Movie Review: Violent Night

Ho Ho Ho fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

I normally don’t do reviews like this. Regardless of whether it’s a new game, anime, or album, I don’t look at something that so fresh & recent. However, this is one of the ever increasingly rare exceptions I am making towards the end of a year. In today’s example, it’s a movie I just talked about fairly recently in my newly resurrected top 5 movies of 2022 list. Further in fact, I’ll be talking about my number 1 movie of this year, and one of the first films I’ve been excited for in an incredibly long time. Take one part Die Hard, mix in some The Night The Reindeer Died from Scrooged, and just a dash of Santa’s Slay, and you have what I think is going to be a legitimate modern-day holiday classic. So, get on your Christmas themed body armor, pray you’re on his Nice List, and enjoy my review of the recent movie release Violent Night. Let’s begin!

Story
It’s Christmas Eve, and Santa is once again making the rounds to deliver presents to kids all over the world. However, Saint Nick has become rather bitter & cynical over the ages. Where once he delighted in giving gifts, it’s now become nothing but a chore to him. He’s become disillusioned by the wanton desire of kids, who keep asking for more & more, and always switching to the newest thing on a whim. This current night he’s on will be his last, but little does Santa know that things.....are gonna get interesting.

Enter the Lightstone family. Jason Lightstone, his estranged wife Linda, and their adorable 7-year old daughter Trudy are on their way to Greenwich, Connecticut to visit Jason’s hellion of a Mother, Gertrude, for a Christmas gathering. Also joining them is Jason’s awful sister Alva, her shitkicker son Bertrude, and her incredibly dorky boyfriend Morgan Steel (Who just so happens to be a wannabe action star). Not long after the family gets together for a forced Happy Holiday, a group of planted Christmas colored mercenaries led by their leader, “Mr Scrooge”, emerge from the inside of the mansion. They kill the entire staff & kidnap the family, with the ransom of being the $300 million dollars that is hidden in the mansion’s vault.....and they’re not playing around.

Meanwhile, Santa just so happens to arrive at the mansion where all of this is going down. After a mixup with one of the mercenaries, his reindeer are scared off, and said mercenary is pushed out the window, dying after getting impaled on a giant ice spike. Santa tries to get away, but ultimately decides that something needs to be done upon seeing Trudy scared, and when he hears her voice through a walkie-talkie she gets from her Dad before the massacre. So, he rolls up his sleeves, and becomes a jolly one-man killing machine, slaughtering mercenaries of all kinds in order to save Trudy (And her family be extent). There’s twists, turns, fights, and blood.......a lot of blood.....CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!!

Good Aspects
Right away, the first good aspect is the story. Yes, at it’s core Violent Night is a mix of Die Hard with sprinkles of Home Alone. Sure, the idea of an average joe shoved into a situation he doesn’t want to be a part of isn’t original, but the idea of a disillusioned Santa Claus going to town on some mercenaries definitely is something new. It’s all the more hilarious when beforehand he is doing everything in his power to get out of the mansion, and just to finish up his last night of delivering presents before he cynically retires, but then it becomes neat to see him turn that part of his personality around. Speaking of which.....

Violent Night’s acting is another plus. While practically everybody puts in a great performance, this movie’s runtime is practically stolen by David Harbour, Leah Brady, and John Leguizamo. Harbour was perfect as the burntout Santa. He’s been doing his seasonal task for over a thousand years, and it’s obvious that he absolutely despises his spot in life when we first meet him. Drinking constantly, being foul-mouthed, and doing his job kinda lazily, we see his apathy at the holiday season, and can kinda understand why he wants to just stop. However, when he sees Trudy in danger, that’s when his cynicism begins to slide away, and by the end of the film he regains the Christmas Spirit he lost. Meanwhile, Trudy is just an adorable little kid. You think that she’s be incredibly annoying by her moments in the trailer, but Leah Brady ends up being a highlight whenever she shows up in the film, and takes the role of Trudy & turns it into something sweet. Finally, Leguizamo is perfect as the titular Mr. Scrooge. He’s basically what happens when you take Hans Gruber from Die Hard, and give him some more teeth. Sure, he’s got some jokes, but more often than not he’ll kill you, or torture you if he’s feeling merciful. You definitely don’t want to be in the room he’s in......especially if he’s mad.

The 3rd plus is the action, and Violent Night absolutely delivers in that regard! Much like his acting throughout the film, David Harbour works his ass off in each & every encounter he’s in. With the weight he lost before Season 4 of Stranger Things from earlier this year, he looks like he’s in the best shape of his life, and you can tell. He gets pretty physical in all of the fights, and you do wince a little whenever he gets hurt. What especially awesome is that the more bloodsoaked he gets, the more furious he becomes with each act of violence he participates in. John Leguizamo gets in on the violent action a little bit, and while it’s only for a little bit throughout the film, he does a pretty good job fighting as well. Hell, even Leah Brady participates in the carnage!.....but only a little.

