Picture the World

A poem written by myself after my trip to Washington DC where I visited the Holocaust memorial museum. I encourage everyone to go there at least once in their lifetime, I know its not the same as going to the actual camps in Europe but it sure was powerful. I can safely say that it changed my perspective on life, and it helped me mature as a person. Understanding the past, and seeing the terror that ensued those dark years... its something that everyone could use. We need a reminder every now and then, to remember true brutality and evil.

So here it is, my poem. 

Picture the world, the way it is now;

Fast, vast, restless and loud.

The cities that never sleep, the souls we will never meet,

Our shadows, stuck in the unforgiving concrete.

Now picture a world, burning in the sky.

These souls you will never meet make the fire rise.

Swimming in the smoke, scorching the eye,

The weight of their world, unbearable to you and I.

Picture a world, far from you and me

A burst of light that blinds every angel into the sea.

One so similar, so evil to you and I,

A world where oceans bleed into the sky.

Now imagine a mirror, a wake of devastation.

A world where the defiling of humanity, an emancipation.

The injection of hate, rape, obliterates, eradicates

The veins of the normally humane.

A world where you cross the line for being nothing more than who you really are

“Cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice, and love” (Martin Luther King Jr.)

After all of that, picture a world, lifeless and bland.

You are the only one left on this colourless land.

You are but the last grain of rice, left to be devoured.

Go ahead, try to reach and run,

You will succeed in grasping these razor stone grounds

This world has rooted us into one. Single. Spot.

It has left us gazing upon these grounds which were once the most beautiful,

Now the most hideous.

There it is, say what you will, say what you might. This is it. 

Wake

Welcome one and all to the show.

Today's post is the first post in a while where I just talk. If you haven't read any of the older posts, I encourage you to go through the archives and check em out; it's interesting to see how the blog itself has evolved as well as how I have progressed through the past year or so.

Looking back, its been a year since I started (a little more than a year)! Crazy to see how time flies.

Quick update: I've been trying to make this page much more appealing and easy to navigate... more organized if you will. Blogger however is stupid and either I can't for the life of me figure it out or the options simply do not exist. I'll continue to pursue this, for you the reader.

Exams are in a week and a bit, so this post will be the last until right before Christmas.
Also, tell me how im doing with the blog. Look at my reviews, my previous posts, and of course tell me how im doing with this post. I'm always open to constructive criticism, praise, whatever you got.

Prelude: I am going to tell you right now that this post will not have much structure at all. I haven't done this in a while so the little structure that it had before is gone.

Lets get into the nothing.

Do any of you wake up and think, "why am I awake?" I mean, who do you wake up for, why do you wake up, what encourages you to face the day. Maybe I am just thinking too much into things like usual, but honestly it's been bugging me for a while. We wake up, get ready, get on with the day. Why? Where's the encouragement? Do you wake up for yourself? Do you wake up to do something in particular? Do you wake up at the very thought of someone? Do you wake up and get out of bed just for the slight chance that your special someone will encounter you that day? Thinking to yourself, "Maybe today is the day that it happens; maybe today is the day that my life takes a turn for the better."

I guess what I am getting at is, what moves the floor that is beneath you? Just an idea to think about, as I get into the content of the blog.

I've found that the past two or three years, I have been waking up and asking myself those questions. Before that, I didn't question it. Maybe it just comes with age, maybe it's just part of the transition phase to adulthood, I don't know. About a quarter of my life is through, and to be honest I am anxious to see what life has in store for me. I've found that with age I have awoken a different, more brutal Tony. I'm now much more political, my thoughts are much darker in complexity and I've grown accustomed to small talk with other adults. Not only that, In class I find myself taking things from a more logical point of view, rather than the creative side I used to take things from. I don't know whats happened.

Maybe I just woke up.

Am I a better person for it? Probably not. It can be reflected in my poetry. I encourage you to look back in my archives and find the poetry, (again, ill try to categorize and organize everything later) and see how naive it is compared to the piece I am about to post (this week some time). I'm not saying that this new piece is going to be a work of art or anything, not in the slightest. I'm just saying the perspective and tone of the poetry has changed, at least when I look at them.

Thinking about it, I am going to compare this growth and change just as Linkin Park did. First two albums, sick. Really heavy music. Everything was stable. Then they changed, they got into this transition stage with Minutes to Midnight. Then after that they got into the completely different A Thousand Suns and Living Things. Maybe I am just in that Minutes to Midnight phase, where I am not sure whats happening, where I came from, or where I am going. Just a piece of work that has no real direction. That could be it. Who knows, that could be why I wake up and ask those questions.

This post is actually based off the first track on Minutes to Midnight, which I will review during Christmas Break. Wake, just an instrumental. Maybe that's it. No lyrics to my song, just direction. Lyrics come later, when I have something to write about. The journey is more important than the end or the start, and maybe that's where the lyrics come from. Maybe your song doesn't need lyrics

What will your song be? Your story? Your journey?

Will your song march to the beat of its own drum? Its own rhythm? Will your song even have lyrics, or will you let the music do the talking?
Will you be different, unique, what will your song portray about you? Will you let your actions define who you are, or will you tell everyone who you are? Maybe you will use lyrics to make your story a little more intricate.
Or maybe you will just wear a snap-back like every single other person and talk about sex, money, drugs, partying, and sexuality in your song. Sell out, your song becomes a hit. Your story. A hit. Really, it is just like many other songs out there. Everyone's song can be unique in its own way, but you refuse to show any diversity. You say compassion's a fault, and you'll never let it show. Maybe you have done this your entire life, just try to get by. Make your song appealing, and nothing more. I say, make your song different, from the heart. If no one likes it, so be it. Fact is, someone will though. There are people out there who appreciate diversity in opinion. Being different is something that rewards others more than yourself, but its rewards are plentiful.

On a side note, did anyone see the 100th Grey Cup halftime show yesterday? They were literally playing the song in the background so the artists could sing along to it. Why??? Not only that, the misrepresentation of Canadian music was atrocious. We as Canadians do not base our music around what all of those artists do. Beiber? Are you serious? Where's Rush(as much as I hate them, I can respect them), Billy Talent? That represents true Canadian Rock. Bieber represents the pop-industry. Which represents the same thing over and over again. See where the problem is? Not only that, anyone else see him meeting the Prime-Minister? Where does he get off disrespecting the Prime Minster and the rest of our generation by dressing like that? He is not above everyone else, he should have dressed professionally, at least a dress shirt and pants. Come on, its not that hard bro. Show some respect and maturity. You're my age, and frankly its embarrassing..

Back in the saddle.

