Three Brothers

Three brothers walking through the deathly wilderness
Faces death in a river black and deep

Conquering their fears they bridge the river and cross the ends
This act of wit impresses death and it takes form in front of them

"Well done mortal souls you have crossed the eternal test of courage"

"I shall grant you each one wish for the valience displayed"

The first one, vengeance afflicted, asks for a great sword invincible
With this he kills his enemy, but dies in the hands of a stealing bandit

The second one, with a lost love, asks for an amulet of ressurection
He revives his long-dead wife, but kills himself in seeing a soulless love in front of him

The third one, the wise one, asks for a cloak of invisibility
With which he treads a thousand years, defying death and living a perfect life

Three brothers, a story long lost, reminding of the act of the mind
Ever after, living faith, comes with decisions wisely made

Death wandered around the world, ,looking for the third brother
He never had a sight of him, death got surprised at the wisdom in the world
One in three, took a right step, and has a happy life ahead
And passes on the cloak and wisdom to the sons and daughters years ahead

Three brothers, a story long lost, reminding of the act of the mind
Ever after, living faith, comes with decisions wisely made

--Instrumental Section--

Three brothers, a story long lost, reminding of the act of the mind
Ever after, living faith, comes with decisions wisely made
A learning grace, for years to come
The treasure of wisdom, conquers all our fears

Jewel

If I try to forget you, but
If I need you if I breathe you
Then how can this be possibly true?

If I want you if I love you
If I show you that its so true
Then I want you to...

Stay with me for the rest of time
As I play with my guitar throughout the night
Hold my hand and touch my heart
Because you're the Jewel of my Crown

Silently you walk into my heart...

Call on you baby call on me
And I know its nothing but our destiny
All for you girl all for the smile
Its just love for me as a daily sight

Special hands special eyes
Turning tides all the night
As I touch the silky sky
You need to realize...


Stay with me for the rest of time
As I play with my guitar throughout the night
Hold my hand and touch my heart
Because you're the Jewel of my Crown


Stay with me for the rest of time
As I play with my guitar throughout the night
Hold my hand and touch my heart
Because you're the Jewel of my Crown

Those Eyes...

Showered confetti
Glittered skies
Enigmatic blueness
All in those eyes

Sparkling and stunning
Feels like the stars
Have come sheltered in here
All in those eyes

Resonating voices
These eyes does convey
Turning stone in to water
And night in to day

Deep and sultry
Filled with eternal serum
Casting a Spell
Which is more than welcome
All in those eyes

Showstopping lights
Like a neverending gale
Why is such beauty
Like a fairy tale?

Losing all senses
Drifting without control
I try to focus
But my mind is on a roll

Tryst with fate it might be
Or might be a lucky day
But whatever be the cause
I'm still reeling away

Alone to Be

There was this grim silence once again. The music was going on, as usual, but still that time marked an unfortunate event. “Hey dude… Come on one more peg!! You can do it! Come on T-Man!”
It was a deafening silence. The walls around were so far apart, yet the feeling of Claustrophobia crept in like the venom of a freshly bit Snake Wound, right up to the Skull. Smiles were all around, and people were rejoicing. Yet, something was missing, something deep inside, something which cannot be fathomed. Ok clear it. Put it aside. There are people who do not attain happiness even close to what you are getting right now. Feel lucky. Have a peg.
Drinking was never the forte. It never took away pain or grief like everyone said so. It just made the brain work less and it made the grief shoot up now and then spontaneously like horror movies which give Heart Attacks. Closing the eyes does not help too. It makes everything go round and round, like a merry-go-round. The thought of messing up the self-image by behaving out of place keeps the freedom inside a hard shelled cocoon, never letting it out. Drinking has been happier, when there are times which cannot be forgotten. With special people, when one knows that no matter how stupefying the behavior turns out to be, everything is taken in as a part of the game. Love that stuff. But with brethren, it’s all about keeping that Leo Pride intact, that kingly presence. Bullshit.
Sometimes life fosters questions, why and why again. Treading on the career path, getting things which are socially optimum, and winning the smiles and applauds of so many people you don’t even care about. How about doing something you would want to do? How about trying to be someone you wanted to be? No. It’s always about society, isn’t it? Getting good marks, having that productive life ahead; But what about something which the heart seeks, something which can stop this whole rat-race nonsense. Why go abroad when there is a strong reason to stay back? Why become a dog?
If life spells happiness in these things, then it is a sorry state of affairs, and deserves condemning. Success is nothing unless there is sharing and caring. Unless there are opportunities where one can just do weird stuff to make him smile and make the people around him smile along. And rightly said so, behind every successful man, there is an entity. This entity completes the circle of life. It creates joy, and abolishes grief. That is what people run after day after day, like a butterfly catcher. Never there. Never with. Never together.
Leos are weak. Whoever said that they are kings of the jungle. Below that crown lies a hollow skull, full of insecurity and woe. Damn those Astrological gurus. In the end, the tail is all that is left. A monkey is what stares from the mirror. Inside a cage, the monkey needs to be let loose. To hell with the lion, jumping from tree to tree is much more fun. If only there was a deal with the devil. But they say, waiting can beckon happiness. Alone to be, patiently. Like a Stone.

