#death note ldn

[sachikoyagami]

I'm uploading some stuff from the London death note musical premiere on tiktok. Find me @sachikoyagami on there too.

[beautifulsnake2162020]

More Lawlight food from Joaquin and Dean

Original post

I now want to read/write fanfiction of their L and Light

[ghostsanddolls]

The tracklist for the Death note musical cast album:

Link to the article

I'm excited, of course, but I'm upset that they had to cut Secrets and Lies, Stalemate and The Way it Ends :(

[ruindunburnit]

The best part of the whole Death Note musical is the fact that the whole crew are Death Note nerds.

[osvaldvanstein]

Death Note London cast recording has been announced!

[ruindunburnit]

Thank you for this, these were all fantastic moments! (I remember the pen line being "Well, it turns out the pen *is* mightier than the sword!", but that's just how I remember it).

The one I remember most is when Ryuk and Light discuss Heaven and Hell, and how no one goes anywhere because they don't exist, and Light says, "That's going to make a lot of people real mad!" Underrated moment, especially because in the manga Light and Ryuk did discuss Heaven and Hell that very first night. I loved the attention to detail throughout the whole thing.

okay. my favourite details from the death note musical london performance:

the booklet being paged right to left. with a page at the end saying "you're reading in the wrong direction!"

okay but MISA MISA HAVING LIKE 5 BACK-UP DANCERS LITERALLY ALSO DRESSED UP AS MISA MISA (it was so funny to see them dance around her)

light being dragged along by sayu to misa's concerts. like the Older Brother he is.

misa's concert on stage literally had a rap segment it was WILD

sayu later fangirling over misa's 'latest song' in light's bedroom only for him to be having a life crisis right next to her because of the message in the lyrics. he was sat there like...."ill gladly give you half my years"????

L keeping the "yagami-san", "light-kun" when he talked to them!!!!!! (naturally only happened one time each BUT STILL IT WAS COOL)

ryuk taking any and every opportunity to be sassy. the audience laughed tons at his lines in particular.

like light saying "they're calling it divine justice!" and him responding "or oooh, you know, mass murder. that totally has a ring to it too :D"

L's iconic "well, light...you're the first friend I've ever had." and "what? why are you staring at me? is it...because im the only one who has sweets?" (they changed it slightly cause I think he had marshmallows on a stick? and was walking around with it, gesturing)

after the tennis match, light threw down his racket at L's feet and L held both rackets up awkwardly like a peace offering as he walked towards him

but I swear L nearly DROPPED THEM when misa arrived, I just loved watching him slip into the crowd of fans all eagerly and then the phone call scene afterwards. so iconic.

rem's. vocals. were insane. Borrowed Time. was also amazing.

PUNS ??? during misa's interrogation scene, she's naturally defending light, saying he's not kira, but also defending kira all "kira has saved us all! he's taken away the darkness in society!" ONLY TO HAVE L SNAP BACK "so....light?"

then after The Way Things Are finishes, L exclaims "Light!" out of like realisation but then the stage lights actually turn on and he's like.... "oh. convenient :)"

the way the music played in between songs during dialogue was SO GOOD it was really satisfying.

AND THEN THEY REALLY HAD LIGHT SAY "well. they do say the pen is mightier than the sword." near the end. that's just CHEESY

light. laughing. as he was winning against L at the end. "I just wanted to see your face as you realised I won :)" unhinged arrogant boy

only to have him panicking and snivelling on the ground all pathetic as he realises what ryuk's about to do.

and so, at the end. ryuk was sat at the big red chair at the centre after killing light. watching over everything. both dead bodies. the last haunting requiem. it was such a menacing and powerful sight.

[johnesimpson]

We Choose What to Fear and What to Embrace

Roberto Bolaño, Annie Ernaux, a Maxim for Nostalgists, et al.: 'We Choose What to Fear and What to Embrace'

[Image: The so-called ��Cosmic Bat Nebula,” officially designated Lynds’ Catalog of Dark Nebulae — i.e., LDN — 43 (photo credited to Mark Hanson and Mike Selby). Spotted this photo at NASA’s “Astronomy Picture of the Day” (APOD) post for October 27; the caption there notes: “Far from being a harbinger of death, this 12-light year-long filament of gas and dust is actually a stellar nursery. Glowing with eerie light, the bat is lit up from inside by dense gaseous knots that have just formed young stars.”]

...

[Read the rest]

[alexazbofficial]

[INTERVIEW] An Interview With AleXa: Why This AI “Villain” Is Actually A Down-To-Earth Sweetheart

What The Kpop recently had the opportunity to sit down with K-pop idol AleXa for an interview. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we held the interview via Zoom. However, even across the internet, AleXa’s warm personality shined through, charming our staff with her down-to-earth way of speaking and thoughtful answers.

The popular solo artist will soon be releasing a new track entitled “Rule The World” on September 4th. The song is a collaboration with gaming music star TheFatRat. In addition, she has confirmed her comeback for October, making fans excited for the news that her title track will be produced by famous hitmakers LDN Noise.

Before her new releases, however, get to know more about this talented artist by reading our interview below! From her tastes in anime to which female role models helped form her into such a strong woman today, read below for questions that she’s never been asked before.

WTK: Hi, AleXa! My name is Amy, and I’m from What The Kpop. First of all, I just thank you for meeting with us today. I know that you’ve got a busy schedule, so I’m glad that you were able to take a few minutes to speak with us.

AleXa: Oh, you’re very welcome.

WTK: Before you were actually a K-pop idol yourself, you did so many different things! You’ve done cosplay in the past, you’ve done voice acting, you’ve been on shows where you tried out for different things, you’ve taken part in long training, etc… all leading up to this point in your career. So, first of all, just to get things started, can I ask you what’s been your favorite part of the journey so far?

AleXa: Let’s see. I mean, from way back until now, I think the thing that I liked the most about my journey is not just one thing. Since it’s still ongoing, it’s just the fact that I get to see myself improve, that’s the thing. So, improvement for me is probably the thing that I really enjoy about this process.

WTK: Since your debut, you have had quite an unusual concept. For those that don’t know, it’s about a multiverse and you’ve had a trilogy of songs: “Bomb,” “Do or Die,” and “Villain.” You’re avatar or AI escapes into a physical body and then goes into the real world, right? We know this suits you really well since you’re a fan of dark concepts and horror and science fiction. So, if this were to ever happen to you in real life and you became an AI, whose body would you want to take over?

AleXa: Dwayne the Rock Johnson! (laughs) Because I just want to be the Rock! I mean, who doesn’t want to be the Rock? (laughs again) So, definitely Dwayne the Rock Johnson! Yeah!

WTK: When we watched the making video for your recent “Villain” MV, we saw you doing the Naruto run and already knew that you’re into anime. I know your schedule probably doesn’t allow you too much time anymore, but are there any animes that you’re into recently? Or are there ones that you’d like to recommend for your fans to watch?

