Happy Thanksgiving!

I just want to take a minute and wish everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!  Enjoy a day of catching up with family, friends and loved ones.  Sit back, watch some football, parades, football or whatever family traditions your families have (the SyFy channel is doing a Bond marathon).  Finally, give thanks for what you have and the life you live.

Today's Playlist 11-2-10

I have been listening to some great music lately and have decided to create a random blog on what is now playing on my iPod and hopefully spread the word on some good tunes!



Metallica - Broken, Beat and Scarred



This is from Metallica's "Death Magnetic" and the whole album was a great return to form.  This song has really become an anthem during their live shows that remind you of the classic chants during their classic tune "Creeping Death (LP Version)"  Overall, a great way to start my day.











Up next is a very heavy tune from another bay area orignal, Testament "D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate)".  This tune really gets the blood flowing and comes from their album The Gathering.  Great stuff for any metal head.










Up next is the classic Pantera song "5 Minutes Alone".  Great groove and killer guitar playing.  It seems like anytime I hear this song it reminds me of the piece of crap that took Dimebag away from us and what I wouldn't give to have 5 minutes alone with him had he survived...  (Any Pantera fan would agree!)










Up next is a great song from Zakk Wylde and his gang of metal thugs Black Label Society.  "Stillborn" is one of my favorite songs from BLS and is often on my playlists as a feel-good tune.  It simply rocks.











That is a taste of four great songs that I enjoy and currently am rocking.  I suggest that you should check these songs out and keep the horns high!!!

Forbidden "Omega Wave"

First of all its Halloween and I am jamming this incredible new Forbidden cd, "Omega Wave".  I must admit that this album is a true metal masterpiece.  I will tell you that I have been following the progress of the recording of this album over the past couple of years and with its release this past week (Oct. 26) I could not be more satisfied with the results.

This album cover is reminiscent of the classic Forbidden album "Forbidden Evil" with the return of the red and blue skulls.  You should never judge a book by the cover, but this cover screams metal.  Now onto the songs:

1) Alpha Century-Instrumental that calms the listener before the storm

2) Forsaken at the Gates-Absolutely crushing tune.  The guitar work is fantastic throughout and the intro riff with massive sweeps really sets the pace.  

3) Overthrow-This must be Forbidden's anthem.  This song has elements of thrash and melodic metal sewn together with some clean vocals thrown in

4) Adapt or Die-Once again incredible guitar work at the beginning and great classic thrash metal sound.  

5) Swine-Slower tune with a light touch of heaviness with some grove and great mixture of heavy and mellow vocals.

6) Chatter-Guitar based tune that is the intro to Dragging my Casket

7) Dragging my Casket-Thrashy intro and tough riff thrown in with some galloping that is essential in any great thrash tune.  

8) Hopenosis-I love the way this song starts out with a good, solid riff and starts into a melody that almost reminds me of classic Prong.  

9) Immortal Wounds-All I can say is double bass intro.  This song slays.  May be by favorite as of now. Solo is incredible.  Wow.

10) Behind the Mask-Nice riffing, great vocal lines, overall another great song.

11) Inhuman Race-Good song with an extended, shredding solo. 

12) Omega Wave -Starts with a mid-paced riff and then rapidly increases to a great thrash pace.  A great song to close out this great album.

Overall this album is a solid 9 out of 10.  A great album from a legendary thrash band that have never gotten their due.  Hardcore Forbidden fans need not worry.  This is full of good stuff that will remind you of the Forbidden Evil days mixed with todays recording technology.  If you are a fan of metal, Omega Wave needs to be in your collection.

  Omega Wave

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Samsung Intercept, Virgin Mobile, review

Here is my review of the Virgin Mobile Samsung Intercept VMM910SMKIT18L.  I recently have gone through a career change and had to make a choice of phone carriers in an attempt to save money.  I used to have AT&T and with that came the $150 monthly bill with two iPhones, nothing more.  They are great phones, but with money getting tight, my wife and I decided to give Virgin Mobile a try.  As a lot of you are skeptical with Virgin Mobile, I must admit that after one week of using this phone, so far so good.  I will tell you that my plan is the $40 unlimited web and messaging and 1200 monthly minutes.  Coverage has been surprisingly good in Southwest VA and East Tennessee.  I have not dropped a call (yet) and the Google experience is what a smartphone should be about.  I have gotten some great battery life from this phone with moderate web and message usage.  Typically charging the phone every 18-24 hours.  I feel that is standard in todays smartphone world.  A smartphone should get you through a work day with usage and this one does.  Simple enough.  The phone has a fairly responsive touch screen and a really good keyboard.  There has been some lag with a handful of apps running, but not bad enough to make me angry.  With a price of $249 and no contract, this is certainly a good deal.  I will tell you that Virgin Mobile does "piggy-back" off the Sprint network.  If you have poor Sprint coverage in your area, Virgin Mobile is not for you.  As I stated earlier, coverage in my area is not bad and in my home I am showing 5 bars.  Good enough for me.  One complaint, I wish the camera had a flash.  The picture quality is 3.2 mega and the few photos I have taken have been decent.  Here is a shot of my daughter "cheesing".

