Lions Amongst Lambs
Terror - Rhythm Amongst the Chaos
7/10
by Roger Chao
In an industry where music is often watered down and packaged for the masses, many artists are forced to change or twist their sounds in order to stay afloat. In the case of Terror, they stayed dedicated to their hardcore roots from the beginning. While this devotion allows them to remain true to loyal fans, it also puts them at a disadvantage, leaving little room for experimentation and new ideas.
The quintet’s latest release, titled Rhythm Amongst the Chaos, features five songs made of pure adrenaline. The EP kicks off with the title track “Rhythm Amongst the Chaos” and it is obvious that after seven years, Terror has not slowed down one bit. Front man Scott Vogel, a Buffalo native, shows his commitment to the scene through his lyrics: “Through all their pain and broken dreams / In all of you I’ve found my inner peace.” Each song packs enough punch to knock over a house.
Tracks like “Disconnected” are chock full of heavy guitar lines jamming over a quick pulsating drumbeat. The vocals on the album are just as powerful as the music. Vogel’s raw and throaty voice hits listeners hard and delivers undeniable energy track after track. The album wraps up with a cover called “Kickback,” originally by the band Breakdown, which is also imbued with vocals by Vinnie Paz of Philadelphia’s hip-hop group Jedi Mind Tricks. His rough and guttural voice goes in hand in hand with Vogel’s, and makes for a perfect addition to the song.
Rhythm Amongst the Chaos, while sincere and passionate, does lack originality. There is really nothing about the EP that separates it from Terror’s three previous releases. After the energy and the excitement of new material have worn off, listeners are left with nothing but old, overdone guitar riffs and redundant messages of betrayal, loneliness and low self-worth. After a few listens, the five songs begin to blend together, and it becomes unclear when one song ends and the next one begins. Another problem is the length of the EP. At only ten minutes, fans may be unsatisfied by the terseness of the album.
Terror is by no means doing anything groundbreaking with RATC. Still, they deserve respect and credit for producing another energetic and hard-hitting album. What they lack in creativity, they make up for in passion, and in an industry where some musicians don’t have either… one out of two isn’t bad at all.
The Ultimate Adventure
Into the Wild
10/10
by Patrick Dowd
Every now and then a movie comes along that really grabs hold of you and pulls you in. Into the Wild is an independent film directed by Sean Penn (The Pledge) that takes you through the chilling adventures of recent college graduate Christopher McCandless, played by Emile Hirsch (The Girl Next Door, Alpha Dog), as he journeys through North America on his way to Alaska.
Into the Wild is fantastic in the real, true sense of the word, and has a unique charm that is unparalleled by any other film released this year. Based on the true story and identically-titled book by Jon Krakauer, this movie has the poetic style of a novel. It’s delivered through the story-telling narration of Chris’s sister, Carine McCandless, played by Jena Malone (Cold Mountain). The scenes switched between Chris’s journey and his time spent in Alaska, creating a sense of intrigue, until the convergence of the two on the timeline. It has an excellent storyline filled with brilliant, well-cast actors. Vince Vaughn (Old School) and Catherine Keener (40 Year Old Virgin) helped create a set of diverse personalities. The plot expands further than the protagonists and fills the secondary characters with just as much emotion.
Christopher McCandless changed the lives of those he met, contrasting the strength of human interaction with the loneliness of being out in the wild. This film is far from lighthearted, and it can really stir the viewer with its especially powerful denouement.
Into the Wild was also aesthetically pleasing with a great soundtrack that fit the beautiful landscapes of the Southwest and Alaska. The soundtrack is a solid collection of American folk songs all performed and mostly written by Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder. The Southwest is stunning and picturesque. You don’t get this kind of scenery just anywhere. It’s the kind of landscape that pulls you out of your seat with its compelling beauty.
The narrator discusses background information, delving into the arguments between the McCandless parents. These moments give you great perspective on why Chris began his journey in the first place. People don’t just go to Alaska on a whim. These insightful moments add yet another dimension to an already poignant movie.
Into the Wild is far from typical. Don’t expect to switch off your brain as you watch this film because will suck you in and you won’t be able to look away.
YOUR PRINCESS IS IN ANOTHER GALAXY
Super MariGalaxy
10/10
by Joe LiButti
When the Wii launched late last year, it marked the first time a Nintendo console was released simultaneously with a new Legend Of Zelda—and also the first time a new Mario title was absent. Rather than rush out with Mario Galaxy, they took the extra time to fine-tune it, and it was absolutely worth the wait. Heralded as the first true successor to the revolutionary Super Mario 64, Galaxy delivers on all fronts. It’s as perfect a game as any I’ve played, and flies in the face of many of the most common criticisms of the Wii.
