Food For Thought/Thought for Food No. 4: The 2016 Election

Hello fellow Otaku & Metalheads, and welcome to my 4th Food for Thought/Thought for Food!

As you can tell by the title of today's post, not to mention the pictures used in question, that I'll be talking about the shape of the 2016 election. Wow, this has been quite the clusterfuck! Without going into details about the candidates, I can safely say this has been the messiest campaign I've ever been witness too. Messier than Bush v Gore, and messier that both of the Obama campaigns, this race has been nothing short of a pissing contest. Both sides have been slinging mud, insults, probably a little excrement, and falsehoods since the damn thing started. It doesn't help matters that the news media (TV & Internet) kept adding fuel to the fire, creating an even more volatile battlefield. Granted, 2015 was kind of entertaining with how childish everybody was, but now? We're almost halfway through this year, and already I'm seeing the Canadian border inch closer & closer. If you're a foreigner looking at this race from the outside going in, you're probably thinking we're crazy......and you're right!

So now let's look at the candidates. Let's start off with the Republican side of things, and look at Donald Trump. Donald....J....Trump. Immediately upon typing his name twice, I may have lost a few brain cells. Let's be perfectly honest, when we first saw him go down the escalator last year & announce that he was running, we all laughed. Then he kept going.....and going......and going! In the ensuing time, this man has done nothing but be racist, sexist, homophobic, and xenophobic the entire time. This man has been horrible to reporters (Anyone remember the "Disabled Reporter" incident?), bounces around questions that burst his bullshit bubble, and is a horrific liar. Don't believe me? Check out this link !

Fact-Checking Donald Trump's Acceptance Speech At The 2016 RNC

To any of my Republican/Conservative friends & acquaintances, do you see this!? Do you see how much of a pathological liar this man is!? Do you see how much Mr. Trump cherry picks his facts, all in a weak effort to make himself look good!? It is baffling at how so many people go along with Trump, believing every single damn thing he says, and burying their heads in the sand when facts get put in front of them! I can only assume so many follow Trump, is because of four little words.

"Make America Great Again"

Are you kidding me!? You believe that this man can accomplish this!? A man, who's gone bankrupt 3 times, divorced & remarried 3 times (Cheated one the 1st one if I remember right), setup a phony college, constantly objectified women throughout his run of the Miss America contest, clearly is not a religious man, has zero knowledge of family values. Hell, he wasn't even able to start his business on his own, having to borrow cash from his father, all the while making it look like he did it himself. Yet, you think this guy is the paragon of Republican/Conservative virtue!? This man doesn't give two shits about the average joe. "Make America Great Again"........yeah, he'll do that.......for the rich!

Let's get off of the handicapped buzzcut gerbil, and talk about Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton. On the one hand, it's about time that we have a female leader. We've had white guys forever, and while Barack Obama was important to the presidential history of the United States, it's only a single step in a progressive direction. When we get a female leader, it'll be a sign to the rest of the world as to how far we're coming along. On the other hand......Hillary is the wrong woman for this job. Dare I say this, Hillary's actions during this campaign have been incredibly Republican-like. She's been weaselly, she's been ambushing from behind, and has been conspiring with the DNC to discredit those that would be a threat to her run (More on that in a bit). Then you've got the e-mails, scandals, and other things that cast a shadow on her & her character. A woman leader would most definitely be an incredible change here in America, and one that a lot of people would welcome (Man & woman alike), but Hillary Clinton is not that woman!

As you can plainly see, I don't like either of the candidates. It has been ages since there's was an election season where both candidates are fetid pits of ass, and for the first time in my entire life.....I'm tempted to not vote in this election. I'm incredibly tempted. Why? Because I believe that both individuals will do hordes of damage that might very well can't be fixed. I won't repeat myself, but Trump & Hillary's resume is nothing short of falsehoods & hellfire. I shudder at the thought of either of these two getting into the White House. That being said....if I did have to vote for someone.....it would have to be Hillary.

As scummy as she is. As much of a backstabbing coward as she is. As much of an anti-woman as she is....she is much more qualified than a racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, elitest, fear-mongeric gerbil. Period!

On the other hand, you can do what my final thoughts says: just let everything burn to the ground, but don't do it yourself. Let the candidates, political parties, & media do it. They've been doing a good job of that already.

So this was my take on the states of politics here in the United States. Certainly a barren wasteland of common sense if you ask me. I'm gonna go to my happy place so I don't pop a blood vessel, but in the meantime part 3 of the Summer of Thrash is just a few days away, so there's that to look forward to. See you then!