Finally, the last positive of Violent Night is the shocking amount of heart & warmth it has. You’re probably wondering how it is warm & fuzzy, especially when at one point Santa stabs a horde of soldiers with a sharpened candy cane (The only spoiler you are getting), and I can understand someone’s confusing upon hearing that this film can bring out the warm & fuzzy. All of these good holiday vibes comes down to the interactions between Santa & Trudy: again, Santa is a cynical curmudgeon when we first meet him, but upon seeing Trudy for the first time a seed is planted within his bitter heart, eventually blossoming into a renewed love of Christmas & the holiday season. Trudy, on the other hand, is an absolute sweetheart of a kid. If she was my daughter, I’d make sure that she would have the absolute best Christmas ever. She sees the good in just about everyone (Outside the bad guys), and uses her good energy to cheer Santa on in his gore-filled quest to take out Mr. Scrooge & his cronies. So when the two finally physically meet, it’s actually a pretty touching moment, and it almost got me to cry (Not a spoiler, as it was in the trailer). It’s so weird at how Violent Night balances the carnage and the good vibes, but it does without fail!

Okay Aspects
The only hurdle for anyone’s enjoyment of this movie is whether they like Die Hard & Home Alone. If you loved those movies, then you’ll love Violent Night! If you merely enjoyed those two, then you’ll simply enjoy this one. If by chance you hate those two movies for some reason (And I pray for you if you do), then you will not love this holly jolly gorefest.

Bad Aspects
Violent Night on a whole is absolutely awesome! From beginning to end you’re in for a blood-filled Holiday ride, and it rarely if ever outstays it’s welcome. It’s really just a bunch of small things that keep an otherwise great movie from being a flawless one, and I’ll go through them quick. The majority of the Lightstone family are pretty awful in their own way, and you’ll wish throughout the movie’s runtime that something happens to them (That technically happens to one member, but it’s not the one that most of you wish). The villains are the stereotypical kind of action movie bad guys, but some of the henchmen do have humorous quirks (All of their code names are based off of Christmas things), and there is an interesting twist or two. Finally, the ending of Violent Night is.....weird. I won’t spoil it, but the way they decide to end the movie is odd. There’s some more that I probably saw, but I forgot what they were. 

Overall Impression & Rating
Violent Night is just a treat. What Die Hard was to the late 1980s, this movie is to the early 2020s. There are some small dents in the armor, but the surprisingly original story & characters, acting, action, heart, and pretty brutal violence all make this Christmas feature pretty unique. While you might not be able to watch this movie outside of December, it’ll fill you with enough holiday spirit to last for months.....but that may be the blood & gore that got splattered all over your face. Either way, Violent Night is awesome!

Violent Night gets a 9 out of 10.

And that was my review of Violent Night. An absolute blast to watch, and one in which it surprisingly tugs at the heartstrings despite all of the blood. If you were to show this alongside Die Hard during the Holiday season, you’d have one hell of a holly jolly movie night.....and one that nobody would ever forget! So with that, 2022 closes here on the Heavy Metal Otaku blog. Things definitely improved this year, but there was still plenty of scarring to go around. Well, I’m gonna enjoy these last few days, and in just a short amount of time it’ll be 2023. See you in January!

 

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If you'd like to watch the trailer, then click on the link below: 

Violent Night (Trailer)

The Top 5 Movies Of 2022

So, didn’t expect to see this kind of list again, didn’t you fellow otaku & metalheads?

It’s been a few years since I talked about the best movie of the year, but with the plague seemingly subsiding enough that some semi-balance of normality, the seats of a movie theater felt oddly refreshing. I should state that there’s no honorable mentions this year: while I did see a few movies in 2022, I didn’t see enough that I felt that such a section was necessary. Regardless, I saw some interesting flicks this year. Some of them were great, and a few others are.....well, you’ll see. Anyways, let’s not waste anymore time, and check out what I think were the top 5 best movies of 2022. Let’s begin!

5) Doctor Strange & The Multiverse Of Madness (Trailer)

So, I confess that my no. 5 & my no. 4 spots this year were devoted to movies that aren’t exactly.....well loved by a lot of people. In the case of our 2nd trip into the world of Doctor Strange, it’s due to a bunch of things. Flawed story & characters, weird acting, and the occasional odd placement of “popular” politics really didn’t help matters in the eyes of many. However, what endeared the movie to me was it’s visuals! The Multiverse Of Madness is far in a way the most visually stunning out of all of the Marvel movies that have been released at this point in time. Sam Raimi has always had a way with film making, able to create some impressive visuals out of just about anything. So, Doctor Strange & The Multiverse Of Madness may not be in the upper tier of Marvel movies, but on looks alone it’s fantastic! 

4) Jurassic World: Dominion (Trailer)

Weird fact: I saw this movie twice in theaters. Once with some friends, and the other with my folks.....and I enjoyed it both times. Yes, in the eyes of many this is the worst of the Jurassic World films, and to some extent I can see why. The acting at times is wonky, some of the characters are irksome, and parts of the story can be absolutely absurd! That being said, I found this to be a perfect example of a fun & dumb summer movie. One where you sit in your seat with a big bag of popcorn & drink, turn your brain off, and just enjoy what you’re watching. If anything, I actually think that Dominion is the best of the 3 films, on account that the original characters being used surprisingly well, and even some of the World characters were perhaps at their best in this movie. Again, Dominion certainly has a few issues, but if enjoyed in the right way, it’s a slice of the most deliciously unhealthy cheesecake you’ve ever had!

3) We Met In Virtual Reality (Trailer)

And here we arrive at one of the most intriguing films of 2022, and one of my favorite documentaries I’ve ever seen. Filmed completely in Virtual Reality, it’s an intriguing look into a digital world that’s surprisingly grounded in real world feeling & emotion. Taking place over the course of a year, We Met In Virtual Reality showed off the lives of those who were trying to get through the COVID-19 storm back in 2020. Their fear & struggles for sure, but also the optimism & positivity that VR gave to these people, and how it helped them live in such a disease-ridden year. It’s really something to see for sure, so if you have HBO in any capacity, then give this documentary a go!

