Excellent Video/Compilation of Brazilian Power Metal Bands

Just as a follow-up to the Angra Post, This is a compilation of Brazilian Power Metal Bands that I stumbled upon. Give it a listen! That is, if you like Power Metal. If you like Dragonforce, you'll do just fine. If you can't stand Dragonforce, Feel free to sit this one out.

Angra: Is there anything those Damn Brazilians Can't do?

Angra: Brazilian Power Metal Band. Est. 1991 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Hell Yeah. I lived in Brazil for a couple years, Rio De Janeiro to be exact, but I did get to stay in Sao Paulo for 2 months. Upon my arrival to Brazil, one of the first things to strike me was Brazil's passion... nay, Reverence for Metal. Iron Maiden posters, T-Shirts and Flags are as common a sight along Brazilian streets, as Paris Hilton is in the USA. It's no surprise then that it would only be a matter of time until some of Metal's Heavy Hitters would eventually begin to emerge from Brazil itself. Angra is definitely worthy of a consecrated seat at the Round Table.

Band Members: (current 2009)

Eduardo Falaschi - Vocals

Rafael Bittencourt - Guitars

Kiko Loureiro - Guitars

Felipe Andreoli - Bass Guitar

Ricardo Confessori - Drums

Check 'em out. This is one of my favorite songs/vids of theirs:

My New Home Page- Check it out!

So it turns out that I have just enough web sites and junk floating around out there that I decided to put them all together in one place: http://www.davidtheboyd.com/. Check it out. If that doesn't interest you, but sex, drugs and rock 'n roll do... click HERE.

You Gotta Keep 'em Separated: New Blog on my Time @ Paul Mitchell the School

In order to keep this blog as metal as possible, I have created a new blog that is dedicated specifically to my time and experience @ Paul Mitchell the School. It's called "Diamond Life," and you can visit it here. I just think it's for the best. That way, Hallowed Ground can stay heavy, sweaty and meaty. So, if you are at all interested in reading up on what it's like for a guy like me in Beauty School. Check it out. If not, that's fine... On with the show!

Kneel at The Alter of The Spinning Drumstick

If you love to play the drums as much as I do, but you marvel at the amount of time you spend alone in your parent's basement with the black lights at maximum capacity... then you may consider adding this one important skill to your arsenal.

Just got the Most Pleasurable A$$ Kicking of My Life

So, basically Lacuna Coil handed me my sorry hind-end on an Italian Metal Platter at the free show tonight at the Gallivan Center in Salt Lake City! The set opened strong and held the energy right until the very end. The set length was perfect too! Many a rock show has outlasted the crowd's energy by 2... 3... 7 songs, but Lacuna Coil kept it short, balls to the walls, and full throttle just long enough but left us all wanting more. And, hats off to them for not playing the cliché/fake Encore game. They packed the punch, told us that the last song would be the last song, and let us get on with our lives. Great concept!

I've got to hand it to them for playing the set like they really meant it. Lacuna Coil is not new to the metal scene. The band was formed in 1994 but, you wouldn't know it from the looks on their faces. I really felt like they were excited to be with us and had the enthusiasm of a college band playing their first big show. I definitely got the impression that they are truly passionate about what they do. Refreshing compared to the last Def Leppard show that I saw. I'm not sure DL even knew what city they were in and appeared to have put the show on auto-pilot. Whatever.

Lastly, it was killer to see such a great turn-out for a show like this. The more SLC can support great acts like this-the more great bands begin to look at Utah as a viable tour stop. I think we did a great job showing Lacuna Coil our appreciation and support. Can't wait to see them again!

My testosterone levels just went up by Chuck Norris

Love Zakk Wylde! And the video below, from Black Label Society, does not disappoint. The band was formed around 1998 by Zakk and drummer Phil Ondich. While some consider BLS to be a Southern Rock/Heavy Metal Hybrid... I call it Hog Metal, because there is hardly a better band to listen to on a Motorcycle.

