Lee Speaks About Music… #118

Arteries –  Omnerod

Introduction…

I recently received an email from a chap by the name of Romain from Belgium who is one of the main guys behind a 2-piece outfit who go by the name of Omnerod. Basically, they had not long put out a new album and he had stumbled across my blog site and asked me if I would give the album a review. As I have mentioned in the past I am not the type of guy who will review anything and mostly review the albums I buy myself, but having given the album a spin on Bandcamp it appealed to my taste enough for me to give it more attention, and give it a review.

It’s been awhile since my last post back in February and I did state then I would be taking a break and it’s been a lot longer than I expected. It was also back then whilst doing some decorating that my Desktop PC had broken down which put me completely out of action regarding doing more reviews. But more recently thanks to a good friend from Germany who kindly gifted me his old IMac. I am now able to write once again, and I really cannot thank my good friend enough.

As I mentioned Omnerod are a 2-piece outfit and it consists of guitarist Romain Jeuniaux and drummer Pablo Schwilden Diaz. Though they do have a couple of other guys onboard that lent a hand to their album Arteries, more about that later. Musically there is quite a mixture of influences and crossovers in the music that they present here, but I suppose if you were to nail it down to a specific genre, progressive metal would be the tag that fits the bill here. So. let’s now dig in a bit deeper and get down to the album review.

The Album In Review…

Arteries by Omnerod was released on the 30th May 2019. The album contains 8 tracks, 2 of which are instrumentals and has an overall playing time of 62 minutes, 55 seconds.  It’s the second album release by the band and their first album Ivory Dune was released back in 2014. Unlike their previous album which was released in both Digital Download and CD formats, their latest album Arteries has been released in the form of a Digital Download only. It’s perhaps understandable with how little physical media gets sold these days, and no doubt you do need to spread yourself out a bit more and get more of a following behind you as well. Otherwise you will just get left with a few hundred CD’s cluttering up your garage or basement, and I am sure many have been there.

Although none of the musicians have performed live under the name of Omnerod before and they have never had a stable lineup and have relied on session players to help them out. Plans are being set in motion as we speak right now, and this 2-piece outfit is at this present moment being extended into a 4-piece band and are currently getting things together to go out and play live in the second half of this year. Their latest album Arteries is very well produced and André Six who took care of the recording and production will be part of the bands new line up and will be the bands new bass player. The session vocalist Anthony Deneyer who handled all the growled vocals on the new album will also become a more official member of the band and also will contribute guitar as well as his death GROWLS!

Their 2nd album Arteries was mastered at Jens Bogren’s Fascination Street Studios in Sweden and was mastered by the capable hands of Tony Lindgren, who has previously worked on music from the likes of Leprous, Katatonia, Opeth, Enslaved, Vola, Marty Friedman, and many more. Many of which both Romain and Pablo idolized.

The albums Artwork was done by Sushant Vohra of Vohrart Designs who is an art graphic designer mainly for album covers and T-Shirt designs and it seems that no expense has been spared in the making of the album, and I have to say a very professional top job as been done all round and not only looks good, but sounds GREAT!. Really GREAT! to be honest and perhaps too good for a Digital Download only.

Omnerod (A Brief Bit Of History)

The original origins of the band were put together in 2009 by the band’s drummer Pablo Schwilden Diaz and former guitarist Daniel Vornicu who was both very young at the time, Pablo being the youngest at 14 and Daniel 16. They spent a couple of years trying to get a band together with various musicians who came and went and the pair of them worked on material for what was later to become the band’s first album Ivory Dune and had written half of the material for the album. In 2011 Romain Jeuniaux joined them who was only 16 himself at the time, and wrote much of the other half of the material for their first album.

It was not long after the album was completed and put out in 2014, that Daniel left the band to continue his studies, and since then both Romain and Pablo have carried the flame and kept the torch ignited so to speak with Romain has the main writer and Pablo putting in all the fills with his drums. They also brought in session players when needed to make their new album Arteries and for me personally it’s a lot stronger than their first album and much more to my personal taste.

Musicians & Credits…

All music composed by Omnerod. Engineered & Produced by André Six. Mastered at Fascination Street Studios. Sweden by Tony Lindgren. Album Artwork designed by Sushant Vohra of Vohrart Designs.

Musicians:
Romain Jeuniaux: Normal Vocals/Guitars/Samples & Effects.
Pablo Schwilden Diaz: Drums/Percussion/Samples & Effects.

Additional Musicians:
Anthony Deneyer: Growl Vocals.
Thomas Clément : Bass Guitar.

The Album Tracks In Review…

There is no doubt that the album Arteries took a good while to make, and the 5 years it’s took to surface since their debut album Ivory Dune has really reaped the benefit of spending a lot more time on it getting it right. For me personally their new album is a different breed in that it contains more melodic prog rock structure in comparison to their debut album, and having listened the album Ivory Dune I can honestly say that apart from the last couple of tracks on the album, it never really spoke to me at all.

