let's not forget to mention the song about Vikings! "Azimuth" is a term used in navigation. This track musically mimics the sounds of waves crashing and a boat rocking in certain sections. Clean vocals and hearty growls mixed together create an interesting effect. Harmonizing guitars and slower, this song is characteristically different from the rest.<br /><br />It is not very often that we can find an album that captures our attention from beginning to end. From catching our breath after "Abysmal Horror", to holding our heads with regret and remorse from the song, "Through Dying Eyes," we are left wanting more. Dark Haven have been hiding in the shadows for the last six years, finding their direction and perfecting their sound. However, with the release of their first full-length album, accompanied by a newly posted internet music video for "Abysmal Horror," Dark Haven are quickly starting to show that they are on their way!<br /><br /><a class="METAL" href="http://www.darkhavenmusic.com/" target="_BLANK">www.darkhavenmusic.com</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Lightning Swords of Death - The Extra Dimensional Wound</span></strong><br /><br />[6/10] If you've never heard of Lightning Swords of Death before, and have come across their album The Extra Dimensional Wound, you might be intrigued. First of all, the band name is unusual, and one may wonder if these people are actually serious. It sounds like they are trying too hard to sound brutal, or maybe English is their second language.<br /><br />Upon further investigation we discover that the band is based in Los Angeles, so most likely there is no language barrier. We also learn that Lightning Swords of Death is taken from part of the name of a film from the 1970's, Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades which was titled Shogun Assassin 2: Lightning Swords of Death upon release in the United States. Also, the album cover is quite detailed and depicts death with a bit of mystery; seeming to tell a story. In a recent interview with Lightning Swords of Death (hereafter known as LSOD), when referring to the album art, they stated, "The image depicts the polymorphic, emanations of living chaos erupting from the extra dimensional wound (a rip in the membrane that defines the hyper-modular latticing of the multiverse)." For lack of a better expression...huh? Did this guy just exude a higher intelligence? Anyone can projectile psychic disfigurements of crepuscular proportions. Just pick up a thesaurus and start making shit up!<br /><br />The way this band expresses itself in writing reminds me of Seth Putnam's (Anal Cunt) side project Impaled Northern Moonforest. With knee-slap drums and song titles like "Grim and Frostbitten Moongoats of the North" and "Gazing at the Blasphemous Moon While Perched atop a Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Forsaken Crest of the Northern Mountain," one cannot help but to be amused. This style of writing and song titling is definitely entertaining, but, unfortunately for LSOD, it does not carry over into their music.<br /><br />The Extra Dimensional Wound contains little variety, especially in the first half of the album. The guitar riffs are unoriginal and unimaginative. They hover in the safe zone of low tones and hardly surface into the higher octaves. There is nothing to keep the listener interested. To be fair, it is not all bad. The bass is distorted throughout most of the album, and in "The Extra Dimensional Wound" the vocals bring to mind the sound of cracking branches smothered by a ghost, and later suggest sounds of howling wind. The drums shine at the end of "Nihilistic Stench" and in "Invoke the Desolate One" it becomes apparent that this band is comparable to Dark Funeral.<br /><br />Everything changes once we arrive at "Zwartgallig," however. Hope returns during this short and sweet track with clean guitar. Even though this instrumental song is gloomy, it is the most interesting out of all eight tracks. It suggests the numb aftershock of a long battle; scanning the masses for a glimpse of life. If LSOD were to take the style shown in this song and insert it into any section of the others, for variation, it would make them much more enticing. Also, the final track, "Paths to Chaos" is another song that shows this group is capable of variation. It is more interesting than the rest because it goes beyond what LSOD have presented to us until now. Heavy drum beats and lead guitar followed by ambient rolls of thunder make this song stand out from the rest. In my opinion, for the next album, the elements of this song should be developed and expanded.<br /><br />"Venter of the Black Beast" slows everything down for dramatic effect and incorporates long, tormented roars. In this song it sounds like the musicians are either on drugs or half asleep while playing, which, research shows, may not be far from the truth. "Vorticating into Scars" is personally disturbing. Do you know what "vorticating" means? Probably not. It’s not really a word.<br /><br />On the other hand, LSOD must be doing something right. They have been fortunate enough to land themselves with a major record label and <a class="iAs" style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal! important; FONT-SIZE: 100%! important; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1px; COLOR: #2b65b0! important; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #2b65b0 0.2em dotted; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent! important; TEXT-DECORATION: none! important" href="http://www.blistering.com/fastpage/fpengine.php/link/1/templateid/19814/tempidx/4/menuid/2#" target="_blank" itxtdid="7010638">tour</a> with well-known bands. Also, viewers say they put on an extraordinary live show. This album is LSOD's second professional recording experience, and they have potential. Let's hope that it continues to grow.<br /><br /><a class="METAL" href="http://www.myspace.com/lightningswordsofdeath" target="_BLANK">www.myspace.com/lightningswordsofdeath</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Allegaeon - Fragments of Form and Function</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br />[8/10] It's hard to put a finger on the sound that Allegaeon has given to us. We are presented with music that consistently hops from one metal genre to another within a single song, like wormholes of music. This band is relatively new to the music scene, and consists of accomplished musicians. Fragments of Form and Function does not entail songs about subjects that are stereotypically metal, like female mutilation (which I can personally appreciate), Satan, or death and destruction. Instead they cover topics such as science, evolution, space, and time. Described as extreme melodic metal and melodic technical death metal, there are aspects of death metal, and hints of metalcore and modern hardcore intertwined.<br /><br />After we are led into the album with a low rumble and mysterious ascension in "The Cleansing," it quickly becomes obvious that Allegaeon has talented musicians. An elongated window-shattering guttural scream, pounding drums, and rapid technical rollercoaster riffs are some pieces of the evidence. Followed by "The Renewal," Allegaeon moves in and out of tough death metal riffs and deathcore melodies in this energetic track. Jordon Belfast (drums), Ryan Glisan and Greg Burgess (guitars), Ezra Haynes (vocals/lyrics), and Corey Archuleta (bass) state that their songs are about "...science related theories." This is showcased in "Across the Folded Line." Most likely, the title of this song refers to a quantum physics theory about folds in time and brain function. The beginning sounds like we are blasting through space. With intense drumming and guitars buzzing and fluttering like insects soaring through space we are "symmetric in time across the folded line."<br /><br />By the time we get to "The God Particle," however, the flittering melodic guitar solos start to get uninspiring. Needless to say they are phenomenally played; tearing up and down the music scales, running circles around the other instruments, and the drums are particularly ambitious. Nevertheless, something is missing. What is it? The heart, the passion, the feelings that a melodic solo should invoke. It is disappointingly empty. One may argue that songs about science and evolution should not include emotion and passion as a requirement because they are based on such logical and factual topics. Wrong. Science may be able to be reduced to "finite compounds," but music is infinite, and we should not settle for routine.<br /><br />That being said, we know that Allegaeon are completely capable of stepping over that boundary, and doing something unique and creative, just by listening to "Accelerated Evolution." With a vivid impression of a muddy earthquake from the vocals, and super fast drums to start, about halfway through the song something happens. We are suddenly whisked into a new dimension of sounds, breaking out of the typical characteristics of the genre into something completely different, yet still retaining the unique sound that is Allegaeon. Personally speaking, this is the best track. This part of the song is absolutely delightful and really makes the album shine. More of this type of innovative creating is needed to make Allegaeon stand out from other bands of this genre. This section of “Accelerated Evolution" is animated, saddening, and fierce all at once. Bravo.<br /><br />Not sure what to think? It's definitely worth giving Fragments of Form and Function a listen, especially if you like the metalcore and hardcore style of metal. The words, unlike other bands, can mostly be deciphered within the deep growls without losing their gruff quality. The vocals are comparable to Randy Blythe from Lamb of God, as well as some of the instrumental aspects. There are Dream Theater sections of solo after mind-blowing solo, and some parts reminiscent of Killswitch Engage. There is something about life, philosophy, and this world that can be learned just by listening, and that is not something we come by frequently.<br /><br /><a class="METAL" href="http://www.myspace.com/allegaeon" target="_BLANK">www.myspace.com/allegaeon</a>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-85899750740384498412010-06-18T23:16:00.000-07:002010-06-18T23:28:59.551-07:00Music Reviews for Blistering.com<span style="font-family:courier new;">I recently began writing for a website focusing on metal music and these are my first contributions. The review for Ana Kefr has not been posted yet, but it is well worth the read in my opinion!</span><br /><br /><div align="left"><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Ana Kefr - Volume 1 (Musesick Records)<br />By Sara Heitman (</span></strong><a href="mailto:siinraapi@gmail.com"><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">siinraapi@gmail.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">)<br />[9.5/10]<br /></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Clouds twirl in the wind. There is a rumble of thunder. We brace for the storm about to roll in. That storm is Ana Kefr. Hailing from the Inland Empire area of Southern California, Ana Kefr has just celebrated the one-year anniversary of the release of their debut album, Volume 1. People do not tend to expect much from a band that has been established for less than 2 years. However, Ana Kefr is here to show just how severely people are mistaken.<br /><br />The cover of Volume 1 is simple and modest, yet intriguing. The blue disc winks at you and smiles coyly as it slips inside the player. A page turns. Your relationship begins. In the first chapter, the captivating clean vocals of frontman Rhiis D. Lopez draw you in. The alluring Arabic lyrics translate simply, "I think, therefore I am infidel," a phrase you will soon declare proudly.<br /><br />However, don't be mistaken. This album should not to be taken lightly. It is not for the faint of heart, the easily offended, or the politically correct. It is not for those who refuse to accept reality and truth. Ana Kefr is the hand of Truth. Volume 1 is the slap in the face. That, my friends, becomes immediately apparent with "The Day that Guilt Turned White," followed shortly by "T.ruthless," and emphasized by "Takeover." These three songs are like steel-toed kicks to the face, putting back the jaw that just fell to the floor! Ana Kefr's overall sound is too difficult to classify under one or even several metal genres. If necessary, imagine black-progressive-metal-rock with classical undertones. Aware of this, Ana Kefr decided to coin "philosophy metal" as a new genre to encompass their unique sound.