We here at Team Decibel can’t get enough of Guitar Hero: World Tour. When we heard RedOctane and Activision were bringing a Metallica version of the game we got pretty fuckin’ excited. We’ve paddled our plastic guitar-controller to death trying to perfect “Trapped Under Ice” in GT: World Tour, but our collective head explodes when we contemplate paddling/faux-drumming through songs like “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “Master of Puppets,” and “Hit the Lights.”

Initial reports are 28 Metallica songs will be playable. (more…)

From the offices of Ian Christe and Bazillion Points Publishing…

The acclaimed history of million-selling Finnish symphonic metal band
Nightwish, “Once Upon a Nightwish: The Official Biography 1996-2006,”
will soon be available in a new, improved English edition through
North American publisher Bazillion Points. Pre-orders are being accepted now for books shipping with limited metal badges on Dec. 31. (more…)

Cincinnati Bengals
Tate Harville of Brother Von Doom

I’m a Bengals fan, so let’s get drunk! Here are some words of advice for you defenses out there: stop worrying about the pass! Carson Palmer has already connected with T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the end zone! As for Chad Johnson, his prancing around in the end zone, smack-talking, and just all-out entertaining personality speaks for itself being the #1 all-time Bengals receiver. As for our running game, it’s still up in the air with the loss of our tank Rudi Johnson, which brings a tear to my eye every time it’s brought up. Chris Perry is really going to have to step his game up, but he has done it before and he’ll do it again. Expect a heavy dose of Robert Geathers down the throat of your favorite quarterbacks everywhere! With our first game being a big division game against the Ravens I expect big hitters like Geathers, Peko, Keith Rivers, and who can forget the big man Antwan Odom to give up nothing more than an inch… maybe two. That leads me to the passing game—our weak spot. All I have to say for that is steer clear of Jonathan Joseph and you might score points! An aside: If you’re ever in Ohio, and it’s Bengals vs. Browns, come hangout and tailgate! We won’t be able to remember it, but I can promise you a few things:

1) alcohol
2) fighting
3) broken valuables
4) nudity

Whether or not we win or lose, I won’t remember (which is a good thing because I think everyone knows the Bengals’ luck with playoffs). What else do you expect from the biggest drunken rivalry in NFL?

New York Giants
by Chris Beattie of Hatebreed

Even though I cringed when I saw that Osi Umenyiora was injured and out for the season and Michael Strahan call it quits, I see no other team that can stand up to the New York Giants. With the huge upset of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII fresh in their minds, and a restored confidence in Eli Manning’s leadership on the field, a lot of teams are going to get crushed. On top of that, the Giants’ schedule doesn’t really look too tough, except for the two games with the Dallas Cowboys (but don’t forget that T.O. cried for his quarterback) and their division rivals—the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles (Donovan McNabb’s out of gas). The NFC East is a tough division, and when the Giants win that, they’ll be in good shape for the post-season.

I’m not saying the Giants will go undefeated but expect Eli Manning to connect with WR Plaxico Buress for a shitload of TDs, RB Brandon Jacobs to run over defenses and Kevin Boss (a.k.a. Fake Shockey) to come into his own at the tight end position. Linemen Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka and Antonio Pierce will shine on defense. Game over. See you in the playoffs.

New York Jets
by Eric Peterson of Testament

Always been a fan of the JETS! All the focus in New York is always on the Giants, and moreso this year after the Super Bowl. The Jets are underrated every single year and no one really ever gives them a chance. I have faith in Gang Green! This season they are going to snag a lot of wins… and come on, the addition of Brett Favre has to leave the rest of the teams in the division a bit scared. Favre and Laveranues Coles are going to connect all season.  Expect Jerricho Cotchery to have a breakout season also. Brett Favre is just going to breathe new life into the whole squad. The new Captain is going to bring the team back to the Promised Land! GO JETS!  J-E-T-S, JETS, JETS, JETS!

Chicago Bears
by Brandan Schieppati of Bleeding Through

While most people would think, being from Southern California, that the Chargers would be my team, this is not the case. I’m a Bears fan through and through!