I am not by any means suggesting that it’s a bad album and no doubt for those who are more into death metal than myself, I dare say they will enjoy or even love it. To be honest I can only take so much of GROWL! vocals and can 99% laugh at them at being some sort of advert for Strepsils Lozenges for those with a sore throat :))))).

I do not mind them in small doses and on the new album Arteries both the normal and GROWL! contributions from Jeuniaux and Deneyer respectively have been very well thought out regarding where they are placed on the album. I also think the vocals on this album sound a lot better too and have improved a lot in comparison to their previous album. A lot has improved on this new album I personally think, even the writing and instrumentation is a lot stronger and it’s much more of a solid album. It’s certainly an album that appeals more to my personal taste and rocks my boat.

No doubt most bands have their own inspirations and influences, judging by some of the other reviews I did glance at for this album, a lot of them tend to be pointing to the band Opeth of being their main influence. To be honest not being into death metal myself and not hearing many of the other bands mentioned they are influenced by or even of Opeth for that matter. I am hardly the guy who could make any real assumptions has to who they sound like.

But I suppose in some ways not having heard the likes of those other bands can give one the impression that there is something a bit more fresh and new here, and this album is quite refreshingly vitalizing with how they have also incorporated more of a melodic cleaner, and even ambient approach in parts, and fused it with the more darker and heavier side of it all. It’s like having the right measure and balance of good and evil forces and knowing when to deliver them in all the right places. It’s something they have done extremely well and it brings out all the dynamics in light and dark shades with how it all runs along.

Omnerod’s new album Arteries runs along like a concept album with how each track runs into each other and there is no real pause in between each track even if there are a few stops along the way. It’s perhaps not so much apparent at first, but once you delve deeper into the album with how it runs along and how both the music and vocals are very much dramatized to portray a collection of stories, and also delve deeper into the lyrical content. You will soon find out that there is a concept going on and there is a lot more to the lyrical content than meets the eye.

So, let’s now take a deeper look into the album Arteries and see what it’s all about as I go through each track on the album.

Track 1. Lines.

The album opens up with the first of the two instrumental tracks on the album and its title of “Lines” could even suggest that this is the album’s title track with how it ties into the album’s title of Arteries. Artery or Arteries is the muscular-walled tubes forming part of the circulation system by which blood is conveyed from the heart to all parts of the body. But it can also be seen an important route in a system of roads, rivers, railway lines or even a highway to which the artwork on the album cover could also be pertaining to.

The track opens up with an eerie haunting whistling wind that is quite reminiscent to the same haunting wind that opened up Elton John’s “Funeral For A Friend” back in 1973. Though there are no bells and synths here and instead it’s accompanied by some clean well down strokes on the guitar that give the impression of chimes. So, this intro does give one the impression of that particular Elton song and it could of been inspired by it.

Then around the 1:23 mark we get introduced to a few plucky lead notes from the electric guitar, which along with the change of the melodic rhythm notes that are cleanly ringing out from the guitar provide us with the main theme to which everything else is worked around. The track really opens up at the 2:11 mark where it unleashes its heavy BEAST! upon us, and no doubt there is a very powerful force of electric energy running through these lines. The piece runs along in a similar vein throughout with the use of its melodic structure and injects power where it’s needed, making it a very enjoyable track and kicks off the album in fine style.

Track 2. Guide Them.

The first of the vocal tracks on the album and the vocal duties are shared between Jeuniaux who takes on the verses, whilst Deneyer takes on the devil with his GROWL! voice in the chorus sections. The combination between them both works extremely and admiringly very well throughout the song, they also do justice to their respective parts and roles here too.

Judging by the lyrical content it’s perhaps hard at first to see that there is a concept going on here, and it’s only really as you go along and follow the songs on the album that you will soon get the gist that each story is dealing with the diseases that cause death and inflict pain in an horrendous or evil way such as cancer and so on.

For example, I could make several observations and meanings regarding the lyrics for “Guide Them“. My first observation is that the devil has come to put in his claim on those who are coming to the end of life and dying by some disease or another and he is there to guide them to hell and try and prevent them from going along another righteous road or path to heaven.

My second observation is that there could be in some kind of napalm warfare going on here. However, you look at it something evil is going down that’s for sure, and it’s also a good thing when one can make their own interpretations of a set of lyrics. I personally do not think the album is a concept based on one continuous story, but rather a collection of songs that deal with how one meets their fate.

Musically there is also a sense of drama being portrayed here to the whole story and both the music and the vocals are portraying this story and playing their roles throughout it exceptionally very well. It’s a very powerful track with clean cut and heavy distorted guitars and vocals and has the backbone behind it with the bass and drums. Some nice diversity with the changes and progression and it’s very well built up with how it can inject power and tone things down very smoothly. It’s also my personal favorite track on the album and it merits the albums Top Spot Award. Though there are plenty of other contenders.

Track 3. Newt.

The second and final instrumental piece on the album. It also happens to be the shortest track on the album and even though it’s more of an acoustic track, it does also utilize the electric guitar later on into the piece. It’s opening and closing melody lines have a sort of sad and down feel about them and reminds me a bit of the band Wobbler with its folky feel. The piece builds up very well with the other instrumentation and you even get a mandolin sound from the guitar adding nicely to it.

