miércoles, enero 30, 2008
viernes, enero 25, 2008
Erasmus in Vigo? hmm
This is the word that comes to my mind since time ago, but recently it's becoming a big word. And it will be until 7th February with my last exam. Hmm I'm wishing all this ends soon :S
Well, this time I will talk about the Erasmus in Vigo.
You know that I logged into the help program for erasmus in my university, and I was asked to help one polish girl, Karolina.
Well, I have to say that this is much different than I could think.
The International Relations Office of Vigo (ORI) wants helpers for making the dark work or dirty work, as we call here in Spain and I didnt know that before...
So, when I logged in, I was thinking, wow.. at least I will feel useful with people from abroad... helping them and organizing at least some activities, and involve somehow in all this, even if I had to lose some of my free time.
I remember when we arrived to Tallinn, just those days there was a big party in the university, and we were asked to go with other volunteers and more internationals that we didnt know yet. After that, tutors organized an international dinner the next week, after that they organized trips, and trips, and visits, parties, christmas parties, wellcoming parties for the new ones of the spring semester, more trips... activities...
They had their own meetings to value what things they could do, how to get best prices in hostings and trips, even I think they had a budget (I am not sure of this).
They knew each other between them and they were friends, they knew almost every student, and every student everyone of them, and tried to introduce the new ones to the rest.
All that was so amazing, so well prepared, such a good organization and the most important, people who were involved and liked that. I have only good words when someone ask me about every single one of them or the organization for the internationals. I couldnt even imagine that in such a small country as Estonia they had all this.
So I just logged in here when they asked for people because the taste of all this was really good still in my mind. Besides, I got used to speak english and to meet new and interesting people every few time, and I didnt want to lose at all that.
Finally they called me to pick up Karolina.
And the ORI told me.. "you just have to pick her up, take her to a hostel the first days, then bring her here and we will show her some flat offers. Then join her to the addresses. That's all"
And until this date, this is all that I did.
I am quite disappointed with all this. I expected a bit more, maybe not like the almost perfect organization of the Erasmus Tallinn, but .. something.
The International Relations Office just want us for making that "dirty work" that they dont want to do, after that, we are useless, and we dont decide, we dont take part in any event, even they dont send us any mail informing about activities. They just let to know this to Erasmus people. And of course, crew of the International Office are members of the few trips they had, but no one else can join (not like in Tallinn that everyone could join until one top number of people). By the way quite crappy trips, you cannot go to Santiago de Compostela for one Saturday afternoon! come on! what kind of trip is that???
They should go at least from Thursday to Sunday (like those trips in Tallinn).
Of course I know those trips thanks to my erasmus friends here, who, sure did some more (most of their visits to neighbour towns) by their own.
I feel enough embarrased of my university...
About the other.. volunteers (it's not fair that I call myself "tutor", I am not doing nothing for Karolina, I feel quite useless), I just know some few, all guys, I found no girls at the moment. The reason is quite obvious, the few I know they want to flirt with erasmus girls. So, I guess there would be no companionship even if I knew all them. Anyway I am not interested in.
So this is the ambient here.
If someone is thinking about coming to Vigo to make an Erasmus, I would advice to choose another city. It's, on the other hand unavoidable to think that foreigners who dont speak spanish will find lots of problems, with people... even few young people can speak well english, and the most important, many teachers dont know other language than galician and spanish. I have one slovenian friend that is suffering with this, cause she arrived here without speaking spanish.
I guess this is general all around Spain.
I would advice to go to other country, like Estonia, no doubt.
I guess people who want to come to Spain to study they are searching for late hour parties, and lots of "fiesta"... my answer is ... whenever you make an erasmus it will be fun, and you will love that city, because it's different, it's funny, no worries, new people, new experiencies, independence... lots of matters join at the same time in the same place.
That's why although all my words talking bad things about my university and the International Relations Office, I am sure the students from abroad will have a good time here. But that's not reason to not to tell organization for them sucks. And people from that office are lazy, not involved, and very closed (I guess they are 3 or 4 persons). They are also having a big budget (as I was told for making all those possible events, but money fades on the way without apparent reason (... typical spanish).
So I am really thinking in leaving the volunteer's program.
