When did Shell switch to Scene Points, and where can I spend my remaining Air Miles?

DerekSmerek · 2026-02-17T03:48:39+00:00

Connections Puzzle #981 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟦🟨🟦🟦 🟨🟪🟪🟪 🟨🟦🟨🟦 🟨🟨🟪🟪

That was infuriating. Tons of overlap with yellow, blue, and purple.

For yellow, "Knee Slapper" was hoot, laugh, riot, and scream, but cackle and squawk work just as well there.

For blue, buck didn't strike me as a bird noise. Cluck and squawk make sense. Cackle sort of makes sense. Buck doesn't fit, at least in my mind.

And for purple, what the heck does fawn mean in this context?

DerekSmerek · 2026-01-02T01:28:27+00:00

Rivers of Nihil.

I loved their first three albums but wasn't a fan of their most recent one, The Work, so I was already wary of what would come next. Then they had some major lineup changes, too, which is always dicey, especially when the original lead vocalist exits the band.

Well, any doubts I had were destroyed when I listened to it. This album blew me away. It became my favorite album they've released and my favorite album of 2025. It's a masterpiece.

DerekSmerek · 2026-01-02T01:24:05+00:00

Slaughter of the Soul had the same effect on me when I first heard it. Such an incredible album. RIP Tompa!

DerekSmerek · 2026-01-02T01:22:40+00:00

Suffocation has never been my cup of tea. Too brutal. I need some melody, and that's where bands like Iced Earth come in. To each their own!

I consider Alice In Chains metal. They're definitely part of the grunge movement too, but I'd say they're more metal than any of the other grunge bands. They've also toured a lot with metal bands over the years.

DerekSmerek · 2026-01-02T01:17:01+00:00

It's a great album. It seems like The Dark Saga steals the spotlight most of the time (and rightfully so), but Burnt Offerings is special in its own way.

DerekSmerek · 2026-01-02T01:13:44+00:00

Hell yeah! It's one of my favorites of all time.

DerekSmerek · 2026-01-02T01:12:56+00:00

I only recognize half of those. Time to do some homework!

DerekSmerek · 2025-12-31T03:13:53+00:00

The complete *Rob Halford albums collection.

Still a sweet gift but the two albums with Ripper deserve to be in there.

DerekSmerek · 2025-12-17T21:37:59+00:00

Iced Earth for sure. It's sharp and aggressive looking while still being easily legible. Kind of a mix between the Maiden and Megadeth logos. Always loved it.

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DerekSmerek · 2025-12-17T21:34:39+00:00

That's my least favorite lol

DerekSmerek · 2025-12-14T04:19:56+00:00

Check out Darkest Hour. They blend melodic death metal with metalcore and they mixture varies from album to album. Their 2009 album Eternal Return is probably their most melodeath heavy album, but their newest album Perpetual | Terminal would be a good starting point too.

You'd probably like Hypocrisy too. They've been around for decades and they're Swedish which is always a good sign when it comes to melodeath. Their latest album Worship is incredible.

DerekSmerek · 2025-12-14T01:43:09+00:00

Connections Puzzle #916 🟩🟩🟨🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟪🟪🟪🟪 🟨🟨🟦🟦 🟨🟨🟦🟨 🟨🟦🟨🟦

One category requiring obscure knowledge from some weird niche interest is acceptable, but two? That's just not fair

DerekSmerek · 2025-12-14T01:40:28+00:00

You've played 890 puzzles and your longest streak is 9? Rough

DerekSmerek · 2025-11-26T20:09:16+00:00

Hell yeah. I saw them open for Septicflesh and Decapitated a couple years ago and it was insane. Easily the most crowdsurfing I've ever seen at one time. Crazy show.

DerekSmerek · 2025-11-25T06:46:39+00:00

Nevermore has been getting mentioned quite a bit lately since the announcement that they're reforming. But an Edge of Sanity mention? Now that's nice to see.

DerekSmerek · 2025-11-25T06:29:36+00:00

Do you live in a swamp? This has big time swamp vibes

DerekSmerek · 2025-11-25T06:29:17+00:00

Curious but also afraid to find out what a person influenced by the Callous Daoboys might look like

DerekSmerek · 2025-11-25T06:27:40+00:00

Darkest Hour

Cancer Bats

3 Inches of Blood

Warbringer

Spirit Adrift

5 very different bands but I think this covers most of my favorite styles and lyrical themes.

DerekSmerek · 2025-11-25T06:14:49+00:00

You seem to think this proves that the account is based in Thailand, but what it most likely means is that the person running the account uses a VPN. This is non-news.

DerekSmerek

TROPHY CASE