It’s also quite dramatic with how it flows along, and we get this rather nice sort of carnival ride melody that comes into play in the middle which is a nice touch and welcoming change. I have to admit when it does come into play, I keep expecting Alice Cooper to come in and say a few creepy words :))))). “Newt” is a fine piece and simmers the album down nicely with its placement on the album. It could also be seen as an introduction to the next song on the album.

Track 4. Ascaris.

The infliction of pain and cruel ways of dying continues and Ascaris from what I can gather is a genus of parasitic nematode worms known as the “small intestinal roundworms”, which is a type of parasitic worm. Ascaris lumbricoides affects humans and causes the disease ascariasis.

The song carries the melody on from the previous instrumental track at first with some subtle changes and then slots its way into another fine haunting melody.  Jeuniaux takes on the biggest majority of the vocals on this particular track, and his voice delivers the story superbly in both speaking and singing mannerisms. He also delivers quite a bit of power with his voice on this one too.

The song gradually builds itself along in fine melodic style and it’s a bit like a cross between Wobbler and Arena right to the point of where the more powerful changes come into play. I also like how they have very well crafted the transitional changes and it really does build up to a powerful force to allow Deneyer to inject even more vocal power with his GROWLS! The combination of them both taking on the vocals this way they have nailed to a tee.

“Ascaris” is another superb track and has to be another contender for the Top Spot on the album, and to be honest I could of also easily have made this my personal favorite track on the album as well. This is without doubt an album that is full of GREAT! tracks.

Track 5. Nothing Was Vain.

There is no doubt that Omnerod like to make lengthy tracks and I have never had a problem with that as long as they contain the right ingredients to take them over that distance, and do they not say the same thing throughout so to speak. Transitional changes and progression are the very ingredients that will keep any listener content enough, especially when there is plenty going on and they are going down other roads and paths to say something more.

Speaking of “more”, musically you do get a lot more in that department over the 11 minutes and 19 seconds you get here. Both the vocalists are still doing a GRAND! job, and the devil is still doing his best to claim more victims that have fallen along his path, including the fakers and hypocrites has he unleashes his wrath upon them.

There really is a lot of truly GREAT! changes in some of the lengthy musical interludes on this excellent journey, and perhaps more bags of progression in this song than any other track on the album. There is also a very tasty blistering guitar solo on the last stretch of the song to drive it home as well, coupled with the heavy guitars and the driving power of the drums and bass. To be honest I even think the band will have their work cut out trying to deliver to this song live to an audience, especially with how it’s all so very well executed and sounds on this studio version. “Nothing Was Vain” is another contender for the Top Spot on the album.

Track 6. Velvet Hooks.

It’s time to simmer the album down a bit again and the word “Velvet” in the title perhaps cushions the blow to bring to down a notch with a haunting ballad. Being that it is a ballad  Jeuniaux takes on the vocal duties solely on this song and his voice has the subtle and sweeter side to deliver it. A very good job as been done with the double tracking vocals and harmonies too. He also contributes some sweet guitar on the track too. I like the more subtle scope it has for the bass and drums too.

To be honest I know that Thomas Clément does play bass on 7 tracks on the album from what Romain told me, but I forgot to ask which one he does not play on. If I was to take a guess I would say it was either this track or the last track on the album. My reason for thinking it may be this track is that it does sound more like something that Jeuniaux and Diaz worked on alone. Diaz’s drums punctuate and resonate very well on this track too and he even does a nice bit of military style at the end too.

Overall, I think “Velvet Hooks” does a good job of bringing the album down a notch and works well in the concept of things here. However, I do think it’s 9-minute time slot is too much and this really needed to be cut down a lot more. I am not saying it’s a bad track, but at this length I do feel that there is a danger of more people reaching for the skip button sort of thing.

Track 7. Far From The Tree.

The album picks back up with a MIGHTY! force and this is one for the headbangers. “Far From The Tree” is perhaps the power house track of the album with its heavy metal power chord structure. I would expect for those who are more into the heavy death metal and GROWL! side of things this particular track would be more suited to their taste and would favor more with them.

Being more into the prog side of things myself, I much prefer the earlier tracks on the album that have more of a mix of melodic lines into the musical structure and fuse it in with more of the heavier side of things. For me personally that combination and even how they share the vocal duties works better.

Though in saying that there is no doubt the guys have done a Top Job musically and Deneyer’s GROWLS works very well throughout the track and does deliver justice to the power of it all. The other good thing for myself is that this is only track on the album that is perhaps more dedicated to those who are into the death metal genre, so it’s not really gonna spoil my listening enjoyment.

Track 8. Sleep.

The final track on the album is the longest and weighs in at 13 minutes, 42 seconds. Just like the 5th track on the album “Nothing Was Vain” there is bags more transitional changes and progression in this one, and this is much more to my personal taste and they chose a GREAT! way to end off the album. Or should I say put it to “sleep”, and there is more to the way one gets put it to sleep here perhaps too.

