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Music, Film, and Gaming

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Ajenda – Hatred & Greed

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With an impressive amount of swagger and a huge amount of cool, ‘Hatred And Greed‘ is a fantastic new single from Ajenda that showcases strongly a very talented rock band with an incredibly powerful frontwoman.

Right from the opening with its heavy focus on the bass, ‘Hatred And Greed‘ is a hugely striking single that instantly sucks you straight into the sound. There’s a massive amount of instrumental talent on display here, what hits you hardest when listening is the fantastic amount of depth to frontwoman Jenny Walker’s voice, however, and it’s difficult to listen to her fantastic tone without feeling incredibly impressed.

‘Hatred & Greed‘ is an incredibly impressive rock song, a track that packs a powerful punch with its chorus and one that is just generally hugely enjoyable to listen to. There’s so much to admire about the music here, the band sound at the very top of their game throughout and showcase a fine talent for their craft with a single that seems incredibly well thought out and absolutely immaculately composed.

If you’re a fan of female fronted rock bands then Ajenda really are a band that you need in your life; they released their début album ‘Unrecognizable‘ at the back end of last year so if you don’t already own this album then definitely do make it your mission to give this release a good listen as you’ll surely not be disappointed with what you find.

If Ajenda don’t enjoy a huge amount of success in 2014 then there’s clearly something very wrong with the world.

Contrast Review

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Set in 1920s Paris, Contrast is a curious title with its dimly lit streets and heavy focus on the music of the era. The setting is strong, the gameplay however is not always quite so impressive and that’s a real shame as the game has an incredible aesthetic and feel that could easily have made for a very enjoyable puzzle game.

With its stuttering frame-rates and huge amount of repetition, playing Contrast can sometimes feel like a bit of a chore. Some of the puzzles can at times be a little tricky to work out, most of the time you’re just progressing from A to B, however, utilising the shadows to make your way through the game and manipulating them by moving objects from one place to another in order to create a shadow that suits your needs to progress further through the game. When the game does at times require a little more working out, you often find the same solution is then required several times over in quick succession; the game suffers due to a mix of there being a lack of variety at times, and at other times the puzzles just being relatively easy to work out yet incredibly fiddly to successfully execute. With less framerate drops and more of a fluidity about the game, Contrast could be a lot more fun, as it stands it just feels a little too buggy to properly enjoy though, and the game suffers from being beautiful to look at yet at times incredibility unintuitive to play.

One incredibly positive quality to note about Contrast is the strength of the storyline, something that probably keeps you playing moreso than the gameplay. The script is incredibly well written, but in a way this is actually another aspect that can make the game so frustrating as you’re often completing tedious sections of gameplay purely to find out the next part of the story. The gameplay itself doesn’t keep you playing, just the drive to find out where the story will go next, a credit to the scriptwriting department, but not such a ringing endorsement for those responsible for the gameplay.

Dependent upon how well you take to the game’s puzzles, Contrast is a game that can be finished within a few hours and is therefore not a title for the long-term. Some of the gameplay can be enjoyable and the script is certainly strong, all too often the game tends to be incredibly disappointing though and can feel like a bit of a one trick pony with its fundamental focus on lurking in the shadows and manipulating shadows in order to overcome obstacles. There are definitely worse titles out there than this one and the scriptwriting department deserve every credit for their role in the process, it’s unlikely that Contrast will be your favourite ever indie title though, and once you’ve played through the game once for its storyline it’s unlikely that you’ll ever want to come back to it again in the future. Some games are short yet have a fantastic amount of replay value nonetheless, Contrast is definitely not one of those titles though and it’s therefore difficult to recommend the game for anything other than its storyline.

Old School Reasons – Better Without You Video

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Official video for the Old School Reasons track ‘Better Without You‘, taken from the band’s ‘Do You Wanna Tangle?‘ studio album. The video features members of the bands Good Knives, The Electric Cindys, Back Up Plan, MudRat and A Story To Tell.