Make your song sound different, make it controversial. Haters hate, its just the way it is.

Taking a different perspective on things, maybe it's a good thing that a lot of people act the same. In reality, it just makes the crop even sweeter, don't you think so? When you find people that are different, it makes them that much more awesome than they already are. I'm not claiming to be different, because In reality I know that I conform to some social norms. But I think I am being different enough by writing this post. By listening to what I listen to. By acting the way I act. Maybe that's why I have been stuck in this transition phase for a while, because I have been trying to find a balance between what is perceived to be "normal" and who I really am. Maybe you, the reader, are the same way.

In the end, this post was about waking up. Finding yourself, what your drive is, what your song is, how you will compose that song and how much risk you are willing to take to be different.
I know that there wasn't much structure, but I regret nothing. Look forward to the next post, which will be a poem. This week, probably...



Song of the day is by 30 Seconds to Mars off their Self-Title Album. Capricorn (A Brand New Name) is weird. And that's why I'm sharing it with you. Its a weird post, and such a weird post deserves a weird song.

Blame it on the broken heart.

Until next time,

Tony. 

A Thousand Suns: Linkin Park

Linkin Park: A Thousand Suns was released in September 2010. The bands fourth studio album was met with many critics and fans alike completely shocked and disappointed. This is my review of the album. Now, if you read my Linkin Park: Living Things Review (on the site), you will know that I ranked this album as their second best album. This is a tough argument, and I understand that many will not agree with my review, but I'm going to try my best to keep this review as unbiased as possible, and try to provide good reasoning as to why this album is better than Hybrid Theory. So lets jump right into it.

"Everyone want's the next thing to be just like the first" - A verse off the song  When they come for me. Keep this in mind... this is the quote that summarizes the entire album.

To start off, here is some back round on Linkin Park:
They released 2 studio albums called Hybrid Theory and Meteora (arguably their best music to many) in the years of 2000 and 2004. They also released a remix album called Reanimation in between, in which Mike Shinoda (band's rapper/singer/guitarist/keyboard/producer... he pretty much does everything) collaborated with many other artists, remixing the bands first album and some of their unreleased songs such as High Voltage and My December. Linkin Park was known and labelled under the genre "Nu-metal" which was very popular at the time... think of the 90's grunge rock era. Linkin Park and the rest of the industry knew that Nu Metal was dying. Meteora was their last Nu Metal album (2004). After that, the band toured some more and released another collaboration album with Jay-Z called Collision Course which proved to be very successful. In 2007, Linkin Park released their 3rd studio album called Minutes To Midnight... completely different from what they have done before. The album contained many ballads, less rapping from Mike Shinoda and more singing. Linkin Park was not angry anymore. Some say they matured, others say they became sell-outs. Their next album really shook the music industry; they released their 5th studio album in 2010 called A Thousand Suns. It was a concept album that had an apocalyptic, electronic, political feel to it. Completely different from what any other artist had put out at the time, to say that A Thousand Suns was highly controversial was an understatement. Critics and longtime fans alike created uproars, saying that Linkin Park's best days were behind them. What A Thousand Suns did do however, is create a fully functional, fluent, well crafted album that had clear direction and purpose while also doing something completely different, genre creating if you will, which is what Linkin Park has sought to do since the death of Nu-Metal.

Introduction:
A Thousand Suns is completely different from every other Linkin Park album, just listen to it and compare it to In the End, which summarizes their first two albums. Not only does Mike Shinoda take a back seat in this album, helping to fully produce the album and mix every song, but every other band member also takes a back seat role. In one song, they all sing in harmony. The next, they are all beating a variety of drums. The next, you might not hear many band member because they were helping to produce the song. In terms of actual instruments, its lacking in this album, which is why it is not #1. Besides that point, this album is perfect. Lets break down every song, and see what I mean

1. The Requiem
Right off the bat, this introductory song sets the tone for what to expect. Difference. Creativity. Apocalypse. It's hard to give this song a solid score because... it's not really a song at all.
The Requiem does not get a score, because it does not apply.

2. The Radiance
A direct continuous flow out of The Requiem, this...thing is a quote. "Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds." Again, can we really classify this as a song? No. Though, the quote does set a very dark, and surely different tone for the album.
The Radiance does not get a score, because it does not apply.

3. Burning in the Skies
3 tracks in, and we get our first song.... And it's a masterpiece. It flows so perfectly out of the first two tracks, and the melancholic tone that continues to radiate in this song really brings you into the song. A beautifully mixed song, with fantastic vocal efforts from Chester and even Mike. What's even more amazing, the lyrics. "And in the end we were made to be apart, in separate chambers of the human heart." "I'm swimming in the smoke, of bridges I have burned. So don't apologize, I'm losing what I don't deserve." One of Linkin Park's best lyrical songs. And atmospherically, its perfect. There isn't a single bad thing I can say about this song. The guitar solo at the end is a nice touch as well. Linkin Park clearly made this album to connect with people, and to make a political statement. Arguably the best song on the album, and one of the best songs they have ever produced. Ever.
Burning in the Skies gets a 9.7 out of 10.

4. Empty Spaces
Another...thing that was on the album. Leading perfectly out of Burning in the Skies, the sound of cannon fire, militaristic shouts, and distant muffled explosions... leading right into the next track.
Empty Spaces does not get a score, because it does not apply.

5. When they Come for Me
Another lyrical masterpiece, and another song that fits the atmosphere perfectly. Constant violent electronic sounds soar while many drum sets beat the song along. The really cool thing about this song, is that when Linkin Park performs it live (they are incredible live btw), they have Chester, Brad (guitarist), and Rob (regular drummer) all hitting their separate drums. It sounds perfect. Mike really puts on a stellar performance in this song, and the chorus is great as it's just a collection of the entire band yelling together in harmony... it sounds almost religious, as they proclaim "Try to catch up motherfucker." This is the song where mike proclaims that "even a blueprint is a gift and a curse cause once you got a theory of how the thing works everyone wants the next thing to be like the first." Those words explain exactly what Linkin Park is feeling and trying to get away from. Trying to innovate, unlike so many other modern groups and so-called artists... I'm looking at you One Direction and Drake. Anyways, back to the song; When They Come for Me is another stellar song. Chester really steals it at the end when the violent sounds stop for a brief moment, and puts on another vocal masterpiece. The best part about Chester is that he really puts emotion into every song.
When They Come for Me gets a 9.4 out of 10.

