On Monday I shared a song from the Italian metal band Lacuna Coil in an effort to get myself pumped for this week’s concert. Well the day has finally arrived. It’s been several years since I first saw the band open up for Disturbed and got to enjoy a whopping 20 minute set from the back of the immense Izod theater. It wasn’t their fault they were the first of three bands opening up for Disturbed…but I was immensely sad to barely witness a show from them.

Today’s song is either the first or second song I ever heard from them, the other being “Heaven’s a Lie.” I still remember being introduced to them from a “potential suitor” way back in the day, maybe a good five or six years ago. It was love at first listen. They have a sharp edge, teetering on the cusp of hard rock and metal. “Swamped” falls on the side of more metal. As usual, we have the always angry Andre scream-singing the lines balanced by Cristina’s angelic voice. But don’t be fooled by her pretty face. The girl can really rock it. Expect plenty of cheesy goth-metal elements in this low-budget video. The important aspect to remember is how kick ass the riffs are. I look forward to rocking out to this jam later tonight and I’m prepared to get my ass, metaphorically, kicked.

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I have been fortunate enough to have gone 26 years of my life never having lost someone that I was very close to. There’s been distant relatives, friends of friends of friends, but it’s never hit close to home. Today I’ve made it another day but someone that I love has lost someone very close to her for the first time. I wish I knew what to say or what to do. I know that all I can really do for anyone is to be there for them. It’s exceptionally hard when you’re stuck at work. So for now all I can do is dedicate a post because we all know music often speaks greater than words.

There are plenty of songs about death and coping, but naturally I gravitated towards my favorite band. “The Other Side” isn’t quite as slow and depressing as “My Immortal” (yes it’s about death, not a breakup). If you want to wallow but prefer an oomph in there instead of crooning over pianos and harps, this is the song to go to. The lyrics still bring home the message of wanting the person back so badly in your life, “I’m not giving in/I want you back/Holding together by the shards of our past.” But it’s not the chorus explaining how Amy is “Counting the days to meet you on the other side” that tugs at your heart. No, Amy Lee always saves the best part of the song for the bridge,” I am so lost without my place inside your heart/I won’t survive/I need to know you hear me/Awaken and release my love.”

If it weren’t for a pounding double bass and the crunching of guitars, I might just break down and cry. But I’m sure when the day arrives that I lose someone close, I will cry right along to the song.

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My life has gotten so busy then I tend to forget when I have a concert coming up. Unless it’s an Evanescence concert, which I will literally count the days until for months, I remember a few days beforehand. And that is exactly what happened this morning. Only two days until I finally see Lacuna Coil headlining a show. The Italian metal band doesn’t come to the U.S. often and when they did this past year, they were opening for other bands I didn’t really care about.

The band is extremely excited to headline the States and they’re showing their love for us fans with a long setlist chock full of old goodies, rarities, and a few acoustic performances. This is not a show to miss. Wednesday evening can’t come quick enough. So naturally I will be listening to nonstop Lacuna Coil until then. Instead of showcasing some old favorites, I thought I’d “promote” the first single off the new album, “Trip the Darkness.” The track is heavy and chugging. Naturally Cristina Scabbia’s beautiful voice plays off Andre Ferro’s gruffness. It has a memorable hook and catchy lyrics. It’s an addictive metal Monday song that I can easily listen to on repeat as I await to blow off some steam later this week.

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The past week has been rather stressful, with high bouts of anxiety interweaved. I was long overdue for rest and relaxation. We live in a culture where we’re all running on extreme. Everything is go, go, go. We easily forget to stop for just a few moments and take a deep breath, remember what life if really about. Last night I went to a two hour meditation session. I couldn’t even recall the last time I meditated. It felt amazing to say the least, to finally not feel anxious for a few hours.

I want to get back into the practice and I’ll start today with a song from my favorite movie, The Fountain –which I have taken a song from before. Clint Mansell has a knack for creating both beautiful and epic music. “Together We Will Live Forever” is on the beautiful side, the last song from the soundtrack, the last scene in the movie. A piano song that truly tugs at your heart, even more so if you’ve seen the film. If you know anything about the movie, the title ties right into the theme: death is not an end, it’s the beginning of something new, something different. Love transcends death, time, and space. It’s a mesmerizing piece to listen to while you meditate. It relaxes me. I hope it does the same for you.

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I began this morning with some old school Black Eyed Peas, Elephunk to be more precise. You know, back when the Black Eyed Peas were slightly less eccentric and created funkier, more inventive hip-hop. I wanted to keep that nice groovy feeling flowing but instead of choosing what I qualify as “good hip-hop,” I opted to move into the bluesy groove of The Black Keys. While many jumped on The Black Keys bandwagon because they were the “It” band a year or so ago, I can attest to loving the genre thanks to my undying passion for Led Zeppelin. While neither were the first to bring the blues to mainstream rock, they both do it so well.

Instead of picking the obvious “Howlin’ For You” (although I admit it’s a favorite), I went for the slower groove, and more romantic, “Everlasting Light.” It’s a definite head-nodding track with a clap-along beat. It’s a slower jam to start off an otherwise dull Tuesday. (We all know Tuesday is the least interesting day of the week.) Now throw on some smitten lyrics, “Let me be your everlasting light/The sun when there is none…/I’ll hold and never scold/In me you can confide.”

