Half alive

If you feel that half of you inside just died, remember that the other half lives. So, are you half-dead or half-alive? This is the same question as "Is the glass half empty of half full?"

How would you define black/death metal music? Satanic music? Music specially made for the anti-Christ? Ear-torture noise? Load of crap?

I would disagree to all of the above. But I would strongly agree that it is great exercise music! I listened to them everytime I went for morning jogs.

I bought Immortal's Battles in the North a few days ago. Fucking ice cold raw black metal. Great workout tunes! The album title fits me well because I live at the northernmost part of Singapore. Near the causeway. Haha. Blastbeating my way to fitness!

A picnic of friendship


Last Tuesday, me and my old pals celebrated Hasyim's 19th birthday on a picnic at east coast park. Ex-high schoolmates. It was a great day. Of course I miss outings with them since that day we all went to Sentosa for BBQ.


At some point, these guys might be the last group of friends I have in my life. I rarely go out with groups. Other than my bandmates. I'm the loner type I guess.

The weather is good. It almost rained. The beach is okay. There are too many ships out in the sea, it feels less romantic. But I'm not there for romance though. Haha.


A long way to nowhere?

Went jamming last Sunday. Hmm. Whatever it is, I just feel that Assault is beginning to have too many faults and cracks.

Assault EP tracklisting:

1. Intro
2. War on humanity
3. Retribution
4. Subversion
5. Deeds of Cold War [Under construction]
6. Outro - Failure of all Mankind (Instrumental)

Tracks 2, 4, and 6 mainly written by me.

So what does it takes to create songs for Assault? Well, I am heavily influenced by In Flames. Especially their Jester Race album.

Some people call it melodic death metal. A few would call it progressive metal (which I agreed a lot too). Jester race is very unique. The themes. The melancholic-yet-triumphant feel. Grand melodic guitars.

I am trying to re-create it through my compositions! And I think none of the members understand me on this, maybe. And I wish all of us are on the same page; worshipping the jester.

At the same time, I try to add touches of Novembre, Dark Tranquillity, Shadows Fall, Arch Enemy (but prefer In Flames more), Trivium (Clarence didn't like this band. The first metalcore band I listened to and liked), ATG, POD, Windir (on Sóknardalr album, but it's difficult).

Anything that in my opinion might sound towards my taste.

I avoided conventional, ordinary, straightforward genres like thrash, power metal, neo-classical shred metal and other highly-accessible heavy metal stuffs. Especially Metallica and Iron Maiden. Trendish metalcore often, because they are graded 'D'.

In a nutshell, I just want Assault to be different. True to self. And bittersweet tasting. Just like my current way of life. But still death metal. Yup. And lots of us forget that melodic death metal is death metal.


Haha. I spoke too much. I guess I should shut up.

Dear God, please allow Assault to have an EP by end of this year and have us listed at metal-archive.com by next year. One small step...

Time counts

What a day. Actually I should be working today, but my off-day was switched with tomorrow. Which means I'm working tomorrow. Odd.

Morning work-out with Farid. He told me to meet at the usual place at 7.30am. I arrived 10 minutes late, which is still okay. He arrived around 8.15. What kind of responsibility is that? Unless you're my girlfriend, I don't want to wait for anyone late more than half-an-hour. Pisses me off.

I left before he arrived and head to my old neighbourhood. Woodlands Street 41. Lots of memories there.

I was doing sit-ups on the fitness station there. And a retarded indian man with a medical walker tried to molest me. What the. Can the day get any more fucked up?! Luckily I managed to slap his hand which is reaching for my crotch. I immediately stood up and moved away from him. I was shocked. He eyes were staring at my junk area and drooling.

I would beat him up. But he's like someone who came from metta home. With a medical walker. I quickly ran somewhere else to exercise. Shit.

A matter of responsibility

Responsibility. Even when it comes to small matters like punctuality. I admit myself as a latecomer-hater. Unless he/she is a big shot.