Album Review: Sodom's Tapping The Vein

Welcome back to the sadistic sounds of Sodom, fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

So 2 weeks ago, we took a look at Sodom’s inaugural output of the 90s, Better Off Dead. While not an awful album by any stretch, it’s more restrained nature came out of nowhere, and surprised most if not all of the band’s fans. It was an odd time that left many fans worried, but this worry would soon be gone when 1992 rolls around, as an album would appear that would simply be, in my personal opinion, the best album Sodom ever made. So grab a needle, find that sweet spot on your arm, and take a look at my review for the bloody Tapping the Vein. Let’s begin!

Background
After the excellent yet subdued Better Off Dead, Michael Hoffman didn’t last long in Sodom. He left the group, and the rest of the band had to look for another new replacement. Said replacement came in the form of Andy Brings, a younger & more vibrant guitarist. Brings’s arrival also marked another shift in Sodom’s career, as the group embraced more of a Death Metal influenced when compared to their previous records. The band released Tapping the Vein on the 1st of August 1992, surprising fans once again.

Basic Description
You got your Thrash in my Death Metal...You got your Death in my Thrash Metal...hehe, I like it!

Words cannon describe how much I love Tapping the Vein. Actually, they can, but they would do things justice. For starters, Sodom decided to grab the restraint that was on Better Off Dead, strangle it a little, and throw it off the roof of a 20-story building, letting the body splatter all over the ground. This album embraces a Death Metal-like atmosphere, adding a fierceness to their music that hasn’t been harnessed by any other metal band, and seems to be the only time the band ever embraced this style. The group didn’t forget their Thrash origins, and they mix the two together, creating perhaps their most brutal & heaviest album in their entire career. If you listen to Tapping the Vein, be sure to have some earbuds, cause your skull might shatter from the sound!

Best Track
Best Track? What best track!? This whole album from beginning to end is nothing short of gold! Each & every single song is such a sonic assault on the mind, and it's one that you’ll never want to forget! However, my personal favorite comes in the form of One Step Over the Line. The 3rd song on Tapping the Vein, One Step Over the Line is a more downpaced track in terms of speed, but what it lacks in fast pacing, it makes up in intensity & atmosphere. Dealing with the subject of prostitution, the damage it can cause, and perhaps a bit of desperation, One Step Over the Line is just a dingy & dirty track.....and I love it! 

One Step Over the Line

Worst Track
Ultimately, your impression of Tapping the Vein depends on what your feelings are on Death Metal. Like I said earlier, this album borderlines that sub-genre constantly. Vocal work, instrumentation, doesn’t matter. This album is constantly walking on the razor’s edge, and succeeds quite well at this balancing act. Because of this, the Thrash & Death Metal elements bleed into each other, creating a mix that is just magical, although some songs come across as one or the other more than others.

Simply put: If you’re not a Death Metal fan, you won’t like this album. If you are a fan, then you’ll want to marry it. If you’re like me, where you’re not a full-blown but have some respect for it, then you’ll still enjoy Tapping the Vein. I know I did!

Other
If you’re interested in listening to this album before you buy it, check out the link below.

Tapping the Vein

Also, I’ve got a more.....personal reason why I enjoy Tapping the Ven, and why it means so much to me. We have to rewind the clock to early December of last year: my Dad took my Mom to the doctor’s for a checkup, and the results came back saying that my Mother had a case of Diverticulitis, which is a condition involving the intestines. If you’re familiar with Brock Lesnar from his UFC period, you’ll know that this is what killed his career. So my Mom spent the majority of a week in the hospital, getting the Diverticulitis cleared up. Meanwhile I’m at home, and I’m on the verge of wailing, along with being quite afraid. In what seemed to be a strange twist of fate, I saw a link to this album in my “suggestions” section on Youtube. I had known about Sodom a few months prior to finding Tapping the Vein, but I never gave the band a single thought. Upon listening to this record, any sorrow or worry I was feeling was gone, and Tapping the Vein has since taken it’s rightful place along the pantheon of albums I hold close to my heart.

Overall Impression & Rating
Tapping the Vein is just one of those albums that only comes around once in a long while. It has the right kind of brutality, rhythm, polish, and everything else. Like I said earlier, Sodom threw restraint right out the window, and embraced a level of savagery the likes of which haven’t been seen for ages. If you want a Death Metal album with a little bit of Thrash, or a Thrash Metal album that has a little bit of Death mixed in, then Tapping the Vein is the album you desire!

Tapping the Vein gets a 10 out of 10. A perfect album, and one that all of you metalheads should have in your collection!

So this concludes part 2 of the Summer of Thrash, where we see that it’s not just the United States where Thrash Metal can expose it’s head. I’ll see you all next month, when we’ll look at some Thrash bands.....that maybe should have had more time in the spotlight than they should. See you then!