I'm all Surrounded

Morning comes too Early
And Night Time falls too Late
And sometimes all I want to do is Wait
The Shadows I've been hiding in
Has fled from me today...

I know its easier
To walk away
Than look you in the Eyes
But a time will Rise
When I shall Shelter you
From the Skies
And here beneath the Stars tonight I lie
You will slowly yield the Light
As I awaken from my Longest Night...

Dreams are shaken
Setting Sirens
Waking up my tired eyes
With the light of your memories
All rushing into my Head...

By the window stands a Mirror
Of my heart in which she dances
She was dancing through the night
Above my bed...

With one hand through the Window
I Close the Shutters
All against the Wind
And from a distant tower I hear you call
'Let light surround you'

It's been a long, long time
I've had a while to think it over
In the end I only see the change
From Light to dark
Dark to light
Light to dark
Dark to light...

Heaven must be more than this
When angels wake me with a Kiss
When sacred hearts won't give the pain
To me make me happy all again...

I stand before the window
The shadow slowly fading
From the Wall
And from a distant tower I hear you call
'Let light surround you'

Once lost but I was found
When I heard the glass shatter all around me
I sent your spirit tumbling down the hill
But I will hold this one on now inside me still
This Spirit whispers words to clear my mind
I once could see but now at last I'm Blind...
I'm Content...

I know its easier
To walk away
Than look you in the Eyes
But I had given
All than I can take
And now I've only habits left to Break
Tonight I'll still be lying here surrounded
In all your light

Conceiving You...

I've been wanting you for so long
You reach up my senses and make your form
These feelings make me repel away from you
Away from you...

I've been watching you
Not waiting, for the right moment to make the first move
Do you want to know
Why I keep avoiding your eyes?
And why I'm running away?
Its Crazy... I know

You make me realize my true color
The bleak form and the perishing conscience
And then off comes the wind
And blows me away from you...
Away from you...

Or maybe I am Destined to be Alone
Or maybe there is someone who will understand
That I'm not able to share my world
I'm still running away
Its Crazy... I know

I've been Conceiving You
For too Long
If only I could change the things around...

Occam's Razor

"Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication"

Follow the Pied Piper, follow him to your death
In this World the Rat Race Consumes you
Instigated by the world, by the esoteric powers
Miniscule miracle, it ceases to exist

Looking up to the sky, the rain blurring the eyes
The piercing and impaling, the merciless dismay
Walking like a machine, what we all have turned to
We are blinded by the light, blinded by the light

Break the shackles, free yourself from the clutches of life
Follow the law of parsimony, soon you shall arrive
This world needs no extra, no extra deeds or might
Occam's Razor is the key, for your reason and right

Jaded is the feeling, the feeling of respite
When people run around you, feeling nothing but sheer hate
Pain absorbs the energies, of peace and content in life
All the extra work we do, it kills us with their knife

"Show me the path, show me the road to light"
"Help me duel with the system, and triumph against it"
"This prayer I seek the answer, with my last breath nearing"
"I am the dreaded victim, I am the Social Man"

Break the shackles, free yourself from the clutches of life
Follow the law of parsimony, soon you shall arrive
This world needs no extra, no extra deeds or might
Occam's Razor is the key, for your reason and right

..........

When we need not do the unnecessary
When we lead the life is joy
When we jump ahead of the others
When we reason for no choice

When we do what is necessary
The question is answered
The life needs no extra
Simplicity is what it asks

Break the shackles, free yourself from the clutches of life
Follow the law of parsimony, soon you shall arrive
This world needs no extra, no extra deeds or might
Occam's Razor is the key, for your reason and right

Live your life with harmony, embrace the simple life
Follow the law of parsimony, soon you shall arrive
This world needs simplicity, complex thoughts discarded
Occam's Razor is the key, for your reason and right
For your Reason and Right

..........

Dreams left Unanswered - Consumerism in the Indian Education System

Money is not everything. Although it does make up for a hell lot of things people want, still it is not everything. The trends of consumerism can also be seen in the Indian Education System. If the system boasts to be a myriad of opportunities, it needs a slap on its face right away.

