2012 the year of TNA

Last year I wrote a blog about the state of professional wrestling in 2011 in which I had many good things to say about the progression that TNA had made and the emergence of CM Punk within the WWE as a major superstar. Roughly one year on and although my wrestling viewing has been sporadic, I have managed to keep abreast of the all the major developments and PPVs.

If I was to judge in relative terms the progression each company has made since last year I would say that TNA has made the greater improvement. This year the company celebrates its 10 year anniversary, which I believe is a great achievement and an important milestone, especially considering how short lived WCW and ECW were in their heyday. TNA may not have got their ‘Monday night war’ yet, which has almost become a rite of passage amongst potential rivals of the WWE, but the company have made massive strides to correcting the mistakes of the initial Hogan/Bischoff era. If the company is to be seen as a legitimate alternative to the WWE then longevity is important.

And legitimacy is what TNA is earning for itself, little by little; this month saw TNA host its second largest annual PPV – Slammiversary, one of the best PPV’s of 2012 so far. The PPV showcased all that is good about TNA: the star power and quality of its roster as well as the intelligent booking that is slowly becoming more of a primary feature of the company. I want to just highlight some of the features of Slammiversary that I believe are examples of just how far TNA has come – firstly the promotion of ‘original’ and indie talent over ex-WWE superstars. Slammiversary opened with an X-Division title match between Austin Aries and Samoa Joe. Austin Aries has proven to be a star signing and one of the biggest revelations of 2012. The first ever X2 ROH world champion that should tell you something of the calibre of this performer; Aries is one of the best all round wrestlers in the business and epitomises what is great and innovative about the X-Division, something that has always set TNA apart from the WWE. Aries and Joe are two of TNA’s most successful indie transfers and really give the company that air of credibility.

Following on from the inclusion on the roster of ‘The greatest man that ever lived’, ‘A-Double’ Austin Aries, is the way in which TNA are using their ex-WWE superstars who bring much needed star power to the promotion. Slammiversary saw the tag team of AJ Styles and Kurt Angle, two of TNA’s greatest world champions as they faced off against reigning tag champions Christopher Daniels and Kazarian. The chemistry of Styles and Angle worked well and the gelling and harmonising of TNA’s first ever grand slam champion and arguably TNA’s biggest ex-WWE signing is a great example of the way in which ex-WWE talent is being used correctly to undergird the quality of the roster and the booking without creating an elitist inner circle for themselves. Moreover RVD, Mr Anderson and Jeff Hardy put on a tremendous triple threat match, which included some amazing spots, proving that for three seasoned veterans that they can still entertain while putting their egos aside as the upper mid card without the diva attitude of ‘I’m only here to be world champion’. Slammiversary benefited all the more from these three individuals’ contribution and performances without them needing to muscle their way into the main event.

Slammiversary was also the venue of the announcement of the inaugural TNA Hall of Famer – none other than the icon Sting. It is debatable whether Sting should have been the first Hall of Fame inductee but he is certainly worthy of it. Sting has been a massive edition to TNA these past 6 years and has been used to put over several TNA world champions, while steering the ship in troubled waters such as Jeff Hardy’s drug induced self-destruction a couple of years ago. Sting has led by example over this past year, showing the next generation how to give your best performance week after week and how to remain relevant in an ever evolving wrestling landscape. His Joker gimmick of last year was a stroke of genius and proved that he still belongs within the contemporary wrestling scene unlike some of his peers, who have only disgraced themselves by their shameless self-aggrandisement and living off of their past reputations ala Rick Flair. Sting may have toyed with finally moving to the WWE over the past few years, but he has stayed loyal to TNA and I think TNA have made the right decision in inducting him into their Hall of Fame. Conversely, Sting’s biggest contribution to Slammiversary was in his main event title match against Bobby Roode.