It’s a beautiful way to start the day and to start the album. It gets me excited for more awesome blues on Brothers and keeps me nodding while I try to tap into my own artistic ability for the day.

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This has been one long, hellish week. There was a moment where no end was in sight. Stressed from work and the perils of stupid adulthood, I didn’t think I would make it through Friday. But alas, here we are. Here I am, just a few hours away from freedom. As if the same vicious cycle won’t begin again on Monday… Who better to go to for a little bit of self pity than Linkin Park? Say what you will, they know how to embrace the negative thoughts that we’re all feeling but don’t necessarily want to indulge in.

Linkin Park became a little less angsty and more mature with their somewhat recent album A Thousand Suns. I wouldn’t call “Waiting for the End” a ballad, but it a “slower” jam. Despite my adoration for a heavy riff, I’m far too burnt out this week and it won’t pump me up as it normally would. The lyrics, naturally, couldn’t be more appropriate, “Waiting for the end to come/Wishing I had strength to stand/This is not what I had planned.” I know Chester isn’t expressing his disdain with a 9-5 job, but hey, it fits the moment. So long week from hell. I’m about to drown my miseries in beer!

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I have this habit, this part of my personality where I feel very protective over the people I care about most. Any sane person would agree this is a wonderful character trait and I won’t disagree. But naturally it reaches a point where I can only protect people so much, give so much advice. I don’t let it stop me though. Today’s mood music was originally inspired by one event that ended up spiraling into many. It began with caring for someone special in my life. And like everyone else in this world, she’s fragile,  human. And me being the overprotective person that I am, I can’t let anything happen to her.

The perfect song could only be Nine Inch Nail’s “Fragile,” with lyrics to match my exact sentiment:

She shines in a world full of ugliness
She matters when everything is meaningless
Fragile, she doesn’t see her beauty…
I can’t watch her slip away
I won’t let you fall apart.

It wasn’t long before I realized how much this applies to many people in my life. Even if I fall apart at the seams, I can’t let those around me see or let them do the same. Oh Trent, you always know how to tug at my heart. It’s amazing that this album was written at the lowest point in his life, yet he was still able to hold onto something, to someone.

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After the weather tease Mother Nature gave us about two weeks ago with unseasonably warm weather and then hitting us with winter-like conditions, she’s finally let us have our spring. Warm weather always puts me, and I’m sure the entire country, in a chipper mood. On sunny days worthy of open windows and sunglasses I’m musically split in two. I either want to blast dance and upbeat music or air guitar to hard rock or metal. Today I compromised with Street Sweeper Social Club –a mashup of hip hop and rock.

Boots Riley rocks the mic and Tom Morello wails on guitar, a lethal combination. “Promenade” offers sick guitar solos set over a hip hop squaredance beat. Don’t worry, there’s nothing country about this song. And to top it all off, it’s a politically driven song so I can feel smart listening to it. I specifically chose the live version though from a few years ago when they opened for Nine Inch Nails and Jane’s Addiction. Why? Because Morello throws in an extra guitar solo in the beginning and end of the song and then plays with his teeth. Enough said.

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Last night I finalized my taxes with my father and for the first time…ever, I’m getting a nice little chunk of change. Of course I’m going to be “smart” and invest a good deal of it, but I think I deserve a little shopping splurge on myself. (There are a pair of hot red Dr. Martens with my name on it.) So naturally my mood is elevated today, with Benjamin Franklin on the brain.

So it only makes sense my mood music for today is “It’s All About the Benjamins (Rock Remix)” by Puff Daddy. Well, he was still Puff Daddy back then. Although I completely love the original, I can’t do anything softcore, hence why I chose the edgier rock remix. This song takes me back to 1997, and apparently at age 11 I was loving this song, mainly because I had good taste even at a young age. I’m not exactly rolling in the Benjamins. I don’t have P. Diddy’s fame and fortune. I probably can’t even afford his brand of underwear, not that I would wear men’s underwear. But I’ll take this as a little victory and a way to stick it to the IRS for trying to rob me of my hard earned money last year.

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This past weekend I spent some time with old friends, some I haven’t seen in years. It’s amazing how you can just “pick up” where you left off, nothing is awkward or weird. But it got me thinking about how quickly life can change and how people come in and out of our lives so frequently. One moment you’re hanging out just about every week, then it becomes once a month, once every few months, on special occasions, etc. Today’s mood music is not only dedicated to the loved ones I haven’t seen in a long time but also to everyone new in my life.

Flyleaf’s song “There For You” is about those moments when you realize how much you care about the people in your life, you want to always be there for them. It’s fairly straightforward and simple. But what more do you need? It’s declaration of love and a promise to never forget how much we need others closely in our lives. As much as we sometimes want to push away, there is no greater feeling than knowing there is at least one person in your life you can count on, 100%. “I wanna be there for you / Someone you can come to / Runs deeper than my bones / I wanna be there for you.” The music itself is a more subdued Flyeaf –a “ballad” if you will. Sometimes simple is the most beautiful.

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