Game Review: Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare

Welcome back to Call of Duty month fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

A few days back, I showed you all of my favorite Call of Duty games. In that list, I briefly spoke of the 10 year anniversary of the release of the original Modern Warfare. Yesterday marked the decade old release of the game, so it was only appropriate that I take a look at it. Even after 10 years of existence, Call of Duty 4 still stands as an example of when the franchise was looked upon positively. From a time where the series had little to none of the controversy that’s damaged it today. I managed to reply the whole game a few weeks back, and the nostalgia waves are still fresh, as they helped me make this review. With that said, let’s take a look at Modern Warfare, and see what made it so great to begin with.

Development History (Taken from Wikipedia)
“Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was developed by a team of a hundred people, over the course of two years. After Call of Duty 2, the Infinity Ward team decided to move away from the World War II environment of previous games in the series. This resulted in three game concepts: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. While developing the story for Call of Duty 4, Infinity Ward chose to avoid referencing current, real-life wars, and keep the series' common theme of two opposing forces of similar strength. To enhance the realistic feel of the game, the development team attended a live-fire exercise at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, a training facility in the California desert. This helped the developers to simulate the effects of being near an Abrams tank when it fires. The team also talked with U.S. Marines who were recently in combat to get a feel for the background, emotions, and attitude of Marines in combat. Veterans were also recruited to supervise motion capture sessions and the artificial intelligence design of the game.

The development team designed the online multiplayer component to be balanced and rewarding for new players while still offering something for experienced players. An early idea to implement air support (air strikes and attack helicopters) involved players fighting over special zones to access a trigger for air support against enemies. This idea was discarded because it discouraged the type of deathmatch gameplay they intended. The kill streak reward system was put in its place to encourage the improvement of player skills. Players were allowed to select weapons before matches to get accustomed to weapons more easily and minimize weapon hunting. Maps were designed primarily for deathmatch games—the developers felt such designs suited other types of gameplay as well. Map layouts were designed to minimize locations players could hide from enemy gunfire.

Most of the music for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was written by British composer Stephen Barton, who had also contributed to film scores by Harry Gregson-Williams, to whom, composed the main theme of the game. Several music tracks from the game are available on Infinity Ward's "7 Days of Modern Warfare" website, and some are available at Barton's own web site. The rap song played during the end credits is performed by Call of Duty 4's lead animator, Mark Grigsby.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare runs on the IW engine, specifically IW 3.0, featuring true world-dynamic lighting, HDR lighting effects, dynamic shadows and depth of field. Bullet penetration is calculated by the engine, taking into account factors such as surface type and entity thickness. The game runs in a native resolution of 600p on the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Certain objects, such as cars and some buildings, are destructible. This makes distinguishing cover from concealment important, as the protection provided by objects such as wooden fences and thin walls do not completely protect players from harm. Bullet stopping power is decreased after penetrating an object, and the decrease is dependent on the thickness and surface type of the object. The game makes use of a dynamic physics engine, not implemented in previous Call of Duty titles. Death animations are a combination of pre-set animations and ragdoll physics. Console versions of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare run at a consistent 60 frames per second, and the Wii version runs at 30 frames per second. Code was included to determine spawning points based on the nearby weapons and the relationship between enemy positions and line of sight to the points. The various criteria are meant to minimize players dying immediately after rejoining a match, or being "spawn-killed" due to players simply waiting for others to "respawn". However, enemies may still respawn infinitely, a notable feature in Call of Duty game engines.

The game engine has also been used for the development of two other Activision games. An enhanced version of the original engine was used in Call of Duty: World at War, the fifth installment in the Call of Duty series after Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, while a slightly altered version has been used for the James Bond video game Quantum of Solace as well as GoldenEye 007 using a heavily modified version.”

In-Game Story
In 2011, a civil war has broken out in Russia. The forces loyal to the country, and the ultranationalists who wish for the nation to become more like it’s old soviet-era self. This conflict results in the leader of the ultranationalists, Imran Zakhaev, to make a deal with the Middle Eastern Dictator, Khaled Al-Asad. Khaled Al-Asad is currently attempting a coup in a “Oil Rich” Middle East country (Never said which country), and has extreme anti-American views. Providing a perfect distraction, Al-Asad’s coup acts as a shield for Zakhaev’s actions in Russia. Unfortunately, a coalition between U.S. forces & British S.A.S. forms to take out Al-Asad (At first by the Americans) & Zakhaev (Both the Americans & British). Along the way, there’s a lot of twists & turns in this story, but to spoil even one would ruin the whole experience.

Let me be perfectly honest: Modern Warfare’s story is hokey as hell! When it first came out back in 2007, I thought it was badass. It came across very gritty, and had quite the amount of intrigue behind it. Nowadays, it comes across like the plot of a hokey action movie from the 80s. If I’m being honest....I kind of like hokey 80s action movies. Modern Warfare might come across as a little more serious at time, but it has more in common with the 80s than it cares to admit.

Gameplay
In many ways, Modern Warfare’s gameplay isn’t that much different from Call of Duty 2. There’s regenerating health, a checkpoint system instead of the traditional save system, etc. It’s what’s been changed that’s different. The setting is no longer in World War 2 for starters. That era’s archaic nature is gone, and the modern methods of warfare are now standard practice. This translates into the weapons you find & use: M4 Carbines, Desert Eagles, and Uzis are just a few of the guns you find. There’s frag grenades & flashbangs for primary & tactical grenades respectfully, and there are situational weapons like the stinger missile launcher for mission-specific moments. These weapons & equipment really make it feel like you’re fighting in a modern war, and the enemies are more modern as well. Gone are the classic Nazis of the Third Reich, and instead you’ve got to deal with the soldiers of Khaled Al-Asad & the Ultranationalists led by Imran Zakhaev. Though the tactics of both forces seems largely the same, the physical features of both sides differentiates them enough to the point that they at least feel different.