Lambasted for its lack of processing power and enhanced graphics in comparison with 360 and PS3, as well as the difficulties inherent in programming successfully for its unique controller, Nintendo has insisted the Wii is more than a souped-up Gamecube and Mario Galaxy proves it. The game runs smoothly despite its abundance of stunning visuals, and is surprisingly the best-looking game on the system. Apparently the Nintendo bigwigs were dead-on in their assessment that the games don’t really need to look anymore hyper-realistic; forsaking the minor step-up in graphical capabilities in favor of their revolutionary controls was a brilliant move. The game makes full use of its controller, offering use of the light gun function to collect “star-bits” and shoot them at enemies (a function that can be performed by a second player at any time) even as you control Mario with the various buttons and motion-sensing actions. Super Mario Galaxy plays like a dream, balancing your various jumps, spins, and shooting that has you wielding the Wiimote and nunchuk as though you were conducting an orchestra (if that orchestra were a stocky Italian plumber hurtling through outer space).
Storywise, it’s standard Mario fare, with the twist of Bowser fleeing with the Princess into outer space rather than simply another castle. It’s this simple twist of the classic Mario plotline that makes for the game’s most unique aspects. Gravity effects have you frequently running around upside down or up and down walls, even completely around a cornucopia of bizarre planetoids. The effect is wonderfully disorienting and often quite astounding, as on smaller rocks the gravity can lead to greater jumps and even launch you into orbit.
There are 42 galaxies in the game, each containing one to seven stars. You’ll need only 60 stars to complete the story but for a much greater challenge I’d recommend you go for all 120. It took me roughly 18 hours to land them all, and your prize will have you playing it through all over again (especially if you want the grand finale 121 star), which isn’t really a concern since the greatest difficulty you’ll find is forcing yourself to progress to the next world rather than further explore levels you’ve beaten. All of the classic Mario characters are here, from hilarious cameos by Luigi to some amazing deep-space airship battles with Magi-Koopas and Baby Bowser.
If you’re a fan of the Super Mario series or platformers in general you simply cannot afford to miss out on this game. In fact, there’s really no excuse not to buy it if you already own a Wii, as Mario Galaxy is easily the best game available so far. It’s practically worth buying the system. As long as Nintendo keeps putting out games of this caliber, you really can’t go wrong.
MY FAVORITE TIME OF DAY
Happy Hours for Every Weekday
11/10
by Tori Burhans
After a long day of work or class, there is nothing better than relaxing with some friends and drinking inexpensive alcoholic beverages. “Happy Hour” originated, ironically, during prohibition and is truly the best time of day. It’s when friends get together and socialize without the crowded feeling of those late night adventures into a club or bar. Buffalo offers a wide array of dinner-time drink specials to satisfy everyone’s appetite.
Monday: Devlin’s Deuce, possibly the best sports bar in the Buffalo area, is located snugly in a strip mall at 2335 Sheridan Drive. Every night they offer amazing drink specials, yet the first day of the work week takes the cake. One dollar domestic pints, six-inch subs, tacos, and nachos are the standard fare all day, even during those intense Buffalo Sabres games that pack in a crowd. If the specials aren’t enough to draw you in, the establishment has pool tables, darts, electronic gaming, and the best jukebox I’ve played in years.
Tuesday: Situated comfortably on Franklin Street, Duo is the newest and hippest bar/restaurant that has opened downtown. Boasting the finest of dining on their second and third floors, the first floor is home to their lounge. Ladies are invited to “Little Black Dress Night” from 7 to 9 p.m. every Tuesday for half-off cocktails. Though the drinks aren’t dirt cheap, even with the generous discount, the charm of the place lies mostly in the atmosphere.
Wednesday: Dave and Buster’s offers happy hours to fit everyone’s schedule. Monday through Thursday, one can enjoy the standard time slot of 5 to 7 p.m., but they also have a delightful “Late Night Happy Hour” from 10 to 12 p.m. with two-dollar domestic pints, half-price margaritas and daiquiris, as well as discounted appetizers ($3.99). With a game room the size of a football field, complete with bowling, ski ball, and video games galore, D&B appeases the inner child as well as the legal drinker.
Thursday: Shadow Lounge, 1504 Hertel Avenue, is a breath of fresh air in the typical Thursday night bar scene. Two-dollar domestic pints and three-dollar well drinks are vastly overshadowed by the beauty that is “2-4-1 Martinis.” Though the selection is smaller than their full list, they still offer enough to get you hammered in good taste. The list even includes a Candy Cane Martini for the holidays. If their two-for deals don’t strike your fancy, from 5 to 8 p.m. they also reduce the price of their entire selection of Cosmopolitans and martinis to five dollars. The laid-back atmosphere and business-class clientele don’t make for a raging time, but if it’s some fondue with friends you want, you’ll fit right in.
Friday: Free Taco Friday at Don Pablo’s on Niagara Falls Boulevard is one of the best deals in town. It’s simple: free tacos in the bar area and discounted beers from 4 to 6 p.m. The wiser FTF aficionado knows to show up early, since the space is small and easily congested, yet pushing yourself through to the bar and filling your plate full of taco goodness is worth it. It’s gaining popularity among University at Buffalo students, so plan on running into some familiar faces and kicking back after a long week.
