#searching for solace

[thisaintascenereviews]

Our Favorites Of The Year (So Far), Part One: April 2024

By Bradley Christensen & @jakeh2987

At the end of every year, I’m always amazed when peoples’ yearend lists come out, because it takes me awhile to fathom that it’s really the end of another year. Aside from Christmas, which is what most people associate with that time of year, I love “list season.” Publications of all kinds put out their yearend lists, and I just love seeing what people have been into the entire year. It feels like yesterday I was talking about my favorite media from the entire year, so I thought I’d “check-in” in the beginning, middle, and (obviously) the end of the year. I’m not doing this alone, however, because I thought I’d bring along my buddy Jake. We worked together on a yearend piece last year, too, and I thought it would be fun to work on something like this again, at least checking in periodically with each other and seeing what we’ve been into throughout the year, as well as how the year’s been going when it comes to media of all kinds. With that said, it’s good to have you back, Jake! It feels like deja vu, because it feels like we just did this, but I digress, how’s this year been treating you so far, Jake? How do you think this year has been in comparison to last year?

First of all, thank you for having me back to do this! I had a blast working on our year-end wrap up last year, so I jumped at the chance to do something similar. To answer your question, though, I feel like this year has been really stacked in terms of new releases in not only music, but a lot of different forms of media. Last year was incredible, for sure, but I feel like a lot of it was backloaded in the second half of 2023. This year, on the other hand, I felt like there’s been at least one or two new things to be excited about every week really since the start of the year, but especially so in the last couple of months. I had a look at my top 10 albums, and I think almost all of them have come out after the first week of March, which has been great. But, we’ll get to that later. For now, though, I say we take a look back at the broader picture for a second! Last year, we talk about how we often found ourselves falling back into old comforts, whether that be favorite artists, that TV show you’ve binged far too many times before, and so on. For the first bit of this year, I kinda feel like I’ve been a lot more open to discovering new things and stepping outside of my comfort zone, so I’m curious, how does it feel for you?

Last year definitely had a theme of listening to what I call “ol’ reliable” types of media. A lot of my favorite pieces of media were from old favorites, whether I was revisiting them again for the first time in awhile, or old favorites releasing new albums, movies, or shows that I could easily get into and gave me a nice sense of nostalgia. I would say that this year, at least so far, is a mixture of both being adventurous and discovering some new things and still revisiting some of those same “comfort foods,” so to speak. Looking at the big picture of how media has gone this year, it’s certainly been steady since March with at least one album per week that I’m listening to (almost my whole top ten is from the last couple of months as well), and we’ve been getting a steady stream of movies and shows that are worth watching and talking about. Speaking of which, let’s start with movies and TV, what have you been watching this year?

Okay, this is where I get to gush about the new Fallout show that just premiered on Amazon Prime Video a couple weeks ago. I’m not super familiar with the games, having only put a few hours into Fallout 4 way back in 2015, but when the first trailer for this show dropped, I knew I was gonna be in for this. I’m a sucker for a sci-fi/post apocalypse setting, and from what I do know from the games, there was gonna be a blend of dark humor/satire along with the high-stakes drama. I ended up watching the whole season in about a week, and I really loved it. The creative team behind the show did about the best thing you could do for a video game adaptation; it’s set within the universe and continuity of the games, but it’s a new story with new characters, so they were able to tell their own story while still nailing that Fallout vibe. Also, come on, Walton Goggins playing a post-apocalyptic cowboy bounty hunter, how can you not love that? But for real, this show was a blast, and I’m happy it’s already been renewed for a second season, because I can see this show being a great time for many years to come.

Aside from that, though, I did see the Mean Girls musical movie from earlier this year, and while I don’t think it was all that great (and I don’t necessarily love the original, either), it’s pretty clear why Renee Rapp is a rising star, she was great in it and can definitely sing. I’ve also been making my way through a super casual Criminal Minds rewatch, it’s been a long while since I’ve watched a lot of the early stuff, so I like having it on in the background while I do other things, but I still love this show a lot. How about you, though?