2) Jackass Forever (Trailer)

Let’s be honest: the past few years have been a raging dumpster fire. Hell, even 2022 couldn’t escape the flames of burning garbage, and I have a feeling we’re gonna have to experience them for a bit longer. With that in mind, I felt it was only needed to end this list with some of the most lighthearted films I’ve seen in a loooong time (No. 3 is where this technically started). For starters, we got a couple of Jackasses to talk about! In a strange way, it’s nice to see Steve-O, Johnny Knoxville, and the rest of the Jackass crew come back to put their bodies on the line just to make us laugh. Yes, Bam Margera isn’t there (Long Story), and Ryan Dunn sadly is no longer on this Earth (Sad Story), but that doesn’t stop those who are left to perform (Along with some new people) what I think are the most over-the-top stunts in all of their films! From playing the Dum Dum game, to getting punched in the nuts by a professional UFC fighter (While wearing a cup, btw), to tap dancing on an electrified floor, there is nothing that the Jackass crew won’t do to get a reaction out of anybody. If you feel that life is garbage.....why not watch some jackasses?  

1) Violent Night (Trailer)

I normally don’t put recent games, movies, or albums at the number one spot of a list, but kinda like my top 5 albums of 2020 list, I am making an exception! When I first saw the name of the trailer, I confess I thought it was going to be a knockoff of Silent Night Deadly Night, but boy was I wrong! Someone at Universal must have been watching The Night The Reindeer Died segment from Scrooged & the original Die Hard at the same time, and though “Hey, that needs to be a movie”! I admit that I was absolutely scared that the movie would suck, but I was so wrong! Violent Night is a movie of 2 identities, with the first being a spiritual successor to Die Hard. Santa’s trapped in a situation he doesn’t want to be in against a “Naughty” group of mercenaries, and he goes to absolute town on just about everybody that gets in his way. Hell, David Harbour goes down even harder on these guys when compared to Bruce Willis against Hans Gruber & his boys. Maybe even a little more stomach churning at times!

But there’s the other personality, and that’s the fact that Violent Night.....is surprisingly heartwarming. Given the amount of gore & carnage, you’d think there wasn’t room for a touching story.....but there actually kinda is one alongside all of the action. David Harbour’s take on Santa Claus is actually kinda tragic: his original mission of spreading joy eventually turned him rather bitter & cynical about his yearly job. It’s not until he comes across a little girl that’s in some pretty big danger that he realizes that he’s gotta knuckle up, and do everything he can to save her (And her family by extent). I can’t spoil what happens in the movie, but I will say that the relationship they form is incredibly sweet, and you cheer for both of them at the same time. It’s this duality of personalities that makes Violent Night such a weirdly unique movie, but at the same time makes it a lovable movie. Watch it when you can!  

And those were my top 5 movies of 2022. Again, it was great to be in a movie theater after all of this time, and the stuff I did see was certainly interesting enough it was only necessary to talk about them after skipping this list since the end of 2019. With that said, I got one last thing for all of you. See you all towards the end of the month!





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If you’d like to see what I thought the best movies of 2019 were (Yeah, it’s been that long), then click on the link below:

The Top 5 Movies Of 2019

Album Review: Trans-Siberian Orchestra's The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve

Frosty greetings fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Now we’re getting into December, as well as the wintry treats of the most wonderful time of year. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday, and my love for it has only heightened in recent years. With the threat of a plague being able to take a life away at a moment’s notice, you can understand why. Regardless, it’s the holiday season, and I have some goodies for you! To start things off, I got a hell of an album to talk about! As you can already tell by the title of this post, I’m of course going to be talking about the iconic Trans-Siberian Orchestra! Since the late 90s, these holiday metallic warriors have spread their message of joy & wonder across this entire country & beyond. However, they don’t rely on Heavy Metal alone, as they bring along a few genre compatriots for the ride to help spread their wintry message! So, put on your ugly Christmas sweater, get a cup of hot cocoa, and take a look at my review for The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve. Let’s begin!

Background ***
After the first inaugural tours & records, Trans-Siberian Orchestra producer Paul O’ Neil got a call from Fox before their 1999 tour (They always start in November, btw) & asked if TSO could record Beethoven’s Last Night for a special. Paul said he could do one better, and make a mini-movie, & was also able to write a script for said movie in about an hour. After the filming for the short feature, it would premier on Fox Family on December 14, 1999 as part of their seasonal 25 Days of Christmas programming block. On November the 13th, 2001, it was released on DVD with the Timeless Version of "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24" included as a bonus song.

Basic Description
A Timeless Christmas Tale.

That might sound cliche, but what I just said is completely true. Trans-Siberian Orchestra have become ingrained into the Christmas season as much as Candy Canes & the Christmas Truce of WW1, and they show no signs of ever letting go of that fact! Paul O’ Neil always had a way of weaving stories into the music, regardless of whether or not it was with Savatage or TSO. However, it wasn’t just storytelling he was good at, as he & the rest of group worked with many musical styles. The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve doesn’t just use Heavy Metal, but there’s also Blues, Hard Rock, Gospel, Orchestra, and I think even a hint of Jazz somewhere. While I do think this does cause a problem or two (More on that in a bit), it’s still incredible that so many music genres come together to make something incredible, and all under the guise of the Holiday season no less!   

