Outside The Ambit

No blog in ages hm?

I have my reasons

The in depth analysis is:

Things have been megashit.

Thatll do,

ive done enough depressing emoXcore blogs in my time.

But its been about a year and maybe, just maybe, things are going to get better.

 

 

Less of the recluse.

Ive been gradually getting out more!

Which is interesting as Im now earning less :-s

 

Gigs booked (more later)

Adventures been on (more later)

As for work, with Waterstones finished, Ive become an extra again, and have been lucky enough to get quite a bit of work so far (touch wood it keeps up).

Even got to be on the mighty Pobol Y Cwm twice, which was great fun and well paid.

 

 

Things To Do

Writing.

Its been getting to me a great deal.  Ive always seen myself as a writer, but its just not happening.  I still have the desire and the passion, but Im not getting anything done.

I did manage to get another piece of FlashFiction off, but theyre 500 word pieces, I should be firing them out of the wazoo!  But its better than it has been.  And more surprisingly Ive been going back to one of the novels I began in uni, adding to it here and there.

 

Learning.

One of the stranger things about me is that I miss learning.  So Ive picked up a pack to teach myself Welsh.  Ive wanted to have a better grasp of the language of my home country for some years now, but going back to Extra Work has made me realise how beneficial it would be to me to at least have a grasp of the language.  Just that little chance I can get a line or two, bumping up the price and what I can put on a CV.

 

Get Out More

In the past I never worried about the way id talk and think my own way and get told I need to get out more.  Before I was safe in the knowledge that I did more in a fortnight than they did in a month of circular nights out at the same pubs, with the same people and the same songs, every weekend, for a decade or more.

Now, after leg damage and the kind of relentless embarrassing illnesses that the ginger guy out of family guy suffers have made me referred to as a hermit.  And while Im not exactly cut by that, my time indoors has affected me and made me someone I dislike immensely.  I still want to go to the theatre, to go to the cinema more, to see bands more, to see my friends more.

If anything its a need to see things to give me something to write about.  Not being a joke helps, but so is life itll cost money. So

 

Earning

As per usual Im at a loss for what to do.  I have so far had more frequent extra work than last time, but its roughly working out at around £100 a month which is nowhere near enough, even when still being a hip and sexy enough sci-fi fan living for free in his dads basement.

So fundage needs to come in.

Join another Extra company?

Phoenix are a reputable agency that offer the fact you can actually ring them if work is slow to see if theres any work, but will require a professional portrait (£!!) and theres no guarantee that with a Bristol based company that therell be any.

Writing!

The obvious solution for me, but its not been happening and even if I do get in the swing, its no more stable an income than Extra work.

Part-time work?

Stable funds if I can get the job, but finding something that will allow for extra work is tricky for someone that lives outside of Cardiff.  But there is apparently a Borders opening in Cardiff, so I may see if I can apply early to show my love for working around books.  In fact I may press the fact that I like films, love and have the experience of working around books and Music? Its been noted im a fan of the stuff. :)

Dole?

Would keep some income whilst not getting extra work.

But am I really up for going through it all again, the way people look at me, the disappointment and hidden shame of relatives and jokes to face and back? Moreover am I willing to have it affect me like it did around this time last year?  Not really.

Prostitution?

Im not sure I could stomach it.

 

Adventure

 

This weekend I went to Swansea,

Fun was had, like the fun I remember!

The Rock night there was amazing, Face Off in escape is how proper rock clubs should be, and its only once a week.  With a lighter room, a heavy as f*ck room and a live bands room, Im ashamed to say it pisses all over Cardiffs rock club scene even when it runs once a week.  Cardiff has the venues for live bands, Barfly Ifor Bach, the university and the CIA (even the millennium stadium) are quite capable of that. But the clubs and club nights need a definite seeing to.  The best we have is the Points appallingly titled Bogiez, but thats down the bay so its out of the way and its fortnightly.  And hair metal heavy.  Escape played lots of great tracks you wouldnt necessarily expect after the repetitive metros killing in the name of = nearly the end of the night-a-thon.

Saturday was swelteringly hot, so the beach was planned; only we couldnt park, so we went further and further from the beach.

We parked up somewhere out of the way and decided to trek down this path through the undergrowth to reach the bay.

We didnt though we were assured it was just round the corner :D

But in the end it was far more fun than id ever find lazing in the sun (and burning) Instead we went through undergrowth following a dried up riverbed, finding all manner of bugs, caves, rivers and rope swings.

Read about it with pictures BELOW!!!

