Diablo's New album's Awesome!

It's been a while since I shared my winamp playlist with you guys. But I have a special reason for doing this.

I got Diablo's latest album called "Icaros" (illegally obviously), one aggressive bloody album. I am totally in love with it. I will be ordering it through Odel. Oh YES. Odel actually does this. Probably it's M Entertainment but whatever it is I found out that you can order albums through them for the same price; around Rs. 1300/=.

Also got Iron Maiden's Somewhere back in time Best Of album too.... Fucking awesome!!!!!!

If you do go through my playlist you'll notice a few more bands; Evergrey, Kreator and Staind.

Evergrey is a very melodic and technically sound swedish heavy metal band.

I don't think I need to describe Kreator to you. If you're a metal head you HAVE to know them! A German Extremely Thrashy Thrash Metal band. Their previous album "Enemy of God" won them best Thrash Metal album of the year.

Only reason why Staind is there is for the nice hihat grooves the guy uses in this particular song :)

I apologize profusely for the very poor quality of this post but I just needed to put out the news about Diablo in a hurry.

This is my fav song from the album.. Have a listen..

Power of the Mind - It takes you by surprise..

You wouldn't believe this. It's crazy. I was wondering what the HELL am I reading???? Power of the mind huh?? Crazy shittttt! Probably some of you might have experienced it already but I'm just posting it just to be sure..

I
cdnuolt
blveiee
that I cluod
aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was
rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch
at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in what oredr
the ltteers in a word are, the
olny iprmoatnt tihng is that the
first and
last ltteer
be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can
still raed it
wouthit a porbelm. This is
bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the
word as a
wlohe. Amzanig huh?

Never ending cycle... - Composition about the other side

He wakes for his last light,
Adorning physical covered in death,
Walks slowly covered in perspiration,
Marked by X in his mind the place of finality..

Machine on a timer to kill,
To avenge pain caused to his kin,
Blood pumps for his will,
Never ending cycle begins…….

Moving to a time of imaginary calm,
He thinks of a time he felt his father’s heartbeat,
Flash of light took it all away,
Shrapnel giving life to an angel in another place..

Moving into the present surrounded by metal movement,
He caresses the physique that will never be,
Anguish brought to him will be spread,
Revenge will be sweet even though he wont see..

Eyes searching for the people who took his childhood,
People who fight for his land,
Brothers dying for the same cause,
He never sees them again to celebrate..

X is reached he sweats,
Counts the seconds of singularity,
Speeds his walk into the target,
Another young loses his father…

A Breakdown..

My fingers run through your hair,

pushing back your brown hair to uncover your eyes that gaze deep into mine,

your smile taking me back to the love conception,

miss your sweetness in my life..

shivers bringing me back to present,

your love is so much a part of me without it life seems bleak,

will our love perish through the cracks created due to life's pressures,

I think I'd rather perish once and for all than see you leave my world..

Your sweet skin, deep shining eyes and your pink lips remind me of only one,

my princess who made my heart jump on that fateful day,

your my dream come true in a world where I'm the one left behind forgotten and unheard of,

angel if you decide to leave this realm then I really would be lost..

I drove you to my home for the 1st time and held you hard next to me,

memories escaping from my eyes running close to my lips where once you were,

when you left ma home it was never to return,

make me not go through my life without you right next to me..

Musical healing - Mend those broken hearts..

I was just having my headphones on and listening to a few albums of Andy Mckee and one particular song caught my not so non-weary mind. It was so beautifully composed I just don't know how to define the emotions I went through.

My life has such a large dependence on music and some of you may be able to relate to it. The music I listen to at a moment will define the mood I'm in and vice-versa. This song made me wana let go of everything and start my life long dream..

Hope at least one of you'd feel the same peace that I did while listening to this. Just close your eyes and let them tunes take you to your fav hiding place and let your sorrows drown..

Optimus Prime - An inspiration for generations

I love Transformers. I simply love them to bits!!!

Seeing Peter Cullen bringing Optimus Prime to life on mic just gives me the shivers and I thought maybe I'd share a bit of that with you..




Specially from 2:16 onwards..

Finally.. It's alivveeeeee.....

