Like Linkin’ Park? Check out their new single, The Catalyst, from their upcoming album “A Thousand Suns” embedded in a 5 minute+ trailer for the upcoming video game, Medal of Honor. And the best part is? The video is directed by their very own Joe Hahn. Here’s the video:

Back when I was kid we used to have this really thick book with a lot of lyrics in it. I think it was titled Let It Be Me. It was pretty useful provided you know the title of the song, as the index listed the song titles. This was back in the 80s and you can imagine how difficult it was to find the lyrics for something like Ai No Corrida when you heard it off the radio and had no idea how to spell it (and the DJ conveniently doesn’t announce the name of the song, or you missed the announcement).

The Internet did make things easier. Google’s search algo is smart enough that you can even enter bits and pieces of the song lyrics and get a decent result. This however requires the presence of a computer or at least a web browser. While I still use Google as my primary means to look for stuff, it doesn’t help when I’m in the car and I need to find out the title of the song that is currently on air.

In this case, I use Shazam, an app on my iPhone. Just set it to listen to the song (it just requires two clicks…one to start the app, the second to tag the track…as in listen to it) and it almost always come back with positive on the song. It doesn’t matter whether the song has vocals or not, it even managed to ID a jazz track by Mark Whitfield. The app will listen to several seconds of the song before analysing that portion, which I assume is sent to a server somewhere for analysis, thus requiring a data plan or a WiFi Internet connection.

The free version of Shazam that I’m using now does come with limitations. For starters you can only tag like 5 songs a month. I wonder should I invest 5 bucks on Shazam Encore, which allows for unlimited tagging. That day will come once I’m hitting the 5-tags-a-month wall a little too often. In any case, do check out Shazam over at the App Store, I’m pretty sure that you’ll find it useful especially when you are listening to alot of music: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/shazam/id284993459?mt=8

I remember watching the music videos from Daft Punk‘s Discovery album years ago and their anime style and somewhat semblance of a storyline caught my eye. I didn’t know that there was a full featured movie style music video featuring all the tracks from Discovery; it’s an hour long anime movie musical titled Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem. Check it out over here (if you haven’t already).

If you think the anime style seems somewhat familiar, that’s because the movie was done by Toei Animation, the people behind DBZ, Captain Harlock and many more anime series.

Except for the Nike+, I never really did encounter another iPhone app that requires an additional piece of hardware to work, until now. IK Multimedia is pleased to announce that AmpliTube® for iPhone, the ultimate mobile guitar amp and effects system for iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad, is now available for download from the iTunes App Store. Together with the iRig interface adapter this represents the first complete solution for guitar and bass players to play, practice, and have fun anytime and everywhere rocking through their iPhone.

The combination of AmpliTube mobile app and iRig accessory adapter is called AmpliTube® iRig™, the cutting edge system for the portable guitar and bass multi-effects of the future.

AmpliTube for iPhone

At the core of the AmpliTube iRig is AmpliTube for iPhone, developed by IK Multimedia, the leader in gear modeling for professional studios, to get the most accurate tone from your iPhone. AmpliTube for iPhone gives you incredible, ultra-realistic sound and functionality in a convenient mobile app with 3 simultaneous stompbox effects, an amp-head plus cabinet and a microphone, offering more power than traditional pocket-size guitar effect processors!

With AmpliTube for iPhone fully loaded, you will be able to choose between 5 amp models (clean, crunch, lead, metal, bass) with full tone and drive controls, 11 stompbox effects (delay, flanger, phaser, overdrive, distortion, filter, wah, fuzz, octaver, chorus, noise filter), 5 speaker cabinets (1×12”, 2×12”, 4×12” A & B”, 1×15) and 2 microphones (dynamic and condenser). Plus, AmpliTube for iPhone features a chromatic digital tuner and a metronome. You can also import and play along with songs or backing tracks, and create, save and recall up to 36 presets on the fly.

• Real time guitar and bass mobile multi-FX app
• Full rig made from 3 simultaneous stompboxes + amp + cabinet + mic
• 10 Stomps, 5 Amps, 5 Cabinets, 2 Mics available
• Import and play along with songs and backing tracks with real time effects
• 36 presets can be saved/recalled on the fly
• Includes tuner/metronome
• Free, LE and Full versions available
• Free and LE versions expandable with a-la-carte downloadable gear

iRig Plug Interface Adapter

The iRig interface adapter is the easiest way to get your instrument’s signal into your mobile device with electrical impedance adapting – this is essential for achieving the best guitar tone. Simply plug iRig into your mobile device, plug your instrument into the iRig, plug headphones or an amplifier to the output and you are ready to rock with no further set-up needed.

Plus, you can also use the iRig with line level signal sources such as synthesizers, keyboards or mixers. And not only does the iRig work perfectly with AmpliTube, but it is also the perfect companion to any other guitar or other instrument recording, processing or tuning app that uses an audio input.

