#a slight reference to alice madness returns

[skullakuma]

TW: Vent Artwork and Slight Gore (with Weirdcore Themes)

If accepting of the warnings, click read more.

I have been under a lot of stress so I ended up doing a whole page in my sketchbook out of vent. I will prob start drawing the LADS guys and a selfship of my sona with Vergil (DMC) but rn, too stressed.

Yes, I'm fine. Just stressed.

[yanderes-galore]

Based on a poll I did awhile ago, have some small little thoughts I had :) I tried to do research since I'm not very familiar with the source material but what I essentially got from it is "it's meant to be chaotic and fun" so that is what I'm working with. I apologize for inaccuracies!

This was written differently from my usual concepts but this was just how it flowed. I embraced the chaos. Yes I know AIW is not about drug use but Ace's part still has themes of it.

Yandere! Dead By Daylight x Alice In Wonderland Concept/Ideas

(Including Mad Hatter! Ace, Alice! Kate, and Cheshire Cat! Nea)

Pairing: Romantic/Platonic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Slight implications of drug use, Delusional behavior, Kidnapping implied, Manipulation, Dubious companionship, Blood mentioned, Nea is mentioned to have cat-like features despite how the cosmetic looks, Brief stalking mention on Nea's part.

Ace Visconti - The Mad Hatter

The Mad Hatter is the definition of chaos in the story!

He's unpredictable and eccentric, completely erratic!

Hence... he's mad.

Ace takes on this role, decked out in make up and a colorful suit and hat.

He just wants to make you feel welcome as you stroll through your nightmare!

Have some tea and don't ask too many questions!

There is no real explanation to the chaos in this land.

A way you could meet him is maybe he mistakes you as the "Alice" he's meant to meet.

Or maybe you're a friend of an "Alice"!

Or perhaps... you've been the "Alice" he's meant to meet all along?

Either way... Ace, The Mad Hatter, is a sudden introduction to the madness.

If we're going to assume this AU is some sort of nightmare/alternate dimension then Ace will be one of your many guides in this new realm

Logic is thrown out the window here, so why no just give in?

Ace's goal is to make you forget reality.

Isn't that why you're here?

Don't you wish to forget reality and stay here?

Ace thinks the reason you're here is because you want a taste of something different?

So why don't you take a seat?

Sit by the table and have a sip of the drink he prepared.

You'll never have to return to reality if you stay with him!

What do you mean this is a nightmare?

This is Wonderland, dear!

Your Wonderland....

Don't fret or worry!

Ace will make sure you're given perfect hospitality!

Why do you even miss reality?

Isn't reality cruel?

Isn't it so much better here?

Please, ignore the blood on his suit... it isn't all that important.

All that matters is you finding happiness in this new realm!

Why'd you stop drinking the tea?

You say it tastes bitter?

But he made it just for you!

He wants you to feel... attuned to your new environment!

Oh... you look so tired, "Alice"....

Do you need any help?

It seems you've even spilled your tea....

He can't stay mad at you if you don't finish it, it appears it's not to your taste.

That's fine... as long as you give in to the chaos of this realm, everything will be fine!

He'll be the man of your nightmares and dreams if you just give into the madness deep within you, dear....

He'll be right beside you the whole time.

So why don't you lay your head to sleep?

It's so much better than reality.

Kate Denson - Alice

Oh, sweet innocent Alice...

Kate takes the role of this character in this story!

Or at least... she takes the role of a "Alice" in this story.

This realm seems to have many given such a title.

It just so happens you managed to cross paths with one.

People who are not local to this Dark Wonderland realm are referred to as an "Alice".

It's rare for one to meet another, but maybe it was fate?

Perhaps you both wanted an escape and ended up here?

Kate seems so overwhelmed of the new environment she's found herself in.

However, you seem to be experiencing the same?

Would you mind if she clings to you as you stroll through?

Everything seems so safe when you two stick together!

... so why do you look at her with such distrust?

Is it the blood on her dress?

... you aren't going to abandon her for that, right?

You're both an "Alice"! Surely you should stick together?

Even if you wanted to part from her... she isn't going to let you.

Coming to this realm she's already beginning to like it since she met you!

You could be her escape!

There's no need to be scared when you have her!

You're both meant to be the main characters of your own stories.

Kate only wants a guide through this nightmarish realm!

She doesn't think she ever wants to wake up if it means she'll leave you!

Simply meeting you has made this all feel like a dream!

Are you scared of The Hatter, or maybe the cat?

Perhaps even the Queen?

She doesn't blame you, but that must mean you'll trust her, right?

Kate thinks you two can make each other's life better.

It appears this "Alice" has already given into the madness...

Won't you join her, "Alice"?

Nea Karlsson - The Cheshire Cat

The Cheshire Cat is another important role in Wonderland.

Nea is the closest one to the "Guide" role compared to most locals in Wonderland, despite what others say.

She aids "Alices" as they walk through this realm of nightmares and twisted realities.

While she may seem helpful, she's still quite mischievous.

She's independent and often deceptive.

She often watches others carefully from the trees, taking the form of a human with cat-like features such as a tail and ears.

Perhaps in this world she even has the ability to have a fully cat form.

A small purple cat with a white scarf... often following you, her newest "Alice".

Nea knows you'll be frightened in this new world but encourages you to embrace the fun!

She often keeps close, be it human or cat.

She encourages you to smile and be happy!

Why else did you come here if not to have fun!

Nea doesn't mind if her "Alice" wishes to hold her in cat form.

If it brings you comfort then she'll comply.

Yet Nea is not without her games.

She speaks in riddles and mischievous pranks.

She purrs around you and often asks if you're enjoying your time.

She doesn't understand why you'd want to leave this realm of chaos.

Do you not like it?

Is it all too incomprehensible for you, "Alice"?

Are you scared whenever she disappears in thin air?

Do you feel lonely?

There's no need for such feelings....

She's always by your side even if you don't see her.

Nea will happily show you how to give into the madness!

You won't ever want to leave... you'll never leave her.

Just allow her to guide you!

All you need to do is stay by her and she'll be sure you'll never be alone again in this little fantasy.

[mable-stitchpunk]

sorry if this has been asked before, but do you have any particular voice claims for the Home series?

Yes, I actually do have a few! Anyone I don't mention doesn't have a voice claim.

Mike:

The story about Mike's voice is kinda funny. A couple of months after I began the fic, I think? The original Final Nights came out- you know, the game where Mike gets chased around by the Puppet- and I LOVED his voice.

That sort of rough but sardonic edge. It was perfect! ^_^ So, I always imagined Mike's voice as sounding like that!

Alas, when the Final Nights Redux came out, the voice was changed. Instead sounding a lot younger. XD >.< Needless to say, I didn't update Mike's voice to the redux version. I always imagine him with that deeper, rougher edge.

Marionette:

After some back and forth, Mari's voice claim became Elijah Wood. I've liked a lot of his stuff, but I'm a huge fan of 9 and that softer sort of voice definitely works for him.

Though Mari does have a slight English accent, like his father and sister- it's not strong, but there's the edge of it.

I have a clip of an Elijah Wood character saying, "My father died today," and laughing like a maniac that I use as a reference. XD

Chance:

Chance's voice claim/character inspiration was based quite a bit off of John Mahoney. If you're a Fraiser fan, he played Martin Crane. I am, in fact, a big Fraiser fan, which is why-

James Wight:

's claim is Kelsey Grammar. Known for Fraiser, better known as Sideshow Bob, lol.

Ennard:

Ennard doesn't have a voice claim, per say, but over the course of the series his voice has become a little less shrill. This seems like a minor thing, but it's a mix of him not remember Funtime Freddy's voice dead-on and him having to tone it down a little. It does still sound close enough to Sun's to be of note.

Elizabeth Afton:

Circus Baby's 'human' voice, which we've only heard maybe once or twice, was inspired by Susie Brann, who did Alice's voice for American Mcgee's Alice and Madness Returns. Big fan of both those games and it felt like the perfect fit.

Jake:

Jake initially had his own sort of voice, but ever since Ruin came out, I kinda imagine him sounding like Eclipse. It makes sense considering that he really IS Eclipse, in a weird ironic way. Since he and Andrew spent so long together, it would make sense for them to end up with similar sounding voices considering how much is projection.

If I remember any more, I shall post them!

[peterxwade24]

Safety Found in Red Sleeves

This is something I’ve been planning for a long time and I hope you all enjoy this story.

Also, what do you think of title of the fic? Should I change the title or is it good?

Prologue

Thana, all of two years old and already so smart, laid awake at night, every night, listening to her mother pry open her bedroom window and slip out into the night. Thana, a spry little slip of a girl, would lie awake all night waiting for her mother to come home.

Thana took several naps during the day, knowing she’d need to be awake to listen for her mom.

---

Thana, all of three years old, stared up into the blue eyes of the man her mother claimed was her father. She took in his features, seeing only slight similarities between his face and her own. She saw her mother’s tense form hanging in the doorway, observing the interaction. She focused all of her attention on the man, Tetch. She narrowed her eyes and straightened her shoulders. “I don’t like you and I don’t like what you’ve been doing to my mom.”