Multiplayer has received something of an upgrade since the previous 2 games. In addition to being able to pick your guns, equipment, and whatever side you play, there are now perks you can pick to upgrade your abilities. Picking up to a maximum of 3, perks are organized into 3 tiers. Each tear is organized among offensive perks, defensive perks, and more utility-oriented perks. Being able to hold more equipment, doubled fire rate, and a longer run time are just a couple of the perks you can pick. Guns also have a limited selection of attachments to choose from, including various sights. As with leveling yourself up, you levels up guns to get their respective attachments. There are also kill streaks as well, and they offer momentary benefits. 3 kills gets you a radar ping (Reveals opponents), 5 gets you an airstrike (A group of jets deals high damage in a line), and 7 kills gets you an attack helicopter (Similar to the airstrike, but lasts longer & travels around the map). To balance things out, if one side gets an airstrike or helicopter, then the other side can’t because of airspace being taken up. It is a little annoying when one side has their stuff out and the otherside can’t, but my best guess is that it might have slowed down the game somehow, and so some form of balance was required.

Finally there’s the level-up system. Unlike previous Call of Duty games, players have a level in multiplayer mode. By completing games & killing enemies, you gain XP that increases your level. At many levels you gain, you acquire the various guns, equipment, and perks you use. You start at level 1, and can go all the way up to 55. Once you get to 55, you can “Prestige”: you start back at level 1 & progress once again back to 55, regaining all of the guns, equipment, and perks you earned before. With each prestige level, you gain an emblem showing off your prestige level, and gain another class slot (Normal maximum amount is 5). Ironically, the prestige feature was taken out of the PC edition. Very curious.

Graphics
Modern Warfare’s engine uses what’s called the IW Engine, which in itself is based off of Id Tech 3 (The engine used in Quake 3 Arena). The version used for this game was Call of Duty 2's IW 2.0 engine. This engine allowed for a variety of things, including bullet penetration, improved AI, lighting engine upgrades, and a bunch of other stuff. For it’s time it was impressive, but nowadays it’s.....okay at best. Everything bad about the engine is incredibly apparent now: from the textures to the lighting you can tell that the IW Engine is based off of dated technology. There was a remastered edition of the game that came out this year......but we don’t talk about it.

Others
If you’re curious about this game, take a look at the walkthrough below.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Walkthrough)

Overall Impression & Rating
Modern Warfare was a phenomenal release back in 2007. It ushered in waves of change, both good & bad, to the Call of Duty franchise as a whole. Moving it out of it’s WW2 beginnings, it’s advancements in graphics & gameplay (Single & Multi) really rose the game above many other FPS games of the late 2000s, and cemented itself as an undying classic. Even today, with the franchise receiving almost unyielding amounts of hate & criticism, there are those who look at Modern Warfare with rose-tinted glasses, letting feelings of nostalgia take over for a bit. If you’re a new Call of Duty fan who wants to see a glimpse into the past, or an old-school fan who wants a look back at the glory days, then load up Modern Warfare and give it a go.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare gets a 8 out of 10, although those who look at the game more nostalgically probably would give it a 9 out of 10. Maybe a full-blown 10 out of 10 if they really loved the game.

So that was my look at the original Modern Warfare. Deserving of it’s positive reputation, it does shows signs of it’s age nowadays, but at the same time still has a lot of good about it. Fans back in the day liked it, and even people who are highly critical of Call of Duty still give Modern Warfare some credit. I definitely give it credit still here in 2017. So, see you all next week, when I’ll talk about my favorite missions within the Call of Duty franchise. Until then, may your fighting spirit be a bit more modern.

My Top 5 Favorite Call Of Duty Games

Hello fellow Otaku & Metalheads, and welcome......to Call of Duty month.

Now, I heard a few growns from the crowd, and some of you probably just left the room, and to a certain degree I can’t blame you. With a new title being released each year, the game market is essentially flooded with releases from this franchise. Hell, even a life long fan of Call of Duty such as myself, can’t completely deny the faults this series has. However, when CoD works, it actually friggen works! To start things off, I wanted to talk about the Call of Duty titles that I happen to enjoy. The ones I think exemplify how good Call of Duty can actually be! The titles that actually have some effort & care put into them! So with that out of the way, here are my top 5 favorite Call of Duty games of all time. Enjoy!

5) Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (Trailer)

We begin this list with one of the most recent Call of Duty titles, and boy oh boy did this stir the hive! I dropped my jaw with the sheer amount of vitriol that the first trailer got, and how much it still gets to this day. It’s a crying shame, as Infinite Warfare is perhaps the freshest title out of what I consider to be the “Modern” era of Call of Duty. I absolutely loved the futuristic vibe of this. The space combat was thrilling, the ground combat was cool & filled with neat gadgets, the zombies mode a lighthearted take on the established mini-game, and even the multiplayer, despite some flaws, is a blast to play! If you’re willing to put the hate aside, you’ll find Infinite Warfare to be a modern classic. See you up in space!

4) Call of Duty (Trailer)

It wouldn’t be right to leave the original off this list. In many ways the very first Call of Duty title has become something of an oddball when compared to pretty much every other game since it’s release. There’s health pickups instead of regenerating health, you can save anywhere (Although there were still some checkpoints), and the multiplayer wasn’t peer-to-peer yet. However, for those who’ve come into the franchise recently, 2003's Call of Duty is a glimpse into the franchise’s distant past. A time where the series wasn’t hated, and when WW2 games weren’t criticized. In recent times World War 2 has come back to Call of Duty, but I’ll cover that when the time is right. Regardless, the original Call of Duty holds up remarkably well despite it’s issues, and even gamers who despise the franchise can’t deny the quality of this title. Do yourself a favor, and give this classic a go!

3) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (Trailer)

Much like the original Call of Duty, 2007's first entry into the Modern Warfare series is considered a classic (Even among critics), and for good reason. What gets this game past it’s 2003 predecessor is the simple fact that it spearheaded the movement of getting the franchise out of World War 2, and into the modern era of combat. Gone is the M1 Garand & MG42, and instead the M4 Carbine & M249 SAW take their place. Gone are the Nazis, and instead you’ve got a Middle Eastern dictator & Russian dissidents to fight. Things seem to be a bit more gritty in Modern Warfare, yet it doesn’t lose sight of what made the previous 2 games so great, and takes that quality for it’s own. Nearly a year later, Modern Warfare is still held up as an example of Call of Duty at it’s finest, and it’s a game I have fond memories of. If you want to see where all of the “modern” sensibilities come from, then look no further than Modern Warfare.