6. Robot Boy
The strangest song on the album, easily the most emotional though. Reading between the lines, feeling the lyrics, you get a sense of connection that few songs can really do. The song itself is very electronic, and the vocals are a combination of Chester and Mike, along with some electronic distortion (NOT AUTOTUNE, thank god for that). There is a piano that Mike plays in this song as well. The lyrics are very moving, things like "You say, you're not gonna fight, cause no one will fight for you, and you say that there's not enough love and no one to give it to," "you say compassion's a fault, and you'll never let it show" and "Hold on, the weight of the world will give you the strength to go." I could honestly just list off the entire lyric. I remember the first time listening to this song, it gave me chills. It still does. It's so different, yet so calming... and at the same time really depressing. Bravo.
Robot Boy gets a 9.6 out of 10.

7. Jornada Del Muerto
Again, another interlude out of Robot Boy and into the next song... I think that I am going to give this one a score though. The lyrics are 持ち上げて, 解き放して. Get that? Of course you did, but just in case you didn't, it translates roughly to "Lift me up, Let me go." We'll hear that later in the album... very calming and moving throughout the entire song. Good job, this is getting a score
Jornada Del Muerto gets a 9 out of 10.

8. Waiting for the End
Transitioned perfectly out of Jornada Del Muerto... this song starts off with almost a Caribbean feel as Mike raps in a way he has never done before. Very well done again. Chester does a great job in this song as well. He really gets the emotion and pain out of this song... "Holding to what I haven't got." Mike provides backup vocals, and the lyrics are extremely depressing... and motivational. "Picking up the pieces now where to begin, the hardest part of ending is starting again." There's good drumming in this song, good electronic sounds... perfection when it comes to mixing... you can really hear the bass amplifying the sound of the song, and guitar and piano can be heard as well. Again, great job.
Waiting for the End gets a 9.2 out of 10.

9. Blackout
The most aggressive song on the album, Blackout is an angry song where Chester really just kills it. Maybe not in a good way though. Fantastic mixing once again, great lyrics, and a great slow part with Mike, where he really shows how well he can sing. "Floating down, as colours fill the light. We look up from the ground, in fields of paper-white." Really well done, but pretty forgettable except for Mike killing the singing.
Blackout gets a 7 out of 10.

10. Wretches and Kings
A very strong song, very underrated. I love the speech that they included with the song by Mario Savio about revolution. "The people up top push the people down low." You know, just listen to this song. It's perfection up until the end where Mike implements some really weird act... From the front to the back and side to side if you feel what I feel put em up real high... I get what he was trying to do but it really doesn't fit with the theme of the album. Unfortunately, it ruins it for me.
Wretches and Kings gets a 6 out of 10. Yes, it ruins it that much.

11. Wisdom, Justice, and Love
Another interlude... but this is probably the best track on the album. I'm completely serious, this is the most artistic thing Linkin Park has ever done. Ever. It's a speech by Martin Luther King. "I come to this magnificent house of worship tonight, because my conscience leaves me no other choice." Some very simple piano is played in the back round, Mr. Kings voice sounds like the original recording, and there's this very uncertain, very moving empty wasteland atmosphere surrounding. It feels like an apocalypse is either happening, or has already happened. It's a very... nothingness feeling. It's fantastic. Brilliant. And the key thing about this that makes it so special... as Mr. Kings speech goes on, the background noise gets louder and louder, drowning him out... and as that noise gets louder and louder... his voice becomes more and more lifeless... almost robotic. It's all very creepy, melancholic... the word to summarize the mood of this song is apocalypse. Thank you Linkin Park, and thank you Mr. King for such an amazing speech.
Wisdom, Justice, and Love gets a 10 out of 10. Best thing about this album, and it's not even a song.

12. Iridescent
The song from Transformers: Dark of the Moon. You know, this album came out before that, and the Transformers mix of it is shitty. This version however, is beautiful. Mike once more shows how artistically talented he is in almost every aspect, this man can do no wrong! There's a beautiful piano playing, and that same empty atmosphere fills the air. "You were standing in a wake of devastation, you were waiting on the edge of the unknown. With the cataclysm raining down, insides crying save me now, you were there impossibly alone." Chester does a great job as well. There's a subtle electronic bass drum incorporated that helps the song as well. This song is Linkin Parks second best live song I have ever heard them perform, next to New Divide (another transformers song!). The killer part about this song is how after the second chorus, the entire band gets together and in harmony, just enough away from the microphone so that you can still hear them, but its distant, they sing "Do you feel cold and lost in devastation? You build up hope but failures all you've know? Remember all the sadness and frustration, and let it go... let it go." The second best thing about this album, next to Wisdom, Justice and Love. Fantastic job, once again Linkin Park
Iridescent gets a 9.9 out of 10.

13. Fallout
Another interlude, basically saying what The Requiem said, what Burning in the Skies said, and what Iridescent said, but in a much eerier voice. It sounds like Mr. King sounded. And we get that same empty atmosphere carrying over.
Fallout does not get a score, because it does not apply.

14. The Catalyst
The fist single off the album, The Catalyst has a very new electronic feel to it. Mike once again kills it, and Chester too. "God bless us everyone we were broken people living under loaded gun, it cant be outfought it cant be outdone it cant be outmatched it cant be outrun no!" The problem with this song is that I don't know what Phoenix (bassist) was doing. And that's a problem. The song itself is very different, even from the rest of the album. And here, "Lift me up, Let me go" appears once again. Thanks Jornada Del Muerto! This is where that apocalypse theme really applies itself. Good song overall, but could have been done a little better. It was missing that special something
The Catalyst gets a 8.6 out of 10.

15. The Messenger
This song could have been beautiful, and in its own right it still sort of is. Chester kind of butchers the vocals though. Way too much strain in his voice in the studio version. "When life leaves us blind, love keeps us kind." It's honestly a nice way to end the album, showing that love will conquer all, and as long as you are with those who you love nothing else matters. It's just Chester really did not convey it as well as he could have. The guitar is really simple (love playing this song), and when playing this song live Chester sings much softer, which sounds at least 10x better. I think an interesting twist would have been Mike singing this, he has the perfect voice for it. But oh well, maybe one live show he will take the mic and give Chester a break. His voice sounds tired, and rightfully so as this is the last song they recorded for the album. The song even sounds tired, but its nice nonetheless.
The Messenger gets a 7.5 out of 10.

