Symphonic metal is distinguished from other metal styles in its use of orchestral and choral backing tracks (or actual orchestras and choirs in some cases) along with more typical metal instrumentation like guitars and drums. Epica is one of the pre-eminent bands in the genre and is working up to the release of a new album. This take on T.I.M.E., the most recent single from that album, does something interesting, though. They take out the band. Epica vocalists Simone Simons and Mark Jansen (Simone's the pretty one 😊) perform the song backed by just Hellscore, a rock/metal choir founded and led by Noa Gruman, who also sings in the band Scardust.

Good evening. I keep having good intentions about being around more and then keep wandering off. I'll get there. My later winter-early spring mood swings seem to be dying down.

Not a lot happening. Doing some writing. Doing some other stuff. Working. Life goes on.

Gil, glad the therapist is helping. Hope you can get things on a better trajectory soon. Hugs.

A prog fan on another site pointed me at this rather cute, silly video by guitarist Charlie Griffiths of the UK prog metal band Haken. Cute silly video but some hellagood guitar work from Charlie. There's a whole album of this from 2022 (this track is the title song) and he recently released a followup with Tiktaalika now serving as the band name.

And from the new album Gods of Pangaea, "The Lost Continent"

The weekend rages on. So I popped by and put some Nicaraguan Dark Roast on. There's Earl Grey and Sunday Tea (Vanilla) in the teapots. Kettle is ready, too, for other hot beverages.

Hope you're all having a good weekend. Sunny here but chilly (forecast high of 3C).

Fame - Fake

Hot Orange Pekoe tea with a squirt of fresh lime juice (one of my go-to teas)

6700 🤘

The problem with a cornfield as a setting for horror now is the existence of Children of the Corn, both King's short story and the mostly suckish movies allegedly based on it. Any horror using that backdrop is going to call that to mind, at least in boomer and Gen X horror fans like me.

I am trying again to write the story I came up with while in Iceland in 2023. Volcanoes, spirits, sorcery and other such fun in a faux Nordic secondary world. It's also the long intended, but never written, sequel to The Spirits of Tan Maldrin and picks up the story largely from the viewpoint of the character Nalia as she struggles with PTSD after nearly dying at the hands of a skeletal monster in that story.

Panda ambles through the forest.

Raiders of the Lost Ark

All The Lovers In The World - Lawrence Gowan

Quote by gillianleeza

I love the musical Wicked and have seen it three times, but I am always leery of movie adaptations. The movie version is streaming, so I'll probably watch it this weekend. I hope it isn't a repeat of the movie version of Cats. That wasn't very good.

Definitely been getting better reviews than Cats. I saw Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande perform at the Oscars and they handled the music pretty well (I have been a bit skeptical of Grande doing a big musical but her voice is actually up to it). And Erivo, who play Elphaba, is dripping in talent and accolades.

It's Fríiiiiiday!!! The weekend looms!!!!! And it is now officially Spring!!!!!

(I know, too many exclamation points 😁)

So there's some Fire Roasted Saint Drogo brewed and ready for your coffee fix.

In the teapots we have Yorkshire Gold and Raspberry Royale.

Kettle is full and ready for other hot beverages.

I see Bear has been keeping watch on the sodas

What's up in your world?

Clam chowder. One of my favourite soups. Vegetable beef is okay, but chowder for the win.

Baked potato or fries?

Contentment comes with living lightly.

New track from the upcoming album A Thousand Little Deaths by Dutch goth symphonic metal (or is symphonic goth metal?) band Blackbriar. Solid, if dark, metal punctuated by captivating, deceptively girlish voice of vocalist and lyricist Zora Cock.

Push

Yours is an Empty Hope - Nightwish

Quote by etairay
Hey there SS family

Hey back at ya'. After some Spring weather, we are back to chilly and snow. Not going to last long, though. Such is Spring in Southern Ontario. You get pretty much every form of weather known to mankind, sometimes all in the same week. 😲 Nice to see you around again. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Quote by gillianleeza
I will skip my visit tomorrow since the norovirus is making its way around my dad's unit. I do not need that.

Yeah, been there, done that, flushed the t-shirt down the toilet with everything else. God, I hate that bug.

I keep thinking I'll get back on track with being the coffee ape and somehow, life intervenes and I don't get here until well past coffee hour. Or even teatime. I'll put on some camomile and lemon ginger herbals for those needing something sans caffeine before bed.

Working on a new take on an idea I've had kicking around for a while. Volcanoes are involved and the first version came out of my tour of Iceland in 2023.

Cool. Are you sure their name is Bob, though? Looks like they could be a Robcat or maybe a Hobcat. 🤣

Good afternoon. Weather turned nice, if chilly, after a rather grey morning.

Hope all are well. Even after my attempt at humour above.🙄🤪

Just listened to The Way by Dorothy and it's a great album. The band (named for it's lead singer, also Dorothy) does nice blues-inflected hard rock with a bit of a heavy edge to it. Lead singer Dorothy Martin packs a powerful "shouter" voice and has the skills to use it to great effect. Here's a track from the album as a sample.

Ugh, neither is especially inviting but after two solid months of the latter, I'm ready for a bit of the former. 😊

Tea bag or loose leaf?

And if you're feeling a mite peckish, there's some leftovers from my morning turn at the stove:

As forecast, we are getting a soaker of a day so far. Even had thunder while I was cooking breakfast. This weather is not great for my mood or my migraines, but I'm not bad right now. We'll see how things go since this is basically what the weekend is going to be like, save for a break this afternoon.

Coffee is brewing. I have gone with Biker Blend from Fire-Roasted. It's a dark roast blend of beans from Guatemala, Honduras, and, of all places, India. Did not realize they grew coffee there even though the climate in parts is probably suitable.

For teas, I'll also go to the subcontinent, with some Organic Assam and Earl Grey (which is usually Ceylonese, but that's close).

Kettle is ready if you're craving some other variety of hot beverage.

Sodas are stocked up and I've busted out the pitchers to make the first lemonade and iced tea of 2025.

Quote by WriterGirl
Gonna rain rest of the weekend.

That's the forecast here, too. Mixed blessing. Might get rid of the last of the snow but the ground is pretty sodden already around here so could also lead to some flooding if we get too much.

Quote by gillianleeza
I've set up therapy appointments.

Sounds like a good plan from what you describe. Sending good vibes and hoping therapist can help.

Not really much of a swimmer, but I'd feel safer in a lake. Smaller and usually calmer (unless you're talking the Great Lakes or similar large ones).

Camp/bonfire outdoors or fireplace indoors?

Rustic cabin. My tent days are over (not that I was ever fond of them to start with).

Board game or card game?

Should be starting soon here, too. Warm, sunny week and the snow and ice are receding. Yee haw.

My knees are still being bitchy. Last time I saw the doc about them, he ordered x-rays which found basically nothing actionable. I'm going to replace my shoes and look at getting orthotics to see getting my feet properly supported and levelled helps. Then it's off to physio I guess.

That sounds fun!! Hope you have/had a good hike. My knee is a bit wonky after my first walk of the season yesterday so no hiking for me.

Two Grammy nominations. Four Juno nominations including two for this year's awards coming up in 3 weeks. Spiritbox are rising stars in the international metal scene. While the face of the band is vocalist Courtney Laplante (who can go from melting your heart with her soft, sultry clean vocals to melting your brain with her magnificent screams and growls), the guys behind her are excellent musicians, too, esp. Courtney's hubby Mike Stringer on guitar. They dropped their second LP yesterday and if this doesn't land them some more award nominations (and maybe finally some wins) I'll be surprised and sad. This is one of the best of a bunch of great tracks.