Zeus

I have to agree with Old Silver Key. With the exception of maybe 1 track, I couldn't get into the album. I still feel like the new Lantlos is pretty good but it's not better than .neon IMO.

Updated the list again! New albums time!

Also, all I do is randomly pick two albums out of the list. There's no use in even asking what I'll pick until about five minutes before I sit down and do it. It's usually whatever I'm in the mood for at that moment

Don't feel like these recommendations are going to waste because whenever we finish up with this one there might be another and that's where these will go. It's just that if we keep adding on, we'll never be done ;D

This guy left NoGoD for PIECElang? wow...never knew that

Yeah, he was with them from their first demo up until Atria. Then he departed because of "musical differences" and went to Safety Drugger, which then became PIECElang. Then you know the rest.

I've listened to the Amon Amarth album enough now I think. A lot of what I said earlier still stands but the album has grown on me more over time. Prediction of Warfare and Asator are my two favorite tracks from the album but there aren't any weak tracks. It's really hard to have a weak track when the band has such a defined signature sound but it doesn't get repetitive. The vocals could be a little more varied but as it is I can live with it.

I'd also give this album an 8 but I think that the more I listen to it the higher that rating will go.

The pictures do nothing for me (as usual). The only thing I can say is that I'm glad there's no one else at the service desk where I work because it would be pretty hard to explain that picture to someone that doesn't understand visual kei.

A..are you serious? REALLY KYOKA! :

Hmmm...don't know how to feel. I guess in the end it really does suck for their fans though.

No problem, Arithmetica. I've actually offended quite a few people this week with this same topic (probably including Chianti too ). but sometimes I can't hold back and I do feel the need to inadequately explain what I did above. The results are usually obvious.

This is just a personal interpretation of mine so feel free to call me all sorts of wrong, but I generalize majors into three categories of my own. There are the majors that help move society forward, the majors that help society run from day to day, and the majors that open up awareness and critical thinking but don't directly affect society. I can see that the list was divided up in that way to some extent but it puts some in a zone where it makes it look unattractive (the only thing unattractive about all the shit tier majors are the wages you'll be making once you try to find a job). There is really a place for all those majors in society. If there weren't, we wouldn't offer courses in any of them.

The most important aspect of going to college is to become as knowledgeable and diverse in as many things that interest you as possible. That's why they're are courses like Humanities and Philosophy and Blacks in the South During Reconstruction (that's actually a course here). There are really general courses and really specific courses and there's so much there should be plenty of things that possibly could be interesting and that you should take as long as it doesn't interfere with what you're "going for". You may never have another chance to look at topics like that again so it's always worth picking them out and learning something new.

I'm probably going to end up in IT too, considering that with my degree it's the most attractive prospect out there. I want to do a lot more though but the economic situation isn't making that look likely. I think in my vitriolic rant I confused low-paying IT jobs with actual decent and great IT jobs because I get very general when I rant and that's not a good thing

Nope, I didn't ask to try and prove a point. I asked the question just so I can learn more about it. I'm not toolish like that I also ask because the answers to those questions are somewhat important to the average user but they don't necessarily know about any of them. Hell, even I learned some stuff from that post so you know it's useful. Also, if anyone was interested in being an IT guy, well now they have more information from someone here so they can make their decision. In that way, we were never really off-topic at all. Colleges and majors go hand in hand, really. You can't finish college without even knowing what you want to do by the time you're getting out, although going in without having an idea is fine.

I know personally that when I came to college I tried to go after my first major thinking it was something completely different than from what it ended up being. That was because even when you try to do research on your own, you really aren't getting that "full story". It's more useful to get the first-hand account from someone that's working at that job than someone that's just typing it up because they're supposed to. They may not have the details that could make or break that decision for you. A good example would be when I was looking for majors myself - I was really thinking about working with machines but I didn't even think that a concrete theoretical approach to computers was something that I could major in in college. Everyone was always talking about the science and the physics behind it all, so that's where I got the idea for my first major, which was Physics. It wasn't until I got here and looked around that I found what I'm currently doing today.

