A Matter Of Experience

Each one of their albums is considered a major event for heavy metal everywhere. It's no different with "A Matter Of Life And Death", Iron Maiden's 14th studio album.
Ever since Bruce Dickinson returned to the band in 2000, their releases were considered to be the long-delayed successors to the monumental "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son" of 1988. This is bound to happen again, but this time it is a little bit closer to the truth.
Whereas the previous albums tended to contain artificially lengthened songs, with somewhat easy riffs and more or less predictable structures, "A Matter Of Life And Death" is definitely a surprise in its complexity. This time song duration is justified by the numerous changes within a song and the, finally, effective utilization of all three guitars. So, the compositions definitely remind us what the band was trying in "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son", but the sound has something of "Powerslave"'s heaviness. With 7 minutes as the average song duration, be warned that this is not an easy listening album. Even hardcore Maiden fans may have a hard time digesting it.
That said, even though I can't really find a significant flaw about the songs themselves, it is true that the speed has dropped considerably (no fast songs), and even "SSOASS" contained a "hit" song that was instantly liked ("Can I Play With Madness"). "A Matter Of Life And Death" is definitely an album of top quality and Iron Maiden should be proud to have kept this level throughout most of their carreer. Very few bands can claim this at the 14th album.

There Never Are Guarantees

The 4400's third season ends in a way that would serve for the end of the series itself. Smart, but fortunately there will be a fourth season next summer.
In this final episode, we finally see the confrontation : Isabelle vs everyone else. But let's take things from the start.
Jordan Collier films Devon taking a shot of promycin and urging the viewer to do the same in order to get a 4400 ability. The video is then circulated all over the internet. Tom and Diana, who are looking for the missing promycin, manage to track down Devon only to find her dying in Shawn's arms. The shot of promycin was fatal to her. Shawn, arrested, does not betray Collier's plan...until Ryland brings in Isabelle to question him personally. It is clear that Isabelle has replaced Shawn with power as her infatuation. She ends up leaving him hurt and unconscious but learns the location of the promycin. Accompanied by Ryland's troops, Isabelle arrives at the location soon and finds what she thinks is Jordan Collier along with the promycin. But it's a trap : the promycin is fake, and Jordan Collier is a disguised 4400 prepared to martyr himself for the cause. He gives Collier's message to Isabelle, "This is a new world, and there's no place for you in it", and activates an explosive device which kills Ryland's men, injures Ryland but only manages to anger Isabelle. Furious, she plans to attack the 4400 center, kill everyone in there to force Collier to appear. Ryland, seeing her madness, informs NTAC.
Tom knows it's time to use the shot given to him by the future. He and Diana arrive at the center just as Isabelle locks herself in Maia's class. Would she be able to murder children? Considering she has never been one, I don't find it hard to believe. She never gets the chance because Diana empties her weapon on her, and Tom hurries to use the syringe. Unfortunately, Isabelle recovers very fast and stops him. She incapacitates Diana with a move of her hand and in seconds the roles are reversed. Tom is about to be strangled by Isabelle and the syringe is out of his reach. It's at this time, that Richard appears and tries to convince Isabelle to stop her murderous urge. She knows it's too late for her to change and ignores him. Richard's telekinetic abilities, regretfully, come into play. Isabelle is shocked when the syringe flies into her neck. She convulses for a moment but comes around intent on retaliating and killing her own father. But the syringe's effect wasn't supposed to kill her. Her powers are gone forever. Tom can't risk it, however, and shoots her on the shoulder to make sure. Isabelle ends up in the hospital, next to Shawn.
The episode ends with several important events: Kyle is ready to inject himself with promycin. Alana is being kidnapped from the future. Diana chooses to quit NTAC and move to Spain with Ben and Maia, while her sister decides to give herself a dose of promycin. "There are no guarantees", the distributor tells her. "There never are" she thinks walking away. Then, the distributor turns to the viewer and offers promycin...would you take it?