Tetch’s face broke out in a face-splitting grin. “She’s definitely mine. Oh my dearest Alice,” he turned his attention to Thana's mother and made to take a step towards her but was stopped by Thana, “she’s just like you but just like me.”

Thana stared at the blue eyed man and continued to glare at him. “No I’m not. I’m my own person.”

---

Thana, a few months past her third birthday, refused to let the tears fall over her rapidly bruising cheek. She held her head high, feeling blood trickle down over her lips, as she bared her teeth to the man who called himself her father. “You can hit me as many times as you want, you will not break my spirit. You will not make me into one of your Alices.”

Jervis Tetch’s face split into a manic grin. “Perfect.” His voice was full of a dark glee and would have sent shivers down Thana’s spine if she hadn’t already desensitized herself to his particular brand of dark glee.

---

Thana, a few months shy of four years old, stood behind their apartment’s door her hand still raised to wave her mother off. Thana felt Tetch’s hand land on her shoulder, his grip tightening to an almost bruising hold.

---

Thana, barely four years old, picked up her mother’s cell phone in her shaky, blood covered hands. She dialled the number for the GCPD and waited anxiously for someone to pick up the phone.

“Gotham City Police Department. This is Stacy. How may I direct your call?”

“My mommy’s dead. I don’t know, I didn’t know who else to call?”

“Oh sweetheart. Give me one second. Can you stay on the line while I connect your call to one of our detectives?”

Thana nodded before remembering that she was on the phone. “Yes ma’am.” Thana waited all of maybe a minute before a second voice sounded from the phone.

“Hi. I’m Detective Donald Peak. Can you tell me your name?”

“My mommy’s dead. Can you help?”

“Sweetheart, what’s your address?”

Thana rattled off her address, something her mother had made her memorize in case of any situation.

---

Thana, a month past her fourth birthday, packed her belongings into a backpack she found in the back of her mother’s closet before she climbed out of her bedroom window. She clung to the side of her building as she slid her window closed before looking down at the alley under her feet.

Thana let go of the building and successfully landed in the, thankfully, full dumpster that had, conveniently, been left open. She scrambled out of the dumpster and flung herself at the pavement beside the dumpster. Thana glanced back up at her bedroom, remembering all of the days she spent playing with her mother in her bedroom, before she turned around and dashed into the night.

---

Thana, eyes wide to what goes on in the world, knew there was someone following her as she ducked in and out of alleyways. Thana shrunk back into the shadows and waited for him to get close enough for her to control the situation.

The boy, because he couldn’t be too much older than she was, ducked into the alleyway she was hiding in and walked right in front of her. She stuck out one of her legs and tripped him, because he hadn’t been expecting it.

“Why have you been following me?” Thana planted her foot in the middle of his chest, fully aware that he could break out of her hold.

“You’re so small. How old are you?” He looked up at her with his eyes searching her face in the limited light streaming into the alley from an oddly placed window.

“Why. Have You. Been. Following. Me?” Thana growled out before her body froze and she hauled the boy to his feet and pushed him back into the shadows. Thana turned to glare at the boy when he made a noise.

“Oh Alice! My little Alice! Come out come out wherever you are! Daddy wants to play!” Tetch’s voice bounced around the alley, causing Thana to sink back deeper into the shadows, and unconsciously into the boy’s arms. “Wherever did my little Alice run off to?!”

Thana waited until she couldn’t hear his voice anymore before she grabbed the boy’s hand and ran out of the alley in the opposite direction that Tetch had walked in.

They ran the length of three city blocks before Thana turned and dragged them into a different alley.

Thana slumped against a wall beside a dumpster, pulling her knees up to her chest and forgetting the boy was there for a moment, until he opened his mouth.

“Your name is Alice?” The boy asked as he crouched in front of Thana. “And Mad Hatter is your dad?”

“My name is Thana, and Jervis Tetch is just the man who knocked up my mother.”

---

The boy, who Thana learned was named Jason, stuck around and helped her with her homework. He even shared his last name with her, Todd, and said he was okay with her using it as her own.

Thana walked the streets of Gotham unafraid with her brother at her side.

---

Thana smiled up at her big brother, happier than she’d been in a long time. She wrapped her arms around him, feeling him wrap his own arms, encased in the red sleeves of his hoodie, around her in return.

“I love you Jay-Jay.”

“I love you too Pixie.” Jason smiled and pulled back from his sister. He pulled out a bag from some hidey-hole and his smile grew as he handed the bag to his sister.

“Is this?” Thana opened the bag and looked up at her brother with tear-filled eyes. She gently lifted the red hoodie out of the bag and pressed it against her chest. “Jay-Jay?”

“Surprise.”

---

Thana walked out of the elementary building late one night, and was surprised when she didn’t find her brother. She simply shrugged, he had been missing the day before too, but startled when a boy in a cape landed beside her.

“A little birdie told me that you would need my assistance.”

She smiled and nodded. “Yeah, my brother usually walks with me but I’m not sure where he- you’re not Robin. Who’re you?”

The boy in the cape awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck with his green glove covered hand. “I’m Robin, just not the original. He decided to go out on his own.” He held out his hand and in the faint star light exposed the red sleeves covering his arms.

Thana looked from the red sleeves up into the face of the boy in th- Robin. “Jay-Jay?”

Robin’s eyes widened and he quickly looked around. “Pixie. You’re not supposed to be able to tell who I am.”

Thana smiled and wrapped her arm around his waist. “Only Jay-Jay knows that I trust people in red sleeves more willingly than people in sleeves of any other colour.”

---

Thana screamed and cried, punching and kicking the adults dragging her away from her brother.

“We’ve found a relative of your mother’s! Isn’t that exciting?!” The lady was overly cheerful, ignoring the heart-wrenching sobs pouring out of Thana’s tiny body.

“No! I want to stay with my brother!”

---

Thana stared up at the Asain woman who had introduced herself as Sabine Cheng, a cousin of her mother.

“My husband, Tom, and I run a bakery in Paris. We’d like you to come live with us. We’d like to take care of you.”

“I don’t get an option here, do I?” Thana looked from the Asain woman to her husband, a large man with a mustache. “Why’d you even drag me down here if you weren’t going to give me an option?”

---

Thana, now called Marinette by her French family, adjusted the straps on her book bag as she looked at herself in the mirror. Thana, dressed in clothes her new parents approved of, tried to smile. “Hi. My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” Thana let the false smile fall from her face and shook out of her hands.

Thana walked down the stairs, a smile on her face to appease her new parents, and grabbed the box of macarons Tom made so she could impress her new classmates. “Thanks.”

Thana walked out of the bakery, the box of macarons held in her arms like a precious package. She walked to the school and counted the sidewalk blocks as she walked. She let out a breath as she reached the entrance of the l’école élémentaire Tom and Sabine had enrolled her in.

Thana’s first impression of the school was that it was too big and scary. Her second impression of the school was that she was terrified that she was starting a new school and her brother wasn’t at her side.

“My name is Marinette now. I need to stop referring to myself as Thana.” Marinette thought to herself as she walked into the courtyard. She glanced around the courtyard, saw all of the kids, and felt her fear return full force. She gathered up her courage and walked into the courtyard and instantly felt all of the students’ eyes on her.

Marinette let it wash over her, pushing her fear back as far as it will go, and straightened her shoulders. She strode through the courtyard and into the building, hoping to find the principal’s office without having to ask anyone.

Marinette strode into the principal’s office and smiled at the man. “Hello. I’m Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I believe my parents Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng called you and enrolled me in your school?”

---

Marinette didn’t make a lot of friends while enrolled in the l’école élémentaire, but the ones she did make were ones she was planning on keeping.

The first friend she made was a boy named Lê Chiến Kim. She only befriended him because he wore red sleeves and reminded her of her big brother.

The second friend was a boy named Nino Lahiffe. He played music that reminded her of home, the street music in Gotham was very similar to the music Nino played.

The third, and final, friend she made was a girl named Chloé Bourgeois. Chloé reminded Marinette of Robin, her brother’s alter ego, with the way she commanded respect.

---

The four ten year olds pushed through the glares directed at them by the other students, they didn’t care. They had each other and that was enough.

---

Marinette’s eleventh birthday came and went, and for the second year in a row she didn’t receive anything from her brother in Gotham. She put a smile on her face for the sake of her new parents and her new friends, despite the fact that she felt like she was dying.

---

Marinette had just turned thirteen, Jay-Jay was sixteen, and she searched the internet looking for anything that would let her know what her brother had been up to. Marinette shut down when the biggest trending news story was the death of “Billionaire Bruce Wayne’s sixteen year old son”, no one could get her out of her depressive state.

---

Chloé, Nino and Kim helped Marinette through it all, the arrival of Lila Rossi and the appearance of tiny gods called Kwamis.