So I suppose that ties into one of the points that you brought up about looking at the programs that are in your college. It's hard to do it when you're not in college because all the colleges fudge the details about their programs and always talk about things in a better light than they may necessarily be in. Sometimes it's a good idea to approach someone (if you can) about the programs at differing schools and ask them if the programs are any good. Just because a school offers the program you want doesn't mean that it's any good! Just take my schools CSci department - some of the teachers have trouble speaking English and communicating their thoughts and that gets in the way of teaching. There are some that you can tell didn't grow up with English as their first language but they can explain points well enough for you to understand but it just works out that those that can't are the ones that happen to teach all the intro courses. You can't teach if you can't communicate thoughts properly! There's a website here that I would suggest people look at when they're looking for colleges to attend. Look at the ratings the professor gets and read the comments. If an entire department has really crappy teachers, it could be an indication that that school might not have the best program in the world for what you're going for. At the very least it can't hurt. I know I had no information going into college so putting out there anything I can is a lot better than just keeping what I know to myself.

Also, a lot of people get into these really specific aspirations for themselves. That's not really bad but what could pose a problem is if you're looking for a really specific major that most schools wouldn't carry. If you happen to fall into that boat, what you could do is go to college and apply for the really general major and then take classes that are specific to the thing that you want to do. That way when you go out for the job the degree might not say that you majored in X but you can show that you have the skills to do X. Also, if you plan on going to graduate or medical school it won't hurt at all. In my college I know that plenty of people that want to go to medical school major in biology, chemistry or biochemistry. I know some of them want to be vets and others are going into pharmecuticals but they're all taking the same classes because they plan on specializing later. The program at my school is so well-known that the graduates get 2.0 averages but everyone wants them because they know what they're doing - and their degrees don't necessarily correlate to what they end up getting a job in. So that's always a great thing to keep in mind

I think that's all I can contribute until someone jogs my brain again for something else that I can add.

And I didn't mean to offend you with any of my comments Chianti.

I'm at least glad they're deciding to sell them although I agree with biopanda: why not sell them apart and make twice the money? That's what visual kei is all about anywho.

Note that my rage above is towards GeekSquad and not IT as a whole. I HATE GeekSquad (if you haven't noticed) as I don't believe they provide a valuable service to anyone. I just dislike how that's the premiere "this is an IT guy" mental image that people have.

I actually want to ask you a few questions about IT, since you do it:

1) If Data Security is such a large issue, why do people insist on using operating systems that can be compromised so easily? What operating system would you use in your workplace?

2) Why does Australia need so many IT graduates?

3) What would an IT department based on Applications do if suddenly everyone were utilizing a browser with an ad-blocker that disabled Google from tracking your every move?

4) How much programming (if any) did you have to learn to be an IT Professional? That (whatever you copied, article?) that you inserted talked a lot about what different IT professionals can do but it doesn't talk about them actually getting into the meat of the computer too much. When it's a hardware problem it seems relatively easy for you guys to fix it. What about software problems?

...That's about all of it for now XD

Unless I go into medicine, I'm mid-tier. Yay life sciences.

That is damn accurate, though. I feel like languages should be on there, and placed relatively high. Every time I job hunt someone is seeking a translator.

/rant

Don't worry. I'm mid-tier too. I actually could argue that they should bump Computer Science up one tier, since you literally can't do any of those jobs efficiently these days (or do anything efficiently for that matter) without the aid of a computer and an operating system to help you. I am glad they made the distinction between scientists and IT. IT has extremely little correlation with Computer Science. There are people at my school that work at the IT department. I literally think all they do is wait around until something breaks and then fix it. I COULD DO THAT JOB AND I DON'T HAVE A DEGREE! Hell, I think half of us could do that job. They also hire students (that aren't necessarily Computer Science majors) to do the rudimentary IT things, like hook up the computer to the internet and make sure you're using the right certificates. To the average person, they look like they know what they're doing. To me, I go in there, tell them why something isn't working in advanced terms and then they run off to go get someone that can actually understand what I just said. GTFO.

