Heaven In Her Arms | Duplex-Coated Obstruction

1. Incomplete Stitch
2. Rusty Scratch
3. 39/40
4. Moon Distorted by the Cornea

Last year Japanese band Heaven In Her Arms released their debut LP, Erosion of the Black Speckle. It's a very solid screamo release in the vein of Envy, as cliche as that may sound being that they're formed from the same place.

This new four song EP focuses more on the epic qualities of the band's writing and the outcome is fantastic. The first track may be my favorite from the band thus far, and the dredgery (tremolo) in the final 60 seconds of the last song is also great. Be sure to check out this EP if you're a fan of post rock influenced skram!

Anticipated Game: Arkham Asylum

No release date yet but this game looks like a cross between Condemned, Manhunt, and Gears of War...

...Except it's BATMAN. Badass? Yes.

Most Recent Purchase: MLB 2k9

Sure, it's glitchy as hell at times but it's very competitive, fun, and surprisingly realistic when you set the difficulty on Legend and sweat bullets trying not to give up hits and walks to the smart AI. I was losing 4-1 the entire game against the Red Sox and I had a 6 run 8th inning somehow and ended up winning and I had to make sure not to make any mistakes pitching the latter half of the game. Anything CLOSE to the center of the plate is annihilated.

Unfortunately playing against REAL people only leads to outrageous Home Run Derbys (or fests) no matter where the ball is thrown. I played against a friend last night and won 18-10 or something close to that, and we each had like 9 home runs, a few of them at unrealistic distances (I think I hit the Phillies Club house on a one hop at Citizens Bank with Carlos Delgado...if you know where that is then you know that'd be like a 600 ft HR).

Overall, this is a very enjoyable virtual baseball experience, and although there will be times where you will give up runs because your fielder decides to drop the ball randomly, or overthrow the ball into the third row, you have to realize that it's still better than 2k8, and that you don't feel like spending the money on a PS3 just to buy The Show.

The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion Artwork - Is This Better, Mark?!

I believe THIS is the REAL artwork for the new Dredg album. Let's hope so because it's fucking badass.

Highly Anticipated Release: Dredg | The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion

This artwork isn't confirmed by the band yet. If it changes, i'll post it. CD is release May 19th. Get ready.

Most Recent Purchase

I almost broke my controller three times, and my hand about ten times. Great game.

Callisto | Providence - Again

1. In Session (6:35)
2. Rule The Blood (6:43)
3. Covenant Colours (7:46)
4. Eastern Era (5:39)
5. New Canaan (6:56)
6. Stasis (7:38)
7. Where The Spirits Tread (6:28)
8. Dead Weight (6:10)
9. Drying Mouths (In A Gasping Land) (7:09)
10. Providence (7:28)

Okay so a few days ago I bashed the hell out of this record. I responded to those comments but I felt this needed its own submission. The album has grown on me considerably. I continuously would have it on because I WANTED to enjoy this album, even before I was let down. The amount of interesting instruments, minimal songwriting, and unique vocals were intriguing enough for me to keep it in rotation with a few other records.

I apologize for my blunt raping of this album. I tend to do this a few times a year, where I will be quick to trash an album, and I'll end up loving it later on. A lot of times it's with albums that I feel should have blown me away right away, even ones with low expectations (if that makes sense). With this album, I guess I was just thrown off by the progression and lack of climatic moments, but because of this style of writing, it enables you do dig deeper into the songs, and find simplistic, subtle intricacies that may in the end make up for the lack of huge crescendo moments.

Although the previous Callisto albums may in the end still be my favorites and 'The Fugitive' will always be my favorite song by the band, Providence is still indeed a special record, and I hope some of you that have thrown it aside choose to possibly give it another shot like I have.

This will teach me to also wait until after a few listens to publish a blog post about an album. ;) A Giant Squid post may be coming in the upcoming week or so. Another album I could not get into at first and am now enjoying.