Roode is currently the longest reigning TNA world champion and one of the best TNA ‘originals’ the company has produced. Roode is one of the biggest indicators of how far the company has come to reversing some of the questionable booking decisions of a couple of years ago. Roode is a homemade star within TNA and his rise to success has been well planned and executed – Roode has been attempting to break through the glass ceiling for a little while and has finally smashed through it with a vengeance. Roode has played the heel superbly over the course of his title reign proving that he deserves to be the flag bearer for TNA. What is more exciting though is not just the fact that Roode has made TNA history in this historic year but also how his break up and relationship with former tag partner and Beer Money member James Storm has played out. Storm returned at Slammiversary to take Crimson’s unbeaten streak in emphatic fashion in what appears to be a slow burn push leading to his own world title run, hopefully at Bound for Glory. Again Storm is another example of TNA promoting their ‘in-house’ talent and turning them into bona fide main eventers and world champions. TNA are certainly moving in the right direction with Roode and Storm at the helm.

What is particularly encouraging is the fact that TNA’s adopted mantra from last year ‘Wrestling Matters’ is still alive and well and has become engrained within the spirit and philosophy of the company. While it worked as way of differentiating themselves from the WWE who have taken the opposite approach to their marketing in recent times it would have been disappointing had it been only empty rhetoric. But TNA have proved that after 10 rocky years they have a lot to be proud of and many accomplishments to deservedly celebrate.

The WWE in comparison has had in many respects a mediocre year so far. The year started well with the mysterious ‘end of the world as you know it’ vignettes, which sadly fizzled out and proved a complete anti-climax when Jericho returned for the second time only to go on a losing streak, which continued all the way up to his suspension while at a house show in Brazil last month. Jericho had a great feud with Punk, one of the highlights of 2012 for me as his promos mimicked Punk’s ‘pipe bombs’ of 2011 cutting close to the bone and becoming extremely personal. Their match at Wrestle Mania 28 was the best of the night for me from a traditional wrestling stand point. Punk himself is currently enjoying an 8 month winning streak becoming one of the longest reigning WWE champions in recent memory. This has been a master stroke for the WWE who were guilty not so long ago of devaluing their prestigious world title. While some fans may be growing tired of Punk by now and complain that he is stagnating as champion, I think he is one of the most convincing champions the WWE have and has given back much of the legitimacy that the WWE was in danger of losing.

               

Two other superstars who have risen to prominence at the moment are Sheamus and Daniel Bryan. Sheamus’ face turn has been successful and his world title reign has been far more credible than his two previous WWE titles, both of which were short lived and distasteful, not to mention a travesty of his heel character. However, face Sheamus is finally enjoying the dominance on Smack Down that he deserves and I hope the WWE continue to book him strongly as he is one of the best legitimate heavyweights the WWE have. Daniel Bryan has brought his technical hard style indie wrestling that made him so popular in ROH to the WWE and has proven that there is a place for technical wrestling at the highest level of the all too often glamorous and over stylised main event scene. Despite this I felt WWE were wrong to have Bryan put Sheamus over in just 18 seconds at Wrestle Mania this year – Bryan deserved better.

Another irritating factor about Wrestle Mania 28 was the ‘end of an era’ Undertaker v HHH Hell in a Cell match, which ended... nothing! The language was apocalyptic and Armageddon was promised but what was delivered was just another, albeit excellent, streak match that saw Undertaker reach the unprecedented feat of 20-0. What disappointed me the most was the finish – unlike last year that saw a very human Undertaker leave the arena, this year Undertaker was allowed to dominate a beaten and battered HHH, who again showed far too much mercy despite vowing not to! And although there were several mark out moments for me, especially hitting Taker over the head with a sledge hammer and HBK connecting sweet chin music followed by a pedigree from HHH, Undertaker still managed to pummel the fight out of HHH until he could continue no more. The fact that an aging, injured Undertaker who is for the best part retired from the active roster and only wrestles now one match a year at Wrestle Mania was allowed to go over HHH so cleanly in the end was a disgrace. There was no swerve, no twist, no controversy and no double crossing, just Undertaker being made to look invincible. The streak, no doubt, will continue and as HHH has reprised his role as COO on screen it looks as if everything will go on as normal proving that in fact the end of an era was nothing more than empty rhetoric designed to sell a match.

