Rhym

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]Nineteen. 1. Pick a Band or Artist: [b]Adorned Brood[/b] (Vikingish Folk Metal) 2. Are you male or female: [b]Old Great Master[/b] 3. Describe yourself: [b]Pride Was My Desire[/b] 4. How do some people feel about you: [b]Furor Teutonicus[/b] 5. Describe your ex boyfriend/girlfriend: [b]Liar[/b] 6. Describe your current boyfriend/girlfriend: [b]The Oath[/b] 7. Describe where you want to be: [b]Asgard[/b] 8. Describe how you love: [b]Magic Nights[/b] 9. What would you ask if you had just one wish: [b]The Way of the Sword[/b] 10. Share a few words of wisdom: [b]A God Ruled Time[/b] 11. Now say goodbye: [b]Welcome Our Friends[/b] (Fine, I guess that's more like saying "hello" instead)[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]This seems like it might just be something great. Then again, it could end up about as good as the countless other video game-movie adaptions. I guess that means that Ridley Scott isn't directing. That's a bummer. But Guillermo Del Toro's good. I enjoyed Hellboy. Then again, with all these names being thrown out, who can say if it's final or not? Heh, can you imagine a Halo movie directed by Quentin Tarantino? I think that would be the only way to make the MC any more badass.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray][b]Young Apprentice:[/b] Venerable Master, is "funner" a word or not? [b]Venerable Master:[/b] Does the wise man know the importance of listening, young grasshopper? [b]YA:[/b] Venerable Master, why must you speak in riddles? [b]VM:[/b] Can you not leave an old man to his sleep? [b]YA:[/b] Do you at least have a dictionary I could check in? [b]VM:[/b] Have you forgotten the teachings of Noble Buddha, young grasshopper? [b]YA:[/b] Why must what Noble Buddha has to say be frustratingly vague on the subject of "funner?" [b]VM:[/b] Have you not learned to respect your elders, your equals, and above all Noble Buddha? [b]YA:[/b] Apologies, Venerable Master; what must I do to atone for my insolence? [b]VM:[/b] Could you fetch an old man his tea? [b]YA:[/b] Milk? Lemon? One scoop or two? [b]VM:[/b] Do we have any rancid yak butter? The next subject... should we pull this mob or not?[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]I would choose life as a hermit. As long as I had a pet, at least. People kinda suck, in my experience. Here's one. Would you rather... [b]A)[/b] Have 50 Cent come to your high school/middle school/whatever and rap to you and everyone else about the importance of eating vegetables, or... [b]B)[/b] Watch a day-long marathon of horrible movies tied to an uncomfortable chair with your eyelids duct-taped open?[/FONT][/COLOR]

[QUOTE=NekoSama101]would you rather be covered in squid ink or be covered in a bunch of stalker preps?[/QUOTE] [FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]I'm sensing a lot of hostility towards preps in your choices. Do you happen to listen to Slipknot? Anyways, I'ma go for the squid ink, just as long as that stuff comes out in the wash. Here's my choices: Would you rather... [b]A:[/b] Make a timeless classic of art/literature/music/whatev, but die a slow and painful death from alchohol, drugs and depression over several years, or... [b]B:[/b] Live an average, happy, satisfactory life.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[quote name='Zhara][COLOR=Purple']It's illegal to go whaling in Oklahoma.[/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]It's also illegal to go whaling in Utah. But at least it makes a bit more sense here, what with the Great Salt Lake and all. Not like it could support anything so large as a whale, though. Anyways, this wacky law has given rise to the "Great Salt Lake Whaling Company," which is pretty much a souvenier chain. Oh, and also, "Random" is defined as "Of or relating to an event in which all outcomes are equally likely, as in the testing of a blood sample for the presence of a substance." Try to use it correctly at least once today![/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]Hey, is there anyone out there who can make me an avatar and sig picture of Meta Knight from the Kirby series? Here's a [URL=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/26/Kar_metaknight.jpg]link[/URL] of the picture I'd like to use. Ideally, I'd like the avatar to be of just his face-plate and eyes, facing left, with "RHYM" in any corner in [/FONT][/COLOR][FONT=Impact]Impact[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray] font. For the signature, just take that picture (crop it if you must) and put it over some pretty background colors. I'd like the text color in the avatar to match the background color. Of course, if you feel like drawing your own Meta Knight for the signature, go right ahead.