2) Call of Duty: World At War (Trailer)

Though Modern Warfare spearheaded the modernization of the themes of Call of Duty, one roadblock came up in the form of World At War. Considered to be the black sheep of the Call of Duty series due to it being the first main title released by a studio that wasn’t Infinity Ward (In this case, Treyarch), it none the less was a nice farewell to the World War 2 era of Call of Duty. It’s also the bloodiest affair in the series, as the German & Japanese soldiers can be burned & amputated with a shocking amount of realism in 2008. Many of the classic weapons from WW2-era Call of Duty return, and a few new ones make their debut as well. It’s the first time that Japanese weapons from the war are put in a player’s hands, and it’s the first time that the iconic German MG42 machinegun is portable. World at War also marks the birth of the iconic & infamous Zombies mode, and while it’s original outing is exceedingly primitive by today’s standards, it’s still a blast to play. Even the multiplayer component has something special behind it, as there were drivable tanks in some levels, along with tank perks to improve the experience in some way. Yes, World At War was another trip into WW2 after the emergence into modern times, but it was a nice way to close a chapter in this franchise’s stories history.

1) Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (Trailer)

I will forever have Black Ops 2 as my number 1 Call of Duty game. After the issues starting with Modern Warfare 2 that carries over to the 2 games afterwards, Treyarch’s 2012 offering was an exceedingly massive breathe of fresh air. It gave players an unprecedented level of freedom & control that wasn’t seen in any Call of Duty game beforehand. You could pick out your weapons, grenades, equipment, and singleplayer perks. You could control where the story went, if characters lived or died, and what would eventually happen to you. Multiplayer was much more flexible as well, as you could pick & choose your weapons, equipment, and perks with more versatility than ever before. Even the Zombies mode received an overhaul, with levels that are much larger than before, and the easter eggs were much more expansive. Coupled with a futuristic setting that I felt (And still feel) was the most grounded & realistic out of the Sci-Fi based Call of Duty games. I can’t say anything else, other than Black Ops 2 is an essential title to play.

So those were my top 5 favorite Call of Duty releases of all time. I hope you enjoyed this list, as I have more CoD content coming in the next few weeks. In fact, I’ll see you all next week, when I’ll take a look at the original Modern Warfare. Until then, have a nice rest of the week.

Metal Overview: Septicflesh

Happy Halloween fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

I have to admit, the subject of today’s overview is one that I wanted to look at ever since I started doing this series. Septicflesh was a band that I immediately took to once I opened my musical tastes a little more, and the masters of Greek Death Metal are perfect for a Halloween-themed overview. Taking listeners to the ancient past, the cybernetic future, and the dark beyond, Septicflesh are up there as one of my top Death Metal bands of all time. Weaving Hellenistic, Pagan, Wiccian, and Greco-Roman myths & stories into their music, they truly are a unique group.

So what better way to celebrate the band than with an overview on All Hallows Eve, am I right? So turn down the lights, put on a few candles around you, and enjoy my look at the Greek Death Metal titans known as Septicflesh. Let the overview begin!

Mystic Places Of Dawn (1994)

Original

Re-Release

Our story begins in Athens, Greece, on March in the year of our lord 1990. 3 men formed a group. One in which would eventually become the definition of Greek Death Metal. They were Sotiris Vayenas (guitar), Spiros Antoniou (bass and vocals), and Christos Antoniou (guitars). Dimitris Valasopoulos (Credited as “Jim”) would also come along as the drummer, although his time in the band would be short-lived. After releasing the Temple of the Lost Race EP, the band continued their work, and in 1994, their first full-length album was released. Titled Mystic Places Of Dawn, Septicflesh invoked the myths of ancient Greece with their inaugural record, as the album is an ode to the legend of Atlantis. In many ways this makes Mystic Places Of Dawn a bit on the stereotypical side when compared to Death Metal from other countries, but at the same time became a template for what would later be known as Greek Death Metal. An impressive feat if you ask me!

Best Track? It’s almost a crime to pick the best track on this album! Every song is a treat to listen to. The Death Metal instrumentation & vocals, coupled with the almost Folk Metal like method of telling stories, creates something really unique that no band (As far as I know) has been able to do. That being said, I gotta show my love for the title track. Brutal & fast, but with slower/almost introspective moments so the song title can be sung, Mystic Places Of Dawn really shows of the bounty that is the band’s starting record, and is a great song in it’s own right.

Mystic Places Of Dawn

Worst Track? I can think of nothing bad with Mystic Places Of Dawn. Some of the sound effects might be a little goofy sounding now, but this beginning album is an excellent gateway into an excellent band. Coupled with the Temple of the Lost Race EP included on the re-release, the album paints a perfect picture of Septicflesh’s earliest days. Mystic Places Of Dawn: Incredibly recommended for those interested in Septicflesh or Death Metal in general. Next album!

Esoptron (1995)

Original

Re-Release

With an excellent starting album under their belt, expectations on a greater second album seemed to be high. Well, Septicflesh were happy to deliver this second album. Titled Esoptron (Translation from Greek: (inner) mirror), the album was released in May of 1995, and was a success for the Grecian titans. Fans consider this to be the band’s most experimental and progressive release, and while I don’t agree with this, I can certainly understand why. Esoptron is also the only band not to feature the talent of Christos Antoniou, as he took a leave from the group during this time. Ironically, all of the drums recorded for this record were program were programmed, although an individual named "Kostas" is credited as the drummer for the band.

Best Track? Bit of a tie between two fantastic tracks, Ice Castle & The Eyes of Set. The former is a slow-paced, cold track. It never picks up speed, and overall perfectly represents the spirit of winter. The later is the exact opposite of Ice Castle: fast-paced but steady, The Eyes of Set conjures up the deserts of ancient Egypt. You feel the heat of the ancient sun, the grit of the sand between your toes, and the old magic that created a thousand legends.

Ice Castle

The Eyes of Set

Worst Track? Once again there isn’t a single thing wrong with this album. Even the bonus tracks on the re-release edition, which to me are the weakest of the re-release material, don’t drag down how great everything else is. Esoptron, a great second CD, and also marked the beginning of a change for the band. Next album!

