Shoutouts ... or something of that nature

A Quick Shout out (or something of that nature) too:

E Nomine

There are times when Pandora plays something awesome, there are times when Pandora plays something completely stupid or annoying, and then there are times when I don't know what to do with what it's playing.

Introducing a band from Germany called E Nomine. The band refers to their music as monumental dance is a strange combination of trance, techno, Gregorian chanting and singing. Their songs are mainly in German and Latin.

Enter the song "Vater Unser (Our Father)" which is the only song I've heard so far because sometimes Pandora has a horrible track record for consistency of artists/bands. I don't think I hate it because that's usually very easy to tell if you don't like a song. I can't say I love it either. I listen to it and I am confused. I've been like this for a month. It starts with  Christian Brückner speaking in this growl and it sounds like something you'd hear in a church. And then the singing happens and it still sounds like a church hymn but set to a really nice beat and it's all electronic. 

*Side note they often bring in people to perform certain parts of songs. Christian is a well known German voice actor and long time collaborator with the band.*

 

Have I looked up the translation? Nope, I have not looked for the lyrics in English. That usually leads to disappointment so I will stay unsure as to what the translation is until I can form an opinion of the song at face value. 

The band E Nomine

 

I don't have anything to accurately compare them to so saying if you like one band you might like these guys and I haven't heard much from them so there's no easing your way into this band like there is with Wumpscut as far as my advice goes. Pandora just threw this song at me while I was listening to my Assemblage 23 Radio. I guess if you're like me and enjoy Gregorian chants and Industrial music and wondered if there's a band who combines the two genres, this would be the band for you. 

** A quick thing as to where I've been**

Tumblr and Supernatural ate my life. I didn't stop reviewing I just get lost in the depths of tumblr and then by the time I think maybe I should get to reviewing something because I now have a backlog I could never hope to dig through it's like 11 PM. I shall try to leave tumblr when there's annoying downtime because everyone seems to have disappeared to review things.  

Comic News: Pandora Hits the stage From Fawkes & DC

   During this year's Emerald City Comic Con, DC Comics announced another new title coming this June called Trinity of Sin: Pandora. Since first appearing in Flashpoint #5 back in 2011, Pandora has been staying in the shadows ... even though she was a key element that changed the DCU into the New 52. After she appeared in the New 52 # 1s and recently decided to visit Phantom Stranger, she is getting a new solo series. The new series will be written by Ray Fawkes with art by Daniel Sampere, who recently worked together in the 2 fill in issues for Batgirl.

   Fawkes sat down with CBR saying this about Pandora as a character:

she's spent thousands of years crossing the globe, over and over again, hearing her name cursed for all the evils of the world. She carries this unfathomable guilt and this searing anger with her -- guilt because she may very well be responsible for all this suffering, and anger because she thinks she never had a chance to avoid unleashing it. She has reason to believe the game was fixed. So she's had all the time in the world to crawl through every kind of shame and pain and remorse you can imagine, and she's come out on the other side of it with a strong, pure sense of purpose. Is that going to lead to more trouble? Yeah, of course it is. But trouble for whom?



   Trinity of Sin: Pandora promises to go through anyone and everyone in the DC Universe. The first issue by Ray Fawkes & Daniel Sampere will hit stands this June.

First Impressions: The Phantom Stranger # 4

THE PHANTOM STRANGER # 4

Written by Dan Didio & J.M. DeMatteis
Art by Brent Anderson, Phillip Tan & Rob Hunter
DC  Comics


FLIPPING THROUGH:

            The Phantom Stranger is one of the books from DC’s Third Wave of New 52 that replaced other books that were cancelled (like Voodoo –ggrrrr).  Now, why a book like this? Well, it seems the book is being used to set up the upcoming Trinity War, that is due to come later this year, while showing us the mystical side of the DCU in a brand new way.
            The Spectre, Raven, Dr. 13 & more have all crossed paths with the Phantom Stranger. What makes The Phantom Stranger unique? After betraying his best friend, which seems to give all indications that he’s Judas from the Bible, he currently walks the world, performing disgusting actions under the guide of a “higher power” for the greater good.
            Don’t believe me? Well, it seems that The Phantom Stranger is responsible for making Jim Corrigan into The Spectre and stopping Trigon the Terrible from invading Earth … by handing him over Raven against her will.  Add the fact that he has changed his prison enough in the present to have a family and you got an interesting premise for a book.
            Which gets us to today’s little pearl of wisdom …

ART:

            Artistically, issue 4 was a nice common group of both normal life and the mystical reality that The Phantom Stranger walks in. And there seems to be a nice mix of classic comic book art style with Brent Anderson … mixed with kinetic yet rich inks/finishes by both Philip Tan and Rob Hunter.

            When you get to the mundane parts of  the Phantom Strangers life, you get nice, bright pencils with lighter inks to keep you focused on the real world. When you get to the more mystical stuff … this issue dealing with the Justice League Dark, the inks are darker. The colors and shading bring you are darker feel. It fits the atmosphere and characters with in the Justice League Dark.

            The Phantom Stranger looks regal in this issue. Giving him an imposing presence next to the slimy, manipulative bastard that is John Constantine. Constantine decided that he wants Phantom Stranger on Justice League Dark and the exchanges between those characters and our lead are gloriously and darkly depicted. When it was the real world, it was more vibrant but the shading and color matched the scene/panel art. A great job by Anderson, Tan and Hunter on a strong issue of Phantom Stranger

WRITING:

            Honestly, this book is a sleeper and I am wondering why more people are not reading it. Didio and DeMatteis script a wonderfully tormented yet human character in the inhuman Phantom Stranger. Phantom Stranger has sculpted his prison into something more of his liking with his family but we get shown how much of an Achellis heel they are this issue.

            Phantom Stranger’s imposing presence and action both highlighted his heavenly calling while also displayed his humanity in his human form. Constantine feels very much like how he is written in Justice League Dark and it was great. His usual manipulative ways … making sure he had something over Phantom Stranger to ensure cooperation while Phantom Stranger still had his own ideas. And the cliffhanger at the end just screamed for more. Especially considering that Pandora made an appearance and something does happen with our main characters family.  Deadman also had an interesting key focus on this issue, giving us more on what the Phantom Stranger really is. The rest of Justice League Dark were utilized somewhat well for exception of Black Orchid but …that is a minor misstep in an otherwise entrancing, tension filled issue.


OVERALL IMPRESSION:

            Constantine is a slimy bastard. The Phantom Stranger is definitely a very complex character. It is great to see a “good” that is just as complex as Constantine but in an entirely different way. This issue was a great showcase of the character and set up for more to come. The pacing was excellent. The art was good. The story was gripping. And the emotions felt authentic while the visuals were both fitting of tone and good to look at.

            The Phantom Stranger is indeed the sleeper book of the DC Universe right now. More people should pick it up if they want to know more about the mystical side of the universe. And with such big characters like the Justice League Dark, Pandora and a certain character at the end of the book showing up … there is much that this book offers. A great examination of learning how to make a prison for you while sometimes it reminds you that it is still a prison.

            I give The Phantom Stranger # 4 a 8.5 … out of 10.