U2 maintains the same lineup they have had for almost the entirety of their career: vocalist and primary lyricist Paul Hewson, known professionally as Bono; guitarist David Evans, known professionally as The Edge; bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr.

“Easter Lily” has six tracks, totaling 32 minutes, and includes “Song For Hal,” “In A Life,” “Scars,” “Resurrection Song,” “Easter Parade” and “COEXIST (I Will Bless The Lord At All Times?).”

“Song For Hal” is, for the most part, a standard U2 track aside from one major aspect: vocals. Instead of the job being done by main vocalist Bono, The Edge fulfills the role and certainly performs to par. Although their styles do differ slightly, they are of very comparable quality. 

Just from this first track, it is clear that U2 has maintained its iconic style of composition. Minimalist yet moving guitar pieces, emotional lyrics with spirited delivery, light drumming and a bass inaudibly playing rhythm come together into three to six tracks.

“In A Life,” is, well,  pretty good. Especially when the track hits its chorus, “In A Life” is able to capture the energy conveyed by older, better U2 songs, unlike the rest of the EP.

The track “Scars” focuses on self acceptance, with lyrics reading “It’s your scars that give you beauty / You’re a beauty / Don’t cover your scars / Don’t cover your scars… they’re your scars.” However any meaning can only be gleaned from retrospectively reading the lyrics, as “Scars” marks a major problem with the EP: The tracks blend heavily with one another and similar style and lyrics make them indistinguishable from each other. 

“Resurrection Song” and “Easter Parade” feel generic. They inspire no emotion or feeling of any kind, leading to a period of time that just felt blank. So blank, in fact, that despite listening to every track on this EP four or five times, I couldn’t describe any details of these tracks no matter how hard I tried.

“COEXIST (I Will Bless The Lord At All Times?)” is an anti-war pop-rock song that is effectively trying to say killing each other is mean and we should just be nice to everyone. It’s a nice sentiment, but simply isn’t how the world works. If one seeks to espouse political stances through music, do so through intelligent lyrics delivered with either solemnity or rage, not naive writing and subpar vocals. 

An example of a much better anti-war song would be “1916” by Motörhead, which tells the story of the 16-year-old boys who shipped out to fight in World War I. The song is entirely structured around conveyance of its core message, the fast hard rock style of traditional Motörhead songs is traded for a slow, almost march-like sounds of a cello and military snare drum.

Not only that but Motörhead’s singer Lemmy Kilmister delivers the poignant lyrics he penned in a soft and mournful tone, adding significantly to the weight of the track as he describes the march to war of 10,000 soldiers and their eventual deaths where they are subsequently forgotten by the world at large.

Although both tracks discuss a similar theme of war, one is a brutal depiction of it, which needs to do no more than illustrate the realities of its subject while the other is little more than preaching about nothing of substance. 

This EP was never going to be groundbreaking, but on top of that, it’s fairly uninspiring and generally uninteresting. Overall I’d give it a four out of ten. The listening experience wasn’t unpleasant but it certainly wasn’t entertaining either. The EP gave me two and a half hours of blank listening which quickly morphed into three or four hours of me struggling to find anything — positive or negative — to say.

The post Trapped In Their Own Shadow appeared first on Obsidian News | Oregon Youth Voices.

It is to be expected that this wide range of subgenres possess their own unique style of metal. Thus beginners can have immense difficulty in finding out where to start listening to the genre. Metal can, however, be broken down into levels of sorts, each becoming progressively heavier and more complex. 

Level One: Introductory 

The first level of metal music is introductory metal, demonstrated perfectly by the record “Meteora” by Linkin Park. “Meteora” is a relic from the peak of the nü-metal genre in the early 2000s. Nu metal was pioneered in the 1990s by bands such as Korn, Limp Bizkit and Slipknot and peaked in terms of both popularity and quality with Linkin Park’s first two records, “Hybrid Theory” and “Meteora,” released in 2000 and 2003 respectively.