Childhood fosters learning, learning fosters knowledge and knowledge fosters temptation. In this chain, a person often forgets what he aspires to be during his sunshine days. A Fighter Pilot, a Scientist, a Painter, a Guitarist or a Cricket Player, everything just disappears into dust under the immense pressure of Social Duty. The chronological Phenomenon in the Indian Education System is also noteworthy.

A kid joins school, and ever since then, is under pressure to perform academically. He is trialled and tested every now and then to prove to the Society how good or how bad he is. He needs to carry a heavy bag, sometimes almost half his weight, filled with books to school, and is expected to excel in all that. After the board exams, he is expected to take the "best" Course of Action, the "best" being decided as to what the academically brilliant co-students are pursuing or what the general crowd perceives to be marvelous. Consumerism comes into the picture in all this. Starting from the Parent's decision to provide quality education to their Child to the Child deciding what Stream to pursue after his 10th boards, in this case generally following what everyone looks up to - be it a Science or Commerce Stream in the Best Institute Possible. The extreme exposures from Social Pressure and Heavy Responsibilities loaded on the Child's shoulders forces him to take a decision beyond his Childhood aspirations. This is the step when the Fighter Pilot or the Cricket Player dies. And comes up a Potential Engineer or a Doctor or a CA.

Why is society so Skewed in this regard? Why can't every individual pursue what he dreams of becoming? In fact, a person would give his 100% effort for the Society if he is put in a place where he can openly declare that what he is doing is completely independent of any force-feeding or social duties. By social duty, it means the glimpses of the so called "successful career path" which is constantly bombarded upon the individual to force him and make him believe that there is just one path for him to reach Social Happiness and attain a Successful Life. This is how success is defined in the Indian context. And it is a pity.

When it comes to MBA, fifteen years back, majority of the Children would never in fact, think that he or she would end up being a Business Manager. Nobody does. But the Skewed society is such that it forces its self-made definition of a successful path into the human brain that everybody, by the time he or she reaches the 12th standard, or is pursuing Graduation, thinks that MBA (or a similar Master degree) is the only way towards salvation, towards eternal success. People spend ages to get into an MBA institute, blindly believing that this route will provide success for the individual. But financial independence is not the only goal which defines success. Has anyone thought that when he or she sits on a chair, controlling a huge enterprise, he would be completely satisfied and happy with the work he is doing? Wouldn't he rather be controlling a spaceship and traveling through asteroids and visiting alien planets?

Consumerism in the Education perspective has made life a sorry state in India. The West holds a host of opportunities for kids out there, who are allowed to choose anything they desire, without anyone questioning their choices or laughing at their decisions. Theology, Philosophy, Genetic Research, Photographer, Painter, Guitarist, Singer, whatever the person aspires to be can be achieved. I'm not saying it is IMPOSSIBLE here in our country. But one who dares to tread in those paths often are victims of Social Mockery and being labeled as Inferior. The society who indulges in such acts of Negative Reinforcements against such interesting career paths needs to be incinerated, i believe. Because every individual is born for a purpose, a reason. And if, under the pressures of society, he changes his course and becomes a money-minting machine, then God save the World.

Behaviors of the Consumed

Eats. Muriel really eats. She devours tons and tons of food before anyone even realizes this inhumane behavior of hers. Behavior of the primitive, the paranoid, the obese. And then she lets go of her attire. Which is of course, a part of her act, and she smiles in glee and the audience applauds. The curtain falls.

Muriel is a stage performer. She has just performed the role of a bloating female Ogre. During the encore, she is applauded for her witty acts of eating half burnt rodent meat at incredible speed. She is 32, and weighs over 70 kilograms. They generally pay her a lot of money for her acting skills.

Regardless of who we are via Genesis, the acts and strange things which we do define us more than our Surnames. You can call it a Semiotic Perspective, the likes which would make our existence obsolete without associating ourselves with things we eat, things we drive or things we spray around. There would be a time soon when we would have Brand names instead of Surnames, which would justify our states better.

In a world full of advice, people gasp for breath against this huge tsunami of Advertisements falling every hour on our small heads. Buy this, don’t buy this, throw this, don’t throw this, each and every message coming through our senses turn out to be advices and advices. The human character is no more. We are driven everyday by someone else, or something else. I am not being cynical about this, because whatever said and done, it is all cumulating up as fun inside of us. But to think of this fact that every decision we make has so many propellers behind it, some being thrust on by people we don’t even know or care. Advertisements rule the world, Marketing has overtaken freewill.

Consumers are shoved into this Perceptive Reality called satisfaction through consumption. Each and every consumer thinks he is independent and powerful enough and is leading his life like an emperor. But the fact of the matter is that for every satisfaction we thrive for, is not inherent. It is all planted and set up by repetitive exposure of advices and temptations. Which are in turn engineered by Companies for fooling the consumers into thinking that he needs this stuff so bad that he must buy it.