***
If you’re curious about Diverticulitis, check out the link below:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diverticulitis

Food For Thought/Thought for Food No. 3: Pokemon Go & The Pissing Contest

Hello fellow Otaku & Metalheads, and welcome to my 3rd entry in the Food for Thought/Thought for Food series!

Today's entry will be a.....interesting one. As most, if not all of you know, Pokemon Go was released earlier this month on mobile phones here in the states & Australia (It was released just 2 days ago), and has already taken the world by storm. For those incredibly few who aren't in the loop, The game puts you in the role of a Trainer, and has you actively wandering around in search of Pokemon. The real world if far more of a factor now than it ever has been: with certain species found in certain locations & times of day. It has already been praised by some in the medical community for improving player's mental & physical well-being, although it's gained a little controversy because of reports of causing accidents and being a public nuisance at some locations (Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum is one such example). Yes, Pokemon Go has become an amazing craze overnight, but there's been two things stopping me from playing this.

The first is disinterest. I haven't been active in the Pokemon community for ages. Not since the days of the original Gold & Silver have I ever played any of the games. Even the card game doesn't interest me anymore. To put it a little more controversially, Pokemon died out a long time ago for me, and it's done nothing but shamble along at this point. For those who keep the memory alive, I salute you, but it's just not for me anymore.

The second, and this is where I'm potentiality going to step on some toes, is the immediate pissing contest! It is utterly baffling that, despite being out for only a couple weeks, the three sides of Pokemon Go (Valor, Mystic, Instinct) already seem to be going at each others throats. Already there's mud-slinging, verbal insults, and memes that would make the I Haz Chezburger cat vomit blood & die. I bang my head against my desk out of sheer frustration as to what I'm seeing. It's a pissing contest. A literal digital pissing contest! Seriously, most of us are probably adults, and yet we're reverting back to our younger selves!?

However, hope isn't completely eviscerated. There are Pokemon Go players with level heads. Players who see the infighting, and just weep at what they see. Already, one particular picture has become a positive meme.

That is a picture from artist Seoxys6, who has her work over on Deviantart for 7 years. As she quoted from Pokemon the Movie 2000:

"Disturb not the harmony of Fire, Ice, or Lightning lest these three Titans wreck destruction upon the world in which they clash. Though the water's Great Guardian shall arise to quell the fighting alone its song will fail. Thus the Earth shall turn to ash. O, Chosen One, into thine hands bring together all three."

This.....this right here. People like Seoxys6 get that childish reactions only damage the community, and ruin the reputation of what could be something incredible. Like I said earlier, I'm probably not going to play this, but I will most definitely spread this message of harmony & unity around. If you'd like to see what else she has made, check out the link below:

Seoxys6 (Deviantart)

My final thought: stop with this childish infighting. Stop with the venomous insults. Stop making the other teams look bad while ruining the reputation of your own. To quote the legendary duo Bill & Ted: Be excellent to each other!



***
If you'd like a more in-depth look at Pokemon Go, check out the link below:

Pokemon GO (Wikipedia)

Convention Review - Connecticon 2016

Hello fellow Otaku & Metalheads......and welcome to my Connecticon 2016 review!

This....this was a tough one you guys. There was a lot wrong with this year’s convention, a lot. There were issues that I think might have stained the con’s reputation, and time will tell if said stain can be cleaned up so easily. That said, there was also some things that I enjoyed. A few things, to be exact! So let’s sit back, relax, and take a look at my review for Connecticon 2016....enjoy?

Good Things
Alright, I definitely got some good things to say!

For starters, I pre-registered this year. I hadn’t done this in a long time, with the last being in 2010! I can’t remember what the process was like then, but I can say that it was a speedy process. Despite my issues with traffic around the city (See below for details), when we got to the convention center, it took less than 3 minutes to get in line, and get my ticket. There was no muss, no fuss, just quick efficient work on the part of Connecticon’s staff. Good job guys!

Next up is the people I’ve met. I know I’m repeating myself when compared to last year, but it’s the truth. There were a lot of fun & interesting cosplay, geeks, nerds, you name it, wandering the convention center. They were talkative, friendly, and always willing to provide a pose for pictures (Provided you asked). I did run across a few familiar faces, but for about 95% of the time, everybody I ran into was new. I didn’t even matter if it was someone in the Dealers Room or Artist Alley. Speaking of which...