“Meteora” contains the hallmarks of its subgenre: shorter songwriting almost completely devoid of solos, elements of electronic music rather than the traditional instruments of a metal band, although all of those instruments are still present, and a vocal style with elements of rapping,screaming and growling. 

Although almost every track on “Meteora” is legendary in its own right, three standout tracks are  “Faint,” “Figure.09” and “Numb.” “Faint” begins with its instantly recognizable electronic beat, which dominates the instrumental portion of the song. Percussion and guitar only enter around the chorus. As with almost every Linkin Park track of the time, the talent of rapping vocalist Mike Shinoda is elegantly mixed with the voice of lead vocalist Chester Bennington. 

“Figure.09” trades the electronic sound of “Faint” for guitar-led instrumental more reminiscent of traditional metal. 

“Numb” is a deeply emotional ballad with electronic beats intermixing perfectly with guitar riffs and percussion for the entirety of the track similarly to the harmonizing of Shinoda’s backing and Bennington’s lead vocals, which together create an unforgettable sound.

Level Two: Standard

The second level is standard metal, where the record “Painkiller” by Judas Priest is a perfect example. The musical style of “Painkiller” is a perfect evolution of the first metal played by Black Sabbath, with evolution brought on by changing musical capabilities. The album was released in 1990 along with other legendary metal records such as “Rust in Peace” by Megadeth and “Cowboys From Hell” by Pantera. 

The standout tracks of “Painkiller” are the titular track “Painkiller,” “Metal Meltdown,” and “One Shot at Glory.” “Painkiller” opens with its signature aggressive drums which are shortly joined by guitar and vocals, telling the story of the painkiller, a mechanical avenging angel who has come to save mankind from its devastation.

The complexity of “Metal Meltdown” is on full display from the instant the track opens with its masterfully technical guitar play, and although drums and vocals also make up a large part of the song, the guitar remains the most memorable part of the track. 

“One Shot at Glory” is a glorious anthem of courage and heroism, completed by inspiring vocal delivery and energizing instrumental.

Level Three: Experimental

The third level is experimental metal, and with it comes “Leviathan” by Mastodon. “Leviathan” is a concept album which melds the story and literary themes of “Moby-Dick” by Herman Melville with the monstrous riffs of Mastodon. Mastodon blends the quas-classical complexity of progressive metal with the slower downtuned riffs of the sludge metal subgenre to create a sound that is almost wholly unique, and “Leviathan” is their masterpiece.

Each one of  the record’s tracks is a beautiful composition of its own, as goes with all of Mastodon’s work, but the best of the best are “Blood and Thunder,” “Naked Burn” and “Hearts Alive.” 

In “Blood and Thunder” the commands of Captain Ahab to his crew as they hunt the white whale who is Ahab’s “holy grail” make up the majority of the lyrics, with the riffs of guitarists Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher completely dominating the instrumental.

“Naked Burn” is in my opinion the greatest metal track of all time. The chugging riff is a wondrous demonstration of Mastodon’s prowess, and the protracted cries of “save yourself, don’t wait on me” which are barely audible beneath the guitar are quite simply haunting. One must listen to this track to truly understand its beauty. 

“Hearts Alive” is the nearly 14 minute penultimate track of “Leviathan,” composed of mostly instrumental passages. The song is an unforgettable testament to Mastodon’s ability not only to craft beautifully technical music, but also to impart complex themes and stories through that music. 

Level Four: Intricate  

The fourth level includes some of the most complex and heaviest subgenres and albums metal has to offer, including “From Mars to Sirius” by the French band Gojira. “From Mars to Sirius” is a record of the technical death metal genre, or tech death, for short, which is a subgenre of death metal which focuses on instrumental and songwriting complexity.

The three greatest tracks on “From Mars to Sirius” are “Ocean Planet,” “The Heaviest Matter of the Universe” and “Flying Whales.” “Ocean Planet” features a short but technical guitar riff, which repeats for most of the track, sometimes accompanied by vocals and always followed by a moment of respite. This riff is quite enchanting and is alone enough to make a more than memorable track, despite amazing vocals and drumming. 