Not bad for a camera on a phone!  Virgin Mobile has 3 tiers of planning: 

1) $25=unlimited web and messaging with 300 minutes

2) $40=unlimited web and messaging with 1200 minutes

3) $60=unlimited web, messaging and talk

I am currently happy with this set up and it appears that the more people that sign up for VM, the better the phones are getting.  If you are unhappy with your service or price with AT&T or Verizon, you might give VM a shot.

Now playing:

Joe Satriani

Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards

Halloween Music Theme Blog

I must admit that the thought has crossed my mind once before, but after reading my buddy Renfro's Halloween music and movie special, I had to chime in.  I, too, love the fall.  Football season, Basketball season and the season of the witch, Halloween.  Ever since I was a kid, I have always thought of Halloween as my favorite holiday.  It's the time of year, the weather, cool, creepy, and the sun is going down earlier and earlier.  I always went to the Haunted Houses and typically had a great time but whenever I left the Haunted House, I always walked away with ideas on what I would have done to make it better.  Scaring people.  That's what it's all about.

If you read this this blog you already know that I am an avid fan of all things "Metal".  Halloween is the time of year that most metal-heads call their own.  I change the playlist of my ipod specifically for this reason.  I like to "hear" Halloween during this time of year.

One of my favorite all-time songs for Halloween is "Scared" by Dangerous Toys.  This song was inspired by Alice Cooper according to the band and I believe it I was in probably 9th grade in high school when I first heard it on Headbangers Ball.  Absolutely pure cheese, but great none-the-less.



Hey Man I think I like being scared!

That is a great, fun song.  Now on to the Evil Elvis...Danzig.  This is a man that has taken Halloween themed music to another level.  I have always enjoyed his music and no matter which of his previous bands(Misfits, Samhain) you listen to, there is always a hint of darkness, evil and Halloween. From the first Danzig album this is "Am I Demon"



Just listen to that riff by John Christ.  Great guitarist, too bad he and Glen could not get along after the fourth Danzig album.

Now this is where I get a laugh from from most folks, but if you love your metal, King Diamond is your King of all things Halloween.  I have no idea why I have enjoyed his music over the years, but I continue to listen to his stuff, album after album, and enjoy every bit of it.  Here is "Halloween (Reissue) (Album Version)" from the King.






Next up is a taste of evil from Megadeth called "The Conjuring (24-Bit Digitally Remastered 04) () [Explicit]" from the classic album "Peace Sells...But Who's Buying".




Finally a classic from one of my favorite bands Metallica, it's a little ditty called "The Thing That Should Not Be"



Those are some of the classic Halloween "vibed" songs that are on my playlist year after year.  There is so much more that I jam out to, but those songs always make me think of Halloween.

There is one more, absolute classic that should be on everyone's playlist.  As you will hear in the background children are crying and the music is intense.  It brings a tear to my eye.  Bottoms up...





Now playing:

Megadeth
Rust In Piece Live

Why I won't upgrade to iPhone 4

The iPhone.  The name that absolutely changed the way cell phones have been used and abused since the first iPhone made its debut back in June of 2007.  I remember being on Sprint and dying to have an iPhone.  Here it is only 3 years later and a move to West Virginia later, I am now on AT&T and am a happy owner and user of an iPhone 3GS.  I have gone through some of the best phones available over the past couple of years and with the 3GS I couldn't be happier.   On a side note I am a huge fan of Android technology and with the switch to AT&T there was really no quality Android phones available at the time.  My wife gave the Sidekick a try and this phone was a huge piece of trash.  The rumor is that the Nexus One may start being sold at AT&T instead of only at Google.  I would probably give that phone a shot as it is considered one of the best Android phones available.  Now on to the topic at hand...I do love my 3GS and I was so tempted to jump on board with the iPhone 4.  So far I am extremely happy that I didn't.  Apple truly did not think this phone out.  Yes it has a beautiful display, yes it has a front facing camera and yes it has reception issues.  As if being on AT&T is not enough, the geniuses at Apple decided to put the antenna on the side of the phone in the exact place most people would hold it while making a call.  Do a quick search on youtube and you will see what I mean.








I hate to say it but somebody fell asleep while testing this thing.  I upgraded my 3GS to iOS4 and it really has made my 3GS complete.  No issues with reception (I do realize how hard that is to believe) and fortunately iOS 4 is running without any issues.  As a "techie" I follow and listen to people such as Leo Laporte and Kevin Rose and just about anyone at TWIT.tv.  Believe me when Leo Laporte says a device has flaws, the device has flaws.  I really believe that Apple will probably see the error of their ways and find a solution, it may be too little too late.  Android has only been gaining momentum for the fast 18 months and gaining ground.  As I said before, I love technology and with good competition, great products are developed.  Will the iPhone 3GS be my last iPhone?  Maybe, but I love it for what it is.  As the times change, I'll wait to see what happens next year in June when iPhone 5 makes it announcement.  For now, the 3GS is doing the trick for me.




Now playing:


Danzig "Deth Red Sabaoth"




What a great return to form.  The Evil Elvis is back...Horns up \m/!!!

Test blog from my iPhone. Hopefully this works.