We wish you a Merry Christmas!!

We wish you a Merry Christmas!! Yes another end of the year... It's been extremely tough and hard and difficult year for me. 2010 has been plenty of transitions... I faced too much disappointing down time so I am hoping next year will be plenty of UPS!!

Seven Hours...

It's still quite chilly here in London... I'm having really stressful time (Around mid November to now) and always, every seconds is very frustrating... Anyways I found this band while I was reading ICON reviews on heavyharmonies and I immediately checked their music and I thought wow, bloody good for an Americans. I thought Americans can't really do this kind of sophisticated and sensitive rock/metal music. Usually most their 80's stuff is really upbeat and simple and not too technical rock/metal music and boring but this is one of rare gem from USA!! They've got this neo classical influence from Europe and vocalist has good rock voice. This band only released 2 albums in 86 and 89. 1st self titled album is more simple traditional metal and similar to Pretty Maids. 2nd album is little bit commercial with promo video it's called "Time Will Tell". Shame they disappeared so quickly. Short lived...

Apparently they are active again so if you are interested check FIFTH ANGEL!!

Frozen Britain

All over the UK is covered with thick snow last weekend and most people weren't coping well and some of the transport system has stopped including the airport! Mad.

I'm still frustrated with many things in life and hoping things will be fine near future. It's been pretty awful year...

War Machine

I met my great friend and employer from Tokyo Mr. Habu last week and also I met the TANK and KILLERS (Paul Di'Anno) legendary guitarist Cliff Evans. I'm honoured and made me happy!!

Where's Wally? The Ultimate Travel Collection

I don't usually read books but this isn't really a book either!! lol It's a children's book and it hasn't got much text on it!! It's more or less puzzle game book. All you have to do is took look out for red and white striped guy called Wally. In US his name is different and called "Waldo" instead. Don't know why. I always wanted this book and finally I got it!! I found it in Yokohama, Japan's Village Vanguard shop and looked everywhere for this copy but couldn't find it but since it was written and drawn by British author Martin Handford it is easier to purchase it here in London. More you turn the page it's going to be difficult and I enjoy searching all these strange characters and objects. Also it's smaller compare to normal sized book so easy to carry. Smart!! Get it if you are interested. Great and well detailed art work!!

No Stranger to Danger

Okay and here's the 2nd Thrash Metal review!! It's Lääz Rockit!! I heard some of their stuff on "Leatherface" Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3 soundtrack and most recent album "Left for Dead". I quite liked their music so I decided to check older materials. I'd say from "Know Your Enemy", "Annihilation Principle" and "Nothing$ $acred" is great. Probably their peak in career. On these albums this mascot character appears on it. Chip Hazard look alike from Small Soldiers movie!! Maybe Chip Hazard was copied/inspired from Lääz Rockit album sleeves?! Who knows. They always had this war theme songs. I'd say this band has little melodic edge. Not melodic as Megadeth but can be little bit thrashy rock 'n roll. In my opinion they are better than well known bands like Slayer but most metal fan would probably disagree but I'm entitled to my opinion!! lol I'd say "Nothing$ $acred" is the best album. Also they had secret album just in Japan. They changed their name to GACK and released "Fix". Good 90's thrash metal. Listen to the blood splashing "Leatherface"!!

Over the Wall

I'm going to do quick thrash metal double bill... First... Testament!!

Dunno too much about them but all I can say is very good crunchy technical thrash metal with good rough vocal. This band has famous singer called Chuck Billy. He's easy to identify because of his large stature. Big fat mean looking native American dude. He looks like wrestler from telly. He's got good vocal. I think his presence in this band is big. Also they've got relatively well known guitarist called Alex Skolnick. He used to be in Savatage as well. I think he was also a big part in this band's creativity. I haven't listened to this band's music properly but I would like to listen more and get into it. I would recommend their debut and latest "The Formation Of Damnation". 

Go Go Ackman

Another SNES/Super Famicom review again. I finished playing Go Go Ackman and I'm now near completing Go Go Ackman 2 and then when I'm done with that I will play Go Go Ackman 3. This is short comics character created by Akira Toriyama of DragonBall/Dragon Quest (Dragon Warrior) fame. It's about demon kid v angel but their position is rather opposite. Demon is just a demon trying to do their job. Taking dead people's soul but Angel is trying to save people but somehow he manage to kill so many innocent people and do demon's job. So angel has so much grudge towards demon even though he hasn't really done anything bad... Twisted cartoon... I found 2nd one is much harder than the 1st one. Game it self is rather average but playable.