I can’t tell you how much I managed to purchase this year! I came home with a bag full of stuff. A pretty huge one, to be exact. This all comes from the fact that there was a great selection of vendors & artists to converse & purchase. Some familiar vendors like Tea & Absinthe (Link) were around, but there were some new ones that I hadn’t seen in previous years. Practically all of my money (Apart from my emergency money that was given to me) was gone by the time I left the center, and while I was a little disappointed with myself spending so much, I was happy with how much I got!

Guests were particularly impressive this year. John Reyes Davis from Lord of the Rings, Walter Koenig from the original Star Trek, and Johnny Young Bosch of Bleach fame. This may have tied into some of the problems that this con went through (Read below for details), but it could have just been me & some of the other con-goers. My personal favorite was R.A. Salvatore, iconic author within the Forgotten Realms universe. He was personable, friendly, and always seemed to have a smile. All of the guests seemed to be like this, and that just warms my heart.

Finally, and this doesn’t pertain to the con itself, but I’d like to briefly talk about the hotel. Between last year & now, they refurbished the inside of the bottom of the hotel (Front desk, bar, Starbucks), and managed to change the look of the bathrooms. There’s a more modern appeal to everything that was changed, and it was very pleasing to the eye. Perhaps more will be worked on next year?

Okay Things
While this isn’t necessarily related to the convention, I should make note of the traffic in Hartford.....Holy hell was it a clusterfuck! Me & my friends accidentally missed our turn for the hotel/convention, and we ended up in 2 & ½ hours. Sweet zombie Jesus I had never seen such a massive mess. There were some concerts going on in the middle of the city, but for how far backed up all the traffic, there was absolutely no excuse for how bad things were. Hartford Police, fix up your act! Drivers in Hartford, fix up your act!

Bad Things ***
Eeeh, I’ve got some things to say here.....It’s not gonna be pretty.

For starters, I found out about this a week or two before the convention actually happened! So I got a comment from a buddy of mine, saying that the convention center was closing at 8 PM on both Friday & Saturday. Alarmed, I asked the Connecticon public Facebook page for details, and I got a reply, saying that it would close on both days at 9 PM. Here’s the list of reasons why this is going on:

- Lack of enough quality programming submissions
- Low attendance compared to peak event hours
- Attendee feedback (Shocked that this is a thing)
- Riverfest (Canceled this year)
- Lack of quality volunteer staff and resources to continue operating 18 hour days, two days in a row

I call BS on most of this. I remember seeing hordes of people at night, both inside & outside the convention center. There was plenty of panels going on at night as well, both 18+ & otherwise. As for lack of volunteers....maybe I’ll give that a pass. I certainly saw less staff members during the evening hours, but not enough to warrant this. This early closing/curfew really frightens me, as this could become a dangerous precedent for the convention staff to go down on. Hopefully this is a 1-time thing, and not an example for future Connecticon gatherings.

Secondly, there was no schedule printed in the con booklet. None! I was told by someone that there was no physical schedule put in because if a panel was canceled, there would have been little time to change things. I can’t fully complain however, as the schedule for all the events were placed on posters outside the doors, and there was an app made that had everything available for congoers. I don’t have a smartphone, but I can respect this.

Another thing I had a problem with was the panels. Now, this year has marked the 7th time that I visited this convention, and in all that time, I’ve loved going to each & every panel. I was thoroughly entertained.....until this convention. I only went to about 3 to 4 panels this year. 3 to 4! I don’t know what the hell it was this year, but so many of the panels seemed boring. So mind-numbingly boring! There was far more going on in the Dealers Room, Game Area, outside the convention center, and inside the hotel than their was in the panel rooms (Apart from the main/special events areas). Perhaps what angered me more was the severe lack of 18+ panels. Because of the 9PM curfew, congoers were promised that 18+ panel would be spread throughout the day. This was so not the case, as there were barely any 18+ panels at all! Even with the few that were on the schedule, they were still later into the night. Kinda defeats the purpose of “Spread Throughout The Day” don’t you think? If anything, this made Connecticon far more clean than it normally was, and I hope the convention staff spice things up a little next year.

Overall Impression & Rating
Connecticon 2016....I can’t hate the convention this year. I really can’t! Like I said earlier, I’ve being making a pilgrimage to Hartford for 7 years now, and in that time I’ve developed a sense of loyalty to this con. From 2009 to now, I’ve loved them all. Even this one! That said, Connecticon 2016 is easily my least favorite. The changes that have been made seemed to do far more damage than good. It will be interesting to see what the numbers will be (I’ll put them here when they come out), and I’m curious if things will be improved by next year.

Connecticon 2016 gets a 7 to 7.5 out of 10

So this was my review for Connecticon 2016. Again, it wasn’t a heinous abomination, but it may very well have been my least favorite. I can only hope that things change in 2017, and for the better. So I’ll see you all next week, when the Summer of Thrash returns, as we’ll be tapping that vein. See you then!