Best Track
You could pick any song on here, and it’ll be a hit. There is absolutely no bad choice for the best track of the album, as virtually all of them are! If I was to pick my favorite song however, I’d gotta say Music Box Blues oddly enough. Normally, I’m not a Blues or Jazz kind of guy, but this is one of the few times where it hits me in just the right way. It is incredibly obvious that it’s a Blues tune, but what caught me off guard was the gospel-like vocal work from both the main singer & the choir, as well as the gospel-like instrumentation in some places. It’s an incredibly emotional song as well, with equal moments of positivity & melancholy that are just potent. It’s a great song you shouldn’t skip, so don’t!

Music Box Blues

Worst Track
The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve’s only fault lives with it’s organization. Not with it’s production or quality, because those points are practically flawless, nor in a story sense because it flows smoothly in that regard. I’m referring to the musical styles being used across this whole album. One song may be a Hard Rock tune, and the next you’re immediately listening to the Blues, or perhaps Gospel. Because it goes from genre to genre in a semi-random manner, it’s kind of hard to determine if the record has a solid musical identity or not.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve

Overall Impression & Rating
The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve is simply magical. Organization issues aside, Trans-Siberian Orchestra really hit it out of the park with what they were going for on this album. You could argue that there a hint of cheese spread over everything, and I wouldn’t completely disagree. However, sometimes we all need to hear an upbeat and emotional message. Sometimes, we all need a Slice of Heaven in this unrelenting Sea of Hell that has only become more torrential & destructive in recent years. However, sometimes if we believe in things that may be unrealistic, we can make them real, and this band manages to do that with each and every single musical note. If there’s a CD that must be in your life around this time of year, it’s definitely The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve!

The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve gets a 9.5 out of 10.

And that was my review of The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve. Even though it’s most definitely metal, the numerous other musical styles give it quite the personality, and show that it’s not a one-trick pony. Metalheads love these guys, and even some non-metalheads like the orchestra too! So, join me in a few days when I’ll put up that surprise list I talked about earlier in the month. See you soon!


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If you have a little over 2 minutes to spare, then check out this quick story about not just the album, but the TV special as well.

Translating 'The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve' TV Special to the stage

The Top 5 Albums Of 2022

Rock on fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

A few days ago, I showed you what I thought were the 5 best games of this year, and now we move to the best albums of 2022. Kinda like last year, I picked out an interesting bunch of releases to put here. Some aren’t going to be surprising to you, but you might be surprised as to where they got put, and without spoiling things let me say that I have strange bedfellows at my no. 1 this year. So, without further delay, here are my top 5 albums of 2022. Let’s begin!

5) Battle Beast - Circus of Doom (Song) & Ozzy Osbourne - Patient Number 9 (Song)

I said this at the start of the year when I updated the overview (Read here), and I will repeat myself here: Battle Beast have turned things around after one okay album, and one album that was god-awful! It was definitely shocking that Circus of Doom was as great as it was, when you considered what the band’s last record was. The metal came back, the heaviness came back, the vocals came back, and even some of the geekery from their first 3 releases came back in force. There is a little bit of weakness at the beginning with some of the tracks, but even then the whole package is wonderful to listen to. As a way to start off 2022, this was a damn good album, and left me cautiously optimistic for the future!

Another album that left me cautiously optimistic was the return of the Blizzard Of Ozz! We last heard from Ozzy with Ordinary Man, and while I disliked/hated (Take your pick) it nowhere near as much as some fans & critics, I can easily understand some people’s distaste towards it. With Patient Number 9, I don’t get the hate & criticism it receives. Like I said back in October, it does suffer similar issues when compared to it’s predecessor, but there are much more smoothed out. Not only that, but it got a bit of that old-school sound & feel thanks in part to the guest musicians that came in to help Ozzy. If you were turned off by Ordinary Man’s flaws yet liked much of the music on that record, then Patient Number 9 is a good substitute!

4) Korn - Requiem (Song)

Nearly 30 years since their first album, Korn continue to hold the Nu Metal banner aloft despite their style no longer being popular, and Requiem is yet another feather in their storied cap. Dark & Heavy like their last release was, but with a subtheme of releasing negativity from one’s self, the 9 songs on here (10 if you got the Japanese release) are some of the best that they’ve put out since 2013. It may go by quick, and it may grab the balls & twist sometimes, but listeners can’t deny that the overall quality is anything but damn good. Give this early 2022 release a try, and hear it for yourself!

3) Septicflesh - Modern Primitive (Song)

Good to see you guys again!

The last time I talked about my no. 1 Death Metal band of all time on one of these lists, it was about their 2017 release Codex Omega. I admit that at times I was harsh to it for not being on par with the majesty that is Titan (Though not necessarily on my top 5 in 2017), but it hindsight I realized that it’s still fantastic in it’s own right. Modern Primitive on the other hand is definitely a step in the right direction to obtaining that Titan status, and I couldn’t be happier. It still has an identity crisis like Codex Omega does, but this time around things seemed much more focused & controlled, rather that just letting it all out. There’s definitely a more solid direction with the music on this release, even though you may get lost as the album plays. No, this album is definitely not Titan.....but it’s in the ballpark at least, and I couldn’t be anymore thankful for that.

2) Sabaton - The War To End All Wars (Song) & Hammerfall - Hammer of Dawn (Song)

The strength of Sweden has returned!