<br /><br />No relationship would be complete without transformation and the tragedy of loss. A quality of grace and beauty has been given to death and anguish in the heartfelt songs "Avenue of the Queen" and "Orchid." Drowning darkness and crying guitars. Heart-wrenching keyboard solos and Lopez's versatile vocals expressing a wide range of intense emotion. All take center stage. Original founding members Bryce Loeffler (drums) and Trent Pichel (guitar) have also gracefully loosed the relationship ties of the band since Volume 1, leaving co-composers Kyle Coughran and Rhiis D. Lopez to continue executing Ana Kefr's message.<br /><br />Acquiring three new members in 2010, Ana Kefr perseveres, scattering infidelity across the world. Fans agree the new members have proven themselves worthy of the task after they recently recorded the single track "Tonight We Watch the Children Fucking Burn." It was Ana Kefr's one-year anniversary of Volume 1 digital release. The infidel fans are now anxiously anticipating what is to come next from this progressive, philosophical metal band. The book of Volume 1 may have closed, but the legacy continues. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Related links: </strong></span><a href="http://www.anakefr.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>www.anakefr.com</strong></span></a></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"><strong>The Funeral Pyre - Vultures at Dawn (Prosthetic Records/Creator Destructor/Forest Moon)<br />By Sara Heitman (</strong></span><a href="mailto:siinraapi@gmail.com"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"><strong>siinraapi@gmail.com</strong></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">)<br />[8.5/10]<br /></span></strong><br />They say they are "a metal band with no ambition or hope. [They] have given up on people and life." If that were so, The Funeral Pyre would not have produced this exceptional album! Vultures at Dawn, their fourth studio release, is one of those albums that grows on you like moss on a gravestone. Described as melodic black metal, Vultures at Dawn presents a mix of both traditional and modern aspects of the black metal genre. Current members include James Joyce and Justin Garcia (guitars), Alex Hernandez (drums), John Strachan (vocals), and Adam Campbell (bass). Since forming in Southern California in 2004, they have steadily been producing completed works every other year.<br /><br />"Personal Exile" has to be the best song on the album. Drums take the spotlight with a tribal sounding beginning, and beats counting down to your execution. Chaotic and energetic, unconventional sounds paired together keep this piece interesting from beginning to end. "Monolith", as implied by the name, stands alone. It is the only doom metal song on the album. Slow, painful death. Mournful screams like gargling stones. The album art from The Nature of Betrayal is what came to mind during this song, and depicts the mood portrayed precisely. Then, like faces plunged into cold water, we are brought back into reality by the fast beats of "Blistering Hands."<br /><br />"Vultures" is the first track, and starts this album off on an eerie, creeping foot. The opening seconds sound like warning sirens; high pitched tones capturing your senses like eyelids forced open. When it slows down, it is even more ominous and powerful. Continuing to keep goosebumps propped up on the listeners flesh, we are brought to what sounds like the beginning of a zombie horror movie and begin "Destroying Gods." The guitars, seeming to moan at times, portray a quality of sadness and pleading and are complemented by the drums. The music and vocals, especially in this track, are somewhat reminiscent of Bathory and Burzum. <br /><br />In the end, we are left "To Watch the Earth Rot." Fast paced drums with distorted guitars create the perfect head-banging music or background music to stomping on dead bodies. As a whole, this album grows on you and then it stays with you, like a heroin addiction. It will terrify your grandmother or a small child. It will stab your sister and leave her to rot and be eaten. Perhaps, vultures will find her at dawn. You are left without ambition or hope, surrounded by darkness. That is when you know you are experiencing superb black metal.<br /><br /><strong>Related links: </strong></span><a href="http://www.myspace.com/thefuneralpyre"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>www.myspace.com/thefuneralpyre</strong></span></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong> </strong></span><a href="http://www.thefuneralpyre666.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>www.thefuneralpyre666.blogspot.com</strong></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong> </strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"><strong>Trident - World Destruction (Regain Records)<br />By Sara Heitman (</strong></span><a href="mailto:siinraapi@gmail.com"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"><strong>siinraapi@gmail.com</strong></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">)<br />[7.5/10]<br /></span></strong><br />According to bass guitar player Alexander Friberg, "We have only one plan, one goal. That is to conquer the fucking world...show the people that Trident are here to stay...and we don't fuck around." Those are some daring ambitions for a band like Trident who have only been present since late 2007. The members of this newly formed blackened death metal band from Sweden, however, are no strangers to the music world. With the exception of the lead guitarist Ewo Solvelius, each musician has come from a background of previously established bands. Johan Norman, the rhythm guitarist, originally played with Soul Reaper and Dissection. Alex was previously in Necrophobic and Karneywar, and Tobias Sidegard, the vocalist, was also from Necrophobic. Jonas Blom, the drummer, played with Grief of Emerald. They came together to create a new sound. The result? World Destruction.<br /><br />A dramatic introduction. Open curtains. We are dragged into "The Trident" with slow, melodic metal. Drums, strings, and woodwinds. The majestic three-pronged spear rises slowly from beneath a darkened abyss. Abruptly, we are smacked straight down to hell to meet the "Jaws of Satan." Helplessly clinging by fingertips, slipping from the sharp fangs of the dark lord himself. Complete with blast beats and killer shreds, this is the most monumental song. It is energetic and angry. With a close second, "Luciferian Call" creates a frightful feeling. Imagine slowly searching for the killer who still sits inside your home. Suspiciously look around the corner of each riff and fear is in your heart. This one has sad and tragic moments with slow and pleading screams. In the end, all hope is lost and everything is dark.<br /><br />Trident's style could be compared to the newly surfacing blackened death metal band Hate, from Poland, although not as extreme. Trident's vocals remain true to the black metal genre, rather than descending into the guttural growls which trademark death metal. They bring to mind the sound of a saw ripping through wood. For a debut album, the music is very well written and clearly recorded. It is important for music lovers to hear what each instrument is contributing to completely absorb the overall sound. This is true, especially with the level of intensity that Trident brings with World Destruction. All of the musicians in this band are obviously very talented; however, being talented and being innovative are two different things. There are unique pieces in each song that end up being drowned out by sounds that you would generally expect to hear from any other band of this genre.<br /><br />In "Nemesis," the guitars emulate a sound as though they are sliding around and then bouncing off the walls with chaotic energy. The sliding guitar pulses follow the fast drums and angry growls. "Black Velvet Wings" presents an interesting technique where the guitars seem to mimic the distorted sound of an airplane's engine as it flies overhead. They become almost hypnotic with a to and fro pattern throughout "Stockholm Bloodbath," but you better stay on your toes with all the changes in timing. This would be a good song to play while running up and down the streets of Sweden smashing people's faces left and right! "Slaves to Anguish" grabs your attention with impressive guitar shreds in the beginning and leaves you feeling whipped and beaten to death by the drums. Threats of god sodomization signal “World Destruction," and the guitars toss their headstocks back with fluttery laughter. Buildings crumble and demolish. The countdown to the end.<br /><br />"Blackened Souls" and "Mephisto" represent the calm before the storm and the aftermath. "Blackened Souls" is the breather track of the album as the only instrumental piece. It has peaceful acoustic sounds with a movie soundtrack quality. Short, simple, and sweet. The smoke has cleared and it is now apparent that there is nothing left in "Mephisto." Slow-paced and mournful, we are led to the world's funeral with solo upon epic solo. A final ring out, and it is over.<br /><br />Overall, one can appreciate the work and thought put into the making of World Destruction. These are five talented musicians with an abundance of potential and a well-produced album. It is possible, because this is Trident's debut album, they have not quite found their own unique direction, which is a never-ending process for any band. However, their vision shines through in aspects of each song, and it would not be surprising if the next album that Trident releases is a powerful demonstration of their new set path.<br /><br /><strong>Related links: </strong></span><a href="http://www.myspace.com/tridentofficial"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>www.myspace.com/tridentofficial</strong></span></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong> </strong></span><a href="http://www.trident666.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>www.trident666.com</strong></span></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-88884778272130689292010-06-07T10:10:00.000-07:002010-06-07T10:12:24.639-07:00How to Stay Positive in a Changing EnvironmentWith some recent negativity circulating around the call center, a contest has been created to try to lighten up the mood, or something. The winner gets 2 tickets to Sea World. Rhiis and I put our heads together and this is what we came up with. You think it's a winner?<br /><br /><br />The pre-Socratic Greek philosopher Heraclitus once acknowledged that "nothing endures but change". Life itself, stripped to its fundamental root, is an infinite series of transformations and metamorphoses; a process that is indifferent to human convenience or preference. However, it is human nature to resist the relentless onslaught of change, and to create a sanctuary of stability and predictability for our own psychological comfort. Despite our need for repetition and pattern, does predictability really benefit us as much as embracing transformation could? When asked how one should stay positive in a changing environment, it is important to note the negative connotation attached to the word "change" in such a question. Our negative attitude towards transformation is apparent between the lines of the language we use to discuss it. Imagining a world without change, there would be no true learning experiences, adventure, risk, or opportunities for growth. There would be no place for personal reward or setting goals. Motivation to live a meaningful life would vanish because there would be no personal circumstances available for comparison. We would be forced to accept that what we have is what always will be - a fatalistic attitude entirely against the American spirit and contrary to the concept of capitalism. Change is the great perspective-giver, for every end is a new beginning, and every beginning an end.<br /><br />In nature, society, and in business, the true key to success is adaptation. The world operates by a "survival of the fittest" mentality and those who are most resistant to change, whether personally or environmentally, are the first to be left behind in the new world. It is the people who embrace and actively engage in transformation who are the forerunners of innovation and positive development. Had Benjamin Franklin been averse to change, we might now be living without the luxuries of electricity, prescription lenses, and libraries. In fact, we owe the foundation of the United States of America to a group of people who believed that change can create a better world. They understood that change will not be easy, but that it is always necessary. While our circumstances are, more often than not, the product of our own choices, the attitudes that we carry determine our personal outcomes. By remaining positive and open towards new circumstances and developments, we are better equipped, psychologically, to deal with the challenges that change may bring. As the saying goes, "necessity is the mother of invention." <br /><br />The greatest obstacle in remaining positive and open towards new developments is withstanding the endless barrage of negativity from the cultural mindset that we have been born into. This mindset has been conditioned to treat change with suspicion and fear, and to cling steadfastly to time-worn tradition no matter how meaningless and non-progressive that tradition may be. For the sake of progress, it is imperative to remain innovative in your own thought. You proactively formulate the way you will perceive and react to change rather than reactively accepting the picture that society has painted.