By: Cameron B.
Album: Good Apollo, I’m burning star IV: Volume 1; From fear through the eyes of madness
Label: Columbia Records, Sony BMG records, and Equal Vision Records
Genre: Alternative
Released: September 20, 2005
Track List:
For die hard fans of the Coheed and Cambria graphic novel series, this is piece of heaven. For those who don’t know what Coheed and Cambria is, this will be a confusing CD with lyrics that make no sense and just might drive you insane. They follow the storyline of the book in the Coheed and Cambria series, with the same title of this CD. The vocals of Claudio Sanchez, that sound strikingly like a woman’s, have great tone. He can keep his harmonies tight and still sing loud and clear. Not to mention the extremely catchy tunes throughout the album. Everyone in this band seems to have their own style, but they somehow come together and make everything work. I loved the way that the guitar was played on this album. Though it wasn’t a series of blazing solos, it still showed that lots of thought had been put into each piece. The very distinct tune of Coheed and Cambria will never leave your head after you hear it just once. I can guarantee that if you read one book after listening to this CD, you can rest assured that you will be hooked. I recommend this to anybody who liked the tone when they heard the hit, “Welcome Home” because the CD keeps that style throughout. I also recommend this to anybody who is looking for something completely new and revolutionary. Enjoy!
By: Cameron B.
Artist: Cradle of Filth
Album: Dusk…And Her Embrace
Label: Music for Nations & Fierce Records
Genre: Black Metal
Released: January 21st, 1997
Track List:
With the new, revolutionary style of Cradle of Filth, I have a great passion for their original works. It was this album that revolutionized the Black Metal genre. This era of Black Metal is often referred to as the “Dusk and Her Embrace era”. It was this great and beautiful piece of art that brought us gems such as “A Gothic Romance” and “Malice Through the Looking Glass”. The vocals were harsh and beautiful at the same time. I find that Dani Filth has stopped using his classic vocal talent. If you’re interested in checking out Cradle of Filth I would not reccomend their new music. These original lyrics stayed true to the purpose of Cradle of Filth; injecting the world of music with their beautiful poison. I’m not a generally emotional person, but “A Gothic Romance” nearly brought me to tears when I first heard it. The gothic environment of black forests, masquerades and summer breezes fill this album. Anybody who enjoys Shakespeare would enjoy these romantic lyrics. Not to mention the endless talent of the drummer, guitarist, keyboardist and bassist. Though this album does not contain the same members as today, and it was the short period that Paul Allender wasn’t in the band, its sound blows my mind. If you’re in a mood to light a few candles, and lay in the dark, this CD is what you need to get you through the night.
By: Pat D.
Artist: Foo Fighters
Album: Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
Label: Roswell Records
Genre: Rock/Alternative
Released: September 25, 2007
Track List:
1. The Pretender
2. Let It Die
3. Erase/Replace
4. Long Road To Ruin
5. Come Alive
6. Stranger Things Have Happened
7. Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make Up Is Running)
8. Summers End
9. Ballad Of The Beaconsfield Miners
10. Statues
11. But, Honestly
12. Home
Many have heard the Foo Fighters classics (”Monkey Wrench”, “Learn To Fly”) and may be surprised with the new album, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace. This album includes such titles as “The Pretender” and “Long Road To Ruin”, which play on air, and some titles people haven’t heard of. Their new sound is related to their old sound, but with a couple differences: they are more relaxed and they have adopted a more acoustic sound. This may be great for some Foo Fighters fans, and others may not like it, but it still sounds incredible and keeps the listener whistling the tune long after they have stopped listening.
CHAPTER 1
May 31, 09:32-local, Windsor, CA
This is life. Sitting on a beach, the warm sun washing over my
face. Being waited on by babes in tight bikinis. Then one comes to me.
”Maximillian!” she shouts in a screech that didn’t belong to that
beauty.
”Maximillian, wake up now please! ” in a tone that was
clearly not as polite as the words implied.
Crap! Crap, crap, crap! I wiped my groggy eyes to my English classroom and 20 pairs
of eyes and the ice picks of the teacher staring at me.
”Does Shakespearean literature bore you Mr. Chase?” Of course it
bored me, but what was the b******t answer the teacher was looking for?
”No Ma’am, I had read ahead.” I looked towards the teacher to see if my
bluff had worked. A malevolent smile crept upon her face. Oops, wrong
answer.
”Well then, since you seem so enthusiastic about
Shakespeare, I think you should write a 1000 word essay about your feelings on act 4, scene 3. Due tomorrow?”
”But-”
` ”I know, too boring right? OK, then we’ll make it 1500
words.”