In conclusion, this album has something that many modern albums are lacking these days... flow. Every single song in this album feels like it was put in that spot for a reason, and every single song flows beautifully from one to the next with help from the interludes and transitions. The lyrics in this album are the best they have ever written, the artistic design of the album is flawless, the theme is constantly conveyed throughout the album, and though this is the most different thing that Linkin Park has ever done, it is their best. If it wasn't for Meteora (which I will review soon) being the perfect album, this would have been the best album they have made. Meteora defined the Nu-Metal age... just as I think A Thousand Suns will mark change in Linkin Park's future. Think of Hybrid Theory and Meteora as Nu-Metal, Minutes to Midnight as a transition, and A Thousand Suns and Living Things as their own genre. Seriously, there is nothing else like this on the market.

Final Rating for this album:
9.5 out of 10
- Completely different, innovating
- Perfectly mixed
- Sounds and feels creative
- The album feels like one big story rather than a collection of songs. Bravo.
- Some weak elements on some songs keeps this from being #1

As a fan of Linkin Park: If you are still immature and stuck in the Nu-Metal age and are unwilling to accept change.. like many of the critics and fans are... this is not for you. You will hate this. If you appreciate change, and want to listen to an experience rather than a bunch of radio-friendly songs.... This is for you. If you haven't listened to Linkin Park avidly before, this is for you. If you are willing to try new things, this is for you.

As a critic: Completely different, shocked. Listen to a couple songs first (stand-outs like Iridescent, Burning in the Skies, and When They Come for Me would be a good start) and then make your decision. Still a fantastic album.

How it ranks compared to their other albums:
1st place. Meteora
- still overall best album in every area
2nd place. A Thousand Suns
- completely different, but beautifully crafted and a complete album like Meteora.
3rd place. Hybrid Theory
- the bands origins. Some really great songs that were groundbreaking back in the day.
4th place.  Living Things
- Using elements of all other albums, this album is a great entry.
5th place. Minutes to Midnight
- a good entry, but this was completely new territory for LP. Some good songs, but still uncertain feel.


A Thousand Suns marches to the beat of its own drum, and in some songs, many of its own drums. I am glad that Linkin Park tried this hard to do something completely different, because it worked. It worked extremely well. It ranks 2nd overall on their studio albums.


Buy it!


Here is Wisdom, Justice, and Love... directly following Iridescent. Enjoy :)

Linkin Park: Living Things

"Everyone want's the next thing to be just like the first" - A verse off the song  When they come for me  off Linkin Park's previous album A Thousand Suns.

Keeping that quote in mind, when you listen to the bands most recent attempt at a genre-busting album you get, well, a mix at it's best. The album itself seems like a step backwards, and while LP continues to put out fantastic original, from the soul music out with each album Living Things feels like they stuck with what they knew.
As this is my first album review posted, I will go through the process of how I evaluate albums and how I am formatting these reviews.

First off, I buy all of my music. Cd's. It's the way to go, support your freaking artist.
In the review process, I listen to the album once completely through. Then any songs that stand out I listen to again. I let the music play while I sleep, and I let the music play in the back ground. After a week or so, I have a good sense of what I think of the album. I don't review the album right away because, like a fine wine, it needs to age. If I'm still listening to the music weeks after, they did something right.
I will be reviewing the album as a whole, and each song individually. Ill be giving closing thoughts, comparing it to previous albums if a band has previous albums, and reviewing it as an individual album.

To start off, here is some back round on Linkin Park:
They released 2 studio albums called Hybrid Theory and Meteora (arguably their best music to many) in the years of 2000 and 2004. They also released a remix album called Reanimation in between, in which Mike Shinoda (band's rapper/singer/guitarist/keyboard/producer... he pretty much does everything) collaborated with many other artists, remixing the bands first album and some of their unreleased songs such as High Voltage and My December. Linkin Park was known and labelled under the genre "Nu-metal" which was very popular at the time... think of the 90's grunge rock era. Linkin Park and the rest of the industry knew that Nu Metal was dying. Meteora was their last Nu Metal album (2004). After that, the band toured some more and released another collaboration album with Jay-Z called Collision Course which proved to be very successful. In 2007, Linkin Park released their 3rd studio album called Minutes To Midnight... completely different from what they have done before. The album contained many ballads, less rapping from Mike Shinoda and more singing. Linkin Park was not angry anymore. Some say they matured, others say they became sell-outs. Their next album really shook the music industry; they released their 5th studio album in 2010 called A Thousand Suns. It was a concept album that had an apocalyptic, electronic, political feel to it. Completely different from what any other artist had put out at the time, to say that A Thousand Suns was highly controversial was an understatement. Critics and longtime fans alike created uproars, saying that Linkin Park's best days were behind them. What A Thousand Suns did do however, is create a fully functional, fluent, well crafted album that had clear direction and purpose while also doing something completely different, genre creating if you will, which is what Linkin Park has sought to do since the death of Nu-Metal. We now, move onto the present.

Linkin Park released their 5th studio album Living Things on June 26th, 2012. Created in 2 years, the shortest album cycle the band has ever attempted, Living Things managed to top the charts just like every single other album they have put out in the bands history.

Introduction:
Living Things is interesting, in that for the first time  Linkin Park did not stray from their past. They used elements from albums such as Meteora and Hybrid Theory, while taking what they have learned from Minutes to Midnight and A Thousand Suns and created a great album that long-time fans and new-fans alike can expect to love. The album, like Nu-Metal albums and the Minutes to Midnight album was about relationships again. Without further ado, Onto each song's individual analysis.

1. Lost in the Echo
Starts off the album well with simple yet effective electronic beats mixed in with keyboard, drums and guitar. Mike Shinoda performs admirably while "spitting beats" that many fans have been dying for since the Nu-Metal days. The song sounds great, and the lyrics are meaningful. A perfect song? No, there is still that special something missing from it.
Lost in the Echo gets an 8 out of 10 for me.

2. In my Remains
One of the best songs off the entire album. It reminisces of Minutes to Midnight era songs with those big choruses and big sounding guitar riffs. The electronic beats pound continuously in the background while Chester once again shows us that he has evolved into one of the industry's top singers. The real treat of the entire song is when it slows down and Mike Shinoda comes in out of nowhere and in a crisp, dark voice he sings "like an army, falling, one by one". To me, Lost in the Echo should have been the second song with this song being the first. When Mike starts singing it sends chills up your spine and really gets you pumped for the entire album. Lost in the Echo prepares you more for the third track anyways.
In my Remains gets a 9.5 out of 10.

3. Burn it Down
The first single off the album. It's an anthem song, what more can I say. It has a catchy beat, the lyrics are solid, and Chester really sings it right. it was a little too electronic for me though, and Mike Shinoda's rapping near the end, while being a nice surprise, should have been more prevalent throughout the entire song.
Burn it Down gets a 7.5 out of 10 for me.