Once again Jeuniaux takes on all the vocal duties, and I have to admit I think the 3rd verse and a few of the other parts where they beef things up with the raw metal power would have been suited for Deneyer’s GROWLS! To be quite honest upon the first few listens I was half expecting his GROWLS! to come into play, it could be something for them to also consider doing it that way in future live performances of the song too.

They have also used some samples from a movie on this track too, and though I know I have seen the movie, for the life of me I cannot remember which movie it’s from. No doubt most movie buffs will know it instantly.

Overall, I do feel that “Sleep” is another one of the better tracks and another contender for the top spot on the album, and is in more contention with how well the earlier on tracks on the album are so well written and woven together. It also contains its journey very well over its longer time slot too, and puts an end to quite a very well written powerful album.

Summary…

To sum up the album Arteries by Omnerod. I personally think it’s quite a strong album that for most of its part fuses some well fine melodic lines along with the rawer heavy power of death metal. It not only presents itself with all dirt and grit, but injects a good dose of cleanness and clarity to make it shine even through the much darker and ambient haunting side with how well the album has been recorded and very well produced. It’s an album that I also think will not only appeal to those into the heavier side of things, but to those who like myself are more into prog rock as well.

I think over the past 5 years both Romain and Pablo have learned a lot and Arteries is a much stronger well written album in comparison to their debut album Ivory Dune. I also think their latest album is well up there with a lot of more well-known bands who are out there making this same style of music. No doubt they have their own influences, but they also have their own way of going about things and have adapted a style of their own with how they put things across in this genre of music.

I do feel there is a concept thing going on within the lyrical content, especially with how the lyrics are all pertaining to sickness, disease, pain and death and how the devil himself could be tied into all the suffering here. I also think the material they had, they also managed to place the tracks on the album very well with what they had too. My personal highlights from the album are as follows: “Guide Them“. “Ascaris“. “Nothing Was Vain“. “Lines” and “Sleep“.

Conclusion…

To conclude my review of Omnerod’s new album Arteries. I personally think it’s a very powerful, enjoyable and near enough solid album that will appeal to many who are into the heavier side of prog rock and death metal. The material is very strong, well written and the production standards are very high quality and it’s been very well produced and mastered to a high standard. No doubt the musicians have got their act together and the combination of having two vocalists works very well I feel, and I am glad to see that Anthony Deneyer is now more of an official band member and that band is now in full swing and getting ready to go out on the road.

No doubt they will have their work cut out playing this material live with how so well the album has been produced. But I am sure they will get it all together and I wish them all the success because their music certainly does need to be heard, it certainly ROCKS! my boat and I am sure it will for many others too. I highly recommend you give the album a spin, and you can download the album for free, or even give the band a contribution by paying for it, and no doubt it’s worthy of doing so too.

You can listen to all the tracks and download the album right here: https://omnerod.bandcamp.com/

Standing Over Us, Guiding, Scorching…

The album track listing is as follows:

01. Lines. 6:23.
02. Guide Them. 9:41.
03. Newt. 3:19.
04. Ascaris. 8:41.
05. Nothing Was Vain. 11:19.
06. Velvet Hooks. 9:08.
07. From The Tree. 7:05.
08. Sleep. 13:42.

Lee’s Price Point Rating Score. 10/10.

Lee’s Album Rating Score. 8/10.

Lee Speaks About Other Oddities… #4

My Biggest Gripe With Apple.

Introduction…

Just recently thanks to the very kind generosity of my good German friend Dirk Radloff, I was GIFTED his old 2008 24 inch IMac. He not long brought himself a brand new 27 inch IMac and knew that my old Desktop PC had broken down and I was struggling with an old CRAPTOP I had given me a good few years ago that I only recently got around to repairing. Basically because it was a Snail with an Intel Celeron processor is why it had been sitting in a cupboard for the past 5 or 6 years.

To be honest I could of brought another Motherboard to fix the PC Desktop I built back in 2010, but as I did build it with mainly components that came out around the same time of this IMac in 2008. It’s perhaps time to build another one, and I am not making any excuses has to why the motherboard packed in, but basically the computer was on when I started to heavily shift things around to to do some decorating. So that may have been why it sparked and fried it’s own chips and shorted the life out of itself.

Also it’s thanks to my good friends very kind generosity that I am once again able to write something on my blogsite once again, to which I have been absent for quite awhile now due to be being busy with the house. With my funds being more tied to the house it will be quite awhile before I can get to build a new Desktop. But this old IMac is certainly good enough to get me by for now, and I cannot thank Dirk enough for his kind generosity.

For this blog I very much decided to write about how I have seen APPLES computers and it’s operating system over the years. My own views are based on my own experience of building computers over the past 20 years, and how I personally see the MAC in relation to the PC. No doubt many will think that it is a biased review coming from a guy who has never owned a MAC computer before. But over the years I have always kept up with a lot of technology and seen many things go on regarding the good things and pitfalls on both sides of the camp, and to be honest this review is perhaps more aimed at the price point of things more than anything else.

