So everyone is claiming that the story of Kingdom Hearts Re:coded sucks...

It really frustrates me to go onto the GameSpot/Gamefaqs forums for Kingdom Hearts Re:coded to find that roughly fifty percent of the posts are negative and/or bashing the game. I picked up a copy yesterday , and admittedly haven't played too far into it, but from what I have experienced it is a fantastic game. The stats system (named the "Stats Matrix") and the general combat mechanics (leveling keyblades and abilities and so on) are fresh and engaging and provide a source of addiction and motivation to play. The gameplay, though, is not the issue. The issue is the story. Once again, I haven't played too far into the game but from what I've observed so far the story is pretty intriguing (a mysterious figure leading Sora through the repair of the data that is Jimminy Cricket's journal). It certainly encourages me to keep playing and find out what exactly is going on. Several critic reviews end up rating the game rather low, in the five to six range, because of the overall opinion that the story sucks. To me these lower scores are rather unjustified, the story  doesn't strike me as bad as it seems to have everyone else and beyond that everything else about the game is absolutely fantastic. Another quibble that people have with the game is it's repetition of worlds and enemies from past games. This has no real effect on me though, seeing as the only other Kingdom Hearts game that I have really played is 358/2 Days.

I'll post a full review once I finish playing through the game.

The Horrendous Skull Candies

I have just about reached an end to patience when it comes to Skull Candy earbuds. Sure they may sound decent, but that means nothing if the build quality is absolute crap and that is the case. I have had the exact same experience with Dubs as I have with Ink'd, but only far worse. My first couple pairs of Ink'd earbuds lasted me a couple months, and then, miraculously, the last pair that I used lasted me just about half a year. Then I moved onto using JVC Marshmallow earbuds because I got them as a Christmas present eerily coinciding with the breaking of my pair of Ink'd. Those went on to last me an entire year. Now I've been given a pair of Skull Candy's cheapest model to act as a stand in and promised a new pair of JVC Marshmallow earbuds. The fact that they are the cheapest model is really showing. My first pair lasted my one day, you read that right, one day. They were returned for a new pair. And about a week later, the apint is already wearing off and they're showing signs that they are about to break. Seriously, who are Skull Candy kidding? I certainly go through headphones quickly, but this is ridiculous. Going though two pairs in less than a month seems a sure sign to me that either they just don't care, or they're intentionally selling an inferior product. Either way, I'm done with Skull Candy.

Christianity and Metalcore

I been noticing an interesting trend in the music that I listen to. It seems that almost the entirety of metalcore that I absolutely love comes courtesy of Solid State Records, a christian record label. Those that know me know that I am an atheist, and a pretty adamant one at that, so this is a little at odds at my beliefs. So, the question in mind is: what about these bands and their music attracts me and ultimately prevails over my desire to have nothing to do with religion?

First of all, for the most part, none of the lyrics preach or make any obvious reference towards the band member's beliefs. Certainly there is an obvious reference here and there, such as Oh, Sleeper's latest album's title track "Son of the Morning" and closing track "The Finisher", which describes the the battle between god and satan. While that topic adheres to beliefs I want nothing to do with, I certainly makes for some great lyrics. In fact, the ending lyrics of "The Finisher" where Micah Kinard screams "I'll cut off your horns!" lends some of the most and greatest emotion to the the track that I've experienced. You can just feel the anger and triumph in those screamed vocals. On the track of emotion, another great example is Living Sacrifice and their album The Infinite Order. Considering the genre in which the band falls (somewhere between thrash and groove metal) the music in itself is enough to get the adrenaline flowing, but the lyrics also play a part in that. The lyrics in multiple songs cover subjects that oppose the bands beliefs, from social darwinism to nihilism. These lyrics written in opposition to these subjects lend anger and further emotion to the music, furthering it's impact on the listener. I think when a band beliefs show through in the lyrics that they write, it strengthens the music overall. But there is also a fine balance that is achieved, where religion does take a part in their music but not to the point that it is out right preaching and worshipping.

Second of all, my love of the music. If there is any factor that can make me look past lyrics that I am fairly opposed to it's the music. There are numerous examples that I can cite, but I'll restrict myself to a select few. The most striking and important is Demon Hunter. They have become one of my all-time bands, and were the second band that I got a shirt for (after Slipknot of course). I have to admit I struggled with the fact that they were christian a few times, but ultimately my uncertainty was conquered by how amazing they are. From Ryan Clark and his amazing clean vocals and satisfying, throaty growl  to the instrumentals I love every aspect of their music. They've become even better with their latest release, The World is a Thorn, with the addition of two new guitarists that bring a heavy and much more impressive sound to the band than they had with their previous guitarists. Another great example is Underoath, with their constantly improving sound. They're second album on Solid State, They're Only Chasing Safety, is one that I can barely stand to listen to. In contrast, their latest release, titled Disambiguation, is by far one of one the best releases of 2010. In fact, I loved it so much I listened to it non-stop the week it was released and when I took a break from listening to it I had amassed thirty two plays.

Seriously Underrated Music #1

Inspired by the relatively small number of listeners on Last.fm of a number of the artists I listen to, I thought I'd start a series of posts detailing some seriously underrated artists that deserve notice.

Skindred - These guys are pretty intriguing, infusing punk, reggae, and metal into one 'ragga metal'. It works fantastically, and even though their in my library I don't even give these guys the attention they deserve

Bloodsimple - These guys are now disbanded, but they made some pretty fantastic music. More or less what could be described as groove driven alternative metal, songs like 'Dark Helmet' and 'Straight Hate' can certainly get you pumped up.

Gojira - A French progressive death metal band, these guys can be incredibly technical and heavy. Songs like "The Heaviest Matter of the Universe", "Adoration for None", and "The Link" definitely impress.

Music of the Year - 2010

Rather than struggle to place bands and albums on a purely subjective basis, I've decided to rely mostly upon the number of plays I have on each album and total number of plays on each artist. Taking inspiration from Last.fm, I will do general top artists for the year based upon my scrobbles irregardless of whether an album was released by that artist or not. Then I will go through my top ten albums of the year strictly on the basis of plays.

Artists
1. Minus the Bear (1967 Plays)
2. Demon Hunter (1439 Plays)
3. Soilwork (1001 Plays)
4. Disarmonia Mundi (910 Plays)
5. Haste the Day (901 Plays)
6. Underoath (838 Plays)
7. Circa Survive (769 Plays)
8. Portugal. The Man (720 Plays)
9. Our Last Night (702 Plays)
10. Ill Nino (623 Plays)

2010 Albums
1. The World Is a Thorn - Demon Hunter (53 Plays)
2. Omni - Minus the Bear (50 Plays)
3. We Will All Evolve - Our Last Night (50 Plays)
4. Disambiguation - Underoath (40 Plays)
5. Blue Sky Noise - Circa Survive (32 Plays)
6. Attack of the Wolf King - Haste the Day (30 Plays)
7. The Panic Broadcast - Soilwork (29 Plays)
8. American Ghetto - Portugal. The Man (22 Plays)
9. Dead New World - Ill Nino (18 Plays)
10. The Powerless Rise - As I Lay Dying (11 Plays)