<br /><br />To stay positive in a changing environment, it is important to focus on what we do have and do value, rather than what we may or may not have and what we fear. Above all, embrace challenge. Find a way to redefine your value as an individual in the newly forming environment or context. By doing this, you assert your worth as an individual, someone who isn't valuable in only one set of circumstances but one who can adapt and be versatile. Behind every cloud is a silver lining. To truly stay positive in a changing environment, we must change the way we perceive change.Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-37395827486521406312010-01-13T21:30:00.000-08:002010-01-13T21:38:36.637-08:00Christfuckmas<span style="font-family:arial;">This was going to be my next entry for the 2010 launch of the official Donnarc.net site, but unfortunately, due to an overwhelming amount of obstacles, Donnarc is no more. I feel this piece is worthy of sharing, and still fitting for the new year. Enjoy.<br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><strong>“Hold your breath, make a wish, count to three.” You have just survived the holidays. They get longer and more drawn out every year. Finally, it’s a new year- time for new beginnings, but also for retrospection.<br /><br />I used to like Christmas. I used to think it was a magical time. Working retail Christmas years ago killed that magic. I was pushed over the ho-ho-horrible edge! A glimpse of a candy cane and I am now ready to hurt somebody. I’d rather stick a skewer into my eyeball than hear about Jesus and his eight tiny reindeer, or Santa asleep in the manger! People only buy their mother-cousin-uncle-boss a gift because they feel like they have to give them something; it is tradition. Also, don’t forget the everlasting Christmas carols! All I wanted to do was to get away from Jesus fucking Christ-mas.<br /><br />So, I spent Christmas in Egypt. It was such a relief. There is virtually no Christmas in Egypt, and definitely no carols. What I hadn’t taken into account, however, was that a different kind of musical environment exists- this one year-round. The Adhan, Muslim call to prayer, starts around 5am everyday. A sheikh painfully howls the basic Muslim beliefs from mosques practically posted on every street corner. The words tumble across the land like moist nuggets of feces which are merrily slurped up by the submissive believer like a dog eating its own shit. This takes place five times a day, everyday, until the end of eternity. One becomes numb to it after a while. Eventually, however, it starts to become a handy time-teller throughout the day. It also made me notice just about how much music and religion go together- like eggnog and hard liquor.<br /><br />Music is a big part of religion; it’s so catchy it’s ingrained. It affects you on a subconscious level- much like brainwashing! It also appeals to one’s emotions, which makes for something difficult to resist. Muslims live for the reward of an after-world of pure imagination, and they use a musical prayer outlining their beliefs to remind themselves daily. One intriguing branch of Islam uses music for worship in a different way. Sufis are more or less the black sheep of Islam and are described as the mystical dimension of the sect. Slow and sedate music accompanies the Sufi dance- a form of meditation designed to bring the dancer to a state of kemal or perfection. Allegedly, it reaches the soul of the dancer and awakens one’s consciousness. Spinning around in repetitive circles is compared to the movement of the planets around the sun. Everything from materials of the costume to the movements during the trance is symbolic of the steps toward purification. Witnessing the dance is like hypnosis, but it is colorful and passionate, and watching a man spin around in circles for an hour and a half is admirable on a certain level.<br /><br />Have religion and music always danced cheek-to-cheek like Jesus and Santa? For Christians, that is like asking the chicken-or-the-egg question. The chicken came first because it was created. For those of us living in a world where snakes only slither (as opposed to talking) and all fruit is acceptable (as opposed to forbidden), there are more educated answers for their origins. Religion came about shortly after the development of language about 50,000 years ago; the human brain was then large enough to comprehend philosophical ideas, yet not filter out superstition. The oldest musical instrument discovered is 35,000 years old and is a vulture-bone flute from Germany. This discovery shows a society which drank beer and partied around the campfire long before Creationists claim God created the universe. Let me guess, just like fossils, the Devil planted the evidence to lead us astray.<br /><br />Humor Judaic mythology for a moment and assume this is accurate. It makes perfect sense! After all, Lucifer was a musician, and is the prototype of a metal head! He was cast away from the obedient masses for having a rebellious attitude, pride, and refusal to conform. Like other angels, he started out child-like and naïve, but later he decided to exercise the ability to make choices and think. He didn’t do anything wrong except question authority and flirt with doubt. If there were a Handbook of Core Metal Values, Lucifer would be the author. Yet he received the ultimate punishment. Leading the “Fuck Authority” movement, his fall from grace served as the metaphorical seed of Metal buried in soil. I imagine his handbook’s opening sentence, “In the beginning, Lucifer said, ‘Let there be fucking Metal!’”</strong><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Rest in Peace, Donnarc.</span>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-85105406407743929862009-12-02T20:24:00.000-08:002009-12-02T20:31:40.189-08:00Rhiis D. Lopez @ Metal Assault Radio - Halloween SpecialThis is a video that my friend Rhiis, of Ana Kefr, posted about one of his experiences in Egypt. It was a true horror story that was aired on <a href="http://www.metalassaultradio.com/">Assault Metal Radio</a> Halloween this year.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MVPRXo-ZZdM&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MVPRXo-ZZdM&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-49538267528825435032009-11-02T09:55:00.000-08:002009-11-02T09:57:50.473-08:00MusevolutionThis was published November 1st, 2009 in the Donnarc Magazine webzine at <a href="http://www.donnarc.com/">www.donnarc.com</a><br /><br /><br /><br />If you’ve ever wondered how Metal music divided into a countless number of sub-genres, the answer is that God said, “Let there be sub-genres”, and it was so! Absurd, isn’t it? Lately, I have been reading about Creationism vs. Evolution, or in other words denial vs. logic, and when I examined the subject of Metal sub-genres, I found a very clear pattern of Metal’s evolution. I began pondering- evolution and music; survival of the fittest and sub-genres. Until now, I never connected the two. Evolution is ironically omnipresent- even in the world of music. Literally, it just takes time to notice the progression. Let’s rewind to the beginning of music, shall we?<br /> <br />It all started with a stick tapping on a taut piece of leather… Too far? Okay, we’ll fast-forward to good ol' Rock 'n Roll.<br /> <br />Metal stemmed from Rock 'n Roll starting in the late 1960s. I think of it as screeching tire-guitars careening towards car-crashing percussion, followed by gut-wrenching screams of agony and terror…but in a good way. It can sound like chainsaws on a chalkboard to some, and it is definitely not for the faint of heart. What those people do not realize, however, is how much creativity it takes to pull off this type of violence as art. It is liberating and destructive, opinionated and hateful. It began with fragile seeds from genres like blues, rock, and pop and it bloomed and hardened into the dense, malleable alloy we call Metal. Three pioneers stepped out onto a limb of creativity to try something new, launching the cathartic genre that the music world would not be the same without. Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath are immortal legends, and set the foundation for the trunk of the ancestral Metal-tree. Soon the genre branches began to grow.<br /> <br />And God said, “Let there be big hair,” and it was so! Remember when Glam Metal first started? That was one of the first Metal sub-genres to emerge in the late 1970s early 1980s. It was established by bands like Motley Crue and Poison and unfortunately made make-up and long, poofy hair a quality of early Metal. One would think that today’s theory of the Greenhouse Effect and the dangers of destroying the ozone layer would be enough to inspire a decline in hair-care product consumption. If only the hairspray and eyeliner would selflessly be cast aside to retire in an effort to save the planet. A lonely, dust-collecting vanity table could be all that remains of the narcissistic element to music, and we might be able to populate the Earth a little longer.<br /><br />However, there is a lot more to metal than leather pants, dark sunglasses, and studded gloves. It runs deeper than the Mesozoic Era fossils. The lyrics convey messages as penetrable as being impaled by a fork, or they can read as pure poetry, or both. It is an expression and release of all emotions; it is a catharsis, it is a drug. The early 1980s introduced our newly-shaped musical drug to cocaine. After copulation, Thrash Metal was born breech, kicking and screaming. Angry and irritable, Thrash Metal was gnawing away at the umbilical cord to break free, baring its baby fangs and shaking its little fetus fist at the world from day one. Metallica, Anthrax, Megedeth and Slayer are known as the “Big Four” of Thrash Metal and are the androgynous parent of yet further sub-genres. From deep within the bowels of Thrash, two more prevalent categories were excreted: Death Metal and Black Metal.<br /><br />Death Metal is the namesake of the band called Death, and can you guess what their songs are about? Death. Deep, guttural growls characterize these songs, like dirty nails clawing from the underworld through one’s throat. Have you ever tried to imitate noises like this? It’s not easy. I’ve tried, and everything comes out sounding like a meat sandwich. Morbid Angel is another original band of this genre. Some of their songs are about Hell’s fire and the devil. Suffering and torture. Such happiness! It almost reminds me of some of the verses in the Koran…almost. Death Metal’s brother, Black Metal, did not stray too far from this style. Black Metal is more widespread in Norway and is kicking up quite a storm. It is associated with church-burnings and murder, but that’s another story. It is Satanic, yet ambient. Dark, yet melodic. It is epic and evil and I have two words for you: Dimmu Borgir.<br /><br />There is no end to the number of sub-genres in existence. It is impossible to keep track of all of them. Like many unknown species, there are genres in the world, waiting to be named. One last genre necessary to mention is Philosophy Metal- music whose lyrical content “matches the violence and fury of the deliverance and vocals” ~Rhiis D. Lopez. Rather than using a morphed combination of genres like Powercore Black Glamdeath Metal, to falsely name an example, the term Philosophy Metal was created for a genre never heard before. People have attempted to compare other bands or describe it with other sub-genres, but Ana Kefr is a band that stands alone. This is music that requires you to think. It stretches deep down to the roots and asks you to question who you are and what you stand for. The lyrics are fierce and address real-world issues. Now, there are other bands who have written about political, social, and controversial issues, but not many have the determination and motivation to act upon the words they scream. They are not stepping out on that creative limb to take a risk with their music. Philosophy Metal is not music for the sake of music. Philosophy Metal is the message, and it is living that message. As for the sound, there is no all-encompassing set of adjectives to describe it. As a fan, I am stepping out on the aforementioned limb by saying they are the greatest band I have ever known. I’ll admit, I’m partial, but let the music speak for itself by listening. For now, let me clarify my bias by introducing myself. My name is Sara Heitman, and I am the Merch Girl for Ana Kefr.