Summer Vacation

This post is to excuse my lack of posting here in recent times and for the rest of the summer. The Vergil’s Inferno project should still be going strong, but as far as Metal goes, I won’t be too active in that sector aside from my attendance at Maryland Death Fest May 22-24. I may post some pictures from that festival and even a show review. But the entirety of my summer will be absorbed in my reemployment at the Squire Tarbox, boatloads of books, and the aforementioned thesis project. 

Enjoy your summer and keep it trve.

August Hiatus

Due to a multitude of priorities and projects, I haven’t the time to update this site nor write new posts. I’m still writing reviews for The Metal Observer, but they won’t show up here for a while. I’m picking up the pace on translating Livy’s Ab Urbe Condita plus supplemental reading and a term paper are due at month’s end for that course. Add to this my employment at the Squire Tarbox Inn and my continuing work on Xanthus, and you’ll see that this has been no wasted summer. 

So, I’m calling a month hiatus with a promise that September will bring more regular site updates, which will include reorganizing the links and some form of integration with the WMEB site (assuming it will be functioning by then). 

OK bye for now.

Long-Overdue Update & Things to Come

Oh yeah, the blog…

Sorry to keep you all in the dark for the past month and a half. Second semester has been much busier than the first; tons of reading, writing and translating. But at least the subjects are engaging. Roman Philosophy has been the highlight, where my small group of Latin scholars have tackled Lucretius’ De Rerum Natura and are currently working through Cicero’s De Amicitia. In addition to academic priorities, I am balancing my esoteric exertions with minimum wage dog-work at York Commons, washing dishes and sorting pots and pans (though I did work the deli bar today). 

As for my radio show, “Ministry of Metal” has so far been a success, having aired six broadcasts so far to listeners all over the Bangor area. As of last Friday I have been taking requests via WMEB’s call-in number. Since that is useless to most of you I should update you on the status of the WMEB website, through which a live web-stream will grant access to listeners all over the world(wide web). So far there has been minimal progress, even after I introduced them to Zev Eisenberg as a consultant to their technological woes. Multiple times I have been told that the site should be up soon, and so far no dice. So to avoid crying wolf I’m not going to announce anything until the site is up. That said, as soon as the WMEB site is fully functional, I will begin transitioning my blog site into my DJ profile page on the WMEB site. 

Now for a brief look at things to come, academically, occupationally and musically. First off, registration for Summer and Fall classes begins April 11th for me, and I intend on signing up for classes such as Ancient Greek, Latin Prose Composition, Adolescent Psychology, Intro to Computer Programming, and Civilizations III. Professor Passman also has a summer Latin course in the works, an internet course in which we’ll translate the work of a Roman historian (probably Livy). 

I have recently registered for Honors housing for next fall. Zev Eisenberg and I will be rooming in Room 316 of Balentine Hall. Zev and I scoped out the room the other day and it looks great. Spacious with wooden floors and a scenic view of the quad.

As for summer jobs, I am currently in pursuit of a marine-related occupation around the midcoast of Maine. Been looking at fish markets and marinas mainly. So this means I’ll probably be at home (in Maine) for most of the summer. Come visit me off-hours.

And now to the music. Because I’ve been so busy this semester I have not been able to work on any music projects such as Xanthus, though my Spring break visit to Nick Adams in Toronto has generated some drive toward progress. We hope to have a full-length album out by the end of the year. All lyrics in Latin as promised. Once summer rolls around I will have much more time to devote to recording and producing my projects. First off, I will resume bass and vocal work for Xanthus, along with mixing and drum programming. After Derek Kelley’s struggle to provide competent drum work for his Tennessee Black Metal band Blood Red Moon, I have volunteered to program drums for that project. Finally, my recent lust for industrial black metal has inspired me to pursue a solo career, in which I will be tinkering with techno/industrial style drum loops, programmed guitars (but real bass), and pipe organ music to produce something truly unique. I have yet to name this potential project, but I can’t wait to wrap up my studies and get cracking. 

And on a final note, I’d like to announce that as of March 22nd, I am now the uncle of a healthy baby boy named Anthony, my sister’s son. I have volunteered to be this child’s godfather. Below is a picture of the new relative.

 

To Hell and Back

Yes, the title refers to the second track off of Venom’s album Black Metal, and it describes my road trip, and concert experience, perfectly.