Top 10 Most Anticipated Video Games of 2014

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2014 looks like it’s going to be a big year for video gaming and it’ll definitely be interesting to see how the PS4 and Xbox One develop in their first full year on the market. The PS3 and Xbox 360 still have a few top titles set for release in 2014 and there are a lot of games due for release that will be available on last gen as well as the new wave of video games consoles, there are also some fantastic looking PS4/Xbox one exclusives set to drop in 2014 though, and if you’re a big fan of video games then there’ll definitely be plenty due for release this year that you’ll very much be looking forward to playing.

There may be a lot of top titles due for release in 2014, here’s a look at some of the most anticipated titles due to drop this year though, and regardless of your gaming platform of choice there’s bound to be something in this list that piques your interest and gets you excited about the year or gaming that we have ahead of us.

Dark Souls II (PC / Xbox 360 / PS3)

Dark Souls II

Whilst many people still await a major price drop before taking the plunge on an Xbox One or a PS4, Dark Souls II is due for release on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC later this year, giving even those that have already succumbed to the temptation of the new consoles a fantastic reason not to tidy away their last gen hardware just yet.

A sequel to 2011s critically acclaimed Dark Souls, fans of the original title will no doubt be incredibly excited to get their hands on the new game, and big sales can be expected for this new Namco game when it receives its worldwide release in March.

DriveClub (PS4)

DriveClub

Having originally been intended for release at launch, DriveClub is one of several delayed titles that made the next gen launch so underwhelming. PS Plus subscribers were meant to receive this game at launch as a part of their subscription (and still will when the game is released later this year), the game was ultimately delayed though, and it’ll now be a delayed response before we discover how the game compare’s to the Xbox One’s Forza Motorsport 5.

Even for PS4 owners that aren’t necessarily huge fans of racing games, DriveClub will no doubt still be a game that’s eagerly anticipated for all those with a PS Plus subscription, a game that could win around its fair share of racing game doubters and end up being a very enjoyable title for a lot of people that never expected it to be.

Dying Light (PC / PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox One)

Dying Light

If zombie films are your thing and you love The Walking Dead TV series/comic, Dying Light will probably be a pretty big video game release for you in 2014. Dead Rising 3 was available at the launch of the Xbox One, not everyone owns an Xbox One just yet though and Dying Light is a far more inclusive title which is going to be released on both PS3 and Xbox 360 as well as the PS4 and Xbox One, and will also receive a release on PC as well. Many people will have been disappointed that Dead Rising 3 was an Xbox One exclusive, Dying Light should help you forget about the pain of not being able to play that one though, and this game should surely provide a good amount of shocks and scares for many.

Dying Light will probably not drop for a good while yet so there’s going to be quite a wait on this one, it is due for release at some point in 2014 though and there will definitely be many waiting with bated breath for news of exactly when this fantastic looking survival horror game is officially due for release.

Infamous: Second Son (PS4)

Infamous Second Son

Probably the most exciting PS4 exclusive of 2014, Infamous: Second Son is an upcoming open world adventure game that really does look absolutely incredible. If super powers are your thing and you’ve enjoyed previous games in the series, Infamous: Second Son is no doubt a video game that you’ll very much be looking forward to playing.

Infamous: Second Son is the third game in the Infamous video game series so far, a first chance to try the series out on the PS4 and find out the extra boost that the new console provides over the games that were released for the PS3. If previous games in the series are anything to go by then Infamous: Second Son will definitely be a game well worth playing, a title that PS4 early adapters will surely be wanting to test out at the earliest possible opportunity.

Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)

Mario Kart 8

With every Nintendo console since the SNES, Mario Kart has been a massive unit shifter and Mario Kart 8 will no doubt be no different. It is no secret that sales for Nintendo’s Wii U console haven’t been the best, all those that own the console would no doubt agree that it already has a stellar selection of titles, however, and Mario Kart 8 will provide another absolutely cracking reason to invest in a Wii U.

There are few games out there as fun for multiplayer as the Wii U; it’s just one of those games that absolutely demands to be played with friends, and Mario Kart 8 very much looks as though it’s going to be another incredibly impressive title in the series.

Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes (PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox One)

Metal Gear Solid 5 Ground Zeroes

Although it’s only a prequel, Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes is a game that has the MGS tag attached to it and is therefore a title that’s hugely hotly anticipated.

It’s a taster more than it is a full title, with a reduced price tag there are bound to be many MGS addicts that invest in this one though, and the game will no doubt sell well regardless of how much actual gameplay is offered here. The game is said to provide a large change of direction for the series, so it’ll be interesting to discover all that is new here and how the game compares to previous titles in the MGS franchise.

South Park: The Stick of Truth (PC / PS3 / Xbox 360)

South Park The Stick of Truth

Even for those that may not watch the show quite so religiously as they once did or who may not have already acquainted themselves with the series (you’re missing out), South Park: The Stick of Truth is an upcoming role-playing game that looks to be absolutely jam packed full of potential.

Another of the titles in this list previously planned for release but ultimately delayed, South Park: The Stick of Truth can potentially be a great game, and given that they’ve taken extra time to make sure they get it right, all being well it will be well worth the extra wait and in 2014 we will once again be treated to another classic South Park video game title. The game is bound to come with its fair share of humour, and if you’re a fan of both RPG games and South Park then this may well be a game of the year in the waiting.

Super Smash Bros. (3DS / Wii U)

Super Smash Bros Wii U

Super Smash Bros. was a huge hit when it first released on the N64, was the highest selling video game on the Gamecube, and also enjoyed a good deal of success on the Wii. Along with Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros. will definitely help sell a few more Wii U systems when it’s released later this year, and for all those still not willing to part with their hard earned cash for the console, there is always the 3DS version of the game to consider.

Both the 3DS and Wii U Super Smash Bros. games will feature the same set of playable characters, the Wii U version of the game will no doubt be a fascinating spectacle to experience, however, and it’ll be interesting to discover how well they utilise the Wii U GamePad in order to get the best possible experience out of the console release. Disappointingly there will be no cross-platform play between the Wii U and 3DS versions of the game, it’ll still be interesting to discover how the game plays out on the 3DS though, and the prospect of an HD Super Smash Bros. experience for the Wii U is definitely a very exciting one.

Titanfall (PC / Xbox 360 / Xbox One)

Titanfall

For all those that have already invested in an Xbox One, Titanfall will probably be one of the must own titles of 2014. Titanfall is sure to do a great job of demonstrating what the Xbox One is capable of in 2014, for all those that are yet to upgrade to the Xbox One, however, you’ll be pleased to hear that the game will also be available for both Xbox 360 and PC.

Due for release in March, Titanfall is a very interesting looking first-person shooter title that should provide for many happy hours of impressive multiplayer gameplay. EA has already dominated the next gen market since the consoles were released at the end of 2013, and Titanfall is another title that should ensure that EA enjoys a large level of next gen success stretching into 2014.

Watch Dogs (PC / PS3 / PS4 / Wii U / Xbox 360 / Xbox One)

Watch Dogs

Another game that was originally due for release at the launch of the PS4/Xbox One but ultimately delayed, Watch Dogs will still be hotly anticipated in 2014, even if they did make us wait an extra 6 months for it.

An impressive looking open world title, if they get Watch Dogs right then this game could potentially be absolutely huge. There’s certainly a lot of hype that surrounds the title and it looks to be a very impressive video game, time will only tell though as to whether or not the game lives up to the hype and expectation that surrounds it (fingers crossed that it does as Watch Dogs has the potential to be one of the most impressive titles of 2014).

What games are you most looking forward to in 2014? Leave your thoughts below.

Rachel Sermanni – Two Birds Video

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Official video for ‘Two Birds‘ from the Scottish singer-songwriter Rachel Sermanni, taken from her new EP which is officially released on January 27th 2014. The video has been directed by Myles O’Reilly.

Neck Deep – Wishful Thinking

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For a band that only formed in 2012, Neck Deep really have come a very long way already in the short space of time that they’ve been in existence, and with this début album they 100% live up to the hype and expectation that already surrounds them with this release.