<br /><br />In my opinion, the Merchandise Representative, or less politically-correct term, "Merch Girl" for a band must know a little about a lot of things. Knowing the band inside and out allows me to answer questions anyone may have. I need to have contact information and future show dates ready for reporters and other bands who are interested. It is necessary to know about the message behind the music, what certain songs are about, how they came up with their name, and what the hell it means! Commonly I am asked questions like where did these guys come from? And, how long have they been together? Then there’s the occasional drunk bitch who toddles over asking where the bathroom is. I prefer to be educated, updated, and informative about the band rather than a dumb post behind a table. By knowing, I am effectively selling as well as representing while they are on stage rocking the joint! I am a big part of the band, yet I’m not a part of it at all. So, I have taken the role of Merch Girl and am renovating it. I can’t tell you how many concerts I have attended where the Merch Person looks distracted, uninterested, half-dead, or is just plain rude. Not I. I am friendly and professional, but when Ana Kefr steps on stage, the hair comes down and the middle fingers warm up. You’ll consistently see me screaming along with the lyrics and flipping off the so-called heavens, despite the people walking past with strange looks. Sadly, not many Merch People do that. Personally, I continue to educate myself with research. I am learning about various aspects of music to increase my value as a representative of Ana Kefr and, of course, because it is interesting. So, with this, I share my research and my perspective from the outside. I present The Merch Girl’s Guide to Mostly Music, discussing these various aspects and whatever else I feel like throwing in.Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-16491152683771948122008-08-19T13:01:00.000-07:002008-08-19T13:07:52.422-07:00The End?Events in your life are steadily becoming more and more frequent. You find yourself with less time to write down the past- but we only make time for the things we want to do, right? Does this mean you no longer want to continue with your Egyptian adventures? You are not sure. You are still determined to finish your story, but it feels like there is still so much more to tell. It will just take more time. You assure your readers, if any left, that life has become much more stable in a country filled with people less intolerant to "foreigners". But really, what is <em>foreign</em> these days, anyway?<br /><br />To be continued...<br /><br />You have the next segment of your adventure ready to post, but are currently experiencing technical difficulties with memory sticks.Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-5180913189587942682008-07-03T16:23:00.000-07:002008-07-03T16:25:22.461-07:00Halfway<span style="font-family:courier new;">You are halfway through your trip’s experience and are getting tired of rewinding your life’s story. You are ready to move into the present, but you are still determined to be patient and continue. You do decide, however, to “kick it up a nickel” without leaving out any important stuff. You also realize that if you stopped writing about what you will be writing, you might have been done writing it by now!<br /><br />You and your felucca crew have now arrived at the temple of Kom Ombo. Everyone’s belongings are transferred from the covered truck to a new microbus. Most people have bigger bags, which are tied to the roof of the bus. You, on the other hand, have three smaller bags, and no one (including you) wants your bags to travel on top. You also don’t feel safe about leaving them sitting inside the bus, so you carry two of them along with you. All of you are excited to explore a new temple, except Ale who still feels weakened from her troubled stomach, but she still joins you.<br /><br />Kom Ombo is a unique temple. It is mostly outside and is dedicated to two different gods. Because of this, it was built symmetrically and has twin entrances, twin courts, twin colonnades, twin hypostyle halls, and twin sanctuaries. In ancient times, the city of Kom Ombo was known for being a military base as well as a trading center between Egypt and Nubia. It also used to be a place where sacred crocodiles collected and came to be known as Pa-Sebek (Land of Sobek), after the crocodile god. The temple itself is dedicated to Sobek and Haroeris (meaning Horus the elder). It originally began as a project by Ptolemy VI, but most of it was completed by Cleopatra VII’s father, Ptolemy XII.<br /><br />From the temple of Kom Ombo, it is about an hour ride to your next destination: the temple at Edfu. By this time both Ale and Ana were wiped out, Rob had seen the temple before and already had a torn calf muscle, so he opted out as well. The only able-bodied Edfu explorers were you and Tom.<br /><br />Edfu is a temple dedicated to the god Horus. It is a striking sight from the outside, as a large pylon decorated with giant hieroglyphs, depicting heroic skull-smashing battle scenes, comes into view from the cemented walkway. On each side of the entrance are two life-size, precise granite sculptures of Horus himself. According to the “Lonely Planet” Edfu is the “most completely preserved Egyptian temple.” Somewhat coincidentally, this temple was also completed by Cleopatra’s father Ptolemy XII, after being initially constructed by Ptolemy III 237 years before year 1.<br /><br />Inside the temple, you are bombarded by numerous tour groups. They inconsiderately stand in the middle of your way as their guide flaps his or her gums. You have no problem elbowing your way through in order to see what you came here for- absolutely everything. You walk in and explore every chamber you find, snapping pictures along the way. You feel a certain responsibility to capture the essence of the temple for those who were not able to join you.<br /><br />Whilst wandering around, attempting to escape herds of tourists, you accidentally find yourself in what you later find out to be the Passage of Victory. It is a narrow passageway between the temple and its outer protective walls. Not unlike other temples, the passageway is completely covered in hieroglyphs, which you later read to be pictures of battles between Horus and Seth during the annual Festival of Victory.<br /><br />In the end, Ale decides to join the exploration. Together you complain about the tourists, and exit the temple into the hot blistering sun. The exits of most ancient sites are designed so that everyone must pass by a colorful array of overpriced touristic souvenirs in order to escape. You torture the vendors with interested eyes but sharp stabbing, “NO!’s” and re-enter the microbus heading to Luxor. </span>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-63986957947005135552008-06-20T17:27:00.000-07:002008-06-20T17:29:45.049-07:00Yahtzee<span style="font-family:courier new;">You make the final preparations for your departure from Aswan. As you are shoving your belongings neatly into your back-pack, the receptionist peeks his head in the door.<br /><br />“<em>Um, Sara. When you finish with that, I want to talk to you.”<br />“Okay. What about?”<br />“When you finish.”<br /></em><br />The receptionist no longer has the ability to inspire negative emotion from you. You are ready to leave and never see his pudgy-ugly little face again. Ten minutes later, however, he comes back to your room. In his sun-stained hands he holds a steaming hot glass of traditional Egyptian tea and a cup of sugar with a spoon. He pathetically attempts to convey a puppy-dog face of apology, silently offers the cup of tea and sugar, and walks away.<br /><br /><em>“That’s weird,” you think.<br /></em><br />It is not usual for anyone to give tea unless asked for- especially if not on good terms. You wonder what he is up to. You wonder if he put something in the tea to make you sick. You look in it, swirl it, smell it, and set in on the shelf. You finish loading your bags, pour the tea down the sink, and make your way downstairs to check out.<br /><br /><em>“Oh, you’re leaving?”<br />“Yeah. So what did you want to talk about?”<br />“I wanted to tell you I was so angry with you for going somewhere else for your felucca. Why you didn’t ask me?”<br /></em>Smirking, you reply, <em>“It doesn’t matter. I’m leaving. Halos, it’s finished. I got my own felucca. Goodbye.” Your pulse is racing. You begin to walk toward the door, but you pause, face him, and say, “And maybe next time you shouldn’t lie!”</em> You walk out.<br /><br />Back at the hotel where you made your felucca arrangements, someone arrives to lead you to your felucca which is a small sailboat. Boards across the center of it create a seating/laying area when covered with mattresses and sheets. There are two small cubby-hole sections at the front. One is for stepping into the boat as well as an under-board access. Your bags are stored underneath the boards. The only way to get to them is to crawl underneath. The other section, on the opposite side, is the kitchen area. It consists of a giant Bunsen burner covered by a rack to form a stove. This is where your next 6 meals will be cooked. Already aboard are two of your boatmates: Ale, a.k.a. Mudfoot, from Argentina and Tom, a.k.a. Mr. Lippy, from Australia.<br /><br />You sit with Tom and Ale for about 2 hours talking about the experiences all of you have been having in Aswan, how many people are trying to rip each of you off, and what kind of sexual harassment has been faced. After a while, you all begin to wonder if the boat is ever going to leave the dock. Eventually, two more Australians arrive. They are Ana and Rob. The five of you have boarded and you set sail.<br /><br />The next day-and-a-half are intentionally uneventful. The five of you get to know each other, relax, play Yahtzee and enjoy the pleasant breeze. There are a few tipping scares after some unexpected gusts of wind, enjoyable meals, sun block, and music. A teenage boy rows past on a boat made of empty water bottles in a plastic bag. Some Egyptian monkeys try to follow Ana and Ale to watch as they search for a bush to pee. Cruise ships dominate the water, providing a constant rocky sleep. By the last morning, Ale and Ana have weak stomachs.<br /><br />Finally it is time to exit your loyal boat, “The Nile Dancer”, and pile into a covered truck. The covered truck will take you to your next destination: the Temple of Kom Ombo.</span>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-23115121134907611542008-06-14T17:30:00.000-07:002008-06-14T17:39:48.188-07:00History<span style="font-family:courier new;">You are stuck in the past. You don’t even exist in the same country anymore, but you are determined to continue with your story. You remind others that the following events occurred just under two months ago…<br /><br />The next day, in Aswan, you settle your felucca situation. Following new directions, you find yourself in the lobby of a hotel, close to the original one you visited. It is dimly lit, poorly decorated, and furnished with a small seating area and television. Soon, you are introduced to “Jack” and make arrangements for a three-day, two-night tour. “Jack” asks you for a favor. You are skeptical, at first, but realize you can always decline later. “Jack” wants you to help him on the computer. He says that his English skills are intermediate when it comes to speaking and listening, but reading and writing are much more challenging. He has received an e-mail from a client who also speaks English as a second language and uses awkward structure. You are happy to help- after all this has become your specialty.<br /><br />After translating and responding to a couple different e-mails, “Jack” is so thankful that he treats you to an Egyptian-style dinner at local prices. It is nice to have a meal here other than pizza or eggs, cheese and bread.<br /><br /><em>“What will you do now?”<br />“Oh, I’m going back to my hotel. I don’t like being out at night, here.”<br /></em><br /><em>You want sex? I need fuck you.<br /></em><br />You make arrangements to meet with “Jack” the next day to complete the deal- meaning give him the money. The next day you wake up early. Today you plan to visit the Nubian Museum and Elephantine Island.<br /><br />The Nubian Museum is about half an hour walk from your hotel. The only way you know how to get there, without getting lost, is to walk the Corniche along the Nile River.<br /><br /><em>“You want felucca?”<br />“No, thank you.”<br />“Felucca?”<br />“No.”<br />“Good price. You know how much?”<br />“NO!”