When it comes to TV and movies, I haven’t watched as much stuff as I’ve listened to music, but I’ve got a few things I’ve been watching. The second half of the second season of Invincible, also on Prime Video, premiered last month, and that was a lot of fun, especially after loving the first season a few years back. Animation has been on a roll this year, between that and X-Men ‘97, which has been a show that I’ve been eagerly watching every Wednesday. That show’s been an absolute blast, and despite being rooted in a show from the past, it doesn’t let the nostalgia overtake the show itself. I haven’t really been watching a lot of movies this year, surprisingly enough, but I need to catch up. I need to watch Fallout, though; I love dystopia and post-apocalyptic universes, so I need to sit down and watch that front to back. What about video games? I got a couple that I’ve played this year, not necessarily new but new to me; and that’s been a whole lot of fun.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth came out at the end of February (on the leap day, no less!), and I've been playing it basically non-stop since then. Rebirth is the second part of a trilogy of games that are remaking/reimagining the original Final Fantasy 7 from back in 1997, greatly expanding upon and making tweaks to various things that were in the original. This is also a game that adopts more of an open-ended structure, featuring several pretty big zones filled with a ton to do. As of writing this, I've put about 100 hours into it, and I'm just over 60% of the way through it. This is a game that''s so incredibly easy to get lost and immersed in for hours, and I think that comes down to three things. Firstly, your main party of characters is so enjoyable to be around; it really hammers home that feeling of being on a grand adventure with your friends, and even when you're doing a seemingly mundane open world activity, you still get little interactions with the characters that makes it worth it. Another factor for me is the combat. I said after the first part came out in 2020 that it had maybe my favorite combat in an RPG, I really loved the seamless blend of real time action and strategy with the ATB system. Rebirth's combat is essentially more of that, but the improvements and enhancements make this combat sing in a way that very few games ever have for me. Swapping between party members, using the new synergy abilities, and popping ATB abilities feels so seamless and flows super well. It's just a blast to play. Finally, I wanna give a shoutout to the minigames. I won't give all of them away, but there are so many different minigames to play, and this is where Rebirth gets to really lean into its silliness more often than not. Your main story can often be very dramatic and emotional, so I appreciate that these side activities are a way to provide a tonal balance and gameplay pacing. And aside from maybe one or two I admittedly wasn't a huge fan of, all of them were really fun to play (shoutout Queen's Blood in particular, I would buy a standalone version of that in a heartbeat). Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention the music. It's incredible, and even when you're walking around in the open areas, you get hit with yet another really cool music piece, and that's before you even get to the big set pieces or boss fights, which also rule. I could just gush about this thing forever, really, but I'll top this off by saying it's been a really special experience and I'm so excited to see where it ends up. How about you, though? Have you been playing anything in particular?

Man, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth sounds great! I always love when a piece of media, whether it’s a game, movie, or album, can really suck you into its story or sound. I can’t say I’ve played any new games, but I got a couple things I’ve been playing so far this year. I spent the last few months playing Mafia III, especially after seeing it was on sale for the first time in awhile, and I absolutely love the first two games. Now those are games that you can get lost in, especially its story, world, and atmosphere, but I’d say the third in this trilogy is the best. Instead of taking place the 1930s or 1940s, like the first two games, the third one takes place in the 1960s, let alone in a New Orleans-type of city with different “districts” that are composed of different kinds of people. This game also tackles issues like racism and PTSD, especially where the main character is Black and a Vietnam veteran. It’s got some hard hitting and still relevant themes, despite coming out in 2016, but it’s still relevant today. The game does have a couple downsides, such as the combat and side missions between story missions being repetitive (despite still a lot of fun), but it’s the story, characters, and the world itself that really draws you in. The music is also a big part of this game, as it features a lot of 50s and 60s blues, rock, soul, pop, and lots of different songs that you can listen to on any car’s radio, and the songs really bring everything to life. It’s a wonderful game, and it’s the best of the three, hands down.

As for the other game, thanks to the new Fallout show coming out, I decided to download Fallout 4 on the PlayStation Store, because it was only $4.99, and I’ve been playing it for a few days now! It’s a lot of fun, despite how I’m still getting used to its world and mechanics. I’ve always been curious about Fallout’s story and lore, but never knew where to start. There’s so many games and lore to sink your teeth into, but that’s what makes the show so good — it’s its own story, like you said, so you don’t need to know everything about the games. The show eases you into it, but if you enjoy post-apocalyptic stories with retro futuristism aesthetics, along with a killer soundtrack (that I enjoy, thanks to my niche taste of 30s, 40s, and 50s music), you should get really into it. The game itself is cool, too, and it also eases you into the story, especially if this is your first go-around. I’m excited to play more, since I haven’t had anything I’ve really dedicated my time to after finishing Mafia III.

With all of that said, let’s get to our main event — 2024 in music. We discussed this a bit earlier, at least our overall first impressions, but this year has been off to the races when it comes to new music. I swear that almost every week since the start of the year, there’s been something new to listen to, but a lot of my favorite albums this year have been from March and April. Let’s not beat around the bush anymore, though. What are your favorites of the year so far? Hell, what are some albums that have been resonating with you this year? They don’t even need to be new, but stuff that you’ve found that you’ve just been into this year, regardless of when it came out.

Both Mafia III and Fallout 4 are games I wanna revisit sometimes, for a lot of the reasons you've said. I do remember Mafia III getting a bit of criticism for its repettitive open world structure and missions, but I loved what I played of it for the setting and characters and how it tackled heavier subject matters in a game like this. And I did redownload Fallout 4 as well, I played a few hours of it when it first released in 2015, but the show has made me wanna give it another go, though at this point I'll probably end up starting a new save.