4. Lies Greed Misery
The second single off the album. A very different feel to it, you can see the influences of A Thousand Suns in the lyrics and the beat of the song, while it has that aggressiveness from their first two albums. A very solid song off the album. When Chester starts yelling in the chorus, it makes you want to scream along with him. This song's lyrics are very aggressive, that is the best word to describe the song with. Linkin Park is angry again, and this song proves it. The ending of the song is... the song's ultimate downfall. It would have been better to see the song slow down for a second or two, then have Mike start attacking the mic even further. They should have made it more about the Rapping in this song instead of the chorus.
Lies Greed Misery gets a 8 out of 10.

5. Ill Be Gone.
Honestly, one of the most underrated songs Linkin Park has ever done. What I love about this song, is that they placed it at track 5. On A Thousand Suns, track 5 was called When They Come for Me, and had the lyrics "when they come for me ill be gone" and this song really feels like a finale for that track off A Thousand Suns. It plays out beautifully. Now, lets assume you haven't heard that song off A Thousand Suns. Listening to this song still provides poetic lyrics, outstanding imagery, beautiful singing from Chester, a welcome guitar, bass, and drum throughout the entire song, and a great in-between track to transfer over to the more emotional side of the album.
Without listening to A Thousand Suns, an 8 out of 10.
Listening to A Thousand Suns, a 9 out of 10.

6. Castle of Glass
The best song lyrically and atmospherically of the entire album. Linkin Parks most poetic lyrics yet with "im only a crack, in this castle of class." The song has that apparent relationship story within it, but the lyrics really can reach to a soldier story as well which I thought was brilliant. The atmosphere and lyrics of the song intertwine beautifully to create their most poetic song yet. The electronic beats are simple, and welcoming... while pulling you in to experience this apparent relationship story and soldier story. A keyboard would have been welcome in the song though.
Castle of Glass gets a 9 out of 10.

7. Victimized
A true gem, and an anomaly on this album. Right from the get-go Rob Bourdon (their drummer) starts beating the living hell out of his drum kit while aggressive electronic beats move the song along. Then, out of nowhere. The song becomes much quieter and mellower, while the electronic beat still races at a fast pace, keeping your adrenaline going and reminding you of the intensity of this song. Then it hits you. The Chorus punches you right in the face as Chester screams his head off yelling "VICTIMIZED! VICTIMIZED! NEVER AGAIN! VICTIMIZED!"all while the drums are being destroyed, the electronic beats are seemingly breaking the speakers, and the guitar and bass are breaking strings. What I'm trying to get at, is that this song is intense. Then Mike Shinoda begins to rap. Truly one of his best jobs he has ever done, keeping the intensity up in the song by going fast and keeping to the beat; the lyrics are pure gold as well. "For you snakes in the grass, supplying the venom. I ain't scared of your teeth I admire what's in em'". Then it kicks you right back into the chorus. The only problem with this song is, it clocks in at just under 2 minutes. Another 30 seconds or so would have made this the best song on the album.
Victimized gets a 9.5 out of 10.

8. Roads Untraveled
After the massacre that was Victimized, Roads Untraveled brings you to the slowest, saddest song on the album. The beat from Victimized is turned down quickly and chimes kick in. A beautiful piano kicks in and Mike Shinoda begins to sing, no, speak to us through lyrics. Elegant, yet simple. There are only three verses for the entire song. No chorus, no filler. Its straight to the point. Mike sings the first part and the second part, Chester kicks in for the second part, transitions to the third verse where he solo's it until the last few lines and transition out of the song. Clearly about loss, pain, sorrow, a relationship gone wrong... or maybe a relationship that never was started. "Give up your heart left broken, and let that mistake pass on. Cause the love that you lost wasn't worth what it cost and in time you'll be glad its gone..." and at the end "weep not for roads untraveled, weep not for sights unseen. may your love never end, and if you need a friend, there's a seat here alongside me". This song does everything right... I would give it a perfect score but again the song is fairly short.
Roads Untraveled gets a 9.5 out of 10.

9. Skin to Bone
Crafted like a folk song, this is another underrated song off the album. Masterful lyrics, great singing from Chester, and good beats. The problem is, it's a shorter song, Mike deserved more of a role. Honestly, this song while being underrated, is somewhat forgettable. It does a lot right, but again it is missing that certain something for replay value.
Skin to Bone gets a 7 out of 10.

10. Until it Breaks
Mike kills this song. He literally did "switch styles on a dime" like he says in the song. The lyrics are somewhat lacking at some parts of the song, but they all work together to create an interesting rap song. Chester has a small part of the song where he sings, and at the end Brad Delson (the guitarist) offers his vocals for the first time to end the song. The song had no chorus, just an intermission with Chester; that was this songs biggest problem. Lyrics like A Thousand Suns, uncertainty like Minutes to Midnight... a good song but it deserved more content.
Until it Breaks gets an 8.3 out of 10.

11. Tinfoil
An instrumental, intermission song just like Hybrid Theory's "Cure for the Itch" and Meteora's "Session." It's not nearly as good as Session was, or as interesting and unique as Cure for the Itch... but it did a good job introducing the albums final track. Nothing special, but it didn't need to be.
Tinfoil gets a 6 out of 10 (could have filled it with more context and content)

12. Powerless
The final track, and it feels like one. In a good way. A good power ballad. Decent lyrics, good sound, good form and structure. They ended the album on a good note. Included a good mix of both electronic and instrumental sounds. Mike deserved more of a role, as he always does; in this song he just sings in the background. When the song ends, you feel like it ended right. And that is a good thing considering The Messenger off A Thousand Suns could have been softer.
Powerless gets an 8 out of 10.

So, in conclusion there are some real gems on this album. The problem is, aside from a couple of songs... it felt like a collection of songs rather than an album which is a collection of songs that intertwine and interact with one another, feeding off the last songs performance. A Thousand Suns, while being controversial, did that perfectly. It felt like a story rather than a song.
Also, I think that Living Things was a step back for Linkin Park. After A Thousand Suns, they really could have gone anywhere... creating even more genre-busting music; they chose to use every element they have learned so far instead of just using new ones. In a way, its an homage to fans. Showing the past, the present, and somewhat the future of Linkin Park.
As a critic, I recommend this album to any Linkin Park fan of both NEW and OLD; if you only appreciate the old, you won't find much in this album.
As a fan, I love it.


Final Rating for the album as a whole: 8 out of 10.
- if the album flowed better, was longer, and was more expirimental it could have been better.
- there was some truly great songs on this album, but again the album felt incomplete.