The Ophidian Wheel (1997)

Original

Re-Release

Released in 1997, The Ophidian Wheel marked a change for Septicflesh. While their first two albums were straight up Death Metal (With slivers of Doom & Black Metal), the band’s 3rd release still had that agressive Death Metal style they were known for, but was tempered with a Gothic Metal/Rock edge. This gothic tinge is most notable in the slightly mellowed vocal work, along with the instrumentation coming across as more goth than anything before. This transformation into a more gothic form would start off here, and as such The Ophidian Wheel comes across as more subtle with it’s changes. That being said, the subtly is what gives the record it’s strength. The mysterious individual known as “Kostas” returns as the individual credited for the drumwork on The Ophidian Wheel, but yet again the drumming was programmed.

Best Track? On The Topmost Step Of The Earth is what I would consider to be the best track, not to mention my most favorite. Though the changes to a more Gothic stance were all over this album, this track is the most blatant sign of this change. There’s still plenty of Death Metal riffage & vocal work throughout this song, but the pacing is much more along the lines of Gothic Metal. This duality creates a track that really fun to listen to, and adds personality to the record. You can’t go wrong with that!

On The Topmost Step Of The Earth

Worst Track? Death Metal purists are probably going to dislike the gothic elements that slowly make their way through The Ophidian Wheel. A lot of fans of the subgenre like it more pure. That being said, the gothic elements come across as more subtle on this album, and as such makes it the hardest to locate (Outside of the previously mentioned song). In a way, Death Metal purists will probably like this album the most when compared to the upcoming 2, but I’ll get them in a second.

The Ophidian Wheel. Further refinement upon their established form of Death Metal, this 3rd offering shows that Septicflesh is willing to change things up slightly. If you like your extreme metal with a dark & elegent edge, then The Ophidian Wheel is for you. Next album!

A Fallen Temple (1998)

Original

Re-Release

As the 90s were coming to a close, thing seemed to be closing for Septicflesh. Once a master of Death Metal, the band seemed to be changing into something more gothic. Though they weren’t completely there on March the 9th, 1998, the group’s 4th release A Fallen Temple made it very obvious that they were changing into something more than they once were. Does this make the album bad? Hell no! From the moment I first heard Type-O Negative, I knew that I would thoroughly enjoy Gothic Metal, and A Fallen Temple is no different. There’s still a Death Metal aspect lurking on this record, but a short time later it would effective be gone (More on that in the next album).

Best Track? Bit of a time between Marble Smiling Face, and the re-release bonus track The Last Time. The former is a blatant Gothic Metal track. The only thing that kept it from completely sliding into goth territory is Antoniou’s vocal work, which is still firmly routed in their Death Metal origins. The later is a curious song: taken off of a Paradise Lost tribute/compilation album, it is an incredible cover of the track from the previously mentioned band. It doesn’t completely follow the letter, but Septicflesh follow the spirit of the song to a T!

Marble Smiling Face

The Last Time

Another good plus for A Fallen Temple is the complete redo & re-recording of their classic EP, Temple of the Lost Race. Minus the track Another Reality, the EP tracks are crisper, cleaner, and more modern sounding (At that time) than they were in 1990. If I had any complaint, it would be that listening to the EP, then listening to the tracks here, creates a lot of whiplash for anyone not suspecting anything. Apart from that, great tunes!

Worst Track? This marks the first time that any song from the band isn’t good, and by extension anything bad about Septicflesh as a whole. We’re given a series of 2 songs (Technically 3 if you have the re-release), each of which are classified as Underworld Act x (See below). On the one hand, they’re incredibly atmospheric & operatic, and give A Fallen Temple some more personality. On the other hand, they’re really big time fillers. Act I is nearly 8 minutes, and Act II is almost 9 minutes. These two aren’t horrifically long, but Act III is the biggest culprit of filler. Clocking in at almost 11 minutes, it really will test your patience, despite how strangely elegant it is.

Underworld - Act I

Underworld - Act II

Underworld - Act III

A Fallen Temple. Further evolving into something incredibly gothic, it retains just enough of the band’s past that you don’t forget where they first came from. If you prefer more Gothic Metal than Death Metal, A Fallen Temple might just be for you. Next album!

Revolution DNA (1999)

Original

Re-Release

Far in a way the oddest & strangest Septicflesh album, is little old Revolution DNA. Released sometime in 1999, Revolution DNA is the only time that the band ever went full-blown Gothic & Industrial Metal. A sliver of Death Metal remained, but overall, goth & industrial. The album was also special for the change in vocals: a much larger emphasis on clean vocals & death growls being largely replaced by a less intense, spoken-rasped style. These two elements mixed together create what is perhaps Septicflesh’s cleanest sounding album to date, vocally & instrumentally. In a weird way, this change has also allowed Revolution DNA to age incredibly well also.

Best Track? Like I said in my review, I gotta give it to Last Stop To Nowhere as the best track of this album. It’s a highly repetitive track, what with it’s repeating beats, rhythm, and vocal work. However, it’s repetition happens to be the song’s biggest strength, lending plenty of personality & atmosphere. The song tells the tale of a spirit waiting in what seems like an abandoned train station, waiting for the next train to take him somewhere. Given the name of the track, it seems like he doesn’t go to where he wants.

Last Stop To Nowhere

Worst Track? Also like I said in my review for this album, Android is the only bad song on here. While it’s not necessarily an abomination, it comes across as nothing more than a glorified time stretcher. Coupled with the annoying raspy singing, it’s really a track to avoid, but at the same time won’t waste your time.

Android

This next fault comes with the flavor of the album. Revolution DNA comes across as the least Septicflesh sounding album. Though there are still moments where you can hear Death Metal come through, it’s incredibly obvious that is uses those moments as supplements, and instead goes heavily down the Gothic & Industrial Metal route. For many Septicflesh fans (Including me) this is actually lends to it’s identity, and creates a really atmospheric CD. For purists who aren’t fond of the band being experimental, and want their Septicflesh in their Death Metal suit, they’ll want to steer clear.

While not a fault anymore, for the longest time Revolution DNA wasn’t available for purchase. The band managed to re-released their first 4 albums earlier this decade, but it seemed like this album was forgotten. Due to this, prices for this album were pretty high in some cases. I managed to snag an original copy (Used) off of amazon around May of last year for about $66.66 (Excluding tax), which was on the low side as far as pricing was concerned. Not long after I bought it, it was announced that it would finally get re-released, and I immediately facepalmed hard. Sidenote: the re-release of the album is of the 2005 re-release, and that version had 3 bonus tracks. I actually found this a little depressing, though at the same time I thought it was refreshing to see an album as classic as this come back.