Wow.. It's been ages and it's been way too long. But I guess my absence was a deserved one. A deadly few weeks at work and a ill-fated few weeks at home and I do mean Ill fated. But somehow one of my life long dreams were achieved during the past two weeks.

My drum room. Since the day I started playing my drums it has been a uphill battle against the neighbours and my parents for the sound it made :O I was a loud drummer. From driving to studying to playing.. 

I do everything hard when I mean hard I mean like with all my physical strength. So my drumming is no exception and it's loud. I've lost alot of hearing in the past 8 years of my life due to my beloved drums but I don't care.

It's not perfect, my drum room but it's all I got; a heaven in the middle of enemy territory. A few meters from the room windows are the people who made me live without my drums for over 6 years. I played my drums to my hearts content for hours after the room was complete and that was roughly after 6 years. It was like a long awaited orgasm and it was bloody awesome.

I've got some pics for you. I'm sure most of you can relate to this experience of mine. Just never give up. I'm still wishing that I was brave enough to take music as my life rather than a desk job but I guess some decisions have to be accepted rather than dejecting them.

I've added two new items to my drumset one of which was a recommendation of our own RD. It's a brilliant device which will definitely get left foot working at a rate in no time. Thanks RD, I owe you one.

As you might notice my hardware isn't as polished as any of the drumsets you might have seen on any media and I'm ashamed of that, I really am but you have to believe me when I say I love those vibrating skinned, round headed, loud mouthed, vulgar looking pieces called drums more than anything else in this world.. 

Please don't tell my fiancé...........

Through my eyes at a weakened moment..

A road of frustration i'm taking,

a life of monotony freaking the hell out of me,

alone in a room without anyone to talk to,

is it the sins i've done that's haunting me in this dark room..

Hit a car a today trying to inflict pain to another,

backfiring of an incident made me look at my life through pain,

where's the reason to fight when fighting only kills you in the end,

why should a life be about conflict when it only inflicts pain to your soul..

If you think your life is important then your life isn't,

more you think about it less it will realize,

let go of your pride, idologies and live a life of true emotion and compassion,

make someone happier than they are now and breath their happiness..

Shut your eyes and talk to your mind and ask yourself about your day,

have you done anything worth while making this world a better place,

if you dont strive to be better what is the meaning of your life,

man is born to evolve through their mistakes through their sorrow through their self-rightous idosychrocises..

Music all around my ears filling me with emotion, loneliness, making the dark room darker,

the love for music stranded between lack of money and respect for my neighbours,

how do you overcome grief of not being able to do what you can do the best,

life seems to so much harder when you know that you cant do what you can do best..

A life undefined.. A composition for the lost heart..

A life of lonely roads, 

I see the path infront of me, 

It's never ending, 

Do i know where i'm going,

A life undefined unknown to me..

Wind is light but it sways me,

Taking me with it to the place it dies down to be born new,

A place of birth a renewal of life,

Where life is so complete so serene..

Walking through a field of flowers,

Unending wilderness of the heart,

Roaming this world alone searching for that light,

A light that may never come that may never find you..

You search for that eluding truth,

Life of meaning to define you soul,

It's like that piece of sunshine you hold in you hand,

Never stays until you learn to let go..

Green grass reminds me of home,

But is that my illusion talking,

What makes my life tick, what makes my mind flow,

Tell me what am i to do find my soul..

A small baby cries for her mommy,

Miracle of life beholds me,

Holding me tight melting me,

This world is a crazy place every nook and cranny..

My latest addiction - Exercise Powerball

Been a very bad week for me. First of all my rear springs of my Panda (my car) has broken after few drift attempts. Secondly I'm been sick since Monday and been totally on antibiotics and bedrest. 

No matter how tiring it is I never stop taking up my practice pad and playing a few drum rudiments at least 10 or 15 minutes a day. It just gives a burst of energy which simply worsens my sickness at night :(

Anyway enough about myself. I'm here to tell you about this awesome ball I got from heaven (well actually it was just randomly given to me by a collegue for absolutely no reason). He was just giving a small demo on how it works and I was just intrigued by all of the neon lights and the way it made his hand move. 