A little bit about Zakk himself. There are two easy ways to recognize him: 1. The Black & White Gibson Guitar pictured above. 2. If visuals are not available, the trademark "squeal" made famous by Zakk's time with Ozzy Osbourne (Check out Ozzy's No More Tears @ about 0:38 below for prime example) is a dead give away. Some call his sound a: "Classic Les Paul/Marshall Combo with high gain,"-Sam Jones. Whatever it is... I love it. And if music is allowed as a weapon in the battle of Armageddon, I'll be packing some Zakk. Born Jeffery Phillip Wielandt January 14th, 1967 in New Jersey, Zakk would become Lead Guitar and Co-writer for Ozzy Osbourne at age 19!

Anyway, I saw this video the other day and I can't get enough. Check it out and Don't be a sissy! Leave Comments!

Back To School Shopping! Day 1 @ Paul Mitchell the School

So, tomorrow begins my journey into the dark and sexy world of Hair School! Haha, and I couldn't be more excited! I'll be attending Paul Mitchell the School on about 45th south in SLC. The program takes about 15 months, during which I will be learning everything I need to know about styling, cutting, basic skin care and my favorite: The Straight Razor! Sweeney Todd Style!

To keep with the "all black" dress code, I had to fill in a couple holes in my wardrobe... which is fine, cause I love black.
Banana Republic Fitted Polo, G Star Raw Long-sleeve Button-up and BR fitted V-neck.
Commune Fitted Skinny jeans from Urban Outfitters, Rock & Republic Straight Leg Jeans and G Star Raw Weird Pant. I'm still on the hunt for a sturdy black belt.

Back to the Basics: All black Converse All Stars, one of the best ways to spend $35. I'll get some good use out of these at Metal shows and performances. Rock solid foundation to any metal wardrobe.

How do I do it? Great Question! Thanks for asking

Some of our faithful brothers and sisters in metal have asked me how I am able to do all the wonderful things that I do. Well, it's not easy. But, while it would take years to teach all that I know about being awesome, I feel inclined to share one of my greatest motivational secrets with you now. What is this secret? Every morning, after a good breakfast and some push-ups... I watch this video:

I cannot emphasize this Enough! Lacuna Coil is Coming! Free!

Next Wednesday, August 12th, (so many commas!) Italian Metal's premier Italian Metal band is coming to SLC which is amazing all by itself. Then you go and tell me that it's FREE! This is what happens when people pay their tithing. So, please join me! It's at the Gallivan Center.

So, this video kills me! Haha! I hadn't ever seen it until today and it's good to see the more personal/candid angle of a band that is usually a bit on the serious side. This song/vid is very different for Lacuna Coil but it's hilarious to see them messing around with other styles!

(since it's a widescreen vid, some of the right side is cut off... sorry)

I'm so pumped for this show that I haven't slept much lately. And I noticed a huge rip in my Egyptian cotton sheets which tells me that when I have slept, it's been rough. So, here is another of my favorite Lacuna Coil videos for your viewing pleasure. Oh, P.S. I had a dream that I met my wife at this concert. I love you Cristina. Scabbia is an alright last name... but Cristina Boyd? That's what dreams are made of. I'll keep you warm and safe.

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From time to time I repost some of my drum vids just to make myself feel important. So, if you have already seen this one... lucky you.

A couple pics from the latest Mexico Trip

So, from time to time I have the opportunity to join my friends of The Kaiizen Foundation for a road-trip down to Baja, Mexico to visit a local orphanage to hang with the kids and do some work. It's a great time and I usually come back a slightly less selfish and possibly, a slightly better person. Needless to say 17 hours straight in a car listening to the latest round of hipster-approved "underground" music that nobody knows about (except everyone that has ever seen an iPod commercial in the last 5 years), can take it's toll on a metalhead. But, I am quick to recognize that I am probably the only one in the car who wants to listen to Hotwire by Kix. So, I just wait till everyone is asleep to satisfy my rock-tooth.

This is called my favorite thing ever! Tacos al pastor with a Mexican Coke. It really doesn't get any better than this. I am a virgin so I can say that with the utmost sincerity.

This is just one of the kids at the orphanage that, for his age, can hand me my a$$ on a platter on the drums. Haha for real, these kids are pretty solid. Not to mention this kids grasp of self-branding. Enough to make Gene Simmons grin.

It gets hot on the way down. But it's nothing a little My Girls by Animal Collective can't cure (please kill me know).