AVGN

What's AVGN? What does it stands for? It means Angry Video Game Nerd! I've been watching him on YouTube for last couple of years but this guy is genius! I think he's great because he reviews many shitty games from various consoles and his reviews are pretty fair from my point of view. He's commentary style is rather offensive but he's doing it on purpose and that makes his reviews rather more exaggerated style. I would say his reviews are very good and spot on really. It became so popular AVGN has created many imitators such as Happy Video Game Nerd, Irate Gamer and JewWario. Happy Video Game Nerd are good and Irate Gamer is bad. Because he's a blatant rip off of AVGN. JewWario is more or less tells and teaches how to play retro Japanese Games for foreign audiences. He kinda gives instructions really. Nowadays AVGN doesn't do much game reviews due to his biography movie project. So I am excited about that. But I do miss his regular game reviews. He only makes 1 video game review per month!! Before it was like 1 video games review every 2 weeks. I wish James Rolfe and Mike Matei well and hope they will produce more great videos.

If you are interested check Cinemassacre

p.s. I actually wrote this blog back in 2nd of October 2010 but never get to finish it until now! lol

Blind Guardian

I've got so much music in iTunes I've decided to give a listen to old Blind Guardian catalogue. It's not bad really. They have distinctive style. First two albums were just simple plain thrash metal then they added some of their Uriah Heep and Queen also some progressive rock influence to their thrash metal sounds. Their music definitely improved and more grandiose. They are from Germany and they are now known as power metal band. But I would say first and second album is definitely thrash metal. They had stable line up till their 8th "A Twist in the Myth" album. Their classic line up is Hansi Kürsch on vocals (ex-bass), André Olbrich, Marcus Siepen both on guitars and Thomas Stauch on drums. Stauch left the band in 2005 and joined other bands. I'd say their albums are cheesy but interesting and probably best on will be "Imaginations from the other side". Really thrash yet grandiose. So that's it. Latter albums are kinda machine like because over dubbed recording style and it's not raw enough. I known this band in early 2000s and they were rather well known in continental europe and south america as well as far east, Japan. This kind of genre "power metal" was rather over looked and weren't that popular in north america and in the U.K.

Being a band from Germany wouldn't help either. In music business you need to be either British or Yank otherwise music will be seen as crap or not get any attention for not being a native English speakers. Anyways they are good band and I think they should never be over looked. Now they are relatively known band in metal market.

Longer Route

This one is about just over 5km distance and tonight I managed to run within 27:43 I think it's okay. Not that bad. Tomorrow is very important and hope I can bring the positive news back home!!

World Cup Hosts 2018 and 2022

It's been won by Russia and Qatar. I don't mind bid was won by Russia but the only 2 votes to England's bid was disgrace and BBC and the Sunday Times's article about corruption in FIFA has certainly damaged our reputation and bid. How on earth free country, free press stupid attitude?! I don't understand. It's pure madness.

2022 going to Qatar is mad. Small oil rich country with small population without no history in football, never qualified to any major international event gets to host the biggest sporting event in the world is mad. Well Japan was same like Qatar back in 1996 never been to World Cup but they managed to qualify 98 and has been regular and steady competitor in World Cup tournament. But it's all about money. But positive side is that World Cup is going to the place where football is still developing and not so popular so that is good. Spread the football for good cause. So it's not all that bad but I think big nation like England contributed to football so much and I think we (Obviously me being English man and little bias) deserve to have one more tournament here.

 

It's very controversial.

Oh yeah I forgot to mention this before but congratulations to Nagoya Grampus for winning the J-League title for the first time in 18 years and well done to cult Serbian legend Stojkovic.

Mighty Morphin' POWER RANGERS

I recently did the SNES game review and this is the 2nd one. I completed playing 2 games and there's 3 Power Rangers SNES games but I played 2 of 'em. Power Rangers are Japanese TOEI's "SENTAI SERIES" franchise and it's been shown all over the world since the mid 90's. Basically man in a costume and do actions and cheap Godzilla like B or C miniature building sets and enormous robots and monsters etc.

Anyways let's get back to the main review. The game is very good, it says it was made by Bandai but it was actually developed by Natsume same as The Ninja Warriors Again. Graphics are good and smooth control. What I really liked was that the first Power Rangers games were simple platform fights and latter part of the game was Street Fighter 2 style fighting game. I don't remember much about the MOVIE EDITION game but I think it didn't feature any Street Fighter 2 style fight games. But all in all good game.

There is FIGHTING EDITION but I decided to give it a miss. Not really my cup of tea but graphics were good.