<br /></em><br />The Nubian Museum unfolds the story of Nubian history and culture from over 6,500 years ago to present day. It contains impressive artifacts, stunning jewelry, portrayals of ancient and modern Nubian life as well as detailed displays of the construction of the Aswan Dam. Even though you decided against visiting the Aswan Dam, you find this display particularly interesting. The construction of the Dam was an attempt to control the flow and irrigation of the Nile’s water. As predicted, the restriction allowed for more crops to be produced each year. Unfortunately, it also had an adverse affect. The water table rose so dramatically that it began submerging some of Aswan’s most treasured monuments. Ironically, the construction of the dam brought wealth to the country by yielding rich and plentiful harvests each year, but at the same time the country would be losing millions of dollars from the resulting detriment to its tourist industry. Something had to be done.<br /><br />A huge Unesco project involving many corporations, countries, and millions of dollars was put into effect. It involved the deconstruction and reconstruction of the monuments mentioned in a previous post. The result of this project is the monuments as we see them today.<br /><br /><em>“I still think it would have been better as an underwater dive tour.”<br />“Yeah, but then they wouldn’t make as much money.”</em><br /><br />You decide that your most pleasant memory of the day is being approached by four young Egyptian girls inside the museum. The oldest is 12 and the youngest, 6 or 7 years old. They surround you, asking questions like, <em>“where are you from?”, “what’s your name?”, “how old are you?”</em> The rest you can’t understand. You gather by the intonation of a mother figure in the distance that she is telling them to stop bothering you. They walk away smiling and waving. About ten minutes later, they come back. The oldest offers you a pen and tells you to take it. You accept. They ask if you have a mobile. You laugh and tell them your phone number. They never call you- or if they did, you didn’t answer.<br /><br />After the museum, you take the ferry over to Elephantine Island. The significance of Elephantine Island is that it was once the main source for trade of ivory and granite. It was also a renowned center for worshipping the Ancient Egyptian gods of Khnum, the creator of humankind and controller of the Nile’s water level, his wife Satis, and their daughter Anukis. The ticketed site on this island is the location of the ruins from their religious edifices. Here, there are some reconstructed temples, including one built by Queen Hatchepsut in honor of Satis, the ruins of a residential colony, and a cemetery for sacred rams. The rest of the island is filled with scattered Nubian homes made of mud-bricks, thatched roofs, and wooden doors with padlocks. Modern Elephantine families live here. It is open for people to walk around, but you feel a little awkward walking through the perimeters of their homes. You thoroughly wander about the island, however, as you get a bit lost trying to find the location of the ruins. After a few hours, you return to the mainland for the evening.<br /><br />You make the final arrangements with “Jack” for your felucca trip, departing the next morning- the next leg of your journey.</span>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-35744393840281335482008-06-01T12:26:00.000-07:002008-06-01T12:29:45.956-07:00Betrayal<span style="font-family:courier new;">You are still in Aswan. You have been here for two days, but you already feel you should leave or switch hotels. Shortly after you wake up, you are greeted by waves of cool air. One of your Japanese roommates paid extra to have air-conditioning for one day. You decide to stay inside today- at least until it cools down outside. After that, your task is to locate the recommended captain of a felucca boat.<br /><br />A felucca trip is an essential experience if traveling in Egypt. The felucca itself is a small sail boat. One can take it on a one-hour trip around Elephantine Island or Philae, or down-river from Aswan to Kom Ombo on a two-day cruise. The latter is the trip for which you are searching, but you must first find the hotel.<br /><br />You are unable to locate the hotel with the suggested captain, so you decide to ask another hotel nearby if they know him. They say yes but he is not in business anymore, and they would be more than happy to offer you the felucca package available from <em>their</em> hotel. You decline after the quoted price is more than the one from your own hotel. So you decide to return and inquire from there.<br /><br />Back in your hotel, you foolishly make it known that you sought help from another place. Suddenly, the receptionist, who was so nice to you in the beginning, has turned sour. Nevertheless, he says he will look into a felucca trip for you. You retire back to your room for some air-con relaxation, only to discover that the electricity doesn’t work- again. You spend a few hours watching a movie in the lounge area outside of your room. Later, you are approached by your two Japanese roommates and engage in a conversation which results in the decision to go out for pizza. Upon returning to the hotel, the light still does not work. The three of you ask the receptionist to fix it.<br /><br />The receptionist waddles up the stairs,<br /><em>“Oh, by the way, Sara, I checked for you about the felucca trip.”<br />“Oh yeah?”<br />“Yeah. They are all full.”<br /></em>I see.<br /><br />Apparently, your welcoming receptionist feels you have betrayed him. He has turned against you. You no longer feel you can ask him for or about anything. Suddenly you feel extremely uncomfortable here. You decide not to take a felucca. You also feel you should switch hotels. You start looking into other options, but none sound promising.<br /><br />In the meantime, you still have some sight-seeing to do here, so the next morning, you wake up, pack a day-bag, and cross to the West Bank, via public ferry, to visit the Tombs of the Nobles. Here there are tombs of revered men from ancient Elephantine. Surprisingly, there are few visitors today. You are able to roam around relatively hassle-free. There are six tombs which have been preserved and labeled, but there are numerous other nooks and crannies available to explore- so, you do.<br /><br />If someone had taken the time, thought, and dedication to properly preserve and excavate these tombs, the West Bank could be a series of easily-navigable, vast, underground channels, which could take years to fully search through. In reality, however, the only dedication made has been marked in the sand by human-produced liquid and the only time taken has been that to fill the emptied tombs with layers of rubbish. You carefully choose the ones you enter. You find piles of bones, bats and their droppings, trash, and creepy, dark spaces. One tomb that you enter stretches further than your flashlight can see. Inside, a cold feeling crawls over your skin. It says you should leave. Physically, you could have gone further, but you get scared about what you might find- or what might find you.<br /><br />The last sections you visit are joined tombs of a father and son, each with a long flight of stairs leading up to the entrance. Instead of returning the same way you came, passing by key-jingling guards, you decide to descend one set of these stairs. You do not believe anyone uses these steps today, as they have deteriorated over time, but you imagine that someone devotedly walked up and down them, every day, in order to visit a loved one. Your visit ends with a peaceful stroll along the bank of the Nile. A cool breeze sweeps the surface and accompanies your slow ride back to the East Bank.<br /><br />Upon returning from your four-hour excursion on the other side, you drink some fresh fruit juice, take a nap and a shower, and find some food. You come back to your room, and the light does not work. This time the receptionist’s solution is for you to switch to a room with a working light. For this room, there is one lock with two keys. After you have set up your new space, you receive a phone call convincing you to take a felucca trip- no matter what. You are given new information about the location of the hotel you could not find. You plan to stay here until you achieve this goal.<br /><br />Later on, you go out for another pizza with your roommate. You each take a key, and when you return,<br /><br /><em>“Sara! Why did you take the other key? This man has been sleeping on this couch for an hour! Do you think that is fair?”<br />“Maybe you should make another key.”<br /></em><br />Need a plan. Need a change. Need to leave. Need escape.<br /><br />Need to be continued... </span>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-68504778870537216362008-05-15T12:27:00.000-07:002008-05-15T12:31:38.705-07:00Journey<span style="font-family:courier new;">You have just arrived. This place you haven’t been to before. It is called Aswan, and it took you 16 hours to arrive by train. You exit the station and attempt to find your hotel.<br /><br /><em>“Hello? Do you need help?”<br />“No.”<br />“Are you sure? Do you know where you are going?”<br /></em>No.<br /><br />Finally you arrive and are greeted by the hotel reception. No sooner after you set down your luggage do they ask if you are interested in a day trip to Abu Simbel. You are, and now have arrangements to go there the next morning- at 3:30am.<br /><br />You locate your room, meet your new Japanese roommates, and attempt to make yourself at home. It is hot, but it could be worse. There are fans, and faucets full of cold water. Soon, you feel hungry and you wonder how you can find food.<br /><br /><em>“Do you know any good places to eat?”<br />“Don’t eat out there. If you do, they will shit you. I will get you food.”</em><br /><br />You agree, because you knew what he meant. The local people take joy in charging foreigners an arm and a leg. The receptionist (you never learned his name) comes back with enough boiled eggs, bread, jam, and spreadable cheese to last your for three days. You devour it in different combinations and think you like this place and could stay for a while.<br /><br /><strong>Abu Simbel</strong><br /><br />Abu Simbel is one of the most well-known sites to visit in Upper Egypt. It was created by Ramses II and was dedicated to the gods Ra-Harakhty, Amun, Ptah, and the great pharaoh himself. It was designed as a symbol of strength as the four colossal statues of Ramses overlook Lake Nasser. Since its construction, the temple has been buried by time, as well as rediscovered, deconstructed, and reconstructed due to rising water levels from the Aswan dam. It is truly a magnificent sight to behold. If only there weren’t so many damn tourists.<br /><br />The only way to travel to Abu Simbel these days is by police convoy. Everyone leaves around 3:45am from their hotels to gather up people from other hotels and are grouped together in a large tourist bus parade. The buses arrive together and everyone is given the same amount of time to explore the great temples. Inside, it is extremely hot and humid from the dense layers of tourist-breath. You shuffle along, trying to absorb the first temple’s beauty, admiring every inch of the hieroglyph-covered surfaces, and struggle to breathe at the same time. Pictures are forbidden inside the temples, but you manage to snap one- to spite them- and also because the inside is just as impressive as the outside.<br /><br />The next temple has a line to get inside. You don’t have much time to explore, so you pop in, and wait.<br /><br />The second temple is a Temple of Hathor and is dedicated to Queen Nefertari, Ramses’ wife. On the outside there are six standing statues- four of them represent Ramses and the other two, Nefertari. Inside there are pillars with detailed carvings of the goddess, Hathor herself. You try to snap a picture, but a monkey put his hand in front of your lens just as the shutter opened.<br /><br />After exploring the inside of both temples, you are not sure if there is more to see, but you have about half an hour left. You find a shady spot to sit down, and pull out your sack-lunch, provided by your prestigious $1.25 per night hotel. It consists of two pieces of pita bread, a boiled egg, a triangle of spreadable cheese, and a container of jam. Hmm. You ate this yesterday already, but it was good. You eat some more. Your water supply seems to be diminishing, and you see people heading down a shady cement path. You decide to follow them and hope there is water somewhere along the way.<br /><br />You realize that the shaded path is just the way out, and it looks like the only water supply is cold bottle drinks being sold in coolers for 5 times the price or inside the bathroom, for which there is a 10-meter line to get inside. Unsure of what to do, you walk around and see a small, air-conditioned enclosure marked “Visitor’s Center”. You decided to visit it. Inside is a display telling the story of the deconstruction and reconstruction of the temples which many countries and organizations took part, in order to keep the great monument from drowning. With great precision, it was dismantled and then reassembled in the same geographic location, but about 100 or so meters higher in elevation.