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray][b]Name:[/b] Kirby [b]Game:[/b] Kirby's Dreamland I-III, Kirby Superstar, Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland, Kirby and the Amazing Mirror, Kirby Air Grind, Super Smash Bros. (Melee, too), Kirby: Canvas Curse... The list goes on and on... [b]Portrait:[/b] [IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/95/Kirby_japan-website.jpg[/IMG] [b]Experience:[/b] Well, he's saved Dreamland countless times from all sorts of villains: King Dedede, Dark Matter, Winged Nightmare, Dynablade, Meta Knight, Dark Mind, everything from swordsmen to kings to trees to demons to killer whales to painters to clouds of lightning and anything inbetween. Plus, he has one of the best jumps in any platformer and the ability to absorb the power of anything he can cram into his mouth. [b]Reason:[/b] Kirby's ambitious! Saving Dreamland is great and all, but you can only save it so many times before it starts to get kind of monotonous. He feels it's time for a change! He wants to see the sights of the Mushroom Kingdom, check out the enemies, taste the local fungal cuisine. Plus, he's heard the reputation of these plumbers and wants to see if they're all they're cracked up to be.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]Well, there is a solution to both the "our cars need oil" and "our power plants need oil" problems. For the latter, it's like Andrew said: we could go fully nuclear. France has a lot of nuclear power plants and they're doing fine power-wise. There's also renewable energy sources. The Netherlands have a whole bunch of wind turbines, and that helps. For the former, have we forgotten those commercials on TV right about now? They're for that "Go Yellow" thing, something about using corn oil to fuel cars. It may be more expensive than oil right now (which makes no sense from either an economic or production-wise standpoint), but which is better: shelling out a few extra clams to keep your car running, or having all lanes of fast transport collapse? Plus, it doesn't have to be with corn. I think Venezuela or some other South/Central American country is doing the same sort of thing with sugar cane. I also heard hemp oil can have the same (or maybe even better) effect as corn for fueling cars. However, there is another problem with running out of oil. Do you realize how many of our modern conveniences are made out of petroleum-based products? Pretty much anything made of plastic is made with petroleum somehow. When oil runs out, so do our iPods, computers, printers, hearing aids, pacemakers, containers... Many, many things. Thankfully, there are things we can do to conserve oil. Even little things help. For one: turning off the lights in a room when it's not in use. Or switching to lightbulbs that use less energy. But a major thing you can do is [i]recycle.[/i] It takes 70 gallons (or was it barrels?) of oil to make a new aluminum can. It doesn't take nearly that much to reuse an old one. There's probably some kind of website that gives you helpful tips on how to conserve oil, but if there is, I don't have a link. P.S. You know what [i]really[/i] sucks? Tungsten, the element that incandescent lightbulbs need to work, is also running out. I think it's going to be depleted in something like 20 or 30 years.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray][b]Name:[/b] Karnig [b]Age:[/b] 26 [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Personailty:[/b] Karnig is deep and brooding. He is troubled by the path his life has taken. His parents had worshipped the Goddess Selestiae, and thus Karnig was raised into such a belief. He was taught that the day that Selestiae would pronounce her rule over the earth was the day of salvation for the faithful and of reckoning for the misguided and foolish. However, since that event's occurence, Karnig has felt conflicted. Could he honestly support such wholesale carnage? [b]Class:[/b] Berserker. He hews through his enemies with sweeping blows of his Zweihander. [b]Race:[/b] Scandinavian [b]Apperance:[/b] [URL=http://www.soulcalibur3.us/soulcalibur3/costumes/sieg1.png]Karnig.