AleXa: I haven’t watched anything recently. The most recent thing I watched was the anime adaptation of some of Junji Ito’s work. If you didn’t know, his collections were turned into an anime. If you like horror, I recommend that. But one of my all-time, go-to shows is always “Death Note” or “Full Metal Alchemist.” So, those are ones I wouldn’t mind re-watching again if I find time.

WTK: Your fans, or AI troopers as they’re called, refer to your music as a cultural reset when it comes to how you’ve changed the game. For you, which artist or even what genre was the cultural reset in your own life?

AleXa: I feel like without a doubt I do have to say K-pop was the cultural reset for me. Had I not stumbled into K-pop, I wouldn’t be doing what I am now. Then there was someone also like SHINee. They’ve been a pivotal group, a pivotal senior for me in my career. So, they were my cultural reset.

WTK: Apart from SHINee, I know that you also got into K-pop after hearing artists like Super Junior. Going from a K-pop fan to a K-pop idol yourself, what has the experience been like? Is is still kind of surreal for you or how would you describe the experience?

AleXa: Oh man, it’s definitely surreal! I never thought that in my wildest dreams I would find myself being an idol for my career. Being able to stand on the same stage in music shows as so many wonderful and talented seniors… like it’s incredible. It’s definitely been very surreal for me thus far.

WTK: Recently, you held your own virtual concert, and you also opened the show for IN2IT in India. How did the two experiences differ as far as opening for one group versus having your own concert? Did it affect you that your first solo concert was a virtual concert? If so, what were some of those challenges like?

AleXa: I mean, it definitely is very different having my own concert versus opening up for a senior group. I will say that being able to open up for their concert two times was a really good experience because I learned crowd management. Also, I learned how to feed off of people’s energy for the concert performance. Then when it comes to my own solo concert, even though it was digital, I could still feel everyone’s love and support through the comments because there was a live monitor where I could read all the comments in real time. So, even though there weren’t people there in person, I still felt the presence of them. I’m an extrovert and I’m someone that draws energy from other people. So, virtual concert or online concert, it’s just both a really fun experience for me.

WTK: So many people did tune into your concert, and I know that a lot of people were leaving comments also, so it was a great success! Do you feel like from here on out that online concerts are going to be more of a staple in K-pop, even once things like COVID-19 slows down and things are as back to normal as possible? Are virtual concerts here to stay?

AleXa: However fast the pandemic does come to an end, I do feel like online concerts, online fan meetings, and everything else that’s been happening in the industry during this time is something that is here to stay. Because you never know what could happen in the future. So, I believe everybody learning the ways of online concerts, the data, the statistics, the reactions, how fans work.. I think it’s something we’re going to wind up keeping in the future.

WTK: You exude this natural charm, charisma and confidence. So, what would you say to younger fans, especially those who are coming up and trying to find their own persona and sense of self confidence? How did you become who you are today and grow into this confident young woman that we know as the singer AleXa?

AleXa: Thank you for that. Let’s see. I don’t know. I would just say, don’t get lost in the crowd I guess. People will always find ways to try to belittle you for ways that you’re different, for ways that you stick out. But embrace those and make those your strong points. Don’t let anybody try to define you as a person. You alone can define yourself. So yeah, take comfort and joy and pride in your individuality.

WTK: Now, I don’t know if you’re familiar much with the Reddit sub-threads for K-pop, but ever since the music video for “Villain” dropped, your fans have been busy analyzing the trilogy and making all these theories about the Alexa universe. I don’t know if you’ve read any of these online, but there is a really popular thread on Reddit and also one on Twitter about the Alexa universe. The summary is that they believe there are different versions of AleXa and that she embodies the different human emotions that each AI version has discovered. What do you say to all of that? Can you give us any hints or have you been able to read any of these fan theories yourself?

AleXa: I mean, I’ve dabbled a bit here and there on Twitter. I’ve been looking at a lot of tweets, and I read the comments. There’s some interesting theories. I mean, when we go into these comebacks and pre-releases and stuff, we know the plot. We know what we’re trying to get into. But then whenever I’m with my staff, we read things in the comments. We’re like, “Oh, well, that’s an interesting take on why we thought of that.” But it’s really cool to see how how imaginative and smart and observant everyone is. Because they catch and piece things together. And I’m like, yes! Those are my smart, beautiful fans! Yes!

WTK: Coming from your label, which is a video production company, have there ever been things that your fans noticed about the videos that maybe you didn’t even notice yourself at the time?

AleXa: Oh, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen some comments noting some things and seeing the background or like they’ll think a certain layer goes with a certain thing. I will say though, this is not something we intended for, but with the release of “Villain”— of course, we do have a small, kind of floating, pyramid-looking thing at the end, and I do this [thing] with my hands. But it’s kind of funny because some people thought we were alluding to the fact that we are a part of the Illuminati! But we are not. (laughs)

WTK: Yes, just to make that clarification! (laughs) So your music, like we said, features the image of this strong, independent woman where you are like cyborg, pop, diva (and we love it, by the way). When you were growing up, did you have many strong female role models? Who inspired you?

AleXa: If we’re talking about strong females, then of course, one pivotal character has been my mother. She is honestly one of the strongest women I know. If we’re talking in an artistry sense, since my parents raised me on older music, then people like Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett, and Whitney Houston. Into the more modern age and as I was starting to grow up a bit, then Rhianna, Brittany, Christina. This is the kind of aura of artists and people that I really looked up to and enjoyed their work.

WTK: If you were ever able to branch out— maybe not on your main comebacks but for special songs or covers— are the genres of music from the artists you just mentioned something you would like to dabble in? Or is there any other type of music that you would like to try for something different?

AleXa: I mean any opportunity I would be given to branch out and just try something that I’ve never done before, I want to try of course. I would love to take the bull by the horns and just go at it! So, whatever and whenever those opportunities arise, yes definitely.

WTK: We know that you have like a “sad boi” playlist when you’re feeling down. When you’re feeling happy or pumped up, however, what do you like to listen to?

AleXa: If I’m having a good mood and I’m just going for a walk or something, I listen to lot of Queen, Fleetwood Mac, some Dolly Parton. Believe it or not, Dolly Parton is the only country artist I will make an excuse to listen to.

WTK: Well, she’s one of the ultimate divas herself so…

AleXa: She really is, she really is! But I don’t know… just kind of like older pop I guess, without all this like synth and heavy bass we have now. Just old style pop music, I guess, is kind of my music sphere.

WTK: I know also that you were a musical major in college, and I am a huge fan of musicals myself. So, I have to know something! Musicals are so popular in Korea, and it’s a big scene there. So, if you ever got the chance and you could work in a musical there, is there a specific musical that you would want to be cast in?

AleXa: A lot! But if I could be cast in any musical I wanted, I think it’d be fun to try Maureen from Rent or Veronica in Heathers. I feel like these both are fun roles [and I’d like] to give it a go.

WTK: One more question! Fans really enjoyed hearing the lyrics you wrote for your last song and are looking forward to hearing more of your work in the future. We know all songwriters have lyrics written in journals, so if you have any saved, do you mind sharing a previously unreleased lyrics with our readers? Just something that you haven’t yet shared with the world?

