The claim begins with the song The Grand Conjuration off of The Ghost Reveries record. This was a divisive song for Opeth fans.

The Grand Conjuration came out on July 26th, 2005. It was released as a single. The teaser track to the album Ghost Reveries. This was their first album with a major record label, Roadrunner records. This song and this record represented a major change in the band and it's members lives.

Peter Lindgren leaves Opeth in May 2007. He was quoted as saying "The reason behind this is that I feel that I simply have lost some of the enthusiasm and inspiration needed to participate in a band that has grown from a few guys playing the music we love to a worldwide industry. The love of music has always been, and still is, our motive, but I personally have lost something along the way. The massive amount of touring has taken its toll."

Watershed is released June 3rd, 2008. On it, the track "Porcelain Heart." A selection of lyrics from Porcelain Heart:

I lost all I had (That April day) / I turned to my friends (Nothing to say) / I wallowed in shame

I posit that Peter broke the news to Mikael in April, before departing officially in May.

I said that I love (Eternal schemes) / I clinged to my past / (Like childish dreams)

Icy roads beneath my feet / Led me through wastelands of deceit / ...Kept inside our idle race / Ghosts of an idol's false embrace

Peter's reasoning for leaving the band seems echoed in these line. Mikael wanted the rock-star dream. Peter’s statement reads like the cost of that dream: the band had become a “worldwide industry,” the touring machine had taken its toll, and the thing that began as friends playing music had become something Peter no longer recognized himself inside.

So why do I mention, specifically, The Grand Conjuration?

Well, Porcelain Heart seems to be its reprise. The main driving chord theme of the chorus in Grand Conjuration makes a very slightly altered appearance on their next (Peterless) record. As a Bridge/Outro.

The Grand Conjuration Main Chorus Chords Just listen til the repeat.

Porcelain Heart Bridge/Outro

I posit this music coincidence is not an accident. Mikael was as cryptically and as clearly as he could muster, saying "I am so sorry." to his best friend whom he drove away chasing his rockstar dreams.

Akerfeldt himself said that the contents of Watershed were very personal, and had to do with family and lineupchanges:

Akerfeldt on Watershed: "This one was all personal lyrics." He said it wasn't a concept record - the songs came out of what had happened in his life, namely becoming a father again and the lineup changes (i.e. Lopez and Peter leaving) source

For those that don't know, since leaving Opeth, Peter Lindgren has become the Vice President of King. They made Candy Crush. He's doing just great.

A bakery in Conway NH is suing the town after being told their mural violates advertising signage laws. It seems the sign just has pastries and doesn't otherwise advertise the business, so they're calling it art and arguing it should stay. The town disagrees so they're going to court over it.

The bakery is suing the town for $1, and permission to keep the kids mural up.

This is a small business fighting to keep kids art on display. Suing for $1 is a way to signal that are willing to do this at a financial loss, and that the display isn't a means of enriching themselves but rather their community.

I'm approaching 40. I've been all over the internet my whole life. Mostly a metal head. I love me my prog rock. I love my folk, and a little indie here and there.

I won't give away too much, but if you know where I know this music from, give me a shout. I'm sure some of y'all are out tofu aware out there.

Pete Davis never got the fame he deserves in this genre. Maybe Foss platforms can give a hum le ho ie a signal boost. This is his most popular track with a band from cages ago, but peep his shit. He deserves it.

The bottom of the page there is a countdown that will expire at midnight Eastern standard Time tonight.

This company claims to be in Boston. They've received federal grants. I've done a small amount of digging, but it would be entirely within valves resources to set up such a company. They have a LinkedIn, but it doesn't really seem like anyone really works there? It seems like a viral marketing campaign.

There was a Reddit thread. A while back. Some people noticed classes in the HTML that referenced other half-lifey things. But, some people in that thread shut it down as nothing out of the ordinary.

Then, there have been recent leaks with regard to a new game being developed. Someone found a resume suggesting that a person had done voice-over work for an unreleased project with Valve in 2023.

There was also a leak of some files with .hlx file types, and I guess prior to the half-life alyx release some .hla files leaked.

In the .hlx file leak, I guess there was found references to things like the EV suit.

Here's a YouTube video that touches on all of this.

Legend has it, Eyedea wrote these lyrics when he was 14 years old. What the actual fuck.

This is an appreciation thread. All 4 games are iconic to me. Way underrated.

To me, midnight club is everything need for speed wanted to be. Need for speed had a few hits and many misses. Midnight club was 100% hits. And they aged incredibly. They're still fun as hell.

If you never played and you dig arcade racing games, go play. It's an open city racing game. Variety of racing types, endless challenges, and really great mechanicsi just wish it was as.pophlar as it deserves to be.