[/URL] [b]Weapon:[/b] The Zweihander in the picture. He has named it "Requiem." [b]Magic:[/b] His parents, before their deaths, always told Karnig that the Goddess Selestiae herself had wept tears of joy and blood over him at birth; they said it was at the prospect of finally having the perfect servant. He can't say he believed them, but he cannot deny that his luck is sometimes abnormally fortuitous, as if he was protected by some sort of divine favor, or that divine blood, however watered-down, flowed in his veins. [b]Stats:[/b] Karnig is very strong, fairly quick on his feet, and can take a lot of punishment. However, due to the immense size of his weapon, his attacks are slower that most but exceedingly painful when they hit. He may not be terribly book-smart, but he's at least articulate and knows to trust his gut instinct. [b]Writing Sample:[/b] Karnig could go no farther. He stumbled over to the side of the snowy mountain path and collapsed. The bitter, snow-laden wind whipped past his prone form. He could feel his essence seep away, leeched off by the icewinds. He took what he thought his final moments were to recall the events that had led him to this sorry state: freezing to death halfway up this grim and gods-forsaken peak. It had started... a month ago. He had left his home after a heated and spiteful argument with his parents, forsaking their life of relative comfort for the arduous way of the wanderer. A week passed before he heard the shocking news: his parents were dead, killed by an angry mob that blamed them and their Selestiae-worshiping ways for the Earth's abandonment by the gods. Then he heard news no longer, having left the civilized trails for the deep wilderness and high mountains. All throughout that fateful journey, his faith in Selestiae hung in uncertain balance. And now, as his lifeforce escaped him, so too did his faith. It would take a miracle for either to be restored. That was when he heard a voice in the storm. "Rise, Karnig," it spoke. "Rise, my most favored son." Karnig shook his head and sat up. "What treachery is this?" he asked the wind. "Has cold dulled my senses and befuddled my mind?" "It is no treachery, most favored. It is your matron goddess, here to calm your wayward soul." The voice was closer, stronger. He could hear it more clearly; a woman's voice, but it rang of something otherworldly. "Matron goddess? Selestiae?" He raised a mailed hand and shielded his eyes with it. Suddenly, a figure of unearthly beauty stepped through the storm's clouding snow. "Rise, Karnig," she spoke. "Rise, my most favored son. Your life shall not end here. You have much yet to do for me." [b]Extra Info:[/b] I'd like my character to serve a few purposes: A) to provide Takuya with someone to interact with and thus stay in the story, B) to provide the Goddess with a right-hand-man/toady, a sort of miniboss to pit against the other players so that they aren't destroyed outright and immediately by Mrs. "No mortal can come anywhere close to matching her power, and she is unmatched physically as well," and C) to serve as a crucial swing-point character that, should the story end up like that at all, might be the one to deliver the final blow to Selestiae when the other characters are incapacitated. Of course, "C" is all sheer speculation, but hey.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]Eighteen! 1. Pick a Band or Artist: [b]Kalmah[/b] (Melodic Death Metal madness!) 2. Are you male or female: [b]Man With Mystery[/b] 3. Describe yourself: [b]Doubtful About It All[/b] 4. How do some people feel about you: [b]Kill the Idealist[/b] 5. Describe your ex boyfriend/girlfriend: [b]Hollowheart[/b] 6. Describe your current boyfriend/girlfriend: [b]Moon of My Nights[/b] 7. Describe where you want to be: [b]My Nation[/b] 8. Describe how you love: [b]Skin o' My Teeth[/b] 9. What would you ask if you had just one wish: [b]Bird of Ill Omen[/b] 10. Share a few words of wisdom: [b]They Will Return[/b] 11. Now say goodbye: [b]Withering Away[/b][/FONT][/COLOR]

[quote name='KatanaViolet']This next one has a little parental discretion...[/quote] [FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray] :animeblus My question is, who's the guy who finds these things OUT? And HOW did he find it out?[/FONT][/COLOR]