From the very first track on the album, Neck Deep grab you here and send a very strong message that ‘Wishful Thinking‘ is a pop-punk album well worth listening to. At just over half an hour in length, ‘Wishful Thinking‘ is a fast and furious attack of an album that hits you hard right from the word go, immediately grabbing your attention and maintaining it throughout the album’s duration. ‘Losing Teeth‘ kicks the album off in fantastic style with an incredible instrumental tightness and a huge amount of vocal power, as the album progresses the momentum at no point ever drops, however, and at all times the quality here is high and the music is absolutely infectious.

Whilst much of the album sticks to the same tried and tested pop-punk formula, fifth track ‘Zoltar Speaks‘ keeps you on your toes a bit with a heavier edge to the music that stops things from getting too stale and predictable. Neck Deep are incredibly good at creating pop-punk music, ‘Zoltar Speaks‘ demonstrates that they can also successfully go a little darker, however, and with its resounding chorus that includes reference to the album’s title as vocalist Ben Barlow shouts ‘Let this sink in, wishful thinking’, the band’s ability and the album’s success certainly does sink in here in a track that features a fantastic key change and successfully shows that the band can venture away from their comfort zone and still come up trumps with a track of absolute class.

Much like ‘Zoltar Speaks‘, closing track ‘Candour‘ is another that demonstrates the band’s ability to do things a little differently and still sound equally brilliant. With guest vocals from Laura Whiteside, ‘Candour‘ is a fantastic offering of music that comes complete with a huge amount of vocal beauty. The vocals are at the very heart of the music, central to the track’s success with Ben Barlow’s vocals here the best that he has to offer on the album, contrasting incredibly well with Laura Whiteside’s. The track slows down the pace of what has otherwise been an incredibly frantic and hard hitting album, bringing the release to a beautiful close in a piece of music that will no doubt be held in incredibly high regard by all those that hear it. ‘Zoltar Speaks‘ demonstrates a fine ability from the band to hit a little harder, but ‘Candour‘ shows a softer side that Neck Deep is also equally capable of showcasing, a track that ends the album in style and brings the release to an impressive conclusion.

For those that love their pop-punk, Neck Deep’s ‘Wishful Thinking‘ really is an album well worth listening to. 2013 was the year of The Wonder Years as their phenomenal ‘The Greatest Generation‘ album was unveiled, 2014 looks like it’s going to be a great year for UK pop-punk though and Neck Deep have certainly made sure that the year has kicked off in style with the release of this incredibly impressive début. In a genre as overcrowded and overpopulated as pop-punk it is always going to take something pretty special to rise to the top, and although it’s only been two years since this band even formed, Neck Deep really do deserve the success that they’ve gained so far and this début album definitely does demonstrate that the hype surrounding this band really is deserved and that they truly are an incredibly talented group of individuals.

Neck Deep are currently touring the UK in support of this extremely impressive début, so if you’re based in the UK then be sure to try and head along to one of their shows as the way things are progressing for them, the next time they tour they’ll definitely be packing out far bigger venues than they’re performing at this time out, so make sure you see them on this tour and you’ll surely not regret it.

Peacock DVD Review

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With a large dose of Psycho and a heavy influence of the Hitchcockian, Peacock is an intriguing thriller film from director Michael Lander that focuses on an individual that suffers from dissociative identity disorder. There’s an extremely impressive utilisation of soundtrack throughout, and Hitchcock himself would have been proud of the film’s fine ability to convey a mood through its powerful sense of sound.

Starring Cillian Murphy in its leading role, Peacock deals with the issue of dissociative identity disorder in an interesting manner as Murphy takes on the personalities of John and Emma, with the two identities communicating with one another through the use of notes. John’s mother sadly passed away the year before we join him here, and we get the impression that his mother did a lot for him to help him through his daily routine and that the personality of Emma is now acting as his surrogate mother. Although both parts are played by Cillian Murphy, John and Emma have very obviously different personalities and Murphy puts on an incredible acting performance to provide a convincing case that these are indeed two very separate identities.