 

Music

 

Is good.  Is very good, really.  It wont match last year, but its not doing bad, with albums like Khomas Second Wave and new albums by Muse and Snow Patrol show what talent our country is capable of.  Hell, even Lostprophets official declaration of pop is amazing fun.  Im going to see Muse in November, Lacuna Coil with Devildriver in October and the lads from round the corner The Automatic on Sunday. And frikkin ISIS tomorrow!!!

I need to do more reviews, my writinger skills arent good likes no mores.

 

Isis tomorrow

 

ISIS!!!!!

 

---

  

The initial idea for yesterday was to have a bit of a walk and a BBQ
Then i remembered the football was on
So that was fun to watch that absolute disgrace of human structuring scoring off defenders backs.  Oh that robot dance. i bet there were some funny funny guys doing that in Jumpin Jaks last night!

So i went in later on, with Simon coming in from Newport.
I followed chris' instructions to get to Laura's house and in an amazing feat for my orientation skills i actually found the place.
Only thing was he sent me to 11 Llantwit street... and they were at 12
"Hi mate."
"Hi this is 11 Llantwit street?"
"Yeah."
"Does Laura live here?"
"....no."

Once in the right house it became apparent that everyone was ahead of me on beer units by a few daysworth, in fact, the Orange and vodka chris was drinking was possibly potent enough to to melt concrete!
Loz was having a good time, insisting we play the Roxanne Game.


Simon was pretty much champing at the bit to go to The Point, a rock club only on a few times a month, but one weve only been to once.
It didnt help that he loathes lager and cider, and the only other thing on offer was brandy and something that smelled like incense :-/
Everyone was having a great time, even for us soberites watching people totter around
Eventually people started moving.
But that may have been because two lads decided it would be a good idea to empty 2/3 of a bottle of white spirit onto the barbeque

which was clever.
The initial burst of flame went up about eight foot :-...

So we got closer to leaving, but coming up with plans and implimenting them when that tanked up is quite difficult.
Simon:  "so well go down the bay to The Point then?"
James:  "Yeah."
Dan:     "Are we going to town?"
James:  "Yeah."
Laura:  "We could just go to the local place."
James:  "Yeah."

Chris also had a brilliant moment of motivation.  Springing forward from the fridge he was leaning against, the vodka with a shot of orange now in full effect:
"Right! arewe movung? letsgo tothepub...club... where are we going?"

Luckily, Lawrence was now beyond the point of no return and ready to head home, so siezing the chance, we offered everyone to come and meet us in the point, but with it being a good half hour walk, kinda knew itd be just the two of us.
They still had a whale of a time anyway. a brewerysworth of a whale.

So The Point
The point is a fantastic venue. A converted church: fantastic lighting, good sound, and a good crowd.  Ive been in there more when its shut than when its open - it was where we were waiting before S4Cage filming when i was an extra on Caerdydd, where all the actors waited and were overlooked by a grizzled ex-rocker who looked after the place.
Metros is the only rock club i really go to.  Theres the Welsh club, but the last time in there they were playing well known hard rock songs like Abba, and - i shit you not - YMCA

The Point isnt regular, but id like to be a regular there.  Its a shame as ever that theres few people who like my music, but me and simon did well enough.  There was little attitude last night
and not since the Hard House night were i was the only person not on E, we danced with a bunch of strangers without any care other than having a good time with good music.
And what strangers, its like nothing from the awful centre of Cardiff.  there were normally dressed folks, there were hardcore bruisers, girls caked in makeup, boys caked in makeup, PVC-clad giants with half their head shaved and the other half a flowing mane of jet black, pretty little goth girls, terrifyingly obese goth girls (who bizzarely move faster and more insane than anyone else) and then me and simon dancing in a circle with them.  Ive still never seen the mosh recreated at the rock night in Bath - a circle pit without a band was a bizzare thing to see, but again it was me and one other and it didnt matter getting battered around by strangers :)

The floor was crazy slippery though, and with my ankle mended but not strong, i couldnt pull out those outstanding Phill moves.  And of course, NIN's Closer is nothing without Gazztastic there to serve every foo in da houseizzle.

Funniest moment was by the Bar. I was wearing my FT t-shirt

And the guy in front of me turned round. And he read my t-shirt and smiled.  I thought, here we go again, 'who is blah blah'
instead he pointed at the name and said "good call man, hes fucking awesome!"  WIN!  back of the net.