[quote name='Derald][SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed]As many may know, there is no better way to learn something than by experience. Although many sources say that dragonflies are harmless, I know, for a fact, that they do actually bite, regardless of how much research institutions deny it. How do I know? Approximately 6 years ago, while I lived in New York, I used to go to a friend's house and chase dragonflies. As I did this more, I eventually caught one with my bare hands and held it up to see. Being cuious, I placed my finger next to its mouthparts. Upon doing this I was given qiute a painful bite - data acquired. This, however, is only personal experience, not general statistics.[/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]I was also pulling this from my general experiences (as well as from Wikipedia). My dad's a river guide (among other things) so every summer we usually take week-long river trips. Dragonflies usually live near bodies of water, their young being aquatic and all, so they're fairly common on the river. Generally, they mind their own business if you mind yours. Even if they land on you, they'll sooner fly off than bite if you move suddenly. Of course, many creatures will bite you if you try to touch them, so I'm not surprised that a dragonfly would (especially considering how big their chompers are).[/FONT][/COLOR] [quote name='Derald][SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed]Now, even though they are virtually the fastest insect on the planet, it is a common misconception that they are able to reach speeds of 60 mph. They are, in fact, only able to reach speeds of about 25-30 mph, with cruising speeds of around 10 mph.. It may not sound fast to you, but it is indeed fast for an insect. Don't believe me? Check this [URL=http://www.dragonflysoc.org.uk/frameset.htm?faq&faq]link.[/URL][/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]In this case, I got this information from Wikipedia. It's not always the most reliable source, but it did say that the Common Green Darner dragonfly ([i]Anax junius[/i]) can reach speeds of 53 mph (about 85 km/h). I don't know what the source for this one is, but it's always best to take Wikipedia information with a grain of salt.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]I can't believe you guys haven't mentioned this one yet: [IMG]http://www.brocross.com/dfly/species/pics/Anax%20imperator%20m%201a%2015-6-04.jpg[/IMG] The Dragonfly! The one in the picture is a male Emperor Dragonfly ([i]Anax imperator[/i]). [b]Kingdom:[/b] Animalia [b]Phylum:[/b] Arthropoda [b]Class:[/b] Insecta [b]Order:[/b] Odonata [b]Suborder:[/b] Epiprocta [b]Infraorder:[/b] Anisoptera Dragonflies are probably my favorite type of insect. They're completely harmless to humans, having no sort of bite or sting, but are ruthlessly efficient at keeping down mosquito and midge populations. Anything that does that is good in my book. Trivia: They are the world's fastest insects, able to reach speeds of up to 60 mph. The largest modern species of dragonfly is the [i]Anax strenuus,[/i] a species native to Hawaii, with a wingspan of 7.5 inches (19 cm). The smallest is the [i]Nannophya pygmaea,[/i] with a wingspan of 3/4 (about 20 mm). The largest prehistoric dragonfly was the [i]Meganeura monyi[/i] from the Permian period, with a wingspan of 27.5?29.5 inches, or 70-75 cm! They have nearly 360 degree vision, having nearly 30,000 facets in their compound eyes. [IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9a/Dragonfly_eye_3811.jpg[/IMG][/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]I'm gonna say "Dawn of Victory" by Rhapsody... But a second-runner-up is the themesong to Katamari Damacy. That thing will NOT LEAVE YOUR HEAD![/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]These are fun to do. [b]1. Mägo de Oz - El Callejòn del Infierno {Gaia II: La Voz Dormida}[/b] These guys are too great! It's mostly Power Metal, but with SO MANY sub-genre influences! They have a flutist/violinist like in Folk Metal, they have Prog Metal organ wankery... Man. Plus, Power Metal vocals singing in SPANISH? It's so unexpected, and so great! [b]2. Children of Bodom - Living Dead Beat {Are You Dead Yet?