Ololol What about GeekSquad dey iz so elite? Fuck GeekSquad. They charge you 99 dollars to erase your computer and format Windows again. I can do that in half the time FOR FREE. They never actually diagnose your problem half the time either. They just say: "Virus? Looks like we've gotta wipe everything!" Of course, half of their problems would just be solved if people just stopped using Windows improperly but they aren't going to teach people about the importance of a Firewall and Anti-Virus and not using Internet Explorer (and even if they did I doubt anyone would listen). It's also worth noting that half these places are Unixtarded and don't know how to deal with HFS+ or Debian and if you mention it to them they have NO idea what you're talking about. They are barely competent with Mac. I need help with Ubuntu? Oops, GeekSquad can't help you. That's IT for you - people that masquerade about knowing about computers when they actually know jack shit.

/rant

I needed to get that off my chest. If anything, I would drop them down a tier too.

that awkward moment when you realize you miss Tarja no more, huh?

Dude, that was such a long time ago for me XD

But Anette is starting to shine! DPP sounds more like a transitional album the more I listen to Storytime! Extra amped for the album now.

I think one thing students may need to consider is their degree going to get them a job because a degree will not guarantee you work. This isn't the case for everything but when thinking of your major give it some thought. I have a friend with a Masters in History and he is working in retail and still living at home and I have another friend with a Bachelors in English working in a call center getting yelled at kids because their Xbox red ringed.

^ I tried to say this in class and got the disapproval face.

We have a whole "no major is less useful than another major" thing going on as part of our acceptance and diversity thing at this school. Sorry, but no. Are you going to tell me that someone that studies Physics and someone that studies Communication put in the same amount of effort and should be regarded as equal majors? You might make me spurt the Pepsi out of my nose if you're serious. I even know some Communication majors that will tell you they're majoring in basketweaving and future unemployment, because that's what that kind of degree will get you once you're done. How can I be sure of this? I know a few people that chose their majors because it would allow them to coast through college. Now they're unemployed and struggling and in debt with a degree that can't land them a job. The physics majors? Working in the labs making some money. As you can see, some majors just aren't going to be as applicable when you get out into the real world and if you major in something that isn't as applicable you just might struggle for a bit before landing that job.

I'll speak just for America when I say this: If you're not going to go to college and major in something that will arguably start making a reasonable amount of cash within a year, don't put out the money to get the degree. Example? Philosophy. Philosophy probably isn't going to get you a job with 6 figures. In fact, I highly doubt it will get you a job that makes 5. I met an adjunct lecturer at my college with a Ph.D in Philosophy. He made 16K a year. He is now an EMT and makes double what he made beforehand after our class had a nice discussion with him and told him (quite frankly at that) to quit teaching and get a real job. I know plenty of Philosophy majors in college. Do they work hard? Quite hard when you put them in perspective. What are they going to do when they get into the real world? I don't know, they don't know. Teach? That's about it. The world isn't exactly clamoring for Philosophy teachers in their massively successful Philosophy departments in their Schools of Philosophy. They're going to struggle and they know it. They don't know how they're going to pay back the loans though.

So I really want everyone here to be happy and not have to struggle. If I offended you because you are one of these majors I'm sorry, but really do think about it. Pick up a minor or two. Diversify yourself because it gives you a better shot at making a job. If you don't know what you want to major in that's just fine too.

I also post this next picture out of jest:

Whilst I disagree with the placement of one or two of these, for the most part this is accurate.

I can hear all the work she's been putting in for the last few years. This single sounds like it's going to be interesting. Before I knew it, I already listened to it three times.

I never did understand why they staggered release dates like that though.

Oh man, I'm just starting on the new Lantlôs album and the first four minutes of Intrauterin is intense! I'm really liking what I'm hearing so far. AGAPE was definitely worth the wait.

