My favorite Metal albums of 2007 so far.

In no particular order, these are the ten best Metal albums I've heard so far that have been or will be released in 2007. We're only three months into the year and already there's plenty of great albums to check out. I highly recommend each one of these. Though who knows how they'll stack up by the end of the year considering we still have releases coming up from the likes of Opeth, Sigh, and Katatonia, as well as bigger bands like Megadeth, Metallica, and Judas Priest. Still, it's an awesome start to what looks to be a great year in Metal.

Type O Negative - "Dead Again" www.typeonegative.net Vital Remains - "Icons of Evil" www.vitalremains.com Finntroll - "Ur Jordens Djup" www.finntroll.net Marduk - "Rom 5:12" www.marduk.nu Mayhem - "Ordo Ad Chao" www.thetruemayhem.com

Susperia - "Cut From Stone" www.susperia.net Dimmu Borgir - "In Diaboli Sorte" www.dimmu-borgir.com Scream Silence - "Aphelia" www.screamsilence.de The County Medical Examiners - "Olidious Operettas" www.thecountymedicalexaminers.com Vintersorg - Solens Rötter www.vintersorganic.com

New deadlines and requirements for registering with the Department of Education of Puerto Rico

There's been a lot of confusion recently regarding the registration form for employment in the Department of Education of Puerto Rico due to the website being unaccessible. Now that the registration form is working, the deadlines were changed to give teachers sufficient time to fill it out and submit documents:

• The registration form will be open until March 14.
• Required documents will be received from March 15 until March 28.
  

To fill out the registration form go to www.solicitud.de.gobierno.pr . To submit the required documents visit your regional office. Apparently, they will not accept partial document submissions so make sure that you include everything that's required. The documents you must submit, as listed in the registration form, are:

• Certificado de ASUME (Este certificado puede ser solicitado por Internet www.gobierno.pr o por teléfono o personalmente en las facilidades de ASUME)
• Certificado de Antecedentes Penales ("Buena Conducta")
• Certificado Médico Ver Formulario
• Certificado de Radicación de Planillas de Contribución sobre Ingresos de los últimos cuatro (4) años (Forma 6088) antes de la solicitud, si estaba obligado a rendir la misma. Si no tenía que rendir planilla, debe solicitar al Departamento de Hacienda el formulario SC 2781
• Copia del Formulario DD-214 para los veteranos. Además, los veteranos incapacitados deben someter evidencia de la Administración de Veteranos.
• Documento que evidencie el impedimento cualificado conforme a la Ley de Igualdad de Oportunidades de Empleo para personas con Impedimentos.
• Certificación de Experiencia de Trabajo, ya sea en escuelas privadas acreditadas de Puerto Rico, en las escuelas públicas y privadas de Estados Unidos y en el Programa Head Start. La certificación debe incluir día, mes y año de la labor, horario de trabajo, nivel y categoría(s) en las que enseñó y la evaluación recibida. (Puede imprimir formulario en blanco Inglés/ Español).
• Licencia de la Junta Examinadora y evidencia de la colegiación en el caso de ocupaciones reglamentadas por ley.

Sharing old artwork

A few years ago I really got into digital art and photography. I had, or rather still have, a deviantART account which I haven't updated in quite a long time (around two years) since my interest waned as I became busier with work and my studies. Since, as I mentioned before, my interest has been renewed in all these things, I decided to share some of my favorite old artwork here. If you would like to see more, click here to go to my old DA page. I will probably head on over later on to update it, or possibly start from scratch. Anyway, without further ado:

The better to PWN you with my dear!