AleXa: Sure! I mean, I am one of those people that has journals upon journals upon journals of song lyrics. I keep them in my phone as well too actually. If I were to share something real quick, right off the bat, what would it be? What would it be? What would it be? (laughs while looking through phone) See! There’s a lot in here. Yes, yes, yes. Doot, doot, doot, doot. (laughs again) Oh, I don’t know. These are all just kind of… deep. Let’s see. Ok, I’m just going to read these two lines. It’s just something I wrote once. ‘Do I have to rearrange the stars and have them spell our names in the sky?’ That’s it. (smiles)

WTK: Thank you, AleXa! We look forward to hearing how you will use that in a song one day, and we look forward to hearing more from you in both your music and your lyrics too! Before we go, do you have any last words to people that might be reading about you for the first time, as well as to fans that have been with you since the beginning of the journey?

AleXa: Sure! Whether you’ve been with me for a day, an hour, or five minutes, or five years, thank you so much for staying by my side throughout this wild roller coaster journey that has been my career thus far! And I promise to keep working super hard to become a better artist and a better person that you can enjoy in the future. Thank you so much. I love you!

© WhatTheKpop

[nini-amore]

SuperM 1st Mini Album analysis/review

Hey there! I’m Nahir and I wrote an analysis for SuperM’s debut album (song by song!).

I realised that I had SO MUCH to say, lol (I’m just too shy to make a video and post it on YouTube), so I wrote down everything. I hope you guys enjoy it and feel free to add stuff! Here we go… PLEASE DON’T LET THIS FLOP, I WORKED FOR LIKE, TWO HOURS ON THIS POST

Jopping

 Jopping is the title track of this mini album and the 7 members participate on it.

LDN Noise produced this song and if you’re an SM stan you just know that the song is about to be GREAT if you hear their name, for reference, they produced songs like “Monster” by EXO, “Married To The Music” by SHINee, “TOUCH” by NCT 127 and many more!

Intro: I have so much to say about the intro, first let’s talk about Kai using his powers, during the beginning of the MV you can see him teleporting himself from one dimension to another, I think adding his ‘exo super power’ was a very cool and creative idea!

The start of the song itself was very interesting to me since the used the sounds of chanting  (I thought this was only part of the MV because it goes well with the visuals but it’s on the audio version as well!). This reminded me of an old Rome stadium, with desperate chants for the winner of a fight. I immediately associated it to victory and them conquering the music industry with their debut!

Rap: I personally really enjoyed everyone’s rap (Kai, Taeyong, Mark, Ten and Lucas), they delivered the lyrics in a very fierce way that complimented the song.

The only flaw that I could spot was with Ten’s rap, I don’t know if it’s because I’m used to hearing him as a vocal or what but I found myself mixing Mark with Ten on the first couple of listens! Their voice tones sound very similar (rapping wise).

Vocals: urghhh, there´s nothing bad to say about this! Baekhyun and Taemin’s voices blended SO WELL, I was SO impressed by how well they match each other, I saw so many people complementing this which made me so happy! Remember all those times Baekhyun said that he was going to vocal lessons? I think that paid off very well because his voice was very stable and clear throughout the entire song, his falsettos where on point and he held a note for like,,, 15 seconds which is VERY IMPRESSIVE.

I feel like Baekhyun and Taemin carried the vocal part of the song flawlessly and supported one another just perfectly!

Overall song: this song reminded me of “Take Off” by WayV because it had a very dramatic change in the middle of the song, but it this case, the change was repetitive, giving us a contrast between the rap and vocal parts.

MV/visuals/choreography: this video was filmed in Dubai which I think it contributed to the visuals BEAUTIFULLY!

You can see that the video was very huge budgeted and had good editing.

The styling was just 10/10 and very high end, I loved the clothing, hair, makeup, EVERYTHING.

The choreography (from what I could see) is amazing very creative and everyone was in sync which was very satisfying to watch.

Last but not least, Ten’s dance solo! At this point I think we should be used to seeing him have his little thing! It was very well done and delivered, very clear and sharp! Wouldn´t expect nothing less from him!

I Can’t Stand the Rain

Again, another song with the 7 member s, and also, ½ of my favourites!

The overall song gives me adventure vibes but also the feeling of being trapped inside one’s mind, like not being able to escape! This second thought came back to me when I read the translated lyrics!

The lyrics, oh my… they´re amazing! The message was very simple and direct but they were written in such a poetic way + the boy’s delivery was very well done. Top tier song.

What really stood up to me were the rapping verses of Mark and Taeyong in contrast of the vocals; perfect musical production in my opinion.

The percussion and the violins building up the song really captivated me and kept me in some sort of trace, I just can’t get enough of it! All of this plus the high note from Baekhyun made the song really perfect.

Ten, Kai and Lucas had very few lines but I understand that Kai and Lucas may not have voices that suited this type of song but I feel like we definitely could have had more of Ten.

I wish we could get an MV for this song; I can picture them in some kind of cliff or mountain with a gray sky over them while they sing/rap with Kai and Ten doing a ballet performance!

2 Fast

In this song you can hear: Taemin, Baekhuyn, Mark and Lucas.

2 Fast automatically remained me of SHINee or Taemin would sing, it gave me “Good Evening” and “Crazy 4 U” vibes!

What can I say about this song, huh? The use of Lucas deep voice is precise and sharp because it comes in very particular moments and, in my opinion, helps break down the song in a different way, I think a good colloquial term to describe it would be “melting it off” because it gave me that sensation!

The ad libs in this song really catch my attention; they were on point and made me think a lot of an NCT or EXO song since they use them super well in their songs.

Ironically, the song gets faster as it develops, loved that.

Not much to say about this one, it’s a great song.

Super Car

In this song you can hear: Mark, Taeyong, Ten, Baekhyun and Taemin.

This song gave me major NCT vibes, songs that come to my mind are “My Van”, “Simon Says”, “Black On Black”; but also old school Monsta X (more precisely the song “Quiet”) since the pre chorus was delivered quite… aggressively. [I’m talking about these lyrics/part]:

“움직여 vroom, like a black car

어떤 리듬 다 잘 타

더 vroom 레벨이 달라

나도 나를 감당하기 벅차”

A very engineering and robotic sound (though not the typical robot sound, more like the ‘pipipi’ sound the machine robots make on films, lol I hope you get that, I don't know how to describe it).

I really like the ad libs Baekhyun did, to sum it up, a very aggressive and straight to the point song.

No Manners

In this song you can hear Taemin, Kai, Ten and Taeyong.

The intro is kind of scary, stereotypical instrumental for an Italian mafia film; you’d get it if you listen close.

My other favourite song. It’s a very daring and sensual song, very trap based and because of this, I feel like Kai’s voice suited it very well since he has a honey voice that fits trap and r&b.

The song sounds very orbital, as if you were in outer space, giving you the feeling of being disconnected, which go in hand with the lyrics that talk about being in a toxic relationship and how they should break up right away without going around the bushes, in order to send this massage, the guys sang this song in a very ‘cold’ and ‘distant’ hinting that they don’t care about their significant other anymore.

