Me and Keith's Demo:

Alright, so I hung out with Keith a bit today and while we were hanging out, he started messing around on the Sound Recorder application on his computer and we had wrote a song called "Fear" a while back, but nothing ever really happened with it.  So today, he said, "Why don't we do like a demo or something?"  I was all for it.  I remember what I had written and he remembered what he had written.  There aren't any words on our first demo, but we were really excited with the final product of just the electric guitar and drums because we didn't think it would sound that great on Sound Recorder, but we were impressed.  I can't put our demo up here for copyright issues, but when the day comes that our music reaches iTunes, I'll definitely post a link.  Please keep us in your prayers that we will stay focused and not be led astray by the world.

- Austin

P.S.  We might be working with a great friend of ours on a song soon.  I'll keep ya posted on that.

Prince of Persia (The Sands of Time):

Alright, this was a great movie.  I personally thought Disney was gonna ruin it, but they actually did really good.  I remembered after the movie that Disney also did the Pirates of the Caribbean series too and that was good as well.  Anyways, the movie was originally based off the game, but it is nothing like the game so don't be disappointed if you thought it would be.  It does in fact have many elements from the game though.  For example, the prince, Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal), definitely has great acrobatic skills.  You will see the ever-so-famous "wall-run" in the movie once or twice.  There are many more examples, but I am keeping this short in order not to give anything away.  The acting was great, the cast was great, and the action was great.  There were a few slow-motion parts which I liked too.  The plot is well thought out and the way it ends could possibly lead to a second movie.  I'm not sure though.  Anything is possible.  I would think they would make a sequel though because there are like three or four games in which this movie was inspired from.  The newest game just recently came out.  I don't really know much about it, but I did play one of the older ones on the Wii.  If I rent or buy the new Prince of Persia game, I'll post a link the redirects you to my review of it.  It is called Prince of Persia:  The Forgotten Sands.  I'll post a link to the movie trailer and to the new game trailer below.

Here's the link to the trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ7Li5w2I-k

Here's the link to the new game trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2WbkJqqXbc

- Austin

Blink-182:

Alright, so recently I have been listening to the punk band, Blink-182.  I haven't ever really listened to them before, but I got the idea because I like the guitarist's, Tom DeLonge, band Angels and Airwaves and I knew he was first in Blink.  So I checked them out.  I haven't listened to a lot of their songs, maybe about 10 or 11, but what I have listened to, I like.  Some of the songs are:  All the Small Things, Not Now, Always, First Date, and Adam's Song.

Here are the links to those songs:
All the Small Things: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKVePZMcqeI
Not Now (music video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvcOuExmeJg
Always (music video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvtJVku_mJw
First Date (music video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVy9Lgpg1m8&feature=channel
Adam's Song (music video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MRdtXWcgIw&feature=fvst

WARNING:  In the music video for "Not Now" contains partial nudity.  This video is like a montage of Blink-182's history together, like little bits of their past videos and behind the scenes stuff.  The only nudity is of all three of the band members, Mark, Tom, and Travis, running through a city naked, but it is all blurred out and you only get a glance so no worries.

- Austin

Rebirthing and Whispers in the Dark:

Alright, so one of my favorite bands is the Christian Rock band Skillet.  I love a lot of their songs.  I get to see them in concert at Kingsfest 2010 this year and I'm really excited.  I'll put a link to my post on Kingsfest 2010 at the bottom.  Anyways, I have been listening to them more than usual lately and two songs in particular that I really like are Rebirthing and Whispers in the Dark off their album Comatose.  My interpretation of Rebirthing is basically that it talks about salvation and being born again.  It talks about being stuck inside a "worldly cocoon" and then coming to Christ and rebirthing.  Whispers in the Dark is basically talking about how God will be there as a light in the darkness for you and how He will comfort you in your times of metaphorical darkness.  It also talks about how His love for you is like a burning fire and is unconditional.  So yeah, this is an amazing band and if you haven't heard their music then... what's wrong with you, check it out.  I'll definitely post about how they did in concert at Kingsfest and I'll put a link that redirects you to that post when I write it.