The instance of Muriel as an actor shows the essence of a script, which leads a normal human being to become a voracious ugly creature, just at the instruction of the writer and director. Applying the same framework to the real life outside the stage, it’s the same jaded picture. The Advertisements and the constant AIDA algorithm replace the Direction and Script, and the everyday consumer replaces the actor.

There might be millions of counter-arguments to this post, but on careful assessment, once can evaluate every action of every individual to be inspired or instigated by something or someone. Advertisements and Marketing communication act as the instigator more than the inspirer, since there are a lot of things which a man may discard away from his everyday life, and not suffer consequences (watching a movie, for instance) at all. But the force of persuasion bestowed by the Advertising Virus has eaten it all. Eaten the independent human decision. Eaten more than what Ogre Muriel has ever eaten in her entire life. All of it...

A-Mateur Life

"Oi Asshole! Gimme your Sandwich!"

"But, but... What do I have for my lunch?"

"You can have this..." *WHAM!*

Pampering Parents. They never know their son had Nightmares of the Bullies tormenting him in class. No, there was complete justification as to why A-Mateur did not mention this Everyday Tremor to his Folks... He had a Huge Ego... An ego that could easily crush his immature existence in a second... And that did not let him reveal in front of his Pampering folks that he was apparently a Coward, a Loser, a Punching Bag... Time flew... And one day, he committed Suicide... Game Over...


*This is called WRITER'S BLOCK, btw...*

My Prayer

Mighty One,

Help me be a channel of Thy peace
That where there is hatred, I may bring love
That where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness
That where there is discord, I may bring harmony
That where there is error, I may bring truth
That where there is doubt, I may bring faith
That where there is despair, I may bring hope
That where there is shadow, I may bring light
That where there is sadness, I may bring joy
That I may seek rather to comfort, than to be comforted
That I may seek to understand rather than to be understood
That I may seek to love, rather than to be loved
For it is by self-forgetting that one finds,
It is by forgiving that one is forgiven

Chronicles de Journia

Procrastination kills. Be it just for moments or for a whole decade. The wee hours of rainfall when the taxi just drives past, the human mind too timid to get drenched for just a couple of seconds, deciding to wait for another one... Expecting hopefully to cozy up in another yellow cab... They come every 10 seconds... But there's no "another" now... No taxi, no drydom... 2 seconds of wet aversion and now need to walk in the cold rain for half an hour... Primitive instance this, yet worth thinking of...

April came, and the blog was ignored... No more... I write...

Much to my delight had I got the opportunity to tread on Foreign Earth... My duties embrace comfort, the cusp of perfection, and I am happy... My bottle shattered - Green and Melancholic... The Other Half Revisited, the heat unleashing the demento cell of the Brain... The Gin and tonic... The Fake Answers... And the Pat on the Back... All in the pipeline...

Someone told me that I write too vaguely... I would like to deny that... Being a progressive musician, I request everybody to open their minds and try to read my blog... It is as simple as a Chaai and an Egg Patties...

The Most Powerful Prodigy which Drove my Enthusiasm to do Something and Anything

This is Solid Snake. A Man driven by his Urge for Knowledge and Sustainability. A Man letting go of almost everything good in his way to dive deep into the Pits of Corruption and Fallacy, to eliminate Danger and Threat and to Restore the Ways of a Straightforward Life.

Courtesy: Hideo Kojima (Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo) under the Banner METAL GEAR SOLID

Purgatory

Flawless minds of Mortals
Returning us the Favor
Ejecting out all Hatred
Sustaining in For Ever
Death a Fearful Nemesis
Retribution a Scary way
For the Mind chooses to Blunder
to Go against the Light of the Day

Under wretched Skies, under Thunder Storms
The Treading goes on and on
Hurdle upon hurdle & Milestones crossed
Voraciously seeking a New Dawn

Crime and Violence in
The Minds of all Within
Drives the Inner Beast
Blackens the Conscience
Death a Fearful Nemesis
Retribution a Scary way
After Death comes the Time
The Purgatory Relishes

Under wretched Skies, under Thunder Storms
The Treading goes on and on
Hurdle upon hurdle & Milestones crossed
Voraciously seeking a New Dawn

Hello, Souls of Men
Who Claim as Gentlemen
Are Invited Here
To the Purgatory
The Shining Pit of Lava
Is where the Soul is Fed
To Cleanse the Evil Done
To Innocent the Man

Purgatory Cleansing
The Pit of Lava Drenching
Cleanses the Soul of Man
Tries to Better it While it Can
But alas, the Plight
Reducing the Body Half Sized
The Soul Cleansed of Sin
Has only a Baby Within