”Yes Mrs. Smith . . .” I said glumly, know better than to
argue further.
”Oh, but you’re not alone, the whole class is going to
have fun tonight.” Great, now I wasn’t only Mr. Literature, I was
Mr. Popularity too . . .
Then the anger started boiling up inside me, only a month ago, I had lost my father and all this teacher could do was pick on a poor defenseless kid like me? I started to get up out of my seat, fists clenched . . .
That’s when I heard it. I almost dismissed it as thunder, but I realized there wasn’t a cloud in sight. The whole class rushed to the window, looking over the river at Detroit, forgetting my screw-up. They were rewarded with a wall of dust.
May 31, 21:32-local, Tokyo Japan
Ellie knew two things for sure. Nothing good happens in back
alleys, and she was being backed into one.
”Well, well, a sweet little American lady wandering in the lonely
streets of Tokyo,” the first of the three thugs said.
”No!”Ellie screamed, “Please, not me!”
”Too bad little missy, nobody can hear you scream, and me and my
friends are set on-” They were cut short be laughing, almost seeming
hysterical. But wait, no, she couldn’t be laughing?
The second thug decided to chime in, “Huh? What you laughin’
at?”
”You see?” she started, “nobody can hear you scream either.”
She knew she has them perplexed. The arrogant thug started to take a step forward, but didn’t even have time to scream before Ellie had slain all three of them. She walked away, as she entered the main street she turned around shook her head.
This was her job, she didn’t like it, but it was what she was trained for. Enough of this, she took a look at her surroundings of the bright and beautiful Tokyo. The stars nearly visible through the city lights. There were some fireworks in the sky. Strange, there wasn’t any holiday she could think of. A few seconds later she realized it wasn’t fireworks.
May 31, 22:32 - local, Sydney, Australia
”Hurry up man.” sounded through Amro’s earpiece, “we don’t have
all day, the cops will be here in five minutes.” He looked up at the
laptop, hands shaking, cold sweat running down the side of his face. He
shouldn’t have come, robbing banks was definitely not his thing.
”This firewall is incredible stuff, they must have known someone
was going to try something. But you should be good in about ten seconds.”
”Better be or it won’t be my head at the end of a barrel.” Great,
that’ll help the nerves.
”Okay, five, four, three, two-” One didn’t come.
May 31, 17:32 - local, Baghdad, Iraq
One. . . two. . . three. . . go.
Terry ran to the next pasty white building, M4 at the ready.The streets
were clear, as far as he could see anyways. One. . . two. . . three. . .
go.
Next building. How could he have been so stupid? His team was
now dead because of him. But he can’t worry now, he has to get back.
One. . . two. . . three. . . go.
Next building. Back to where? Nowhere was safe right now.
The enemy controlled everything around him for twenty miles. One. . .
two. . . three. . . go.
Next building. Panting at the edge of the wall, he started
to feel the grief wash over him. No, not now, he must stay strong to
survive. One. . . two. . . three. . . go.
Halfway across to the next building, he saw a small boy, maybe
six or seven, standing a half block away with an AK47. Terry stopped
and stared at the boy. All at once, the boy screams and shoots his gun.
But that was all drowned out by a defening roar. . .
The following slideshow includes photographs of paintings created during Mr. Quaggiotto’s semester one grade 11 Art class.
by Jessica H.
This is your all access pass to my diary as a high school freshman!
I’m back! You miss me? Probably not, but I have news. It’s been two months of school and I have not had a total nervous break down! In fact, everything’s going well!
And what’s a better way to start off the month than getting out of class for a pep rally? My first one, might I include. And even though I was only getting out of gym class, that’s all right, it’s better than nothing.
This school is totally all about spirit! But what else did I expect? In such a small town you need something to keep you busy. So after maneuvering over 1100 students into a small gym, with us grade nines sitting on the cold hard floor, the fun began.
The dance team danced to Timberland’s, “The Way I Are”, and then we had Belle River’s very own Soulja Boys dancing to none other than, “Crank dat” by Soulja Boy. That’s not even the best part. The tech team made a hilarious movie about Tony Tate and how he’s been Mr. Fister’s and Belle River’s pride and joy.
So after a nice laugh, we were all introduced to the team that doesn’t have single players but just one whole team. The junior boys’ football team. Personally, I think there were just too many guys on the team to name them all! They were followed by the cross-country team, junior and senior volleyball teams, girls’ basketball, and finally the senior football team.
And then it was over. My first pep rally, done and over with. Hopefully many more to come.