Here is the link to the Rebirthing music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvKAnyF4XCs&feature=related

Here are the lyrics:


I lie here paralytic, inside this soul
Screaming for you till my throat is numb
I wanna break out I need a way out
I don't believe that it's gotta be this way
The worst is the waiting
In this womb I'm suffocating

Feel your presence filling up my lungs with oxygen
I take you in
I've died

Rebirthing now
I wanna live for love, wanna live for you and me
Breathe for the first time now
I come alive somehow

Rebirthing now
I wanna live my life, wanna give you everything
Breathe for the first time now
I come alive somehow

Right now
Right now

I lie here lifeless in this cocoon
Shedding my skin cause I'm ready to
I wanna break out, I found a way out
I don't believe that it's gotta be this way
The worst is the waiting
In this womb I'm suffocating

Feel your presence filling up my lungs with oxygen
I take you in
I've died

Rebirthing now
I wanna live for love, wanna live for you and me
Breathe for the first time now
I come alive somehow

Rebirthing now
I wanna live my life, wanna give you everything
Breathe for the first time now
I come alive somehow

Tell me when I'm gonna live again
Tell me when I'm gonna breathe you in
Tell me when I'm gonna feel inside
Tell me when I'm gonna feel alive

Tell me when I'm gonna live again
Tell me when this fear will end
Tell me when I'm gonna feel inside
Tell me when I'll feel alive

Rebirthing now
I wanna live for love, wanna live for you and me
Breathe for the first time now
I come alive somehow

Rebirthing now
I wanna live my life, wanna give you everything
Breathe for the first time now
I come alive somehow

Right now
(I come alive somehow)
Right now
(I come alive somehow)


Here is the link to the Whispers in the Dark music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8WhAfZphQQ

Here are the lyrics:


Despite the lies that you're making
Your love is mine for the taking
My love is just waiting
To turn your tears to roses

Despite the lies that you're making
Your love is mine for the taking
My love is just waiting
To turn your tears to roses

I will be the one that's gonna hold you
I will be the one that you run to
My love is a burning, consuming fire

No, you'll never be alone
When darkness comes
I'll light the night with stars
Hear my whispers in the dark

No, you'll never be alone
When darkness comes
You know I'm never far
Hear my whispers in the dark

Whispers in the dark

You feel so lonely and ragged
You lay here broken and naked
My love is just waiting
To clothe you in crimson roses

I will be the one that's gonna find you
I will be the one that's gonna guide you
My love is a burning, consuming fire

No, you'll never be alone
When darkness comes
I'll light the night with stars
Hear my whispers in the dark

No, you'll never be alone
When darkness comes
You know I'm never far
Hear the whispers in the dark

No, you'll never be alone
When darkness comes
I'll light the night with stars
Hear my whispers in the dark

No, you'll never be alone
When darkness comes
You know I'm never far
Hear the whispers in the dark

Whispers in the dark
Whispers in the dark
Whispers in the dark

- Austin

Kingsfest 2010:

Alright, so my friend Keith, who is also The Damascus Project's drummer, invited me to go to Kingsfest with him and his family this year.  If you don't know about Kingsfest, it is where a ton of Christian bands get together and spread out their concerts into three days and the three main bands play first each day.  For example, this year, I will be going on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  Thursday's bands are: Skillet, David Crowder Band, Brandon Heath, KJ-52 and Yellow Cavalier.  Friday's bands are:  tobyMac, Chris Tomlin, Fireflight, Remedy Drive, and CJ Blount.  Saturday's bands are:  Casting Crowns, Family Force 5, Tenth Avenue North, Fee, and Bret Aldridge.  Like I said, the main bands play first, so they would be: Skillet, tobyMac, and Casting Crowns.  I'm most excited about seeing Skillet, Fireflight, Remedy Drive, and tobyMac.  I have already seen tobyMac once before and it was great.  So yeah, this year the dates will be July 8th - 10th and it is $76.99 to get admission to King's Dominion, WaterWorks Waterpark and all the concerts.  A ride that is very new to the park I will be going to is called The Intimidator 305.  It looks pretty sweet.  Its name will most likely hold its meaning once you get there too.  It is the second ever Giga-coaster ever built in North America.  Its highest peak is 305 feet, hence the "305" in the name.  In the description on the Kings Dominion website, it even gives a warning to riding the ride and says: "This ride should only be ridden by those guests who are in good physical and mental condition appropriate for an aggressive thrill ride."  So yeah, I'm pretty excited about it, and when I get back from it, I'll definitely talk about it and put a link in this post the redirects you to the post where I talk about it.  The dates again are: July 8th - 10th and it is $76.99 to get admission to King's Dominion, WaterWorks Waterpark and all the concerts.  

