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This Calling

There are only a few byproducts of the combination of being an uncle and getting back into modern metal. Actually, there's probably just one: seeing the lung capacity of babies be on par with the most revered vocalists in metal. Seeing this firsthand is where this can all be truly understood.

I still love a lot of Dillinger Escape Plan, Killswitch Engage, and All That Remains. And I have loved being an uncle since my twin nieces were born. With each visit, I feel so proud of them just for who they are, even though they do have fits. Now that the girls are getting to an age where they can construct full sentences, the amount of crying has lessened a little bit. But I've already witnessed plenty of crying fits, from being tired to being hungry to being scared, to see the maximum volume these girls can dish.

While I see their very loving parents and grandparents do their best to calm them down, seeing them belt out from the stomach is not so much an unnerving experience given my numerous car rides blasting Miss Machine and The Fall of Ideals.

So yes, liking modern metal has made me tolerant of crying babies. But I won't lie, when all sorts of love and affection won't calm them down, patience is severely tested. Patience is something I still work on, so there's more work to be done.

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