The music was a bit old school, as that same old guy i thought was the caretaker was actually the DJ, and for someone who looked older than the Rolling Stones he did put on a lot more than just 80s hair metal.  Needless to say it was funny to see 30something longhairs air guitaring on a dance floor before throwing their fists in the air to scream along to medieval loons Mon'o'War. It was also bizzare, but kind of special, to pause during some Machine Head, to see every single person on the dance floor, young, old, fat, tall woman, man or ladyboy destroying their necks and shoulders.
It might get repetetive too - but it kicks metros arse.  Hopefully we'll convince others to go, i know some wouldnt mind it for a change.

We felt the strain, mind.  Me and simon are out of practice, thats for sure.  Hopefully itll change, even if its just two of us again.

Hell, i might just be fixed

But lets not tempt fate.

 

Ive got back to working, which is nice!

When not falling foul of digestion failures, ive managed to get a few jobs for the new series of Caerdydd for broadcast on S4C.

 

Today was good fun, alleviating boredom as they filmed just the main actors, a few of us played cards,

And i learnt the joys of the game 'Shit Head'

We were used quite a bit today, all good fun.

Better still was getting an extra fiver because they thought wed be kept on for longer - only to have everything wrapped up by six!

 

I'm gagging to get out and see things (sexy) and see lots of films

Gigging sounds good too, with 36 Crazyfists next month and the jawdropping Isis in July

My nose is bleeding now whats that all about?

 

I even managed to break my frustrating mental block and do some writing. Actual writing.

It was shit.

But its a start.

 

Friday i should be filming for Pobwl y Cwm, and im quite excited to be going for that.

Heres hoping that the work keeps coming, but when is anything with me stable?

 

And theres a possibility of sketch filming with Gazzloid too, even better.

 

Here's to things not being utter shit - at least for a short while, please?

In fact this isnt going to stop and i need the doctors

i starved myself for 60 hours

then had 2 slices of toast - all good

24hrs later ad another 2 rounds - all fine

yesterday i had some weetabix at lunchtime - all fine

small sandwich in the evening

excuse me talking about poop,

but that evening i flushed away what made me think i was proper mended

 

then this morning i woke up and felt like my insides were on fire.

ive had food poisoning before but this was more painful

So im back to square one.

no food

boiled water

Doctors tomorrow

i also have to tell my agent that i cant do the work she booked me for.

again.

and ive possibly missed out on a mates birthday celebrations this weekend

 

So im not a very happy bunny right about now

 

and im very

hungry

damnit.

The good news is that ive become an extra again, and got a job within a week.

The bad news is that on the second day i had to quit because ive got some kind of bastard stomach bug or something :(

again.

can i have a new body please

preferably Johnny Depp's.

so its back to the good old boiled water and starving myself.

so very hungry.

and annoyingly, likely out of action till after the weekend

when i wanted to go out and see films

and eat.

god i want to eat.

A woman of 63 will give birth to a child in a few months time.
All thanks to 'maverick' scientist Severino Antinori.
The woman underwent fertility treatment in another country because of the medical proffession being uncomfortable with giving fertility treatment and allowing women of that age to become pregnant.
The age limit here is 45. thats just under 20 years difference.
Pro-life campaigners are taking a break from calling rape victims at abortion centres monsters to campaign against it, calling the mother 'selfish'
The mother, a child psychologist - who already has two adult children - is in incredibly good health, a factor Dr Antinori has declared the most important factor.

So what d'you reckon?

 

Me? i wouldnt say im against it, but im not for it.

Its wonderful that tratment can do such miraculous things, but its part of the bodys makeup that women arent supposed to be able to give birth forever.

What galls me most is that the child is nowhere near as important in this as it should be.

 

To me it seems to be more about an argument of rights.  The pro life campaigners called the mother selfish and i have to partly agree.  The mother is too old to give birth.  Shes certainly more agreeable than most, being in fine health and with a career as a child psychologist - but surely that last factor should have given her the sense to see how their child will be.

When the child is ten, the mother will be seventy three.  That is how old my father is now.  Im twenty five and people are surprised at the age of my father.  The womans health is important to giving birth to the child, but what about when its an unruly teenager? Are they going to be able to cope with the stress levels?

Children are often brought up by their grandparents, but this leads to an interesting scenario where the child may be brought up by his brother/sister if they cant handle it.

Im against this age being allowed to give birth.  Many that will disagree saying its her right, if she wants a child why should she be denied if the means are available?

Im not against rights, but this shouldnt become an argument about rights, about what an impressive thing it is for a woman of that age to face such a 'challenge' its a human life, not a way of proving yourself.