But first, a word about the radio show. The debut broadcast of “Ministry of Metal” went off without a hitch. Anyone still tuned in from the tragic UMaine hockey game was greeted by Marduk’s “The Leveling Dust”. For the next 2 1/2 hours I played a plethora of classics and fresh material from my favorite bands such as Crionics, Mercyful Fate, Borknagar and Pentagram. I’m taking requests for next week’s broadcast, which will be available via live stream online through WMEB’s new website, which will be launched on Thursday, February 14th. Leave your requests as comments to this post or else shoot me an email. I’ll try to play at least one song per person requesting. Be sure to check my Metal Collection so you know what I have at my disposal.

And now to recount my adventures (and misadventures) of the past 24 hours. My good friend Cody Roberts allowed Ryan Page and me to borrow his car for the weekend trip to Bedford, New Hampshire to see Rotting Christ, Immolation, Belphegor and Averse Sefira tear it up. Our original plan was to leave campus by 1 PM and drive 4 hours to southern New Hampshire where we would check into a motel and then meet Ryan’s friend Chelsea for dinner somewhere. Afterwards we would get to the show at 7.

Well, not all went according to plan. In fact, almost none of it did. To start things off, I couldn’t find Cody’s car anywhere on campus. I looked in every parking lot he could have left it, even though he affirmed that he left it in the Maine Center for the Arts lot. After luckless searching and many phone calls we learned that his car was towed because the MCA lot was scheduled for plowing. So I had to hope on my bike and pedal over to Old Town to retrieve the silver Taurus from the towing lot. After forking over 70 dollars (which Cody will pay back) I grabbed Ryan and we were on the highway by 2:30.

After grabbing a quite bite in Kennebunk the weather went downhill fast. The sun had set, sleet was falling and Cody’s windshield wipers were apparently defective. So we slowed down, crawled into New Hampshire and exited toward the west. After misinterpreting the directions a couple times, we arrived at Mark’s Showplace at 7:15. At last we made it.

But the fun was not over. Mark’s Showplace is an 18+ venue that requires you to show legal ID at the door. I got in with my Maine driver’s license, but poor Ryan only had his UMaine ID, which the bouncers wouldn’t accept. And of course they blamed the state for enacting such retarded legislation as this. So I went in myself and met up with Ryan’s friend Chelsea, while Ryan sat in the car. I did find out later that he climbed onto the venue’s roof and watched the concert from above, but out in the cold and snow. I feel really bad for him, and I hope he can get his ticket refunded somehow.

I’ll provide a concert review in the next blog post. For now I’ll say that it was fun as hell, and I don’t say that sarcastically this time.

The concert was over at 12:30. Time to find a motel. Not. According to Chelsea, weekend rates were much higher than we anticipated, and we were too jaded to bother driving around to find one. So we agreed to drive 4 hours+ back to Orono. We’d be back around 5 AM. Well that didn’t happen either. Soon as we crossed back into Maine, the weather once again went to hell, and the lack of plowing made the roads treacherous. We knew that driving further north would mean freezing road surfaces and it would take forever to drive at a safe speed. So we got onto Route 1 in Brunswick and drove to my house on Westport Island. We got in around 3 AM and crashed until 11 AM today. We got back to UMaine at 1:00, exactly 24 hours after this escapade had commenced: to Hell and back.

1,000 Hits and Counting

Less than a month since its inception, ZephyrBlog has reached the 1,000-hit mark. I can only attribute this to the gratuitous amounts of support I have received from family, friends, peers and fellow forum-goers. I thank all of the bands who have contacted me for reviews and who have added ZephyrBlog on Myspace. Keep those requests coming.

I’m starving for reviews at the moment, but my video producer Zev Eisenberg is soon to unveil ZephyrBlog’s long-awaited first interview with Ryan Page. The video will be split into two parts and both will be hosted on this site, on Myspace, and on Youtube.com.

Along with the interview video, there will be released two versions of Zev’s recent New Media project, which features a popular Beatles tune. That video will be posted here exclusively and will be made part of the new Videos page, which will contain self-produced films as well as music videos by relevant bands.

1,000 hits and counting, Zephyrus pledges to deliver. Stay tuned.

Operation: Patch Jacket

Today I began acquiring patches for my personal patch jacket. Patch jackets, or vests (denim or leather) are a popular side-hobby for metal enthusiasts, and something different than just collecting CD’s. Patches are usually cheaper than albums, so the financial commitment shouldn’t be an inconvenience. For the jacket, I’m using my father’s old denim jacket that he got from his old software employer, Quickturn. I was debating whether to cut off the sleeves and make a vest, but I decided to keep the sleeves for practical purposes (thanks to the GMD crew for the advice).