The Manhunt Begins

I admit that I didn't expect it, but the premiere of Prison Break's second season blew me away. An episode that tied all loose ends, kept you at the edge of your seat throughout, built a basis for the entire season and, as expected from all great episodes, shocked you in the last minute. Don't read below this line if you don't appreciate spoilers.
The former prisoners, and now fugitives, run like they've never run before in their lives. While Bellick's dogs are behind them, this time Michael's enemies are far more dangerous than police force simpletons. For the first time, he receives attention from the real bad guys who manage to decifer his tattoo...a bit. This allows them to apply pressure even though Michael is one step ahead. I am a bit bothered, however, at how fast agent Mahone was able to find the graveyard or how he assumed that Michael must have thrown evidence in the river below his apartment. Anyway, in the end, the party manages to blend with the crowd and escape. Which direction will they go next? Considering that Michael's plans no longer require anyone other than his brother, we can expect some conflict, especially since Westmoreland's money is involved. I am sure though, that Michael will cross paths again with Dr. Tancredi who I was very glad to see survive her attempted suicide. Michael and Sara's story is one that could either end happilly or tragically and I hope they give some emphasis on it in the course of the season
In the meantime, Veronica is really at the end of the puzzle. Having found Steadman alive, she thinks everything is over. Steadman's warnings about the prison-like nature of his habitat do not sway her. She sees through his lies that there's no signal to make a phone call here. She calls the police and asks for help. She keeps reassuring Steadman that everything will be ok while waiting. When help finally comes, Lincoln chooses this most dramatic and fateful moment to call Veronica. She is not finished urging him to give himself up and reassuring him that everything's over, when it becomes clear she's been fooled. The help that arrived is no other than Steadman's keepers. Lincoln hears the gunshot that ends Veronica's life and is devastated. The episode ends with a scene of Michael, in a most formal suit now, removing his handcuffs...

Autumn Dragons Alive

For fans of the Dragonlance books, this isn't the optimal turn of events. Nevertheless, the announcement that the first book of the series, "Dragons Of Autumn Twilight" becomes an animation movie is certainly exciting. I, too, would wish these books were turned into normal movies. The success of Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy has shown that it can be done. The Dragonlance series is, with a slight exaggeration, almost as popular and so, the audience is guaranteed. We can hope for the future.
The animation can turn out to be really good of course. Considering that we have the perfect casting of Kiefer Sutherland as the voice of Raistlin Majere, a character that deserves his popularity, things are pretty positive for the start. As the film will be released next year, a lot should change but we'll be here waiting. Meanwhile, you can read the books; they're a lot of fun.

A New Myth For The Guardian

It should no longer matter to Blind Guardian fans that their new releases take more than 4 years to see the light of day. Their perfectionism and commitment into delivering something unique pay off and the wait is more than worth it. Their previous album, "A Night At The Opera", received a lot of criticism but mainly, in my opinion, from short-sighted sources. It was a brilliant album whose only fault was that it was over the top. Indeed, it was the complexity and the elaborate production that was the reason of most criticism.
"A Twist In The Myth" is the next logical step. Retaining the new, progressive elements of "A Night At The Opera" but also recruiting a couple of their old-style dynamics that made them so popular, the new Blind Guardian offering will satisfy just about everyone who listens to this kind of music. What kind of music? Well...it is definitely a heavy metal album, but it's been a long time since we could compare Guardian with anyone else. The production is reasonably less ambitious than "ANATO", but the band's inspiration (even though there's no "And Then There Was Silence" here) is still phenomenal after all those years. Oh, and one last thing...Thomen's absence behind the drums is not felt at all! The german bards did it again.

Jordan Collier's Gospel

What summer has been lacking for a very long time was a good tv series. I'm pretty sure, though, that USA Network's "The 4400" did not go unnoticed by most of you. Indeed, the series is very near the ending of its third season so I will assume you know what it's about and move on with reviewing the latest episode.
Jordan Collier is back and he is very much alive, despite being shot and killed at the end of the second season. This is bad news for Isabelle because it ruins her wedding and she remembers that as a baby, she had given a vision to Collier that ultimately lead to his death. But where has Jordan Collier been all this time? He claims that he has been alive for hundreds of years and he has seen the future. Alana helps him remember and she is shocked by a glimpse of his visions. The 4400 and the rest of the world welcome Jordan Collier as a messiah and he does not deny the title. He seems confident and with a clear mission. Returning to the 4400 center, he resumes the leadership he was violently forced to abandon and his first job is to deal with Isabelle. He names her for what she is : the enemy of the 4400. Her protests about being free to choose are lost on Collier. He asks her to leave and never return.
So far in the season we had to suffer Isabelle as the most powerful character but also the most immature and prone to evil. Despite her claims about having a choice, she had already made her choice when she helped Ryland build his anti-4400 army. Finally, there is now someone able to oppose her. Of course, the future humanity's agenda is still unclear and the parameters are now numerous. We cannot be sure of much because the "good" guys could be responsible for the catastrophe as much as Isabelle. For now, let's wait to enjoy the confrontation that is sure to come.