Another failure in my eyes was the long anticipated comeback of Brock Lesnar. Lesnar returned the night after Wrestle Mania to the joy and euphoria of the fans but immediately the WWE booked themselves into a no win situation. Brock’s first action was to F5 Cena and set up a match at Extreme Rules. Cena had just come off of a surprise loss to the Rock the previous night. If Cena lost to two returning opponents at two PPVs back to back then it would send the implicit message that the current generation of WWE superstars are subpar compared to previous generations, and yet if Brock lost in his first match back in the WWE it would make him look weak and destroy any momentum he had at his return. In the end the latter proved the case as Brock lost and then kayfabe injured HHH’s arm leading him to ‘quit’ the WWE only a month after his triumphant return.

Dolph Ziggler continues to be on the cusp of his big break through, which has been teased many times over the past couple of years but to no avail. For some reason WWE are reluctant to pull the trigger on Ziggler, despite him being used as a fall back guy when needed. Ziggler is one of the best performers the WWE have and sells moves and takes bumps like no other and yet still he is stuck in mid card limbo unable to break from Vicky Guerro. I am beginning to fear for Ziggler now that his time may never come, at least not in the way his talent deserves.

So all in all WWE have blundered through 2012 with some booking triumphs and mistakes. For me nothing that the WWE has done this year has set the wrestling world on fire like MITB last year when Punk beat Cena in an historic night and the culmination of one of the greatest storylines of the 21^st Century. Maybe it is unfair to compare the WWE of 2012 with that of 2011 for that very reason but at the end of the day the WWE have set themselves a precedent now. For me while still a long way off from genuinely competing with the WWE from a marketing and financial point of view, TNA has made the greater improvement to the overall quality of their product and they deserve to be given the credit this year for celebrating their 10 year anniversary. May TNA enjoy 10 more years, which I am confident will be even better and more glorious than the first.

The Soundtrack to your Summer

Have a great week, be blessed! :)

Retro review: P.O.D. WA&SD

P.O.D.'s seventh studio album When Angels and Serpents Dance (WA&SD) debuted at No.9 in its first week in the billboard charts back in 2008 before slipping rapidly down the charts, unable to maintain its momentum selling a meagre 90,000 copies or so in its first year. However, is the album's poor sales a true reflection of its quality? I would argue no.

If there is one axiom that all P.O.D. fans have come to know it is that the band never release the same album twice and WA&SD is a great example of this mantra. WA&SD was released under some extraordinary circumstances - founding member Marcos Curiel returned to the band after a four year separation while the band signed a dual deal with Columbia/INO records for the distribution of their new album after the liquidation of Atlantic Records, their home since 1999's platinum selling F.E.O.S. WA&SD truly was a new chapter for the band who had come through some remarkably turbulent times.

The album met with muted praise and much dissatisfaction at being far more melodic than previous P.O.D. albums, seemingly lacking that energy that characterised P.O.D.'s unique take on nu-metal. Yet, diversification has always been a staple of P.O.D.'s sound and WA&SD is no exception. There is still aggression to be found on the album in the candid and heavy hitting Addicted, the Punk-Rock of Kali-forn-eye-a and the thunderous God Forbid; as well as P.O.D.'s penchant for infusing reggae into their kaleidoscopic sound sphere in I'll Be Ready. Conversely WA&SD showcases a more introspective, melodic and even political side to the band much more so than their previous six studio releases. Acoustic ballad Tell me Why? is a lament at the war on terror, a track that introduces Curiel's newly discovered passion for the glockenspiel, while closing track Rise Against sees the band at perhaps their most experimental electronically.