Here is the link to the "Intimidator 305" page: http://www.kingsdominion.com/attractions/detail.cfm?ai_id=631

Here is the link to the "Kingsfest 2010" page:http://www.kingsdominion.com/events/event_detail.cfm?event_id=31&ec_id=14

- Austin

Alan Wake Review:

Alright, so I rented the game Alan Wake, exclusive to the Xbox 360, and it is pretty awesome so far.  The phrase "don't go towards the light", is pretty much a death wish in this game, so if you want to survive, use the light to your advantage.  This game will freak you out, it definitely got me jumpy.  The enemies are pretty sweet and their voices are creepy.  This game will definitely keep you on edge.  So yeah, the game is a psychological action thriller and it’s about this writer, Alan Wake, who goes on vacation with his wife Alice to Bright Falls, Oregon for a vacation.  He hasn't been able to write anything in over two years, but he plans to begin writing soon.  He gets into a fight with his wife when they get to the cabin that they are staying at and he leaves the house during the night.  Two words:  HUGE mistake.  Alice is then captured and taken somewhere and you are determined to find her and rescue her.  He finds himself trapped in the night, where his latest thriller, in which he doesn't even remember writing, starts to come to life right before his eyes.  It is all one, big nightmare.  Except you're awake.  But when the morning comes and the sun rises, everything is back normal again.  But once nighttime comes around, everything changes.  The time of day could easily be defined as a vital "character" in the game.  This game is broken down into episodes, and at the beginning of each episode, it will show a "previously on Alan Wake" clip that will give a short synopsis of what went on in the episode you just completed.   Throughout these episodes you must find pages of this manuscript that Alan has supposedly written and try to find your wife Alice.  You need to find the lost pages in order to make sense of what is going on.  The pages have an eerie pattern of coming true soon after reading them.  The enemies are the civilians from Bright Falls that are coated in shadows and try to kill you and can only be destroyed by light and their voices are awesome, but freaky because the voice changes back and forth between a normal voice to a deep, grungy-like voice.  For weapons, your greatest weapon is... a flashlight.  You can find guns throughout the game as well, but the flashlight is the primary weapon.  You usually have a revolver with you to finish off your enemies after stripping the darkness from them.  What kind of game would this be if the primary weapon always stayed the same?  Not that great.  That’s why you find larger and more powerful flashlights during the game.  So yeah, that is pretty much my review.  I tried hard not to give any secrets away or spoil anything.  Hope you liked it.  I definitely recommend this game to all who are looking for a good game with an awesome story line and gameplay.  I also recommend playing this alone in the dark....  I guarantee you will get scared. 


Here's a link to the trailer if you haven't seen it yet:  

http://tdpguitarist.blogspot.com/2010/05/alan-wake-trailer.html

- Austin

Me and Keith's Side Project:

So me and Keith have been thinking of starting our own band as a side project.  We are still staying with The Damascus Project because we are committed to that band, but we have wanted to start our own band for a while.  We are still thinking of people to "recruit", if I may, and a name for the band.  Picking the name is almost as important as picking the other people in my opinion because the name should have a message behind it.  I mean, it doesn't have to have a message, but that always makes it more interesting to me.  Like Skillet, I have heard that they got their name because of the numerous different styles everybody in the band puts in their music.  They said that it was like a skillet.  Hence their name.  This may not be true, but that's what I heard.  So yeah, we are still thinking of a good name and for a bassist and lead singer.  I'll definitely be updating you guys on what goes on with both bands.

- Austin