Hermits, hollowhearts and heroes

Recently resigned from my job due to the high cost of transportation. Even though I liked it a lot, the people there are nice most of the time. So much better than my first job at burger king. And burger king has old grumpy aunties who treat me like dogs.

I gave a present to someone special. A work friend. Even though I know I'm not special to her. It was worth it. Been trying to hide feelings but when moments came, it's too hard to ignore. Just can't lie to myself. But can't lie that I suck at this kind of lovely dovey stuff! Haha.

I was a little heartbroken after sending the resignation letter. The last time I would ever, maybe, to step onto that workplace. So head to town and bought myself Death's Scream Bloody Gore cd. Old school death metal! What to do. Music is my only soulmate.


Right now I'm staying home, watching tv, hanging out in my room, training on my guitar. And physical fitness for NS. Finding a new job too.

I.F.H.AMMO Ver 8.0

Anyone living at the westside of Singapore and not having a job, do head down to pizza hut clementi. They need people there. I'm being held hostage.

IYAN'S 5 HEADBANGER AMMOS



Enslaved - Vision Sphere of the Elements: A Monument, Pt. 2
Year: 2001
Origin: Norway
Genre: Progressive black metal
Minors: Black/viking metal, post-black metal


Who says Norwegian black bands have no ears for blues? Black metal ain't noise pollution! Haha.

Avant-gardish Monumension album is said to be one of the best of the 'new' Enslaved. Retro-feel drums and keyboards, bringing back some old prog-rock?

Starts off with some insane shred riff, 500-tonne cargo-train-coming blast beat. Draggy-doomy riffs, steel-melting blues solos. Blues? You heard me. Cheesy "Oi" chants. Don't stop the music yet, check out the astounding 'Know your enemy' interlude. Might be inspired by Rage Against the Machine.

Evil, beastly rock 'n roll indeed.

Headbanger's meter: Near extreme

Obituary - Slowly We Rot
Year: 1989
Origin: USA
Genre: Death metal
Minors: F*ckin' old school death metal. Wait. This is!


Been spinning to this album frequently. It's like scratching an itchy rash with a sea urchin! If you want crispy original-favoured old skol death metal potato chips, never look further. This is the sh*t!!

The doomy intro is as if you’re walking in a dark gruesome back alley behind the meat shop. Grinded meat waste everywhere. On 01:24 minutes, do start running. The mad butcher is out for you because he ran out of frozen pork.

Kind vocals by Taz the Tasmanian Devil! Interesting fact, the eerie blood-groovy solos are actually listenable. If you hear to Slayer.

Headbanger's meter: Near extreme

Payable on Death - Without Jah, Nothin'
Year: 2001
Origin: USA
Genre: Alternative metal
Minors: Thrash, nu-metal, reggae-punk


Been re-listening to POD! What the? Back to some of my pre-puberty era music! I got Satellite album for my 13th birthday. And at that point of time, I couldn’t define the term 'music genre'. Ah... remember your Sony Playstation 1?

A very interesting one from the multi-platinum Californian nu-metallers. Let us now play tribute to [your God here] through spiritual playing of screaming punk-thrash reggae music. Haha. Cool nu-metal-meets-reggae basslines. Though the rasta singer is irritating.

Headbanger's meter: Moderate to very high. Need a skank meter?

Amorphis - House of Sleep
Year: 2006
Origin: Finland
Genre: Melodic metal
Minors: Post-doom death, pop metal, alternative metal, love metal, progressive metal, gothic rock/metal


Metal music for grown-ups (post-metal/ex-deathsters…?)! The theme is so mature, you might be married and having a few kids. Reading a newspaper, watching the prime time news. And the death metal band you play in now has piano.

One of Amorphis' most decent tracks so far. Moderately heavy. Very melodic guitars. Very melodic everything. Soothing manly vocals from Tomi Joutsen. Elegant vocal harmonies here and there. Modern gothical pianos teaming up with their trademark keyboards.

So there you have it, f*ckin' heavy metal… suitable for a condominium advertisement on tv.

Headbanger's meter: Moderate

HIM - When Love and Death Embrace
Year: 1997
Origin: Finland
Genre: Goth rock
Minors: Love metal, pop rock, alternative metal, pop metal, doom pop


What the. HIM again? Just going through some raging emotional needs… In malay means ‘jiwang’. Haha. Been listening a lot to the infernal love metal majesty. But trying hard to avoid them. Because emo music is bad for health!