Under wretched Skies, under Thunder Storms
The Treading goes on and on
Hurdle upon hurdle & Milestones crossed
Voraciously seeking a New Dawn

Cleansing up the Soul, mind and body's Toll
Reduces it to Innocence
When the baby Cries, now you know Why
The Purgatory afflicts its Wrath
That's how the Cycle Flows, on the Body and Soul
Purity just a Form
Of Innocence, of no Knowledge
Growing up is our Ultimate Sin...
We shall all Go...
To the Purgatory

An Existence Scaling Eternity

Part I: Outroduction

Standing by the Lake
I see my own Reflection
Remembering the Past
My Deeds under Conviction
Barren Ambitions
I have Sinned myself
There is Nowhere now
No Shelter no Spare Forgiveness

I see myself , as a Failed Soul
Never wanted this, its over, no more
I shall end my Life, rid of all the Dark
I destroyed the Light, now I Erase my Mark

How could I end up so Evil?
How could I Darken my Soul?
My Creation a Fault, my Existence an Err
Am I the "Successful Man"?


Part II: Spawn

Sixty years back in Time
When the Mother gave Birth to the Child
No Remorse, no Regret, no Pain
The Legacy Bearer had arrived
Nourished and Groomed
I grew up, took the Flame
And lit the Torch of Knowledge
Here I was, a Man to be

I saw in Me, the Light of the Day
All my Efforts, bore Fruits of Joy
Climbing up, the Endless Ladder
I reach the top, without Surrender

Have I done what is needed?
Inflicted pain, Vicariously
I am a Leader, I am the Man
Have I Released the Suffering off other Men?

Waking up Everyday
With the Feel of Pain
The World Burns as I Rise
Is this The Way? Is my Path Astray?
Is Money a Choice? Am I put up by Clay?
Have I done Evil?


Part III: Anguish

-Instrumental-


Part IV: Reflection

I cannot Forget
The Pain I Felt
When I walked by
The Poor Little Child
He asked me How
To Rid his Pain
His unfair Life
Like the Merciless Rain

Oh, when we Become
What we Aspire
We forget Others
And their Painful Fires
Their Haunting Ghouls
Demons let Loose
The Cruel World
The Fate all Ruined

Harmony exists in Theory
The Sound of Music
Releases the Beauty
This Frame so Perfect
Can we use it in Life?
Can we save them All?
And make them Smile...

Oh, the Duty of Man
Is not to Achieve
His Personal Gains
In his Family's Reach
When God Sent me
He had a Motive
For me to be
His Instrument of Harmony

The Poor Little Child
He Changed my Mind
I Realize
I'm still not Done...


Part V: Action/Conclusion

My Age has Become, my Pro and my Con
My Knowledge Gained, My Ability Confound
I need to Help, but my Limbs Deny
My Son, you should, carry my Flame
My Legacy, and My Name...

I see in You, what I was Not
The Light Required, this World Aspires
Retrieve the Peace, Restore the Joy
Maintain Harmony, my Dearest Boy

What I thought I did
Was Incomplete
Its your Turn Now
To Sow the Seeds
As I take my Last Breath
I feel Proud of You
You are my Son
You are the "Successful Man"


The End

A Speculative Adieu... Or Something on those Lines

Friends and Comrades... My Term III Finals are approaching, and I have done zilch to expect a good grade this time... Although flunking ain't one of my habits, I doubt i'll be able to live up to it this time... Worser things apart, I would be going on a Trip to Delhi Plus a Eurotrip as well... So I wouldn't be blogging much in the coming 2 months... However, this is subject to change, depending on the resources available and unavailable...

I had written 2 pieces a while back but had forgotten to post them here... Doing that rightaway... And, I guess that would be it! See you folks... Stay Tuned...

Black Clouds and Silver Linings

"And He will give you everything you need from day to day if you seek Him first and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern." Matthew 6:33


The wait is finally over... The Gods are here...

Dream Theater's new album Black Clouds and Silver Linings is due to be released on the 23rd of June, 2009. After their flabbergasting entry into the Progressive Metal Scene with their Platinum Album IMAGES AND WORDS, Dream Theater is said to finally incorporate their Old Technically Rich Attributes to this new album, popularly christened as IMAGES AND WORDS PART II.

Although their last commercial venture, SYSTEMATIC CHAOS was quite a hit among the Metal loving Junta, it lacked the typical Dream Theater expertise in its finishing. "In the Presence of Enemies" was a close contender to their Old technical Prowess but still it was more Popularity oriented. This new album promises to give a 10/10 for all the Prog Loving Crazy Fans, ironically, this being Dream Theater's 10th Released Album as well.