WA&SD may ultimately be remembered as the album that saw the return of Marcos Curiel but it deserves much more credit than that - Marcos' re initiation also brought with it a maturation and musical growth as well as the sorely missed latino sound of his Mexican heritage. WA&SD is one of the band's most sophisticated and ambitious musical endeavours to date juxtaposing the raucous and fun loving Kali-forn-eye-a with the poignant and powerful End of the World featuring a Gospel Choir and the gentle and heartfelt plea of Tell Me Why? Spiritually too the album contains hidden depths such as the title track WA&SD, which is an allegory for the struggle between good and evil within our consciences.

Perhaps WA&SD will sit a little more easily into P.O.D.'s discography in fans eyes with the imminent release of Murdered Love, the band's latest studio album and one which has seen the band return to its rap-metal roots. With all eyes and ears on Murdered Love (and deservedly so) WA&SD may well modestly shy into the background of many a fan's mind, but I believe it is certainly still worth listening to at the very least because it reveals a band not afraid of exploring every part of their musical spectrum. One might even make a case that the band had to 'lose' themselves to 'find' themselves again with Murdered Love being creatively born out of a hiatus following WA&SD.

A Whosoevers interview with Head and Fieldy

I just wanted to share a very special interview with Head and Fieldy of Korn. This interview (below) begins with the two musicians early years in high school and Korn and progresses to their respective conversions to Christianity. This interview is all the more remarkable in my eyes considering that Head and Fieldy were two fifths of one of the biggest metal bands in the world; Head chose to leave the band upon his conversion in 2005 while Fieldy decided to remain after his own conversion shortly afterward. Korn's influence within the metal world is undeniable, they were among a very select few groups of bands that launched the phenomenon that became known as nu-metal. Nu-metal's meteoric rise in popularity saw Korn launched into the stratosphere and join the pantheon of legendary metal and hard rock bands such as Black Sabbath, Led Zepplin, Metallica and Slayer. Similarly, along with material success, popularity and fame came with it a 24/7 party lifestyle of drugs, alcohol and sex. They were quite literally living like rockstars with the full legitimacy of actually being two of the most successful and influential musicians of the '90s.

This interview is testimony to the power of God that after the world had swallowed them up and spat them out leading to broken marriages, self-destructive addictions and depression that verged on the suicidal He would meet with them where they were, lift them up, heal and restore them. Several years have passed since the two men gave their lives to Christ and now they are using their talent and fame to help others know the love of God. Both men have released autobiographies documenting their journey to faith but until recently there had not been much contact between them. Again this interview is testimony to the reconciliatory nature of God's love that has brought both men back together again not just as friends or fellow musicians but as brothers in Christ - with a cause to see the lost saved. The harmony God so graciously blesses us with in our lives and relationships is beautiful and this interview is such an amazing reflection of this.

This interview means alot to me because my own faith has been encouraged so profoundly through their own testimonies and careers since becoming Christians. But it also means so much to me because of their history, because of the fact that when I was a teenager these two men, along with their band members in Korn were some of the most powerful cultural influences of our youth. Although I was always more into P.O.D. nevertheless Korn still played an important role in initiating my friendship circle into the world of alternative culture and nu-metal. I can still remember hanging out at my friends houses, their bedroom walls covered in Korn posters. Being so intimate with their careers makes this interview all the more wonderful because it truly proves the extraordinary power of the Gospel to bring light into darkness and hope into despair.

Enjoy.

The Whosoevers

The Whosoevers aren't exactly new, they were established in 2009 so have been around for a few years now, but while I have been following their events from a distance, casually taking a passing interest in them it's only recently that I've been really impacted by their mission and message!

So who or what are the Whosoevers? The founders of the Whosoevers are Ryan Ries, Sonny Sandoval (P.O.D.) and Brian 'Head' Welch (Love and Death/ex-Korn). The Whosoevers are a movement - a lifestyle and a positive stance against the depravity of the world and the artificiality of religion. The Whosoevers aren't a church or a denomination, they are a group of Christians prepared to live for Christ - their message is one of love and repentance leading to a personal relationship with God.