I may very well do another review after I have had a good month or so to get more to grips and more acquainted with this IMac and go more into what I like and dislike about both Windows and MAC’s OS. But for now let me take you back to the year the 2000.

Part 1. Where I Am Coming From.

Over the past 20 years since getting into the world of computers I have seen the technology behind them change every year, or even in the space of every 6 months or less in some cases. There is no doubt that when you buy a brand new computer everything that may appear to be the latest tech can be old hat in 6 months or even less and that’s how fast technology can move on at times. The first Desktop PC I brought back in the year 2000 cost me some £2,000 and a bit more back in those days, and you certainly got nothing in relation to how things have moved on over all the years. Especially in the way that processing, memory, graphics and even hard drive space has improved vastly over each year. As a matter of fact as each year went by the more I was convinced that for the 2 grand I spent on my first Desktop PC. I felt I had been completely ripped off.

That first Desktop computer I purchased came with an Intel Pentium 3. 750Mhz CPU. 256MB’s of Ram, an ATI 128MB Graphics Card and a 750MB Hard Drive and has long gone. It was the first and last time ever I brought any computer from a shop and decided afterwards to build my own. Over the years I have built many Desktop PC’s not just for myself but mostly for other people, and repaired literally loads of PC Towers and Laptops.

It was through repairing peoples Desktops and Laptops that I had quite a few old Desktop PC Towers and eventually Laptops given me from the customers. Back in 2004 I managed to put together a much better desktop tower for myself out the parts of the towers I had given me and I only spent around £40 of my own money building it. Though it was still pretty mediocre but at least it had a Pentium 3Ghz CPU. 2 GB’s of Ram and a much better Graphics card and a 500 GB Hard Drive.

By 2010 I had accumulated an array of old desktop towers I had given me and stored them in the spare bedroom. I decided to build myself a better Desktop PC but there was no way I could build it out the parts of the old towers like I did with my last build. So for the new build I was going to need a bit of CASH!. So I decided to strip down all the old parts out of the towers and sell them individually on ebay. Surprisingly it did not take that long to sell them either and I had accumulated £730 from all the sales.

As much as I like to keep up with technology I have to confess that I myself am not bothered about having the latest stuff that comes out every year, and you will certainly pay a hell of a lot more for it too. So I like to hang on a year or two and buy it when  the prices have dropped down to a much more reasonable price. I am also not a Gamer so having a top spec PC does not really interest me and the only thing I am really looking for is what I know will do for my requirements and I can get by with. Basically I want something that is going to last me a good few years, or as long as it can still function well enough further on down the line, and for it to cope with what I throw at it in the way of music and video editing which is my hobby.

Back in 2010 the £730 I had accumulated from the sales of old PC parts and components was certainly enough to build a new PC Desktop Tower. But there was a couple of elaborate things I wanted for it such as spending £200 on a Soundcard and an £100 on a Graphics Card. So that took a good chunk from the money. The CPU was the most expensive part of the build and I did end up buying that second hand on ebay. Back then the latest 1st generation 2 Core Intel iCore CPU’s had not long hit the market and even though it had not long came out, the previous generation Intel 2 Core Quad Q9550 2.83Ghz CPU I had in mind for my build, had not really dropped down in price and were still selling for £285 new. I managed to get a good second hand one off ebay for £130 and that was the only second hand component I used in the whole build.

The ASUS Motherboard I brought new came out in 2008 and I saved a good £89 by buying it in 2010 and got it for £100. It’s very rare I will buy anything in the same year it came out, and you can save literally a lot of dosh by hanging on a year or two. For example the Samsung 4K UHD TV I have recently brought brand new came out last year and cost £799 back then. The very latest 2019 model that has just recently came out to replace it cost £799. I got last years model for only £450 and that’s a massive saving. Some people may think or call me a cheap skate, but that is far from the case. I am just a bit more wiser where money is concerned, and I certainly do not have money to throw away.  So that is the world I am coming from, and that’s how I get along with it.

Part 2. Eye Catching Pretty Things.

There is no doubt that when it comes to design there are a lot of things in the world of materialistic tech that is built to attract the customer. Over the years in the computer world I have seen some really pretty eye catching PRETTY! things that have caught my eye that’s for sure. But even going back to the 70’s in the world of HiFi I learned an awful lot about pretty things and certain HiFi’s were built more like Christmas Trees with flashing lights on to attract the attention of most consumers who thought they was buying something of genuine quality. Only when you look at what was inside it, it turned  out that you got bugger all for your money in reality other than it looked good or PRETTY! on the outside.

In the world of computers I got to see the rise of the Sony Vaio and Apple’s IMac Desktop computers that are certainly eye catching PRETTY! things, and similar in design in that they are a monitor and computer all built in one. The all in one thing I have to confess never really took on with myself and I suppose it’s a bit like looking at an all in one HiFi or Music Center, or even a TV & Video Combo or a Washer Dryer for example. There is a certain risk that comes with these things and when one component breaks down the whole thing is knackered basically, and it’s gonna cost you a lot more money to repair, if it can be repaired. With separates they can easily be replaced or repaired if they can be.