***
I did find out more as to why the curfew occurred, but if I said anything, chances are I’d probably get in trouble. Also, if you’re curious as to what I thought of last year’s Connecticon, check out the link below.

Connecticon 2015 Review

Album Review: Sodom's Better Off Dead

Welcome to part 2 of the Summer of Thrash, fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

As we’ve seen in part 1, Thrash Metal took off like wildfire. It immediately established itself within the pantheon of Heavy Metal sub-genres, and continued to spread the popularity of Heavy Metal itself. It also wasn’t a purely American/British invention: bands like Motörhead & Megadeth helped create Thrash, but America & England aren’t the only countries that have angry headbangers. This month, we’re heading over to Germany, to check out the legendary Sodom!

That’s right, Sodom! Part of the Big 4 of “Teutonic” Thrash Metal, Sodom’s has had a lengthy career, starting back in the early 80s where they were more know as one of the leaders in the first wave of Black Metal. Now, they’re known as titans of Thrash Metal, which is something I wholeheartedly go along with. In the early 90s, Sodom continued down their own special path of Thrash Metal, with nary a slipup. So let’s take a look at their first release of the 90s, Better Off Dead, and see if their deserve their mantle. Let the review begin!

Background
Prior to their tour for Agent Orange, guitarist Frank Blackfire left Sodom due to his conflict with Chris Witchhunter, and ultimately joined Kreator to work on their excellent Coma Of Souls album, which was also released in 1990 (Coincidence?). Luckily, the band didn’t suffer because of this, and managed to pick up Uwe Baltrusch from Mekong Delta for their tour with Sepultura without an issue. When it came time to get a permanent member, however, their choice came in the form of Michael Hoffmann, whose previous commitment was with the underground Thrash band Assassin on their second album (Interstellar Experience). With this new lineup, the band eventually released their 4th album, Better Off Dead, on October 1st, 1990. To date, Better Off Dead remains a controversial release from Sodom. Why? Take a look below.

Basic Description
Speedy......Restraint.

Seriously Sodom, what the hell!? Here you are, one of the pillars of the Teutonic Thrash movement, and here you are holding yourselves back. Why!? Was it because of Tom Angelripper moving the band towards his style? Was it because of the new guy, Michael Hoffman? What is it!?

Despite that momentary outburst, I should state that Better Off Dead isn’t a bad album. Far from it, this is actually a very good record! Because of the restraint they show there’s kind of a sameness among the tracks, but Sodom still put in a great amount effort & polish into the record, and while the music drifts away a little from their previous output, every song on here is still nice & heavy. There’s seems to be a little more rhythm within them, and at times comes across as rather Motörhead-ish (More on that in a bit).

Best Track
The Saw is the Law is a great track on this album. Itself an altered version of the same track taken from an EP with the same name, the song is a healthy blend between two mediums. You’ve got the intensity of their first 3 albums, but you also got the more relaxed/restraint stylings of this release. It actually works quite well, as while I may have a problem with where the band went with this album, for some reason I don’t mind what’s going on here. Definitely a strong track!

The Saw is the Law

Worst Track
Like I said earlier, Better Off Dead isn’t a bad album. Sodom is certainly going at it during it’s 12-song run, but as I said at the beginning, the bad is acting with a level of restraint that was quite unusual. If you’ve listened to the band’s first 3 albums, you’ll know that restraint was not in the band’s name. With Better Off Dead, the band goes for a pacing reminiscent of Motörhead, Raven, and Tank. Great bands in their own right, but maybe the kind of bands that Sodom shouldn’t emulate.

Other
If you’re interested in listening to this album before you buy it, check out the link below.

Better Off Dead

Overall Impression & Rating
Better Off Dead remains a controversial album within the Sodom discography, and for good reason. While the quality is still great, Sodom doesn’t quite seem like themselves as they sing & play. They seem to be imitating other bands, not being themselves. Whether it was because of personal issues, new band members, or what, I don’t know. Again, despite this, you shouldn’t ignore Better Off Dead. It’s definitely a unique release from Sodom, and it’s it one that you should listen to at least once or twice.

Better Off Dead gets a 9 out of 10

So this was my review for Sodom’s initial album of the 90s. Not God-awful. Not unlistenable. Not even mildly terrible. But this restraint....it might be a turnoff for some of you. Luckily, the band would not be this restrained for long, so join me two weeks from now, when we’ll be tapping that vein. See you then!



**
I say two weeks from now, since Connecticon is coming, and my annual review for it will be up the day after the convention. Hope you don’t mind the wait!