Maximum love metal! The uppermost, bottom to the core heartbroken moment. "Awww... So sad", Itchy from the Itchy and Scratchy show says. Let's flashback the sweet memories in slow motion. And the busty lady in tight tops jogging too. Haha.

Go listen lah you jiwang/emo kid.

Headbanger's meter: Moderate

Battles in the mother north

An earthquake hit Sichuan, China last Monday. A cyclone hit Myanmar early this month. Sounds irrelevant here, but I just want to remind myself that other people are suffering more than me. Spare a few seconds.

God save us.

Mother's Day

Yes, I've been busy with work. I took me 3 days later to write about last Sunday!

The most hardworking human being in your life. We should all love our mothers. Because they shed blood, sweat and tears for you.

I'm the first in the family to wish my mum a Happy Mother's Day. It was 12:01am, I was on the way back from work in the mrt. And I brought home her favourite pizza, veggie lover's that is.

6:30 on a Sunday morning. The whole family woke up to celebrate with a Mother's Day cake. Mocha favoured I think. My sisters bought presents for mum too. I was a very happy event.

I only wish is that 20 years down the road, all us three little pigs will still love our mother. And forever.

A Sunday Assault

After 4 weeks, Assault finally had a jamming session. Once a month? I'm quite upset. No kidding, I love to go jamming. But I hate to practice. No fun with my cheap small amp. No, wait. All my guitar equipment sucks.

But I don't really care. Music comes from the heart. And set-up matters.

The jamming was okay. Good, but not great. We improved fast on Retribution. W.O.H, not so well done. As usual, my guitar tone is evil. Haha. Sounds like Obituary?

After that, I head down to Inokii to buy a metal cd, which I do every once a month. But I missed a dinner with my family. I felt guilty, but when else can I go buy my cd...?

Finally I get to own In Flame's Jester Race. Been listening to it a lot, on 128Kbps-bit rate ripped from Clarence's. But now I can roll it at a full 320Kbps-bit. Nice. Well actually I was going to pre-order a classic Immortal album but I didn't bring enough money.

And for your info, I always listen to Jester Race, everytime before I start writing a song for Assault.

Lifelessness of life

I've been going through a bit of depression. But I'll be okay. There's a lot of things that I miss. And life at Nanyang campus isn't one of them. Never. My poly life sucks! Wait. The food is nice there...

I missed two girls at the same time. Strange but true. One just disappeared without warning. And another one, changed face. I just wish I get to know her better. Both.

And in a few weeks, I completed 4 C&C campaigns. Every midnight after work. Damn. I'm a nerd! I just completed Yuri's Revenge with Soviet forces last night. Five years ago I gave up at the Soviet 3rd mission. The ending: Yuri went back to 1993 to appear in the Jurassic Park film! Haha.

I've dived into this sea of solitude, I held my breath longer than most of you.

Monsoon monsters

[Derived from blizzard beasts]

I've been working six nights a week. Had enough rest. But not enough exercise. I miss the evening jogs at the jetty. Whilst listening to metal.

I always reach home from work around 12 midnight. And had trouble sleeping after that! Usually I will only fell asleep after 3 or 4. And sometimes not at all. But then I sleep in the chilly morning till afternoon.

Did you ever notice, the air in the early morning is colder than at night? Guess the natural air-con kicks in late. Mother nature, please go repair it. And Jack Neo, go clean the air-con. "Vacuum here... simperr(simple)!!"

Calling her 666

Then one morning, I was a little obsessed about a crush... I can't sleep. She was working later in the morning, so I decided to gave her a call while she was on her way to work. Like, greet her good morning, have a nice day whatever.

However, I was so nervous. Like never before. Very hard to push the green button. I think my testicles left me that morning and went jogging.

In the end, I did tried to (miss) call her. She didn't pick up. At least I get to hear the french lady sing. Haha. I suck.

Nah. Back to solitary manhood.

Tiberian suns that sunk below

Been re-playing C&C tiberian sun! Whilst listening to metal. I first played it like 5 or 6 years ago. Next, red alert 2! Video games, a man's best friend. Recently finished the GDI campaign.

I think In Flames' music fits with the game well. Like, a dystopian futuristic war on global humanity. Lunar strain was awesome. And there's a track with some damn soothing female vocals. Beats Tarja!

At times when loneliness vanquishes over sanity, you don't mind making friends with ghosts and spirits...