My favourite thing about this song is Taeyong and his rap, I don’t know if he wrote the lyrics for his part but it was a work of art! I especially like how he mentioned ‘Nancy and Sid’ when talking about being addicted to this toxic relationship, it was a very TY touch to the song!

[For context, Sid was part of the band Sex Pistols and was in a relationship with his groupie, Nancy; both were addicted to drugs (more precisely heroine). Nancy was found stabbed to death in their New York apartment and Sid was accused of murder but he said that he couldn’t remember anything; he died a couple of months before being judged].

This song reminds me of EXO’s “Twenty-four” because of the trap base and chill way of singing.

IF YOU MADE IT HERE, THANK YOU SO MUCH I REALLY APPRECIATE IT

[ruindunburnit]

Beautiful, OP!

These are the matchy-matchy aftershow outfits, for reference:

obsessed with the death note musical again because of the run it had in London recently 🥹 here's a quick drawing of L and Light in the outfits of the actors wore after the show because their matching fits is everything to me 🙏

[iwritereviews-blog1]

Listen: Exo: The War + The Power of Music (4th album)

As you can tell from my icon and background picture, I do consider myself a rather big fan of Exo. Yet being a big fan of a certain group such as Exo makes my reviews on their music even more critical. Exo have produced some truly iconic tracks, stunning composition and paved the way for a new generation  (along with other noticeable groups) of K-pop. 

My expectation were incredible high for their fourth full album, due to the sheer enjoyment I had from their previous album ‘Exact’ and ‘For life’. And I can tell you that my expectations were blown away, and as they say my ‘wig’ was snatched. 

In this review, I will briefly discuss all 12 songs on this album, as well as the choreography and music videos. I wont rate the songs from 1-12 depending on my presence, because honestly it was incredible difficult for me to choose a favourite or even a number 12 spot. 

Kokobop

When I first listened to this energetic reggae influenced hit, I was astonished and dumbfounded. In all the k-pop, or music for that matter that I’ve listened I hadn’t heard such a combination.

The song is completely fresh and unique to the genre and Exo! Yet, I still recognised that unexplainable Exo charm to the song. The softness of tone at the beginning, leading all the way to the harsh electronic sound of the dance break works incredibly well as a perfect build up. The whole production of the song is properly one of the clearest from Exo title tracks, yet it doesn’t sound stiff or too structured. 

The use of the english within the song was also well executed, some of my favourite lyrics did include ‘down, down’ and the infamous ‘Shimme Shimme KoKoBop’. 

I am not surprised that this song did incredibly well digital and in music shows. It was a hit! Though, KoKobop was not my favourite of the title tracks Exo has produced, it in my eyes is a clearly legendary song in its own right. 

 Power: 

Power is another one of those very unique songs Exo has come out. This song completely contrasting to KoKoBop, or anything they have done focuses on an EDM feel with LDN noise working on the title track. 

At first, to be honest, the song was good but not my favourite nor did I see myself listening to it on repeat like I had done with Kokobop. But was I wrong. Sometimes, especially with K-pop songs, it does take a few more plays to fall in love with a song, and this certainly was the case for Power.

The song is incredibly repetitive in some places, and I find stays at the same tone throughout the song. Such as in Suho bridge, I would have liked to see the instrumental softer, maybe less effects and sorts. 

However, the instrumental of the song is unbelievable. Its complex, developed and fascinating to listen to, I always find myself listening to a new part every time I listen to Power. And my god, the music video is hilarious. Of course at first I was completely confused, but the CG, the panning shot of the members showcasing their powers = 10/10 for SM. 

The Eve: 

In every Exo album, there is one song which causes mass death to all EXO-L, for me The Eve overall vocal styling and slowed tempo drum beats make it that song of The War. 

The instrumental is beautiful done, along with a catchy electronic motif used in the choruses. But the thing about this song which impressed me that worst was the vocals done by Exo. They all seemed to match the songs tone perfectly, and the ad-libs in the final chorus by D.O. are bloody brilliant. 

Overall, this song was a winner for me. I mean who could argue with that choreography though. 

What U do?: 

‘What U do?’ written by Kenzie, is a funky and energetic song guaranteed to get you jumping up and down. The song for me was like love at first hearing. The chorus main melody, harmonising and the instrumental motif is honestly the best thing I’ve ever heard. I really can’t say one bad thing about this song, it really is a good song that I recommend for any K-pop lover. 

Forever:  

Here we come to the song which everyone thought should have been the title track (which I disagree with, but anyway). For me, this is in my top 5 Exo song nevermind this album. The instrumental of the altering two notes along with the incredibly well written melody work perfectly to build the song up to the truly stunning chorus. The harmonises, the vocals of all the Exo members, Chanyeol and Sehun rap. It all makes the song what it is: an instant like. All I have to say is ‘Nice Skirt’ 

Diamond: 

Like every album, there is that one song that you don’t jump its praises, for me this song on The War is Diamond. At first I thought the song was detached and not as clean as the rest of the album. But, giving it a chance, I listened to the song again and did find it to have an interesting instrumental and the chorus breakdown is catchy. Also, D.O voice in this song hits me hard and I can’t get over it. 

One tiny thing that I didn’t like about this song, is the end. In the song, it repeats a whole section again before ending, and honestly I don’t think the song needs to repeat again. I thought it would have been fine with cutting it off, the repeat doesn’t add anything amazing. 

Touch It: 

Finally, we come to this special little song. Though this is probably the simplest in the album according to the instrumental and melody line, sometimes simple is effective. The chorus melody and hook is truly addictive and I always find myself dancing to this song. Touch it is a nice song to listen to to cheer up your mood or before going out. 

Chill: 

Again, at first I wasn’t in love with this song, I felt like Diamond the instrumental was a little detached and bare in some places. But of course, the song grew on me. The rapping in this song is probably my favourite part, it’s fresh and epic when it gets to the breakdown. Also special shout out to rapper D.O.

Walk on Memories: 

Walk on Memories is that song you listen to in your bedroom, when you either or tired or had a bad day. Exo soft vocals and the the light instrumental, this song is the most beautiful from the album. Though, its not a song I would listen to all the time, I would see many enjoying the calmness of this songs compared to the rest of the album. 

Going Crazy: 

Here we are! My personal favourite of the album. The instrumental is truly a piece of art in itself, to combine the VC music to Exo powerful vocals was a great idea. The instrumental uses a combination of classical musical instruments with electronic and manufactured sounds, which reminds me of that of Clean Bandit. 

Sweet Lies:

All I want to know is, WHY SM? WHY CHANYEOL? This songs beginning from the instrumental and baekhyun soft seductive vocals truly capture the tone perfectly. The vocal styling of Exo, from their soft tones to the their falsetto create a difference from such songs as Forever and Power. Chanyeol deep and bold voice, matched with Xiumin soft and high pitched voice adds a which of contrast to Chen gorgeous falsetto voice. Though the ending is abrupt and ‘lazy’ compared to the rest of the song. 

Boomerang: 

At first, I neglected this song. The instrumental is what makes this song truly special, especially the beginning of the almost funky sound effects. To be fair to this song, I don’t think I’ve listened enough to go into too much detail. 