P.O.D. have been a major influence in my life for the past 11 years. They completely and radically revolutionized my view of Christianity. The Whosoevers are a natural extension of Sonny's career and ministry in P.O.D. - it is the part of Sonny's faith that lies behind the passion in P.O.D.'s music. Sonny's relationship with Christ and his experiences touring the world with P.O.D. have profoundly impacted his life and given him a heart to save the youth of today. It is this desire that led him to co-found the Whosoevers. Worship is more than music - it is a lifestyle and this is precisely what the Whosoevers are about: a true worshipful lifestyle.

The great thing about the nature of the Whosoevers is that anyone who is a Christian can identify themselves as a Whosoever based on the truth of John 3:16 from which the movement bases its name from:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever shall believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Seeing a movement that's not based around religion, a movement that is the very definition of grass-roots Christianity fills me with awe and excitement. And the Whosoevers are a grass-roots movement - the alternative music and culture that they are so intrinsically connected with is the vehicle with which they live out their faith, as an expression of the counter-cultural nature of the Gospel. Christianity is not about conformity to this world's values - it is about killing the flesh, dying to one's self and submitting to another: Jesus Christ. This is the culture that I was initiated into through P.O.D. but for so long they remained the sole source and reference of another view of Christianity. Now the Whosoevers has birthed that lifestyle as a movement for the Kingdom of God. That is a movement and a Kingdom I want to be a part of; a movement that stands for truth, love and hope. Therefore I am a Whosoever!

for more information: www.thewhosoevers.com

The Dark Knight Rises Trailer 3

Excited does not do this film justice. For over a decade my favourite film has been the Matrix; a film that was groundbreaking for its time with an intelligent plot, superb special effects and top quality fight choreography. The film had everything: style and substance, action and emotion, intelligence and spirituality, which is why for so long no other film has come close to touching its greatness in my eyes. That is until now. The Dark Knight Rises has the potential to replace the Matrix as my favourite film of all time. So what is so special about the Dark Knight Rises? The latest trailer is the best indication yet of just how good this film could be. I will now break down the reasons why I have such high expectations of this film:

Batman:
I want to start with the most obvious - the protagonist, Batman. Batman is my favourite comic book superhero - he's highly intelligent (an expert in criminology), he's athletic and strong with genuine martial arts training from Asia not just some conveniently endowed super powers; he fights out of a strong moral conviction in the injustice of evil and is the personification of the virtues he seeks to encourage in Gotham City. Above all he's a man with an unwavering sense of hope that Gotham is redeemable from the crime and evil that ensnares it. Very few other comic book environments take on anthropormorphic qualities such as Gotham City, it's as if the city itself is forsaken in the perpetual clutches of evil but Batman alone stands as the vanguard and bulwark of all that is good and decent and righteous. Christopher Nolan has truly captured the essence of Batman as a character in his portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman played by Christian Bale. Bale's Batman is a far more imposing physical specimen than any of his predecessors incarnations as well as having a far greater sense of authenticity from Bale's other action roles. What I love most about Nolan's reboot is his emphasis on Batman as the Dark Knight. This was a sublime and genius decision and piece of storytelling. The Dark Knight bears all the right connotations connected with the character of Batman: an edgy antihero that inspires fear and intimidation into his enemies as well as a servant, a guardian and a protector of all that is good in Gotham.