6-Px-0q_f24

(You should all listen )

I don't know what's worse - SHOXX carrying something as awful as this because they know people will buy it or the fact that people actually friggin' bought it!

As much as biopanda was probably joking, he's got a point. I go to a college where the ratio of guys to girls is 60-40, with there being more girls than guys on campus. Guys go HELL YEAH SIGN ME UP, but all the girls feel like they can't find anyone on campus so they maintain relationships back home. There's nothing like walking into a party and seeing a large amount of girls dancing with their significant others while the single guys line up on the side of the barn thinking to themselves "herpderp let's get drunk".

Balance is key manz.

I haven't felt my heart drop in quite a while over VK band news. Mucho is cool but since Rookie Fiddler is the main composer I'm certain they'll be able to bounce back. I hope.

Tristania Gothic Metal just seemed so PRETENTIOUS.

FTFY

Gothic Metal as a whole is a pretty pretentious genre, but Beyond the Veil is the greatest bucket of pretentious goo that you'll ever listen to from the genre. It's full of cheese but I shamelessly love it.

Next week might be more your speed though.

I haven't listened to Amon Amarth's album as much as I wanted to, so here are my first thoughts (without a rating).

The guitars sound great. The melodies sound great. The riffage is simple but effective and they don't use solos as a crutch. It's melodic death metal but it's not the usual fare that's basically death metal without it's balls. The only gripe I have is that Hegg uses the same style of grunt and that it could use some variation. More listens are required!

I'll try my hand at this one:

Band: Dir en grey

Song: MACABRE —揚羽ノ羽三ノ夢ハ二蛹一—

Why?: This is the song that both redefined my taste in music to include more Japanese music and metal in general as well as containing structure so varied and good that even ten years later I still listen to it. Even though Dir en grey is one of my favorite bands of all time, every album contains both very good songs and very shit songs. The atmosphere, progression and scope of MACABRE makes the rest of the album pale in comparison.

Dir en grey have created "epics" after this such as Vinushka and Diabolos but nothing gets to the level that this song does. The last two that I've mentioned overstay their welcome and feel like five-minute songs that were stretched out to ten minutes long. MACABRE feels like it needed to be ten minutes long to convey all of it's feelings and emotions. Plus, MACABRE is that one song that highlights (almost) every member in the band. The atmosphere at around seven minutes where Toshiya shines is enough to send shivers up anyone's spine and is one of the two high points of the album. The second would be the insane drum rolls at about five minutes that are just suffocating and all around awesome. I actually have trouble telling Die and Kaoru's parts apart but there's so much guitar work I can attribute the excellence to both of them equally. I don't feel like MACABRE highlights Kyo much because the greatest parts of the song are when he isn't singing, but Kyo does his part equally as well. He just fails to rise above.

This song should be within the top five Dir en grey songs ever composed. It's what makes MACABRE one of their best albums even to this day. It's hideously underrated, overlooked by old and new fans alike and offers so much in one listen that I would suggest everyone listen to it twice if it weren't so damn long. Too many people whore Vinushka and Diabolos without hearing what they're failing to re-create, and that would be this. If you're a Dir en grey fan and you haven't heard this song...I can't consider you a Dir en grey fan. Seriously.

@Ito: I only added Hymn to the Immortal Wind because when I recounted the list I realized I came up short by one so I threw it in there to even it out. If anyone's got anything better to replace it with by all means say something.

And as for his other argument: anyone else for or against?

Not a girl but this much I can tell you - no girl can tell you whether or not you're reading into what another girl is saying unless they already know for a certainty whether or not that person likes you (which sai doesn't know...I think). She could possibly mean anything by what she was asking you - including absolutely nothing. Sense, it makes none, but from my repeated failed approaches with women I've learned that I usually screw up by trying to base any course of action off of something I've heard the other girl say. If she's truly interested in you, you'll find out sooner or later. It will be obvious.

*puts guy cap back on*