“The Heaviest Matter of the Universe” is an aggressive joyride, never slowing down and never giving the listener a moment to catch their breath, and is all the better for it. Unlike other tracks, which are dominated by one aspect, the vocals, guitar and drums all perfectly balance one another out, creating a listening experience to remember. 

“Flying Whales” showcases the intermixing of slow, almost melancholic instrumental passages with the aggressive weight of tech death music, taking the listener on a journey for the duration of the almost eight minute track.

From the simplest nü-metal track to the most complex progressive metal, there is a beauty that can be found in metal and nowhere else, and if I’ve managed to impart even a fraction of this beauty on my readers, then I’ve done my job well.

The post A Beginner’s Guide To Metal appeared first on Obsidian News | Oregon Youth Voices.

This change has come at the same time as titans of traditional metal rest their laurels. The rising stars of modern metal are not remotely similar to, for example, the legendary band Megadeth, who released their final, self-titled album on Jan. 28. 

The band was formed in 1983 after guitarist and vocalist Dave Mustaine was fired from Metallica due to his issues with substance abuse. The current lineup of the band includes the aforementioned Mustaine on vocals and guitar, James LoMenzo on bass, Dirk Verbeuren on drums and Teemu Mäntysaari on guitar. 

Megadeth’s discography began on May 17, 1985 with the release of “Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good.” Megadeth then went on to release seventeen records including hits such as “Rust In Peace”in 1990 and “Countdown to Extinction” in 1992, ending in 2026 with the record “Megadeth.”

The record contains 11 tracks, which are as follows: “Tipping Point,” “I Don’t Care,” “Hey God?!,” “Let There Be Shred,” “Puppet Parade,” “Another Bad Day,” “Made To Kill,” “Obey The Call,” “I Am War,” “The Last Note” and “Ride The Lightning (Metallica cover).” 

“I Don’t Care” opens immediately with Mustaine listing the things he does not care about. The tough guy act coming from a more than 60-year-old musician is many things; pleasant is not one of them. The instrumental is still enjoyable, but the lyrics are borderline painful to listen to, making this the worst track on the record.

Although a sonically pleasant track, “Hey God?!” could have been much better. Even as Mustaine calls out to God, saying “[he’s] had a lot of things on [his] mind” it feels as if he has nothing of importance to say. 

“Puppet Parade” is easily a standout track of the album. The instrumentals, vocals and lyrics are all well done and enjoyable to listen to.

“I Am War” speaks to similar militaristic themes as many Megadeth tracks, but with a different tone. “I Am War” seems to almost revel in war and all that it brings, providing a shakeup to the usual anti-war commentary one would’ve come to expect from the band. Overall this track is good enough but relatively forgettable, aside from the unique perspective.

“The Last Note” is a more introspective track than any other on the record. Here, Mustaine takes a moment to reflect on his storied career before lamenting its end with a bittersweet mix of pride and regret. Mustaine certainly has a lot to be proud of and he knows it, and he also recognizes that his legacy will outlive him, his “last note [will] never die.”  

Contrary to the band’s storied career, the record has been a disappointment to many. Bennett Ardeljan, a Summit sophomore and Megadeth fan said “If I saw [the album] in a record store, I would probably hide it behind other CDs and records so other people wouldn’t have to listen to it.”

Scathing as this review may be, it isn’t wrong. The majority of the album’s tracks are average and the standout tracks, good or bad, balance each other out, leaving a record which is mediocre. 

“Megadeth” is not just the end of a popular and influential band, but the end of an era. The once-dominant forces of metal are beginning to fizzle out, and there are almost no true, deserving successors to succeed them. For example, Sleep Token, a rising star in the modern “metal” scene, isn’t truly a metal band, let alone a band which produces quality music. 

Take Sleep Token’s song “Caramel,” which is the most streamed track of their most recent record and according to The New York Times, the single best song of 2025. The track is described to contain elements of “rap-metal, dream-prog, pop-reggaeton, backpack hip-hop, cosplay rock, metalcore.” 