Anyways, yes, let's get to the main event, our favorite music! I feel like since we both have the same number one, at least I think we do, let's save that for last, but for now, I'm gonna highlight a few from my top 10, in no real order (at least not for the purposes of this piece, I do have a proper list for myself). First, an interesting thing I noticed about my list is how a few of these are from bands/artists you recommended to it. Cory Wells' Harbouring the Hurt I Cause is a really good acoustic/emo album that I had never heard of before you suggested it, and that new Fluorescents album that just dropped, Scream It At Me! gives me such great mid/late 2000s neon pop-punk/pop-rock vibes but with a modern polish to it. You also turned me back on to Neck Deep; their self-titled album is just a really damn solid pop-punk album from a band I admittedly kinda wrote off in recent years.

Secondly, I wanna talk about two final releases from two of my favorite bands, but they're final releases for very different reasons. Sum 41 are pop-punk legends at this point, and sometime last year, they announced that after their new album and some extensive touring, they were calling it quits. It's always nice that when a band does break up, they do so on their own terms and while going out on top. I really had a lot of fun with their final (double) album Heaven x Hell, it felt like a love letter to the band and everything they do well, and I'm happy they were able to go out with that. On the other hand, though, we have Too Close to Touch's For Keeps, and this one is very bittersweet. Vocalist Keaton Pierce passed away unexpectedly in March 2022, and many fans like myself weren't sure we were ever gonna hear from the band again. So, it was a very welcome surprise when they announced a final collection of songs, but it was also a little bittersweet that they decided to call it quits, although it was for a very understandable reason. For Keeps, I think, turned out as well as it could have, and is a very solid sendoff for a vocalist and a band who were so close to taking that next step.

Outside of this year, I did wanna highlight Linkin Park's recently-released greatest hits album, called Papercuts. It's a very nice little collection of songs from their career, and it's been a lot of fun revisiting my first favorite band.

Okay, now I'm gonna throw it back to you, what's some music that you've really been resonating with so far this year?

Yeah, Mafia III got some criticism for the repetitive open world structure and the missions being pretty much copy and paste, such as killing certain enforcers, and interrogating informants, but it’s still a lot of fun every time you get to unleash carnage on an unsuspecting group of bad guys (or are they, because this game does tackle how the main character might not be as good as he thinks he is, and that’s a real interesting idea). I got through a bit of Fallout 4 already, though, and despite a rather annoying combat system that I still need to master, I enjoy it a lot. It’s pretty cool, especially with its story and the lore that the game has already built up for itself.

As for the main event, we can save that specific album for later, but I have a feeling I know what it is, too, and it’s a doozy, that’s for sure. I figured we could highlight stuff from our top tens, really in no particular order, but that’s really neat! I always love recommending stuff, but if I hear something that I think you’d like, I always throw it your way, even if it’s not something I’m as into. Anyhow, my top ten is mainly from bands and artists I’ve already been a fan of, and with the exception of Fluorescents’ debut, Scream It At Me, it’s all stuff that I’ve both heard of but haven’t listened to in awhile. A few of my favorites, in no particular order as well, are Neck Deep’s self-titled and Fluorescents’ Scream It At Me, especially for really wanting some catchy pop-punk at this time of year. Neck Deep’s new one came out in the beginning of the year, but it just hits differently now, and it’s really grown on me. I’ve also been enjoying a handful of metalcore albums, including two that just came out last week. The new Ghost Inside and SeeYouSpaceCowboy albums, respectively titled Searching For Solace and Coup De Grace, are a couple of metalcore albums that really hit what I’ve been looking for, especially really catchy and hard hitting stuff. The new Justin Timberlake album, Everything I Thought It Was, is another album that I’ve been playing a lot this year, and it’s a solid little comeback album for him.

A couple of albums on my list, too, aren’t from bands who released their last albums, although those two albums you mentioned were pretty good, but they’re from artists I never expected to really love a new album from. Thrice frontman Dustin Kensrue dropped a country album, entitled Desert Dreaming, and it’s a wonderful throwback country album that sounds like it came out of the 1960s and 1970s. Augustana, and indie-pop / folk-pop band, also dropped their first album in a decade, called Something Beautiful, and it really hit me, especially for being so catchy. Lil Dicky also dropped a new album this year, his first in almost a decade and I wasn’t expecting to enjoy that as much as I did. I also binged his show, Dave, that has been on for the last few years and it’s a pretty funny show, and I forgot to mention that earlier, but the album, Penith, is supposed to be the “soundtrack” to the show.

Now when it comes to music this year that I’ve been that isn’t new, I got a couple of things, such as getting into the last Hot Mulligan albums after seeing them live with Fall Out Boy a couple months back. I also have spent some time with the last couple of James And The Shame records. That’s the brainchild of Rhett McLaughlin, most famously known from YouTube duo Rhett & Link, but it’s a retro-style country project that has a lot of themes about religion and his overall deconstruction from the church, and it’s very interesting stuff. I’d like to check out that Linkin Park greatest hits, though; they’re a band I feel like hits better with their greatest hits, although their first two albums are really cool still.

