Evil Music

“Sweet soft and low, I will poison you all” - Joshua Homme

With the variability of music genre that we are exposed to regularly, there is one that transcends time and artist. An inescapable feeling of dread is thrust forth by musicians concerned with this style. When they record, they do so firmly within the realm of evil music.

Artists such as Josh Homme, Radiohead, Trent Reznor and The Mars Volta all engage with the darker aspects of life. Death, despair and depression become the basis for these musicians as they endeavor to create an investigation of a human nature tainted with evil.

The sharp stab of a piercingly malevolent lyric resonates with that string of malicious essence found in us all. The resonance that can ring out from the depths of one’s soul often seeps through when assaulted by these dark undercurrents of vice.

Listen to this music, enjoy and understand it, but most of all: fear it.

-The English Student

Non-Verbal Communication

“Silence has sometimes a remarkable power of showing itself as the disembodied soul of feeling” – Thomas Hardy

We live in a loud world full of raucous noise and harsh sound. It therefore does not surprise me that non-verbal communication is often more valuable than other mediums.

A knowing look, slight sigh or brush of a hand can portray emotion more clearly than any eloquent sentence or phrase. The purity of such actions that do not require forethought or education must be valued.

Emotions change on the whisper of a thought. The failure of our language to properly convey this transience means that we must look to these subtle cues to properly understand ourselves and others.

I will always treasure the gentle caress of someone’s hand, even at the expense of poetic declarations.

-The English Student

Wuthering Heights: Transient Love

Catherine Earnshaw declares "whatever our souls are made of, (Heathcliff's) and mine are the same". But we come to learn throughout Wuthering Heights that love is not enough.

Emily Brontë creates an expectation of joyous love in the portrayal of Catherine and Healthcliff's childhood. They are inseparable comrades, partners in crime and mischievous playmates. But the love that naturally springs from this relationship soon faces hard trials.

A simple misunderstanding separates the two friends. Following this, Catherine marries Linton and no real reconciliation can be possible. The two characters, who the reader knows to be ideal for each other remain forever separated by pride and misfortune.

A love based in the innocence of children must be considered a pure one. Brontë shows us that even this sacred force is fragile and breakable, awarding true love to the fortunate and self-deluded. Consequently, luck will play a part in the marriage of Hareton and Cathy that is alluded to in the closing of the novel.

Unfortunately, the influence of chance is inescapable in all matters of the fickle heart.

-The English Student

New Year Resolutions

Another holiday, another year, another chance to lie to ourselves.

Many people seem to use this time of year as an excuse to make grand and noble promises of self-improvement. While being questioned on this subject by friends, I was struck by the hypocrisy of the whole tradition. I find this ridiculous practice to be pointless in two respects.

Why do we try to deny who we are? Making unrealistic promises in a bid to obtain perfection can only lead to disappointment. While it is admirable to take steps towards self-improvement, it is utter folly to base these steps outside of reality.

But why should we need an excuse for self-improvement anyway? Every passing moment is a chance to make a redeeming effort. If we confine our quest for betterment to one occasion a year, we implicitly cause our growth to stagnate at other times. Pure intentions to seek change should come from life experience, not an arbitrary calendar date.

This year, I resolve to stop lying to myself and to forsake insincere promises and hollow attempts at improvement.

-The English Student