I was asked by them to pick up again one czech girl at the mid of February. And maybe that will be my last help to them. I dont want to make the job that office doesnt want to do anymore.
But on the other hand I met some (because I guess I dont know more than 1/4) erasmus people, and it's always interesting to meet nice people, knowing different cultures and showing things from my land and culture.
I am still hesitant about that decision.
viernes, enero 18, 2008
Top 25 of 2007 and more about music
01 - Therion - Gothic Kabbalah
02 - Dark Tranquillity - Fiction
03 - Nocturnal Rites - The 8th Sin
04 - Paradise Lost - In Requiem
05 - Mors Principium Est - Liberation Termination
06 - Ensiferum - Victory Songs
07 - Rotting Christ - Theogonia
08 - After Forever - After Forever
09 - Dalriada - Kikelet
10 - Soulgrind - Pakana
11 - Behemoth - The Apostasy
12 - Arch Enemy - Rise Of the Tyrant
13 - Gotthard - Domino Effect
14 - Powerglove - Metal Combat For The Mortal Man
15 - Lake of Tears - Moons and Mushrooms
16 - Samael - Solar Soul
17 - Amorphis - Silent Waters
18 - The Project Hate MCMXCIX - In Hora Mortis Nostrae
19 - Annihilator - Metal
20 - Månegarm - Vargstenen
21 - Freevil - Freevil Burning
22 - Profugus Mortis - So It Begins
23 - In Vain - The Latter Rain
24 - Korpiklaani - Tervaskanto
25 - Thunderstorm - As We Die Alone
It was a hard decision those last 5 positions, I listened again and again all those albums and some more. It could fit there also these ones:
Deadlock - Wolves
Axxis - Doom Of Destiny
Elenium - Caught In A Wheel
Megadeth - United Abominations
Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Novembers Doom - The Novella Reservoir
Susperia - Cult From Stone
Virgin Black - Mezzo Forte
Eyes Of Eden - Faith
Turisas - The Varangian Way
The Vision Bleak - The Wolves Go Hunt Their Prey
But it's too hard to choose between them, if I made the definitive 25 another day, I would make possibly another different 5 lasts.
Well, concerning to music, this year I have listened quite a lot of hundreds (!!!) albums, and I found a lot very interestings like these ones. But I have found others quite disappointing. Right now it comes to my mind albums like the one of Tarja Turunen. I didn't expect too much about it either. But I think I haven't finished listening to it all the times I tried... so many songs.. so slow... guitars were done copying Nightwish style, always mid-tempo or slooow boring tempo. Tarja signs well, as always, but no future further than Finland and fans of her. Though I like her voice, I cannot stand albums like the one she made.
This last year the long waited album of Nightwish came, and I've found very different opinnions in people. There are lots of fans of the band, that will like everything the name Nightwish sell, so I think they are not going down in sellings and popularity in the next years. The new album is not bad, but the change of singer is not very accepted by several people. I think this is just another season for Nightwish, a new starting with other front female leader. I care more about music itself and I found several lacks in "Dark Passion Play", like the always mid-tempo of Jukka, the lack of guitar solos, guitars "made in Korn", too low riffs with very few melody, and the suomi-style of making songs that they developed since the great "Once". "Once" was really good, but in this new one they are taking this Suomi PopMetal too far, under my sight. I was getting bored that more than half of the songs started in the same way "hard low riffed guitars - stop - drum/bass/voice - bridge - refrain". I'd prefer to be more surprised with the composition. They are getting this with few songs like the first one or those 2 "irish folk influenced" (the one that Marco sings and the consecutive instrumental). In fact I have listened that album like 5 times and later I erased it from my computer like 3 months ago. There are more interesting things to listen.
This year 2007 those 2 german power big ones took out their respective albums
Helloween - Gambling With The Devil : another poor trying of Helloween, that goes on living making concerts with 80% of old songs. I still don't know why, but it's funny that when renamed bands like this one, everytime they make one new cd, all the critics are like "the old Helloween is back! a brand new album of great power metal!!" and things like that.... and afterwards the same critics or even people say.. "oh! the new album is great! not like those last 3 albums!" :O
This is exactly what I have read in several places:
"Gambling... " is a great album that combines their recent way of making music with speedic moments remembering those masterpieces "Keepers"... after those not very good albums like "The Dark Ride","Rabbit... " or "Keeper.. The Legacy" (I think I have listened 5 minutes to that album), they are coming now with the best in years".