}[/b] This is probably the best song off of CoB's latest. It's alright, but what I really miss are the touches of Neoclassical Metal that permeated their earlier efforts, like Hatebreeder and Something Wild. But I guess those days are gone... *Sigh* [b]3. Ayreon - Day Eight: School {The Human Equation (Disc 1)}[/b] If you've read my last post, you know the low-down on these guys. This one's cool. Mikael Åkerfeldt (of Opeth fame) gets a nice spot on this album as "Fear." He does the first verse of this song. But the show is stolen, in this case, by the sung argument between "Reason" and "Rage". Great song on a great album. [b]4. Sonata Arctica - My Land {Ecliptica}[/b] Sonata Arctica. Man, I love 'em. I don't know which is my favorite album of theirs, Ecliptica or Silence. They both have their awesome fast songs and then they both have their kinda lame slow songs. Although, they pull off the slowness on "Replica" off of this album, because it doubles the tempo halfway through and cuts in with a killer guitar solo. So, I think I'm going to go for Ecliptica as an overall album. [b]5. Rhapsody - Agony Is My Name {Power of the Dragonflame}[/b] I think Rhapsody should've done the soundtrack for the Lord of the Rings movies. No, never mind, Blind Guardian, because they're the Tolkein junkies. But if I ever make a movie with some kind of huge epic battle in it, I'm gonna ask Rhapsody to compose a song for it. But man, I love the chorus of this song! "The fury will rise, and soon They will taste my silver blade And they will face the Prophecy 'CAUSE AGONY IS... MY NAME!" [b]6. Dark Tranquillity - Lost to Apathy {Character}[/b] Dark Tranquillity manages to do something remarkable: they are totally epic, but NOT POWER METAL! Or even Viking Metal! Or even Folk Metal! And without clean vocals, too! They're Melodic Death Metal with an awesome growl and some of the [i]coolest[/i] keyboard lines! This one of my favorites of all their songs, hence its presence on The Epic Mix. And they're coming in concert with Opeth! Glee! [b]7. Avian - Blinding Force {From the Depths of Time}[/b] This is my favorite song of the album, I'd say. I love the chorus because "blinding force" is a very cool thing to say in Power Metal style. Also, at the end of the song, everything cuts out except some shifting keyboard chords and he sings that in an awesomely high voice. [b]8. Hammerfall - The Templar Flame {Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken}[/b] I gotsta get me some more Hammerfall. Just gotsta. And their lyrics rock, and their vocal layering is also top knotch. "You see the words - SPEAK! In infrared - SPEAK! You see the words Damn the machine - SPEAK! Speak of the flame... Templar Flame!" [b]9. Sonata Arctica - Peacemaker {Wolf & Raven EP}[/b] This song makes me laugh. Ya gotta love the Arctica, but their lyrics are so corny sometimes. I have no idea how Tony Kakko sang, "Eating hot dog on the corner of Main and South Street" with a straight face. I certainly couldn't. [b]10. Moonsorrow - Pakanajuhla {Suden Uni}[/b] This is another band I have to get more of. This song is so contagiously folky and bouncy I can't believe it. It's such a fun little riff, all the more accentuated by the timely shouts of "Hey!" Man, I love Viking Folk Metal.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray][b]Character Name:[/b] Silas [b]Character Class:[/b] Knight (I hope FFIII classes are okay to use.) [b]Affiliation:[/b] Evil [b]Weapon:[/b] A [URL=http://www.toledosword.com/im/GRKD875TS_s.jpg]Battleaxe.[/URL] [b]Appearance:[/b] [URL=http://tsgk.captainn.net/index.php?p=showgame&t=sy&sy=6&ga=157]Here.[/URL] Silas is the fifteenth from the top, tenth from the bottom. The one in the blue armor that looks kind of like Garland. [b]Biography:[/b] Silas had heard of the Light Warriors and the Dark Warriors but decided that the Dark Warriors had cooler outfits. Thus, he went out and bought some "enchanted" armor and formed the "Dark Warriors Fan Club." He tries to emulate them in everything they do. [b]Extra Notes:[/b] 8-Bit Theater is an awesome webcomic and I follow it avidly. I'm no stranger to the plot or the humor.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]Sheesh, take a week-long sabbatical and where does it get ya? Seventeen! 