Standout song of the album: Castle of Glass

Album as a whole.
Pros:
Good sound
Beautifully mixed and crafted
Outstanding lyrics
A couple of gems (In my Remains, Castle of Glass, Ill be Gone, Victimized, Roads Untraveled)
More instruments than A Thousand Suns

Cons:
A step back from where they were headed after A Thousand Suns
Still very electronic
A short album (only 37 or so minutes)
Many songs could have been longer
2 year production time

Advice for Linkin Park:
Now that you have paid homage to your fans, I would want you as a fan and as a critic to take what you have learned from all of your albums, and do something crazy and drastic like A Thousand Suns. I think that you now have a great opportunity ahead of you to create something truly special like Meteora was for Nu-Metal. Use more instruments, while still incorporating some electronic elements into your music. Do NOT drown out everything with computer-generated sounds. Nothing can replace the good old fashion Drums, Piano, Guitar, and Bass. Also, creating an album in 2 years while being a first for LP, I think was a mistake. I know that us fans are always hungry for more music, but in the end I think that this album could have benefited from another 6 months or so of development time. Some songs felt too short, and the album as a whole felt scrambled.

Recommend?
As a fan, absolutely
As a critic, listen to some songs on youtube first. Then buy.

How it ranks compared to their other albums:
1st place. Meteora
- still overall best album in every area
2nd place. A Thousand Suns
- completely different, but beautifully crafted and a complete album like Meteora.
3rd place. Hybrid Theory
- the bands origins. Some really great songs that were groundbreaking back in the day.
4th place.  Living Things
- Using elements of all other albums, this album is a great entry.
5th place. Minutes to Midnight
- a good entry, but this was completely new territory for LP. Some good songs, but still uncertain feel.


It was extremely difficult to top Hybrid Theory and Meteora,  but A Thousand Suns was certainly a step in the right direction and came close to Meteora.
It will be near impossible to top the top 3 now, but if Linkin Park takes what they have learned, and does something completely different, groundbreaking, and complete like A Thousand Suns... I think that the second spot is threatened. Meteora is still just too great for anything to beat it in my opinion. But, you never know. A Thousand Suns came close. Maybe lucky entry no 6 can finally dethrone the masterpiece that is Meteora.

From the Inside: Welcome

Hey. This blog is all about album reviews.

First album review will be Linkin Park's New Album "Living Things" coming out on June 26th.

From that point forward, you will see many more reviews showing up, all of which are albums from my own collection, and only from my collection. No Torrented music here, all music I have paid for and listened to multiple times.

From the inside, I will digest these albums. Look at the lyrics, sound, and in between the lines as well as an overall feel for the album and artist as a whole.

I will have a pros and cons list at the end of each review, and will be rating each album out of 10.

Lets take everything from the inside, and ill see you all next time

Merge

Welcome,

This is just a post saying that I am combining my other blog with this one. From the Inside: Album Reviews will be merged with this blog.

Some things to expect:

I'll have it organized so that if you just want to see the reviews, there will be a tab for it (or whatever the equivalent is).

It will be easier to navigate.

Blog redesign incoming.

Name change might be incoming... still not sure.

Just a quick update...really busy at University. I'll post as much as I can but for the most part it won't be like last year when I was doing regular, essay length updates.

Regards,

Tony

Hell in Paradise

So, it still works.

My blog got shut down before the summer. I checked on it for old times sake and it works now.

I'm in university now. A lot can change over a short time I guess.

I'm thinking of starting it back up again, because somehow in the three or so months of this blog being dormant it got another 200 page views.

What do you think? Look back at my old posts if you haven't read this before. It can get hectic here, but that's what I like about it.


 Its my hell in paradise.

Burn

Build it up to break it back down.

Its like lego, remember when you were a kid? (mostly guys) You would spend all day creating this awesome lego creation... then you just break it back down. Then you do it all again.

Albert Einstein once said that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is insanity.

So, where does this all play in?

Lets start on a purely emotional scale.

You start relationships, to break relationships. You start them, looking for the right person, and if they are not, you break them. Its that heat of the moment, just like lego. You build it all up, you enjoy it while it lasts, and then when you are bored with it you just smash it and start building something else up. Life is like lego then, isn't it.

We... savor this hell... one could say we enjoy the destruction of one and the building of another. Going back to the previous post... we need to go through hell... Its in our nature. We need to experience that down, in order to experience that up. That depression for that happiness. That hate for that love.

It's a cycle. It repeats. It always will. Building something up, breaking it back down, building it up again, breaking it back down again. What inspired me to write this post is Linkin Park's new single "Burn it Down" off their upcoming album "Living Things". It has almost a devilish rhythm to it... it's completely serene in itself but the song itself screams destruction.

So... by Einsteins method... since we repeat this cycle over and over again and expect something to be different, are we insane? Insane by nature, perhaps. We all do crazy things for other people... that gives us no benefit... and might not even benefit the other. It just "benefits" in general.

So maybe, we all need a little help. We all need to identify our own personal cycles and break them. Break it back down, and hope to God that when we build it back up things will be different.

We crave change, but remain the same.

Because the Music do

A lonely life
Where no one understands you
But don't give up
Because the music do

Lyrics from my favourite KORN song, Twisted Transistor (link below).

How true this rings... music connects with us (well, most of us) in a way that I certainly can't understand. Music, more specifically each album, is like a book. From the start of the album, the very first track, we are transported into a world that is completely different from our own; a world so different, so obscure sometimes, yet we still can relate. Music speaks to us on a level that really can't be defined. These artists that will likely never meet us, or if they do, will not become a regular close friend, become our best friends. All of a sudden, that band knows how we feel. That song translates those feelings that we cannot describe... words that could never be deciphered can be translated into a musical form where a sequence of words, rhymes and sounds perfectly define how you feel... or at least contrast how you feel to cheer you up... to give you a different perspective on life.
For example, listening to the Linkin Park album Meteora, you are taken into a world that is ruled by those 6 individuals... Phoenix makes the bass boom, Mr. Han spins the turntables rigorously, Brad attacks the guitar, shaking the very foundation of the song,  Rob's drums provide a steady beat, background noise essential to this world, and lastly the contrast of Chester singing aggressive, meaningful lyrics and Mike providing background and history to the song, adds another dimension to the song. Starting at the opening track "Forward," you hear the steady smash of a hammer and stone... getting faster and faster until the frame of the atmosphere of the song smashes like a pane of glass... and instantly you are taken into "Don't Stay," a song about individuality... something that would define the band's future tracks, marching to the beat of their own drum. I just described the basis and the beginning of the album... the album as a whole is like a story. In the lyrics, in the notes and rhythms, in the way each instrument and voice is used to add to each song. This story draws me in every. single. time.