Everything about the way a Desktop PC is built and designed is all separates and every component inside it can easily be replaced. There is no such thing has a PC that cannot be repaired and it’s easy to do and will cost you peanuts in relation to those PRETTY! things I have just mentioned. It’s that simple a child could do it and it can be like working with Leggo where everything simply slots and plugs into place and no soldering is required.

But a company such as APPLE in all honesty are against giving you something that simple you can get a screwdriver and fix it yourself. They go out of their way to design their computers so that it’s a lot harder to replace things, they even make them with special screws so you need special tools and not just a screwdriver to get into them. They do not like other people but themselves repairing them either. They want you to take it back to them so they can charge you an extortionate price to repair it. Everything about APPLE is GREED! and they can be ROTTEN to the CORE! in that respect.

Part 3. DESKTOPS & LAPTOPS.

I have to confess I have never liked Laptops and have repaired enough of them over the years and have always been a Desktop man myself. I just find them fiddly little things and they just have never really attracted me at all. These days you can get some really good ones and for portability they have always been really good. They have their uses no doubt, certainly for the business man and those on the GO! and even for musicians to use on stage for midi. But for myself who only really uses a computer at home, I have no real use for one at all and prefer the Desktop every time.

I would have to be really desperate to use one to be honest and it was only out of desperation of my PC Desktop breaking down that I did actually get to use one more recently to which I called a CRAPTOP. To be honest I very much give that name to every Laptop even the ones that are not like the Snail of a one I had given me some 5 or 6 years ago and recently only just got around to repairing.

Over the years APPLE have made a few Desktop computers, one of them even looks like a Trash Can :))))) . They are also not that far off launching their latest MAC Pro and they have gone back to the Cheese grater design by the looks of things.

The giant Cheese Grater design I have to admit does look rather stylish, but how on earth have they got the gumption to only give you a 256 GB SSD Hard Drive with something that costs 6 Grand and that’s only for the Base Model. Regarding anything APPLE make the only thing you are paying for is the design, because I can assure there is nothing special about the components inside this base model and you can get all the components inside it for less than half the price.

For 6 Grand I am afraid I would want something more like this below, and this is LITERALLY! a Desktop Computer and cost less than that Cheese Grater that APPLE are trying to sell you. It’s damn site more stylish than that thing in my opinion as well and quite frankly it would mop the floor with APPLES Base version of the Mac Pro.

It just goes to show how creative one can be when they put their mind to it in building their own computer, and the chap who built this is more worthy of an AWARD than guy who designed the Cheese Grater in my personal opinion. As I already mentioned there is nothing special about the components that are used to build APPLES computers. All the main components inside it can be brought from any computer store or even from places like Amazon. The only real hard thing you may find hard to get is the Logic Board.

So what’s with all the extra added cost that APPLE charge you for their products. What gives them the right to charge you 3 Grand for a case to put the components in, or even a Grand for a Monitor Stand. The only logical explanation I can think of is that some people are extremely stupid to pay that sort of money and know no better.

But then again APPLE do have a lot of loyal customers who support their products, and it’s perhaps not about how they go about building their computers (which is very good by the way) but they prefer MACS OS over Miscrosoft’s Windows. It’s perhaps understandable with some of the things Microsoft have done in the past and present and I cannot blame people from switching from a PC to a MAC or visa versa in some respects, because in reality both systems have had their problems and none of them are free of bugs either.

Part 4. Windows OS Versus MACS OS.

To be honest when it comes to operating systems I honestly do not have a problem with either of them and quite like them both. Over the years both Microsoft and APPLE have introduced newer things and changes into their systems, and they have both took things away from them as well. Not everything new both have implemented into them necessarily is a good thing either, and with what both have taken out and put into their systems has caused complaints from both sides of the camp.

Over the years Microsoft have always dominated the market share of Desktops and Laptops and that is mainly down to the gamer and the more wider variety of software that is made available for it. It’s also down to cost too of coarse. Though APPLE did see a rise with more people switching over to MAC OS a few years back but these days even more are jumping over to Windows especially those who do some seriously heavy powerful video editing with 4K and 8K resolutions.

The reason for this dramatic switch over to the Windows PC is down to cost and the fact that most of APPLES computers do not really have the power to cope with the rendering of 4K and 8K video footage, even the latest IMac Pro that costs a ridiculous 5 GRAND! is not good enough to cope with it either. MAC’s iOS does fair better than OS in the market with the sales of their iPhones and iPads, but even that has took a nose dive lately and Android have very much always been the leader in that market. when it comes to sales.

Regarding the stability of the both operating systems I personally think they both have had some serous issues over the years. No doubt the loyal MAC users will always try and make out that MAC’s OS does not crash like Windows does, and because it does not use drivers for it’s software it’s less buggy and prone to crash and more stable. But I can assure you this is far from the case.

No doubt most of MAC’s supporters are also going to tell you that if you pay a visit to the Tip you will see thousands of broken down PC’s. But when you way up just how many MAC users there are in comparison to Windows that is really to be expected. Most MAC users like to try and sell their broken down computers on places like ebay, and trust me there is also thousands of them about on there too. The same applies as to why MACS are not prone to viruses like Windows is as well.