The track listing for BLACK CLOUDS & SILVER LININGS is as follows:

1. A Nightmare to Remember
2. A Rite of Passage
3. Wither
4. The Shattered Fortress
5. The Best of Times
6. The Count of Tuscany

Dream Theater has this knack of living up to the Song Titles, in which case, these songs are going to be epics, A to Z. For one, I am really very excited over this news, and am really eager to get my hands on the first DVD released in India.

Review Time. In my opinion, the first song would be somewhat of a dark song, with more Stoner influence and would end in the same magnificent Dream Theater style, with a twist towards the end, of course. As a matter of fact, I am mostly inspired by this style of writing, and try to incorporate this specific flow in all my Lyrics. The Second song sounds more like a slow peppy Proggy number, more like maybe The Spirit Carries On from Scenes fame. The Second song should be the MTV kinda song, which DT needs to publish to be able to grab attention in the commerical arena. The third song can be of two types - Opethish, slow and unhappy, or something which could be very very heavy and technically complex. Waiting for that! The fourth one, of course, as the name suggests, is the next piece to the Alcoholics Anonymous series of Mike Portnoy. The Shattered Fortress = The Glass Prison makes complete sense. So there you go, another run down the hill killing you kinda song. The fifth song sounds like a Take the Time kinda motivation song with major impressions. And this would also be one heck of a song, no doubt. Well, the final song is about the Count of Tuscany. This would be in the lines of Octavarium and A Change of Seasons. But, I believe, this could be a really much awaited Epic which ALL Dream Theater fans were dying to listen to. Possibly a 25 minute song, all I can say on this is, fasten your seat belts.

The cover is by far the BEST Dream Theater album cover released till date. Beautifully completed, it figures an elephant, on top of quite a few books, holding a painting brush by its trunk. This could possibly mean the DT brain doing a lot of research on what to write, but finally drew an eye (Awake fame) and this was accepted by the crow as well (Rudess!!) and hence they open the door towards light amidst the dark sinister Clouds and Celestial Bodies. The Broken Bottle is reminiscent of Mike Portnoy's Alcoholics Anonymous Series. Finally, I think the young boy would represent the future budding Prog Bands (hopefully, my band would take this place one day), who is staring at the light, understanding how DT knits and finishes all its amazing writings, taking the knowledge and carrying the torch (Don't worry DT, Nova Sanctum would give its life to carry your saga, till the end of time). Overall, a beautiful picture.

Can't wait for BCSL. Hail DT!! The best band in the whole world!!

Blitzkrieg

Tighten your Seatbelts
Off we Go
We zip beyond Mach Three
Never we Slow
This pace of the human mind
Constantly moves up the tide
Each second the speed of life
Quantifies in this drive

Far outwards, further we reach
Beating the drums, sowing our seeds
Revolutions, multiplied the torque
A sweaty brow, an endless journey

Run faster, move thy flag of Kinship
Your property your life at stake
Burning fingers, tiring limbs
Endure them always, staying awake
Your heavy burden, shall you bear
Till your grave, where ends Despair

Moving, into the wild
Panting, there ain't no denial
The blink of an eye, you don't fall down
Time and Space, in your head
You move Faster than Sound

Hush now, discussions going on
Conspiracy, hypocrisy
Ties you by your legs, makes you surrender
Check your laces, tighten them up, and run away

There ain't no time, to grief and cry
Over petty matters, there's no point why
Your burden keep it safe and sound
Even when you end up moving round and round

Moving, into the wild
Panting, there ain't no denial
The blink of an eye, you don't fall down
Time and Space, in your head
You move Faster than Sound

And when you find, you're just in time
Your straps bound, breathing denounced
The hopes alive, and your dreams still
Intact in time, for you to find... them
You're moving faster faster faster
Faster than Sound

Moving, into the wild
Panting, there ain't no denial
The blink of an eye, you don't fall down
Time and Space, in your head
You move Faster than Sound

Moving, into the wild
Panting, there ain't no denial
The blink of an eye, you don't fall down
Time and Space, in your head
You move Faster than Sound
Faster than sound...

Kaged and Kreased

When Skrubafeldt left the House, he had in mind all his memories... How the Blimey had pissed on his lap, how the Blimey had pestered his ever treasured manhood, and how the owner of the Blimey came home to find Blimey dead...

"What on earth happened?!! Dwight! How did this happen?"

"Erm... Mrs. Guzman, your puppy bit me on my leg, see? So i tried kicking it off, and it fell on the fireplace."

"But you could have done something else, couldn't you, rather than incinerating poor Rover! Ow you blasted sonofagun! You'll pay for this! Get out! NOW!!"

