WOW!! How did four years’ worth of posts pile up on here??
I started this blog around this same time back in 2005. Back then, I was using Blogger.com, which many people still use today. I didn’t have my own domain, though it seemed like a good idea. Christine and I were living in an apartment in Glendale, AZ with six birds. I was working as an inventory auditor. I was 32 years old.
Now, I’m using WordPress (which I need to upgrade on the server, please don’t remind me!), have been using it since six months after I started blogging… and thinking about changing the blog theme sometime soon. I’ve had my own domain for a while and I love it for the freedom it offers. We now have a house and are struggling to keep it clean and somewhat organized. We have five birds; one passed away last year and we haven’t replaced him (no replacing the great Kiwi). I’m now working as a claims administrator. I’m 36 years old.
Many other things, both big and small, happened to me between those times. If you want to know more about those times in between, well, just click the “Archives and Links” section, pick a month and enjoy a text-snapshot of a moment of my life.
I’m honestly shocked and surprised that I’ve kept a blog for this long. It’s full of successful ventures and some misadventures, but it’s become an extension of myself and I’m proud of it. It doesn’t matter whether I have the whole world reading, or just one person. Ultimately, this has been an outlet of expression for me, and I’ve had a great time with it!
Took almost a two hr. nap. Wow. Didn’t think I needed sleep that badly! #
@nickyjameson I read the article and thought about it. I couldn’t help but shed a few tears. That man has got true love in his heart. in reply to nickyjameson#
Relaxing at home after kicking all kinds of ass at work. Good feeling, too! #
@nickyjameson I really think that’s a load of BS. Last.fm would have known that if word got out, their heads would be called for. in reply to nickyjameson#
Watching “The Universe: The Biggest Things In Space” on History.com #
Dude! Just got done watching The Biggest Things In The Universe. My head hurts from thinking of the proportions! #
Ok, I remember some time ago that I talked about Theocracy’s self-titled debut album. I was so impressed with that album and the genius behind it, Matt Smith, that it was one of the very few physical CD’s that I ordered that year. (Most of the time, I buy downloads) What was so impressive was the quality of songwriting, instrumental ability, vocals and recording that was done by just one man. Later on, Matt kept his fans in the loop on album number two’s progress and gained a few talented bandmates. I thought, “If he was able to do the first album by himself, imagine what would happen if he had a complete band!”
Well, last October, I didn’t have to wonder any longer. Before vacation, I got the leaked version of Mirror Of Souls from a torrent site. That put some icing on my vacation, especially when, listening to it on the plane, my jaw dropped a few times. Most new pieces of music don’t elicit that kind of reaction from me. Yes, it’s that good!! Matt certainly learned a lot from the first album (kick ass as it was) and thoughtfully applied that knowledge to this one. I’m telling all dear readers, if you’re into some hard-hitting, yet progressive, epic-sounding fresh and exciting metal… then look no further. I’ve bought/downloaded albums and songs from many artists last year, and this is the one that most impressed me.
Before I break down the tracks, I’ll tell you why I waited so long to write this (besides the fact that I was lazy. Still am!). I wanted to buy the album and give the band full due; I even went so far as to buy the Japanese import for the bonus track. A consumer review is worthless if the product isn’t bought, ya know!
Tower Of Ashes – Much like the last album, this song starts Mirror Of Souls off with a small, majestic keyboard passage that transforms, first into acoustic guitar, and then into crunching riffs with bass and drums. Then they go into double-time with the main theme, breaking afterwards with a very original-sounding vocal opening and way-cool accompanying riff. You’ll have to hear it to understand. The rest of the song gives you a hint of the complexity you’ll find throughout the rest of the album. The ending is a bit cheesy with the instrument crescendo, though the song itself is an awesome start to the album!
On Eagle’s Wings – This is the first song the band featured on its MySpace page. Probably the one song that would be the most “listener-friendly”. Interesting use of a talk box in the beginning but, when I heard the early version of the song, I liked that one better without the talk box. Sounded cleaner. Nonetheless, this song has some soaring moments and, all throughout, the pace doesn’t let up one bit.
Lay The Demon To Rest – If you want a song with face-ripping crunch, then listen to this! This is the closest that Theocracy has come to a thrash metal song, complete with blast-beat drumming from Shawn Benson and a awesome beginning scream from Matt Smith. I don’t know how he held the opening note for so long! There’s a part of the song where the band does gang vocals to complement Matt’s distorted bridge vocals, and it sounds fantastic.
Bethlehem – After the fury of the last song, we’re brought to the one true ballad on the album. If you couldn’t figure out that this is a Christian Metal band by now, then this song should be a dead giveaway. That being said, this is a beautiful song/hymn, perfect for Christmas or after (or even during) church service. The sing-along chorus and majestic choir vocals (and lyrics!) are what make this song so special. The change in style from the last song proves how versatile the band is in their songwriting and instrumental talent.
Absolution Day – Back to full-on ramming speed. This is one of the songs that I can’t get enough of. There’s simply too many good musical moments in this track; some of them were the ones that made my jaw drop! Simply an Epic / Progressive Metal song worthy of the genres. I love the power of one line towards the end, “Absolution for all who believe!!”. The ending is cool too .