Freakish Economists

The title and the hype can certainly be misleading, but that doesn't mean a popular book can't be enjoyable. If you ignore the facts that the economy, in the most common meaning, is never mentioned and that the whole thing reads like a shrine to Levitt, then "Freakonomics" will keep you some good company.
Although the writers (mainly Levitt I guess) try to present this as a book with no unifying theme, it is really about how the methods used by economists can bring results in different areas of our lives. Of course, there is no grand analysis and nothing that intimately connects the few chapters/examples of this theme. This lack of complexity and the addressing of familiar topics do explain the book's great sales.
Some specifics about what the book covers are incentives and their role on people's decisions, and statistical analysis. You will contemplate on the different kind of incentives people may have (moral, social, economic) and which are the strongest in a given situation. A smart thing to do when you want to predict the crowd's behaviour. You will also see how statistical analysis can be a detective's best friend when the investigation is about teachers cheating or sumo-fight frauds.
It may be that some of the content borders on the trivial, but Levitt's casual and witty writing style makes you forget about it. Clearly, this is not a life-changing book, but it deals with an interesting topic in a not challenging way and that can only be fun.

Everything Lost In One Image

The above is a sample of a very nicely done image that contains most of the info we have gathered in those amazing two "Lost" seasons. Get it over here. Be warned, it is over 4 MB in size!

Troy 5000 AD

I doubt you can find many novels that are as detailed, dense and inspired in science fiction as Dan Simmons' Hyperion ones. His next attempt was the duet "Ilium" and "Olympos". The first thing that amazes you is that once again Simmons' imagination is over the top. "Ilium" starts with the same verses as Homer's "Iliad" but the person who recites them is one Thomas Hockenberry, a scholar of the "Iliad" from the 21st century. And his relationship with the Muse is nothing like Homer's. You go on, astonished to find out that Hockenberry is living the legendary Trojan War, and his job is to report to the Muse everything that is going on and how, if at all, it differs with Homer's text. Yes, the Gods, the heroes, and everything else is in place. Thomas Hockenberry has no idea how he was brought there, but it soon becomes clear that the "Gods" owe their supernatural power to advanced technology.
Meanwhile, sentient machines of earthly origin embark from Jupiter to investigate strange quantum anomalies that are emanating from Mars. These AIs were created by humanity millenia ago, but they still are obsessed with everything human. Named "moravecs", after the robotics researcher Hans Moravec, the two machines contemplate on what it is to be human and analyze the texts of Shakespeare and Proust on their journey. But what is happening on Earth?
Things are even weirder here. Humanity has been dumbed down despite the advanced technology they are using. Noone knows how to read, or do anything else since everything is provided by machine servitors. Societies have no structure, there is no government, and the concept of family has been forgotten. Everything has been arranged so by the post-humans, a population of genetically advanced humans who have disappeared and left only their rules behind.
How all of this connects in a coherent way is something that only Dan Simmons could pull through. However, as I said, he does go over the top. There are some things that could be left out, like wandering dinosaurs. Yes, it's not implausible considering the age and technology described but I think it hurts the overall picture.

As we turn to "Olympos", a lot has happened. Hockenberry, sick of being a pawn for the Gods, takes matters into his own hands. As a result, the war takes a new turn when Greeks and Trojans ally against the Gods themselves. The moravecs find out that this war is taking place on a terraformed Mars and it is the source of the anomalies they were sent to investigate. The entities posing as Gods must be stopped before the anomalies become a threat for the universe.
As if the Trojan War wasn't enough, characters from Shakespeare's "The Tempest" , come to life, much like the greek Gods. Their roles are less of a mystery and more of a literary challenge. A challenge of sorts, also, is Simmons' detailed descriptions of future technologies that are up to date with the latest advancements in physics.
The final verdict on this very ambitious fantasy creation is not an all-together positive one like it was for "Hyperion". You will, of course, be amazed at the complexity and imagination of the writing. Despite its wild and fun character, it requires some level of literature and even science involvement from the reader. This will tend to be annoying for some but it can also be something to spark interest for these things. But there are other flaws to consider. The plotlines come to be extremely complex and their resolvement is not entirely satisfying. It makes you think that it would require one or two more books to do this right. Finally, even though Simmons tries to be subtle about it, his religious convictions come out more strongly here than in "Hyperion". Hard to avoid this, considering how closely related fiction and religion are.