There is one album that we haven’t talked about yet that we’ve alluded to, because it’s both our current favorite album this year, so would you like to introduce it?

You know, this is actually kind of a funny full cirlce thing, because Bayside was another band you originally introduced me to, I wanna say about a decade ago, around the time Cult was coming out. I really enjoyed that album, but their next album, 2016''s Vacancy, was what really won me over and made me a huge fan of theirs. So, naturally, you could say that their new album, There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive, being my number one album of the year so far is a bit of a no-brainer, but I really do think this is one of Bayside's best albums, and it really showcases the band at their peak and what they do best, whether it be guitarist Jack O'Shea really letting it rip with some killer guitar parts and solos, Anthony Raneri's ability to paint a picture and tell a story with his lyrics, or the band's penchant for memorable hooks. It's all there in full force on this album, but what I will say, is that if you really think about it, it's not really all that different than what they've been doing. So, I wanna turn it back to you and ask, what was it about thsi album in particular that really clicked and led it to also being your favorite album so far this year?

Bayside is a band that I’ve got a lot of nostalgia for, because I found them on a 2007 Alternative Press compilation. It was an acoustic version of “Dear Your Holiness,” and I really loved it, I picked up 2007’s The Walking Wounded and immediately fell in love with it. It’s still one of my favorite albums today, especially for its great hooks, awesome guitarwork that was really heavy for a pop-punk album, and very poignant lyrics that still hold up today. I have enjoyed their subsequent records, but Bayside ended up becoming a band whose albums all sound the same to me.

Despite how good they are, especially 2016’s Vacancy, you know what you’re getting with an album from them, which can be a good or bad thing, depending on where you stand with them. Aside from The Walking Wounded, nothing else they’ve done since has really blown me away as much as that album. I was somewhat eagerly awaiting There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive, especially because it’s been five years since their last album came out, but what really surprised me was how this album feels oddly refreshing compared to their last couple. Not that they were bad, or even bland, but this album reminds me a lot of The Walking Wounded.

Like you said, this album is a classic Bayside album on the surface, but they prove that they can tweak their formula a bit and make it really interesting. This album is both the heaviest and catchiest I’ve heard Bayside in a long time; their hooks are sticky sweet this time around, but their guitar riffs are some of the thrashiest and most heavy metal-ish that I’ve heard from them. Raneri’s lyrics are also some of the best I’ve heard in awhile, too, and a lot of this album gets lodged in my head for the best reasons. I bet it was a shock to you, especially as someone that hasn’t been crazy about their last few albums, that I was over the moon for this album when it came out, huh?

I was definitely pleasantly surprised when you said you were loving this album as much as you do, but at the same time, especially after hearing you talk about it more, I do kinda get why this one maybe hooked you more than they have the past few albums. Sometimes all it takes is some tweaks/refreshes to the formula, and sometimes, something will just hit you in the right place at the right time, even if maybe it normally wouldn't as much otherwise. But, I love that we both have this at number one; thinking back on years past, I think this has only happened a handful of times, most likely with Fall Out Boy, since they're another band we both love.

It's really hard to believe we're already a quarter of the way through this year already, isn't it? I'm glad we got together to do this again, though, it's been a blast looking back on all of it so far, and I really can't wait for what's still to come.

I really was surprised to love this new album as much as I did, but you’re right, sometimes all it takes is a tweak to the formula to really hit you at the right time. I think by having a catchier and heavier sound, the album was able to hit me harder because it reminded me of when I first listened to them all those years ago. It just hits in the right way, but I truly love it. Not many albums this year have really hit me in that way, but this record is their best in a long time. It’s really hard to believe we’re almost a quarter done, though, so much good stuff has come out and so much is going to come out in the next eight months. It’s been an absolute blast doing this with you again, but before we close this out, what are some albums you’re looking forward to, whether they have a confirmed release date or not?

Just today, as we're writing this, The Home Team announced their third album, called The Crucible of Life, is coming out on July 12th, and I know that album is gonna be amazing. They're really about to be the next big thing, and I can't wiat. The other big one for me is The Early November, whose self-titled album is coming out June 14th. They're a band sorta like Bayside, in that they have a pretty storied legacy in the scene and have still been at it, putting out great music for over 20 years now.

Got anything on your radar coming up?