Overall: 

The War and The Power of Music have throughly impressed me. I would say that this has been my favourite Exo album so far, and that really saying something. Thank you for reading my long ass re-view! Please give Exo some love with their new comeback and album!

[splase]

ТОП 100 Музыкальных Альбомов 2018 года по моей версии / TOP 100 Musical Albums of 2018 compiled by Splase

http://elisey-ka.ru/top100albums2018.html

По традиции, в начале каждого года, я составляю список музыкальных альбомов, которые я больше всего слушал в году уходящем. 2018 год не стал исключением, поэтому рад представить свой Топ 100 альбомов 2018. Здесь, в этом списке, я привожу, на мой взгляд, наиболее интересные релизы за прошедший год, также сюда попали альбомы и за предыдущие годы, которые, либо стали для меня открытием в этом году, либо это такие релизы, которые стали своего рода классикой в моем плеере и я их каждый раз с радостью переслушиваю и не устаю рекомендовать.

В ушедшем году мне пришлось полностью изменить род деятельности и сменить вид профессии. Одном из плюсов новой работы стало то, что во время рабочего дня я могу слушать музыку. Благодаря этому, по данным моего аккаунта Last.fm я прослушал за 2018 год более 28 100 треков, что является наиболее большим числом прослушиваний за год за последние 8 лет. Благо было что послушать, ведь прошедший год был достаточно богат на новые релизы, комбеки и открытия, которые появлялись неравномерно, а, я бы сказал, по-сезонно, из-за чего порой появлялась нехватка времени, чтобы по-хорошему оценить свежий материал, а иногда были времена, когда появлялся аппетит на новую музыку, а “крыть” его было практически нечем, поэтому приходилось искать что-то новое для себя в старых релизах.

В любом случае, я надеюсь, Вы найдете в этом Топе что-то интересное для себя, все эти альбомы заслушаны мною до дыр, число прослушиваний треков с последнего альбома в списке - 64 раза, поэтому рекомендации от меня каждого релиза - железные. Добро Пожаловать!

В 2018 году я не заметил каких-то больших новых тенденций, стилей и жанров в музыке, возможно, конечно, я что-то упустил, но, я думаю, что врятли. Была какая то тяга к Synthwave во многих новых релизах(яркие примеры - альбом Muse, Cyantific), но, назвать этот жанр новинкой будет просто смешно. Релизов каких-то жанров выходило больше, какие-то жанры, в частности электронной музыки, тихо уходят из оборота. Уменьшилось количество разных экспериментов со звучанием у музыкантов. Было очень много новых релизов и даже артистов в жанре Hip-Hop и около того, тут мне очень сложно что-то говорить, потому что этот жанр мне мало интересен.

Но зато на сцену вернулись многие музыканты со своим классическим традиционным звучанием, которым они когда-то понравились и запомнились нам. Если брать в пример именно мой список альбомов, то здесь можно привести в пример альбомы Logistics, Etherwood, Clean Bandit, Capital Cities, Break, Tesla Boy, Gorillaz, Justin Timberlake, Gordon City, Work Drugs, Gorgon City, Kodaline, The 1975, Rene LaVice, Calibre, Need for Mirrors, Hybrid, The Midnight, Danny Byrd. Еще бы добавил сюда альбом The Prodigy, Eminem и Panic! At The Disco, но, к сожалению, по прослушиваниям эти альбомы оказались ниже сотой строчки.

Вернулись на сцену с какими-то значимыми и удачными(на мой взгляд) изменениями в своем звучани��: Ivy Lab, Whiney, Joe Ford, Muffler, Uppermost, Current Value(в топе альбом конца 2017 года, в 2018 выходило много синглов и EP).

Некоторые музыканты, которые уже несколько лет пи��ут музыку выпустили свою первые полноценные альбомы, к примеру Vacant, Joe Ford, Pythius, Pythius, Killbox.

Открытием года для меня стали: Dance With The Dead, Kodaline, Muse(да-да, я их раньше никогда особа не слушал), Tesla Boy(и этих тоже), Blank & Jones, Ed Solo & Darrison, The New Mastersounds, Helios. Открытий вышло не так уж и много :)

В целом, 2018 год в плане музыкальном прошел очень хорошо, вышел урожайным годом на крепкие уже зрелые плоды проверенных пород! :) Надеюсь, наступивший год будет также, и даже может больше, радовать нас музыкальными новинками, и, кроме всего того, что само каким-то образом напрашивается к нам в плеер через социальные сети, радио и прочие источники, в мире есть очень много классной и вкусной музыки, стоит только поинтересоваться и поискать! Удачных всем поисков!