 

In a similar vein im not too keen on men becoming fathers at a similar age for the same reasons - ive seen a few instances where it made the news, and the fathers beam pride that slightly unsettles me, being only part because of bringing a child into the world, but because theyre waving their cock round alpha-male style. Look what i can do i am still a man, i have prowess.  Health is much better these days but people still die of old age in their sixties.  Is it right to willingly bring a child into the world with a higher chance hell be orphaned possibly before hes old enough to leave home?  Its good that her other children are old enough to provide support, but the child would still be without parents.  But these people have lives of their own, they could have their whole lives rearranged because their mother wants another child?

 

Additionally im assuming the child will be born without grandparents.  The only reason i knew one grandparent was because my mother was a decade younger than my father.

'quite a daunting prospect' the father stated. Well its a challenge for anyone really, thats what bringing up a child is, but its not about proving a point.  Stating "oooh well she really wanted another child" doesnt cut it for me, its making a life sound like a material possession.

 

The fact that the mother is a child psychologist greatly helps the situation, but otherwise the child would grow up with a very disjointed and dated sense of the world having only ageing parents to learn from.  What other peers will they have to learn from?

 

And finally lets add to the good old press and how theyll 'help'

Seeing this and this womans 'brave achievement' will make hundreds want to do such a thing.  I think the 45 age limit is too low, and i feel bad for saying that these women and families that want to have another child and care for it is wrong. But even though this woman seems more capable than most, i cant help but consider my own father and how he would cope if i was fifteen now.  Doctors are in awe of how healthy he is for his age (constant referrals of having heart of a man 20 yrs his junior), but the effects of ageing over the last 5/10 years are dramatic, and i cant help but consider the couples decision irresponsible.

Hundreds of children every day are born in dangerous and unacceptable situations and are brought up fine, but why choose to create such a situation?

 

 

Im not sure what im writing this for

But at least im writing, hey.

Ive been getting the 'urge' for writing stronger than ever, but i cant understand why its not coming through.

Every time i go to a blank scren i get nothing.

On the way to bath i had a notebook in front of me when a woman came round with a survey:

"oh i wont bother you if you're working." she said.  But i told her i wasn't.

"Blank page, hey?"

"That's how it usually is." i replied.

my how we chuckled.

 

At least im doing some writing. not just this drivvle, but album reviews.

Theyre not good enough yet, but what am i intending to do with the ones that are?

Maybe i should investigate instead of staring at walls.

Im becoming very good at that.

In a rare change of form i know what some of the problems are,

but to go into them would bore even myself.

Maybe thats one of the problems.

 

Ive signed back up to my two acting agencies

Hopefully the background roles will come flooding in.

I need to think of what else i need to do though.

Will the extra roles be more frequent now that im on two agencies?

I have options but i cant afford or dont have time to do all of them.

Above all this i must start writing again.

But do i want to focus on short stories or the novels.

Why havent i gone back to the novels.  I adored both of them.  But maybe thats the problem.

Jules HArdy, my Yoda of the creative force, told me not to get too attached to my works.  Care for it, but keep a safe distance so that its your work and not your baby.  y fear of the novels may just be the fear of working on something so hard an dhaving it fail.

Thats always been a problem of mine.

I need to learn that i cant win a race if im not in it.

 

Music has been nice.  Still reeling from making everyone sick about meeting a musician no one knows, ive got my hands on the Snow Patrol and Taking Back Sunday albums, and theyre the best both bands have achieved to date.  Cult of Luna and Tool albums are needed.

 

I need to look at my novels again

I need to contact the people that do proof reading courses

I need to stop staring into space freaking out

I need to be that guy who lived here three years ago.

What hapenned to him? He was allright.

Went to Bath this weekend and saw mates i havent seen in months!
fun was had.
i didnt take nearly enough pictures but heres a few:

lets start with something beautiful
Three things beautiful.
Eloisa, Sara and Hannah. *weak at the knees*

 

We had a meal because were grown ups

so grown up in fact,
that Terry and Jonner had a CAKE EATING SPEED CHALLENGE[/FONT]!!! .....

... and showed everyone vile porn on his phone.

 

We then went out and got absolutely smashed.