As at least three of these subgenres are of either rock or metal, this song is in large part metal, yet its runtime of four minutes and 51 seconds, contains, by my count, only 104 seconds of guitar. In contrast, a track of comparable success, “The Heart From Your Hate,” by metalcore band Trivium contains four minutes and four seconds of guitar in its four minute and four seconds runtime. 

Guitar is undoubtedly a core part of metal and all its variants or subgenres, so to see it cast aside in a track hailed as the greatest of a year long period is a clear demonstration of what metal is coming to, and what is being lost of traditional metal. 

Now do not mistake me, I have no problem with innovation, but watching the genre that I grew up listening to, and will continue to listen to for all my life, be warped beyond recognition is without a doubt saddening. And make no mistake: This is no swan song, but a last gasp. Although even if this is the end of an era, Megadeth, and metal as a whole, had a good run, and for that I am eternally grateful. 

The post “Megadeth”: Swan Song or Last Gasp? appeared first on Obsidian News | Oregon Youth Voices.

Started in 2017 under a few feet of snow, the now annual FungiFest has attracted all kinds of attendees, with the goal of educating people about — you guessed it — mushrooms! According to the National Library of Medicine, society has a large distrust and fear of mushrooms, called mycophobia, and spread rumors about their deadly toxins. This comes despite only 2% of known mushrooms being toxic. The Central Oregon Mushroom Club aims to set this record straight through their mushroom talks, presentations and museum-like exhibits all featured at FungiFest.

The first thing many notice at the Fungi-Festival — or rather, before the fest — is that there’s nowhere to park. It was hosted at the Sunriver Homeowners’ Aquatic and Recreation Center, which offered 200 parking spots. However, overflow parking was still required at a nearby church. Volunteers said it’s the most people they’ve seen at the event yet. One volunteer, Don Carter, discussed the changes they made this year to accommodate. 

Carter has volunteered at the festival for the last five years with his daughter. Back then, the festival ran out of the Sunriver Observatory, “but obviously it outgrew that location,” he said. This year, Carter was in charge of running an art station for kids to paint, teaching them that mushrooms are friends and not to be feared.

But why has the FungiFest been such a hit with locals? It is truly a mushroom-lover’s paradise, with mushroom coffee, mushroom ice cream and even a mushroom marketplace. However, Carter believes there’s more to it than just excitement. 

“People are curious,” he said. “And I think now more than ever people are trying to play more of a role in where their food is coming from.” 

The quality of the food available in stores is becoming a growing concern for Americans across the country. People have been calling into question the dangers of using pesticides and other chemicals. Just last year, the Charles Boggini Company recalled three different sodas from businesses because several of their additives, including preservatives and dyes, were linked to cancer. 

Redmond High School student Lyric Campbell attended the event with their father and said that chemical processes are important to prevent food from going bad but the manufacturers “don’t have anyone’s best interests at heart.”

Clearly, people have concerns about the use of preservatives in their food, but don’t have an alternative. Campell stated that organic foods are too expensive to be a reliable option, especially for people in low-income situations. 

Popular retailers like Safeway typically demand an extra 40 to 60% for organic produce. Therefore, if someone wanted to save money, get outside, and be more confident in the quality of their food? Then going mushroom foraging seems like a great alternative! Carter believes this fits with “Central Oregon’s unique outdoor culture” and is part of the reason why FungiFest is bringing in so many people year after year.

Ultimately, Sunriver’s FungiFest is a place where outdoors hobbyists and people looking to learn can gather. While there, one would be hard pressed to find a place where a kid wasn’t running around having fun painting or playing with a magnifying glass. The event cultivates a sense of curiosity for all ages. While at first the lectures can seem boring, the level of passion these people have for fungus is enviable. With such big numbers this year, it’s clear FungiFest won’t be going anywhere and could be a Central Oregon tradition for years to come.