Revolution DNA. A simply bizarre record that somehow manages to be incredibly endearing at the same time. If you like your Death Metal more on the Gothic & Industrial side of things, then this record is for you. Next album!

Sumerian Daemons (2003)

By the early 2000s, tensions between the members of Septicflesh were at an all time high. Some members were just tired of the band, while some of the others wanted to pursue solo projects and the like. It was this kind of environment that Sumerian Daemons was crafted & released. Emerging onto the scene on February the 18th of 2003, Sumerian Daemons is something of a puzzling album to me. I enjoyed their Gothic/Industrial phase of the late 90s, and to a certain degree I hoped they would stay that way. Instead, Septicflesh partially returned to their Death Metal roots, while simultaneously holding onto much of their Ophidian Wheel-to-Revolution DNA stylings. This left me conflicted about the record, but I’ll get to that in a bit.

Best Track? Hands down it’s Faust! Long before I ever enjoyed Septicflesh, much less understand the fans of Death Metal, this track really struck a cord with me. I’ve always been a fan of the Faustus tale, and the band really did the story justice. Incredibly dramatic & emotional, the band puts on a heavy Death Metal coat of paint, while at the same time never losing sight of the source material

Faust

Worst Track? If Sumerian Daemons had any problem, it would be the incredible identity crisis it suffers from. Some songs sound like their patented brand of Death Metal, while others come across as either purely gothic or industrial, and a few more seem like holdovers from Revolution DNA. As a result, I’m not sure how to look at this album, nor do I know what to identify it as genre wise.

Sumerian Daemons. My least favorite album, and the one I’m least likely to think about, but not a bad album. If you want an experience similar to Revolution DNA, give this release a go. Now like I said earlier, tensions within the band were at the highest they’ve ever been. So, everybody went their separate ways, with some of them doing personal projects, and for a majority of the 2000s we didn’t hear a peep about the band. However, by the late 200s they would reform, and the offering they would give us not long after made for an incredible comeback. So let’s all go to church......and receive a little communion.

Communion (2008)

I know I know, that pun was bad, but I kinda wanted to use it. After their short breakup, they reformed in 2007, with a renewed energy coursing through their veins, and a new style of Death Metal as well. Acquiring the services of the Prague Filmharmonic Orchestra (Arranged by Christos Antoniou), Septicflesh would travel down the path that most modern fans would eventually come to know. The path in question known as Symphonic Death Metal, and their first offering on this path is Communion. Released on March 18, 2008, the band setout to conjure ancient myths once again. According to guitarist Sotiris Vayenas, the album title means something like "communication with non-human entities". He went on to say that:

“This kind of strange fellowship is shrouded by mystery and reported during different eras and on various parts of the world. There are even sacred rites on many different religions to symbolize this "communication"”

Best Track? Lovecraft’s Death! Much like Faust from the previous album, this is a great tribute to a literarily legend. In this case, it’s an ode to the master of cosmic horror. Upon listening to the first few seconds, it feels like you’re being dragged under the ocean waves by some eldritch horror, only to resurface in the midst of a congregation of alien entities from beyond. If Lovecraft were to listen to this, I think he would be proud.

Lovecraft’s Death

Worst Track? While a great return to the Death Metal scene, and with the addition of the symphonic element creates a more unique experience, Communion’s identity isn’t perfect. Despite being Symphonic Death Metal, the record comes across as more Death Metal, and not enough symphonics were used throughout the album. Luckily, this doesn’t ruin the quality of the album, and it doesn’t shake my faith in Septicflesh in any way.

Communion. A wonderful return to the metal scene, but a lop-sided return at the same time. If you want your Death Metal more on the artistic side of things, then give Communion a go. Next album!

The Great Mass (2011)

Communion, while a great album in it’s own right, still had to get a little extra juice behind it. We would receive this juice 3 years later on April the 18th, with the arrival of The Great Mass. Once again acquiring the services of the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, The Great Mass was highly praised by both fans of Septicflesh & music critics, and got the right amount of “Oomph” behind it. Something that Communion lacked in the minds of some fans. For me, The Great Mass is a bloodthirsty affair: equal parts brutal & elegant, The Great Mass will fulfill the desire that Communion may not have. To be perfectly honest though, I enjoy both this album and it’s predecessor. Each album has pluses & minuses that complement each other, and listening from back to back, The Great Mass really lives up to it’s name.

Best Track? The Vampire From Nazareth comes to mind when I think of The Great Mass. Much like Destroying the Manger from Nocturnus, this song tickles the blasphemous side of me. As you can kind of tell by the song name, The Vampire From Nazareth tells the tale of a very different kind of Jesus. One that came from Nazareth like the bible, only this one seeks the blood of victims instead of the redemption & conversion of those around him. This sounds like the premise of an interesting horror novel, and it’s a shame that no-one’s ever tried to write it.

The Vampire From Nazareth

Worst Track? Like Communion, The Great Mass suffers the same imbalanced personality problem as the prior record, but this time in reverse. Whereas Communion relied on too much Death Metal & not enough symphonics, this CD relies on too much symphonics & not enough Death Metal. The Great Mass is still a great album regardless, although at the same time is still a lop-sided affair.

The Great Mass. Another lop-sided affair, but still makes for a great listen to. If you liked Communion, you’ll probably like this record as well. Next album!

Titan (2014)

Every band has an album that, from the moment you first listen to it, you know that said band can retire. An album that’s just perfect, and acts as a wonderful capstone to a group’s career. For Septicflesh, that album’s name is Titan. Put out on June the 20th, 2014, Titan was released to universal acclaim by fans, and was the album that finally got me to enjoy Death Metal & understand the fans of the genre for a bit. For Septicflesh themselves, this was a bit of a trial by fire. After the monolith that was The Great Mass, there was a lot of pressure put on the band to make an album that would eclipse it, and somehow they managed to do it. The highest charting position for the record happened to be in the U.S., where it reached number 7 on the US Top Heatseekers chart (An aspect of the Billboard 100). Ironically, the album fared the worst in Belgium, where it managed to get to 191 on the country’s Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) list (Although it’s French counterpart managed to fare far better, as it landed at 99). Regardless of position, Titan is the definitive album to get into Septicflesh, and it still has me wrapped around it's finger.