The last time I talked about Sabaton, it was their first full-blown journey into the trenches of World War One with The Great War. It may have gone by quick, but it was one of the richest records in terms of historical references & facts. Under 3 years later, and we’ve returned to the Western Front with The War To End All Wars! In comparison to their previous release, TWTEAW takes a slight backstep when compared to the band’s prior record. Make no mistake: it’s nice to see Sabaton look at WW1 again, and they definitely don’t disappoint with the stories they tell! That being said, things are ever so slightly more upbeat on this album than their output from 2019. Not so much that it disrupts the flow & mood of the music, but enough that you feel it once in a while as the album plays. Regardless, it was nice that the preeminent Power Metal historians came back in 2022 with cannons blazing & flags waiving high, and I look forward to whatever they have next!

And let’s not forget Hammerfall! Their last album Dominion was the first time that I really let their teeth sink into me, and I never minded the bite since. Tragically, I was supposed to see them (Along with Beast In Black & another band) in 2020, but we know all too well what that year was like at this point. If there was a good point to that plague-ridden time, it would be that it allowed bands to work on music without the distraction of touring & the public, and we certainly got that with Hammer of Dawn! Not too far removed from their last release, Hammerfall managed to craft another fantastic Power Metal record that does just enough new things to differentiate it from albums before it. From beginning to end it made sure I was smiling the entire run time, and that’s exactly what Power Metal is supposed to do!

Before we get to my number 1, I want to talk about some honorable mentions. 2022 had a big bunch of fantastic music this year, and figuring out what goes where was somewhat difficult. My honorable mentions this year were perhaps especially painful, as I didn’t want to put either of them here. The albums here are just as good as everything else on this list, and I have nary a complaint about these two, so without any further delay, here are 2022's honorable mentions.

HM1) Everfrost - Frostbites (Song)

I didn’t want to put this one here. I definitely didn’t! Anyone who’s read my blog since late 2019 knows that I’ve been singing the praises of these beautiful Finnish weebs from top to bottom, and Frostbites is no exception. The reasons why Frostbites isn’t on the main list is twofold: there are only 4 songs on this EP, and outside of the opener I’ve never watched shows that the other 3 tracks are from. I can brush off the 2nd complaint without much fuss, but four songs!? Maybe I misread something on their Facebook page (I wouldn’t be surprised if I did), but it sounded like that this was going to be a full release! Regardless of those 2 points, I can’t deny that Everfrost still got it! There have been some lineup changes since Winterider (Some of which were pretty significant), but they still successfully present anime & manga through a Power Metal lens just as well as their last 2 releases, and given that the next thing coming out is their third album.....I can only say that Frostbites leaves me excited for what’s to come!

HM2) Kreator - Hate Über Alles (Song)

True story. I actually had this album tied with one of my number one albums of this year. It was tied with that record for quite some time, until perhaps a more appropriate partner showed up at the beginning of last month, and thus these Germanic titans were relegated to the honorable mentions section of this list. Make no mistake: Hate Über Alles is a tasty dish that Kreator has baked for us. There are spots where it may be undercooked a little, but this Thrash Metal monstrosity still has a lot of brutality behind it. Mille & the rest of the band harness the power of what we’re all feeling right now: political foolishness from all sides, a dying world, apathy of not being able to fix things despite the work getting put in, etc. The band has always had a way of working with these subjects like a master artist, and in the year of 2022, Hate Über Alles is a perfect representation of how many of us are feeling.

1) Rammstein - Zeit (Song) & Devin Townsend - Lightwork (Song) & Nightwork (Song)

Yin & Yang. That’s what I felt 2022 needed to end on. A little bit of serious, and a little bit of light as well. This year was definitely a rollercoaster when it came to things that took place. A lot of it was bad, but a lot of it was good also. So much so, that the two albums I put here kinda embody black & white when it comes to emotions. For starers, we have the returning Germanic juggernaut that is Rammstein, and I said it back in 2019, and I’ll say it again: the band’s album after nearly a decade was like meeting an old friend. An old friend you haven’t seen in a decade, but he’s changed a lot, yet those changes were all done for the right reasons. It was a welcome surprise, and really gave fans something awesome to gnaw on for a while. A year later, and a great plague kept everyone at bay from enjoying life, but if there was a good thing about it, it would be that it allowed bands to record & produce music without the distraction of touring. Rammstein was one of those bands, and they spent their time crafting a sequel to their incredible return.....and boy oh boy what a sequel we got.

If their 2019 release was like meeting a lost old friend, then Zeit is like briefly losing contact with said friend, and finding them again. They’re still the same like they were 3 years prior, but it seems as if they went through some hell, and have gained a philosophical edge to their outlook on life. They’re still badass & metal, but Zeit was recorded during one of the toughest periods of the beginning of this new decade, and as such there is the vibe that maybe there’s a little more to the music now. Not necessarily across all of the tracks, but the moment you feel this vibe it’s quite obvious. While I don’t believe that Zeit surpasses their self-titled album from 2019, it does manage to comfortably tie with it, and I couldn’t be any happier.