http://elisey-ka.ru/top100albums2018.html

001. Logistics — Hologram [Hospital Records][NHS322](2018) 002. Friction — Connections [Elevate Audio][ELA015LP](2018) 003. Joe Ford — Colours in Sound [Shogun Audio][SHA133](2018) 004. Etherwood — In Stillness [Med School Music][MEDIC77](2018) 005. Danny Byrd — Atomic Funk [Hospital Records][NHS339](2018) 006. Pythius — Descend [Blackout Music NL][BLCKTNL055](2018) 007. Ivy Lab — Death Don’t Always Taste Good [20/20 LDN][2020LDN012](2018) 008. Years & Years — Palo Santo [Polydor][6751650](2018) 009. Camo & Krooked – Mosaik Remixed [RAM Records][RAMMLP35](2018) 010. Capital Cities — Solarize [Capitol Records][00602567781110](2018) 011. Break — Another Way [Symmetry Recordings][SYMMLP007](2018) 012. Cyantific — Bloodline [Viper Recordings][VPRLP025](2018) 013. Toronto Is Broken — You Are (Not) Alone [Viper Recordings][VPRLP024](2018) 014. Current Value — Deadly Toys [Invisible Recordings][INVSB032](2017) 015. Rene LaVice — Far From Perfect [RAM Records][RAMMLP36](2018) 016. Dance With The Dead — Loved To Death [n/a][n/a](2018) 017. Uppermost — Perseverance [Uppwind Records][UPP002](2018) 018. Timecop1983 — Night Drive = ナイトドライブ [n/a][n/a](2018) 019. Pola & Bryson — Lost in Thought [Shogun Audio][SHA137](2018) 020. Kodaline — Politics of Living [RCA, Sony Music][88985458072](2018) 021. Don Diablo — Future [HEXAGON][HEXLP001](2018) 022. Mefjus — Manifest [Vision Recordings][VSN035](2018) 023. Killbox — Pleasure Palace [RAM Records][RAMMLP37](2018) 024. Muffler — Composer [Muffler Music][MMU001](2018) 025. Tesla Boy — Remedy [n/a][n/a](2018) 026. Tokyo Prose — Wild Grace [The North Quarter][NQ007](2018) 027. Marshmello — Joytime II [Joytime Collective][B07DV12D8S](2018) 028. Work Drugs — Holding on to Forever [n/a][n/a](2018) 029. Dolphin — Information Asymmetry [PRSPCT Recordings][PRSPCTLP012](2018) 030. Foreign Beggars — 2 2 Karma [Par Excellence][FB008](2018) 031. Whiney — Waystone [Med School Music][MEDIC84](2018) 032. Clean Bandit — What Is Love [Atlantic][0190295552589](2018) 033. Mindscape — Reanimator [Eatbrain][EATBRAINLP008](2018) 034. Logistics — Now More Than Ever [Hospital Records][NHS112](2006) 035. Coppa — Poetry In Motion [AudioPorn Records][APORNLP005](2018) 036. Nu:Logic — Somewhere Between the Light [Hospital Records][NHS312](2017) 037. Black Sun Empire — The Wrong Room Remixed [Blackout Music NL][BLCKTNL052](2018) 038. Vacant — Origins [n/a][n/a](2018) 039. Pendulum — The Reworks [Earstorm][STORMCD1](2018) 040. Ed Solo & Darrison — Don’t Stop [n/a][n/a](2018) 041. Inja — Blank Pages [Hospital Records][NHS333](2018) 042. Cooh — Transcension [Position Chrome][PC098](2018) 043. Impish — Hush [Occulti Music][OCCLT010](2017) 044. The Outside Agency — Scenocide 404 [Genosha Recordings][GENCD03](2017) 045. Helios — Veriditas [Ghostly International][GI-322, SMM-XXVI](2018) 046. Blank & Jones — Relax Jazzed [Soundcolours][SC0132](2012) 047. Hannah Eve — My Heart Knows [Soul Trader Records][STRLP004](2018) 048. Fading Language — Vessels of Time [Repost Network][053000233671](2018) 049. Machine Code — Environments [Subtrakt][SUBTCD001](2011) 050. Joachim Staudt — Seven Wishes [Moveo Records][n/a](2018) 051. Akuratyde — Past Lives [Blu Mar Ten][BMTDDLP014](2018) 052. Gorgon City — Escape [Virgin EMI Records][V3220](2018) 053. Hallucinator — Iconoclasm [PRSPCT Recordings][PRSPCTLP010](2017) 054. Brookes Brothers — Orange Lane [Viper Recordings][VPRLP020](2017) 055. Emilio Kauderer and Federico Jusid - The Secret in their Eyes [Electric Dream Studios][n/a](2010) 056. Logistics — Spacejams [Hospital Records][NHS178](2010) 057. The New Mastersounds — Renewable Energy [One Note Records][ONRLP022](2018) 058. Calibre — Shelflife 5 [Signature Records][SIGLP013](2018) 059. Phace — BETWEEN [Neosignal][NSGNLLP04](2018) 060. Nu:Tone — Back of Beyond [Hospital Records][NHS122](2007) 061. Fred V & Grafix — Cinematic Party Music [Hospital Records][NHS316](2017) 062. Need for Mirrors — Swim [Commercial Suicide][SUICIDELP019](2018) 063. Uppermost — Given by Nature [Uppwind][UPP006](2018) 064. Zero T — Little Pieces [Dispatch Recordings][DISZTLP002](2018) 065. Phace — Psycho [Subtitles][SUBTITLESCD005](2007) 066. Royalston — Popular Mechanics [Med School Music][MEDIC71](2017) 067. Redlight — ACTIVE [Insomniac Records][IR059A](2018) 068. Blu Mar Ten — Empire State Remixes [Blu Mar Ten][BMTCD010](2018) 069. Ivy Lab — 20/20 Volume One [20/20 LDN][2020LDN001](2015) 070. Kodaline — In a Perfect World [B-Unique Records, Sony Music][n/a](2013) 071. Hybrid — Light Of The Fearless [Distinct'ive Records][DISN245](2018) 072. Rameses B — Spacewalk [n/a][n/a](2018) 073. The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships [Polydor, Dirty Hit][7700441, DH00442](2018) 074. Mage — Standarts Deviation [Kill Inc Drum & Bass][KINC118](2018) 075. The Midnight — Kids [n/a][MDNT004](2018) 076. Blocks & Escher — Something Blue [Metalheadz][METACD015](2018) 077. Danny Byrd — Supersized [Hospital Records][NHS139](2008) 078. Doom Poets — Lost Connection [Tech Itch Recordings][TIDP001CD](2018) 079. Fred V & Grafix — Oxygen [Hospital Records][NHS294](2016) 080. Muse — Black Holes and Revelations [Warner Bros. Records, Helium 3][25646 3509-2, HEL3002CDX](2006) 081. Gorillaz — The Now Now [Parlophone][n/a](2018) 082. Three Days Grace — Outsider [RCA][19075843582](2018) 083. Ghosts of Paraguay — All of Me [n/a][n/a](2018) 084. Blank & Jones - Relax Jazzed 2 by Marcus Loeber [Soundcolours][SC0138](2014) 085. Teddy Killerz — Nightmare Street [RAM Records][RAMMLP31](2017) 086. Сплин — Встречная полоса [n/a][n/a](2018) 087. London Elektricity — Power Ballads [Hospital Records][NHS95](2005) 088. RÜFÜS — SOLACE [Reprise Records][9362-49029-1](2018) 089. Etherwood — Blue Leaves [Med School Music][MEDIC52](2015) 090. Дайте танк (!) — Радио Огонь [n/a][n/a](2016) 091. Royalston — People On the Ground [Med School Music][MEDIC54](2015) 092. Bad Company UK — Ice Station Zero [RAM Records][RAMMLP34](2018) 093. Blu Mar Ten — Famous Lost Words [Blu Mar Ten][BMTCD004](2013) 094. Logistics — Electric Sun [Hospital Records][NHS286](2016) 095. Mitekiss — Crate Six Seven [Hospital Records][NHS343](2018) 096. Muse — Absolution [Taste Media, Motor Music, Universal][0504668587991](2003) 097. Chrome Sparks — Chrome Sparks [Counter Records][COUNTCD142](2018) 098. Sub Focus — Sub Focus [RAM Records][RAMMLP13](2009) 099. Yotto — Hyperfall [Anjunadeep][ANJCD065](2018) 100. Justin Timberlake — Man of the Woods [RCA, Wright Entertainment Group, LBI Entertainment, Sony Music][19075813212](2018)

[ruindunburnit]

They're recording it at this very moment 😌

[sherristockman]