Best Track? Like I stated by in my review for the album in 2015, Burn is hand’s down the single best track of Titan. Though pretty much every song in wonderful to listen to, it’s the 2nd track of the album that constantly brings me back. The Death Metal is superb, and the symphonics are wonderful, but it’s that hint of Speed Metal that really brings it all together into an incredible package. As a personal joke, I officially made Burn the unofficial track for when I read Monster Musume. Don’t knock it till you try it!

Burn

Worst Track? Absolutely nothing! Titan is an absolute masterpiece, and if you remember my top 5 albums of 2014 post (Read Here), you’ll recall that I placed it at number 1, and I still stand by that. Unlike the previous 2 albums, Septicflesh solved the unbalancing issues from their previous 2 releases, and crafted an album with a solid identity & enduring power. Titan: I loved it back when it first came out, and I still enjoy it over 3 years later. Exceedingly recommended! Next Album!

Codex Omega (2017)

I’m legitimately conflicted on this album. On the one hand, Septicflesh’s most recent release isn’t bad. Far from it! It has the high quality of the previous 3 releases, and is an enjoyable entry into the Septicflesh library. The symphonies are great, and the Death Metal is delicious as all ways. Where I come into conflict with Codex Omega is it’s identity......mainly for the fact that it has none! This album is all over the place: some songs sound like they’re from Communion, other from The Great Mass, and a few from Titan. Does this impact the quality? It doesn’t, but I found this album to be confusing to me when I was trying to pin down what it wanted to be. With all that aside, I still found myself smiling by the time I was done, and you might be smiling too when you’re done.

Best Track? Dark Art comes across as the most Titan-esque track on the album, and thus I found myself enjoying the most when compared to everything else. Though it bends slightly more towards the symphonic side of things, there’s still an incredible balance to everything in the song. The rhythm is nice, and overall is just something fun to listen to.

Dark Art

Worst Track? Once again, Codex Omega’s only flaw is the identity crisis it suffers from. It’s like 3 tigers fighting each other, and none of them can seem to overtake anybody else. As one commenter on Youtube said, “It’s like they’re trying to go for the dark & edgy release”. While I don’t quite agree with that, I can see that in the intensity of some songs for a bit.   

Codex Omega. All over the place personality wise, but the quality is still top notch. What else can I say but give this album a go.

So that was my look at Septicflesh. Producing some of the finest records since the 90s, they show no signs of stopping anytime soon. I hope that even one of the band’s albums enticed you to their flock, or at the very least planted the seeds of fandom in your mind. With Halloween now in the books, the last two months of the year are now upon us, and that’s means the final posts of 2017. I’ll see you later this week for perhaps the strangest festival I’ve done so far. See you soon!



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If you’re curious about my prior reviews from this band, take a look below.

Titan (Review)

Revolution DNA (Review)

Food For Thought/Though For Food No. 7: Monster Musume.....Profound?

Hello everybody, and welcome to another Food for Thought/Thought for Food!

Don’t worry, this isn’t like my past six of these where I’m ranting & raving like a madman. This time around, I’m mixing the serious with the fun for this one. As you can tell by the title, I’m bring back Monster Musume for this one. As silly as it sounds, there might be more going on in this series about monster girls & fan-service than it’s fans think. Anyways, I want to try out a little thought experiment with you. Tell me what you see below.

If you answered a “Girl”, you’re obviously correct. Now look at this.

If you answered “Girl” again, you’re still correct! Now let’s change it up slightly. Look at this.

A few of you may have hesitated for a sec. This happens to be a good friend of mine, and as you can see, she’s a plus-sized cosplayer. A damn good one at that! Sadly however, some nimrods on the internet might not see her as such. Changes are they would probably describe her in more.....colorful terms. Regardless, if any of you answered “Girl” yet again, you’re thinking the right way. Now, let’s change it up a bit more this time. Tell me what you see below.

I sensed hesitation in some of you. Let’s try again. Tell me what you see below.

More hesitation. Let’s try one more time. What do you see below?

I sense an immense amount of hesitation.....and I can understand why. Monster Girls have always been a source of curiosity & fear in fiction, whether it’s from the West or from the East. Monster Musume certainly has a lot of curiosity and fear within it’s pages. How do I know? Cause I was quite curious & fearful myself when I once heard about this series myself!

When I had first heard about this manga from a friend of mine, I have to admit I was a little hesitant to start reading. Beforehand on my journeys through the internet, my experience with monster girls was.......unpleasant, to say the least. Especially when it came to particular species, I really never felt attracted to them, as I always thought they were.....ugly. I admit this freely! I thought monster girls were ugly! So, one day, I decided to bite the bullet, and read what was currently available from fan translations (The site I frequent for this series, I believe they were up to chapter 22 at the time). I don’t know if time passed by so quickly, or I was having too much fun, but I had read everything. Let me repeat........everything! I hadn’t thoroughly enjoyed a manga like this in a while at that time. The story was simple but cute (With a surprising amount of intrigue as well), the art was nice, the characters were fun, and the girls.....were cute & sexy! It really took me by surprise, and once it started getting printed in the US/Canada, I began to buy them almost immediately (Connecticon 2014 was where I bought the first 3 volumes). Yes fellow Otaku & Metalheads, my prejudices were completely gone when I was done.......and I’m wondering if that was Okayado Sensei’s plan all along.

For those who might not know, Okayado started doing hentai with monster girls, but it was never horror related or dark. Instead, he treated it as if it was somehow normal that extraspecies girls existed, and they would be with guys. A later version would come out, and effectively laid the foundation for the mainstream series that was to come. Called Monster Girl Report, the artwork became immediately familiar to those that would read Monster Musume later on, and many of the girls in question would also become rather familiar as well. Like his earliest material, Okayado made monster girls somehow normal in the world he created, and didn’t treat them like freaks. Finally, Monster Musume came out, and it painted an interesting picture. A world in which monster girls were quite real, but were denied existence until the Japanese government stepped in, and created an accord that allowed said girls to live alongside families in Japan. There’s still plenty of hurdles that have to be jumped over, but it seems that it’s working at the moment. So how does this involve shattering perceptions, prejudices, and opinions?