It was the strength of that friendship which allowed the four of them to succeed in everything they set their minds to, the strength of the love they shared that allowed them to tackle any situation in front of them.

Taglist

@southamericangothamite @maribat-is-lifeblood @mystery-5-5 @our-preciousss

[iatheia]

EDA reviews part 2 - books 10-18

Previous part here

10) Legacy of the Daleks - A very enjoyable read, even though it doesn’t mesh well with Big Finish continuity. I have a few headcanons on how to rectify that, though... The meeting between the Eight and Delgado’s Master left me grinning ear to ear, the way Eight was posturing, wholly aware of the way the Master ticks. I’m not sure I liked Susan quite as much, though - nor was she that fundamental to the story, spending most of the time off screen, but being somewhat unlikeable when she was there. Her final confrontation with the Master was a bit much... Similarly, it was hard to accept Master not recognizing her. That said, the rest of it was a fun romp, and Eight’s thoughts towards the end were particularly poignant, 9/10

11) Dreamstone Moon - Starting right off the bat with an author self insert, and have him being both the source of the conflict and the one to ultimately save the day, kind of - it’s a bold choice.... It’s been said before, but Doctor’s companions really should unionize huh? Eight’s in particular. It really is quite striking that the situation with Sam is pretty much the exact same one as it will be with Charlie - thinking that the Doctor is dead, abandoned, alone, without any network of support. And I’m finally about to have context for that post, so, cheers, I guess. That said, Sam and the Doctor are very much representative of the “quit telling everyone I’m dead - sometimes I can still hear his voice” meme. I’ve lost count how many times Sam decided that the Doctor’s dead within five minutes of seeing him very much alive. (Ok, no, I jest, but it’s a good book, throughly enjoyable from the beginning to end, 10/10)

12) Seeing I - I, uh, really struggle to follow Sam’s logic in the beginning here. I don’t really understand how she ended up in the place she did, after the last novel. Because, she wasn’t alone, she wasn’t abandoned, she was in a company of people, who, uh, cared about her might be putting it a bit too strongly, but who at least could vouch for her. So this disconnect is a bit odd. And, as good as this novel is, as good as the character work in here is, I have a slight disconnect with the rest of it, too. There is too big of a gulf with where the story begun and where it ended - there are too many things going on, too many plots introduced and then unceremoniously dropped. It’s like... Revolution of the Daleks inside of Kerblam, with Nightmare in Silver thrown in with half a dozen other themes from other episodes. When you have the doctor in the machine and the psychologist guy go from primary antagonists to the supporting cast we’re supposed to root for, there is something mildly dissatisfying about it, thematically speaking. Overall, the story in its entirety is less than a sum of its parts. Breaking it into pieces, though, there is a lot of exciting stuff there. 9/10

13) Placebo Effect - Controversial opinion time - I don’t care for Ark in Space. I think it’s a pretty forgettable episode. So any time I encounter any reference to the wirrrn, my reaction is “wait, who?”. And even though I like Leisure Hive well enough, I dare you to find anyone who has been clamoring for the return of Foamasi. This rather made me immediately apprehensive, straight from the preface. In general, there was too much continuity. Stacy & Ssard, really? How deep do you need to be to appreciate their appearance? They are so utterly unnecessary, too, they disappear less than a quarter of the way into the novel, they aren’t even there for set up, they are there for a set up of a set up. If you are actually a person who knew who they were, and wanted to see more of them, I can’t imagine this being all that satisfying. It’s a rather abrupt transition from the previous ark. I dare even say, aggressive, to the degree you have Sam going from “she is afraid to be even in the same room with him, lest she kills him with her soaked through panties” to “she is absolutely delighted when he imparts onto her his grandfatherly wisdom”. Then again, any time either Eight or Sam opened their mouth, I didn’t see Eight or Sam. I saw Four and Sarah Jane. It’s not well written, either. It’s very clunky. The dialogues in particular are obnoxious. Stacy’s and Sam’s conversation, and later on dogmatic discussion between Sam and the priests gave me full on psychic damage. I mostly skimmed beyond that, can’t say there was much to catch the eye. 2/10

14) Vanderdeken's Children - This book is aiming to be a masterpiece, but it’ll just have to settle for being good enough. It does have some interesting twists and turns in here, even though most of them are pretty predictable and expected from the set up. The last couple of chapters, the ending overall, are quite decent (even though all the ebook versions I was able to find cut off the last couple of pages, argh!), but the middle is very middling, with mostly uninspiring secondary characters that are ever so slowly being positioned on the chess board. 7/10

15) The Scarlet Empress - Where to begin... It’s a series of mostly unrelated short stories in a trench coat pretending to be a novel. It’s set up in a middle of a road trip, unrelated not just to each other, but also the measly bit of plot that was given to us? I found it’s quite difficult to engage with the story overall, or follow it, really. It tries to be more character driven than plot driven, which is an admirable aim, and some of the character stuff they have in here is nice, except... Outside of may be bits of chapter 1, I couldn’t really hear Doctor’s voice - any version of him, let alone Eight. Sam fares a bit better, but, at the end of the day... It doesn’t really feel like Doctor Who story. The pacing is completely off, as is the structure, and it was quite nonsensical and whimsical, more akin to Alice in Wonderland than Doctor Who. Not bad in and of itself, just, hard for me to appreciate as a part of this marathon. A note on Iris. I haven’t yet listened to her stand-alone adventures, but I generally enjoy whenever she shows up in Big Finish. Here, though, she was rather lacking Katy Manning’s charm and personality. And, I feel, if you didn’t have any existing fondness for the character before, this novel isn’t going to give you much to care about her. Except, *checks notes*, this was one of her first major outings? Not really a good start. Oh, and prior to this she was in a few short stories, by the same writer. Well, that checks out. 6/10

16) The Janus Conjunction - I really liked this one. Not much to say beyond it, but, very well written, very easy read, practically in a single breath. Excellent characterization for both Doctor and Sam, just a right degree of joyful, determined, adventurous, death defying, mad, delirious, and codependent, almost moreso than any other I’ve read so far. Rather dark, though, I can feel it resonating in the pit of my stomach, and it gets inside your head. 10/10

17) Beltempest - What did the Doctor do to deserve this character assassination??? It’s not without redeeming bits (looks like “I’m not a man” quote comes from here, big yay), but, in large part, is barely a pale shadow of a character I like. Especially in the beginning - he think that Sam might have died and he is ok with this??? After the Dreamstone Moon??? And he is incredibly obnoxious? And Sam was barely herself, even before being... uh, possessed? for plot related reasons. I can’t describe how much disconnect I have with the protagonists here, or with any characters in the rest of the book, for that matter, and how much the dialogue made me roll my eyes. And, ah, the technobabble. I generally try not to overthink the physics of most things in fiction, because, as a certified space scientist, otherwise I’d be here all day, but there comes a point where it crosses the line. After everything else, to read the words “newly born main sequence star” with my own two eyes is just too much. I’m a good person, I do not deserve this nonsense... The first half of the book left me rather put off. The second part left me feeling absolutely flat. No emotions, either positive or negative. And, uh, there was a post going around on tumblr along the lines of “the worst you can do to the character is having them mention a certain food, because the fandom will turn it into an obsession” - it’s rather the same here with Eight and books & classical music. I am rather starting to loose count of the number of times they are trying to emulate the scene with the ending of the movie, where he is lounging about and reading, or specifically mentioning Pucchini. To be fair, it’s not just this novel, but it definitely starting to take me out of it. 5/10

18) The Face-Eater - I’m generally a bit wary of cold opens in the books, because some tend to ramble a bit, with the characters I don’t already know and love, so it’s often is a chore to muster enthusiasm to care about them. This one, though, despite all that, starts very effectively, in a way that made me immediately sit up straight. Very snappish, in a style of noir novels. Too bad it doesn’t quite sustain that energy throughout it. The plot is... interesting, I guess. Characterization is decent, for the most part - although some moments, especially early on gave me a pause, it more than makes up for it in other places. 7/10

Overall impressions so far: Much better than the first set of 9, which often were too deeply rooted in nostalgia to try to offer anything unique. And, I guess, with more writers having a chance to read each others works, the characterization is a bit more consistent (not for every writer, mind, but, in general). How long does it take for them to write a novel of this length, I wonder? A book a month is a rather grueling pace for the series - how far in advance do they start? How many other books come out during that time? 

Sam in particular incrementally found her footing (though, there is a bit of a lag from novel to novel). Instead of imagining literally any other companion, there were certain novels that really helped me to grasp her character. Though, hmm... being Doctor’s companion is not a safe job by any stretch of imagination, but this girl has really been through a wringer. I’m rather struggling to think of any other companion that has been put through so much (non-lethal) battering. There comes a point when one just wants to just to let her have some good time. And, uh, there was a horrible thought that occurred to me, and went to look up how she will depart the TARDIS in the end, and... well, I have a feeling that sometime afterwards I will not like what will happen.