Two Deaths For The Road

SPOILERS AHEAD!

As the second season of "Lost" comes to a close, extraordinary events take place that will change the picture for the third season, much like the hatch's contents did for the second. It is hard to tell what it will be like, but one thing is sure : it will be violent.
This episode was a wealth of information and shockers. Michael returns and he claims the Others are miserable, poorly armed and waiting to be owned by the fully equipped survivors. Kate should open her damned mouth about the disguises she has discovered at this point, but the hope for revenge is clouding everyone's thoughts. Ana Lucia tries to resolve her guilt over the murder(s) that made her a failure as a cop and a daughter. In the process, she assists Christian Sheppard (Jack's father) locate his daughter in Sydney. I'm sure Jack would like to know this, but by the episode's end it's clear it won't happen. Ana Lucia figures out that killing Henry will make her demons go away. Getting a gun from Sawyer to accomplish this is no small task, but Ana Lucia's resolve is strong. She seduces him and gets to steal the gun after sex. It's a big clue to how psychologically messed up she is. In the end though, she finds herself unable to do it. Still, she doesn't think much when Michael asks for the gun to do it himself. I believe his speech about the Others being animals and killers is genuine, and Ana Lucia is convinced. This is when things get wild : Michael says "I'm sorry", shoots Ana Lucia who dies with a depressing expression of surprise, and an unlucky Libby who walks in the scene while picking stuff for a picnic with Hurley. The episode ends with Michael opening the door to Henry's prison and shooting his own arm.
It's obvious at this point that the Others have blackmailed Michael to help them free Henry and possibly be a mole at the survivors' camp in exchange for his son. Despite the fact that a father will do anything for his son, Michael's actions are terrible and his deception will not last long. I doubt his character will continue much into the third season. Libby's death is the most frustrating event of the season. She is the only character we have had no flashback from, and the teaser from Hurley's episode was a promise for interesting plots that are now hanging in the air. I hope these issues will be resolved in some flashback before the season ends. Three more episodes to go, and the writers promise a finale that will top the one of first season. It seems "Lost" will keep people at the edge of their seats for quite some time.

Who wrote the Bible?

A lot of people are convinced about the answer to this question, but Robert Beckford, a Pentecostal christian thelogian at Birmingham University, is not taking things for granted. This 100-minute documentary aired in Brittish Channel 4 during Christmas of 2004 and was the cause of some controversy as it deals with a sensitive subject. It is one, though, that should receive a long-overdue attention.
Beckford makes his case by keeping an open mind and following the clues where they lead him. Starting at the beginning, the first five books of the Old Testament, that are popularly attributed to Moses' authorship, appear to have been written by four different authors (two disagree over the name of God, Yahweh/Elohim) and one of them actually mentions Moses' death. Moving forward, the Old Testament is shown to have been dictated by jewish kings with political agendas, themes of triumph giving place to themes of suffering and liberation that correspond to the state of the jewish people at the specific time. The explanation of the motives behind the writing of the text is elegant and provides a connection between the Old and the New Testament.
Examining the New Testament, we find that the only author we can reliably locate in history is Paul. The gospel authors are shown to be far from eye-witnesses of the events they describe and that their consistency varies from plagiarism to direct contradiction. Then there's the issue of the Bible as a printed work and the history of its compiling. The documentary covers this topic and mentions texts such as the Dead Sea Scrolls who were kept out of the Bible when the consensus about doctrine leaned elsewhere.
In the end, the divine origin of the text is seriously doubted, but Beckford never discards it and hints that there are valid moral lessons included. However, the fundamentalists interviewed, especially Richard Land (Bush's spiritual adviser), make the case that the belief of divine origin for the Bible is dangerous. You can hear Land preach to the crowd : "I would have flooded Iraq with american troops" and "For a christian to be involved in an armed conflict means that he must be authorized by the legitimate authority. I do not believe that a legitimate authority for the United States is the United Nations. Now if they want to agree with us, great. But if they don't...eh!". You can make your own conclusions. Either way, Beckford's documentary is an intelligible and enlightening documentary that has something to teach to everyone.