They are repeating just this with every new album. I can imagine the critic of the next album ... "After that bad "Gambling.. " Helloween comes back to their roots with the best album since "Better Than Raw" ... :D
Gammaray - Land Of The Free Part II. I still do not get why they called the last album like that great Land Of The Free. They are quite different (This is quite bad :D).
Gammaray is suffering a total lack of inspiration since long time ago. And I remember when me and some friend were talking about when some band is thinking the sellings are coming down and down... (and musical inspiration) they are taking out new cd's with the name of one of their best albums (or the one that made them jump further) and "II part". This was when Rhapsody made "Symphony of enchanted lands II". And right now it comes to my mind other example like
Queensrÿche - Operation Mindcrime II
Usually (maybe always) this kind of 2nd parts are quite worst than those first ones. And this is also the case of Gamma Ray. I found it predictable, lots of Maiden touchs (and even riffs!! plagiarism?) and copies of other songs Gamma Ray made before (like we are used in the last cd's).
Dimmu Borgir made an album also in 2007, and though being one of my favourites of all times.. I would advice them to take one breath before making one new album...
And since I am finding more and more bands that are making metalcore or death metalcore or deathcore .. or things like that, I think this is the new fashion in metal. Like times before the fashion was epic symphonic metal, or later female fronted gothic metal, or suomi metal, and even since years ago viking metal... right now I am finding that lots of metalcore bands or some variety of this are growing under stones (spanish phrase :D).
Yeh, even in metal there are fashions.
One present of one not very known band of Industrial Metal, but really funny.
Someone made a video of the cover song Ma Baker mixing videos of Sepultura and Scissor Sisters
Knorkator - Ma Baker
jueves, enero 17, 2008
Decision de linguas
Ademáis para min escribir en inglés é unha especie de práctica que me gusta non perder, tanto aquí coma en http://cultbizarre.blogspot.com/.
Desde que cheguei de Estonia vexo que o nivel de outrora minguoume considerablemente, asi que esa é outra boa razón aparte de que a metade dos que lean isto non sexan hispano/galego-falantes.
Consecuentemente, non vou pedir a ninguén mais que comente se non quere.
miércoles, enero 16, 2008
Thunder - The Devil Made Me Do It (2006)
I was a young kid of thirteen, never been kissed
A mass of hormones with legs on
I didn't know what to do, I did not have a clue
I was tissues and tension
All the girls my own age
They never really did for me
I needed someone more safisticated
And I found her in a magazine
Bless me Father for I've
Sinned and I'm a low life
Will I still be able to see?
I'd nothing to do with it
The Devil made me do it
Don't be blaming me
It's a travesty
I know wasn't me, oh no
I met a guy who was rich and a bit of a fool
And his girlfriend was beautiful
I never worked out the reason, I liked him so much
Till I saw her lying by his pool
Yeah
When she caught me staring
She smiled in that wicked way
To my surprise there was a knock at my door
And there she was the next day
Like riding on a rocket, I'm powerless to stop it
I tried to push her away
Lord I guess she knew it
The Devil made me do it
Tell me what do you say
When its gonna happen anyway
Hey
Yeah eh yeah
Whoo
The Devil made me do it
The Devil made me do it
You know he really made me do it
The Devil made me do it
The Devil made me do it!!
The Devil made me do it!!
You know he really made me do it!!
The Devil made me do it!!
Like riding on a rocket, Im powerless to stop it
I tried to push her away
Lord I guess she knew it, the Devil made me do it
It was gonna happen anyway
(The Devil made me do it)
Ooww
I've nothing to do with it, the Devil made me do it
Don't be blaming me
I'm innocent as I can be.
martes, enero 15, 2008
Comunicado oficial de Günther - Günther's official press release
"To our supporters in the Iberian Lands: We received the news that our tour, which was supposed to start next week in your lands, is cancelled. The tour organisers informed us that clubs that booked Ancient Rites received threats of violence. Our posters were damaged or covered by political messages. Intimidated by this several promoters cancelled our gigs. Unable to guarantee the safety of the band, fans and crew they decided to take no risks. We received this news from the organisers:
"They made a "manifesto" against Ancient Rites.