Although the film features notable stars such as Susan Sarandon and Ellen Page, the key focus is firmly placed upon Cillian Murphy and we spend much of the film’s duration with him. Sarandon and Page play their roles well, the success or failure of the film is extremely dependent on Murphy’s ability to convincingly portray two separate identities, however, and he performs his part commendably.

Despite the extreme success of Cillian Murphy’s acting ability here and a very impressive storyline, Peacock is at times as frustrating as it is intriguing. As excellent as Cillian Murphy is in the role of John/Emma, you really only feel as though the film is scratching the very surface of the character; there’s so much more that we could have got to know about John/Emma, so much we want to learn and discover about the complexity behind this character, and had the film delved deeper into his/her psyche then this certainly would have been a very interesting avenue for exploration. Peacock takes a fascinating approach and deserves every credit for its success as a thriller film, but you can’t help but feel that the key protagonist is left underdeveloped and come the end of the film it’s therefore quite disappointing when we’re forced to leave the John/Emma character behind as we feel that we’re only just getting started with finding out about them. The film certainly gets you thinking and wondering what came next for the character (maybe opening a motel?), but there also could have been a little more development and exploration of character within the film that could have taken things to the next level.

If you’re a fan of Hitchcock, enjoyed Psycho, and have a soft spot for David Lynch, Peacock is definitely a film that’s well worth checking out. Peacock is a mysterious and thrilling film that features an incredibly powerful performance from Cillian Murphy; it’s a film well worth watching for Cillian Murphy’s performance alone, and the fact that it’s also a pretty impressive piece of cinema ensures that whilst not perfect, Peacock is a film that is most definitely more than worthy of a watch.

Extras:-

In addition to the feature film itself, the DVD release from Lionsgate also features a 21 minute documentary that provides us with some insight into how the idea of the film first came about, research that was conducted into Ed Gein prior to the film’s production, and an idea of the process that Cillian Murphy went through in order to perfect and properly separate the characterisation of both John and Emma. It’s an interesting documentary that explains what the film started out as and what it ultimately became, and it makes for an enjoyable watch to provide some perspective about the thought process behind some of the film’s key areas.

CITIES release official lyric video for ‘The Early Hours’

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CITIES (Band)

Tunbridge Wells based rock band CITIES have released an official lyric video for the track ‘The Early Hours‘, taken from their debut self-titled EP which is out now.

Frontman Ryan Checksfield had the following to say about ‘The Early Hours‘:

This song is about conforming to mainstream society and how this particular girl has never felt comfortable. Everything she sees in life makes her second guess and feel uneasy, she’s trying to figure out how to break free from the normal standards of living that society imposes on us so that she can be herself.

CITIES only actually formed in September 2012, already though they have supported the likes of Mallory Knox, Lower than Atlantis, Funeral for a Friend, and Arcane Roots, and the future looks to be extremely bright for this young band from Kent.

You can take a look at the band’s ‘The Early Hours‘ lyric video below:

Stream Of Mice & Men’s ‘Restoring Force’

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Of Mice & Men

Of Mice & Men will release third studio album ‘Restoring Force‘ via Rise Records on January 27th, and the album has now been made available for streaming in its entirety a week early via Rock Sound.

‘Restoring Force‘ is Of Mice & Men’s third studio album to date and is the follow up to the band’s 2011 release ‘The Flood‘. The album has been recorded at House of Loud in New Jersey and produced by David Bendeth (Paramore, Papa Roach, A Day To Remember, Breaking Benjamin).

The band will embark upon a European tour later this year, with support from Issues and Beartooth. A Full list of Of Mice & Men’s April 2014 tour dates can be found below:

16th April Southampton Mo Club
18th April London Koko
19th April Manchester The Ritz
20th April Glasgow O2 ABC
22nd April Birmingham The Institute
23rd April Cardiff Great Hall
25th April Holland, Amsterdam Melkweg
26th April Germany, Cologne Underground
27th April Germany, Hamburg Logo
29th April Germany, Berlin Magnet
30th April Belgium, Brussels ABC