Welcome To Silent Hell

Movies that are inspired by video games are rarely worth it. The story usually required to make a good movie is beyond the scope of a video game, even a great one. I haven't played the "Silent Hill" game, but the movie manages to evade most hints about video games, at least to unsuspecting viewers. That said, it still is plagued by some of the stereotypical flaws of such movies : mediocre acting, unexplained plots, shallow emotions. Even so, this is a horror film and it is quite succesful at conveying horror. The transition from the silent but creepy deserted town into a screaming, dark hell is impressive. The gruesome, disfigured not-quite-human creatures are horrible enough to make you indifferent to their unexplained origin, and that can also be said about the demonic presence of the Pyramid Head pictured above. A most disturbing character that could have his own horror movie series. The bloody climax of the movie is a very violent one but it is so entertaining I think it could be longer.
In the end, Silent Hill is quite entertaining if you are not looking for more than visually stimulating horror scenes. If you enjoyed "The Cell" despite Jennifer Lopez's presence, then you will probably love Silent Hill movie.

Showdown Draws Near

WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD.

Don't read below if you have not seen last Monday's "24" episode.

The 5th season is quickly becoming a favorite one. What is ultimately at stake this time is not human lives at the mercy of terrorists, but the integrity of an idea. The show has always presented its characters with terrible moral dillemas that could drive a normal person crazy at the short time they have to be resolved. Jack Bauer, of course, is the guy of right and fast choices. But let's see things in more detail.
Hendersson slashes Audrey, slowing Jack down as he has to stop her from bleeding to death. He is also slowed though, because he has to deliver the recording to a safe place. It is his security against any attempt by President Logan to use him as a scapegoat. I should mention here that the transformation of Logan from an apparently dependent and weak person to a subtle mover of strings was handled convincingly and smoothly. It appears that Logan is again supported by a previously unseen cast of people which is consistent with his flawed personality. Their appearance suggests that something is on the move that hasn't happened yet. This is also supported by the diplomatic flight where Jack is led to when following the recording. Something of international importance is happening that is at the heart of the whole buisness and which will finally explain the high risks Logan has taken in this season. Other highlights of the episode was of course Heller's sacrifice, but I have a hunch he may have survived, and Karen's change of sides when her suspicions are verified. 5 more episodes to go for the finale and I'm sure the surprises will not stop.

The Office Of Strategic Influence Is Free

This is the second album for the project of Kevin Moore (ex Dream Theater, Chroma Key), Jim Mattheos (Fates Warning), Joey Vera (Fates Warning) and Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater). If you are familiar with the members, you know the worth of the band. You may not know the origin of their name which refers to a subdivision of the USA department of defense which focused on propaganda. This short article on wikipedia has all the details. About the album itself, I will post my review which should appear soon on Behind the Veil webzine.
.............

The supergroup of O.S.I. follows up their succesful debut with "Free". It becomes clear that the person who is in charge is Kevin Moore (keyboards, vocals), as the mood of the album is a lot like Moore's Chroma Key project. I still wish they had brought Daniel Gildenlow (Pain Of Salvation) as was originally planned, since I find Moore's voice somewhat tiring. Of course, the man remains a most inspired song writer and keyboardist. Things go a bit more to the electronic and drum'n'bass side this time. Don't be alarmed though, this remains a metal album as Mattheos offers some quite heavy riffs. Mike Portnoy finds a chance to prove his versatility as he adapts to quite a different style of playing. "Free" is an album for demanding listeners and probably there's nothing like it in the whole scene. With a vocalist like Gildenlow however, it would be a masterpiece.

Ideas Are Bulletproof

It is usually a compliment to say that something has left you speechless, but it is much less than a compliment for someone who says so about "V For Vendetta". Indeed, the movie's purpose is, more than anything else, to encourage you to speak, no matter what it is you have to say.
In a future Britain, this isn't possible; speaking against the government may get you killed. In a society nurtured with fear and lies, the masked hero simply known as V will try to change the world. The parallels with George Orwell's "1984" are obvious, especially when the Chancellor is played by John Hurt who was the lead in the film with the same name. Even though V is pursuing a very personal vendetta, the "hero" title could not suit him more. Everyone who tries to better society at personal cost should bear it. V may be violent but he is also noble. His portrayal by Hugo Weaving is more reminiscent of the elven authority of Elrond (The Lord Of The Rings) than the cold and self-centered artificial intelligence of Agent Smith (The Matrix). Weaving's performance makes V's mask come alive; you almost see the expressions on it. It'd be no wonder if the terrorist label put on the romantic and brave bringer of justice confused some people. But does this really suggest a thin line between terrorism and justice or that our definitions are in serious need of reevaluation? A most important and timely question out of the many raised in the movie.
Evey, played by Natalie Portman, represents the crowd, society, everyone. She must overcome her fears and this cannot happen before she realizes that what she believes in is worth more than her life. V uses deception to achieve this but he claims the freedom of the artist who uses lies to tell the truth. Like Evey, society must overcome its fear and change. There will always be short-sighted people who will think that this movie glorifies terrorism, but how can V's masterplan to remove society's fear be called terrorism when it is the exact opposite? Taking a building to give hope seems like a fair exchange but V, in a beautiful symbolism, leaves the decision to Evey.
There are many more things to be said but I would only like to ask a few questions as food for thought. Is reality at all similar with the movie's universe? If it is, and the authorities perceive its messages as harmless when they are not, what are the mechanisms that render them so? If it's not, why would western democracy's apparent success inspire such a story?
I should note here, as closing line, that the inspiration belongs to Alan Moore and his comic with the same name. I haven't but I plan on reading it soon.

