Category Archives: books

books

(books) Andrew O´Neill – A history of heavy metal

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I know what most of you think when you see the title of this book and review. Oh no, not another heavy metal history book about this beloved genre of music and there were tons of them written before. No, this one is a keeper. Andrew O´Neill is metal and hardcore punk musician who did a comedy show called A History Of Heavy Metal about this music by fan for fans and done in humoristic, refreshing and also informative way. This book is an expanded edition of that show. There are chapters from literally heavy metal done by neanderthals to Black Sabbath, doom thrash, black metal, death metal, even plagues such as metalcore and nu metal. I caught myself laughing many times while reading this and I really enjoyed every second and page turning eager to see what is next. This is a crazy, hilarious and superb book for all metal fans, but those who are not into metal could read it to. But they will not understand it. Or maybe? There are anecdotes, facts and humor all in one place. A heartfelt recommendation for this one.

10/10

books

(book) Dean Koontz´s Winter Moon is not his finest, but it is a decent suspense novel.

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Dean Koontz is probably one of the best known writers of suspense thriller/horror fiction out there and is also one of my personal favorites. I am eager to complete reading of his works, so this one somehow came first into my hands. Story of this novel is about a heroic cop Jack McGarvey who is badly wounded in a shootout with a maniac high on PCP at the gas station. Jack also loses his partner along with couple other civilians and barely escapes with his life.

Second storyline follows Eduardo Fernandez, an old man on his Quatermass(nice homage to Hammer horror) ranch where strange things happen in the woods of snowy Montana. As it goes McGarvey family moves to that ranch and starts fight for their very lives and sanity, but also whole humanity on that little corner of snowy nowhere.

Well, this one was tense, as we are used from Koontz, nice to read and a page turner, especially last ten chapters through which McGarveys struggle to stay alive fighting the enemy. But, the other storyline Koontz somehow started with followers, cult of late maniac director who bother McGarvey family somehow gets lost along the way. As I read this one, I somehow couldn´t escape the fact that Koontz kind of recycles himself and his novels such as Phantoms or Servants of the Twilight, but does not really know which way to take. This is a decent one, but not top of his works.

6/10

books

(book) Joel McIver – Inside The Machine: The Story Of Machine Head

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I love this band since their debut album Burn My Eyes which we listened to as little hardcore and metal kids all the time, discovering more and more music each day back in the first half of the nineties. So, I ordered this baby from Rockmark bookstore and wanted to see, read for myself the thirty years behind this band, which is kept in the scene by resilience and strength of one Robb Flynn, main songwriter, guitarist and vocalist of Machine Head.

What I love about this book is an inside look on writing and recording of all albums, some stories behind most of the songs and how they were spawn. But, what I love more is stories from tours, personal anecdotes of band members, but I didn´t like total and all the time bitching and arguing with other bands, courtesy of Robb Flynn, who is judging by my opinion, formed upon reading of this book, a great musician, but total asshole as a character. I hope I am wrong, but the guy bickers and picks fight all the time via Internet, with Kerry King, with former band members, with other bands, promoters, about which place Machine Head takes on a festival bill, under or above someone and similar. That were the most interesting parts of this book which as a whole is an interesting read, but nothing special.