Simple! The world of Monster Musume is a fantastical world, and seeing monster girls basically everywhere is extraordinary, but the system that lets this happen......isn’t perfect. Despite monster girls & humanity existing side by side, the transition isn’t a perfect one. There’s still plenty of prejudice, human law can’t go after liminal criminals thanks to loopholes in the accord, and liminals can’t harm humans (And vice versa). Despite the incredible fantasy that’s involved, there seems to be a hint of realism involved, and at times allegories to racism crop up. Even if they aren’t hated for what they are, people sometimes look at the girls with glances that aren’t completely sensitive. It’s entirely possible that I’m reading a little too much into things, and I’m potentially seeing things that I want to see......but I swear that there’s something else gone on, and I got the examples to prove it.

Let’s start off with an early incident. In chapter 2, Miia & Kimihito are out in town, seeing the sights & getting Miia slowly adjusted to how humans live in modern times. It goes well for the most part, till the pair bump into 2 individuals, and said individuals immediately start to harass Miia. Getting angry, she almost slaps them with her tail, and Kimihito gets in the way so she doesn’t get in trouble. This in turn causes a small crowd to form, and they begin to take pictures. Getting embarrassed, the two make their way towards a safe spot, which reluctantly is a love hotel. They manage to make it inside, and for a bit they’re safe. Then....this moment happens.

This.....is a rather awkward moment. A day of happiness, ruined by two obnoxious jerks. To further the awkwardness, Miia momentarily thinks that Kimihito is only being kind because of the law. This causes her to get naked, and essentially leave herself vulnerable for Kimihito to  do.....basically anything to her. This hard to be hard for her. To essentially bare all because of fear. To Luckily, Kimihito was able to be Miia’s bearer of vengeance, as those 2 that were picking on them earlier happen to show up at the hotel, only for Kimihito to punch them into oblivion. After going home & getting patched up, she approaches Kimihito, and....well, take a look below for something rather heartwarming.

Next up takes place a little further into the manga. By this point we’ve got a host of girls at the house: Miia the Lamia, Papi the Harpy, Cerea the Centaur, Suu the Slime, and Mero the Mermaid. After a rather unsightly encounter with a creepy film director, we see said director retreat back to his dingy warehouse, and we also catch a glimpse of who would eventually become the 6th girl to move into Kimihito’s house, Rachnera the Arachne. After catching him on his way home from groceries, she then takes him to what might be the same warehouse as previously mentioned, and has her way with him. After finally getting down, Kimihito gets her to open up about why she’s doing what she’s doing. After a little bit, we get this.

This is actually a pretty intense moment. Rachnera, after an awful time at her original homestay & the duplicity of the situation, has come to dislike humanity. After a simple kind gesture from Kimihito (Another plus for Monster Musume: it knows how to use the right kind of comedy & kindness to reduce tension), she warms up to him. Maybe not every other person, but the fact that she opens up to one kind human, means she doesn’t completely believe in her own anti-human belief.

Next point is a little bit after this. By now we’ve got the main cast relatively in tact. 6 girls, and one guy. Things seem to be okay, until Kimihito receives a threatening letter from a sender who only calls themselves D. Realizing that he could be in trouble, the girls & M.O.N. take turns keeping an eye on him for signs of D showing up. On the 3rd attempt, we’ve got Centorea & Manako watching Kimihito’s back, and it doesn’t go exactly as planned. A devil named Lilith (Who oddly enough looks like a kid) shows up, and causes all sorts of trouble. Cerea gets the brunt of things, as Lilith hypnotizes her into being a little pervy with Kimihito. Things progress, till a wild boar of all things shows up. It manages to chase off Lilith, only for it to go after Kimihito instead! As a centaur’s charge, Cerea comes in and gives the boar a good beating. Though he thanks her for rescuing him, Centorea actually breaks down, and we get this dialogue.

This is......pretty touching actually. All throughout her life, she was raised to be a knight, and to protect her charge by any means necessary. With the exchange program, Cerea is given an opportunity to try something new and expand her horizon. Even when she became Kimihito’s servant, a new world was opened up to her. Sadly, it seems like the more she tries to learn new things, the more the old ways seem to come back into her life. After protecting Kimihito, she becomes incredibly insecure and immediately begins doubting herself. Luckily, Kimihito comes to the rescue, and offers his usual kind words of wisdom.

Finally, we come to a relatively recent point in the manga. At this point, we have a solid harem, and met numerous other main characters & side characters. It seems like Kimihito might finally have some peace, but per usual it seems, other girls come & chaos ensues. The first is a Killer Bee girl, who seeks out Kimihito as part of her plan to get back at Rachnera, and then a Mushroom girl found her way to his house due to Papi wanting her to be a friend. Those 2 situations were easy to solve, but the 3rd girl (Later discovered to be a vampire) took a bit of time to work on. Thinking the entire household was in danger, Agent Smith moved them to the most unlikely of places......an Interspecies expo (Think Comic Con, but with Monster Girls & Monster People).

In a move to find the 3rd girl, they had Kimihito act as a decoy for her by participating at a selection meeting for monster girls that require blood to survive. First there was a Leech girl (Be afraid), then a Mosquito girl with Gyaru looks, and finally a Lamprey variation of a Mermaid. During this time, Papi wanders around the expo, until she bumps into a rather strange girl, who’s later revealed to be the vampire. It’s discovered that Papi knew her by the group, and so they used her to try & find the vampire. It doesn’t work, and in the confusion of trying to find the vampire, Kimihito is kidnapped by her. Papi manages to find the vampire (Real name is Curie) later on, and perhaps one of the most touching moments in the series is shown to us. Spoiler alert: extreme moments of warm & fuzzy.

Papi is perhaps one of the most charming & adorable characters in Monster Musume for 2 reasons. One, she’s cute & fun-sized. She immediately induces the urge for people to smile, laugh, and even hug one another. The other positive about Papi is just how kind & friendly she is. She doesn’t care if you’re a boy or girl. Human or Liminal. Young or Old. Papi doesn’t care about the outside of a person. She looks inside instead of outside, and always cares for somebody despite her own memory issues. The world could learn a lot from this kind & caring harpy.

