Guitars Are Like Sex...: April 2009

I Have A Stalker!

I'm used to the creepy online stalker/trolls. I've even managed to become amused by them...

But a real life, "I'm in love with you", send me love notes, call me at work, sort of stalker is MUCH creepier.

HALP!

An Album Review

Domain - The Chronicles of Love, Hate and Sorrow

Track Listing:

1. Picture the Beauty
2. Sweeping Scars
3. Angel Above
4. Circle of Give and Take
5. He's Back
6. My Inner Rage
7. Digging Their Graves
8. Haunting Sorrows
9. The Last Dance
10. Twelve O'Clock
11. Two Brothers & The Sinners Chess*

* Bonus track, only available on the limited edition deluxe digipak

Band Personnel:

Axel Ritt - Guitars, harmony & backing vocals
Nicolaj Ruhnow - Lead, harmony & backing vocals
Erdmann Lange - Keyboards, harmony & backing vocals
Steven Wussow - Bass, backing & harmony vocals
Jens Baar - Drums & percussion

Genre: Symphonic Melodic Metal
Label: Humbucker (SPV)
Released: According to Amazon.com, the US release date is May 5, 2009
Rating: 9.5/10

Full length tracks are available here for your listening pleasure if you live in the US, Germany or the UK.

My copy of this supposedly yet to be released CD

The Review

Following what appears to be somewhat of a trend recently, this is a concept album. The lyrics of all tracks, save for the bonus track, are inspired by Die Leiden des jungen Werther (The Sorrows of Young Werther). I've not been fortunate enough to have read this, but the music and lyrics most definitely convey the haunting and sorrowful theme of this work.

I was quite impressed by the vocals which had absolutely none of that "English is not my first language" quality that I've noticed in many bands (even well established ones) from non-English speaking countries. I was equally impressed by the fact that the backing and harmony vocals are done by other band members rather than dub after dub of the frontman's voice, a practice that I find to be a bit disturbing.

As for the guitars, we all know that if they don't measure up to my standards I'll listen a few times and put the album on the back burner. This is certainly not the case here, as I find myself listening to this album over and over. Quite powerful and very flowing, definitely captivating to the ear of this middle-aged metalhead!

Overall, the album comes together beautifully, and I'd recommend it to any of my metalhead friends and even a few who are not.

My favorite tracks:

Sweeping Scars and He's Back

For more info on the band, go here.

A Fractured Faerie Tale

(The Devil made me do this!)

Once upon a time, a woman in a far away land
(Germany, to be exact)
gave birth to a baby boy.
"He's so beautiful!" she exclaimed.

(and he still is)
"I must name him something equally beautiful."

She thought for a while and finally decided...
"I shall call him Axel!"

WTF?!
With a name like that you gotta be good!

Note: If a certain someone is reading this, I hope that he realizes that I've gone beyond embarassed. I'm just messin' with him now. Just a bit of good natured teasing. Surely he knows he sort of deserves it. But if he feels a need for contrition from me, he could always sell me a plot of ocean front property in Switzerland!

Scene Around

~giggles~

If...

A guy who looked like this contacted you and practically begged you to buy his band's latest CD, would you?

(actually it was this guy)
And I sure as hell plunked out the bucks for the CD!
Methinks those German guitarists are onto me!

Spring Flowers

The ones that I planted...

The ones that grow wild!

When Life Gives You Eggs...

~walks to fridge & groans at the sight of all the eggs inside~

Make egg salad!

If ordinary egg salad starts to get boring, try this.

Buffalo Egg Salad

1 egg (mashed)
1 T finely chopped celery
1 1/2 T Ranch dressing
dash of hot sauce
salt & pepper to taste

Mix well and serve on your favorite bread.

Mmmmmmm...