Stepping back.
This is what I get out of it. It doesn't matter what "story" you are engaged in, whether it would be music or book, it's just the engagement of being involved, being taken into a world that isn't your own, being pulled out of your hell, and into their hell. "This band/song/album/book really understands me, it helped me get through tough times" is something I hear on a regular basis. And that's true. Music and books will do that, because they bring you out your world and into a different one.
Speaking from personal experience, this is how it works for me. There is a band for each stage of my life; there is a band that defines my life. The band that has stuck with me, that I have listened to nearly every single day since grade 4, is Linkin Park. They have helped me get through every rough patch of my life starting from grade 4. They have brought me into their world, and taken me out of mine each and every time I needed that to happen. I think everyone has a band/group/artist/writer like that, whether it would be J.K Rowling's Harry Potter or whatever. That one defining experience that brings you back every time, that you can rely on to help you through whatever... they bring you out of your reality and into theirs.
After that one defining experience, there are smaller experiences that bring you through rough patches alongside the single defining one. For example, through grade 7, me and my friends went through a punk-rock phase where we become Billy Talent and Anti-flag fanatics. We knew every song, and to tell you the truth I still know every song, and that punk-rock alongside Linkin Park helped me get through that grade... with all of its disappointments and regrets.
Then came along grade 8.
With grade 8, I had a lot of shit going on. A lot of it I couldn't explain to other people... I was also in a huge Paintball craze back in grade 8. During that craze, I listened to Bullet for my Valentine and, as always, Linkin Park. Now every time I think about paintball, talk about it, whenever it comes up, I think about Bullet for my Valentine. They are my paintball band.
This happened for every stage, ill spare you the details.
Bands such as KORN, 3 Doors Down, Killswitch Engage, Avenged Sevenfold, Metallica, Rise Against, 30 Seconds to Mars, Atreyu, Fort Minor, Coldplay, System of a Down, Slipknot, Scars on Broadway, Breaking Benjamin, Foo Fighters, Disturbed, Guns and Roses, Pearl Jam, and Shinedown all told their stories in my life, all brought me into their personal hell to take me out of mine.

The interesting thing is, it didn't exactly matter what the music was about, I just had to like it. I could be sad, and a sad song on an album would come on (Easier to Run) and it would somehow cheer me up. Or I could be happy, and an upbeat song would come on and my mood would change. Or vise-versa. As long as it caught my attention, and I liked what I was hearing, it worked. Bringing me into a world that wasn't mine brought a certain peace of mind.

I know it's hell... because writing music is hell. When I write poetry or songs (yes, I write songs too... secretive Tony is secretive)  I need to dig down... deep inside. I need to find those emotions that get me going... whether its anger, longing for belonging, whatever it may be, I need to dig down so deep into those emotions and feelings locked up inside that it brings me into those feelings. It brings me into hell.

I believe that sometimes, we need to go through hell.

So... the point of this post...

Maybe... being taken away from what we have and brought into something else that we don't have, brings peace. Being taken into a hell that isn't ours, takes us out of our own hell even if its just for a little bit. And that's enough. A method to the madness, a break from the fire; into someone else's.
  
Hell brings peace... peace brings hell.

This is Tony signing off.

Korn "Twisted Transistor"

Into each life, some rain must fall

Failure might just be necessary. Without it, we couldn't be disappointed, and maybe because of that we couldn't feel achievement, couldn't feel real happiness.

Into each life, some rain must fall. Maybe the rain is more of a downpour in your case. Maybe it's been raining for months on end. It's just the rainy season. Your season might be longer than others, maybe shorter. I guess it depends on your situation. Maybe we are just trying to protect ourselves for the rain, putting on a jacket and using an umbrella, to protect us from this failure, this depression, this rain, when really we should embrace this feeling, to understand this failure to learn from it, to be truly happy later in life. A little rain never hurt anyone, it just gets you soaked. If you never get soaked,you can never dry. If you never live, you can never die.

If you never live, you can never die.

Maybe, we all need to wake up. Sing in the rain.

Home

I'm in Disney world at the moment, so the frequent posts I promised won't really start until I come back, which will be on the wednesday this week. So chill out, and relax :) I'm typing this from my iPod, late at night...very late so bear with me! I miss everyone back in Canada, and though not many people will miss me, I can say I'll miss them... Explanations why down below. Six feet under water.

Also on that note, with this new app I can blog on the go. I can blog at school, on the road, everything! Pretty cool. I'm making efforts to keep this blog frequent, because I have a lot to talk about.

I'm having a great time overall, the weather is amazing in florida this time of year. I love disney world, embracing that inner child-hood locked up inside me... Its hard sometimes, Especially when Sickness kicks in... But there are moments where i feel like a kid again. I cant think of a Better feeling right now... Except To be Home. Let's hope I come back to Canada with some tan eh?

Let's get serious.

It's incredible... Isn't it. I guess it's true, you don't really know what you got until its gone. Combining this trip with the Washington trip I did right before this one, I haven't had a nice home-cooked meal in over 2 weeks. I have eaten out every night, and don't get me wrong the food is great... But I miss the simplicity, the comfort of a nice, warm, home cooked meal; a meal that was cooked by yourself or by your parents. Nothing too fancy, but it's just right. In the goldi-lox zone just like planet earth, the perfect distance from the sun, not too far, not too close, in the zone where life can flourish; just like a home-cooked meal. Nothing too fancy, nothing too simple. Just right; and you don't really know what you are missing until you haven't had it for weeks. Hard to describe, but you know exactly what it is.
Not only food, but the familiar faces you see practically every day, the familiar setting and scenery that is bland most of the time, but when you have been away for so long it becomes something rather... Unique. Simple, yet gorgeous. Resplendent beauty. Your friends you haven't had contact for in a while, even the people in the hallways at school, passing that same person after class every day; that simple hello you acknowledge each other with every day, that security that binds us all together. That special someone you "like" and every time you see them you get butterflies in your stomach... Those ominous butterflies that you feel every day, that feeling that let's you know you're alive; the feeling is so suppressed until you can't feel it anymore, then it's just a nightmare. Even just the hallways I walk every day at school, those familiar walls that I always am confined by. It's somewhat bitter-sweet. I can't stand it when I'm there, but when I'm gone I miss it. A black and white print of a face,I'll never see again. Even though you may barely know me, its that comfort of seeing everyone almost every day... It keeps me alive. All I want, is to be home.

What is home to us? What does home mean? Is it where you sleep? Or is it where you live.