What an idiot Dwight was! Can't even take care of one explanation, uttered Skrubafeldt. The Blimey was ever irritating. Those photos on the mantleplace were so pretty, so nice. But the blimey had to interfere. Good that he died, thought Skrubafeldt. That pair of withered bosoms can't do no shit! Haha, he smirked.

But wait, what if Uncle Randy came to know, thought Dwight. He'd kill me. He'd send me to juvenile hall again! No!! I don't want those rotten potatoes in my mouth again! No!! No way!!

Shut the fuck up, moron! I am Skrubafeldt. I shall not let you, my love, go to that whore of a place again... If you are that concerned with saving your ass from that wheezer, do this.

Dwight tiptoed across the Guzman backyard. He jumped the fence, and quietly opened Uncle Randy's garage door.

There! There it is!! Take it! Yes, the whole fuckin gallon! And don't forget the matchbox! Haha!! Old senile ass will find out how the blimey had felt inside the fireplace... Hahaahaahaaa!!

Mrs. Guzman could still not recover from the shock she got from the sight of the burnt, bone-exposed body of poor ol Rover. After Henry's death at the Vietnam war, she, a woman of 70, was all alone. She had a very remarkable life. A Playboy playmate for three consecutive years in the Sixties, she was quite the bombshell. they said. Yet now, her face or figure had no meaning. She led a life of solitude, and only had Rover, her faithful pet dog, as company. She sat on the couch and started weeping. That Dwight kid was insane. Randy should have locked him in his garage like he did before, she thought. She decided that evening she would visit Randy and complain about this vicious murder of her dog.

Sprinkle left! Sprinkle right! Yes yes yes!!! Dwight, you are getting brighter, my love. Skrubafeldt makes you brighter and sharper and gaaaaaaaaayyyy!!! Hahahahahaa!! Watch out, its falling on your shirt too... There you go!! That's like a nice urchin!

Suddenly, Mrs. Guzman hears a loud loud holler.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! HELP!! HELP ME!! Aaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"

Dwight was writhing in pain as the fire had caught up his shirt, his curly hair and his tracks. Mrs. Guzman couldn't take it anymore. She fainted on her couch after this glimpse through her window. What the fuck was happening??

You moron! You fool! I told you to throw the match towards the house. And you had smeared gasoline on your hands too??l!! Aaaaaaaa!!! The pain!! Ohhh the pain!! Son of a bitch!

Dwight had suffered the plight of being falsely accused of murdering his aunt, for which he spent 10 years at juvenile hall. He developed a split-personality disorder there, which motivated him to commit out-witted, paranoid and sexually perverted acts. He called himself Skrubafeldt, the gay soul. Dwight's body lay dead. Skrubafeldt was no more. The Creased soul was incinerated to dust.

The Shorter Story

"Mommy... When is daddy coming home?", shrieks an angry Shruthi, as she tries valiantly to fix those balloons above the fridge, in vain. Her dad would better come early today, as it spells D-DAY in the Rao family calendar today - Shruthi's 8th birthday.

"Wait na, shweetie... Papa is coming na, he told you he won't be late today. And you be careful, ok, with those scissors! Careful with the egdes!"

"Ouch!", does Shruthi as she punctures her left pinky trying to poke open the plastic bag full of "Uncle Redneck" balloons.

"Mommy! See my finger is bloody now! I am doing so much much work for decorating! All the kids we had called better come! Otherwise I am not eating anything!"

The wind caressed over the cold, pale, white scene at #22 F, Doughstone Lane, Illinois. It was more or less a lower-middle-bracket dwelling area. Shujith is one brain-drained NRI, basically half Kannada half Mallu, who, alongwith his Mallu wife Renjitha and daughter Shruthi, lived on the Fourth floor of this ordinary, economical residential complex. Shujith moved in nine years ago, as an IT outsourced labour to the US, representing an Indian multinational, which he soon quit, and joined an IT counselling firm set up by the infamous JK Mishra and Sons from Pleasanton, CA. He was earning decent money, and less than a year after his arrival, was getting offers from brahmins, back offshore. Shujith's parents, utterly overjoyed, took a large dowry and ended Shujith's not-at-all colorful bachelorhood (Shujith was a non drinker, non smoker, a vegetarian and never experienced party life) by getting Renjitha, a B Ed. from Shornur, Kerala, to marry him. Like Shujith, Renjitha was a similar, strong lady, who waxed her hands and legs only once, during her pregnancy when she was hospitalized, as her mother found out that American Nurses loathe Indian women patients with grizzly features. Both Renjitha and her mother found this fact very weird, and concluded it with the statement "Psycho Foreigners".