<br /><br />Soon, you finish your visit at Abu Simbel, are able to get some more water, and climb back in the micro-bus to be taken to your next destination. About three hours later you stop in a place that familiarly looks like town. That is because it is town. Some people on your bus tour only signed up for the “short trip”, but you are in for the long haul. About half of the busload departs, and you happily stretch your legs out in the empty seat next to you.<br /><br /><em>“Now we are going to switch buses. Everybody off!”<br /></em>You knew it was too good to be true.<br /><br /><strong>Unfinished Obelisk<br /></strong><br />Your next destination is to see the “Unfinished Obelisk’. The obelisk is a large granite rectangoid of rock. It was abandoned because a flaw appeared on the rock, and left without any indication of what it was for. You heard from others that this abandoned monument is not worth paying to look at, but you had to see for yourself. It looks like a long rectangle of granite in a ditch, but you are glad you saw it.<br /><br />Next is the Aswan Dam. You heard from even more people that this is <em>really</em> not worth seeing, and you aren’t as enthusiastic about seeing it as the obelisk, so you choose to stay behind.<br /><br /><strong>Philae</strong><br /><br />After that is the Temple of Isis on Philae (Agilkia) Island. This temple was also rescued from the rising water table created by the Aswan Dam. It was disassembled and reassembled at a new location, 20 meters higher from its original position. This temple was built in honor of the goddess Isis, and was visited by pilgrims as late as the year 550.<br /><br />Wandering through the halls, temples, and sanctuaries dedicated to noteworthy Ancient Egyptian gods feels magical, and it is more pleasant to be in the sun during the later hours of the day, with less tourists bumping into you. You soak up every minute of your time available to spend here before it is time to take the motorboat back to shore.<br /><br />The microbus takes you back to the vicinity of your hotel and you conclude your “long trip” with a glass of fresh sugar cane juice. Later, you collapse on your bed, eventually take a shower, and eat leftover bread, cheese, eggs, and jam for dinner.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Coming Next…<br /><em>“Okay! Halos! I found my own trip. Maybe next time you shouldn’t lie! Goodbye.”<br /><br /></em>???<br /><br /><br /> </span>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-86023227010084808762008-05-10T04:07:00.000-07:002008-05-10T04:10:27.828-07:00The Answer<span style="font-family:verdana;">It’s a colorless, odorless predicament that is slithering under our noses. Its tiny tendrils have been developing into a single entity. This is the world’s food crisis.<br /><br />It is difficult for developed countries to comprehend the idea of an insufficient food supply. In countries such as the United States cities are littered with restaurants and cafés; supermarkets and convenience stores. Eating is a hobby for some. Daily media advertises food in brightly colored packages. Developed countries have a surplus of food and yet people are worried about eating less and are never worried about eating at all. Other countries are not quite so fortunate. For example, this year Zimbabwe had a significant grain shortage due to poor weather conditions, the value of the Zimbabwe dollar plummeted to Z$25,000,000 to 1USD, and the cost of food has inflated 100,000%. The average family needs to earn about Z$875,000,000 in order to survive, while still living in poverty, but most families earn only Z$1,000,000 per month. Needless to say, mere survival is a challenge. <br /><br />A world report about this dire situation aired on Aljazeera news and a few days later, continuing the article, another report aired on April 22nd, 2008. A short film segment captured a cargo ship as it chugged its way through murky waters. News reporters informed the world that it was on its way from China to Zimbabwe. What was on the ship? Rice? Flour? Corn? Water? No. Weapons.<br /><br />The cargo ship from China was filled with three million rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 1,500 rocket-propelled grenades, more than 3,000 mortar rounds and mortar tubes, and more according to the inventory report of a South African newspaper. Why would China be sending Zimbabwe weapons just after a violent election and in the middle of a severe food crisis? It turned out only to be an unfortunate coincidence and bad timing for a “perfectly normal trade” as stated by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu. Due to the radical situation that exists in Zimbabwe, the cargo was not accepted and the ship returned back to China. This occurrence inspired more research.<br /><br />According to the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), global food prices have risen 35% in the last year, and 65% since 2002. The price of wheat has doubled, maize increased by 50%, and rice by 20%. The cost of dairy has risen a staggering 80%. Prices of food have increased by 18% in China, 13% in Indonesia and Pakistan, and 10% or more in Latin America, Russia, and India. Meanwhile, there have been reports of death by starvation and riots in Egypt, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Madagascar, the Philippines, and Indonesia. What is the cause of this?<br /><br />“There is no one cause but a lot of things are coming together to lead to this,” stated Ali Gurkman, head of the F.A.O.’s food outlook program. The rise in oil prices, farmers switching to grow bio-fuels instead of food, extreme weather conditions, and rising demand are all contributing factors to the current world crisis.<br /><br />We are all aware the use of fossil fuels around the world has created turmoil and war between countries. As part of the plan to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, some countries have initiated a plan to produce larger quantities of ethanol and bio-fuels. For example, this year the United States is planning to retain one out of every four bushels of corn produced in order to manufacture ethanol. Similarly, it has recently been discovered that palm oil can be used to create bio-fuel. The use of this staple, for countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, has taken a toll on poor families and has displaced the land normally used to grow crops exported for human consumption as well as animal feed.<br /><br />Some possible solutions have been speculated in order to pacify the world’s hunger. The first, and simplest, is for markets to readjust prices when there are shortages of certain items to make it more profitable to grow crops for people rather than cars. Second, if people around the world reduced the amount of meat they consumed, more land could be used to produce food for the world’s populace rather than livestock. Not to mention that a decrease in the world’s population growth would naturally ease the pressures on the food market.<br /><br />However, one other solution surfaced after watching the muddy waters curling underneath the cargo ship of weapons: cannibalism.<br /><br />Cannibalism is a taboo subject for many cultures, yet it has been prevalent as a last resort and even a preference in some cultures, throughout history and even today. It is thought to have existed during the Lower and Middle Paleolithic Era due to food shortages. In Ancient Egypt, thousands of mummies, preserved in bitumen, were ground up and sold as medicine. Mummies were thought to have medicinal properties against bleeding and were bought and sold until two centuries ago. In 1729, Jonathan Swift wrote A Modest Proposal in which he proposed poor Irish families sell their children to be eaten, in order to earn income.<br /><br />Even as late as the 21st Century, a man in Germany posted an ad on the Internet requesting “a well-built, 18 to 30 year-old to be slaughtered and consumed.” The ad was answered, and, as a result, the German man was eventually convicted of murder. Last year, a Danish artist hosted a dinner party for his closest friends. He served pasta with meatballs made from his own fat, which was removed in a liposuction operation earlier that year.<br /><br />Do you think cannibalism is wrong? The Christians don’t. In a bible story (2 Kings 6:25-30), two women agreed to eat each other’s children. The first woman cooked her child and the second mother ate it, but then refused to fulfill their pact by cooking her own child. Cannibalism is even present in children’s stories and mythologies: the witch in <em>Hansel and Gretel</em>, Baba Yaga in Slavic folklore, and the Greek mythological stories of <em>Thyestes, Tereus, </em>and <em>Cronus.<br /><br /></em>Do you not think the taste of another human would be pleasant? New York Times reporter, William Buehler Seabrook, described the taste of human flesh as “mild, good meat with no other sharply defined or highly characteristic taste such as for instance, goat, high game, and pork have,” after he obtained a chunk of healthy human meat from a hospital for research purposes in 1931. He also stated that it was like “good, fully developed veal, not young, but not yet beef,” and that “veal is the one meat to which this meat is accurately comparable.”<br /><br />As one can see, this final solution to stunt the world’s food crises is the best. Not only does the demand for livestock around the world decrease, but so does the population growth. The land can be used to grow bio-fuels as well as other crops, and the world can be a prosperous place once again. Cannibalism is the answer to end world hunger once and for all. Will you join to be part of the solution?<br /><br />To apply to be a meat donor please complete the following information and include a blood sample:<br />Age:<br />Weight:<br />Body Mass Index:<br />Diseases?: y/n<br /><br />All donations are appreciated and will be reciprocated with a small stipend to your next of kin.</span>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-86607501180090438892008-04-22T11:11:00.000-07:002008-04-22T11:13:28.488-07:00Before and After: Sara Plays Soccer in an Egyptian Drama?<span style="font-family:courier new;">There are two more things you can now say you did in Egypt: played Egyptian-style soccer, and participated as an extra in an Egyptian television drama.<br /><br />A man that works in the hotel where you live loves to watch and play soccer. It is just about all he can talk about. Whenever a new male guest arrives, he invites them for a game of soccer, or here called <em>football</em>, every Saturday. This time he invited you to join, too, but only as a spectator. You carry on a little bit about how you are perfectly capable of participating just as much as anyone else is, but in the end you are told it is impossible to play mixed genders in Egypt. Displeased, you accept this and agree to come and watch.<br /><br />The day arrives and you meet about 15 other foreigners, as well as Muhammad the football fanatic, at the metro station and proceed to walk to your playing/spectating destination. The football field is a large, flat, dirt lot surrounded by three white, crumbling cement walls, which are lined with white-chalk lines and outlined with trash. The viewing area is a three-level cement stadium, with a small covering for shade. As you enter, there is a man watering the dirt to make it less dry and dusty while the teams play. You pick a relatively clean area to sit down, in the shade, and watch the game.<br /><br />The teams are divided between two hotels- Sultan Hotel, which is where you are staying, and Safari Hotel, a few floors upstairs. In the first half, Safari Hotel is getting creamed by Sultan Hotel and the first game finishes 9 – 3. Everyone takes a break, and you express your desire to get on the field and join the game. Safari players have no problem with this. What have they got to lose? They urge you to join their team, so you go for it. You run onto the field, and before anyone can object, you join the play and impress everyone with your mediocre skills. Through the remainder of the game, no one objects to your female presence on the field. You believe that it is due to complete shock of the sight of a woman playing football. Everyone watches and cheers you on, giving you a “thumbs up” at the conclusion of the game.<br /><br />You feel accomplished. Even though you have never been a good football player, you have always loved playing the game. You express your feelings of satisfaction to the organizer of this game, and he invites you to come play again the next time they have a game. The impossible became the possible.<br /><br />---------<br /><br />You also never thought it would be possible to participate in any kind of professional film project, but when the opportunity presented itself, you decided to go for it. You were packing your bags to check out and wait in the hotel lobby for a few hours until your train to Upper Egypt leaves. You are asked if you want to participate as an extra in an Egyptian drama, for pay. The location of the project is in the café immediately below your hotel, so there is no concern about being late for the train.