Then, on the light side of things, we have Devin Townsend! When my lists last encountered the Mad Canadian, it was through his emotional 2019 release, Empath. It was incredible, warming, and one of that year’s best releases. However, HevyDevy is always creating things, and during 2020 & last year he managed to put out some fantastic music. 2022 is definitely his best year so far, and Lightwork is proof of this. Recording much of the material during the Pandemic, the  album also marks the very first time that HevyDevy worked with a producer to help guide him, and the end result might very well be the most focused record that Devin has ever done. That doesn’t mean it’s his most boring, as there are still plenty of Devin’s quirks & oddities in each & every song, and while it may lag behind Empath in terms of emotional heaviness, the music will still hit you hard all the time. As a way to give face to what we’ve all been feeling since 2020, Lightwork is perhaps the best piece of media to do so!  

However, there’s also the companion to Lightwork as well I gotta talk about. Titled Nightwork, this is a selection of B-Sides & Demos that didn’t make it to the main album proper, and that’s a shame since everything on this release is just as good as what was on the primary record (Outside of a few-second filler track)! Nightwork definitely has the weirder & more aggressive songs, and the flow of the tunes definitely feels more bizarre, but in a good way that only Devin Townsend can do. As with Empath & Transcendance, I find it baffling that these songs are considered demos, when they’re just as well made as what you could listen to on Lightwork. Regardless, Nightwork shows off Devin Townsend’s talent just as well as what was on the main record, and complements that CD nicely!

And these were the top 5 albums of 2022. Kinda like last year, this is certainly an interesting batch of records to talk about at the end of this year. However, I think it’s kind of appropriate, given how up in the air life was. So, in perhaps an surprise twist, I actually have one final end of year list coming. Before that however, I got a review for an album that brings the holiday spirit in quite the metallic kind of way. See you soon!



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If you’d like to look at what I thought the best albums were of last year, check out the link below:

Top 5 Albums of 2021

The Top 5 Games Of 2022

We’re here fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

We’ve reached the end of 2022, and we’ve reached the most wonderful time of the year. We have all gone through some big crap this year, and there’s been a bunch of events that shook the world at large. From the FBI going down the Mar-A-Lago, to COVID still hanging around, and Elon Musk acquiring Twitter & reinstating Trump’s account, things were definitely intense this year. Luckily, there’s been plenty of things to keep us distracted from the horrors of the world, and games always fit the bill. As I’ve said plenty of times across many of my lists, things are definitely on the strange side. In fact, my no. 1 this year is pretty surprising this year, but no spoilers. With that out of the way, here are my top 5 games of 2022. Let’s begin!

5) Chasm: The Rift (Trailer)

So this came out of nowhere!

An absolutely baffling remaster of Slavjank (As Civvie 11 calls games from Eastern Europe & Russia), this FPS title from the now defunct Ukranian group Action Forms has a die-hard cult following behind it to this very day. Enraptured by the simplistic yet strangely well-made gameplay & surprisingly detailed levels and level design, Chasm is still spoken about here in 2022 with a strange reverence. So, just a few short months ago (October) it was re-released, and I’m not going to lie......it’s a ton of fun! It’s got some issues for sure, but it’s amazing what was done within the game back in 1997, and is still kind of amazing today. Limbs could get blown off, there were weather & environmental effects, and there was an overall level of detail that was decent for the time. The more remarkable thing was that this was all done in a graphics engine that was a Frankenstein’s monster of 2.5d & 3d technology, and it was able to do things that shouldn’t be possible because of this mix. It may be dated, but Chasm: The Rift came back kicking & screaming.....and I love it!   

4) Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodhunt (Trailer)

Finally.....FINALLY.....a Battle Royal game I truly like!

I will confess that I haven’t played this as massively as I should. I’ve always been a sucker for vampires, and I played Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines waaaay back in 2004/2005. Not only that, but with the influx of vampires in some of the more prominent of MTG sets in recent years, you’d be surprised that I’m not playing this everyday. I confess this is mostly due to the fact that I’m sick of the Battle Royale genre, and the unintentional damage it’s caused. Apart from Warzone, the Battle Royale genre is just a watered-down version of Last Man Standing in my view. But with Bloodhunt, there’s something a little different here. Sure, there are a lot of the typical Battle Royale elements within, but I love the fact that everything is painted with a nice coat of the World Of Darkness atmosphere & vibe. Bloodhunt may not drive me to play it constantly, but it’s fun to pick up every now & then.  

Also.....the game is free, so that’s a plus!

3) Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands (Trailer) & Fashion Police Squad (Trailer)

This.....right here.....is perhaps the most refreshing title in all of the Borderlands universe!

Gone is the heavy moral ambiguity. Gone is the overwhelming moral greyness. Gone is the awful storytelling, and gone is the equally awful cast of characters (Those last two especially apply to Borderlands 3). For the first time seemingly ever in this game’s history, we’ve got great storytelling, a cast of characters I don’t want to punch in the face, and possibly some of the best gameplay that’s ever been in the franchise (Given how good it was in B2 & B3, that’s saying something). The world that Tina created for her friends & the player to wander through is bright, colorful, and filled with so much to do! Quests are equal parts parodies & loving tributes to fantasy, geekery, a little bit of anime, and even Heavy Metal! There are some issues for sure (Mainly the mostly horrendous DLC, lack of replay value outside of playing a different class, and a roster of legendary guns that’s not as impressive as prior games), but on uniqueness alone I still got a kick out of this. If for whatever understandable reason Borderlands 3's story left a bad taste in your mouth, why not try a trip through the Wonderlands?