Also, there is this trend of separating her and the Doctor, for a prolonged period of time, them having no idea where to find each other, without any contact, just, stumbling onto one another eventually. It’s a way for writers to have them cover more narrative ground, and you certainly don’t want them attached by the hip, but when they spend less than 20 pages a book in each other’s company, that’s, uh... not a trend I particularly care for.

Well, onto the next batch where we meet Fitz, and say good bye to Sam.

Next part here

[hlycrwn]

“ it’s not a dream , it’s a memory ”

                 IT WOULD BE A LIE TO SAY HE FINDS HIMSELF COMFORTABLE IN HER PRESENCE     and more of one to say that he used to  ,  once  ,  when rather her eyes upon him felt   too knowing  ,  too much   /   now  ,  he has an understanding of   why that may be   to add an extra layer of discomfort to their every interaction .   which is not to say that he   detests her  either     ━━━━━     more  ,  he simply never comes here to see   her  ,  his visits instead to catch up with his   old professor   their beloved spouse   &   when he does  ,  by chance  ,  run into   lady rhea  on these hallowed grounds  …  civility  ,  on both ends .   a mortal - weary goddess   &   a god - weary mortal .   a candle burned at both ends  ,  they stare each other down in their balancing act upon the charred wick .

the surprise he feels upon recognizing her silhouette  ,  then  ,  comes not from a place of confusion or bewilderment  ;   to see her is expected  ,  this land hers to tread upon as she so desires  ,  no     ━━━━━     what catches him   off guard   is the way she seems to hold herself  ,  that   divine aura  gone to make way for something more somber  /  something  older  ,  as if she herself were a relic  ,  blood and flesh to cease all movement and simply   remain  where she currently stands  ,  gaze fixed upon the stained glass windows of the church’s interior .   speaking feels more like a sin than it ever has  ,  as if to break the silence would damn him to the flames right then and there  ,  but   /   he steps forward  ,  with the grace of a man rather than a   king on high   and keeps his tone soft as a place is taken beside her .

❛     curfew was hours ago  ,  as you are no doubt aware .   though it always did feel more like a suggestion than a rule .     ❜               it’s a jest  ,  at least in part   ;   a remark on   times long since passed  ,  when the blood upon his hands was not familiar   &   the most major of battles were prefaced by  ‘ mock ’ .  just a child then  ,  a student   ;   and she  ,  seemingly  ,  falsely  ,  simply an   archbishop .   dimitri watches her shoulder rise and fall  ,  a release in the form of extended exhale before rhea turns her attention to him     ━━━━━     if only from her peripherals  ,  if only for a   moment .               ❛     i would ask what has you here at such an hour  ,  rather than within your own bed but i imagine i could wager a guess without finding myself too far off the mark .     ❜

a slight cant of his head  ,  arms crossing o’er chest .               ❛     a bad dream  ,  perhaps ?     ❜there’s not a soul alive without them these days  ,  it feels like .   that she shakes her head is unexpected . 

“   no  ,  it’s not a dream   ;   it’s a memory    “     or  ,  it   was   unexpected   ;  now he simply understands the details of what plagues her  ,  but a hair’s width from initial guess .   his gaze wanders  ,  then  ,  without meaning to  ;  settles on the discoloration ‘round her wrists that serve as a reminder to the time she spent under the empire’s roof  ,  emperor edelgard’s   most esteemed and   well hidden  guest .   he could ask her  ,  if the memory stems from there or from a time before or   /   a time   before   ,  when the bones of the divine still resided within her own body rather than ripped out  ,  weaponized   ;   a   tool   for destruction bathed in the idea of   revolution .   he could ask her  ,  would not be   smited   for a mere question though whether or not she wishes to answer would be another story entirely   /   he could  ,  but he does not .   they are not nearly close enough to   share ghosts   and the moonlight streaming in through carefully constructed windows does not lend itself to   make believe   this night .

so  ,  instead  :               ❛     i see .  so the past haunts even you  ,  rhea .     ❜               title long since discarded  ,  he cares little to refer to her as   ‘ lady ’   &   finds no concern for whether or not she addresses him   royally .   they’re people   /  just people  ,  in the end  ,  and his gaze lifts to look up upon where her own has drifted back to  ,  high above the both of them .   he sees glass  ,  colored   &   beautiful but   mere glass   all the same   ;  he can only wonder what she sees in the reflection  ,  in the light it casts .

“   i am not immune to ghosts  ,  dimitri .   i have yet to meet a soul who is .   ”     she says his name as if speaking to him yet he finds  ,  somehow  ,  it sounds more   self - aimed   than anything   /   as if he could be here or not be here and it would matter little  ,  her words meant to exist rather than be heard .   he remembers her sermons vividly  ,  commanding and captivating   ;   the woman beside him now speaks opposite that energy  ,  the only thing similar being the face that speaks them . 

❛     and if you were to meet one  ,  a soul without ghosts living in their bones ?     ❜               “   they would have my pity and my envy in equal measure .   ”     ━━━━━     his eyes close  ,  then  ,  body still .   the answer echos in his rib cage with a sickening familiar intensity   ;   the understanding of loss   /   the inability to let go .

(   it is hours before the silence breaks  ,  a bell - chime ringing overhead .   they glance at one another and   /   they do not say goodbye as the distance between them widens   )

@seiyros   /   alice  :  madness returns   .   not accepting .

[happymetalgirl]

The 60 Best Metal Albums of 2018

2018 was such a huge year for metal, and I know that every year is great for metal with the abundance of fantastic artists big and small out there, but this year felt so big to me, perhaps because of so much of what the music this year was the soundtrack to, but also for the sheer number of unexpected masterpieces. This year I reviewed 170 metal albums, not including the 15 I briefly talked about missing in 2017, which is more than the total number of albums I even listened to across all genres last year, which is weird because I have actually been busier this year than last. But I am rather pleased with how much more I was able to immerse myself into metal this year, at all levels of accessibility, and given the fact that the coming year might come with some changes and limitations to my output, here’s to 2018, and the 60 incredible albums (LPs and EPs alike) that captivated me this year.

Also, this should go without saying, but this is not just my opinion, these are objectively the 60 best metal albums of the year, and if you disagree, well then you’re wrong.

60. Coheed and Cambria – Vaxis – Act I: The Unheavenly Creatures

I was expecting to kind of tolerate this one at best, which is weird because I enjoyed the band’s last album quite a bit. But this album took me on such a little nostalgia ride through my adolescence and the music I enjoyed at that time in my life. I’m glad I got an album like this that can make me look back at that part of my life fondly, because God knows lots of other stuff makes me look back with a little bit of shame.

59. Harm’s Way – Posthuman

A fresh batch of lethal Chicago hardcore with a modern update, no bullshit, no nonsense, just punishing, crushing, proficient metallic hardcore that adds to the genre’s growing dominance within metal.

58. Unearth – Extinction(s)

I was so glad to hear Unearth put out an honest, classic metalcore album (with a few modern updates as well) instead of following so many of their peers into the clutches of radio rock pandering, and Extinction(s) is an excellent example of the punch the mid-2000’s style can still pack.

57. XavlegbmaofffassssitimiwoamndutroabcwapwaeiippohfffX – Gore 2.0

I’m amazed a comical grindcore album actually had the content to sustain an hour’s worth of songs, both playfully mocking and proficiently conjuring the absurdly gory brutality of the genre on a tremendous variety of creative tracks whose impossible-to-articulate lyrics are well worth reading along with.

56. Bloodbath – The Arrow of Satan Is Drawn

Even performing below their peak form, Bloodbath is a force to be reckoned with in death metal, and The Arrow of Satan Is Drawn is a fine representation of their continued mastery of the genre. The slight drop in chemistry due to their less frequent and consistent output since Mikael Åkerfeldt’s departure can be felt a bit on this project, but even so, it’s a crushing album that I am glad to have from them this year.

55. Jesus Piece – Only Self

An excellent debut from the hardcore freshmen, Only Self isn’t the most adventurous of hardcore albums, but it sure hits the nail on the head and makes up for its lack of novelty with fiery performances.

54. Chelsea Grin – Eternal Nightmare

It was a quiet year for deathcore, but not a bad one, as Chelsea Grin made a resounding comeback of sorts after their lackluster 2016 album. Eternal Nightmare finds the band seemingly taking noted from the likes of Carnifex and Fit for an Autopsy, who all trimmed the fat on their respective deathcore styles and modernized their sound to help them stand out more.

53. Deadspace – Mouth of Scorpions

Any EP that makes this list must be doing a lot right to surpass so many other albums, and the three songs Deadspace bring to this album are among their best, returning after their slightly disappointing LP last year, to the potent DSBM that drew me to them in the first place. The band have announced a new album for early next year, and this EP has me rather excited for it.

52. Summoning – With Doom We Come

With Doom We Come was definitely one of the most interesting pieces of folk metal I have heard in a long time, with Summoning taking their winding, cinematic, Tolkien-inspired ambient approach over the course of eight songs. I liked the way the band was able to transform he central motifs they based the songs around in interesting ways for the extended lengths they took.