Last but certainly not least. A rousing game of guess what just smacked the windshield. Heather won this round cause she had the best view. It was, at one point, a bird. So...

Your Mission: DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW! It's FREE!

While I made my regular stop by Lacuna Coil's official website, I checked the tour dates, and to my dismay, the closest they would be coming to Salt Lake City was their show at the House of Blues in Vegas (Would be such a cool place to see them). So, I resigned myself to the thought that I would have to got another couple years without ever seeing Lacuna Coil in concert. Now, just so that we are all on the same page, I LOVE Lacuna Coil. They are not in my Top 10... but definitely Top 25.

Well... Dare To Dream! Lacuna Coil is coming to Salt Lake City! AND... It's FREE! Yeah, I know! This next Wednesday August 12th, at the Gallivan Center. Now, most of my closest friends are not Metal Heads, and do not enjoy the same music that I do (but some do... the awesome ones do). They prefer the Regina Spektor and Imogen Heap (more like EMOgen Heap) to Black Label Society and Sevendust. That's fine. But, I think it is fair to say that all my friends that don't love metal DO love Depeche Mode... right? Nod your heads. Yeah, everybody who wants to be considered cool by the hipster royalty will at least claim to like Depeche Mode. Well here is a great opportunity to expand your horizons. Or, if you are awesome, and you already like Lacuna Coil... See you at the Show! Ladies and Gentlemen... Lacuna Coil's cover of the Depeche Mode classic "Enjoy the Silence." Pretty Damn Good if you ask me.

Running Up That Hill- Metal meets the O.C.

If you are like me, you couldn't help but feel the raw emotion during the final season of The O.C. when Ryan, after Marissa's death, was FORCED to engage in the dark and violent cage-fighting underworld of Newport. If you did, you may also remember the song that was playing during that sequence. I remember it. And, I remember thinking to myself: "that's a cool song." Well, it is. And, while the original version is by Kate Bush, there are quite a few covers of it. My favorite is the "Placebo" version.

I found this version intriguing simply because it is by Gothic Metal band "Within Temptation." Not my favorite band in the world, but pretty good. As far as this version/video... when it fired up, right out of the gate I was thinking: "this really sucks." But, I kept watching. And now, after watching it 5-6 times, my conclusion is that it's walks very close to the edge of sucking... but it doesn't fall off. I dunno. I think it's an interesting take and is not the worst ever. I actually kinda dig it. And, I'm going to give "Within Temptation" the benefit of the doubt and assume that they have already thought of most of the criticisms I may come up with. I am also assuming that this version is exactly what they wanted it to be. In that case, if every aspect of this song is intentional and they liked it that way, it's interesting to get a peak into their style and interpretation of this song... blah blah blah... watch the video.

Great Local Band! Radio Rhythm Makers! Loved this show!

These guys put on a great show! Check 'em out if you ever get the chance!

Whoa! When did Saruman the White Join a Band?

If you are awesome, then you love LoTR and Metal and anything pertaining to Wizards and Druids... and you are probably Single. Which is great! That means you have time to read my blog and watch this video!

Hold on my magical/social recluse friend! You are 41 seconds away from the answer to your pagan prayers! Metal+Saruman plus Weird Al Yankovic Hair cuts= What I did this Saturday night...

Go Ahead... drink it In...

It's too bad that Tenacious D can write better music as a total joke, than some bands can on their best day! Ladies and Gentleman... The Greatest Band in the World:

(*Warning* This video is not for children and does contain Rock and Roll)

Need a Band Name?

If you are looking for a band name, help yourself to these. All I ask: please tell me about your band so I can brag about naming it. This is from a list that I am keeping on my iPhone that I update any time the muses choose to bless me with inspiration:

1. Happens Dance (say it fast)

2. Shardines

3. Spoon Shank

4. The Dick Taters

5. Mayonasia

6. Pimp's Armoire (Not mine... thanks Zack)

7. Elixr Pump

8. Swoobs (Thank you Trixy for showing me the meaning of life)

There you go kids... go at it. Reach for the stars and have a safe weekend!

Is this real?

If this is real, it makes me want to punch kittens in the face. I consider watching this, the closest I have come to a near death experience. After my seizure settled down, I decided to share this with all of you. Enjoy?

Uh...