Blogging And Other Memes

The idea of blogging, once conceived, was quickly spread and adopted so that we can safely name it today a cultural phenomenon. You may even say it was an idea that was good in self-replicating. The analogy with the biological self-replicators, the genes, was not lost to Richard Dawkins who first coined the term "meme" in his innovating "Selfish Gene" debut. The concept of cultural or otherwise units of information that can replicate in human minds and be subject to their own natural selection was an attractive one and a lot of people worked on it. Some of them produced comprehensive studies like Susan Blackmore in "The Meme Machine" (on my to-read list) and the terms "meme" and "memetics" (as in genetics) officially entered the dictionary. I was reminded of the topic when I came across a few blogs that used the term and I realized it was a lot more popular than I thought. Unfortunately, memetics does not fare as well in its respective field. The inherent difficulties that come with the vagueness of meme's definition and the vast complexity of human culture make memetics' future as a science doubtful. Indeed, it is hard to conceive of a science that will be able to make predictions or provide some kind of solutions about culture. This does not mean that it is impossible, though. Memetics deals with a subject that is connected with areas we know very little about, such as the origin of language or the nature of consciousness. As it is naturally abandoned these days, I still believe it will be revived in a future in which our knowledge will allow it.
If you are interested for more information, you can take a look at this thorough Wikipedia article.

More Long Days For Jack Bauer

The news come directly from Fox's "24" website : Kiefer Sutherland has signed for 3 more seasons of the popular show. Am I happy about it? You bet. Few shows have managed to glue me to my seat, episode after episode, disregarding bodily protests about something called sleep. One has to wonder though, how will the writers manage to come up with enough ideas so that they won't repeat themselves. I mean after assassinations, nuclear weapons, deadly viruses and traitors in the White House, the options for terrorism plots run thin. Of course, Jack Bauer is quite a versatile action character and I can speculate, even at this early point, that we may see him spending his long day away from CTU. Hard to imagine how the "24" factor will fit if the bad guys aren't terrorists but let's hope the writers will be resourceful whichever way they choose to go. It's also hard to not feel sorry about Bauer's character. He's too busy saving the world that personal life is out of the question. It took a few kidnappings and betrayals for Jack to learn the lesson and the 3 more days that await him show that he learned it well. Of course, alongside Jack, Kiefer Sutherland feels somewhat tortured as well. It's all on this Rolling Stone article. Well, good luck to everyone involved so we can enjoy the show for 3 more years!

A Home Gathering

Some may find the alien-like (?) creature on the cover uninviting, but those that are familiar with the name of The Gathering know better. It's been 11 years since the band, with the arrival of Anneke Van Giersbergen, changed the status of front-woman metal bands almost single-handedly. Since then, the atmospheric but undoubtedly metal music of the band gave way to experimentations and artistic explorations that would mean commercial suicide for most metal bands. With Anneke's enchanting voice and unique personal style, however, The Gathering found themselves gaining more fans than losing. The talent of the band's musicians was no small part of the success. In the process of going from an atmospheric metal band to an alloy of Pink Floyd with darkwave and gothic rock, the band's composers (Anneke among them) offered some excellent songs. "Home" is perhaps the band's most removed album from metal so far. Anneke keeps a lower profile, the music sometimes borders on ambient and sometimes on more mainstream stuff (a more depressing Cranberries maybe). I can't say it's their best album, but its notes in the air are a pleasant presence. A perfect background if you want to relax your depression away...

What is the Shrike?

