Rings Of Saturn: Dingir

In a rare moment of sobriety, I decided to take on the beast known as Rings Of Saturn. This Aliencore group transcended the underground scene to become a Death Metal phenomenon, notorious for their painstakingly intricate compositions, ludicrously loud sound, and all around fucked up state of being.

Despite many complications, Rings Of Saturn have released a stream of their new full length album, Dingir. Although it greatly resembles their debut album, Embryonic Anamoly, the band has clearly refined their already superb virtuosity. On the plus side, that means that they have retained the same musical style that attracted fans in the first place. But on the other hand, I can't tell one track from the next. Although the composition is immaculate and the musical skills are extraordinary, the songs are virtually indistinguishable from each other. Mayhaps that's just because I listened to Dingir once, and my eardrums have been in a state of recovery ever since.

It's a must-listen if you like technical compositions, Death Metal, aliens, or music that sounds like a Super Nintendo game on speed. Imagine the band Viraemia getting abducted by astro-zombies.
My only complaint is that the songs are so technical that I can't differentiate them, but that's just the nature of the beast. If I was getting mauled to death by a Hydra, the least of my worries would be which head is which. It would still be brutally badass.

                           Yep, pretty much. Let's just give them five stars outta five.

Two For One

 Due to another Hunter S. Thompson-esque binge on everything, I forsook my stupid blog for a trip to Europe. The circumstances, being out of my control, led me not to Metal meccas such as Sweden or Norway, but to the city of lights. 26 Rue Des Lombards of Paris, France boasts Black Dog, the typical bar appealing to rich socialites who want to be rockers for a night. It's the kind of place that named itself after a song to inadvertently ride the coat-tails of the band who made said song. It's also the kind of place that charges six fucking Euros for a Rum & Coke that's mostly Coke. In their defense, the music was pretty good. The playlist includes Amon Amarth, Cradle Of Filth, Arch Enemy, and other bands who play Metal of the melodic, catchy sort to please the unwashed masses. I ventured here for the sole purpose of getting laid by a hot French Metalhead, but alas, this is not a good place to meet people. The bar is full of pre-established cliques, so if you come alone, alone you shall stay. This is a place to bring your (wealthy) friends and socialize. Seriously, six fucking Euros for a mixed drink?! It wouldn't be so bad if it was at least a normal sized drink, but it was in a fancy-pants, post-mod,  tiny little glass. I guess that's classy and chic to drink from glassware that appears to be manufactured for dolls. Fuck that.

So much for the "classy" Metal bar. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have Cantada II, a bar far more easy, cheesy, and all around sleazy. It doesn't even call itself a bar; it calls itself a cabaret. The naked ladies were pretty cool, but I was more psyched about the fact that I could actually afford to get drunk here. Absinthe is about four Euros for the cheap stuff, and by the time I finished drinking it, I was too smashed to remember how much the wine costs. The atmosphere is far superior as well. It looks like the scene from an early Queensryche music video, with plastic skeletons everywhere, creepy lighting, melting candles on old iron chandeliers... This is a stark contrast to the modernist decor of the Black Dog, which I found pretentious and forced. On the other hand, Cantada is just another bar full of cliques, so you're still never gonna get laid.

I end this review with the drunken afterthought that The Louvre would be a kickass venue for a Symphonic Metal show. Everything gets four stars.