-date of Portugalete was inmediately cancelled (promoter scared for
possible retaliation)
-only 12 hours after date of Santander was cancelled (promoter scared for
possible retaliation)
-only 20 hours after date of Aviles was cancelled (promoter scared for
possible retaliation)
The last news was: threats in Palencia, Santiago DC and Vigo"
Throughout the years Ancient Rites has received many boycotts, anonymous bomb threats etc we never submitted. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
I am not angry, nor do I feel defeated or down. But I regret the fact that a fanatic minority, who claim to stand for freedom of speech and tolerance, managed to decide for all of you (hence denying your own right to chose) you will not be able to see Ancient Rites perform on your own soil. They probably never even read our lyrics. Declaring an underground band like ours public enemy number 1 is actually too much honour, why don't they protest and act against those who are a real threat and bomb your train stations? They find it safer to fight musicians and burn records. I think they give us too much credit. Ancient Rites are not allowed to play because one of my other bands played on the same fest with other musicians who are on their hit list. We play with every band regardless their style or opinion and don't dictate any laws to promoters nor do we tell them who they can or can't book. We don't dictate.
Ancient Rites does not cancel. But we can't do anything if others allow fear to reign their hearts. We even played in war zones in the past. I do not point finger at anyone, but personally I would have refused to be dictated by self righteous individuals and organised a decent security. We were not afraid. Tickets were booked, we were ready to come and play and stand (y)our ground.
One of our fans, Pottier Kevin (thank you kindly) surprised us and made a video clip of our "Thermopylae" track, using images of the "300" movie where 300 Spartans face thousands. This clip sums up our spirit.
Enjoy the clip, brothers and sisters and remember the times of ancient values and self respect.
http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=gFEgTrrtzik
If we are hated for praising souls like those 300 I gladly pay that price. For this is the essence A.R. stands for: Ancient Pride. I did not found this band to receive a noble price. This style never was about to please everyone. The difference is: if I don't like or agree with a band I simply don't attend their show but I won't spoil it for others. Why should I force my taste/opinion down everyone's throat like Big Brother? Poor modern Europe: dominated by a hysterical pc minority forcing self hate down everyone's throat. One can burn books or records but not the soul...
Ancient Rites are independent souls belonging to no movement therefore we are free to chose our own path. And if this freedom of choice and mind means we are not allowed to play so be it. Our music will reach our supporters anyway. Ban our gigs, burn our records but we are around for decades and will not disappear until WE find the time is right to call it a day.
Seems like Spain needs another Reconquista
I greet Thee all.
Gunther
A Thanks goes out to our Iberian supporters who expressed their support. Never Surrender
_________________
_________________
Milveces me caeré y mil veces me levantaré..."
Eu non sei eso da reconquista.... pero a todos eses, como ben dice putoloco, levabamos eu ben lonxe do país... a Corea do Norte, por exemplo hihi
viernes, enero 11, 2008
Up with MUSIC
De esta vez vou facer un post especial, escribirei en español e en inglés para que este mensaxe chegue ó maior número de xente posible.
Hoy me he levantado enfadado de verdad cuando me enteré que el concierto que Ancient Rites, Kathaarsys y Fallen Sentinel iban a dar el día 23 de enero en la sala Código de Barras de Vigo fue cancelado. Y no sólo eso, sino que su promotora Silent Tree decidió hace escasas horas cancelar todo el tour que Ancient Rites iban a realizar por la península ibérica. Bien, ahora, cuál es la razón que dieron para ello?
Pues parece ser que la página de un grupo de antifascistas pro-abertzales:
http://sareantifaxista.blogspot.com/
han boicoteado el concierto que el grupo iba a dar en la ciudad de Portugalete (Pais Vasco) y esta cancelación han logrado traspasarla al resto de España, supongo que debido al acoso que Silent Tree estaba recibiendo de este grupo de individuos y otros asociados con su política.