51. Panopticon – The Scars of Man on the Once Nameless Wilderness, Pt. 1

The heavier of the two discs from Panopticon’s double album this year showed Austin Lunn’s slight imbalance in his compositional strength when compared to his second, folk-driven disc.

50. Machine Head – Catharsis

I know a lot of people hated this album for Robb Flynn’s preachiness before and during the promo cycle and on a few moments on a few songs on the album, but honestly, it really wasn’t that preachy when you actually got into the lyrics, and there were a lot of good deep cuts on the album that I kept coming back to. As a pretty big fan of Machine Head, I do agree though, yes, this is rather subpar for them given we’ve been blessed with a string of truly tremendous albums over the past decade or so. But this album’s weakness lies not in its “SJW-ness” or Robb’s politics. It’s an album that shows the band’s creativity wearing thin, which makes sense in the wake of Dave and Phil leaving the band a few months ago. Catharsis sounds like a very natural progression from the diversity of the incredible Bloodstone & Diamonds, just an unfortunately watered-down version of that album. Nevertheless, I think there is enough quality on Catharsis to consider it a good album, even it will naturally be outshined by The Blackening, Burn My Eyes, and Bloodstone & Diamonds.

49. Impending Doom – The Sin and Doom Vol. II

Deathcore album of the year right here; Impending Doom came back after a relatively long break, sanded off the rust, and picked up where they left off with The Sin and Doom Vol. II, an album of straight-up early 2010’s-style djenty deathcore bangers.

48. Wreck and Reference – Alien Pains

This surprise, four-track EP showed a lot of Wreck and Reference’s experimental sides within black metal, as well as their proficiency at industrial rock on the two songs in the middle. It’s definitely a thirst-quenching appetizer for whatever their next album might be.

47. Innumerable Forms – Punishment in Flesh

One of my favorite debut releases, Punishment in Flesh was in many ways this year’s answer to Primitive Man’s Caustic, not a cheap rip-off of that project, but definitely one that carries a similarly pessimistic and relentlessly sludgy atmosphere, although much quicker and less drone-y than Caustic often got. It’s a great start for this band and one that has me eager to see where they take their sound next.

46. Frontierer – Unloved

The Car Bomb comparisons this album has been piled atop with are certainly warranted, though I’m not sure I’d say Frontierer show the same knack for groove that Car Bomb did on their 2016 album. Nevertheless, Unloved is a properly punishing and comprehensive mathcore album. At just under an hour, the band prove they can still hold attention spans with the sheer madness they harness.

45. Thou – Rhea Sylvia

This was the third EP to precede the release of Thou’s full-length album, Magus, this year. I enjoyed the grungy twist the band took on their signature sludge sound, especially on songs like “Deepest Sun” with some sorrowful vocal harmonies that hearken directly to Alice in Chains.

44. Holy Fawn – Death Spells

Holy Fawn take an incredibly beautiful and extremely nature-inspired approach to the sounds of ambient black metal on this album. It’s a truly welcoming and meditative album, and one that I think makes a great case for the lighter side of black metal.

43. Judas Priest – Firepower

Judas Priest came back with such an unbelievably powerful classic heavy metal offering this year, indeed a late-career masterpiece and one that proves how passionate and talented the band still are. It’s an album that showcases their expertise with the style without coming off as joyless exhibition.

42. Thou – Magus

Thou’s full-length album of 2018 is definitely their most well-produced and sonically pleasing release with the way everything from the down-tuned guitars to the drums and bass are allowed to shine simultaneously to best represent Thou’s signature sludgy doom. Compositionally it’s pretty on par with most of their work in this lane too, but it’s really an album more about the thick atmosphere than anything else, and that it certainly delivers.

41. Halestorm – Vicious

Definitely my favorite straightforward hard rock album of the year, this record has so many tightly composed rockers, and with such a tasteful note of heavy metal, I couldn’t help but repeat so many of the songs on here throughout the year. It’s a bit inconsistent, but when it’s high its really high.

40. The Body – I Have Fought Against It, But I Can’t Any Longer

Finally, after a few poor splits and collaborations that made me more irritated than hyped for their following full-length, The Body did pretty well on their new, focused LP. It’s in many ways The Body as usual, but with a few new twists that make it an interesting experience and not just a rehash of previous efforts.

39. Echo Beds – Buried Language

It was a good year for experimental black metal, and this one was one of my favorite pieces of it. Definitely in line with Wreck and Reference, this album takes a slightly more industrial approach than W&R usually do, and it is a thrilling, interesting listen all the way through.

38. Mamaleek – Out of Time

Speaking of experimental black metal, Mamaleek continues to push the genre’s boundaries into more hushed, folky territory that still retains the sinister quality of the genre, and this is probably their most comprehensive foray into the black metal unknown, yet they sound so comfortable and confident doing it.

37. Wayfarer – World’s Blood

Another American black metal release, World’s Blood is a more standard display of the style’s post-metallic power, though with a subtle Western flair itself. With five focused, well-constructed pieces, it’s a pretty engaging listen each step of the way, and one that does well to highlight its subtle differences from the rest of the ambient black metal crop.

36. Deafheaven – Ordinary Corrupt Human Love

And on the topic of American black metal, we have the fourth album from Deafheaven, one that I was a bit confused with at first but still ended up loving for its nice representation of the band’s brighter side. It’s an album that reminds me so much of the love I have for certain people and how unperfect, yet precious and beautiful it is.

35. Behemoth – I Loved You at Your Darkest

Along with Deafheaven’s new album, this was probably my most anticipated release of the year, and as much as I knew it was likely not going to outdo The Satanist, I was pleased with how well this album continued from where Behemoth left off on that album. Channeling the same grand, biblical style of blackened death metal the band had found their sweet spot in, it came with a bit odder experimentation, but not enough to sink the album. Overall, it’s a respectable follow-up to one of the best death metal albums of the new millennium.

34. Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals – Choosing Mental Illness as a Virtue

I like the angry death metal anarchy that Phil’s band conjures on this album. It and Phil’s unfiltered vocal aggression are a nice match for each other, and it makes for a wild ride all the way through. It’s definitely an album whose appeal is based on the rawness of its delivery, but it’s not just senseless cacophony; the band clearly know how to harness this type of death metal and let it rage on a long leash in their favor.

33. Keiji Haino & Sumac - American Dollar Bill: Keep Facing Sideways, You're Too Hideous to Look at Face On

This one is favorite collaborative release of the year with Keiji Haino and Sumac playing off each other’s respective styles so well, knowing how to ebb and flow within the waves the other creates, it’s a very noisy and odd release, but one that finds everything on here in such a complimentary form. I wish more collaborations in metal had this kind of well-worked chemistry between artists.

32. Of Feather and Bone – Bestial Hymns of Perversion

One of the year’s earlier and most punishing straight-up death metal releases, Bestial Hymns of Perversion is all meat, no fat, and such a quick, but ripping example of death metal at its rawest and most primal.

31. TesseracT – Sonder

As short as Sonder ended up being, I definitely found it to be a step up from Tesseract’s previous album, with the band doing well to craft the kind of shimmering progressive metal anthems that Daniel Tompkins can shine on.

30. Sumac – Love in Shadow

It was a good year for Sumac, coming through with a strong collaborative effort earlier in the year and then following up with their third LP. At only four songs, the album makes the most of the long time is has with each piece, and it’s one that I found myself coming back to so often throughout the year. I think the band outdid all their previous efforts, including their other collaboration this year.

29. Horrendous – Idol

Watching the evolution of Horrendous has been fascinating for the past several years, and seeing them transform into a fully-fledged progressive death metal juggernaut on Idol is one of the most rewarding sights to behold. The band channel raw, snarling growls and expert instrumental power on this album. The band still manage to retain their harsh, ugly roots, but pour that malice into a much more elegant form on this album, and I am definitely here for it.

28. High on Fire – Electric Messiah

It was a pretty big year for Matt Pike, and a major part of that was High on Fire’s follow-up to 2015’s Luminiferous. Taking a bit more of a proggy approach to their thrashy sludge metal worked out pretty well for the most part. It’s in many ways, High on Fire as usual, but also a more extensive application of their gruff, no-nonsense metal.

27. Portal – Ion

The wait between this album and their harrowing Vexovoid was well worth it as Ion captures the band’s most abysmal and spaciously apocalyptic sound in the form of chaotically collapsing technical death metal compositions that take a tremendous amount of listening to fully wrap one’s mind around.

26. Watain – Trident Wolf Eclipse

Watain’s long-awaited follow-up to The Wild Hunt finds them taking it back to basics in the shortest time frame yet, and as overshadowed as this album is likely to end up being next to albums like Sworn to the Dark and Casus Luciferi, it’s still a fiery piece of straightforward black metal that I have enjoyed all throughout the year.

25. Evoken – Hypnagogia

Definitely one of the most thrilling death/doom releases I’ve heard in a good while, Evoken go in for the long haul on this album and come through with a thick, well-cultivated atmosphere of gloom and remorse.