1. Pick a Band or Artist: [b]Nocturnal Rites[/b] (Some of the best Power Metal I've heard) 2. Are you male or female: [b]The King's Command[/b] 3. Describe yourself: [b]New World Messiah[/b] 4. How do some people feel about you: [b]Eye of the Demon[/b] 5. Describe your ex boyfriend/girlfriend: [b]Our Wasted Days[/b] 6. Describe your current boyfriend/girlfriend: [b]Something Undefined[/b] 7. Describe where you want to be: [b]Avalon[/b] 8. Describe how you love: [b]Never Ending[/b] 9. What would you ask if you had just one wish: [b]Sword of Steel[/b] 10. Share a few words of wisdom: [b]Break Away[/b] 11. Now say goodbye: [b]The Legend Lives On[/b] P.S. [quote name='? Nomad Tical ?']Not being passed by Karlsefeni[/quote] Thank you... Now I can die happy... *Sniff*[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]I had a strange dream a while ago... The setting was an abandoned house that somewhat resembled one that my neighbors lived in when I lived in Berkeley. It seemed sort of... post-Apocalyptic, I suppose, but not in a "everything's ruined" sense, only in the sense that the entire neighbourhood had been abandoned for some time and there weren't a lot of humans left. I was part of some kind of ghost-hunting/cataloguing expedition that was led by my friend Henry. It wasn't our first time in the house, because we had mapped out most of the house and its "safe zones," where ghosts never went. The safe zones were necessary because the ghosts of the house had a Mario-esque tendency to kill you if they touched you. The only people that really stuck out in the expedition were me, my friend Henry, my friend Nick, and two unknown people that dreams tend to randomly generate. "Dream people," so to speak. One of them was a girl of about 14-15 who didn't really do much, and one was this kid of about 11-12 who was [i]so annoying.[/i] I don't even remember in what ways he was so annoying, just that he was bugging the crap out of me and I had to do something or I would [i]snap.[/i] So I locked him in a closet, which I knew was a safe zone. He shouted "Hey!" (a bit muffled), and started to pound on the door, so I slammed the deadbolt shut, although why a closet would have a deadbolt is beyond me. The other "dream person," the girl, looked at me and said, "He'll probably get out, you know," while pointing to a pile of small black shells on a dresser next to the closet. "He has a telepathic link to one of the shells in that pile." I was just like "Okay, whatever," and scooped the pile of shells into my pocket. In the next room, Henry and a few of the other people were fiddling with some instruments. He turned around and said, "Oh, good, you're here. Go get Nick, he's [i]locked in the fridge.[/i]" No explanation of how he came to be locked in the fridge, and at the time my thought was along the lines of "Oh, that Nick, always getting locked in fridges." But this was bad because the fridge (and the entire kitchen, for that matter) was dangerously haunted. I ran to the kitchen entrance. The kitchen was weird, it was like one long, wide corridor, with kitchen stuff at the far end. As I came in, Nick busted out of the fridge. Meanwhile, ghosts swooped in a video-game-like fashion back and forth between the corridor walls. We had a long and elaborate course mapped out of their sequence, but they suddenly stopped. I gestured for Nick to run down to me and he did, and made it. We came back into the command room. Henry frowned at us, and said "That was dangerous. Don't do that again. Report back to Self-Portrait #119 in the common room." We went to the common room, but it was FULL of pictures, and we couldn't remember at all which one was Self-Portrait #119 and didn't have time to read the captions. Finally, I remembered that it was the one still on the easel that wasn't finished at all. We stood in front of it and talked for a while, until I looked out the front door (it was a screen door). Standing on the sidewalk outside was the most dread-inspiring, ominous, black-robed figure you could ever not want to see. And I sure didn't want to see it. I said something akin to "OH ****" as it slowly made its way to the doorway. Then it came in. It was Death, skeleton and all, but without the scythe. We were totally expecting to die, but he did something weird instead. He was like "Hey, what's up guys?" and high-fived us. He noticed that we were scared out of our minds, so he said, "Hey, don't worry, guys. I'm not here for you. I'm just here for the ghosts of the people that died of the Black Plague." And that's all that I remember of that one.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]Let's give it another go! [b]1. 