Sistine Ceiling:

Making their own unique blend of

6 Entertainment

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Rock Music
Philip Perez
In 2007, Stacy Vasquez left Houston to study animal science at AMK. While in Houston, Vasquez played drums for Cinema of Fear, a metal band that played in the greater Houston metal circuit. There was a period after moving to Kingsville where Vasquez was not playing the music that he loved for a variety of reasons. It just became something I wasnt doing anymore although I really enjoyed doing it, Vasquez said. The desire to play music again introduced Vasquez to guitarist Lee Roy Lerma. The two became the first two pieces of what would later become Sistine Ceiling. The next piece came in the form of a customer by the name of Nick Harper. Harper, an English major from Virginia Beach walked into the store that Vasquez worked at and the two started talking about music. He told me he was a singer and I was like Hes gotta have a good voice, Vasquez said. Unfortunately, Harper was already singing for another band, so the birth of Sistine Ceiling would have to wait. Enter Carlos Gonzales, a History and Political Science major out of Beeville who was playing bass for the band F*%# the Mainstream with Vasquez roommate. I actually played with him (Gonzales) for a few shows because he needed a drummer and I offered, Vasquez said. It was just another opportunity to get drunk and play. Eventually, Gonzales left that band and the two, along with guitarist Lee Roy Lerma, started to play music together.

Deus Ex: More Human than Human

Joseph Frymire
What will the world look like in 16 years? According to the creators of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, in 2027 some of us will be lining up to get our limbs and organs replaced with robotic parts, while others will be protesting against this practice and preaching the importance of human purity. It sounds ridiculous, but what was our world like 16 years ago? In 1995 the general populace didnt own a computer or know what the word Internet even meant. Whos to say in another 16 years we wont be running down to the limb clinic to get a quick tune up on our robotic legs? You are Adam Jensen, Head of Security for Serif Industries, a controversial corporation that specializes in the development of cybernetic limb and weapon augmentations. Adam is well known and well respected in his role as security chief for Serifs main building in Detroit, although one is left to wonder exactly why. Five minutes after you begin the game, mercenaries who murder most of the staff, destroy valuable scientific research and mortally wound Adam to the point that he has to receive extensive cybernetic surgery invade the company. Not exactly a red letter day for Mr. Jensen. However when Adam wakes up, brimming with robotic rage, Serif orders him to hunt down the people responsible for the attack. No one ever mentions or seems overly concerned that theyre sending the same guy who failed so badly last time that his arms fell off. But Adam has a few new tricks up his sleeve now that hes more human than human. When the player earns enough Praxis Points, they can upgrade Adams augmentations in myriad ways. Different augmentation powers are tied to Adams various cybernetic limbs such as his eyes, arms, torso, or legs. If you focus primarily on strength augmentations you dont have to plan ahead much; you can blast your way through a heavily guarded building with nothing but a machine gun and a smile. Alternatively, if you invest in stealth augmentations you can sneak around that same building, silently knocking out all the guards or skewering them with swords that pop out of your cyber-arms. While pollution may have blocked out the sun in Deus Ex, its world still teems with life. The future noir set pieces are gorgeous and atmospheric, though venturing through countless factories and apartment buildings can get a bit repetitive. Unfortunately people dont look very human, which is somewhat appropriate admittedly, but lip-syncing is particularly terrible and faces animate poorly overall. In fact augmentations must play hell on the human muscular system in general, as peoples movements are somewhat jerky and floaty when performing even simple tasks. What really breathes life into the bleak world of Deus Ex is the ambient sound and music. The synth heavy soundtrack is both mysterious and exciting, and reacts to whats going on at the time. If detected inside the network while hacking, the music will become frantic as the player attempts to finish their intrusion before their position is discovered. While walking down the streets of Detroit, the dull roar of city sounds and the muffled conversations of random passersby work to fully immerse the player in a world that ends up not feeling all that different from our own. Its somewhat unlikely that by 2027 well be replacing body parts wholesale for cybernetic ones. But Deus Ex: Human Revolution isnt trying to accurately predict the future, it just attempts to engross the player in one possible future thats alien yet familiar at the same time, and it does so admirably.

Harper would eventually leave the band he was with at around the same time and after getting a chance to jam with the other three, Harper joined. I always wanted to do something with Stacy because hes talented, said Harper. Sistine Ceiling members include, from left to right, Nick Harper, Alex Maldonad, tree, I also didnt feel right being in that Stacy Vasquez, sitting, Carlos Gonzales. Contributed Photo particular band. The band was complete and the four started Tejano to rock. Harper, who lists Sade, Bjork and with every performance. writing music. his own mother, grew up listening to jazz and Every time weve played, the crowds gotten In 2009, Vasquez and friends spotted Alex rock music. a little bigger, Harper said. The best turnout Maldonado skateboarding around the benches My mom would sing around the house we had was at the universitys MusicFest with where they were smoking. Maldonado noticed vacuuming and stuff, Harper said, I tried to Stoney LaRue. Vasquez drum tattoo and the two started talking mimic my mothers singing. My favorite part was how that big band was and eventually jamming together, writing music Gonzales went through phases of music that waiting for us and as soon as our last song and performing. took him from country to Tejano and eventually ended, they started right up, Vasquez said. We Then Lerma decided to leave the band in order metal music as a teen. were told that we would only get 15 minutes, so to get a job and support his family, leaving the I was exposed to Marilyn Manson, Deftones, at the very end when we were supposed to stop four to continue in what is now Sistine Ceiling. Coal Chamber and Ministry, Gonzales said. we just said F*#@ it and ran three songs together Sistine Ceiling was not the first name that was The music at the time was the dark, heavy and you can see people freaking out not knowing tossed around. growling stuff. Thats the music that I found that what to do. We were actually scampering to find a name, made me want to play. Thats the kind of stuff In the end, the band was allowed to finish the Gonzales said. We went through many other that I wanted to play. show because the crowd response was so good. names because we didnt know if we wanted it to Maldonado played in a marching band in Sistine Ceiling is preparing to release a five mean something or if it was just a name. middle school before deciding to venture out. song EP very soon and is working hard to book Some of the names considered were Alien I realized that I didnt like being told what to as many shows as possible, focusing more on Vomit, Malaffected Pus Bubble and No One play, Maldonado said. I also stumbled on a their live shows in hopes that people will enjoy Leaves. guitar in the band hall and picked it up knowing listening to their music as much as the guys We went for a good while arguing back and that if the kid who owned it saw me with it, he enjoy performing it. forth and couldnt settle on anything, Harper could easily beat me. When we play, we want people to connect said. When that one got thrown out, it was like He was hooked and eventually got his own with it, we want people to understand it and Thats it. guitar. He used what he learned from marching we want it to mean something, said Vasquez. The name Sistine Ceiling is based on the bad and combined it with music that he listened Were not in the band to have a social life and Vaticans Sistine Chapel. to such as Metallica and Pantera and just started get chicks, its not even about that. Its always The list of influences is very diverse for each playing. been about the music; thats what its always member for the group of self-taught musicians. The public response to the music, which the been about and thats where it will always stay. Vasquez grew up in a musical family who band describes as modern, yet dynamic, has been involved with a number of bands ranging from very positive. Their following continues to grow