24. Thou – The House Primordial

This was he first-released EP leading up to Magus, and it did so well to concentrate Thou’s harsh black metal side into an interesting arrangement of songs that quickly establish a deep, sardonic atmosphere that takes that side of Thou to the extreme.

23. Thou – Inconsolable

The second EP of the three, and my favorite, is not really a metal album at all, but one whose sorrowful beauty I kept returning to. I love the vocal features the band brought on to give each of the moody, grungy songs on here a unique flair, and the band’s excellence with this softer style of music is incredible.

22. Architects – Holy Hell

One of the most triumphant metalcore albums I have heard in a long time, and one on which I think Architects managed to outdo themselves. Overcoming a crippling death to carry on with =, I think, their best album to date is certainly a feat to appreciate.

21. Sleep – The Sciences

This album took a while to grow on me, but grow it did, and I found myself enjoying and appreciating the thick walls of sound of a genre I had previously been apprehensive about. After finding the most fitting way to listen to this style of music, I can say now that I do enjoy myself some stoner metal.

20. Vein – Errorzone

Definitely one of the most punishing hardcore albums of the past few years, Errorzone is a bold amalgamation of nu metal and metalcore that takes the best of both worlds and smashes them together in an explosive array of violent noise that shoots Vein straight to the upper rungs of the genre.

19. Carnation – Chapel of Abhorrence

Another excellent debut album, Chapel of Abhorrence gave Bloodbath and Cannibal Corpse a run for their money with the dense brutality Carnation were able to conjure up on this album. Without any real notable weaknesses, this album is a tremendous opening statement for one of death metal’s most ambitious newcomers.

18. Polyphia – New Levels New Devils

This was such a fulfilling and unique math rock album that took the swagger of hip hop and made the band’s instrumental show-y-ness even cooler and flashier, elevating it above the autopilot mush of the style.

17. Hissing – Permanent Destitution

Another excellent debut album, this time channeling the experimental noisiness of black metal into a harsh, slightly industrially ambient experience that no other album has really ever captured before. It’s the kind of album that appears to be just standard abrasive black metal chaos on the surface, but the way the band work with so many different musical ideas and swirl them round so well o this album is what makes it so intriguing.

16. Imperial Triumphant – Vile Luxury

And on the topic of intriguing music, Imperial Triumphant come through with one of the most uniquely blues-y, jazzy incantations of death metal this year. Taking the eerie dissonance of traditional jazz and mashing it together with the apocalyptic sounds of death metal to convey the metropolitan filth of the Big Apple.

15. Andrew W.K. – You’re Not Alone

This whole album is the injection of positivity metal needed not just this year, but more of in general. While it’s on the borderline between hard rock and heavy metal, I still found it to be a refreshingly uplifting and encouraging set of songs that embody the type of positive outlook on life that I think needs more endorsement in heavy music. And of course, it opens with my song of the year, “Music Is Worth Living For”, which just perfectly captures my deep love and appreciation for music, which the rest of the album continues unashamedly.

14. A Perfect Circle – Eat the Elephant

Eat the Elephant was a lot softer in most parts than I and a lot of fans were expecting, but A Perfect Circle really proved that their return to music was really based on artistic inspiration and not financial desperation with the evolved and magnificently cohesive sounds they traversed on the album’s various tracks.

13. Infernal Coil – Within a World Forgotten

So many strong debut albums this year, and Infernal Coil’s was definitely one of my favorites. Channeling the heaviest side of Leviathan’s menacing and abysmal depressive black metal, Infernal Coil conjures a short, but enthralling experience on Within a World Forgotten. It’s one that I continually return to for its massive, abusive heaviness and one that makes me eager to see how Infernal Coil continue to shape their sonic identity in the years to come.

12. Obscura – Diluvium

As much as I like Obscura, I was surprised with how comprehensively thrilling Diluvium was. Wrapping up all the musical ideas that have enhanced the group’s progression through the years, the same band that made the stunning Akróasis return with clearly developed chemistry to expound upon their previous work

11. Ghost – Prequelle

It took bit of adjustment from what I usually enjoy about Ghost’s music to appreciate this one. It felt so off at first, but after a while the extra extra cheese melted over this album is really just the very essence of Ghost taken to such a campy and unpredicted extreme, and it is all executed so tactfully and brilliantly underneath the album’s fun externa.

10. Alrakis – Echoes from Eta Carinae

It’s one single song, but I chose not to include it on my top songs list because it would be redundant talking about it here too, and I did want to express its greatness in the context of its comparison to other albums. However, this song, unlike most extensive proggy epics, really is one long, sprawling piece that takes its time to push and pull and really swirl in a well-thought-out aura of ambient black metal that manages to stay fascinating all throughout its one-of-a-kind ride.

9. Anna von Hausswolff – Dead Magic

I know this one’s not really super metal, but the thick sets of horns, organ, and tom drum beating against the gothy appeal and dark ambiance Anna von Hausswolff constructs is something I have been enjoying so thoroughly this year, and for many of the same reasons I’ve enjoyed so much of the dark ambient metal on this list.

8. The Atlas Moth – Coma Noir

This was such a fulfilling album that captured the ascension of the band’s evolution beyond standard post-metal-flavored blackgaze and into a realm all their own. The grooves on here, the sludgy riffs, everything about this record from a stylistic and compositional standpoint was so satisfying as an elevation of the band’s sound.

7. Rivers of Nihil – Where Owls Know My Name

Such a breath of fresh air for technical progressive death metal and such an exponential continuation of growth for Rivers of Nihil, the pure emotion this album is album to pack into such an ordinarily soulless genre is something to behold and something I have loved relistening to all throughout the year. As nuanced as it is, it sacrifices nothing in the way of death metal brutality to get there.

6. meth. – I Love You

This has been by far the most criminally underrated debut by any band this year. Although only a five-song EP, the band showcase such a compelling excellence with the harsh, abrasive chaos they wrangle on here, mashing the harsh blackened noise of a band like Full of Hell with the whopping hardcore punch of the kind of metalcore pioneered by Converge and recently enhanced by groups like Code Orange. These few short songs are all such an incredible display of prowess with a bold blend of styles that makes meth. THE band to keep an eye on for future releases.

5. Revocation – The Outer Ones

Revocation quite possibly outdid their already phenomenal discography on this album with a shift in focus toward cosmic technical death metal while still maintaining a firm grasp on the thrash roots that have given their music the grounded appeal in delicious riffs and solos. The Outer Ones is such a tremendously technical yet tasty release, I have been so thoroughly enjoying it this year. I love all the delicious guitar work and tasteful bass on this album and of course the magnificent drumming too, it’s all so awesome. Hell yeah Revocation, hell yeah!

4. Gevurah – Sulphur Soul

After a strong enough debut in 2016, Gevurah made an even more emphatic perfection of their blackened death metal sound that rivals in-form Behemoth on this four-track EP. Somehow without simply aping the Polish giants’ sound, Gevurah manage to capture the grand carnal essence of albums like Evangelion and The Satanist in a few sharp pounders boiling with cultish aura to give the band’s ravenous death metal a sophisticated lining.

3. Zeal and Ardor – Stranger Fruit

I was completely and pleasantly surprised with the thoroughness and the quickness of the band’s remedying of the flaws the held Devil Is Fine back, while pushing their sound forward with confidence and justified assuredness into bold new territory, coming through with so many incredible and diverse songs. This was exactly what I wanted from Zeal and Ardor, and I’m amazed I got it so quickly after their debut last year.

2. Daughters – You Won’t Get What You Want

Such a hellish and truly terrifying comeback album that shatters expectations or boundaries set by the band’s previous work, this album has such a primal and theatrical appeal to it that really works its way deep into the psyche and exposes the darkness in all of us, which is catalyzed so fearsomely by the unreal harsh noise across the album that the band so neatly and meticulously weaves into their performances. This album really captures the darkness of the human condition and the degree to with civilization has enhanced, rather than mitigated it. I love this album; it’s like nothing else I have ever heard.

1. Khemmis – Desolation

My Twitter fed and my songs-of-the-year list definitely gave this away, but Khemmis’ third album, Desolation, is far and away the most perfect album I have heard since Gojira’s Magma in 2016, and definitely my favorite album of the year. This album is just dripping with catharsis at every step of the way, and I have not been able to resist it all year since hearing it. From start to finish, it is nothing but raw, emotive heavy metal with a somber doom edge that the band still manages to twist into something incredibly triumphant. I cannot give this album enough love. After sitting with it for so long this year, I can say it is undoubtedly an unprecedented improvement upon the already excellent Hunted, and one that established Khemmis as heavy metal’s most exciting new band.

[totally-not-using-a-fake-name]

Nobody’s Around Prt 1

Prompt: Your highschool is known to be haunted. When doing some homework after hours, you hear a voice telling you the answers.

Dedicated to: @sin-cerely-mi, who indirectly gave me the idea. @jared-kleinmen​, @i-used-to-wear-the-fedora​ and @nyancheetosmusical​, y’all might enjoy this too? Maybe?