No way, they finally announced their new album? I hadn’t seen it yet, so that’s awesome. I can’t wait for that, so that’s easily a most anticipated. I’d say that off the top of my head, the upcoming Knocked Loose is my most anticipated, and that comes in a couple weeks on May 10th. Those guys are currently one of the biggest heavy bands in the scene, and their last album was easily my favorite of 2019, so I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. It’s gonna be a good rest of the year, for sure, and I can’t wait to do this again with you. I hopefully plan on doing this again here in another three or four months, and then at the end of the year, but it’s been a lot of fun being able to work on another one of these pieces with you, so thanks for being able to indulge me on what we’ve been into this year so far!

Yeah, this has been so much fun, so thank you for having me! I'm looking forward to meeting up for this again, as I'm sure we'll have plenty more to talk about.

[pickletrip]

And if you're still bleeding, you're the lucky ones

'Cause most of our feelings, they are dead and they are gone

We're setting fire to our insides for fun

Collecting pictures from a flood that wrecked our home

It was a flood that wrecked this (heart)

[cherrwysx-music]

♫ The Ghost Inside - Searching For Solace ♫

[hellsitegenetics]

Can U blast this https://urbanshade.org/wiki/Documents/Sebastian_Solace pls

String identified: caTatcaaaaaataactGTtttatcagcatcttcagtctaaaattattatcttataCAagtataaaCCTaatccatttatacattcctaccatccttttattagtCAcatacatagataatatttgtccataAtggtctatattccagagtattGaaacggcaaccaactaaatatctatccagatctagacggttaCACCTcattagttacgtatacttatatctaacattatctgaaggtgatgctaaaattagaattaagaatAtgctactttatcgattgaagtaaatagtctaatctatctccaacaaaacttaaacacaaaacttatattgaggAtaaaaaaagattaatatagaaaattttataaccagatattatattaacttctTctctatttctatgcacatatGagattactTtagttatattattcactttatcattattaaaccaacttcaattcacataAtttgtattgaagtattatacattactatattaaaccatatactaagtctatttattacttattcaagacacaAtttaggttatagaatttttatagaaacagtgtttgctaacctcatagaaaatcctaccaatatactaaattctttaatctaaatattagtttggg

Closest match: Balaenoptera musculus genome assembly, ��█████ ████████ genome assembly, Microcephalophis gracilis genome assembly, Carcharodon carcharias genome assembly, Bufoceratias wedli mutated genome assembly, Diretmus argenteus genome assembly, Gonodactylus smithii genome assembly, Homo sapiens genome assembly Common name: THAT FUCKING FISH THAT I HATE

(If this image source is shown to unauthorized personnel, you'll be BLASTed with my wizard beams)

[donutz]

What aboutttttt............ Sebastian with his daughter/son/kid? Maybe before he got experimented on he had a child but couldn't see them anymore once he got fished, and recognizes them while they're a prisoner? I'll leave age/gender up to you

Not forcing!! Thank youu

Sebastian Solace reuniting with his kid

Meeting up with your father once again...

— Omg dad time!!!😂😂

Warnings: Father issues; PLATONIC!!!!; Negative thoughts, please DO NOT take them to heart, I don't mean any of that towards you, you're an amazing person ^^; Implied depression; Thoughts of su!c!de; Angsty but not so much; Reader can't get hurt by the monsters; No mention of age or gender, but Reader is over 21; Short :P(569 words); Cliffhanger!!

Staring at the blank and reflecting submarine ground, you see yourself. Well is it really yourself? With all that gear it could be anybody else.  They sent you to that prison because of what you’ve done.

Or did you really even do it?

No of course you didn’t.

They just think what your father did passes down to you.

Framing innocent people, killing them.

Disgusting.

To cover up your ‘mistake’ you signed up for this. They would’ve killed you like every other person, you’re not special(This is a lie, you’re amazing).

You arrive at the Hadal Blacksite, the large door opening. Revealing a large working site.

Stepping out, you hear a man’s voice through the speakers above. You look up. Nothing. Are they really even above you? Maybe they’re in the walls.

Are they watching you?

Can they hear you?

Can he hear you?

Does he know where you are?

Where is he?

Where are they?

Oh yeah, look upon the task ahead of course.

‘Ugh, this anxious stuff going on really hurts’.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t have signed this. Just so I could die’.

‘Being with dad sounds nice’.

You slide the keycard through the door. Door 001. You’re somewhat ready for what lies ahead. Any monsters, I mean you’re meters below the sea levels! Who knows what’s down here!

Door 020

You walked into a room, with a large window. Darkened, not really seeing much. Then a bright green light illuminates the room to your left.

Stupidly, you look at the source of light, seeing multiple green eyes with stars in them. Though they don’t affect you, at all. 

It’s.. Confused. Why won’t it affect you?

Oh. You’re his.

Nevermind then.

The shark swims away, leaving you in the dark. Again. It comes back a few times, but only to just see you.

Still, her eyes don’t affect you.

30 doors later, a vent grille quickly shoots to the other side of the room. Your tired eyes showing no fear or shock. Looking at the vent, you wait for something or someone.

“Need to stock up”?