Chasing the Dragon — America’s Struggle With Opioid Addiction Dr. Mercola By Dr. Mercola If you or someone you know is hooked on prescription drugs such as Oxycontin and Vicodin, or street drugs like heroin, you'll connect with "Chasing the Dragon," a raw 2016 documentary about the horrors of drug addiction. Produced by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the film features ordinary Americans sharing personal stories of danger and destruction that characterized their lives prior to recovery from hard-core drug addiction. Because the documentary is filled with harsh language and disturbing images, parental discretion is advised. In 2015, 52,404 Americans died from drug overdoses; 33,091 of them involved an opioid and nearly one third of them, 15,281, were by prescription.1,2,3 Meanwhile, kidney disease, listed as the 9th leading cause of death on the CDC's top 10 list, killed 48,146.4 The CDC does not include drug overdoses on this list, but if you did, drug overdoses (63 percent of which are opioids), would replace kidney disease as the 9th leading cause of death as of 2015. Many of those featured in "Chasing the Dragon" are regular people from good homes and loving families. The one characteristic they had in common while using was a feeling of powerlessness to escape the spiraling cycle of drug use and abuse that dominated every moment of their lives. One recovering addict, a woman named Melissa, had this to say about her drug use: "It became my full-time job. The needle was my boss — a very demanding boss." To prevent you or someone you love from becoming addicted to prescription painkillers, I'd like to take a closer look at opioid abuse and offer several healthy alternatives to help you manage pain. How Bad Is Prescription Drug Abuse in the US? A 2015 study5 suggested 1 in 4 Americans who use opioid painkillers become addicted to them. Despite the drugs' high risk of addiction, a 2016 NPR health poll6 indicated less than one-third of people said they questioned or refused their doctor's prescription for opioids. Dr. Leana Wen, emergency physician and health commissioner for the city of Baltimore, recommends you discuss with your doctor any concerns you may have about receiving a prescription for narcotics. Due to their highly addictive potential, it's important, she says, to ensure such drugs are your best and only option:7 "Ask why. Often other alternatives, like not [taking] anything at all, taking an ibuprofen or Tylenol, physical therapy or something else can be effective. Asking 'why' is something every patient and provider should do." Wen's concerns are well placed. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),8 2 million Americans abused or were dependent on opioids in 2014. On average, more than 1,000 of them land in emergency rooms every day as the result of abuse or misuse of prescription painkillers. "There's very little difference between oxycodone, morphine and heroin," says Dr. Deeni Bassam, board-certified anesthesiologist, pain specialist and medical director of the Virginia-based Spine Care Center. "It's just that one comes in a prescription bottle and another one comes in a plastic bag."9 Bassam, whose views on drug addiction are presented throughout "Chasing the Dragon," believes most drug dependency starts innocuously:10 "A friend offers you something at a party or at home. Or you're having a bad day, and you need something to pick you up, so somebody hands you a pill and says, 'Here, this will help you feel better.' That's how this problem always starts." Deborah Taylor, senior vice president and executive director of Phoenix House Mid-Atlantic, a nonprofit drug and alcohol rehabilitation organization operating in 10 U.S. states, notes:11 "The progression of addiction and the behavior that comes with it is pretty standard regardless of where you're born, how much money you have, how old you are and your race or nationality. You can be the smartest person in the world — and the minute that chemical hits your bloodstream, you lose control of what it does in your body. You can't control it. Nobody can control it. I don't care who you are. It's not controllable." From Prescription Opioids to Street Drugs The transition from prescription opioids to street drugs like heroin is a relatively easy one. When a prescription runs out, the cost to renew it becomes unmanageable or a physician refuses to renew a prescription, many addicts look for other options. Heroin, which is often cheaper and easier to obtain than opioids, is a popular alternative. Chemically, the drugs are very similar and provide a similar kind of high. Without additives, heroin is as dangerous as Oxycontin and equally addictive. However, when dealers cut heroin with other drugs, the results can be deadly. According to the Chicago Tribune,12 in just six days during August 2016, a staggering 174 heroin overdoses took place in Cincinnati, Ohio, a city that records, on average, 20 to 25 overdoses a week. The Tribune13 claims the unprecedented number of overdoses was precipitated by heroin cut with carfentanil, a drug originally developed as a tranquilizer for large animals such as elephants. Cut into heroin, it was meant to deliver a stronger and more extended high, which would presumably keep users coming back to buy more. Instead, it resulted in a string of overdoses and deaths that left law enforcement begging local citizens to not buy heroin until the ultra-potent batch was off the streets. Their advice made sense considering carfentanil is 10,000 to 100,000 times stronger than morphine. About the overdoses, Newtown police chief Tom Synan, who is also leader of the law enforcement task force for the Hamilton County Heroin Coalition, said:14 "[Dealers] are intentionally putting in drugs they know can kill someone. The benefit for them is if the user survives it is such a powerful high for them, they tend to come back … If one or two people die, they could care less. They know the supply is so big right now that if you lose some customers, in their eyes there's always more in line." Treating Your Pain Without Drugs Prior to leaving office in January 2017, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner Dr. Robert Califf addressed the devastating effects of opioid misuse, suggesting it's time to find better ways to treat pain:15 "The public-health crisis of opioid misuse, addiction and overdose is one of the most challenging issues [the FDA] has faced during my time as commissioner. Solving this issue is critical to our future. It's time to put more resources into the development of non-opioid, non-addictive medications to help people who are in serious, debilitating pain. We need more research to define the most effective non-medication approaches to pain, and how to deliver them …" Califf is right; we do need better ways to manage pain. Fortunately, many natural alternatives already exist. While not everyone who takes a prescription opioid will wind up an addict, the risk is real. For that reason, I strongly recommend exhausting the many natural alternatives before you resort to an opioid pain reliever. The health risks associated with those drugs are great, and addiction and overdose happen far more often than you may realize. It's particularly important for you to avoid opioids when trying to address long-term chronic pain, as your body will create a tolerance to the drug. Over time, you'll require greater doses at more frequent intervals to achieve the same pain relief. This is a recipe for disaster and could have lethal consequences. Please don't risk it! Due to the many concerns around addiction and tolerance, opioids clearly have not lived up to the promises manufacturers have made. With so much focus on pharmaceutical remedies, you may not be aware of the many healthy alternatives to pain relief. Following is information about non-drug remedies, dietary changes and bodywork interventions that can help you manage your pain. Non-Drug Remedies for Pain Relief If you have chronic pain of any kind, please understand there are many natural, safe and effective alternatives to prescription and over-the-counter painkillers, including: ✓ Kratom Kratom (Mitragyna speciose) is another plant remedy that has become a popular opioid substitute.16 In August, the DEA issued a notice saying it was planning to ban kratom, listing it as Schedule 1 controlled substance. However, following massive outrage from kratom users who say opioids are their only alternative, the agency reversed its decision.17 Kratom is likely safer than an opioid for someone in serious and chronic pain. However, it's important to recognize that it is a psychoactive substance and should not be used carelessly. There's very little research showing how to use it safely and effectively, and it may have a very different effect from one person to the next. Also, while it may be useful for weaning people off opioids, kratom is in itself addictive. So, while it appears to be a far safer alternative to opioids, it's still a powerful and potentially addictive substance. So please, do your own research before trying it. ✓ Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) Naltrexone is an opiate antagonist, originally developed in the early 1960s for the treatment of opioid addiction. When taken at very low doses (LDN, available only by prescription), it triggers endorphin production, which can