So I took my chances on this crazy looking ball. It was almost totally blue. with a transparent rubber strip going through the middle. It had a digital meter at the top giving a few statistics which I had NOOO idea what of! I was told how it was supposed to be "started". Put a string into a little hole at the bottom which seemed like a wheel and turn the wheel around few times so that the string will go around it and pull hard at it so that the wheel will turn.

Man, it was just unbelievable and I was instantly hooked. This ball was making my hand sweat by just that pull I gave on the wheel. More I made my hand move in a rhythmic motion faster the ball spun and harder it become to hold it. I was hooked and if I could think of superlatives I would use them to describe the immenseness of this addiction :)

I've been playing with this ball for the past two weeks non-stop. It's soooooo addictive. It builds muscle and for sure it will make my drum strokes wayyyyy moreee powerful. It's just awesome.. The best creation I've found in a... well everrr...! Well maybe after the creation of drums maybe.. :)

This ball is nothing more than a Toy Gyroscope. It uses the fundamentals of a gyroscope and from thereon the theory just escapes me. My math day's are forgotten and I just can't be bothered figuring out how exactly it works but I know that IT WORKS!!!

It's been said that the Powerball helps drummers to build strength in the wrists and forearms and I tell you this thing really really does!! I really can feel a strength gain by just using it for like 5 minutes a day for 2 or 3 weeks. Specially your fingers become hardened and powerful you end up getting a rock like finger tips.. It's just awesome for guitar players as well as it really exercises your fingers and wrists and if you work hard even your arms and shoulder areas.

Just try it, I don't think it's that expensive. Give it a try and see.. If anyone has already tried they'd know what I'm talking about.. All my pals whom I have surprised with this ball have been hooked instantly. I think it's just a phenominal discovery..

What do you think, Coldplay copied Joe Satriani in their song?

Joe Satriani has filed a lawsuit against Coldplay for copying his song from his 2004 album "Is there love in space?". But this is a tough lawsuit. Musical plagiarism is a tough one to convict on but still I think it might be a good lesson for musicians who'd think of copying another less known musician for a few bucks.

For more on the actual case you can go to:

http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/joe-satriani-speaks-about-coldplay-lawsuit-185914

Joe Satriani's reasoning for the outburst is, in his own words, as per "MusicRadar":

"It was a love letter to my wife, Rubina – a simple, direct expression of feeling.That I spent so long writing the song, thinking about it, loving it, nursing it, and then finally recording it and standing on stages the world over playing it - and then somebody comes along and plays the exact same song and calls it their own."

Well, if you like music you wouldn't care who copied who because they both sound beautiful. Just one of those songs that would just make you get up and go do things....

But being the guitar lover I am yes I side Joe Satriani not just cuz he's one of my guitar heroes 2nd best in the world after Steve Vai in my opinion - melodically the best I've heard but, because he made his song "If I could fly" in 2004; 4 long years before Coldplay did. 2ndly it simply sounds the same if you listen to them. 

Just take a listen and see (viva la vida 1:10 and if I could fly 0:49). But don't skip. Listen to Joe's song from the beginning, trust me you'd love it if you love beautiful melodies.

Still don't believe me? Check this in depth analysis of the underlying chord progression of the two songs by this music teacher on YouTube. 

Whatever said and done I love both the songs but a bit more love goes for the Joe Satriani's :) :).

But the fact of the matter is, there's a crowd that accuses Joe Satriani of copying the "alleged" melody. This is such a far fetch plagiarism accusation compared to the Coldplay case but I do see the similarities though. This is a tough one..

Signing off..

HR

Best Cover I've heard in a while (Men at work - Down under)

I'm normally not a major mainstream music fan and specially the money oriented TV singing contests like American Idol but I randomly find some awesome talents here and there.

One artist of that sort was Chris Daughtry whom I think is one of the best vocalists I've ever seen. His range and presence onstage is just out of this world! Another was Susan Boyle of Britain's Got Talent and it gets me all melted each time I see that video (a video with almost 54 million views). A real inspiration for all of us who think it's all too late now....

Today a few minutes ago I found this. A guy who found music to escape a life of wrong doing and I instantly fell in love with this version of "Down under". Check it out and you'd know what I'm talking about. 

Soilwork - What do you think?