.

.

.

What.

Now your eyes show some type of emotion.

They shrink, crinkles showing at the edge of your eyes, straightening your lips with a look of confusion on your face.

“Da—”

Your voice blanks out, your own vocal cords cutting itself off. Not from belief, you just haven’t talked for a bit. Your lips are dry, and your throat feels like a desert.

You clear your throat, going up to rub your eyes, only for your hand to bump against your visor.

Damn it.

“I have good thingss I swearrr”!! He jokes.

You walk over to the smaller space, getting down on your knees to crawl through it.

Reaching the end of it, you stand up.

“Welcome wel—”

Sebastian cuts himself off when he meets your gaze. His smile fading.

Comically, zigzags lightly shake around yours and his head, as if making some sort of connection through a radio channel. Your face makes a confused and focused look once again. While Sebastian looks surprised.

It’s silent.

You shake your head—

“Sorry— Do I know you”? You ask, cupping your sweating hand(Though it’s not like you can feel it) around the back of your neck, rubbing it.

Sebastian is taken aback, as if he recognizes that voice.

“Well I—… I just might”…

“… What’s your name”?

.

.

.

“Sebastian”.

You gasp—

“Dad”??

Short because... I'm more used to romantic stuff... And like... Yeah

[thaliasthunder]

big fan of the idea of nico having really dark eyes that they even reflect the stars on them when u talk to him at night

[pest1c1de]

i finished pressure today <3

[bright-eyes-strawberry-lies]

It would have been so funny if they'd chosen "nill" as the Nico/Will ship name instead of solangelo.

[crowleycringe]

GUYS GUYS I FINALLY MET SEBASTIAN ‼️‼️‼️ MY FRIEND (@/donteatmyflowers) TOOK THIS REALLY COOL PHOTO AFTER LITERALLY DYING IN 40 SOMETHING DOORS 😭😭😭

[basicsunnyy]

It's good enough ig

Another version and sketch cuz I actually like how the sketch looked like :3

And ofc speedpaint

Not as fun as my usual artstyle but I think I'll still continue experimenting with more like this

Oh? What's the difference? Just trying more realistic proportions or whatever, boring stuff

[bellaxgiornata]

Teasing this short series that I'm still piecing together as I coincidentally bake some lemon sugar cookies today. Matt was being too loud for too many different fics making it impossible to work on just one, so now he's in a time out. But Mikey had this one idea that came to me so I've been working on it this week. It's set shortly after season 2, so there will be a few spoilers for those that want to avoid them. There will be some Mikey POV and a depiction of seizures, but despite some heavy topics, this is going to be mostly fluff and emotional hurt/comfort.

In Search of Solace

After a family meeting goes awry, Michael has a seizure on the way back to his house–but he isn't alone. Feeling at the end of his rope, Michael finally breaks down and confesses his struggles to Birdy. Unable to stand the sight of him so broken, Birdy promises to handle the Kinsellas and to help him relocate somewhere far away from Dublin. With a change of scenery, Michael finally starts to grapple with the man his family forced him to become. Though when he meets the owner of Sweet Bliss Bakery, he unexpectedly finds peace while learning to appreciate the little things in life.

[thisaintascenereviews]

The Ghost Inside - Searching For Solace

Because I listen to a lot of music over a year, there are bands and artists that I listen to every few years or so. These bands put out an album, and I’ll listen to it, only to forget about them for another few years until they put out another one. There are some bands, though, that I haven’t listened to in a decade or so, but not because I didn’t want to. It’s almost always that I just forgot about them, especially if they hadn’t released anything in so long. One such band is the Californian metalcore band The Ghost Inside. They’re certainly a band that has gone through quite a lot over the last decade. After dropping a few albums in the late 00s and early 2010s, the band got into a horrible car accident in 2015, which resulted in a few fatalities and their members getting critically injured. One of their members even got their leg amputated after being in a coma for ten days.

The band finally made their triumphant return in 2020 with a self-titled album. I just listened to it for the first time recently, but it was good, despite being nothing out of the ordinary for them. Four years later, they’re back with the second album in their resurgence, Searching For Solace. That’s kind of a fitting title for a band that’s been through so much within the last decade, and they’re still on a journey of healing. This album is very much about that, even all of these years later, but this album caught me by surprise. Firstly, I had no idea this was coming out, and secondly, I was kind of blown away by this record. The thing is, though, this album is relatively basic metalcore and melodic hardcore. I haven’t kept up with this band in a decade, since their album before the bus crash, and they really haven’t changed their sound.

I feel like I shouldn’t like this record, because of how they haven’t really changed their sound over the years, ultimately making for a rather generic album. Searching For Solace is a great example of how something basic can work so well, because it doesn’t try to be something it’s not, and the band is so well adept at crafting a catchy and heavy brand of metalcore, its basic sound is easily forgivable. This record is just written and performed so well, they have it down to a science. From their catchy hooks, heavy riffs, to some of the best harsh vocals I’ve heard in awhile, this record is a very accessible yet hard hitting metalcore album that fans of the genre and newcomers could enjoy.