Pricing and availability

AmpliTube for iPhone is now available from the iTunes App store in 3 versions:

• AmpliTube Free: 3 stompboxes, 1 amp+cabinet, 2 microphones http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/amplitube-free/id373309342?mt=8
• AmpliTube LE: 5 stompboxes, 1 amplifier + cabinet, 2 microphones – $2.99/€2.39 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/amplitube-le/id373507300?mt=8
• AmpliTube: 11 stompboxes, 5 amps + cabinets, 2 microphones – $19.99/€15.99 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/amplitube/id373524000?mt=8

More gear can be added to FREE and LE versions through in-app purchase of a-la-carte models with stompboxes costing $2.99/€2.39 each and amplifiers + cabinets for $4.99/€3.99 each. Pre-orders for the iRig interface adapter are already available through IK Selected Dealers and from the IK online Store for $39.99/€29.99 MSRP (excluding taxes).  iRig will start shipping worldwide the first week of July, 2010.

For more information and video demos, please visit:

http://www.amplitube.com/irig

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/irig/videodemo/

The person who directed or wrote the script for Lady Gaga’s latest music video, Telephone, must be a computer gamer. In one scene where Lady Gaga is preparing poison, one of the ingredients used was Tiberium!

LOL, the fictional mineral, found in the Command & Conquer RTS games is lethal to in-game characters, making it a pretty good choice for poison. One cup is pretty much enough to take out an entire diner.

Check out the music video below, featuring Beyonce. Do note it’s a 9 minute long opus:

Well, aside from being female. If you listen carefully to Ke$ha’s album, Animal, you’ll notice that some tracks contain samples that really sound like they are taken from retro 8-bit games. Cases in point are Tik Tok and Blah Blah Blah (feat. 3OH!3). But for non-gamers, the samples may sound like old-school MIDI tracks.

Speaking about retro video game music, if you have not gotten your hands on the Bayonetta 5 CD pack, you certainly should. Some of the discs contain remixed tracks from Outrun (Magical Sound Shower, Splash Wave), After Burner, After Burner II, Fantasy Zone (Boss theme) and Space Harrier!

The Bayonetta Original Soundtrack (Japanese ver.)  is currently being sold for USD 52.90 at Play-Asia. Click here for further details.

If you are a fan of the music from the Dragon Quest/Dragon Warrior series, Play-Asia has over 60 Dragon Quest soundtrack CDs available, so check it out over here.  Other notable video game soundtrack includes one featuring a Korean superstar; not everyday you get to see BoA on a video game soundtrack, in this case it’s from the Tales of Graces for the Nintendo Wii (click here).

Also, check out the Gran Turismo Original Sound Collection, featuring 22 tracks from the game. Play-Asia’s handy stock counter indicates that there’s only 2 left, so hurry (click here).

Last but not least, the complete soundtrack for Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver, titled Pokemon Heart Gold And Soul Silver Music Super Complete with a whopping 270 tracks is out now, so check it out here.

Here’s a tip for all of you Lone Wanderers out there. If you have not finished the main quest in Fallout 3, do not install Broken Steel. Broken Steel introduces a new class of Super Mutants, the Super Mutant Overlord.

These guys are tough and can bring about some serious hurt especially those carrying the Tri-Beam Laser Rifles. This particular weapon (carried only by Overlords) does an extra 40 HP damage to you per shot (!) and coupled with their high hit points, you’ll probably need to employ run-and-gun tactics.

You’ll find plenty of Super Mutant Overlords in where else but the D.C Area, the very same place you’ll be hanging out in for most part of the main quest. That’s why it is really a bad idea to get Broken Steel before finishing the main quest.

I barely made it out alive from the National Archives (while on the Stealing Independence quest) after getting knocked about by not one, but two Overlords. Least to say, it wasn’t a pleasant experience and I used nearly all of my stimpacks.

At the same time, I do appreciate the new level of challenge, but for those with underpowered characters out there, you have been warned.

I’m going through too many episodes of Heroes Season 4 too fast and my downloads can’t keep up. Sylar is a pretty fascinating character, witty even, now that he is stuck inside Matt Parkman’s head.

Speaking about heroes, Guitar Hero World Tour has been pretty cool, and now I’ve got a list of Top 5 songs (IMHO) from the game, and their respective video clips from the actual artiste/group. This should be fun:

1. Paramore – Misery Business

2. Bon Jovi – Living on a Prayer

3. Eagles – Hotel California

4. Wings – Band on the Run

5. Beat It – Michael Jackson

So, not only does Bayonnetta have very long hair, her soundtrack is of epic proportions as well, spanning a total of 5 CDs! You read that right,  5 CDs. Here’s the product description for this particular box set:

Created by Kamiya Hideki, Bayonetta has some of the most stunning action sequences in game history and one of the most beautiful, sensual and totally awesome black witches. Bayonetta sweeps gamers off their feet with a toss of her head and a faint smile on her lips, the music composers take gamers to that world beyond the secretive smile.

From the theme song to the atmospheric background music, this 5 CD package is a musical journey into that dangerous dimension. Read what the director Kamiya and the music producers have to say about the fan favourited pieces in the booklet and gain a deeper understanding of the witch’s adventure.

This box set is now available, at a discounted price of USD 47.61 with free international shipping to certain countries. Check it out over here.