Hey guys a quick post. I don't want to get caught to my boss while typing this so I'll keep it really short!

Enjoy.. This is one of my favourite bands.. I love this song...

Favourite drummers of all time

Been a long week for me even though the week just started. World's been a bit cruel to innocent me. But the music cheers me up. I just started listening to Tool's 2001 album - Lateralus. As awesome album with unbelievable drumming.

Songs like Schism, The grudge, The Lateralis just stick in your head just because of the drum track. Any drummer should be a fan of Danny Carey; a genious in the drumming world. World renowned for his unique style of playing; very much based on off-beat feel. In this album he makes use of his newly improved double-bass techniques (as of 2001) to his greatest advantage.

That reminds me; who are YOUR favourite drummers of all time?

Here's my list:
1. Vinnie Colaiuta (independant, though he played for mega deth in the system has failed album)
2. Daniel Erlandsson (arch enemy)
3. Richard Christy (Death, Iced Earth)
4. Dirk Verbeuren (soilwork)
5. Danny Carey (Tool)
6. Carter Beauford (DMB)
7. Dave Lambardo (Slayer, Testament)
8. Per Möller Jensen (the haunted)
9. Jojo Mayer (awesome, I've his DVD and I've improved so much in the past few months thanks to this guy)
10. Tommy Igoe (another DVD guru of mine and he's awesome)

As you might have noticed my inspiration is of a large pool of music genres and I think that's key for a drummer to be an unique as possible. If a drummer sticks to a single genre all his lifetime he's as bland as the next cup of badly brewed coffee..

The 6/8 beat. What makes this beat such an irresistible beat for us?

I don't know what makes us go crazy when we hear the simple 6/8 beat in songs. What makes this beat such a hit? Has anyone got any clue as to what aspects of this beat is so catchy?

Any psychological explanations? In Sri Lanka you go anywhere you'd notice people moving their head to the groove each time a baila song is being played.

I want to know why???

Compilation: Best of Andy Mckee

The best of Andy Mckee in my opinion. 

Listen to each of them carefully if you dare.. It's just beautiful.. These songs take you to far away places where no war, politics or fear exist..

Hachi signing off.

Grey Street - A tad bit of Viol-Voc-Sax smoothness

Dave Matthews Band.. Who doesn't know them. They are an awesome band specially due to their fusion-istic  style with that awesome drummer at the back filling the song with so much depth, background and a solid back beat. The drummer is no other than the world renowned Cater Beauford. 

So the reason for this post is because I stumbled upon this song quite randomly while I was rummaging through my music folders for some distraction from work. Yes, once I found it I did get distracted from work but a bit too much. Just blew my head away with the resurfaced fascination of Cater's unique drumming style. His ambidextrous style is quite hard to mimic yet I'm trying real hard to get the syncopated hi-hat style he uses to his great advantage in almost all his songs and specially in Grey Street; the song this article's dedicated to.

Grey Street is from the Lillywhite Session album the alleged "leaked" album. Man, I just love this song so much! You have no idea how much I just want to be dirty with this drum track in the song :). For instance take the period between 00:56 and 1:10. Here it seems to be a pre-chorus where Cater plays this syncopated 3-hit pattern on the Ride (the bell) on the "and" beats. That beat though seems quite simple it's not. He's not just playing the ride, he's playing the hi-hat at the same time with his right. Remember he's playing his hi-hat with his left and the ride is on his immediate left.

He's just an awesome drummer to follow if you want to improve your ambidexterity as his songs require the switching of your lead hands constantly to play his rolls and the basic backbeat patterns of the song though they alone are quite complex. But if you keep at it I guarantee this guy's influence will improve your skills quite a bit. 

Just listen to some DMB songs starting with Satellite, moving to crush and finally to Grey Street. All those songs are simple comparatively and give you a good base to start on your practicing. Please note that when I say practice with these songs I actually mean a few implied, sub-steps that you need to follow. They would be to figure out what exactly Cater is playing. Listen to each and every point of the song and try figure out what he's doing with your own musical ear. Don't go to Google and type in "Grey Street Drum tab"!! You're a looser if you do this :) Nah, you're not, just make sure you do that after you've got more than 100 songs figured out by your ear. 