And then there’s also the equally colorful & absurd Fashion Police Squad. I was a huge fan of the short yet incredibly entertaining demo, so to finally get my hands on the full game was a treat! The city of Trendopolis is over-the-top, bright, hilarious, and strangely charming. This also extends to the gameplay, as all of the various fashion criminals come in all horrific forms (Socks & Sandals.....the horror), and they must be fixed by the “Guns” & Sock Gnomes (Yes....those are real) at your disposal. Even the story, as goofy and absurd as it is, can be oddly engaging at times. There are some weird gameplay issues once in a while, and it’s not necessarily the longest shooter I’ve played, but they in no way hamper my enjoyment of the overall package. I won’t necessarily judge you for not wanting to play this, but if you can get past the doofy exterior, you will find one of the most unique retro-FPS games that’s out there right now!  

2) Elden Ring (Trailer)

It is by an absolute hair that this doesn’t make the number 1 spot. It is by a single inch that this beauty of an RPG doesn’t take the crown as the best game of 2022. Let me say this: Elden Ring is far in a way the most accessible game that FromSoftware has ever made. It is the game that gives players an untold level of freedom in comparison to prior releases, and it is the game that has 12-something million people (Maybe more at the very end of this year) journeying through The Lands Between as we speak. It is a game that’s like the typical FromSoft formula, yet it’s nothing like said formula either. It is the most massive world that the company has ever created, filled to the brim with so many things to discover, and so many enemies & bosses to kill. Again, Elden Ring is an absolute masterpiece of an RPG, but it barely missed getting to no. 1.....and what did make it there will surprise you.

Before we get to my number 1, I wanted to talk about some honorable mentions. Gaming was certain big this year, and picking what goes where was somewhat of a challenge. One game comes from last year, another is from this past September, and the final 2 are from October. With that said, here are the honorable mention games of 2022.

HM1) Call of Duty: Vanguard (Trailer)

It’s been quite a while since I played a COD game that I felt was weak, but that’s sort of the case with the series’s second return to WW2. There are some good things about it: the campaign is fun despite only needing to play through it once, and the multiplayer is engaging enough to experiment with a giant majority of the guns & equipment. Everything else on the other hand is a mixed bag. The story is incredibly ridiculous (Even for a COD title), and while the main characters were engaging, they were also incredibly one-dimensional as well. The zombies mode was perhaps the least impressive the sub-game has ever been, and despite enjoying the multiplayer, many of the weapon attachments make the guns look absolutely goofy. Again, there’s a good thing or two here & there, but Vanguard is a release that isn’t the most necessary to play.
     
HM2) Gloomwood: Early Access (Trailer) & Cultic: Chapter One (Trailer)

I’ve been waiting for this since 2020. The pre-alpha demo from over 2 years ago is still entertaining, but things have changed so much since that time. New Blood Interactive have improved Gloomwood a lot since then, and thanks to the early access release from back in September (It was supposed to be out in August, but got pushed back a few weeks), gamers finally got the chance to play what they’ve been working on, and the opinions on it have been nothing but positive. If this was the full game, I might have put this somewhere on the main list, but what we got from this early access is still a treat! Take Thief, mix in a hint of Bloodborne, add just a sprinkle of both FPS & melee combat, and you have a lovely package. The atmosphere is dark & gothic, the interactivity is impressive yet simple, and what they gave us here just makes me want the whole package sooner. My only complaints are that the A.I. isn’t among the best (It needs work, but it’s not abysmal) and the playtime is roughly 2 hours (Dependent on the difficulty selected & how many times you’ve played it), but the overall experience is fresh & solid. It’s not too expensive over on Steam, so if you have the money....pick it up!

And then there’s Cultic: Chapter One. Those of you who read my list from last year around this time might recall the praise I gave the demo. Well, over a year later, and we got the release of Chapter One. It’s not the complete game, as there is one more chapter to be added at a later date, yet it is not an early access title. That being said, this is still a meaty dish! Much like Gloomwood, there is a lot to unpack in this game. Like I said last year when talking about the demo, the connections to 90s FPS legend Blood are very obvious: from the atmosphere, to the combat, and to the enemies, it’s obvious that the one-man crew at Jasozz Games was highly influenced by that game. Much like the ode to Thief I talked about above, Chapter One doesn’t cost much, so buy it when you can!

HM3) Overwatch 2 (Trailer)

I wanted to love this game. I really did. I recall my wonderful time with the original Overwatch’s beta, as well as the full game’s 6-ish year run. When I heard that there was a 2nd one coming, I was a little surprised by it, but none the less there was some excitement welling up in me. Then some dumb decisions were made, there was some pre-2021 B.S., and then the absolute meltdown of the once iconic game studio took place. Controversy after controversy kept happening and/or being discovered, which in turn completely scarred Blizzard’s reputation seemingly permanently. Not only that, people weren’t excited for Overwatch 2 anywhere near as much as the first game. Then, on that fateful day on the 4th of October 2022......it was released.

To say it’s launch day was rough is understating it. Two big DDOS attacks, server issues, insane wait times to get into the game, people missing stuff from the 1st game during transfer (Especially on console), some gameplay issues, and the most egregious issue of all being the Battle Pass (Unlocks are simply okay, outside of heroes.....which are needlessly locked in it!). All of these things practically made sure that Overwatch 2 would not be seen favorably, and judging by the reviews that some people gave, the unfavorable view is not surprising. That being said, there are times where the original game does shine through. The look of the game is still nice, the matches are still intense, the old characters are still memorable despite the changes to some, and the new characters fit the world perfectly. Overwatch 2 will more than likely never reach the heights that the original Overwatch did, but I look forward to the day if it actually does.

1) Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (Trailer 1/Trailer 2/Game Knights/Gallery) & Streets of New Capenna (Trailer/Game Knights/Gallery) & Secret Lair: Pride Across The Multiverse (Article) & Secret Lair x Street Fighter (Article) & Universes Beyond: Warhammer 40K (Game Knights/Gallery)***

No, you are not hallucinating. For the first time ever, I am not talking about a video game. Instead, I wanted the number 1 spot to go to a card game. Magic The Gathering, in fact. In the first few months of 2022, the MTG fandom was treated to not one but two fantastic sets, as well as some fun side products. One of which was centered on a re-imagined iconic world, and one of which was brand new.....so let’s talk about them!

Starting off.....is Joy. That is what I felt back in early/mid February. Pure....unadulterated....genuine....Joy. I felt this Joy when Magic The Gathering decided to revisit one of the game’s most iconic worlds after almost 18 years. Not only that, but time has since moved on from 2004, as the once feudal Kamigawa has since become a world of Cyberpunk. Neon lights, cyborgs, and mechs can be seen everywhere, yet there are still samurai, ninja, and a respect for the plane’s ancient traditions. The Kami now live alongside the various races of the world, where the two sides were once separate places, and perhaps even more fantastical things have happened because of this merging. Not only that, but Neon Dynasty has perhaps some of the most beautiful artwork ever made for a Magic set. Whether normal or alternative (Especially when talking about the anime artwork), this set is an absolute feast for the eyes. It was a behemoth of a treat to be able to revisit the plane that pulled me into the game, and a version that felt new yet very familiar also. Through this joy alone, Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty is one of my no. 1 games of 2022.

And then there’s a trip to a fantasy city that perhaps nobody ever expected to go to. From a world of Cyberpunk, we head to a metropolis of Art Deco, Film Noir, and crime families led by demons. Around every corner there’s fog & shadows, high above you there’s glitz & glamour, and you always wonder if that person coming towards you is just a stranger, or a gangster with a knife for your back. New Capenna is an equally stunning place when compared to Neon Dynasty: the Art Deco adds a level of realism that’s never been seeing before in a Magic Set, yet the fantasy aspect isn’t buried because of this added realism. The set walks a tightrope between both styles & genres, with neither one overpowering the other. As with the previous set, Streets of New Capenna was a blast to play, and it’s definitely somthing you might enjoy as well!

On top of that, there is the curious but genuine tribute to the LGBTQIA2+ community that was Pride Across The Multiverse. After admitting to some recent transgressions, Wizards Of The Coast began to turn things around, and have enacted some genuine inclusiveness & social activism (Not the bullshit kind that’s done just to score brownie points) within the company, and this Secret Lair from a few months ago is a sign of this change. Each of the cards in this product depicts some aspect of the LGBTQIA2+ community, and it’s all done with great respect & sincerity. Given that the rights of people in this country have been taken away in a flash or are being threatened to be taken away, I felt it was only right to buy Pride Across The Multiverse, as money from each purchase was given to The Trevor Project. If you somehow find this in the wild, I implore you to buy it!

Not only that, there is the Secret Lair crossover with Street Fighter of all things. MTG in recent years is no stranger to exploring worlds outside of it’s own universe. 2020 we saw a glimpse into The Walking Dead, last year we journeyed to the Forgotten Realms (We’d go back again in 2022.....and we all know how that went) & got pulled into the oddness of Stranger Things, and now Street Fighter. I will confess that I never played any of the games back in the day, and I still haven’t played any of the more modern titles. As anyone who knows me personally, I’ve been PC Master Race since 1992. I have Wolfenstein 3d, Diablo 1, and Alone In The Dark pumping through my veins, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. However, I just couldn’t help but fall in love with the novelty of this. Like the Walking Dead & Stranger Things secret lairs, it’s interesting to see characters from an iconic franchise translated into one of the most equally iconic cards games of all time. Not all of them are the most amazing mind you, but it’s still neat to see them put down to paper. I managed to snag the last one of these (Foil, btw) from my local LGS back in early September, and despite the expense, I knew that it was worth it. Much like Pride Across The Multiverse, this is a must buy if you find it in the wild.

Finally, there is the journey into grimdark space with the first full-blown release of the Universes Beyond line of products. I can understand many fans & their criticisms with going outside of Magic’s known cosmology into outside franchises (Anyone who remembers when the Walking Dead secret lair was released can attest to that), and the realm of Warhammer 40K is definitely no exception. However, if you put those feelings aside, then you’ll have some of the most well designed, artistically detailed, and exceptionally powerful commander decks the company has ever put out. Not only that, but each & every single card just drips with that Warhammer 40K atmosphere that so potent & memorable. As someone who’s not fond of grimdark settings, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed all of the decks produced. If you somehow see any one of these in your local game store or retail outlet, grab them so you don’t miss out!

And these were my top 5 games of 2022. I know in the past I’ve said that some of these lists were weird, but I think this one is the first time where I genuinely mean it. This list is composed of some of the most odd picks I have every selected, but they work for me. Well, next up are the best albums of this year, and I think you’ll like what I picked out for this year. See you soon!




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If you’d like to look at what I thought the best games were of last year, check out the link below:

Top 5 Games of 2021

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If you’d like to see some photos I took from the Neon Dynasty & New Capenna pre-releases, then check them out below:

Also, here are links to the store in question that hosted these fantastic events:

Flights 2 (Facebook) 

Flights 2 (Main Website)