I'm sick of it! Usable computers at work and at the university are rare, and it's becoming a burden to have to run back home every time I need to get something done. So, I finally decided to get a laptop. After a lot of consideration, I decided to go with the Alienware Area-51 m5790 because I want a laptop computer that is pretty close in performance to my desktop. This way I can do anything on the go, from work to gaming to photo and video editing. Also it's not a bad price at all for what I'm getting. Speaking of which, this will be the full package:

• Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T7400 2.16GHz 4MB Cache 667MHz FSB
• Operating System (Office software not included): Genuine Windows® Vista Ultimate - Without Remote Control or TV Tuner
• Display: 17" WideXGA+ 1440 x 900 LCD - Saucer Silver
• Motherboard: Alienware® Intel® 945PM + ICH7 Chipset
• Memory: 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SO-DIMM at 667MHz - 2 x 1024MB
• System Drive: Single Drive Configuration - 100GB Serial ATA 1.5Gb/s 7,200 RPM w/ NCQ & 8MB Cache
• Primary CD ROM/DVD ROM: 24x Dual Layer CD-RW/DVD±RW w/ Nero Software
• Video/Graphics Card: 256MB ATI Mobility™ Radeon® X1800
• Sound Card: Intel® 7.1 High-Definition Audio
• Wireless Network Card: Internal Intel® PRO Wireless 3945 a/b/g Mini-Card
• Communications: Integrated 10/1000Mb Gigabit Ethernet & 56K V.92 Modem
• Mouse: Razer Copperhead™ High Precision Gaming Mouse - Tempest Blue
• Warranty: 1-Year AlienCare Toll-Free 24/7 Phone Support w/ Onsite Service
• AlienRespawn: Alienware® Respawn Recovery Kit
• Alienware Extras: Alienware® Mousepad
• Alienware Extras: AlienInspection - Exclusive Integration and Inspection - $100 Value - FREE!
• Free Alienware® T-Shirt: Free Alienware® T-Shirt - Black

Sweet? I think so.

My interest has been renewed.

I thought I'd share what renewed my interest in this blog, as well as in various Internet communities which I sort of abandoned over a year ago. I basically got burnt out on communicating with so many people due to some bad experiences. While I still consider myself a bit of a hermit, I've decided to start peeking out of my cave again.

This inspiring video called ‘The Machine is Us/ing Us’ elegantly summarizes how far we’ve come with the web and provides food for thought on where we’re going.

'A Tribute From The Hordes To Bathory' now available

I haven't posted anything in my dear blog in a long time, but now my interest has been renewed so I hope to update more often. I'll start off with some important news:

The Bathory tribute album 'A Tribute From The Hordes To Bathory', featuring Serpenterium's cover of "The Lake", was released June 20, 2006.

• Featuring 24 Tracks and 24 bands from 12 Countries.
• Running Time: approx. 100 minutes.
• Pressed as double LP on blue and yellow Vinyl (representing the Swedish Flag).
• Limited to 1000 Copies, handnumbered with Blood.
• Contains a 24 page inlay Booklet including an 8 page Interview I made with Quorthon in Stockholm May 2001. Plus Statements, Photos and Contacts of all Bands that contributed a Track.
  

For more information, please visit The Official Black Goat Productions website.

Serpenterium full length out now

Official Statement:

"After many years, Serpenterium have reached a new level of Sophisticated Metal Art with their first full length album “The Withered Spirit of a Shattered Reality”, an album whose underlying theme of realistic inner conflicts and diverse musical arrangements reflects where the band has been and hints at what the future may hold."

For more info, mp3s, and photos:

www.serpenterium.com
(Flash website opens in new window, deactivate pop-up blocker)

To order your copy of the album
“The Withered Spirit of a Shattered Reality”
Send US$14 (s/h included) to:

Serpenterium
Urb. El Real, Ave Real #151
San German, PR 00683

***The album will also be sold through local shows. So go support the scene and save some money.

Bathory track for tribute confirmed

We just got official word today that the cover Serpenterium did of Bathory's 'The Lake' will definitely be featured in the Black Goat Productions Bathory tribute 'Twilight of the Goats'. We were very pleased to hear that they loved the how the track came out. It will now be sent to be mastered. 'Twilight of the Goats' is set to be released in September, yet no official release date has been announced. We are very greatful to Jeannette and Black Goat Productions for the great support they have given us.

Note: Serpenterium's cover of Bathory's 'The Lake' was recorded in a total time of about four separate days in August by ourselves without the aid of a recording studio whatsoever with a budget of around $20. Like I've said before, you can go a long way with just a bit of patience.