This album runs the gambit of having really catchy songs, and really heavy bruisers, but they’re excel at both of them. They know how to craft a catchy hook but an intense breakdown, and at only 37 minutes, it keeps it brief. I’ve been coming back to this album quite a lot, just for how accessible it is and how it’s easy to listen to. This album, at least at this very moment, is my album of the year. It could be that its themes of hopefulness and carrying on in times of strife hit hard, or that the hooks and breakdowns complement each other, but this record is a really hard hitting album. Crazy how a band I haven’t listened to in a decade has the top spot of my yearend list at the moment, but it’s truly that good.

[odysseus-crewmate-number38]

oh no i redesigned octavian into oblivion!!!

micheal kahale’s design is from @intergalactic-garbage :D

+ close ups

[foundfamilyhq]

[magicalstevengames]

Most unrealistic thing about Will Solace: I can't find a single instance of him saying "y'all". And since Will's from Texas, he should've said it at least once by now

[bl4ckr0se-3006]

Looking for a PJO themed Rp. My plots are an ancient and this would be Solangelo (me as Nico) or a double up Solangelo and Percabeth (me as Nico and Annabeth) for some of these. I’ll label which once’s I can use as double ups and any differences from the normal 1x1 for a double up as some would differ in double up format.

My full list of plots and Aus:

Plots:

1: Nico runs from Camp Blood again, Shadow Traveling directly to Washington DC, where he winds up passing out in an alleyway. Worried Chiron ends up 3 separate Search parties. Eventually Nico is unconscious by the banks of the the River Styx having gone from the Washington DC to the underworld, he’s taken back to the camp, where it is discovered he was put into a death trance after crossing the boundary between the mortal realm and the Underworld so ends up having to spend a significant amour of time in the infirmary as a result.

2: Nico falls ill, leading to needing to spend a significant time in the camp infirmary. Once recovered he ends up spending a significant amount of time in cabin 13, alone unless needed for training or to eat, though this isn’t unusual for the son of Hades. (This one we can find a work around for - maybe he falls for Will while in the infirmary.)

Aus:

1: Werewolf/Vampire: For this Au I would be looking to play Nico as the vampire, son of Hades who after getting scratched by a werewolf - like how he scratched by a werewolf in Blood of Olympus end up becoming part werewolf also. For this I am looking for someone to play Will, I don’t mind whether he’s played as the part werewolf, part demigod son of Apollo, or the part vampire son of Apollo Apologies in advance at the complexity of Nico’s situation, it made sense in my head. (Double up with Percabeth, Percy would be an part merman part demigod - Annabeth would just simply be a Demigod if it’s a double up.)

2: School

For this particular Au the characters would still be demigods. This is something else I am dying to Rp, and it also works for a double up plot between Percabeth and Solangelo. The plotline for this is as follows: After Sally enrolls Nico into school, the Emo and clearly highly alternative, Italian son of Hades ends up falling hard for Will Solace, Apollo’s son, who as well as being a major geek happens to both help out in the school infirmary and plays sports. The son of Hades is bullied at school and really nervous to tell Will how he feels. (Double up with Percabeth - Percy and Annabeth would be already dating for this one if it’s a double up)

3: Nico is deaf - he’d have been born deaf. He’d be able to lip read, and he would have hearing aids, he would also know both ASL (American Sign Language) and LIS ) Italian Sign Language. I want to apply this to this to like a College Au though or we could apply this to my school Au. (Double up with Percabeth - like with the pure School Au Percy and Annabeth would be already dating for this one if it’s a double up.)

My headcannons for Nico:

Trigger Warning: Mentions mental illness (both canon and headcannon), Attempted murder vs Manslaughter (canon)

1. Due of his ADHD Nico constantly twists his skull ring, while it’s still on his finger. The ring is super important to him because it was a gift from his sister Bianca.

2. Another ADHD habit Nico displays is messing around with the his Hades Mythomagic figure - this is another important gift he from his sister. For Nico Mythomagic is a way to keep himself occupied and almost a way to counter his ADHD, despite his low attention span he can play the game for hours because it’s like a distraction for him.

3 He’s very introverted and super shy. This didn’t really come across when he had Bianca because she made him feel brave, though after Bianca joined the Hunters of Artemis it started to show through and after Bianca died and he started to withdraw into himself he kind of became lost.

4. Despite the fact he actually started to burn his Mythomagic cards as of Battle of the Labyrinth - after he accepted the the Hades Figure which cost Bianca her life, he kept it along with the other figures and was convinced into keeping some of the cards and while he won’t admit it he still plays the game, making those who know this about him swear not to tell anyone.