I see the 2008 Bears going 11-5 and taking a wild card spot to make the playoffs. I think that this season people will finally see what QB Kyle Orton can do and people will soon forget about the Rex Grossman era. The addition of two running backs—rookie Matt Forte and vet Kevin Jones—will see the running attack return to the smash mouth game we are used to seeing from the Bears. I see the offense line having some question marks but I think they will hold up. I also see rookie OT Chris Williams coming in and making a difference. As for the defense, expect great things if they can stay healthy all year. I see the Monsters of the Midway returning to the playoffs this year. GO BEARS!

San Francisco 49ers
by Page Hamilton of Helmet

We’re in the weakest division in football; I think we might be able to sneak up on some teams a little bit, like we did a couple years ago. This kid, [quarterback] J.T. O’Sullivan—he’s been in the league six years, on his seventh team or something like that—he was on Detroit last year, so he knew [new offensive coordinator Mike] Martz’s system. He’s smart, he’s got a good arm, he throws on the run. He’s held a clipboard for long enough, and his first name is the same as my dad, so I gotta go with it, you know? I think [Alex] Smith is a talented kid; unfortunately, we’ve been a really unstable organization for these four years. He’s had a different offensive coordinator each year. They brought in that loser last year, [Jim] Hostler, who was the worst offensive coordinator in the history of the NFL. But I think we made some improvements. Isaac Bruce looks pretty decent; he’s gonna have a positive influence on the receivers. After five years of sucking, it’s time. I’ll stick my foot in my mouth and say we’re gonna make the playoffs and win our division. I think we can get 10 wins this year.

Philadelphia Eagles
by Erik Rutan of Hate Eternal

So here we are again. Another season, another year of hopes, dreams, goals, achievements, NFL records and a Superbowl in sunny Tampa, FL for our beloved Eagles to hopefully once again attain and finally embrace with victory! Let the games begin!

First off, our offense was very effective in the pre-season this year. McNabb looked phenomenal, sharp as I have ever seen him—bullet passes, mobile in the pocket. He looked like his pre-injured self—even better, if I may be so bold. Rookie WR DeSean Jackson—wow! Man, does he look promising; great routes as a receiver, great run backs on special teams. Quintin Demps looked great on kick returns as well. I almost shat my pants when they both scored special teams touchdowns in one game. I was trying to remember the last time I saw a kickoff or punt go for a touchdown and it might not have been since Brian Mitchell was returning kicks—way overdue. Of course star RB Brian Westbrook will have a big season—he is the ultimate weapon. I think with running backs Correll Buckhalter and Lorenzo Booker back there to help take the load will keep Westbrook healthy and even more lethal. It is the three-headed monster all over again, like when Deuce Staley was around and we were rotating a lot—the birds seem to love the idea of the constant rotation. When Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown went down, Hank Baskett, Greg Lewis and DeSean Jackson really stepped up and it was good to see. I hope they both recover very soon but think with the new approach on offense we will maximize using our receivers in many ways. Lots of play action, I think, due to more running plays this season. Let’s just hope our running game is effective enough to open up the passing game and create more down-the-field big plays. The front line looks awesome as always and great to have offense lineman Shawn Andrews back and healthy, in mind and body. Keeping healthy is the key for our Eagles.

Our defense looks very fast. I think our linebacker core going into their second year together will really gel this season. And with a secondary of Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard at corner with Brian “Dawk” Dawkins and Quintin Mikell back there we have one of the best pass coverage teams out there. We have a lot more depth at all positions except maybe in the receiver department with two of our starters injured, there is some concern there, but only time will tell. I think our receivers will come through on the simple fact of their talent and knowledge of the system. This is a team that knows and has bought into this system!

I have seen the Sports Illustrated predictions and I freaked out. Could this be the year of ultimate glory or the taste of utter defeat? May this prediction not be like the Madden curse, going under the radar is just fine with me! I have faith. Even though we are in arguably one of the best divisions out there with the NFC East, I feel we have an incredible chance to go all the way. I believe we have everything in place to make a real run at it this—what this Eagles fan since the Jaws days hopes for. Just one Superbowl win in a lifetime!

May Eagles fans be granted that wish!
May the Eagles soar to dominance!
May they fulfill their destiny!

Fly, Eagles, fly, on the road to victory!

E—–A—–G——L——E——S——EAGLES!