Desde aquí quiero hacer una protesta en voz alta, con mala leche (lo siento pero esto me ha enfadado considerablemente) a este tipo de pseudo-grupillos, y a sabiendas de poder ser tachado de fascista, de facha, de militar, de proespañol, de proeuropeo, de propagar mensajes de raza superior, de provikingo, de que me guste la paella, de amante del señor de los anillos y cosas muy malas.
Bien, señores de http://sareantifaxista.blogspot.com/, me importa, vulgarmente una mierda que el señor Günther (cantante del grupo belga Ancient Rites) se dedique en su tiempo libre a montar una banda que se llame Lion's pride (a todo esto el león es el símbolo de la antigua bandera de Flandes), que le guste la imaginería nazi (hace unos años sufrimos esto mismo cuando Slayer estaba a punto de tocar en Vigo), o que se dedique a la calceta (no está confirmado por su parte que tenga eses ideales fascistas, dicho sea).
Esto sería bastante diferente si Ancient Rites se dedicaran a hacer propaganda nazi en sus conciertos, estoy de acuerdo que no sería ético, pero NO LO HACEN. Ellos se dedican a tocar su gran Viking Metal, y a hacer conciertos, no a hacer polítiqueo de nada. Como he dicho, he asistido a un concierto de ellos y no he percibido en absoluto ningún tipo de señal que me hiciera pensar que era un grupo fascista o uno de sus miembros tuviera esas ideas o algo similar, (NADIE LO PERCIBIÓ). De hecho he tenido la posibilidad de hablar con algun miembro del grupo y con el propio Günther y fueron amables y respetuosos hasta decir basta. Gente como la que hace blogs como ese francamente me dan más miedo que Ancient Rites.
Sinceramente si yo voy a un concierto de Ancient Rites es para oír música, no para que me metan propagandeo politico de nada, y quien dice Ancient Rites, dice Madonna. Probablemente me iría, (o tal vez no, no me siento tan influenciable, sería si viera un ambiente agresivo de más o algo así...) si veo que se convierte en una especie de meeting de una secta. Y si alguien tiene miedo a lo que pueda ocurrir en un concierto en el que un grupo tiene un cantante que tiene un proyecto que se llame "Lion's pride" y que Ancient Rites proclame las bonanzas de Europa y su cultura antigua (uuuuh qué miedo!) en sus letras, pues simplemente que no vaya si se siente fácilmente y pardillamente influenciable por algo "tan malvado".
Y si este tipo de grupos antifascistas están aun con la mosca detrás de la oreja (seguro que si... de fastidiar seguro... ), luego de conocer que en sus conciertos hay MUSICA, nada más, que se miren las letras de sus discos y se autoconvezcan de que no hay nada detrás aparte de paganismo, historia (uuuh qué miedo, cultura), batallas y acontecimientos historicos dentro de Europa. Tal vez les vendría bien aprender algo, ya de paso.
Lo malo es lo de siempre, quienes se tienen que fastidiar somos los fans. Sí! soy fan de Ancient Rites, y no tengo ningun tipo de ideología fascista, antisemita, o parecido, e ir a sus conciertos no me va hacer cambiar de opinión aunque hicieran apología de este tipo de ideas. Y si creyera que sus conciertos se convirtieran más en mitines políticos que en conciertos de música posiblemente no iría, si viera que se olvidan de tocar y empezaran a hablar media hora de cómo van las cosas por España, pero ahí está la libertad de cada uno, no la libertad impuesta por grupos como el vuestro que boicotean conciertos y privan a muchos fans que les importa un carajo lo que sus miembros hagan o piensen, que sólo van a ver un concierto de buena música.
Sería un show antológico con un grupo en alza como Kathaarsys y otro grande gallego como Fallen Sentinel, pero nos tendremos que fastidiar por culpa de estes individuos.
Gracias, de parte de toda la comunidad metálica, creo hablar por todos o por el 99% al menos, amante de LA MÚSICA por vuestro “acto de heroicidad y antifascismo”, "Sare Antifaxista".
Desde aquí animo al que quiera a escribir a esta página originadora de todo este politiqueo que consiguió anular todo un tour. Yo ya lo hice con este mismo texto que escribí aquí.
mail: ANTIFAXISTA@terra.esO dejad vuestro comentario aqui.
ARRIBA EL METAL. ABAJO EL FASCISMO (por si queda alguna duda, no vaya ser, que estes seguro son de lo más sensibles).