I have come across complaints from it’s users over the years and it’s not all a bed of roses like many of it’s loyal long term users will try and make it out to be. It’s perhaps less prone to crash in relation to Windows but even MAC’s can have their own issues with Black Screen and basically Windows does have better hardware and graphics acceleration support and has to cope with a lot more being thrown at it. So to some degree it’s no wonder it can crash more often. In many ways MACS’s OS can be like an empty shell at times in comparison to how much more is put into the Windows OS. They both have different architectures to how they are built.

When it comes to presentation regarding the Desktop layout and interface of both operating systems they are completely different. Some may prefer MAC’s layout that is built on an APP based system making it more easier to get around, but for me personally I could not stand it when Microsoft introduced and implemented APPS into it’s Desktop when they launched Windows 8. Both operating systems have stolen ideas from each other over the years without a doubt regarding how files are organized and with things like Snipping Tools and so on.

As you can see from the screen above of the way main Desktop screen is laid out on a Mac is that they do things a bit differently. For example the Tool Bar is placed right at the top of the screen instead of on the bottom like Windows Task Bar. Basically you still have the same options in the Tool Bar to restart, shut down or put to sleep the system and you can get into all your files via it. Though at first you do have to get used to it, and MACS “Finder” is certainly not gonna get you to where you want to go in comparison to how you can get there more quickly with Windows.

To be honest the first thing I noticed about having the Tool Bar at the top of the screen especially on a 24 inch IMac. Is that it seemed like an eternity trying to get to the top of the screen with the mouse pointer :))))). It’s not the best location to put it, but you soon get used to it and get more to grips with things as you go along. So I am not really complaining and quite enjoyed the experience to be honest.

I would also say that there seems to be a lot more in the Tool Bar but in reality there is less and much of the things along the top are only really shortcuts to get to other parts of your computer, many of which you could do on Windows by simply clicking the right mouse button. It is a useful Tool bar though and I quite like how you can click on the APPLE Logo and click on “About This Mac” and it displays everything about it, including your hardware, and even a link to show you the specifications of you computer.

I do think that is a nice touch and it saves you from locating the website and downloading a PDF file to your computer for future reference. The bottom of the Desktop screen presents you with the APP Bar or Dock as it’s better known. Here you can simply click on an App and launch it. You will also find your trash can and download folder and the icon with a Rocket on it is the Launcher which opens up the screen where all your APPS are stored as shown in the picture below.

It’s quite a neat and simple enough system and you can pick what APPS you want displayed in the Dock just like you can with the Windows Task Bar. But having the Launcher is handy and saves you from cluttering up the Desktop like many would on Windows with Desktop shortcuts for their programs. I dare say you could even place the APPS on the Desktop if you wanted to, but this system I feel is well adequate enough.

I have to admit that the MAC Desktop does not really present itself like a Desktop in relation to the Windows Desktop, and it gives you more of a feeling of being a kiddie in a sweet shop with a bag of Pick n’ Mix. It’s not that much different to their iPhone. Like I mentioned earlier I did hate it when Windows implemented APPS into it’s Desktop when they launched Windows 8. Being very much a Desktop Man myself I see things a lot more differently, and APPS to me belong on Smartphones and those things to me are not computers.

The Windows Desktop as pictured above is more like an office Desktop, a place that has filing cabinets that are not open in full view with the files locked away inside. A Desktop for you to work on and a trash can to throw away the rubbish. It’s easy to see how this Desktop would appeal more to the office worker and why it’s more widely used.

To be perfectly honest I quite like the both Desktops and I am not suggesting that just because I pointed out that the MAC Desktop presents itself more like a Smartphone that it’s not a computer like those things are. I can be quite happy enough to work on both operating systems.

Part 5. Is APPLE’s IMac A Desktop Computer?

Well so far I have discussed where I am coming from regarding computer builds. PRETTY! things like the IMac in the picture above (that I was very fortunate to have GIFTED! to me from my good friend in Germany Dirk Radloff, to which I simply cannot thank enough for his kind generosity). Desktops & Laptops and Operating Systems.

In this section I shall be going through a few of those things I have already touched upon, and will be pointing out where I am coming from with my own experience of building computers, and looking at APPLES IMac in the way how I see it. But first let me clarify a few things up here before I move ahead. First of all I am not claiming to be any computer wizard or expert regarding anything about computers, including building them and repairing them. It’s not my daily job and has only ever been an hobby.

Secondly there is no doubt in my mind that APPLE do make GREAT! computers. The one pictured above I had GIFTED! me is a testament to that they do, and was built in 2008. It maybe old hat in comparison to how technology has moved on today. But I can assure it still works well enough and functions very well for a lot of things to get by with even today. Though it does have a few issues, but it is without doubt a PRETTY! thing and it just goes to show that not all PRETTY! things that have an all in one build do break down. But that is down to the fact that it has also been well cared for over all those years.