<br /><br />You are seated at a table inside the café- a fruit drink in front of you as a prop. You wait. Everyone is running around like crazy yelling out things you don’t understand. Eventually it is “action” time. The cameras roll and your job is to pretend to talk. You enjoy the experience, but it only lasts for about 20 minutes. Then you are told to wait more. You end up sitting, and waiting, and not doing anything else for the remainder of the afternoon. You are now sitting and waiting only to be paid. Eventually you walk away with over 100 Egyptian pounds in your pocket. You are extremely happy with this, as it is money that you took for doing practically nothing.<br /><br />Two unique and exciting experiences to conclude this time of yours in Cairo. On to the next adventure...</span>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-61007938257962103272008-04-20T06:22:00.000-07:002008-04-20T06:31:18.069-07:00Deviate<span style="font-family:courier new;">You do not how long you will stay in Dahab, but while you are on the Sinai Peninsula, climbing Mt. Sinai is a must. You have been told by others that it is an unforgettable experience, and before long you find out they are right. <br /><br />Mt. Sinai has some biblical significance to some. It is said to be the place from which Moses descended with his Ten Commandments. The mountain stands at 2,285 meters, towering over the Monastery of Saint Katherine. It has two trails leading to and from it. One, the camel trail, is easier to climb. The other is a series of 3,750 steps, called the Steps of Repentance, laid by a monk as a form of penance. <br /><br />The Monastery of Saint Katherine was built in the 4th century, starting as a small chapel next to the burning bush where it is believed that a god spoke to Moses. Monastic order was created by the Roman empress Helena, and it was dedicated to Saint Katherine, a legendary martyr of Alexandria, who was tortured and beheaded for her Christianity. Throughout history, pilgrims endured dangerous conditions to trek to this isolated location, but nowadays it is littered with tour buses, camels, and cafés. <br /><br />Your journey begins at 11pm with a micro-bus-ful of foreigners collected from hotels near you. After two hours in the cramped bus, you arrive at the base of the mountain, near the Monastery. The air is crisp and cool. You are lined up single-file to walk through a doorway that is made to look like a metal detector. Not one beep, but bags are searched. You are organized into groups by bus, and each bus is assigned a “tour guide”. The “tour guide” informs you of your meeting place and time at the end of the journey and the trek begins.<br /><br />You have been walking for about half an hour and it is 2:15am. You hold a flashlight in front of you, and only able to focus on your steps and the feet of those in front of you. The stars, which have now become much more abundant in the sky, and your flashlight, are your only sources of light. The air is dusty from feet-shufflers and smelly from sporadic piles of camel shit.<br /><br /><em>“Oh, look! Camels!”<br />“Now that’s a good idea! How much?”<br /></em><br />Idiots.<br /><br />You speed up your pace of walking to try to avoid the seemingly endless amount of stupid foreign people and now also the hopeful camel driver who has discovered his bait.<br /><br />Soon, you arrive at the first of a series of rest stops. About a hundred people are all flocked together drinking and talking. You continue walking and decide you can rest somewhere else. Shortly, you are no longer surrounded by English speaking people. Assuming your group surpassed you, you continue with the new group. Another rest stop. Your new group is herded inside for over-priced tea. You keep walking.<br /><br />After about 10 steps, you are alone. Suddenly, everything is quiet. There are no more shufflers, no more voices. No more nothing except your pounding heart and rhythmic breath. You keep walking. It is a little bit scary being all alone, in the dark, halfway up a mountain, but you decide it is better than the herd. You stop for a rest and look at your surroundings. All around you are mountains, and the lights below seem far away. The stars and the moon shine brightly. You can almost see their milky threads, and you feel peace. After a few minutes, you force yourself to carry on walking because you do not know how much further you have to walk, but you are convinced you have fallen behind and must reach the top before sunrise. As you continue walking, you periodically stop to look up at your surroundings. You are passed by groups of camels, who have taken foreign quitters aboard. You rest anywhere but at rest-stops, except for the last one. By then, the trail has turned into steps and you think that must mean you are almost at the top.<br /><br /><em>A light! I have reached the end! No, it is only another rest stop.<br />“You are almost there, only three more minutes from here.”<br /><br /></em>Little do you know, the last “three minutes” are the steepest. You take frequent rests and regularly check the time. It is 3:40am. While you want to reach the top as soon as possible, you can afford to take another rest.<br /><br /><em>I am sitting on a mountain, in the middle of the night, in Egypt. How cool is this?</em><br /><br />Finally, you reach the top. You are expecting the top to be flat and littered with people spread out on blankets, but you are wrong. The top has several different levels; so fortunately, there is a good view for everyone and there is almost no one there. So far, there is only a group of three people, huddled under a blanket. You stake out a spot, perched in between two rocks away from the others.<br /><br /><em>“Would you like a blanket?”<br />“No.”<br />“You feel warm now, but after 10 minutes you will feel very cold. Only $2.”</em><br /><br />He was right. It is very cold. You brought everything you had to use to stay warm, but it is still cold. The worst part is the wind. After about 20 minutes of continuous shivering, and exhaling your warmth into your sleeves, you discover that you can use your sheet as a shelter from the wind. Your shelter helps. It is still cold, but tolerable. You sit and wait, patiently shivering, for the sun to rise.<br /><br />Soon, you hear voices. More people are arriving and taking pictures. Cameras snap off like popcorn- first very few, then more frequent. You wonder what all the fuss is about and poke your head out from under your sheet.<br /><br />There is light.<br /><br />The sun has not risen, but there is a very dim strip of light poking out from the horizon. It is amazing. You forget that you are cold, climb to top of your perch, and pull out your camera. Soon, the sun peeks out from under the Earth. You feel fortunate to be witnessing this moving experience. A new sun is being born for a new day. It is the source of all life on this planet, and soon it will be the thing that will make you feel warm again.<br /><br />After the sun’s full emergence, religious groups begin to sing songs of worship, and at the sight of a singing teenage girl, with outstretched arms and tears streaming down her cheeks, you note it is time to go. People are taking pictures of each other and you wonder how you can get a picture of yourself to prove you were here.<br /><br /><em>“Excuse me, will you take a picture of me?”<br />“Sure, if you will take one of me after that.”<br /><br /></em>Her name was Noreen. She was an American visiting Egypt with her mother, to see her sister at the American University. They had come to climb the mountain, but Noreen left her exhausted mother and sister at the last rest stop. She asked you if you wanted to climb down together.<br /><br />At the first/last rest stop Noreen rejoined her mother and sister and you resume your trip down. The trip down is just as exciting as the trip up. The trip down you can see where you are going and what surrounds you. It is breathtaking. You keep pulling your camera out to capture the beauty of this landscape, but nothing can capture the experience. Even as you write this, you struggle to capture it.<br /><br />You pass rows of seated camels, and peel off extra layers of clothes. The sun now beats down with a powerful strength and you are so glad you decided to bring sun-block. You walk with a smile.<br /><br />A few hours later, you reach the bottom, and your smile slowly fades. Your face now droops with fatigue and your body aches from walking. At the beginning of your trip you were told you must meet back at the bus at 9:30am, and the Monastery doesn’t open until 9. You already know that you will not have much time to see inside the Monastery, so when you reach it, you have only one goal in mind: toilet.<br /><br />The line for the women’s restroom is about 10 meters long, and a man at the entrance is collecting one pound from every urinator. The man somehow overlooks you, so you do not pay. You pee in a cement hole, splash some sink water on your face to wake up, and leave.<br /><br />The outside area of the Monastery is packed with people. Even if you cared about seeing it, you wouldn’t enjoy it with so many people. You decide to head back to the microbus before anyone else, and try to catch a few winks in the back. Others had the same idea, but the microbus had not returned yet. Finally, the group of foreigners, you have not seen since this trek started, pile into the bus and ride home. Everyone begins to nod off and people are falling all over each other with exhaustion. You decide it will be impossible to sleep, so you listen to some music to try and stay awake, and enjoy the scenery along the road.<br /><br />You finally return back to your hotel around 1:00pm and conclude if you sleep now, you will not be able to sleep later, so you change your clothes and go for a refreshing dip in the Red Sea. <br /><br /></span>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-17567918616358237032008-04-16T09:09:00.000-07:002008-04-16T09:11:42.019-07:00Escape<span style="font-family:courier new;">You have just discovered that the driving force which brought you back to Egypt is a severe disappointment. You spend some time to yourself in your room, trying to figure out what is next for you in your life. Your friends and family back home expressed their concerns for your situation and hope you return. The idea of returning home sounds appealing, but at the same time, it feels like taking a step backwards. Why did you travel all this distance just to return home? You didn’t accomplish anything except spend money and get on a plane. So the school didn’t work out. There is another reason for you to be here, you just have to figure out what it is.<br /><br />A few days after finding out your purpose here is unknown, a new traveler checks into the same room where you currently sleep. Her name is Tanya and she is from Russia. She is the first female traveler, who speaks fluent English, you have encountered on your trip. You spend an evening speaking about experiences in Egypt, travel, and life. You realize quickly that Tanya is a person who acts spontaneously when she decides, in the spark of a neuron, she doesn’t want to stay in Cairo until her visa will be ready to be picked up, in ten days, but she wants to travel to Dahab- tonight- and invites you to join her. For one minute, you seriously consider it. The idea sounds thrilling, but then your conscience steps in and tells you to wait a minute. You have just met this person, and have no idea who they are. You think if she were leaving in a few days, you would have more time to get to know her, but she is ready to leave tonight, and you aren’t.<br /><br />You spend another week in Cairo contemplating your situation. A friendly man who works in the hotel offers his opinions and ideas about what you should do in your situation, even though you never ask him. He takes the initiative to ask a network of people he knows about available teaching jobs in Cairo. He practically demands you to comply with his requests, and you resist. Your hopes of finding a suitable employer in Egypt have practically diminished, but he doesn’t accept this.<br /><br /><em>“You have a hard mind, but I will break you,” Ahmed says.<br />“Okay, fine,” you say.</em> <br /><br />You realize that submitting information to other companies in order to find another job can’t hurt. So, why not? <br /><br />Meanwhile, you have convinced yourself that you are incapable of carrying out your “plan B”- travel. You start having extreme doubt about your situation, yourself, everything.<br /><br /><em>“You must prove to yourself that you can do it.”<br />“I don’t think I can.”<br />“You have to. Do it. Do it for yourself.”<br /></em><br />A few days later, you pick up the phone and call Tanya.<br /><br /><em>“Sara? Nice to hear from you! When are you coming?”