boost your immune function and ease pain. ✓ Curcumin: A primary therapeutic compound identified in the spice turmeric, curcumin has been shown in more than 50 clinical studies to have potent anti-inflammatory activity. Curcumin is hard to absorb, so best results are achieved with preparations designed to improve absorption. It is very safe and you can take two to three every hour if you need to. ✓ Astaxanthin: One of the most effective oil-soluble antioxidants known, astaxanthin has very potent anti-inflammatory properties. Higher doses are typically required for pain relief, and you may need 8 milligrams or more per day to achieve results. ✓ Boswellia: Also known as boswellin or "Indian frankincense," this herb contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties, which have been prized for thousands of years. This is one of my personal favorites, as it worked well for many of my former rheumatoid arthritis patients. ✓ Bromelain: This protein-digesting enzyme, found in pineapples, is a natural anti-inflammatory. It can be taken in supplement form, but eating fresh pineapple may also be helpful. Keep in mind most of the bromelain is found within the core of the pineapple, so consider eating some of the pulpy core when you consume the fruit. ✓ Cayenne cream: Also called capsaicin cream, this spice comes from dried hot peppers. It alleviates pain by depleting your body's supply of substance P, a chemical component of nerve cells that transmit pain signals to your brain. ✓ Cetyl myristoleate (CMO): This oil, found in dairy butter and fish, acts as a joint lubricant and anti-inflammatory. I have used a topical preparation of CMO to relieve ganglion cysts and a mild case of carpal tunnel syndrome. ✓ Evening primrose, black currant and borage oils: These oils contain the fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid, which is useful for treating arthritic pain. ✓ Ginger: This herb is anti-inflammatory and offers pain relief and stomach-settling properties. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea, or incorporated into fresh vegetable juice. Dietary Changes to Fight Inflammation and Manage Your Pain Unfortunately, physicians often fall short when attempting to effectively treat chronic pain, resorting to the only treatment they know: prescription drugs. While these drugs may bring some temporary relief, they will do nothing to resolve the underlying causes of your pain. If you suffer from chronic pain, making the following changes to your diet may bring you some relief. ✓ Consume more animal-based omega-3 fats. Similar to the effects of anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical drugs, omega-3 fats from fish and fish oils work to directly or indirectly modulate a number of cellular activities associated with inflammation. While drugs have a powerful ability to inhibit your body's pain signals, omega-3s cause a gentle shift in cell signaling to bring about a lessened reactivity to pain. Eating healthy seafood like anchovies or sardines, which are low in environmental toxins, or taking a high-quality supplement such as krill oil are your best options for obtaining omega-3s. DHA and EPA, the omega-3 oils contained in krill oil, have been found in many animal and clinical studies to have anti-inflammatory properties, which are beneficial for pain relief. ✓ Radically reduce your intake of processed foods. Processed foods not only contain chemical additives and excessive amounts of sugar, but also are loaded with damaging omega-6 fats. By eating these foods, especially fried foods, you upset your body's ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty-acids, which triggers inflammation. Inflammation is a key factor in most pain. ✓ Eliminate or radically reduce your consumption of grains and sugars. Avoiding grains and sugars, especially fructose, will lower your insulin and leptin levels. Elevated insulin and leptin levels are one of the most profound stimulators of inflammatory prostaglandin production, which contributes to pain. While healthy individuals are advised to keep their daily fructose consumption below 25 grams from all sources, you'll want to limit your intake to 15 grams per day until your pain is reduced. Eating sugar increases your uric acid levels, which leads to chronic, low-level inflammation. ✓ Optimize your production of vitamin D. As much as possible, regulate your vitamin D levels by regularly exposing large amounts of your skin to sunshine. If you cannot get sufficient sun exposure, taking an oral vitamin D3 supplement, along with vitamin K2 and magnesium, is highly advisable. Research by GrassrootsHealth suggests adults need about 8,000 IUs per day to achieve a serum level of 40 ng/ml, but you may need even more. It's best to get your blood level tested to be sure you're safely within the therapeutic range. Bodywork Methods That Reduce Pain Due to the inherent risks of addiction and the other unpleasant side effects of prescription painkillers, I recommend you pursue one or more of the following bodywork methods before taking a narcotic for pain. Each one has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for lasting pain relief and management. • Acupuncture: According to The New York Times,18 an estimated 3 million American adults receive acupuncture annually, most often for the treatment of chronic pain. A study19 published in the Archives of Internal Medicine concluded acupuncture has a definite effect in reducing four types of chronic pain, including back and neck pain, chronic headache, osteoarthritis and shoulder pain — more so than standard pain treatment. The researchers stated: "[W]e found acupuncture to be superior to both no-acupuncture control and sham acupuncture for the treatment of chronic pain … Our results from individual patient data meta-analyses of nearly 18,000 patients in high-quality randomized controlled trials provide the most robust evidence to date that acupuncture is a reasonable referral option for patients with chronic pain." • Chiropractic adjustments: While previously used most often to treat back pain, chiropractic treatment addresses many other problems — including asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, headaches, migraines, musculoskeletal pain, neck pain and whiplash. According to a study20 published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, patients with neck pain who used a chiropractor and/or exercise were more than twice as likely to be pain-free in 12 weeks compared to those who took medication. • Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT): EFT continues to be one of the easiest and most effective ways to deal with acute and chronic pain. The technique is simple and can be applied in mere minutes, helping you to overcome all kinds of bodily aches and pains. A study21 published in Energy Psychology examined the levels of pain in a group of 50 people attending a three-day EFT workshop, and found their pain dropped by 43 percent during the workshop. Six weeks later, their pain levels were reported to be 42 percent lower than before the workshop. As a result of applying EFT, participants felt they had an improved sense of control and ability to cope with their chronic pain. In the video featured below, EFT expert Julie Schiffman, teaches you how to use EFT to address chronic pain. • Massage: Massage releases endorphins, which help induce relaxation, relieve pain and reduce levels of stress chemicals such as cortisol and noradrenaline. A systematic review and meta-analysis22 published in the journal Pain Medicine, included 60 high-quality and seven low-quality studies that looked into the use of massage for various types of pain, including bone and muscle, fibromyalgia, headache and spinal-cord pain. The study revealed massage therapy relieves pain better than getting no treatment at all. When compared to other pain treatments like acupuncture and physical therapy, massage therapy still proved beneficial and had few side effects. In addition to relieving pain, massage therapy also improved anxiety and health-related quality of life. Final Thoughts About 'Chasing the Dragon' With respect to "Chasing the Dragon," U.S. FBI director James Comey said:23 "This film may be difficult to watch, but we hope it educates our students and young adults about the tragic consequences that come with abusing these drugs, and it will cause people to think twice before becoming its next victim." Every generation has its drug of choice, and Bassam suggests this generation's drug of choice is prescription opiates, which is far more devastating and addictive than anything law enforcement and the medical community have seen in the past. The current level of drug addiction in the U.S. is real and dangerous, says Bassam:24 "How do you know you're an addict? It's when you're doing something you know is not good for you, that's harming you, but you can't help yourself. When your relationships are starting to fall apart around you, and you don't care. When the only thing on your mind is how to get the substance and how to get to the next high — you're an addict. You can't maintain an opiate addiction and a normal life for very long." If someone you know is at risk for or is presently struggling with drug addiction, this raw and realistic documentary is worth your time.

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They did THAT! 🍎💀📓