To be honest the 24 inch display monitor on this old IMac is more more impressive than my 50 inch Samsung 4K UHD TV. It even puts my Samsung 22 inch Monitor to shame. It’s even as good if not better than the OLED AMOLED display on my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Smartphone. To be perfectly honest it’s by far the best monitor I have ever had and because it has a GLASS front it can give the same presentation that today’s top LG OLED 4K UHD TV’s. will give you with it’s Glossy Polished finish. The only thing it cannot handle in relation to today’s TV’s is the bright WHITES. Apart from that if defies all belief and begs the question, has technology really evolved that much over the past 12 years regarding TV’s and Monitors.

But getting back to the original question of is the IMac being a Desktop computer?. Well many would say it is and it certainly looks very sexy sitting on a Desk. Though through my own experience of building and repairing Desktop & Laptops I would say that the biggest majority of it is built around the Laptop, and back in those days when it was built you could not really put a lot of processing power inside a Laptop simply because the case was to thin to fit in decent fans to cool it down.

Though some had a go and done well including some Toshiba Satellites, but not all of them were that successful and you had to buy a cooling tray like the one pictured above to put them on. A few of Toshiba  Satellites ended up at my door for repair back then as well, and the only work around was to modify the fans inside them. The Toshiba Satellite received some very good reviews when they came out. But the company itself also received way more in complaints if the truth be known. Over the years since 2008 cooling technology has vastly improved which is why you can fit a lot faster processing power inside Laptops and things such as APPLES IMac today. Though even today they can still have heating and power issues causing Black Screen and other problems.

There are many aspects that relate to the Laptop with how the IMac was built. It’s thin case, the lack of USB & Peripheral Ports in relation to the many you get on a Desktop. The Optical Drive on the side of the case. A soldered Graphics Card and it’s also fitted with Laptop Memory. It’s most likely down to the thinness of the case and how much harder it was to keep things cooler inside it back then, that they decided to go with an Intel 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo rather than a Quad Core. But if they could of fitted a Quad Core there is no doubt that APPLE would of charged twice the price for this IMac even back in 2008.

Part 6. My Real Gripe With APPLE.

My BIGGEST GRIPE! with APPLE really boils down to 3 things. The first being the price point. The second is how little you get in the way of components for your money put into their Base Models. And thirdly the way they build most of their products around the same principles of a Laptop making it hard for you to upgrade, and use a special Logic Board so that you cannot really fit in any conventional Motherboard to upgrade it with a much better CPU, and better Graphics.

To put it in a nutshell the IMac may very well look more futuristic and a PRETTY! thing. But  they are not futuristic in the way that they were built years ago, and have been built that way so that they can get more money out of you in the near future. Even today they continue to give you nothing for your money with what little they put into the BASE Models. They still continue to even put Fusion Drives in the damn things as if they could not put an SDD for the ridiculous price they charge for the things. And if you want something with more BALLS! in it than the BASE Model, your going to have to remortgage part of your house with what APPLE will charge for it.

The major thing that put me off Macs is really how little they do actually put inside them for the money. For example this 2008 IMac when it came out cost £1,200 for the basic model. For that you got an Intel Core 2 DUO 2.6Ghz CPU. 4 GB’s of Ram an ATI Radeon Graphics Card and a 320 GB Hard Drive. The model I have came with a the same stuff only they gave you a 2.8Ghz CPU instead and charged you another £200 for it. Then the top model came with a 3.06 Ghz CPU and they charged £1,700 for that.

For that money it’s absolutely ridiculous especially when you could buy or build a PC with way better processing, graphics, more memory and a lot bigger hard drive for less than half the price. Don’t get me wrong I think MACS are built very well and the Monitors, well that is perhaps were the biggest majority of the money has gone into the build of this IMac to be honest. Because the monitor without a doubt is certainly way more impressive than the rest of the components they put inside that’s for sure, and the monitor is perhaps where the most money has been spent.

Every IMac on this planet is built the same way and when you look at what you get inside for your money, in all honesty it’s nothing and I would feel completely ripped off if I was to buy a new one. APPLE have never changed and they will charge you the earth for everything. If they owned the chocolate company Mars they would charge you £100 for a Mars Bar  and I am not kidding. That is really my BIGGEST GRIPE! with APPLE.

Conclusion.

There is no doubt that all those loyal MAC customers who have been with APPLE from the beginning or for a good while, will disagree with almost, if not everything I have said in this Blog. There are even those who are stupid enough to go out and spend 5 GRAND on the latest top of the range 2019 IMac Pro. But heed my warning, because there is nothing Pro about it, especially when the top of the range 2019 IMac that does not claim to be a Pro and cost half the price, is just as good, if not better.

Want a memory upgrade or any other upgrade? Get it from APPLE and pay a ridiculous extortionate price for it. This is how APPLE treat their customers and quite frankly they do not give a Toss about them, and will not change as long as they can still get their hands on your money. APPLE like to think they are Number One and because they do they are nothing more than SNOBS who look down on many customers like dirt unless they happen to be filthy rich. That is precisely how APPLE operates and if you cannot see that then you are either blind or one of the filthy rich.