D.A. Cairns's Blog, page 19

D is for Decapitated.

With a name like Decapitated, is there any need to question what kind of music they play? This critically acclaimed technical death metal band was formed in 1996 in Krosno, Poland.


I have an anti cooking food blog called I Don't Cook, on which I regale readers with tales of frozen dinners and take-away meals. How is this relevant you ask? Most of my readers are from Poland, so I was really hoping I would find a Polish band good enough to make the cut. As it turned out they nearly didn't make it. I had the slot filled with a Greek band called Distortion of Perception, but during my research, I discovered they had disbanded many years ago. Only bands who are still producing new music and touring qualified for this A to Z. I stumbled on Decapitated as I searched through a list of wannabe 'D' bands.
Decapitated is: Waclaw Kietyka (guitar), Rafal Piotrowski (vocals), Michal Lysejko (drums), and Hubert Wiecek (bass).Their last studio release was Blood Mantra (2014) This track is called Instinct

C is for Crash

Crash is a thrash metal band from South Korea. With a name like Crash they had to play thrash, didn't they? 


Formed in 1991 and still kicking proverbial, the band consists of Ahn Heung-chan (bass and vocals), Jung Hong-wook (drums) and Ha Jae-Yong (guitars). They used to be a foursome back in the day, but one of the guys was sacked.

Their latest album Untamed Hands in Imperfect World was released in 2014.

This is an older song called Crashday 

In 1982 a British band called Iron Maiden released a heavy metal masterpiece called The Number of the Beast . It featured a new singer: classically trained vocalist Bruce Dickinson, and one the Iron's all time classic songs: Hallowed Be Thy Name. From this record also came a single which took Iron Maiden into the mainstream, and in so doing, they hooked a bucket load of new fans, like me.

Run to the Hills was the first true heavy metal track I fell in love with, and I still love Iron Maiden. The Irons are special for many reasons, but to name one: I think Bruce Dickinson is one of the best metal singers of all time.

B is for Babymetal

When I stumbled on this band I didn't know what I was looking at. The music sounded like metal, but the band was fronted by three young ladies singing and dancing pop style. Upon further investigation I learned that Babymetal was put together by a record company, and is in fact, the originator of a new genre of metal: kawaii metal which translates to English as 'cute metal'. As I said, I didn't know what it was, or understand what they were singing about, but I liked it a lot.

Babymetal is a concept group which fuses heavy metal with J-pop (or Japanese idol music). The line up consists of Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal), Yui Mizuno as "Yui-metal" and Moa Kikuchi as "Moa-metal." 

Formed in 2014, their latest album is called Metal Resistance.

Check out one of their songs: Karate

A is for A Breach of Silence

My headbanging journey around the world begins at home, almost. In Australia's second most northern capital city (Darwin, where I live is the most northern). Brisbane is home to a metalcore band called A Breach of Silence. 

Formed in 2010, they consist of Matt Cosgrove (guitar), Kerrod Dabelstein (guitar), Blair Layt (bass, vocals), Rhys Flannery (lead vocals), and Daniel Trickett (drums). Their latest album, titled Secrets, was released in February 2017.

Click here to see and hear them in action  Falling Away

My journey to the heavy side of music began in the late 70s when I was a tween who used to hang out in my room and listen to the top 40 countdown each week. It might have been on Sunday nights - I forget- but I was more attracted to crunchy guitars and drums than I was to lighter stuff. I guess you could say I was born to rock.

Ironically, the first album I bought, which was in fact a tape, was Dynasty by KISS. They toured Australia that year, but at the age of 11, I was too young to go see them. I've seen them since so, and I'd still count myself a KISS fan. (I say 'ironically' because KISS's biggest hit in Australia was criticized by some as being a disco track.)

Celebrate the small things: Good things

Good things are just around the corner. True, but good things are already here as well. The pump class at gym this morning was the toughest ever, and during a couple of the routines I literally ran out of strength and could not keep up. On the positive side, I did better than last week, and I recovered quickly. (Even though I can still feel it in my arms now - 3 hours after the event.)

The weather has been pretty nice: relatively mild temperatures overnight (25-26 degrees average- that's Celsius) and a storm or two each day with some impressive lightning shows. They said that last week, during one hour, there were over a hundred lightning strikes. Very cool. Unless, of course, you are on the pointy end of one.

Our company's move to the new CBD premises has been postponed yet again, and our manager has resigned, but we are getting closer to those blue walled rooms with doors, and apparently, a new manager will begin on April 10.

Speaking of April. Monday was theme reveal day for the 2017 A to Z Blogging challenge. This will be my fourth year, and for my theme I decided to indulge in one of my passions: heavy metal music. A to Z: headbanging around the world

I'm very much looking forward to it, and even more so to the middle of Easter when we celebrate Easter: my favourite holiday. Also April sees the end of Eastern Daylight Saving Time in Australia which will bring me one hour closer to my loved ones.

All good. Have a great week everyone.

2017 A to Z Blogging Challenge theme reveal

Back in the day, I had very long hair, wore black T-shirts, a denim vest and a studded arm band. I was a stereotypical headbanger. Fast forward 30 years, and the only thing left to physically identify me as a metalhead, is the occasional black, band T-shirt. Nevertheless, I still love metal.

I may be the only headbanging, cricket loving, Christian bookworm in the world...I doubt it though. I mean it's a big world, and that leads me directly to my theme. Headbanging all over the world.

I will scour the virtual globe for heavy metal bands from every continent (except Antartica - I think penguins prefer pop and MOR) to bring you relatively unknown heavy metal bands representing the various metal genres. Added to this feast, will be a few heavy metal anecdotes.

The criteria was that the band had to have a proper music video on YouTube, and some thing recent-not older than five years.