Günther e mais eu no concerto en Vigo de Ancient Rites (Revoltallo). Non estivera mal, pero tampouco fora unha maravilla, por eso quedaranme ganas de volvelos ver outra vez...
Today I woke up really annoyed when I was told the concert Ancient Rites, Kathaarsys and Fallen Sentinel was supposed to be on 23rd January in Código de Barras in Vigo was cancelled. And not only this, the promoters Silent Tree decided few hours ago cancel all the tour Ancient Rites was about to start in Spain. Well, what is the reason they gave?
It seems that the webpage of an antifascist pro-abertzales
http://sareantifaxista.blogspot.com/
have boycotted the concert the band was going to do in Portugalete (Vasc Region) and they got this cancellation general to the rest of the country, I suppose because of the harassment Silent Tree was receiving from this group of people and others asociated to their politic view.
From here I want to protest loudly, and a bit mean (I'm sorry but this got me angry) towards these kind of pseudo-groups, and knowing that I can be accussed of being fascist, pro-spanish, soldier, pro-european, of spreading superior race messages, pro-viking, Rambo movies' enthusiastic and other things. I give a sh.. (I'm sorry but I am really bothered).
Well, people from http://sareantifaxista.blogspot.com/
I care exactly nothing that Mr. Günther (singer of Ancient Rites) has another band called Lion's Pride (by the way, the Lion is the symbol of the ancient flag of Flandes), he is devoted to paint or to sew in his free time.
This would be different if Ancient Rites were making nazi propaganda in their concerts, I agree it wouldn't be ethic, but THEY DON'T DO IT. They play their great Viking Metal music and they make concerts not politics. As I said, I have been in one of their concerts, and I haven't noticed any kind of sign that made me think they were an antifascist band or one of their members was or anything similar (NOBODY DID).
In fact I had the chance of talking with some of the Ancient Rites' members and with Günther and all them were really kind and respectful people. People like the ones who make webpages like this one, frankly, make me scare more than Ancient Rites' players.
Sincerely, if I go to a concert of Ancient Rites is for listening music, not for being the object of politic propaganda, and being Ancient Rites or Madonna. Probably I would leave it (or maybe not, I dont feel so influentiable... just if I saw an agressive ambient or something like that), if I see it converts in a kind of sect meeting. And if someone if frightened about what could happen in a concert where the band proclaim in their lyrics the prosperity of Europe and its ancient culture (uhh I'm scared) and the singer has another proyect band called "Lion's pride", then, just don't go if that person feels him/herself easily and naively influenced.
And if these kind of antifascist groups are still worried (I am sure very worried ....), after knowing that in the Ancient Rites' concerts there is JUST MUSIC, and nothing more, I just encourage them to see their lyrics and auto-convince themselves that there is nothing apart of history (uuuh culture! I'm scared!), paganism, battles, and historical events inside Europe. Maybe they should read them for learning something, by the way.
The bad part is always the same, the ones who are damaged and annoyed are the music fans. Yeh! I am fan of Ancient Rites, and I don't have any kind of fascist, anti-semitic or similar ideology, and attending to their concerts won't make me change my opinnion... even if they made apology of these kind of ideas.
And if I thought their concerts were more something like politic meetings than music concerts, I probably wouldn't go if they start with agressivity or they start to forget the concert for talking half an hour, but there is the freedom of each one for choosing, not imposed freedom that groups like this one that boycott concerts and deprive lots of fans that don't care at all what their members do or think, they just want to go to a good music concert. It would be an unforgettable concert with a growing band like Kathaarsys and another galician great one like Fallen Sentinel, but we have to piss off thanks people like those.
I dont care at all if this singer is this or thinks that, I just want to attent to one concert of a band that I like!!!
Thanks from all the metallic community lovers of MUSIC for your great "act of heroism and antifascism".
From here I encourage everyone who wants to say something to the webpage origin of all this politic and that got to cancel and spoil all a tour. I have already done with a very similar text like the one I wrote just here.
mail: ANTIFAXISTA@terra.esOr leave your comments here, in spanish or english
UP WITH METAL, DOWN WITH FASCISM (if it remained some kind of doubt, some people are too sensitive)