DISCLAIMER: I don’t mean to villainise any character, but the story is from Connor’s POV, and he doesn’t have an exemplary relationship with his family. I think all of the characters are deveoped and have their own depths, but it doesn’t show the way I want it to, because of the way the story ended up.

Warnings (also in the tags): Smoking, cursing, references to self harm, references to suicide, depressive thoughts, intrusive thoughts

Connor tried not to listen to the rumor mill at his school, most of it was shit talk on him anyway, but you had to be an idiot not to know to stay out of the greenhouse.

The school’s greenhouse was significantly older than Connor, Run down and falling apart. Nothing grew there, it was in a position that got too much sun and not enough shade ever since they tore the old maths block down and any plant in there burned to a crisp. It was a desolate wasteland that everyone had given up on. It was used only for the local stoners to hide their weed stashes and a graffiti target. Or at least, it was before Connor was a freshman.

Now he was a senior, and the whole place was lush with greenery. Flowers of every discription bloomed in various colours, fruits and vegetables grew plump and healthy, and the graffiti was all scrubbed away. The bench in the centre was fixed and an ideal spot for a loner or a couple who wanted privacy.

Despite this, no one went in the greenhouse. Ever. Because no one took care of the plants.

It spooked the students, it disturbed the teachers, it plain old weirded out the caretakers. Who had cleared the dead plants? Cleaned the griffiti? Who watered the plants or cleaned the pond or picked the vegetables and fruit that ended up in a neat basket outside the local curch after harvesting season? None of them did it.

So the rumor mill did it’s thing, and stories of a boy with an arm that was twisted and broken began circulating. At first it was the presendent of the enviromentalist club, who was obligated to inspect the greenhouse every month. She had said that she had seen the boy crouching over a pot of tomatoes, but when she had blinked, he had vanished.

The next sighting came from a staff member, and added some creditibility to the story. Miss Alton was one of thoe people who belived in the afterlife. She said that she had felt an aura coming from the boy, like a startled deer. Gentle, but scared. Some wrote her off as spouting nonsense. Others didn’t.

It had started maybe seven years ago, and to his knowledge, the only people to step foot in the greenhouse were people who did it on dares or people who wanted to bust the myth.

Connor thought it was bullshit, but it kept people out.

He had been coming here since junior year, whe he had stopped caring what people thought. The bench was a good spot to get high and no one ever came in. He had never seen the supposed ‘ghost’.

Sprawling out, he took out his biology homework. He didn’t put much stock in grades, but his parents were going to take his car if he bombed this test, and that wasn’t worth it. Glaring at the word problems as if it would make them solve themselves, he started writing.

Shit, he knew none of this. He was going to...

Um... Pho- photosynthisis and respiration actually have an almost codependendant relationship?  It- Well- They’re really closely connected, so your last sentence doesn’t really make sense...

Connor jumped at the voice in his ear.

“What the-”

He looked around, but there was nothing there. No one who could have spoken. He wondered if someone was screwing with him.

“Who’s there? Coming to laugh at the freak? Call me stupid? I’ll fucking kill you!”

He snarled, but nothing happned. Nobody appeared from the leaves to laugh ot point a camera. Eventually he sat back down, now even more ajitated than before. He was so fucking done with this. He looked down at his last sentence and blinked. The voice had been... right?

He rubbed out the error and looked around. No way someone was close enough for them to see what he was writing, even if they were hiding. Something was seriously off. Looking arond again, he double checked that no one was there.

There was no way.

The voice didn’t pipe up again, and he continiued with his homework. About halfway through, he threw it down. He couldn’t concentrate. Pulling out a baggie of weed, he rolled a joined anf lounged back. Screw homework, he’d do it later. Who cares if his parents are mad? It was hardly anything new.

The joint burned down, he smoked until the cherry burned his fingers. He hissed and flucked the butt into a nearby plant pot.

That’s bad for the saplings!

The same voice spoke up again, sounding dismayed. There was a slight shifting, and the cigarette but flew out of the pot and on Connor’s shoes.

“What the fuck?”

Connor asked the empty air. His dealer was usually so good, was this weed bad?

He picked up the blunt and examined it. It had been extinguished. The small saplings swayed in a breeze that he didn’t remember being there. Connor pushed his head into his hands and tugged at his hair. Maybe this was it. He’d officially lost it.

A- Are you alright? I- Well I didn’t mean- But it’s just- I didn’t mean to yell at you!”

Connor giggled to himself. Yup. He was crazy. They were right. Everyone was right. He was nuts. It would be better for everyone if he just-

Plip.

He heard something.

Plip.

It sounded like someone throwing pebbles into water.

Plip.

He groaned. May as well embrace it. Maybe a white rabbit will come and give him whatever shit Alice took. That sounded good. Following the sound, he found someone sitting by the pond, throwing small stones into the pond. It was a sandy haired boy in a blue polo. He growled. So this was the guy fucking with him.

“You think it’s funny to laugh at the freak, huh?”

He stalked towards the boy, standing overf him threateningly.

“Well I’m not laughing.”

The boy looked up at him. Connor glared down on him in return, like an angry dog standing over a kitten.

“I- I wasn’t laugh- I mean- You had the answer- then the plants- I’m sorry-”

The boy seemed to have trouble getting a coherant sentence out. Connor groaned. Not only was he being fucked with, but he was being fucked with by a coward. Great. Even the fearful want to have a laugh at him. He dipped his head into his hands again. He seemed to be doing that a lot today.

“Just... fuck off.”

He looked up and the boy was gone.

[agemintherough]

Revisiting Chapters Twenty-Eight, Twenty-Nine, and Thirty of Gems Without Measure; A Pirate’s Treasure

As part of the two year celebration of the story being written, I have realized that I must correct an oversight that I should have done months ago…namely doing one of these. Let’s rectify that, shall we?

1) The old “fighting and keeping score” bit is one that is somewhat common. I believe that the first place I came across the concept was in the fifth issue of Superman/Batman by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGinnis, when the Bat-Family and Superman Family break into the White House to confront President Lex Luthor. 2) Thus begins the idea that Peridot wants new limb enhancers or something that can aid her with helping her comrades…I wonder where this will go. 3) A LARGE majority of this chapter is taken wholesale from canon. When Oda wrote the various exposition bits, they were broken up with Franky’s flashback. As I can get somewhat away with merely describing the flashback, it just leaves a lot of exposition, which does benefit the audience who has never read One Piece before. 4) The moment where Robin rejects Peridot is a monumental moment is this part of the story. While Steven and Luffy are undoubtedly the main characters of the story as a whole, Peridot is the main focus of this part of the story. We have watched her transition from the selfish, pompous, Homeworld-indoctrinated Gem to a character who is finding her own sense of identity for the first time. Beyond Steven (who has given his trust to her from the beginning), Robin has formed an unlikely friendship with her. It is what makes the ironic echo of “Logic has no place on the Grand Line” so hard to hear…or read, I suppose. The question is how would she respond: accept it as reality, be betrayed by it, or fight to get Robin back… 5) Pearl naming every attack that she has after herself is comedy gold and completely in-line with her character. 6) Of course, Peridot’s faith in Robin is unwavering. Between her fight against Ratchet and saving Iceburg, Peridot is solidifying herself as being a valuable member of the crew. 7) Peridot’s claim of finishing twelve impossible tasks before the sun rises is inspired from a quote in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. 8) Robin feeling like she is being watched is supposed to be foreshadowing about Sanji watching over her.

9) The song Steven and the Marines are singing is reworked from “When A Felon’s Not Engaged In His Employment” from The Pirates of Penzance. It is not the first time that I have used music from this play nor will it be the last. 10) We know for a fact that, since he outfitted Steven with Seastone cuffs, Nero does not have Devil Fruit powers, but does Apollo?

11) So at this point, we know that both Apollo and Eirney Heca are members of CP9. As such, I can briefly explain just why they exist. They are around to bolster up CP9’s forces and are based off of Oda’s original conception of CP9, with Eirney being based on the original character design for Kalifa (the one that looks like a witch crossed with the Other Mother from Coraline) and Apollo being based on the original idea for what eventually became Kumadori, who was an ape-like human as opposed to an ape mink.

12) Mnemosurgery is taken from Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye by James Roberts. I’ll leave it to you to go on TFwiki to see just what that means before I give anything away…

13) Eirney has brought back the often used gag of Steven’s etiquette being brought up. This time, however, Eirney actually claims that Steven has nice etiquette, which makes the gag subverted.

14) Nero did not really have any personality in the original manga, so I’ve given him his own musical motif in addition to his overconfidence in himself.

15) Steven’s song is based on the “Lapis Lazuli” song. 

16) Captain T-Bone is a great Marine presence that I hope gets focused on again. He truly cares about his men to an exaggerated degree, which is fascinating. As such, his odd request to ask Steven to sing is not necessarily out of the ordinary… 17) We also learn that Eirney Heca is a legacy member of CP9…like Kalifa.