This won't appeal to many, but it will appeal to some. Please join me as I head bang my way around the world in 26 days during April.

Celebrate the Small Things: Doors

We, meaning the company I work for, are about to move to new premises. This move has been about to happen since I started working with them last August. We are now on our third 'firm' move date. The delays have been due to red tape - what a surprise. As an example of the ridiculous fiefdoms being operated by certifiers, the whole front counter had to be moved 30cm in order to improve airflow. Speaking of air, the most recent postponement was caused by another certifier saying the air-conditioning system was not acceptable. It is currently being totally overhauled.

Despite the delays, I am excited about the move. Our boss took us all in to inspect the new place last week, and even though it's rough, and one of the classrooms is only two thirds painted for some reason, it will be a great improvement on what we have now. One of the reasons why it will be better is because there are doors.

Our current premises is two commercial units side by side without internal access. There are three spaces (not rooms) designated as classrooms, plus two other rooms (because they have doors) which are sometimes used for small classes.

Let's be clear, the two main classrooms are open, one to the office and adjacent to the photocopier, the other open to through traffic from one other space (no door) and one other room (door). If I haven't painted a clear enough picture of how unsuitable and inadequate the current arrangements are, then just let me say this: the current arrangements are unsuitable and inadequate.

During the week, I had a couple of small classes so I held them in my office which is a room (because it has a door). At one point there was a lot of noise coming from another space, or maybe a room with the door open, so guess what I did? I shut the door.

Being able to close the door and block most of the noise made me so excited, I interrupted my students and gave them a mini speech about the greatness of doors. I am so thankful for doors.

By the way, the new premises has five good-sized classrooms with doors. (Big smile)

Backyard Legends

There may have been only a handful of us, not even enough to fill a first eleven, let alone field two teams, but the rivalry was no less fierce, and no less intense. We were backyard cricket warriors representing our nation with pride.

We actually never played in the backyard because the local reserve was handy and big; bigger than the MCG, except for the grandstands of course, of which there were none. After school we occupied a portion of the grass and played cricket until the sun went down, or until we were called home by our mothers. Those long summer days and warm nights when we played cricket in the park, then went home and watched it on the television, were wonderful times.

The West Indies dominated world cricket all through my childhood, but Australia's regular defeats did not diminish my love for the game; a love which has only grown stronger through the years.

I never played cricket competitively, never joined a club, but I have become an armchair expert thanks to over four decades of listening to experts describe and talk about the game. I have an opinion on everything related to cricket, and at times I know better than the national selectors.

Australia is touring India at the moment. The test match series stands at 1-1 with 2 games to play. I know exactly who should be in the team to help ensure our victory against very strong opposition in hostile territory, but the selectors aren't listening to me. I'm not saying I could do a better job than them...well, maybe I am - but I have no influence and no authority.

I'm just a passionate fan of the greatest game on earth. I know whoever takes the field on March 16 for the 3rd test will do Australia proud, and I can barely wait for the battle to begin. Go Australia!

Celebrate the small things: winning is everything

All professional, most amateur, and many part-time/recreational sportspeople play to win. Regardless of what they are playing, who they are playing for, or with, or against, they want to win because winning is better than losing. The very best professional athletes and sportspeople, the champions of the various games which entertain us, and with which we amuse ourselves, are obsessed with winning. They hate losing, but more than that they hate not giving it their best: not competing to their potential. The truly great are always in competition first and foremost with themselves regardless of their opposition.
The 2017 National Rugby League (NRL) season started last week, and not surprisingly there were some good games, and some ordinary ones, and some good results, and bad results, depending on you barrack for. Some surprises and plenty of entertainment.
Last night I watched the Brisbane Broncos play the North Queensland Cowboys in Brisbane where the latter team had not won a game in their last five attempts. These clashes have become legendary due to the fact that they are particularly intense and always very close on the scoreboard. The 2015 Grand Final, in which the Cowboys defeated the Broncos in extra time, was arguably the greatest championship deciding game ever.

So these two highly rated and highly motivated teams did battle again last night, and the Cowboys repeated their Grand Final success with a one point victory in extra time.
One lousy point: the difference between a win, (and two premiership points) and a loss. One single point after nearly 90 minutes of gladiatorial combat of the highest athletic calibre, filled with drama and heart stopping excitement. One point to finally declare one of these teams the winner. Some say it's unjust, but the rules are the rules, and one point is all it takes.
One point: a small number with a huge impact. I want to thank the Cowboys and the Broncos for putting on such a wonderful display of rugby league football...again. Great stuff!
Click here for full match report and video highlights if you're interested.

Celebrate the Small things: In between belt sizes

When this hole makes your pants too loose, but the next hole makes them too tight, you have a problem. Being between belt sizes means you are either losing weight, or putting it on, and depending on your goals, this could be a good thing or a bad thing. It is nevertheless, a bit of a nuisance.

If you're a regular reader of Square Pegs, you will no doubt be aware of my other equally superb blog I Don't Cook which chronicles, with riveting flair, my culinary adventures (that is not an overstatement.)

It should be obvious, in a way, how my food blog connects to this particular small things post, but less obvious-obscure even, is how the content of this post relates to being between belt sizes.

I regularly buy frozen dinners. I buy whatever brand is on special when I shop, and the meals are usually of the low fat variety. They come in different portion sizes, ranging from 220g up to around 420g. The small servings have become increasingly unsatisfying due to their...smallness, so yesterday I decided to buy two of the small meals. You know what happened, right?

It was too much. Anyway, I have figured out that a meal of between 300-350 gram is good for me. Unfortunately, that limits my choice so once again I am splayed on the horns of a dilemma. More woe!

Today I am thankful for small servings of generally delicious food, and the small price tags attached to them.