Science fiction was never a genre that attracted me strongly. When it comes to fantasy literature I prefered the authors that were continuing the legacy of J.R.R Tolkien. These four books by Dan Simmons though changed my mind completely. "Hyperion" and "The Fall Of Hyperion" introduce you to a future of mankind, not far from the end of the millenium we just entered. Humanity has colonized part of the galaxy and Earth has been destroyed completely by human error (or has it?). Dan Simmons has done a lot of research on the latest advances on theoretical physics and the technologies he describes, while clearly as wondrous as television would be to the Pharaos, are not hard to accept as the technology of that age. Despite the technological advances though, mankind has a lot of lessons to learn still. On the planet Hyperion, lie the Time Tombs; monuments of unknown origin where time doesn't behave the way it should. But this isn't the end of Hyperion's mystery. The being called the Shrike, a giant four-handed metallic humanoid, appears and disappears at will, wreaking havoc in the process. Nothing can stop it; the Shrike seems to manipulate time. You can't kill something that impales its spikes on you in the past of your killing attempts. Humans on Hyperion evacuate cities to escape the Shrike, while others build temples in order to worship and appease it. The Shrike Cult believes that the being's purpose is the destruction of humankind. But humanity faces another perceived threat. In the process of colonizing there were populations that failed to find suitable planets. The desperate alternative was to adapt to unsuitable ones. Thus, genetically modified humans, beings of many shapes and forms, now have different agendas that threaten human civilization. On the verge of war, seven people are invited for a pilgrimage to the Shrike Temple. Each one is connected to the monster in different ways and one of them is a traitor to humanity. As their stories unfold, pieces of the puzzle come together to form a most unexpected picture.
"Endymion" and "The Rise Of Endymion" are the books that follow. In the aftermath of the story of "Hyperion", the seeds of a Messiah have been sown. Hundreds of years after the Hyperion pilgrimage, only one of the pilgrims is still alive. Their discoveries gave power to the dying christian religion who now dominates humanity once again. A power that comes with a terrible price. The post-humans continue to be a threat. New technological secrets are made available by the community of artificial intelligences who are fighting their own civil war. During this turmoil, the dying last pilgrim enlists Endymion to guide the Messiah as she emerges from the Time Tombs. Will she be able to uncover the deepest secrets of the universe to a humanity that isn't sure of who is its real enemy?
As I said, science fiction wasn't my cup of tea. Dan Simmons, however, writes with such skill and describes a world in such detail that is totally enganging and believable. Philosophical matters couldn't be missing in a book that deals with humanity's future and survival. Questions about ecology, society, science and religion are raised and let the story and the readers answer them. Nothing more to say than to declare my fascination with these books. Expect a review of "Ilium" and "Olympos" soon, a duet of books that describe a much more distant and weirder future of humanity.

Pre-prison Flashback

Finally, a different episode for Prison Break. This much-needed flashback will make you like Michael's team in Fox River, even T-Bag (ok, a little). If you thought that freeing criminals as a part of the whole thing is questionable, you may change your mind. You will also learn what motivated Michael to pursue his elaborate plan and how he designed it. Finally, new information about Dr. Tancredi and Captain Bellick provide an updated context and some possible future plots that could prove very interesting. Let's hope it will be so when the series returns to the present, where things are quite grim for our escape artist. In the photo, the moment of inspiration for Michael's tattoo.

Last Seconds Shock

Both "24" and "Lost" are shows which are enjoying huge fanbases that I am sure are overlapping to a large percentage. While the format and setting is very different, both shows use the technique of the "last seconds shocker" to great effect and there is a reason it works well for both.
"24" with its continuous action and fast pace can actually turn a single trivial moment into one of suspense just by the sound of the seconds ticking away. The conspiracies and intrigues that surround terrorism plots can certainly provide a variety of shocking moments that are perfect for closing episodes.
"Lost"'s elaborate background and tons of characters, on the other hand, has a vast wealth of details that can be revealed. The writers have proved very skilled in their ability to prepare and present these moments just at the right time.

The question is who does it better?
I don't want to venture a general answer, so I'll just comment on the latest episodes. On "Lost", we get the first glimpse of a new major character's background, Libby. It is shocking for two reasons. First, it is the first direct connection between two characters after the countless indirect connections between them. Second, Libby is proved to have lied on at least one occasion which raises questions. The shocker's value is undiminished since the viewers don't have much information.
On "24" the things aren't nearly so good because the shock is too big and the viewers do have some information that could make them call shenanigans on the writers. The previously helpless, indecisive and weak President Logan appears to have worn a mask and now the writers have work to do to convince us of their plot consistency.
No matter what, both shows have lots of people waiting anxiously for the next episodes. If you are not one of them, you should think about joining them!

