Chiaksan

Over the course of the Korean Chuseok holiday, I had originally planned on travelling to Russia and exploring all of the imperialist treasures therein in order to further inspire awe in a place unknown. However, this plan was forced into remission once I learned that attempting to get a flight even two months before the actual date of departure during this holiday season is only possible if you are wealthy enough to purchase your own plane or somehow bribe airline officials. Seoul population: over 10 million. International Airports: 1. Even with my limited mathematical abilities, I was able to forecast the difficulty involved with my intentions.

After spending some time wandering around Incheon and subsequently boarding the ferry to a nearby island, myself and travelling partner Tomek decided to employ the use of several modes of transportation and just see where we might end up. We toured the Gyonggi-do island for a spell, hopped on a bus, and slowly edged our way towards the airport. Once inside, we bought bus tickets to a place called Wonju, which is nestled among the Chiaksan mountains. One of the great things about Korea is that public transportation costs about as much as a fast food meal in Canada...unlike Japan, which costs about the price of a small car to take a taxi down the street.

The Chiaksan mountains themselves bear strong resemblance to the mountains in Seoraksan, save for the fact that there are many more trails and viable rock-climbing opportunities. Additionally, hardcore ajumas and ajashis (elderly women and men) rocket past you at quite a pace, breathing evenly and effortlessly as you curse the fact that you wore jeans and have the lung capacity of a small fish. Sweating profusely, we reached the summit of the first peak, a 4.6km journey. With this goal achieved, we made the decision to reach the summit of every peak, a ludicrous 10.2km journey.

After much effort and arduous trekking, the Chiaksan mountain expedition was complete. Once atop the final peak, we ate a Bohemian feast of rice cakes, beef jerky, and water bottled in the all-natural, ancient spring-fed slopes of...wherever. Then we waited until the sun set and began our descent in the dark. Taking an alternate route down meant there was lack of clarity as to what direction we were actually heading, coupled with the fact that skate shoes are absolute crap for traversing rocky slopes. Our descent lasted approximately three hours and covered more than 6km under cover of moonlight and soft braying of four-legged mammals. The incident of curiosity versus fatigue played itself out here in the adventive geography of Korea for the Caucasian Earth male aged 19-35. Subtle, yet powerfully visceral experiences such as this always seem to have a way of validating one's sense of restlessness.

might atop monolith 

Buddhist waterfall refuge 

mountain champions 

the misty mountains 

with a gleam in my eye... 

A Modest Proposal

Korean metal continues to provide excellent musicianship and several unique bands. Additionally, many of the shows are inexpensive, and some are free. I prospose that a job be created whereby I teach them English and simply run around promoting and attending every show.

feelin' it! 

everything will be metal 

CCTV? 

Sungwon and Sera participating in the gun show 

exercising the right not to participate 

LOUDPARK 2006

Affectionately coined 'The Most Heaviest Show in Japan', the name itself fell short of dramatizing just how excellent this October 14th and 15th spectacle truly was. If I were Joe Siegel, I might make statements such as 'a true tour de force!', or 'pulsing with originality and depth - luminous'. But that's appallingly bad use of good language. So I'll use more accurate and less capricious phrasing- it was "blacker than the blackest black times infinity" (Metalocalypse 2005). And about 10,000 people showed up.

In Chiba City, just outside of Tokyo, housed in the massive Makuhari Messe Hall, 20+ of the world's best metal bands congregated for an orgiastic 2 days of mayhem and acoustic destruction. What makes a metalfest different in Japan as opposed to a Canadian or American event is that the population of those lacking a Y chromosome is strongly represented, and not solely comprised of the 35+ labourer category (I must state that I do hold high respect for this category of metaller). Arguably, a strong showing of perhaps 20% brought the feminine edge into the mix, although the widespread popularization of porcelain-faced androgyny did make distinctions difficult to discern. Additionally, if the Japanese decide to put on a show, they just throw money at it until they acquire enough bands with clout to fill the venue and sell tickets.

After arriving at the Narita International airport, I had a few pre-metal beers with the bro and then hustled out to the show. Dragonforce played at approximately the same time as we arrived, displaying their mastery of all things metal and also demonstrating their abilities of flight, having been the first humans to achieve lift without the use of mechanical assistance (depending on your definition concerning whether or not 150dB of guitar shredding qualifies as mechanical assistance). Napalm Death also championed the stage, along with Arch Enemy and later, Angra. Of particular interest is the mingling of all different genres of metal, from power to metalcore to thrash to death, virtually all aspects of metal were covered. This is unusual because bands like Dragonforce and Lamb of God would more than likely never play together, given the differences between their styles. Therefore, Loudpark was a revolutionary success in bridging the cultural gap between all forms of metalness, leading to unparalleled glory and excellence, Q.E.D.

Upon depleting both physical and psychological energy, myself, Grum, Sungwon and Sung ho shimmied down to Grum's friend Chris' residence in Saitama. Thus, the elusive game of consumption versus fatigue played itself out in the natural habitat of the Caucasian Earth male aged 19-35. Vague memories invade my senses from that night, involving the engagement of a bb-gun skirmish, and including an ambush of the sleeping Sungwon by the not-so-sleeping me. I was later told that I ended my night standing near the closet and slamming the door into the wall repeatedly. When asked about my actions, I am noted as responding with 'I'm looking for Dragonforce'. To quote Hunter S. Thompson, "a classic affirmation of everything true and decent in the national character, but only for those with true grit - and we are chock full of that, man!"

Day 2 began as I realized I had slept clutching the bb gun over my heart in the corpse position. Movement was difficult at first, and concentration almost impossible. Nevertheless, after a brief pause for breakfast, we made our way back to the Makuhari Messe. Bands seen consisted of Unearth, Mastodon, In Flames, and Children of Bodom (as well as brief glimpses at Hatebreed, who ended every song with the eloquent phrase "Fuck yeah!", and Howard Jones of Killswitch Engage, who described depraved sexual themes followed by the phrase "yeah, it's romance" under the full knowledge that not one Japanese person could decipher what it was that he was talking about). Enjoying the quality of music and level of intensity presented was an inspiring and immensely self-satisfying experience.

The following morning (far too early in the morning), I spent several hours with Chris meandering up and down different markets in Japan, and acclimatizing myself with some of the differences between Japanese and Korean cultures. I also spent a great deal of money. Then I helped Chris correct an elderly Japanese man's essay concerning a case study of a repressed man prone to violent episodes in the park, and Sungwon missed his flight.

human flight achieved. (from http://www.loudpark.com/report/) 

casualties. 

split view inside the Makuhari Messe 

Angela Gossow will eat your soul 

gloryyyyyyyyy (Angra)! 

Anders, just givin' it, with a back shot from the main screen 

Laiho on guitar and badassedness 

righteous crew of awesome 

do it. choose. 

North Korea

"The United States has built a missile defence that does not work, to defend against a North Korean missile that does not work, that would carry a nuclear warhead that does not work. This is all very postmodern."
- Jeffrey Lewis