Sunglasses were passed around
to make Terry into Bono

 

and even though Jonner is in a band and usually looks efforletlessly cool.
he told us sunglasses always make him look silly.
he showed us:

 

I took photos but most were frighteningly unflattering.
Some of those were a very good thing :D

Heeeellllll fiiiinnd youuuuuuu :fear:

 

Best of all though was Neil, who I,

whilst trying to capture the full extent of his Neil! at the Disco haircut
ended up taking this shocker!!
it made me realise he's possibly a sex offender

 

"ello, this is ruby... shes on her easter holidays" *slavers*
oddly, hes very handsome... not so here though... very much not so.

The next morning everyone was looking absolutely gorgeous

I went to do some Shopping with Sara (hannah had gone home :crying:)
while the men recovered and played Halo.
Im so very proud of terry, he started drinking again as soon as he got up :first:

I promised Hannah (forumHannah) id take some scenic stuff:
heres an arch isnt it pretty

and this is the crescent

 

Me and Sara saw the city's best busker.
After three years of uni we were allowed to be tourists so we said hello to him, took pictures and gave him money

poor girl was terrifed. He made her throw the flaming torch to him bless her.

 

Then we drank in the park like tramps,
The weather was gorgeous.
And despite the frequency of it happenning,
it was the frst time id actually seen them inflate a hot air balloon there.

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we shouted things at them they were lovely.

 

Joe brought his Poi stuff with him.
Im really proud of my pics of Joe
Joe and Jonner had a Poifight. Joe is good at Poi

 

Jonner... er

Jonner is not

 

 

So Lots of Fun was had
we then went to the pub (again) and on to an aftershow party or... something.
oh and someones birthday. Jon pretended to be birthday boy bernard so we sang him happy birthday.
Then the real Bernard shouted oi and we were sad.
Then he gave us Birthday cake.
and we had an orgy

 

Sunday, People were hungover again and i was fine

Terry drank straight away again. heehee. so very proud
i lost at Halo again :(
Then as the lads were watching crap teams play football i saw off Sara.
She was happy as she bought a music box thing and said shed pull this face and play it on the train so she didnt have to sit next to anyone.

 

Best pictures?
Terry falling through a Deck Chair

 

And this one really surprised me.
if only i could take pics this good all the time

 

i hope ive entertained you.

Monday 10th / Tuesday 11th

 

Work.  Slog lots of it. Still lots to do.

Tuesday my father arrived, staying in a nearby hotel. We went for a meal, which was very weird, but not as uncomfortable or hostile as I thought it would be.  It was good to see dad after a week, being isolated made me appreciate another familiar face.

Though other faces at the hotel were good to see, as most of the staff – to be fair – were gorgeous.

We also had the far more uncomfortable task of getting food and drink for the wake.  Thing is retail packages all that kind of thing as party food, that’s what it is…

For one thing though, it was all on offer.  So well done nan… very timely.

 

Wednesday 12th

 

No surprise there’s not much sleeping done, and im up early.  A good thing, as theres still a few things to do to clear space in the living room for fifteen odd guests that will be here for the wake.

My dad is the first to arrive, closely followed by the relatives we saw on Sunday, and then some relatives I feel shamed to admit that I don’t know who they were.

I’m not particularly upset; I’m too busy making sure my mother is okay and greeting guests.

Its only when the hearse and convoy arrives that im shaken – seeing the coffin in the back and knowing my grandmother was inside something so tiny.

The service was powerful.  The vicar was like no other man of the cloth id seen, incredibly passionate, but utterly human, jovial and warm.  He also included us in the service, addressing us personally rather than just to the congregation as a whole.  It was like nothing id ever felt before, upsetting, but in that kind of proud way.  Afterwards everyone I heard mention it said they had never seen anything like it at a funeral.

I read a poem that I wasn’t sure id make it through but I guess all those years of reading at church and the acting paid off.

Afterwards is surreal.  People keep saying I’m wonderful.  I’m strong.  I’m a ‘rock’.

I’m not quite sure why.  I do know that I’ve been cracking the whip to make sure we get things done in the house, and nervous as I was that I was going too far, I had to do that to get as much done as we did.  But otherwise I just did what anyone would have.

It also allowed me to get to know my relatives a bit better.

It seems were one of those families that only meet for weddings and funerals.

Sadly no one’s got married in a while.

 

Thursday 13th

 

Drained.  There are more trips to the dump and then we decide what to take back now and what waits for a few weeks time when we can get back here.  I might be in Bath that weekend, so its probably the last time ill be in that house.

The journey back is all you’d expect from a pre-bank holiday and more.  It normally takes four hours if were slow. 

It took six.

But it’s over. It’s done.  Hopefully things can start getting back on track for my parents now.