Can drive crazy. Probably a term you’ve never heard of before. Obviously you’ve never met Mr. Bracken then. The King of the Can Drive. Every year, Belle River High School has a annual ” Halloween for Hunger” can drive. Mr. Bracken won it for the last three years and wasn’t about to lose. I believe on the day of orientation he told us that we were NOT going to lose the can drive this year, and he didn’t let us forget it!
So finally after two months of agonizing waiting for Mr. Bracken, the day finally came when it was time to give us the can drive pep talk. Explaining how this can drive is like his baby, and blah, blah, blah, we finally came to the decision that he was can drive crazy and we had one week to get over 3000 cans! But who could blame him, the staff was out to get him.
Sending spies that only Mr. Bracken could see, we had formed a plan! A plan so sinister and secret that no class in the history of cans would be able to top it! Actually, I’m lying but it sounds good doesn’t it?
The plan… well why would I tell you? You’re all spies waiting for someone to spill the beans. And it’s not going to be me. So here we are, with over 1000 cans waiting in the classroom for them to announce that the can drive is over, when they turn on us and tell us we have a week extension. Mr. Bracken snapped his pen in half, and yelled, but it was all right because by the next Friday, we had just over 3000 cans!
Seeing that it’s called Halloween for Hunger, I’m totally missing my favourite part of the month. Halloween!
Halloween is almost a celebrated religion at Belle River. And don’t twist my words, I’m not saying Belle River worships the devil or anything but you should have seen it!
When the teachers told me that everyone dressed up, I wasn’t expecting over half the student body and all the staff! I thought, okay, maybe a few people here and there but nooo! Almost everyone in the halls were in costume. Me you might wonder? Yes and no. I was undercover as a superhero, in regular clothes during the morning and my costume in the afternoon.
You see, my science teacher Ms. Oliphant couldn’t be any cooler. How many teachers do you know that actually make a project where you make your own superhero, come to school dressed and write a fun story about it? Well one, but you get the picture. I dressed up as the superhero Mercury, with my two best friends Erika and Sam dressed as Gallium Gal and Caffara!
I don’t think I’ve every had so much fun on Halloween or in school for that matter! And who could forget that disgusting game of fear factor, and the nerd costume that won the costume contest!
Two months have gone by already!! I can’t even believe it. It seems like forever ago that it was my first day. Guess what? Next month’s The Metler dodge ball cup and Semi! I’ll have all the details!
I’ll be back,
Jessica**
by Jessica H.
This is your all access pass to my diary as a High school freshman!
September 2007,
The time we all dread, the first day of school. The one-day in September when it means that summer’s finally over. Time to pack up the bathing suits and bring out the books.
But this year was different. Instead of just the occasional butterflies in the stomach, it was the ‘every time I thought about September 5th‘ butterflies. Why you may ask? In case you haven’t been following along, it’s my first year of high school.
How did my first day go? Well… it was horrible! I was late for every class, all my teachers are mean, and the cafeteria food is mush!
Just kidding! That’s probably what I expected, but it’s definitely not true! Walking into the doors my first time wasn’t anything different from walking into any other door. Yes, I was extremely nervous, but HELLO! it’s just a door.
My first day went great. I got to all my classes on time (and might I add, all my teachers are pretty awesome!), remembered my locker combo, and managed to make it to the bus on time. What more could you ask for?
Honestly, I think that I because I thought so many bad things would happen that I made myself believe it. I also totally forgot that when school starts, so does the work.
Getting back into the regular routine of boring school work, and stressing over the smallest things was hard, so it was nice to finally have one afternoon off. Well, sort of.
Grade 9 day. Although most people like to think of it as grade 9 initiation, really it’s just the afternoon off with our third period classes to play games.
My third period consists of sitting in Mr. Williams’ business class playing on the computer. Not that we don’t do any work, because trust me we do! So it was definitely a nice break. Each third period grade 9 class is assigned a theme, two grade 12’s, and has to come up with a creative cheer and name. Almost like it’s an omen, my class ended up with the theme “cops”. Or as everyone like’s to call them, ” Pigs!”. So of course coming up with a creative team cheer wasn’t that hard. It consisted of constantly shouting pigs, shooting toy guns, and arresting the judges. Trust me, it was a good time.
After assembling all the classes in the gym, we had the afternoon for a little friendly competition. And when these grade 12s say were going to win, they mean, ” you had better win or were yelling at you, until you do!”. So after winning two, losing two, and tying two, we ended up losing everything. We didn’t win team cheer, most sprit, or of course most wins, but it was all right, at least my team looked good losing!
So only ONE month of school has gone by and I CAN’T WAIT until Christmas break! I got all excited for high school but then I forgot, oh yeah! It’s school!
I’ll be back,
Jessica**