I was taught. If you know you're gonna be late, inform the person(you will meet) 10 minutes earlier.

Good example, meeting a friend at Orchard mrt at 12.00pm. But you are still waiting for train at Woodlands mrt and the time is 11.40am. You know it takes more than 20 minutes to reach Orchard from Woodlands.

Inform the person you will be late. Message him/her 10 minutes before 12. Better still immediately when you're still waiting for the train.

Bad example. 12.10pm, in the mrt; the train is still at Ang mo kio. You didn't inform the person at all. Instead, you wait for him/her to message you first. Now that's not gentleman.

Even worse, you replied and lied that the train is at Novena mrt.

I've been through this countless times. People lying that they're on the way, when actually they are at home in the toilet. Lying. You readers might have done this too.

So there you have it. A little sense of responsibility. If you can't arrive in time, inform earlier. Don't last minute. Don't wait for the call. And don't lie. Be a gentleman!

"Ladies don't go for matured guys. They go for gentlemen." - Iyan

Back to square nothing

Got a new job. A return to the woodlands ghetto. True northern sons of darkness. Thug life. We are but falling leaves anyway. Thankfully I managed to pay my rent for this month.

Rent? Yup. My mother is now the landlady. I'm no more mama's boy. Adulthood. I pay for my phone bills, transport money (the biggest sh*t right now), food... It's for my own good after all. Dear mum knows what's best. Have to depend on myself. After all I'm a student no more.

Raped by the sound of radio

Do you listen to the radio? Like 98.7 FM whatever. It's slaughtering my inner souls if you ask me.

Clubbing hip-hop? R&b? Blings and honeyz? Doesn't fit me at all. Maybe I'll take rap music with meaningful lyrics please. "F*ck the police" contents would be fine, thank you. Rap metal? Yes...


And Madonna's recent hit is played on air frequently every 15 minutes. "Tick tock, tick tock". What the. That's the most disposable line I've ever heard since Fred Durst's "If only we can fly."

If I were to woke up morning with Madonna in my room saying "Tick tock", I'll toss her out of my window down 8 storeys. I swear. Haha.

Coventide split-up

Sad news indeed. I've watched these guys jamm couples of time. So far the most humble yet professional bunch of prog-metal musicians. Actually Coventide is left with Jaani and Syaz. Still on hiatus.

Here are my last description of the Coventide I stood alongside with.

Four folk-blessed elemental warriors,

Jaani the wind. Fast-pacing thundersteed,
forward striving gust,
thrills for swift attacks
with a shiny vicious sword.

Aiiri the earth. The stone-hammerheart,
with might of mountains,
brother to spirits of all else
that stood and came from the golden soil.

Syaz the water. Oceanborn,
a tidal mass of force,
tsunami of stamina
the great voyager who sailed a thousand seas.

Flame the fire. Flamed with le' passion,
choked by the excess smoke,
burning, ready to erupt the deadly volcanic fireball
possessed by the demonic infernal goat.
Hail Lucifer!

Hmm... I think the poem sounds like crap. But the elements speaks perfectly, enough, of them. Yeah. Err... Ah. Folk it.

Jaani is now doing very well with kick-ass but conventional heavy/speed metal Burning Shield. Whereas Aiiri alongside Flame forms new epically, ready to soar band called Fayra. Nice name.

About Fayra, I'm worried of the differences between Aiiri and Flame. They admire different aspects of the metal subgenres if you ask me. Flame has the taste almost similar to Jaani I think. Well I'll just sit back and observe things first.

When Flame talked to me about his idea of fairies and elvish magical themed, the first thing to came to my mind is "Oh-uh. Power metal." Fairies? Has he been watching winx club or something?

Haha. I was hoping for vikings, runewarriors, dark mythicans, dragonslayers and pagan barbarians. Men who fight! Ya-nuh-ah-sayin? (You know what I'm saying?) Nonetheless, I'll support them with firearms, ammunitions and ammo.

Signin' out yo. G-unit(?)!!