As for patches, I will rely on eBay.com for deals and steals. I have already purchases patches for Emperor, Limbonic Art, Burzum, Samael, Satyricon, Summoning, and Krieg. Add to that a Dimmu Borgir patch I got for free with Stormblåst MMV. I’m also looking at a large Bathory patch to cover up the Quickturn logo on the back of the jacket. Here are some of the patches I’ve bought so far…

I expect this endeavor to take a few months before I have a decent arrangement to sew on. I’ll probably pay a friend to do that part, since I failed sewing in middle school home-ec.

I’m especially on the look-out for a Borknagar patch. If anyone can find one, please contact me.

ZephyrBlog Now On Myspace

Scarcely over a week since its inception, ZephyrBlog is expanding its cybernetic horizons into the turbulent straits of Myspace.com. Encouraged and inspired by the success of Slam-Minded and its Myspace outlet, I have crafted a page much like this site, but with the special features of Myspace included. With that site as a host, ZephyrBlog fans can more easily access band pages, sample tracks, music videos and more. Friends of ZephyrBlog on Myspace also have the benefit of posted bulletins as a convenient way to be notified of updates and new reviews, interviews and any major goings on with either site.

You can find a link to the site under the Blogroll and also here – http://www.myspace.com/zephyrblog

The Myspace extension will serve mainly for promoting the Maine metal scene. Blog posts on that page will only be metal-related, so all the interviews and reviews will appear there as well as here. Also check out the friends list, which includes many of the bands that have cooperated with this site via reviews, interviews, and general relevance. Here’s a snapshot of the Myspace page, custom-designed in a theme quite similar to the original ZephyrBlog:

In other news, last night I conducted my first interview with Ryan Page of Anal Jesus, Carrion Afterbirth and Tarsonis, the latter two having music videos featured on the Myspace page. The interview will be posted here and on Myspace as soon as Zev, my producer, finishes editing and uploading. Keep on your toes for that one.

Finally, I will be adding links to the official websites and Myspace pages of all the local bands I am supporting. Be sure to check those out. I wouldn’t want to show you these bands if they weren’t producing quality music!

Welcome to ZephyrBlog!

Greetings and thanks for checking out ZephyrBlog, my new site dedicated to chronicling my life’s adventures and interests. This site will serve a dual function. First, this is a place where I can share my current experiences with friends, family and peers here at UMaine, Arlington, and wherever my travels may take me. The second purpose of this site is for metal music. I will be writing and posting reviews for new album releases, top 10 lists, and hopefully some interviews with band members.

Let this first post serve as a guided tour to ZephyrBlog. We’ll start at the top and work our way down the right side. Above all this you will see the header, custom-designed by Zev Eisenberg, to whom I owe so much gratitude for helping me endeavor this project. On the left of the header is the Roman Forum, in the middle a band photo of Limbonic Art, and on the right the iconic Stevens Hall at UMaine. Now on to the right bar.

Pages

• About Me – what you expect: all about me.
• Top 10 Bands – a list of my 10 favorite metal bands with some commentary on each.
• Totalus Necrum – a page dedicated to my two-man metal project with Nick Adams (U of Toronto).

Categories - posts will be categorized according to content: Maine, Metal, Reviews, Interviews & Miscellaneous.

Blogroll (Links)

• My Facebook Profile
• Zev Eisenberg’s iGeek Blog
• The Fallon Club – an old page dedicated to my pal Graham’s activities and friends.
• My Restaurant Reviews on Yelp.com (I recently reviewed the Thai Orchid in Orono, check it out).
• Zev’s Website

Metal Links

• Black Metal Radio – free streaming of a broad mix of old and new black metal songs, updates every couple weeks.
• General Metal Discussion – the forum that I frequent daily, based at UltimateMetal.com. I couldn’t survive without it.
• My Last.fm Profile. Check it out to see what kind of stuff I’ve been listening to.
• My Music Collection on Metal-Archives.com. Contact me if you want a CD-r copy of anything on the list.
• Slam Minded - a blog run by Nick Adams and Andy Phelps dedicated to their specialty area of metal.
• Myspace Profile for Totalus Necrum.

Also, for those who can please subscribe to the RSS feed. It’s the perfect way to be notified of updates on this site (I don’t plan on sending out emails every time there’s a new post). The feed is compatible with Firefox and Safari web browsers.

Once again many thanks for coming here (even if it’s only this once). Please, please leave comments; it’s good to know that my efforts here are worth the trouble so please show your encouragement, suggestions, or what ever you fancy to say!