18) And now we have come to the biggest plot twist in this story after the inclusion of Uncle Grandpa: the glorious return of the Baroque Works Trio! For the life of me, I didn’t know just when or how I’d get these guys back into the main story for the longest time. I knew what they were doing on Backslide Island, but the question was mainly when would I bring them back. Initially, the suggestion that was thrown around was that they’d return with Franky after he spent their money, but that seemed like it was too sudden. This clicked together literally as I was writing the previous chapter and it all felt so organic that I couldn’t be more pleased. It helps that @cyanideoreo immortalized this moment in a drawing, which is like my favorite thing.

19) I pitched this section of the story as the alternative to the Miss Goldenweek cover story, which obviously couldn’t happen considering the status of the Baroque Works Trio and the MIA status of all of the Baroque Works characters that are not shipped to Impel Down. As such, it got boiled down to a few key events: the Trio ending up on the same island that Hina was on, Hina capturing Miss Valentine, and the other two saving her. My only regret is not including them eating Ice Cream cones, but it didn’t really fit the timeframe. I’ll give them some ice cream later on. 20) In addition to the above information, this flashback literally starts at the same point in canon when the original cover story began being published! 21) We learn that Genevieve does not like to drink, which makes sense given what we know. However, I did have to make a slight adjustment to the ending of “The Would-Be King” to make it clear that she was not drinking any alcohol. 22) O hai, new character! Florido Zuke is named, as with every new place and person introduced in this chapter, by two members of the Crewniverse: Hilary Florido and Lauren Zuke. Her personality was created by jmr46718 and ran by F*ckthesystem125. The rationale was that, as per Oda’s description in the SBS, Mr. 6’s partner was Miss Mother’s Day and it would be amusing to have a character looking like a child but is actually an adult. Think of Mary Dahl from Batman the Animated Series, but with an appearance similar to Janine Melnitz from Ghostbusters. I’d give her a voice similar to that of Jennifer Darling, who voiced Ayeka in Tenchi Muyo. 23) The Surasshu Restruant is named after Steven Velema aka the Surasshu half of Avi and Surasshu, the musical duo behind Steven Universe’s soundtrack. 24) Sherry was Petrea’s drink of choice all the way back in “The Rifting Stone.” There are several variations of sherry out there, but as an English teacher, I’d be remiss not to point out that one such variety is amontillado, the subject of my go-to Edgar Allan Poe story “The Cask Of Amontillado.” 25) I’m sure Treasure Tree Adam wood is not important at all…nope…

26) Mad Treasure is an anime-only character created for the Heart of Gold One Piece special, which was a tie-in to Film Gold. When he was suggested to be the guy for this part over a year ago, I had not seen Heart of Gold but thankfully, it is dubbed into English and is pretty great. 27) The Sugar Tavern is named after Rebecca Sugar, the creator of Steven Universe, and the Moilesee Farmer’s Market is named after Raven Moilesee, who actually liked my Tumblr post of that Peridot Christmas Cookie I made last year. 28) On one hand, the Baroque Works Trio being on an island that JUST HAPPENS to have an auction from Crocodile going on does seem contrived…but on the other hand, this is the world of One Piece where contrived connections happen all the time. 29) We now have the first inklings of Genevieve’s backstory! The book Genevieve is referring to is implied to come from the Oharan library, tying it into Robin’s backstory. We also get a glimpse at just how Mr. 3 and Miss Goldenweek met, although technically one would assume that Mr. 3 should not know her real name as per the rules of Baroque Works…but that doesn’t matter. 30) Deciding on whether to give Genevieve a Devil Fruit was one I had fought against for months until I was made aware of Psycho P’s Color-Color Fruit, which just seemed like a waste of an idea. Using that thought process as our young painter’s motivation, I now had a good reason why she would decide to eat it. 31) The person Damian and Petrea are partying with is, of course, Franky. 32) We finally get a simple explanation on why Damian has not been using his gun: he left it back at Beach City. I mean, think about it: why would he grab the gun just for a simple Davy Back Fight where that sort of weaponry would probably be outlawed, especially since his own body can be used as a weapon? 33) Lamar Levin is, of course, based on Lamar Abrams, the only member of he Crewniverse to have a hand in every major Onion episode (outside of Avi and Surasshu, I suppose) with former writer Ben Levin’s last name. 34) Mohs Island is named after the Mohs’ scale of mineral hardness…pay it no mind. 35) Originally it was suggested that Mad Treasure wanted the Golden Crown for Gild Teroso, the antagonist of One Piece Film Gold, but I figured it worked better as an adventure for a man like Mad Treasure than making him an errand boy.

36) Naomi Drunk and Psycho P are both from Heart of Gold as well…seriously, what odd names. 37) Phil’s boasting is taken from The Dark Knight Returns. 38) I’m sure the amount of money that Petrea haggled the Golden Crown for will go over just fine with Nami. 39) I’m not going to lie, I’d kill to have a cover story where Hina brings Jango and Fullbody to a karaoke bar. 40) The Quartey Auction House is named for Ian Jones-Quartey, a major presence on early Steven Universe and the creator of O.K. KO.

41)  Damian’s cork-gun is a nod to the 4kids dub where the guns were either Super Soakers, cork-guns, pointing fingers, or whatever the hell that hilarious hammer gun that Helmeppo used was.

42) Takafumi Liu (names for Takafumi Hori Of Studio Trigger and regular storyboard artist and musician Jeff Liu) description is taken word for word from the chapter in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory where Willy Wonka is first introduced. That is our first hint that he is a literal candy-man…but I highly doubt anyone picked up on that unless they read the “Shout Out” page on the story’s TVTrope page, which I have been updating. Along those same lines, the bit about “rhyme a riddle or two” is from the song “Strike That, Reverse It” from the 2013 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical. 43) Gasparde and the Candy-Candy Fruit are from One Piece Movie 4. While it was ambiguous about what happened to him at the end of the movie, I made it clear that he survived Luffy’s attack…before dying anyway. Again, contrived coincidences, but I digress… 44) “Victory Is In The Preparation” is Batman’s motto throughout the first third of Grant Morrison’s Batman run. 45) The buscarinon orange is named for Jackie Buscarino, a producer on Steven Universe and the voice actress for Vidalia. 46) I’m sure this Minister of Candy fellow is an upstanding individual. I wonder if we will ever meet him. 47) And so we get to the big moment: Genevieve eating a Devil Fruit. Now, one thing that I do that you might have picked up on is that occasionally when I write, I write from a third-person limited perspective focusing on one character’s thoughts. This is best viewed in “The Contrivance Factor” with Peridot’s scene and Onion’s scene. I used this with Greg when he got his Devil Fruit, true, but this gave me the ability to write Genevieve’s perception of color increasing and magnifying in ways that Greg couldn’t comprehend at the time in regards to music. It really made sense to look at it in this manner, as color has several different meanings than the singular attacks that Oda developed (which makes sense in a Shonen manga for attacks, but I felt could be expanded upon).

48) As nearly everybody picked up upon, Genevieve’s newest attack is a reference to the song “I’m the Music Meister” from Batman: The Brave and the Bold’s “Mayhem of the Music Meister.” If you have not watched that episode, do it. It’s an amazing musical. 49) Cadets Howard and Morris are named for writer and character designer Colin Howard and story board artist and supervisor Kat Morris. 50) Genevieve and Nami are both firmly on Team Conniverse. 51) Originally, I had Sanji’s section right after the opening, which made the “praying for a miracle” line transition much nicer as well as the joke that Sanji wrote a modest note for Nami. 52) There’s really not much to say about the Aqua Laguna landfall sequence. It gives the Gems purpose without feeling shoehorned in and builds the tension up for the end of the chapter. The most important piece is that Peridot is at the scrap yard getting a giant pile of scrap for future use. 53) Mr. 2 DID asked to be sent to Impel Down back in “The Fake King Of Alabasta.” 54) I am trying rather hard to drop subtle hints about Sanji’s past in his section without giving much away. I think that if you were not aware of it, it would not give anything away. 55) Peridot’s log date was chosen to show just WHEN she would have theoretically been taken from Earth with the extra numerical place being representative of time spent in another dimension.

56) “Nakama” has been a term I have been using since “The Unexpected Phone Call” as the way that the Straw Hats refer to each other. For those not in the know, “nakama” was used exclusively by Kaizoku Fansubs for the friendship the Straw Hats had for each other, with it coming to a head in Luffy’s Arlong Park declaration of friendship to Nami. They claimed the word couldn’t be translated into proper English, but “friends” and “crew mates” does the job just fine. As such, only older fans of One Piece really know or look fondly back at their persistence in translation. I decided to use it in the story in a very similar way: only pirates from the time of Roger used the term, meaning the two others who would use it are Whitebeard and Shiki.

58) I am totally channeling this famous line from Batman: The Animated Series for Sogeking’s Introduction: “I am vengeance! I am the night! I…AM…BATMAN!”

59) I know I primarily use the translated names for the majority of this story, but Sogeking is just so natural to me that I had to go with it.

With that, this section of commentary is done! Until the next time!