The post Central Oregon’s FungiFest Teaches Oregonians to Fetch Their Own Food appeared first on Obsidian News | Oregon Youth Voices.

As a member of Gen Z, the generation born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, I have grown up amid near-constant crises: a post-9/11 surveillance state, financial recession, climate change, mass shootings, political upheaval, a global pandemic and escalating global tensions, including renewed fears of military conflict. It’s no wonder our default coping mechanism has become a brand of humor that leans heavily on absurdism, detachment and fatalism.

This isn’t simply a quirk of internet culture. Dark or ironic humor can be a defense mechanism for anxiety or a sense of powerlessness.  However—or perhaps because of—our immersion in global events via digital media, Gen Z embodies a paradox: high awareness but inconsistent civic action. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 44% of 18 to 24-year-olds voted in the 2022 midterms, compared to approximately 67.6% of voters over 40. While Gen Z’s number was higher than in previous years, the gap highlights a generational divide between awareness and mobilization.

It’s undeniable that my generation has been flooded with information, and our propensity to peruse online platforms has made us highly opinionated on a wide range of topics. So, if we’re so passionate about the issues around us, why are we not voting? 

Gen Z’s lack of civil engagement can lead to what some call “performative nihilism,” a mindset where serious issues are acknowledged but treated as inevitable and unsolvable. This response may be shaped by years of watching institutions fail to meet challenges, from stalled climate policy to deepening economic inequality. 

The result is a kind of learned helplessness. Gen Z is politically literate, highly connected and fluent in the language of critique, but often skeptical of traditional forms of engagement. Online discourse becomes the outlet, but without coordinated offline action, the energy dissipates into apathy. We could make a thousand TikToks about why an issue matters, and although we may be spreading the word, it’s not making much of a difference. 

This is not to say Gen Z is politically inert. Many of us have participated in protests, and youth-led movements like March for Our Lives and the Sunrise Movement show that when activated, Gen Z can be a powerful force. But these efforts remain fragmented, often disconnected from broader political infrastructures and voter participation.

The challenge ahead is not only about registering more young voters or coaxing them into political parties. It’s about rebuilding trust, creating tangible pathways for agency—real, accessible steps for activism, from volunteering with impactful organizations to attending community meetings or protests—and bridging the gap between online consciousness and real-world impact. 

Our humor is not inherently a bad thing. Laughter has always been important. But if we want to shape the world we inherit—rather than merely survive it—it’s time to turn away from joking about global conflicts and start working to prevent them. The stakes are no longer theoretical, and the future will be decided by those who show up.

The post Gen Z Laughs in the Face of War appeared first on Obsidian News | Oregon Youth Voices.

The answer is no. In recent years, prom has morphed into something even bigger. Students invest heavily in everything from extravagant “promposals,” transportation and fashion to the actual ticket itself. The increased prevalence of social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok likely contributes to this pressure on prom attendees to show a picture-perfect evening. The desire to impress others and document the night online has led to heightened expectations, often turning what should be a joyful experience into stress. 

Originally, prom was a formal dance organized by schools to represent the societal norms of becoming more polished and mature as students made the journey from childhood to young adulthood. Schools would use the opportunity to teach social etiquette to students and to celebrate the end of the school year. It was often held in school gyms and was much more focused on the celebration of coming together as a community. In recent years, however, schools have shifted away from holding dances in the gyms and towards nicer facilities. For example, Bend High held its prom at the Riverhouse this year. This change is just one reflection of the wider shift towards extremes, where people feel like they either need to present perfection or nothing at all.  Over time, prom has dramatically evolved past any resemblance to its origins, as societal norms changed and pressure grew on students.

Overall, this is not to say not to enjoy your prom night. However, taking the time to remember why we celebrate this time of year can take some of the pressure off and remind students that it is ok to not go all out for this one night of your life. No matter what you do, we can all keep in mind that this night is truly about making lasting memories, having fun with your friends, and celebrating the end of this important chapter in your life!

The post The Pressure of a Modern-Day Prom appeared first on Obsidian News | Oregon Youth Voices.