3 Inches of Blood - Deadly Sinners {Advance and Vanquish}[/b] I love these guys. I saw them in concert a while ago. It was pretty epic. Cam Pipes has one of the silliest yet most awesome voice in metal. It's like the vocalist of King Diamond, but more gruff. Killer guitar work and lyrics that are chock full of the Power of Steel! "Triumphant victory when you BRING THEIR STEEL TO LIFE!" [b]2. Rhapsody - Rain of a Thousand Flames {Rain of a Thousand Flames}[/b] This is a really cool song musically, but it's got some of the most messed-up lyrics I've heard in Power Metal. Here's a [URL=http://www.darklyrics.com/lyrics/rhapsody/rainofathousandflames.html#1]link,[/URL] but be warned, it's a bit NSFW. [b]3. Aina - Rebellion {Days of Rising Doom - The Metal Opera}[/b] Okay, first off, that is one of the sweetest album names I've ever seen. I dig this song, it sounds a bit like Kamelot, just with a different singer. The other songs don't, though, which is pretty cool. Not that I don't like Kamelot, I just like variation. This is probably my favorite song of the album. But the plot of the album is really weird... [b]4. Type O Negative - Burnt Flowers Fallen {October Rust}[/b] I like these guys. They're silly. It's songs like "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend" and "Black No. 1" that just make you laugh. Plus, the lead singer made VH1's "100 Most Metal Moments" by posing in Playgirl, of all things. Musically, however, I really like the chords in their songs. [b]5. Sinergy - Virtual Future {Beware the Heavens}[/b] When my friend Jakehammaren told me about this band, I loved the idea. "My goodness," I said to myself. "Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom playing with a [i]female lead singer?[/i] Finally!" Then I heard them, and I was less than pleased with her voice. So, foolishly, I deleted all of their songs from my iTunes. That was 2 years ago. I got them back, finally, after realizing that her voice really isn't that bad. So yeah, awesome band. [b]6. Avian - The Depths of Time {From the Depths of Time}[/b] These guys are pretty good. I got them a while ago but only just got around to listening to them. They're Power Metal with Progressive influences. My only complaint is that the mix could be better. You can't hear the guy's voice too well. [b]7. Lumsk - Perpålsa {Troll}[/b] I love Folk Metal. Lumsk is [i]very[/i] Folk Metal. Thus, I love Lumsk. I love the accordians, I love the fiddles, I love the guy's voice, I love the girl's voice, I love the subtle touch of the organ... I love Lumsk. And you should too. [b]8. Opeth - The Funeral Portrait {Blackwater Park}[/b] Opeth... is amazing. I can't begin to describe the guitar riffs, their subtle choice of chords that is somehow undeniably Opeth; Mikael Åkerfeldt's voice, how he has not only one of the greatest clean voices I've heard but the fullest, richest Death Metal growl; the sorrowful poetry of their lyrics... If you're going to get an Opeth album, get this one, Blackwater Park. It is undeniably their best work. However, you would not be erring in buying either The Ghost Reveries, which is their latest album, or Damnation, which is entirely acoustic and good if you can't stand growly vocals, no matter how awesome they are. [b]9. Nevermore - Sentient 6 {This Godless Endeavor}[/b] Nevermore is one rockin' band. If you want some harsh yet poetic critiques of modern society and politics, here you go. His voice is great, the guitar work is great, and the choruses are so powerful. This song is about a very sad and angry robot that builds an army, goes crazy, and destroys mankind. It's also my favorite of the album. Maybe. [b]10. Ayreon - Day Twenty: Confrontation {The Human Equation (Disc 2)}[/b] Ayreon is so cool. Every album has a different line-up of singers and instrumentalists, but it's all done and written by a man named Arjen Anthony Lucassen. The story of this album follows the mental struggles of a man trapped in a coma as he talks with personifications of his emotions. This track follows the final day of his coma, and his struggle to return to reality and conciousness. Very cool.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]Well, personally, the song I most relate to would have to be Rhapsody's [b]Triumph For My Magic Steel[/b]... All kidding aside, my song would have to be Opeth's [b]The Drapery Falls[/b]. This song is truly amazing. It's probably my favorite song off of Blackwater Park, which, in my opinion, is one of the greatest albums ever made, so there you go. [b]The Drapery Falls Please remedy my confusion And thrust me back to the day The silence of your seclusion Brings night into all you say Pull me down again And guide me into pain I'm counting nocturnal hours Drowned visions in haunted sleep Faint flickering of your powers Leaks out to show what you keep Pull me down again And guide