However, their daughter Shruthi was groomed the American way, at St. Lauren's School, a convent, where Shruthi was admitted when she was three. To Shruthi's surprise, she managed to have only four friends who did not spit over her tiffin box full of uttapam - A girl called Ramala with a faint moustache at this young an age, basically from Vijaywada, AP, Rizwanur, a Bangladeshi boy, who likes his green pants a lot, Dhipika, another girl with Mallu nativity and Doug, the geek, whose specs always seem to be falling over his profusely running nose, and Doug was the only American Kid in their group.

The Clock rang. It was 7 PM and Shujith had sweaty eyebrows inside his AC office hall. His company had recently installed an ERP Software System for their Clients, Pratt Miller and Jonathan Borowski, who ran a chain of tin cutting equipment across the East Shore, and was doing good, especially in NYC. But less than a month of installation, when the whole business was being bestowed over the ERP System, it was constantly returning errors of Overloading that night. Shujith cursed his God Shanmugam, and wondered how on earth can he possibly solve this problem to reach home in time for Shruthi's birthday with the cake, which he had bought in the afternoon, from a discount store. Shujith was getting nervous by the second.

"Anand... These bugs keep on coming when you least expect them to!! The internet traffic is pretty heavy too, so I don't think you and me alone in this office can manage to whiff off this bug tonight..."

"But Sir, you are the only senior who can take care of this problem now. All the others have left the office, and are not returning their calls. I think everyone's gone out with their families tonight. Its snowing, you know", Anand says. Anand is a newly recruited Software Engineer.

"Yes i know, but how can I override the system now, especially when so much is at stake. Miller and Borowski would end up killing Mishra Ji, and I'll be in trouble for it!"

"Sir, I think about three hours of debugging shoud do the trick... After all, you are a genius sir! You can do it!"

Shujith wondered what on earth can he do to make it home in time. It was a very critical project, and Shujith could end up losing his job if the system was not up by that night. He clicked away at the piece of code on his Computer, wiping his forehead with his kerchief... The night was getting longer...

"Mommy!! Nobody has come till now!!! Not even daddy!! What happened to the neighbors? Are they dead?". Shruthi was almost in tears. It was 8 already, and there was nobody in the house, other than her mother. It was supposed to be a wonderful birthday celebration. The colorful balloons were in place, the candles surrounded the apartment. But the guests had not arrived, And neither did the head host.

"Wait, shweetie... Let me call up your friends." Renjitha dialled one number after the other, only to arrive at the answering machines all the time. She was lucky to get through Ramala's mother, who picked up the call, and was quite reluctant to tell anything back to Renjitha.

"Ohhh!! We completely forgot, Mrs, Rao! You know Ramala's dad was caught by a few goons last week when he was returning home at night. Ever since then, even we do not go out that much. Sorry Mrs. Rao, my best wishes to your daughter. Ohh, Ramala is sleeping. I'll let her know you called once she wakes up."

Renjitha was educated. She understood the reactions by Ramala's mother. They were ignoring them. "As it is, foreigners treat us like shit, now even our Indian people are becoming like them!! Too Bad", she thought. She realized the guests would not be coming. Indians are never considered human. Especially the Rao's. Renjitha went and made Shruthi sit on her lap. She took a towel and wiped off Shruthi's wet eyes and cheeks.

"It is up now sir. But you'll need to stay for another hour. The Boss told us na, post-debugging-one-hour", says Anand.

Finally at 10 PM, Shujith runs out of his office, cake packet on one hand, mobile on his ear with the other.

"Hello. What happened? Anyone arrived?"

"There's no one. And you could have called earlier. Shweetie was very upset. Come home fast. I heard the roads are not safe anymore"

"Arre i'm already driving! I'll be home ASAP, i mean, fast!"

Shujith took the elevator and pressed the fourth button. As he arrived, he saw the answer to his surd existense. All the candles were out. The balloons were still swaying under the fan. Most of the lights were out. The Dosas went cold inside the kitchen. Their bedroom light was on, and Renijtha was sitting alone, gazing at the red face of Shruthi, aestivating, hair all messy.

"She waited for you... She waited for her friends... Nobody came... I tried to call but everyone ignored me. Most of the neighbours, including the Delhi wallas are out partying at that new Lounge across the Bridge. The posters say they are offering free drinks. As it is, Indians are cheap. But you? You could have mended up shweetie's time. I tried controlling her, but she did not stop crying. She did not eat anything and fell asleep. Why didn't you leave early from work? Why can't your bloody company allow you some personal space? Are we slaves? Is this what we are here for? The great NRI Dream?"

Sujith stared at Renjitha. He had messed it all up. There was no birthday cake, no guests, no songs for his daughter. There was no daddy. All others have big big parties. For Shujith, he had disappointed his daughter. He wondered how soon can he quit and leave for India. Perhaps a couple of months. Yes, appa and ammi would also be happy, he thought.