Writings In The Sand – I only give this four stars because it didn’t quite grab me like the rest of the song do. It does deserve an extra half-star for continuing the fine musical standards that the rest of the album holds. It has a nice groove to it; a very progressive rock feel to the whole song in general, rounding out the album.
Martyr – I had to resist putting the title in caps. That’s how much I love this song. From beginning to end, this track just… flat… out… ROCKS!! I can’t emphasize it any more than that! Even the spanish guitar interlude near the ending chorus rocks. The only thing that takes away from the awesome feel (IMHO) is the repeating sweep-pick line towards the end. Otherwise, pure awesome!
Mirror Of Souls – This song clocks in at over 22 minutes long, but don’t let this deter you from listening. Think of it as three songs, since there are three distinct parts to it. The whole song is a story about the main character’s search for the truth about his existence. That’s all I’ll say, as I don’t want to spoil it. I will say that the ending of the story made me cry. That’s how good it is. As for the music, there’s so much good songwriting packed into this tour-de-force that it makes my head spin thinking about it too much. Even though it’s a long track, the music constantly evolves and shifts and there’s so many good moments… again, as with many other songs on the album, this is one you’ll have to hear for yourself instead of taking my word for it. As I said, the ending made me cry, as it has a beautiful ending and perfect finish to an awesome album.
Wages Of Sin (Japan edition bonus track) – The shortest song, at three and a half minutes, but very cool. Even though the band was rushed to record this, the same high standards were applied, and you can hear it well. The “The payment is made!!” chant somehow doesn’t get boring or tiresome, the way it’s done here!
Throughout the track review, I didn’t say much about the singing. That’s because the lead singing, choruses, choir vocals and even the gang vocals are immaculate. I’m not exaggerating. Matt Smith is not only the driving force of the band, he’s also the singer and a perfectionist in the studio. His vocal style is clean, with just a hint of grit, but very powerful and controlled. Most of the vocals are done by him, and he does a fantastic job. Below is a video he made in the studio detailing the process behind his choir vocal tracking for the song “Martyr”. What you hear towards the end is a taste of how meticulously the entire album is made.
Matt, Shawn, Jon and the others who made Mirror Of Souls possible, my congratulations to you. This album is pure awesome, I’ll enjoy it for years to come (just like the first album) and I can’t wait to hear the next album. By the way, Shawn’s drumming is excellent throughout the album; I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets the “Best New Drummer” award in a few publications! To those reading this review, if you like metal… even if you’re not a Christian, you definitely should pick this one up. Don’t complain, just do it. Cheers!
Hello all! I just wanted to write here and let my dear readers know that I haven’t forgotten about this blog. Life in general has thrown me a few curveballs and I’ve been trying to compensate. However, I should be thankful that things are going ok for Christine and I in these hard times.
I still have a job. It’s still a challenge every day, which is a good thing. Only problem is that I’m now having to do the work of two people. My partner went to another section and management didn’t feel the need for a replacement for me, due to budget. Consequently, I’ve had to rearrange my days off and I’m not getting the rest that I’m used to. I’m coping still, and there’s indication that things may get better, so I’ll keep being the optimist. Surprisingly, I’m doing well, if not a bit shaky at times, with the increased workload.
I’m keeping myself occupied lately with new puzzles, games and new music. I’ll write reviews on these things soon, as there’s at least one toy, game and CD to scream about! I will say that, in cubing practice today, I nailed a solid 45 seconds solve time on the 3×3. Now to work on the bigger cubes!
Since I’ve been using Twitter much more lately, I’ve decided to try and incorporate it even more into the blog. I installed Twitter Tools and set it up to make a weekly blog entry of all my Twitter updates for each week. I haven’t fully tested it yet, so we’ll see what comes of it. I’ve also met some good souls on Twitter and had awesome mini-conversations. Amazing how tech has made this world so small!
Well, I have to hop in the shower and go to bed. Here’s a pic of me as I’m writing this; the author looking a bit worse for wear, but thankful for everything. Cheers!
WOW!! How did four years’ worth of posts pile up on here??
Tower Of Ashes – Much like the last album, this song starts Mirror Of Souls off with a small, majestic keyboard passage that transforms, first into acoustic guitar, and then into crunching riffs with bass and drums. Then they go into double-time with the main theme, breaking afterwards with a very original-sounding vocal opening and way-cool accompanying riff. You’ll have to hear it to understand. The rest of the song gives you a hint of the complexity you’ll find throughout the rest of the album. The ending is a bit cheesy with the instrument crescendo, though the song itself is an awesome start to the album!
On Eagle’s Wings – This is the first song the band featured on its MySpace page. Probably the one song that would be the most “listener-friendly”. Interesting use of a talk box in the beginning but, when I heard the early version of the song, I liked that one better without the talk box. Sounded cleaner. Nonetheless, this song has some soaring moments and, all throughout, the pace doesn’t let up one bit.