There's nothing like figuring out a beat for yourself. Listen to it, once, twice, ........, a hundred times if you have to and get it. I'm still trying to figure out simple beats (not that I'm a good drummer). What I'm trying to say is that it's normal to have bad days and have bad period and bad years. Let go of that tension and just play that drumset as hard as you can. Play till your sticks break, till your drum skin gives in under your tension induced strokes. Just let go and feel free to do whatever you want with YOUR drumset. It's yours and no one can control your strokes even if your teacher's right next to you. It's you who's moving that stick and you play just the way you want to. 

As you might have notice I've drifted quite a bit away from my main topic and this is exactly what I was afraid of. When I get into my zone I get distracted and I won't figure out that I've drifted till it's too late :) But I hope I've given some insight as to my principles when it comes to drumming. I'm hoping to do a article on starting requirements for a drummer specially late starters like me. I started when I was 17 or 18 and I've played for around 7 or 8 years I think. So I'll be your saviour; all those guys and girls who think it's too late to start. I'll guarantee if you give me a year of your life 1 hr a day I'll make you a drummer and a good one at it and a way better one than me... :)

A new world order.. A thought pattern illusionist..

After a few posts on my music related blog I've been pulled into a world of political liability and I'm bad at that as I would not look pass my 1st impression. But hey.. If you and I ever had similar thoughts we'd all be friends and we all will live happily ever after. But the saddest and most known truth is that it's not the case.. duh...!

Well, I think my music mind is asking for an article but my day-job mind says no, so right now my brains listening to a heavy tune of retaliation while my ears are listening to a band called "Heed", one of my recent favourites. My winamp is constantly filled with Heed for a special reason; that is Daniel Heiman. Got to say, that's a funny surname. But this guy has one of the best power metal vocals I've heard. Yes, that comment alone will beckon a retaliation from the power metal junkies but I have my own justifiable reasons for this.

For me music is a way of life and a sustainer of energy. It keeps me going and a song without it's appeal to me will be just another Paris Hilton. So uniqueness and melody (as I keep saying) is important and Daniel has a voice that has range, strength and at the same time strangely enough depth. I love his earlier project "Lost Horizon". 

For all you who haven't heard here's the Wiki link: Lost Horizon. Not comprehensive at all but it WILL give you a start. Once again Lost Horizon falls under the almost operatic vocal styled metal sub-genre called Power metal. Big names in this genre would be Halloween, Hammerfall, Iron Maiden, Gamma Ray, Primal Fear, etc, etc.

The key for me to like Lost Horizon is the fact that Daniel has his own unique style embedded in the vocal style. This gives rise to a new type of music which is hardly known to many called "Fantasy" or "Majestic" metal due to it's very much prevalent medieval touch. Another good example of Majestic metal would be Blind Guardian - yet another favourite of mine. 

So coming back to Daniel, his style is so unique at the same time being able to have such a range of extreme high pitch notes is just unbelievable. I just go nut when I hear the almost inaudible high pitch, yet perfectly maintained the melodical style I just adore at the 2:59 minute point of Highlander; a song from Lost Horizon's last album with Daniel called "A flame to the ground beneath". Another awesome demo of this fantastic vocalist would be "Pure" from the same album. 

I'd like to finish this small thought drooling article before I ruin my beauty sleep. As I work for an industry that does not know or believe in giving rest to it's human resources I'm strained quite literally to the brink of breaking down. But I'm glad for my music who'd stand by me everyday being non-judgemental; only to be judged by us - the thought pattern illusionists.....

P.S. Listen to the 20th second of the song "Pure" and you'd know what a perfectly done power metal harmony is. :) Do not forget and listen to the drums. Lost Horizon is a very good example of the style of drumming I'm into. Dynamic, powerful, complex, beautiful, runs on its own and at the same time not so over-the-top to drown the rest of the music. Listen and you'd know what I'm talking about. Please excuse any incomprehensible sentences.. No reviewing at all for this post.. :)

Best guitar playing I've heard in a while.. Inspiring.. So alien..

Good morning everyone. Just thought I'd share this guitarist with you. He's just fabulous. Wiki, Google or YouTube him; he's all over the place. This video I'm adding to my post is the most viewed with.. let's here it.. 21 Million views.. It's beautiful. He's known as Andy Mckee...