me into... There is failure inside This test I can't persist Kept back by the enigma No criterias demanded here Deadly patterns made my wreath Prosperous in your ways Pale ghost in the corner Pouring a caress on your shoulder Puzzled by shrewd innocence Runs a thick tide beneath Ushered into inner graves Nails bleeding from the struggle It is the end for the weak at heart Always the same A lullaby for the ones who've lost all Reeling inside My gleaming eye in your necklace reflects Stare of primal regrets You turn your back and you walk away Never again Spiralling to the ground below Like Autumn leaves left in the wake to fade away Waking up to your sound again And lapse into the ways of misery[/b] I don't really think I can relate to the lyrics (or think I even know what they mean) but the song, and how his (Mikael Åkerfeldt's) vocals mesh with it, weave this beautiful musical tapestry.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]It's been Rover's life-long ambition to compose a piano accompaniment to Elvis Presley's "Nothin' but a Hound Dog."[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]Curses! You've been doing your homework, NomadTical. Sixteenth! 1. Pick a Band or Artist: [b]Into Eternity[/b] (I'll try to make this as entertaining as I can for a Progressive Death Metal band) 2. Are you male or female: [b]Point of Uncertainty[/b] (hehe... You know I'm a guy. They didn't have a good one for this) 3. Describe yourself: [b]Dead or Dreaming[/b] 4. How do some people feel about you: [b]Buried in Oblivion[/b] 5. Describe your ex boyfriend/girlfriend: [b]Shallow[/b] 6. Describe your current boyfriend/girlfriend: [b]Morose Seclusion[/b] 7. Describe where you want to be: [b]Distant Pale Future[/b] 8. Describe how you love: [b]Cyber Messiah[/b] (It's stupid, but I couldn't resist) 9. What would you ask if you had just one wish: [b]Absolution[/b] 10. Share a few words of wisdom: [b]Beginning of the End[/b] 11. Now say goodbye: [b]Left Behind[/b][/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]Fifteenth time! I'm in the mood for a little bit of Black Metal... 1. Pick a Band or Artist: [b]Immortal[/b] (Funniest press photos ever. If you don't believe me, look in the Picture Caption Contest thread in this forum and look at the second picture I posted.) 2. Are you male or female: [b]Sons of Northern Darkness[/b] 3. Describe yourself: [b]Throned by Blackstorms[/b] 4. How do some people feel about you: [b]Frozen by Icewinds[/b] 5. Describe your ex boyfriend/girlfriend: [b]Unholy Forces of Evil[/b] 6. Describe your current boyfriend/girlfriend: [b]A Sign for the Norse Hordes to Ride[/b] (O.O SO GRIM!) 7. Describe where you want to be: [b]Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms*[/b] Alternately, [b]Cursed Realms of the Winterdemons[/b]. Or maybe [b]At the Stormy Gates of Mist[/b]. Or do I want to be [b]Where Light and Dark Don't Differ[/b]... It's such a hard choice. 8. Describe how you love: [b]Frostdemonstorm[/b] (That is one hilarious song name. But not as good as "Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms.") 9. What would you ask if you had just one wish: [b]Cryptic Winterstorms[/b] 10. Share a few words of wisdom: [b]In Our Mystic Visions Blest[/b] 11. Now say goodbye: [b]Eternal Years on the Path to the Cemetary Gates[/b] Man, Black Metal cracks me up. *That is, hands down, the funniest [i]serious[/i] Black Metal song title I've ever seen.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]Man, maybe I should just do Power and Black Metal bands from now on. They have the most entertaining results. Anyways, fourteenth! 1. Pick a Band or Artist: [b]3 Inches of Blood[/b] (Straight-up Power Metal with the most awesome vocalist!) 2. Are you male or female: [b]Lord of the Storm[/b] 3. Describe yourself: [b]Swordmaster[/b] 4. How do some people feel about you: [b]The Phantom of the Crimson Cloak[/b] 5. Describe your ex boyfriend/girlfriend: [b]Dominion of Deceit[/b] 6. Describe your current boyfriend/girlfriend: [b]Deadly Sinners[/b] 7. Describe where you want to be: [b]The Isle of Eternal Despair[/b] 8. Describe how you love: [b]Crazy Nights[/b] 9. What would you ask if you had just one wish: [b]Destroy the Orcs[/b] (ARE YOU SEEING THAT SONG NAME. THAT SONG NAME IS MADE OUT OF WIN.) 10. Share a few words of wisdom: [b]Revenge is a Vulture[/b] 11. Now say goodbye: [b]Premonition of Pain[/b] (They didn't really have a good song name for that one)[/FONT][/COLOR]