<br /></em><br />You decide to take a chance, go somewhere you haven’t been yet, pack up your shit, and take a bus to the Sinai Peninsula. <br /><br />The bus arrives at the Dahab Bus Station at about 9:30am. You haven’t been able to sleep much and feel disoriented. You step off the bus and are immediately approached by a taxi driver. You are his last chance for some money from this busload, so he has nothing to lose and no reason to leave without you. You tell him to go away. You scream and shout, showing your angriest face, but he only stands there smiling, watching you. Suddenly, you recognize a Japanese man from your hotel in Cairo. After talking with him for a minute, he spots a man who works in the hotel he had just stayed in, in Dahab. He recommends to stay at this hotel, but all you want is a ride in that direction so you can meet Tanya. The taxi arrives and the driver asks for money. He demands 10 pounds and you have been warned not to pay more than 5. Tempers flare, harsh words exchanged, and you are wondering if the whole trip will be like this.<br /><br />Finally you see Tanya, and she takes you to meet some of her Russian friends and eat breakfast. You plan to spend only a few days there, but end up staying for 2 and a half weeks. This is the curse of Dahab.<br /><br />There are not enough pictures or words to capture the atmosphere of Dahab. One must see for oneself. However, you decide you can’t leave until you attempt to capture it in writing, the best you can:<br /><br /><strong>Mud-squishing toes,<br />Rocks sculpting feet,<br />Wind dances playfully.<br />Turquoise water,<br />Lucid dreams,<br />There can be no such place, it seems.<br />Time doesn’t exist,<br />Only night and day,<br />A week’s vacation turns a year-long stay.<br />Together in this vortex, called <br />Dahab.<br /><br />Bracelet, cheeky-bugger, girls,<br />Follow salt-crust faces.<br />Coral,<br />Fish,<br />Swimming in the Red Sea.<br />Have you seen?<br />This is Dahab.<br />Cats and dogs your best friends,<br />Take your lentil soup,<br />In a bag to-go,<br />Drink it through a straw by the sea.<br />Come with me,<br />The beach-front in Dahab.<br /><br />A black sheep drinks Nescafe,<br />Refuses to swim in her lingerie,<br />Wondering what the future will be,<br />After moving from this lazy town.<br />The mountains and the sun,<br />Scuba diving fun.<br />Generous faces,<br />Abandoned places,<br />You can find yourself<br />In Dahab.<br /></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">[The day after you arrive in Dahab, you immediately make reservations to climb to the top of Mt. Sinai and visit the monastery of Saint Katherine. The most desired trek starts at the bottom around 1am and you reach the top to watch the sunrise. This experience requires and entry of its own, so stay tuned.]<br /></span><br />The remainder of your two weeks is spent lounging by the sea, meeting people from all over the world, swimming, snorkeling, and exploring. You feel welcomed by all who stay there and are even offered opportunities to live and work there. The idea of staying sounds tempting, but you have other things to take care of first. Toward the end, you are presented with an opportunity which you cannot refuse- to go scuba diving absolutely free. A generous dive master offered to take you out for a semi-shallow dive, no strings attached. You are skeptical it will happen after you wait two hours at the meeting place, but eventually you go, and it is like a dream come true. Never did you think you would get an opportunity to go scuba diving in the Red Sea, and now you have.<br /><br />The expiration date of your visa is slowly approaching, and after days of trying to decide what to do and listening to advice from others, you decide the best option is to go back to Cairo. It is time to leave Dahab for the time being.<br /><br /><em>“Sometime next week, if you would like, I will take you diving in the Canyon.”<br />“Oh, I am leaving tomorrow, but I’ll be back for sure, I mean, insha’allah.”<br /></em></span>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-36232809247509542042008-03-18T02:58:00.000-07:002008-03-18T16:27:55.364-07:00Nothing It As Seems<span style="font-family:courier new;">You can feel your face turn red as you sweat and struggle to clutch your belongings. All your current possessions rest in three bags. Your shoulder feels as though it is about to rip off and you have just realized you are going the wrong way. You grin at the idea of pulling out your compass-brush, but you know exactly where you went wrong. A flat cement surface beckons you to take a rest. You know what will happen next:<br /><br />“Hello? Can I help you?” </span><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">You let out an internal sigh as you turn to the man and say,“Talat Harab Street?” </span><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">What do you <em>plural </em>think happened? <strong>The man,<br />a) tells you how to cut through the streets to get there.<br />b) asks you if you speak English, which leads you to give up.<br />c) invites you into his shop.<br /></strong><br />Eventually, you find the place and slam your bags on the bed. You take a quick drink of water and then leave for your meeting with Osama, the representative of the school for which you came to work. You are to meet him outside of “Groppi”, a famous (meaning over-priced) bakery. </span><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">When Osama arrives, what happens?<br /><strong>a) He picks you up and takes you to the Center in Nasr City.<br />b) He arrives half an hour later.<br />c) He decides, instead of taking you to the Center, you can have a meeting in “Groppi”.<br /></strong><br />The English Center sounds exactly like what you expected it to be, except for a few minor details. If you are late- you pay money. If you are absent- you pay money. If you decide that this job is not for you, or make a last minute decision to go somewhere else (without two months notice) - you pay money. If you violate the contract in any way- you pay money- <em>a lot</em> of money. To top it off, you are asked to teach in a place called Sohag. You later find out that, according to Egyptians, this place is known for its dangerous microbus drivers and village killings. You aren’t sure if this is the best place to go. </span><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">What do you do?<br /><strong>a) Make plans to visit the Center in a few days.<br />b) Grab your Pepsi and run.<br />c) Point your finger and say, “F-you, man,” and walk out- Pepsi in hand.<br /></strong><br />Upon returning back to your new hotel, you are greeted by a man who works there. He asks how the meeting went. You continue to speak with him for a few hours, sipping hot tea, and attempting to adjust to this new community, which appears to be Japanese.<br /><br />You are currently living in a dorm-room with three other Japanese people. In the bathroom, you can shit, shower, and wash your socks all at the same time. You can’t complain, though, because this place is costing about $2.50 a day- just over a quarter the price of the place you were staying in before. Everywhere you look there are Japanese travelers. You conclude they are like an ant colony- one finds the cheapest, best place to stay and returns back to the colony to tell the others. Your life’s goal is currently unclear. What do you think happens?<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;">To be continued…<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Multiple choice answers with explanations:<br /></strong>1. <strong>B</strong> The man couldn’t understand you, and it is just about impossible to ask for any specific location in Cairo, unless it is close to a major landmark. So, you gave up trying and just walked away.<br /><br />2. <strong>C </strong>You were a little weary of the situation to begin with. Shortly after you contacted the school to inform them you had arrived in their country, they asked you to call to schedule an <em>interview</em>. The meeting at “Groppi” was more like an interview.<br /><br />3. A You agreed to come to the Center in a few days to get an idea of what it is like and to meet some representatives from the Center in Sohag. The consequences of the contract and the assignment’s location didn’t quite settle in until later. You slept on it, and decided not to go through with it.<br /><br /><br /><em>I feel I need to give credit for the idea of this multiple choice quiz to Rhiis Dinin Lopez, a.k.a. Y.T.</em></span>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165927008487242370.post-19735377920912781302008-03-14T10:37:00.000-07:002008-03-14T11:54:18.404-07:00Arrival<span style="font-family:courier new;">You wake up at 11pm. You have been sleeping for 14 hours, but you feel like you want to sleep more. You decide, however, to take a break from your exhaustion by getting up- just for a little while. You perform some essential night-time rituals and then pull out your journal to add a final entry to the day. How did you get here? And, why are you referring to yourself in the second person singular? If you, as a second person plural, are curious to find out these answers, then please continue reading.<br /><br />The day has finally arrived for you to leave for Cairo, Egypt. You have planned for months, said farewells, and you wait in one line after another (one herding after another) until you end up on the airplane. You wonder when that gut-wrenching feeling of “Oh (insert interjection)! What am I doing?” will sink in, but it doesn’t. Instead, it is a different feeling- one quite refreshing. It is a feeling of peacefulness and content. You think, “This is it. I am a world traveler, and today it continues.” And so, the fasten safety-belt sign is lit up, the flight attendants take a seat, and we are ready for take off.<br /><br /><strong>Useful things to know:</strong><br /><em>*Lufthansa sells used aircraft seats! Email </em></span><a href="mailto:juergen@dlh.de"><span style="font-family:courier new;"><em>juergen@dlh.de</em></span></a><span style="font-family:courier new;"><em> for more information.<br />**Alcohol is free on any plane outside of the U.S., so drink up! They are even so kind as to serve an after dinner cognac!<br />***At McDonald’s in the Frankfurt Airport, you must pay an extra .25 EURO for ketchup.</em> “ich liebe es”<br /><br />You have arrived at the Frankfurt Airport. The local time is 9am, but for you, it feels like 3am and you have not slept. Since there was no survival kit with toothpaste on the plane and they won’t allow you to carry-on your own toothpaste, you are in desperate need for it. In the restroom, you see a small vending machine that has little toothbrushes in it for 1 EURO. So, your next task is to somehow get a EURO coin. You decide to buy a mocha at McCafe- yes, you are not mistaken, that is a coffee shop owned by McDonald’s. You drink your mocha and brush your teeth. One hour down, 12 to go.<br /><br />The rest of the time is a blur. The only comfortable chairs are inside the gates, and the only gates that are open will board in less than 2 hours. You try to sleep, but they kick you out when they board each flight. You fill the time trying to sleep in 1-2 hours intervals, filling up your water bottle, using the restroom, playing solitaire, and riding around on the terminal train. The outside world looks so far, and you haven’t breathed natural air in over 24 hours.<br /><br />Finally, you arrive in Cairo. You impress yourself with your memory of the arrival procedure at the Cairo Airport and your ability to say “NO!” numerous times to relentless taxi drivers. You hop on the terminal bus, because that is the only option from here, and exit at the car park. You know there should be a bus into town, but you don’t see where it is, and there are some men watching you and asking where you are going. You decide to sit and think. The men do not go away, but they do not continue to bother you. You decide to, probably incorrectly, ask for help: “Ana aiza bus fi Tahrir, mish taxi” (I want a bus to Tahrir, not a taxi). One man chuckles because you waited so long to ask, and you come to an understanding that the bus will not start again for another hour and a half, seeing as it is 4:30am in Cairo.<br /><br />As you are waiting for the bus, you realize it has been about 31 hours of flying, waiting, and travel time, in total. A shower sounds really good; so does a bed- a nice, comfy one. Ha. You wish. You arrive in familiar territory, and as you are walking the street you suddenly feel as though you were here yesterday. In some way, it feels like home, but in another way, it doesn’t at all. You are in Cairo. You finally arrived. After settling in, taking a shower, and sending out an “I survived the trip to Cairo” e-mail, you fall asleep. It is 9am. You wake up at 11pm and continue to sleep on until 6 the next morning. To be continued…</span>Mudarisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01293637374074760241noreply@blogger.com0