5 Nico’s hair is long, just about long enough to tie back and he likes it this way. When she was alive Bianca used to do Nico’s hair, she stopped shortly before the joining the Hunters of Artemis.

6. He’s actually a major emo and a huge Greek Mythology geek.

7. He secretly has a pet Cerberus puppy, which he calls Seb, who was born from the original Cerberus and Percy’s pet Hellhound Mrs. O’Leary which actually therefore makes Seb half Hellhound, half Cerberus.

8. Aside from the PTSD he suffers from canonically in the books he also suffers from Schizophrenia due to his powers, - it’s like how Greek half-bloods have ADHD and Dyslexia in order to Understand Ancient Greek and survive mo stars: Nico, has a Schizophrenia in order to be able yo communicate with the dead and see them - this is in addition to the canon PTSD he experiences in the books and top of that he also suffers from depression and anxiety, the depression was bought on by the deaths of his sister and mother and worsened by the deaths he experienced after going to Camp Half-blood and Camp Jupiter, e.g. Jason’s death.

9. He is autistic and he stims - kind of related to the headcannon No.1, the twisting of the ring, is not only an only an ADHD habit but it was also developed to train him out of other forms out of other forms of forms of stimming which he displayed when he was was younger.

10 He has an Italian accent though it only comes through when he tells people his full name. When he isn’t using his full name he just has a North American accent, which he picked up from having spent so much time in the US. He uses what would be considered a New York accent to hide his real Italian accent.

11. He lives with Percy’s family since with both his mother and Bianca gone, he had no other family except Percy and Hades.

12. He has permanent lightning scars from when Zeus attempted to kill him an Bianca when he was younger. The day his mother died, he was struck by Zeus’s lightning and nearly died himself, but was lucky enough to survive.

13. He is genderfluid, which is part of the reason he keeps his hair so long, sometimes even at shoulder length, he doesn’t really feel comfortable talking about it; though Will definitely knows this, though asside from Will he only ever told those he is most comfortable around (E.G. Percy, Piper, Leo, Jason.)

14. Since the Jar incident he has severe Claustrophobia (fear of confined spaces) and Cleithrophobia (fear of being trapped)therefore as a result both tight spaces, and especially being trapped in tight spaces trigger his PTSD and tight spaces give him full on panic attacks. He also has Merinthophobia (fear of being bound or tied up) from being held prisoner multiple times.

15. He’s had both Ombrophobia (Fear of rain) and Brontophobia (Fear of thunder and lightning) since his mother’s death.

16. He absolutely hates the Hunters of Artemis, due to what happened with his Sister Bianca. Of the Hunters he can only really stand is his cousin Thalia, he doesn’t get along with the other hunters at all and he also still bears a large grudge against his sister Bianca for deciding to join the hunters over staying with him at Camp Half-Blood.

17. Before his older sister joined the Hunters of Artemis he used to crawl into Bianca’s bed when he couldn’t sleep at night and as a result he feels more comfortable sleeping next to another person, though before he fell for Will he didn’t realize this, other than that he would sometimes crawl into Percy’s bed when at his cousin’s family’s New York apartment.

18. He had issues with both chronic pain and chronic fatigue. He wears compression gloves for the chronic pain and everyone assumed he just wears them as a fashion statement unless they already knew about his chronic pain and chronic fatigue. The pain is in his back knees and hands.

19. We all know how Will Cannonically has a sun Tatoo, we’ll hear me out Nico had several tatoos and piercings, including a star on the thumb of one of his hands, a partial skeletal hand and a winged skull on his one foot and on the other ankle as skull with barbed wire also his ears are pieced in different places. He also wear’s jewelry such as necklaces and bracelets.

20. On top of the Dyslexia and having to juggle being fluent in Italian and English as well as like all Greek demigods Ancient Greek, it just became a nightmare for him to right out his full name which I think would be Niccolò Alessandro Tommaso Di Angelo or Nicholas Alexander Thomas Di Angleo. He can totally write his name in Greek but chooses not to, favoring the nickname Nico for simplicity. Named after Saint Alexander of Bergamo and Saint Thomas Aquinas - the latter of whom he shares his birthday with.

If we Rp here i prefer to do so in blogs - as in I’ll make a side blog to use, or we can switch to Discord if you’d rather, but if Discord I prefer to use a server. I won’t respond to likes so if you’re interested actually comment or Pm me and tell me which of the plots or aus takes your fancy and if you want combine any of the ideas, or let me know you’re own ideas you want to do is you have any, also tell me if you want to do 1x1 Solangelo or a Solangelo and Percabeth Double Up. I will only play Nico and it is the double up Nico and Annabeth so please be willing to play Will and if you want to do the double then be willing to play Will and Percy. I may be flexible on plots or whatever but I have string muse preferences on who I play and how I play them so please fully read through my headcannons for Nico in this post because that’s how I prefer to play him.