If any of you had seen the movie August Rush you might have seen this style of playing. Its called the "American Finger Style" and I haven't seen anyone like Andy. There's Don Ross and a few others on YouTube who's rated as good but I just don't get the same feeling inside of me, this warm, cozy, melting feeling when I watch their videos. 

Just watch this video and you let me know what you think. I'm still thankful to my friend Sanjaya Jayawardena for showing me this video on YouTube. I just love this song. The melodies this guy creates using a single hand is just phenomenal. Just mind boggling and simply unearthly. I love this guy. This playing is one of the most inspiring and breath taking. 

Enough talk, let's watch:

Music.. Different genres.. I hate that genre and love the other.. Bullshit..

For the past few weeks it's been the few bands on my Winamp that kept my work from becoming "too" stressful. All you metalhead the band names will be commonplace but for all you who's not, it would be your first time and as I mentioned in my opening note, quite morbid!!

Well my winamp looks like this..

What you do you think? Any band you know? Heard of Sanctity? Probably all you heard Toto.. I listen for a few songs and mainly for Jeff Pocaro (half-time shuffle inventor)

What about All that remains, Amon Amarth or Evergrey?? No? What about Light this city? Just like Arch Enemy, Light this city has a female lead vocalist.  'love 'em..

Well let me introduce you to this morbid, unaccepted, unethical, demonic and loud music. Other than Toto all other bands were of the Metal main genre. But the sub-genre varyies from Power to Melodic Death metal where Viking metal stands in the middle. :)

So what you think? Interesting? Just like any subject area, metal has it's origins, fascinations and passionate-cult following and it's not just for some depressed teenger. Yes, I agree if you say not everyone would like the music but I'd say that is because you let the masses control your taste. You're not open enough to accept metal as part of your song list though secretively you WILL and I repeat that you WILL love at least one or two metal songs during your life span..

I'll be impartial and I'll talk about the exact opposite scenario which holds true. I've met people who listens and engages in cult-like activities just to show-off to the world that they are not appreciative of the main stream music scene. Most of the metal scene in Sri Lanka is run through this theory, hence the reason for me to be on the down-low for the past few years. Most naive kids nowadays listen to music just to belong and be different. I don't have any issue with this but don't disrespect any other type of music.. 

I think anyone can and will love any type of music. So, just let yourself like whatever you feel like and enjoy this world of music. There's alot of things you can learn, specially if you are a musician and experience if you're a pure listener, in all types of music. Please I emplore that you let go of the "I only listen to metal, rock or techno" and embrace the music as a universal gift for all of us from nature. Music has the power to change or induce emotions and I believe anything that can do that is worth receiving your respect.....

A note from me to you..

Hey everybody, I'm Mr.Hachi Roku and I'm a hardcore music fan. For me everything is about rhythm, music or melody. My life revolves around it and I just adore, love and cherish a good song with a beautiful melody. 

I'd like to think that I'm not your average music lover. Being a musician I am somewhat cursed with the need to,  needlessly at times I must confess, analyse the song in figuring out how the guitar riff is played, how it seams in with the drums, what the drumbeat is and how the vocal melody changes are added. This for me is everything about music but yes, when I'm at work I'm disturbed by my own ways where, I'd suddenly start intensely analysing the song I'm listening to forgetting I'm at work. Most of the time I get laughed at as I start playing either air drums or guitar. :) Probably I'm talking for many of you out there as well.. I hope.. 

Further, I must say that my heart gets attracted to whatever music that is composed of a beautiful melody. Maybe I can give you the range of music I listen to but I'm sure for most of you my 1st love would be morbid, that said I've come across a few people who can appreciate music for being music but mostly I've been ridiculed or even harassed by the masses, yet I stand firm with my taste and would stand by it forever and maybe day more..:) corny..?? hehe.. You start following my blog, you'd get a lot of that...... sorrryyy....!

So... I welcome you all to my blog and hope that all you drummers are ready for a few drum lessons and also to receive some lovely underground music updates  from Sri Lanka and from anywhere there's music.. even from heaven and hell. 

This is me signing off and to all you I'll be called....

Mr.Hachi Roku.