And hopefully people will stop dying.

Then maybe, just maybe, ill write a blog that isn’t so bastard depressing.

But then I’d rather write it than say it.

 

Inevitability may have taken its time, but it has finally arrived.

My grandmother passed away on Sunday, after conforming to her personality in likewise being just as stubborn with a terminal disease.  She lasted longer than we or the doctors predicted.

Its sad, but to be honest Im relieved.  She wont suffer any further.  And neither will my mother, who has been on the other side of Britain for over a month away from the people she knows and the job she has only just begun.

Later this week, ill be going to her home in Cambridgeshire to help with the not too cheerful task of sorting out the accumulated clutter of 82 years.  Staying in the house I used to dread visiting for its silence and isolation from what I know.

Now it will be more silent than before.

Ill be gone for a week, coming back after the funeral full of relatives I dont know.  I dont have many relatives; my family has always been my friends.  These people are names on birthday and Christmas cards.

I feel somewhat ashamed that the only family I know beyond my grandmother arent blood either, theyre my godparents.

Im glad that she passed the way she did. Considering, of course.  When the time came, nurses made her comfortable and she had her sister and her only daughter right by her side till her last breath.

Cancer is a horrific way to end your time on the planet, but Im incredibly thankfull that despite this, her passing was so peaceful.

 

Rest in peace

82 years young

The Lucky Nine – True Crown Foundation Songs

8/10

Some albums are growers.  This album I liked from the start, I didn’t neglect it, but nothing spectacular.  Then about two or three months later I listened to it and something just clicked.  I can’t place quite what it was, but I kept nudging the volume up that little bit further.

It hasn’t left my daily playlist since.

How things have improved for this band since their E.P. is phenomenal. 

Opener ‘Vessel and Vine’ is huge.  Confident and uplifting, and – oddly – I think would make excellent wrestling entrance music. :-D

With Colin Doran at the mike, you do see a lot of Hundred reasons to the sound, but this is harder, its more fierce.  I’m not saying I prefer it to Doran’s full time band, but its certainly not worse.  Think of Shatterproof’s ‘Gone too far’ and you’ll have an idea.  There’s plenty of harmony involved, though, but this is far less radio-friendly fare than Hundred reasons or A (this bands CVs are a glorious thing, including the names Sunna, Above All, A, 100 Reasons and Iodine)  Songs like the ear blistering ‘the program’ making it apparent that this group have the sense to love Will Haven.

 ‘How Have Things Changed’ is another furious track; Jagged riffs usher in a howl from Doran over an almost funky fretwork.  The verse is softer, Doran crooning over a pulsing bass, before exploding into what should be circle-pit gold. Songs like this are made for making bruises on the dance floor.

‘Line Pine Mall’ includes award worthy use of the chorus pedal, calling to mind Deftones.  I keep making reference to other bands, and you get elements of Helmet too, but this is not some band peddling off influences by any means.  They have their own sound entirely, with fantastic use of sampling and effects, inspiring lyrical content and above all, songs that really make you long for mosh pit and rock club dance floor alike

‘Sweet Dreams’ and ‘Jaques Molay is Avenged!’  both have the kind of chorus 90% of bands would kill for, the more Im writing about this band the more I’m realising quite how good this really is.

This is no album of similarity, either.  Songs like ‘Hibernate’ stick out like a sore thumb.  A stripped down intro slips through to a hard, punky start, with a big sung chorus that surely should jar like a crap chop shop car, but instead fits seamlessly.

‘Washington Geometry’ is another completely different affair, much slower, but this politically charged number is no slow dance ballad, ‘you lie and cheat and steal all day like the mother fucker that you are’ Doran yells.  Shock and awe indeed, mr Doran.

With songs like ‘light from passing cars’ and ‘Jaques Molay is Avenged’ it is hard to escape the 100 reasons references, but this should only be because of Doran’s distinctive voice, and it shouldn’t be a negative in any way.This isn’t a side project, it’s a band in its own right, like A Perfect Circle to Tool, this will entrance fans of one and draw in new fans.  Every member of this band have brought their experience to this and deserve credit for it, the bass lines are infectious, the drumming is at times incredible.  They sound confident enough to fill huge venues; their songs are both alternative and catchy, mixing a really fierce aggression with these huge, stadium-scoped choruses.

Much like A Perfect Circle, I hope they keep coming back.  Ill repeat. This is no side project.

This is music you need.

Standouts: ‘How things have changed’ ‘The program’ ‘Hibernate’