Bane:

Every great hero needs a great villain and the antagonist for Nolan's swansong is non other than the most physically dominant and one of the most highly intelligent villains in the entire Batman legend - Bane. While the Joker will always be Batman's arch-nemesis and the late Heath Ledger's iconic portrayal was a masterpiece that will stand the test of time, Nolan was right to keep Bane till last. While the Joker is pure evil - a self confessed "agent of chaos", Bane was the first villain to break into the Batcave and break Batman's spine, in the cult classic graphic novel Knightfall. There could be no better villain to end the trilogy than the villain who legitimately defeated the Dark Knight in the comics. This automatically creates the speculation, will the film stay true to the comics and will this be the end for Bale's Batman or is the allusion to the Knightfall story in the new trailer a red herring? Nolan has intelligently created massive hype for this film simply through Bane's inclusion, because of the vast amounts of options Bane as a character gives him. But just as Bale is a casting triumph, so too I believe is Tom Hardy as Bane. Hardy's shaved head, mask wearing Bane may seem far more human that the Lucha Libra masked, venom enhanced Bane of the comic books but he is altogether far more sinister. This brings me to what I believe is so special about Hardy's Bane: the voice. There is something innately sinister about not being able to discern someone's true voice. The distortion and muffled effect of Bane's mask upon his voice gives me chills. His image, his gait, his screen pressence is absolutely undeniable, when you see Bane on screen you are drawn in, compelled to watch what he does and yet terrified at the same time of the horror he is capable of unleashing.

Catwoman:
No Batman trilogy would be complete without Catwoman, Bruce Wayne's on/off love interest in the graphic novels makes her debut along with Bane in the Dark Knight Rises. Again like Bane, Nolan's inclusion of Catwoman automatically sparks interest and speculation - is she good or bad? Will she become Wayne's girlfriend or sidekick? Will she meet a happy or tragic end? The casting of Anne Hathaway came as a suprise to some but like the rest of Nolan's casting I am sure it will be vindicated. From the latest trailer Hathaway's Catwoman is true to the comic books and will play an instrumental part in the story's conclusion. I am very much looking forward to the interplay and chemistry between Batman and Catwoman as hinted at in the trailer.

Technology:
Where would Batman be without his gadgets? Batman Begins introduced the Batmobile, the Dark Knight the Batpod and now the Dark Knight Rises the Batwing. The scale of the final film is truly phenomenal judging from the trailers, from the opening prologue of an aeroplane heist, to all out civil war and an aerial battle with the Batwing.

Films get bigger and better every year so it takes something very special and extraordinary to break the mould and stand above all the high tech special effects. Everything in the Dark Knight Rises trailer suggests this film will be one of the greatest films of all time. The trilogy has amazing depth in scope, storyline, character development, casting and action.

Love and Death 'Chemicals' EP review

'Chemicals' is the debut EP from Brian 'Head' Welch's new band Love and Death. The EP itself is but an appetiser for the forth coming debut album to be released later this year. The EP consists of five tracks, lead single Paralyzed, Devo cover track Whip It and title track Chemicals, along with two remixes of Paralyzed and Chemicals. Immediately fans of Korn and Head's solo album will hear the trademark signature guitar sounds that made Korn so iconic back in the mid to late 90s. To the informed listener 'Chemicals' sounds like a band with a strong sense of identity: Brian has managed to evolve his style further through the blending and syncronising of his efforts in Korn and his solo endeavour. The music is heavy, at times crushing and at others atmospheric, but every chorus containing infectious hooks. Brian has managed to capture the energy that characterised his earlier riffs with Korn that made their music so dark and powerful.

Lyrically, Brian reaches into those dark aspects of his past and continues his cathartic exorcism of his former demons. The lyrics will resonate very strongly with those who appreciated his solo album as well as Korn fans who found a voice for their pain and struggles in Jonathan Davis bearing his soul. Brian and his new band members have crafted a strong gothic image for Love and Death and this is reflected in the subject matter of the lyrics. 'Chemicals' is a dark and edgy EP that has rediscovered Brian's unique guitar style that reverberates as powerfully across the heavy music landscape today as it did back in 1994. If 'Chemicals' is anything to go by Love and Death are a band that will satisfy the cravings and longings of many heavy music fans for years to come.

My only criticism of the EP (and it is a minor one considering the calibre of the tracks) is that it is so short. Only two original songs, plus a cover track and two remixes. However, the EP serves perfectly to put Love and Death on the map ready for the full length album later in the year and is still great value for the low price its available for on itunes.