So what’s the point I’m trying to make with all of this? The point I’m trying to make is that....maybe we just need to treat people like they want to be treated. Maybe, despite ethnicity, religion, or even age, we’re all the same underneath. We all have the same colored blood, muscle, and organs underneath our skin & bones. The whole world is full of anger & hate, and if even a sliver of it was removed from the world, then maybe something is done right. Think about it: imagine if monster girls were actually real. Just imagine at how horribly they would be treated by so many hateful individuals. Imagine the horror if monster girls appeared in the United States! Given who the current president is, I hate to think what would happen. Maybe, just maybe, Monster Musume is a guide on how to be a decent person. Despite all the silliness & fan service, maybe it has a lesson or two to teach.
                               
So this was my 7th Food For Thought/Thought For Food. Covering a more lighthearted subject, I hope I made some kind of point with this post, and I hope I can actually do more sunnier versions of this series in the future. In the meantime, Halloween is next week, and I got an overview that’s just perfect for the occasion. See you then!






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If you’ve got the time, check out this interview from The Anime Man a few months back with Okayado Sensei himself. Much like Monster Musume, it’s creator is more surprising than you think.

Okayado (Anime Man Interview)

The Top 5 Greatest Anime Chests (For Breast Cancer Awareness)

Happy October so far, fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Though this month is known for tricks & treats, spooks, and other ghoulish delights, October is known for something a little more somber. As most if not everybody in the United States knows, this month also happens to be Breast Cancer Awareness month. A rather depressive time, we often look back at those that went through the disease & made it out okay, or sadly had their lives taken by suck a horrible sickness. It’s a disease that’s truly horrific, and something that I hope goes away in the future.

To have a sliver of fun with this, let’s take a look at some of the best chests the anime world has to offer. Not treasure chests mind you, but some of the best pairs of breasts the land of the rising sun has blessed this earth with! I know this seems like I’m making something serious into something trivial, but I figure that by doing this post, I can lend a bit of positivity to something that’s incredibly serious. In my view, the bleakest of times needs even a sliver of light, and I think that this posts suits the mood. Without further adieu, here are what I consider to be the top 5 greatest anime chests of all time. Enjoy the bouncy!

5) Faye Valentine - Cowboy Bebop

First up is a character that’s something of a paradox in my mind. The spitfire of the Bebop crew, Faye Valentine is indeed quite sexy, but at the same time can be rather prudish in a weird way. Her standard outfit reveal a lot, but she doesn’t bring people in with her looks unless it’s necessary. Given that her top conveniently fits her breasts, and shows the right amount of cleavage, it weird at how stuck up she can be. Regardless, Faye Valentine definitely has a nice chest for an old-school anime. Speaking of old school......

4) Ryoko Habuki - Tenchi Muyo OVA

I don’t think a conversation about fan service can not include this character. The OVA for Tenchi Muyo is pretty important to the harem genre on a historical level, as it laid the foundation for future shows in it’s style, and the formula of harem characters. There’s always a sexy one in the group, and Ryoko Habuki, daughter of mad scientist Washu, is perhaps one of the sexiest old-school girls around. Constantly trying to get it on with Tenchi, and constantly fighting her rival Ayeka, Ryoko is a woman that’s hot.....and she knows it. She knows how to use her mind, and she definitely knows how to use her body. Give the numerous times she wears clothes that complement her cleavage, it’s obvious that she wants Tenchi to look at her, and only her. I can respect that.

3) Carrera - Viper GTS ***

I seem to find it necessary to include at least one hentai character on this list, and believe it or not, this was actually the hardest spot on the list to pick. I was wondering for days as to who would take this spot, then from out of nowhere, Viper GTS popped into my head. It’s a weird, quirky, silly, but also has a huge fun factor at the same time. Though there are a trio of girls, the best out of the 3 is Carrera. The girl that gets the most screen time, Carrera is a girl that’s equal parts sexy & fun, she certainly knows how to handle a man. Given her ample bosom, it’s no surprise that she obtained so many human souls. Though all the other girls are nice, Carrera is definitely on top.

2) Rangiku Matsumoto - Bleach

In a manner similar to my number one situation, it was a tough choice to pick which girl from the iconic shonen show should go here. There are a bevy of gorgeous girls & women throughout Bleach, so picking one was a challenge. That being said, my preference for the assistant of captain Hitsugaya immediately came to mind. In a weird way Rangiku shares a trait with Ryoko: that being they both know they’re gorgeous. However, the big difference between the two is than Rangiku uses her looks all the time. On the guys, and even on girls sometimes. It doesn’t matter who, as long as there’s something she wants. You know she uses her looks a lot, when you consider how she wears her uniform. With her front revealing not too much, but enough that you get the impression that there’s something gorgeous & sexy underneath. She can also back up her looks with how she fights. Nothing wrong with that!

1) Tio - Monster Musume

To be perfectly honest, I could have chosen just about any of the girls. Whether the choice was one of my favorites or not, it doesn’t matter. That being said, if there was a girl who has a a body that matches her inside, it would be M.O.N.’s resident ogre, Tio. On the outside, Tio is huge. With a breast size that goes all the way to P cup, it’s easy to see why chest fans (Including yours truly), would give this 7 foot 4 cutie a look. However, that would be doing Tio a disservice. While her outside is indeed something to look at, it’s her heart that makes everything come together. Despite her strength, Tio is an incredibly loving person, always thinking about those around her. She’s also incredibly girly, and unfortunately is not always the smartest in a group. Despite that, Tio is a girl with a chest to match her heart, and I can always appreciate that.
   
So those were my top 5 greatest anime chests. Again, I know this post is a little juvenile, but I thought it was appropriate give that Breast Cancer Awareness always crops up this month. To be a little serious, if you know someone that went through Breast Cancer & lived, or is still suffering through it, give them a loving hug. This disease is no laughing matter, and the sooner it’s eradicated, the better! In the meantime, we’ve got more fiendish delights on the docket, so seen you towards the end of the month, when I’ll be putting up a Food For Though/Thought For Food that’s....not full of swearing & rage?




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All of the main girls are named after Italian sports cars.....odd name choices if you as me.