The Root Of All Evil

Richard Dawkins has written quite a few books that are well known for their clarity, persuasiveness and innovation when it comes to the theory of evolution. He is also well known for his atheism, as he is actively demonstrating in the two-part documentary of the title that aired on the british Channel 4. It is clear that Dawkins's background in zoology and evolution is what mainly brings him to oppose religion but it is also the reason why I think his effectiveness is less than it should be. Evolution clearly disproves the bible stories about human origin but this can hardly mean much when you are out against ancient world-views that are massively established. Dawkins tries to be polite with those he interviews but his tone, his questions and his general approach is not well received, and this should be expected from fundamentalists. No interview goes into any depth, usually interspersed with Dawkins's own comments, and sometimes without even supplying a much needed answer to the interviewed. In the end, the documentary is sadly preaching to the converted and is even frustrating at points.
Of course, the viewer is shown religion's dark side, but who doesn't know about it? What the viewers really need to see is that there is no bright side, at least not one that we can't do without.

Hail Xenu!

As Tom Cruise gets in the closet and refuses to come out, many people less wealthy than him are robbed of their money in order to stop the evil alien overlord Xenu from making them unhappy. When the concept of faith is met with unquestionable respect, absurdities like scientology are free to brainwash and take advantage of people. Southpark has been one of the most extreme and succesful cartoons of the decade, and despite the quality dropping recently, it still remains a voice of reason and a strong supporter of freedom of speech. Apparently, the criticism is too much for the american actor who is trying to ban the episode. You can read the story here. The question we should be asking, however, isn't whether or not Tom Cruise is in the closet but whether he is gullible or not. Considering the ultimate goal of the cult which is money, I am leaning toward the first.
Some may think the story about "cartoon makes fun of cult, celebrity cultist gets upset" is trivial but the point is hidden between the lines and it is the concept of faith. Hiding in the realm of faith, where nothing can be proven, con men flourish and get rich. And if it can happen on a global scale in such short time, what hints can we take about our large, ancient and untouchable religions?

Cosmological Evolution

Lee Smolin is an astronomer and theoretical physicist who has contributed much to the research on unifying General Relativity with Quantum Mechanics. You can read a very comprehensive report about this research on his latest book "Three Roads To Quantum Gravity". It's my belief, however, that "The Life Of The Cosmos" will prove to be a much more important book. Despite it being quite speculative and sometimes beyond the realm of science, the theory of cosmological evolution it presents makes a lot of sense and provides an explanation for many fundamental questions like what is life, what is the universe and what is the role of a human being in it. Applying the rules of biological evolution in cosmology is a brilliant insight that, if proven true, will change our way of scientific thinking.

Still not broken

After a very long break (pun not intended), Fox's series is back. The re-opening episode did very well in raising tension, as everything was falling apart and Lincoln's clash with electricity was only minutes away. The next delivery, however, becomes tedious, as Michael's new plans are even more absurd than before and the crucial destruction of his tatoo was a possibility that was extensively discussed by fans for a while. Still fun to watch, but I suspect many of Fox's viewers tune in an hour later to meet with Jack Bauer.

Unfetter the Obsidian Crown!

It's been a while since we last heard from the barbarians of epic metal, Bal-Sagoth. The new album entitled "The Chthonic Chronicles" is a return to the heaviness and complexity of (deep breath) "Starfire Burning Upon The Ice Veiled Throne Of Ultima Thule". The soundtrack atmosphere that Byron's narrations and the unworldly keyboards of Johnny Maudling create, transports you to the fantastical world of Bal-Sagoth. Are you ready?

The Map Of The Lost Mystery

Hidden on one of the blast doors, visible only in black light, "Lost" reveals a map of the island hatches, workstations for the mysterious Dharma Initiative group. The many notes on the map will provide food for endless discussions, as will the taunting question mark in the center (they should make that an official symbol of the series!). "Lockdown" was a great episode and more will follow!

Who needs introductions?

Queensryche definitely don't need one. Just listen to the first sequel in the history of sequels that doesn't suck. "Operation:Mindcrime 2" brings you with astonishing ease back to 1988 when one of the best concept albums was released. The story continues with much soul-searching and yes, revenge.