Maybe... Just maybe... Life is just a journey in which we are all just searching for a place, that we can call home. Whatever home may mean to you; home is the drive that keeps us all going, the rock upon which we all try to stand upon... Finding the right rock for us. That rock that, no matter how unique, no matter how bumpy, rocky, slanted, sharp... provides stability and balance for us. Warmth, no matter the weather.

Searching for a place, that we can call home...

Maybe, just maybe.

To Symphonies of Blinding Light

A Radiant Catalyst. By definition, radiant means sending out glowing beams of light, shining light, characterized by joy or happiness. A catalyst (thanks biology! :) ) is something that speeds up a reaction without undergoing any permanent chemical changes... an accelerator. So.... A Radiant Catalyst... this is the change. Going outside definitions, this name is supposed to signify a change in itself... A radiant catalyst. Ill still be Tony, and always will be Tony at my core. The blog is supposed to accelerate the rate in which I develop myself, discover these feelings inside me I can't decipher, the feelings inside that I can't put to words. Speed up the rate, accelerate the beauty that I believe is locked up inside me. I think this beauty is locked up inside us all, and that we all can unlock it using the right keys.

This is what became apparent in Washington DC over the past couple of days... seeing Gettysburg... literally tens of thousands of casualties... seeing the Arlington National Cemetery... so many heroes who found their purpose and as such are immortalized forever in history.... seeing the Lincoln Memorial in Washington... the man who shook the world and started a new world...A new America. Seeing the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial... just seeing the impact this man had in a matter of years is simply astounding. All of these people have something in common... I believe that they have found their calling and as such once they sung the song that they were born to sing, they became immortal. Imagine if we found this calling? Why we are here? What we were born to do... what we can do to change the world for the better... some people just don't want the world though. They think that we were all born to die... which is true to a point. I believe we were born to die, to make an impact on this world in our short time here. We all need to find this calling, we can unlock this kingdom inside us that is flowing with virtue and beauty in its purest form. This beauty being our calling. Something intangible, we cant see or touch it.... but we can feel it inside us. Our calling, our duty, our purpose.

This blog will accelerate the rate in which I find the keys to this feeling... this kingdom locked up inside me... these feelings must be brought to the surface... I need to put them into words; These feelings I can`t describe. Remember the experiment? Think about it like that... but on a much grander stage. This isn't just about one feeling now, its about me as a whole. Its me trying to figure out who I really am. I am Anthony Mancuso... but what does that even mean? That's what I need to figure out.

So hang on tight, and jump in on this radiant catalyst.

Its going to be one hell of a ride.


Injection by Rise Against

New URL

Ok, change is here. For those who want the new URL, here it is.

aradiantcatalyst.blogspot.com

This is it

Welcome one and all for the last time

This is it, the moment I have been trying to create for weeks now. This blog is changing. The next time you will read this blog, it will be different. The name I am hiding for now, but you will see. I will change the URL with the blog, so for those who do not access this blog through me posting it on facebook and have it bookmarked... I will post one last post after this one just saying the URL, making sure everyone who wants to stay in the loop, can.

Don't fret. All of the older posts will still be there for you to look at :)

This post won't just be this status update however, it will be a full one. So lets get underway!

So I wanted to talk a bit about the blog's evolution as a whole. Remember my first post? Those faithful readers who have been there with me since day 1? So much has changed since then. First off, if you look at it, its short xD . Many of my posts have been 1700 words +, that one was like 950 or so... I was so nervous back then to post everything that was on my mind... look at me now :P Though back in October when I started I had many more posts-per-month than I do now.... so looking back at that who would like to see shorter posts but a more frequently updated blog? Leave me some input to ponder upon... :)

Now lets skip ahead in time a little, when I posted my highest-read blog post ever. Sick-Dating. Why were people so intrigued to spend their valuable time reading this? It baffles me to this day. That was the first post that I just said "fuck it, im saying what I want today and I don't care what other people will think". I just... talked. Straight from the heart. And every post after that followed through with that example. The couple before it were... experiments... a prologue if you will. Now we are here... the end of the cold day in the sun for Tony.

Speaking of experiments... those few who actually cared enough to go through the archives and stay updated with the blog without me posting the post on social media, finding it without me putting it in front of them, found what was a lengthy experiment. A series of poetry created by yours truly... meant to decipher these emotions chained inside me... and embrace love. As the poems went from sad-depressing-suicidal-narcissistic to deeply in love- overcome with emotion and simply love itself, I learned a lot about myself. I learned that there were people out there who actually cared for once, that actually listened, and didn't just hear me. And even though in the end the desired results of this experiment did not happen at all... I achieved another result... unexpected and welcome.

Then we moved on to the post-experiment era, where my posts revealed what I felt about myself personally, that I am stitched in my own skin, and if I try to break out I will just bleed and feel more pain. That I miss the old days with friends, staying up all night talking about everything and anything, just having a great time... bonding.... playing halo at 4 am :P It is a feeling like no other, let me tell you. Anyways, I also talked about what was happening in the world, such as my view on the whole KONY 2012 situation... by the way people that thing is in 2 days. Anyone still doing that? I doubt it, it really died down. If they were smart they would have done this a week before the event, back when it was still in everyone's mind and important to everyone.
I talked about music and poetry and how I feel about it... I really have covered a lot throughout this blogs life-span so far. What was your favourite moments, favourite articles, favourite poems, favourite things I said? Let me know :)

Lets also talk about the music I have posted... every post. The music I have posted has almost defined my life during that time. When you look back at depressing times... the songs are either really uplifting or really depressing. When you look at happy times the songs are usually really mellow and calm and collecting. When you look at mellow times, the songs were a bit more dramatic on both sides of the spectrum. I'm looking back at each post as I am writing this actually... looking through each one... its really inspiring for me to see how much I have changed and at the same time how similar I have been for years now.

And how about me asking others to compliment... did anyone actually take on that task and do it? I did, every day even if it was something stupid. It happened, and that's something I can say for sure. Let me know if you complimented someone as well!

And here we are... the end of the ride. The end... the beginning of the end. The end of the beginning is more like it :) This post marks a new kind of blog, a new kind of Tony pouring his heart and soul into these posts that are meaningless to most.. but somehow it keeps me coming back for more. That's something I can't explain, and something I need to discover. In spirit of trying to discover, I will keep writing, I must keep writing. My heart must still beat, I beat it for you.

 Hold on, It's not where it goes, It's where it can lead you to...

Hold on, It's not where it goes, It's where it can lead you to...

Hold on, It's not where it goes, It's where it can lead you to...

Ciao