April 5th, 2022 by The Northern Light

APRIL 5 - APRIL 25, 2022

NEWS

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

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State House proposes bill to protect HEIF

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Two Weeks Later: Iditarod Wrap-Up

UAA drops masking requirements By Matthew Schmitz news2@thenorthernlight.org

On March 3, UAA Chancellor Sean Parnell sent out an email announcing the end to UAA’s requirement that everyone on campus wears a facemask. The policy change took place over spring break, starting on March 7. UAA director of safety, Tim Edwards, sent an email on March 14 with details on the changes to masking, reporting sickness, isolation and quarantine. In the communication he wrote, “Masks are now optional inside all UAA facilities at all UAA campuses,” though everyone must continue to wear masks in the Student Health and Counseling Center and inside the Sports Medicine Room in the Alaska Airlines Center. Individuals who are up to date with their vaccines, or who have been infected in the past 90 days, do not need to quarantine after close contact with someone who has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. For those exposed, the university says to wear a mask when around others following the ten days after exposure and be tested after five days. The university is still having anyone who tests positive for the virus, or has a suspected case, stay home and isolate for five

PHOTO BY MATTHEW SCHMITZ

Students studying in Rasmussen Hall after UAA updated masking policy, some continue to wear masks, others do not.

days, regardless of their vaccination status. UAA is no longer requiring anyone who tests positive to report to the university. More details can be found regarding UAA’s new policy at https://sites. google.com/alaska.edu/ coronavirus/uaa. The update comes in response to changes made in the CDC’s recommended guidelines of when masks should be worn. The CDC issued new guidance on Feb 25 that did away from the original criteria, which solely relied on infection rates of the COVID-19 vi-

rus, to one that takes into account hospitalizations in addition to the infection rate. The new metrics have three levels: low, medium and high. Only under the high level does the CDC recommend everyone wear a mask. According to the CDC’s website, the Anchorage area, at the time of writing, is at a community level of low. The change was made because the risk of severe disease is lower due to increased immunity from vaccines or prior infection, better testing and new treatments, according

to an article by NBC news. Students coming back from spring break experienced the first day of instruction with the new policy on Monday, March 14. Talking with staff and students on campus the day back, there were a number of opinions regarding the change. Some took it positively, saying that it was nice for the matter to be a personal choice, and people could mask up, or not, depending on their situation and comfort level. Others expressed concern that we were simply repeating the mistakes made last year,

and this could again lead to more restrictions. A few said they didn’t have strong opinions on the subject and were okay wearing a mask, or not. One student said it was “sweet” not having to wear it anymore, but she did feel pressure to put one on when entering her first class. Several staff and students enthusiastically expressed their views on the change, with one saying, “glad it’s gone, good riddance,” and another “I love it.” Some students taking a class in the auto diesel building remarked

that removing the masks is nice because it was difficult to breathe while working. A dance minor said the same thing regarding dancing, and a professor for the culinary arts program shared this sentiment, saying that the students had been working with masks on, in-person, since 2020. One woman said she herself was immunocompromised, and for that reason, would still be masking. A few students said it was nice to be able to put on a mask if sick to help protect others. Some interviewed said they would continue to mask, and left it at that. While employees of UAA and students have the option to remove facemasks, some who work on campus do not. Employees of Subway, Kaladi Brothers and the janitorial services are employed by third parties and still must abide by their own company policies, which may require them to wear masks. From talking with students and observing people on campus, it looks like the number of people choosing to go maskless, at the moment, is about half. A student said, regarding people who choose to remain masked up, “everyone has a reason, like an older person at home,” and went on to add that they might have other health issues too.

Remembering Don Young, a fighter for Alaska By Matthew Schmitz news2@thenorthernlight.org

On Oct 31, 2019, MoveOn released a video of one of their reporters following Congressman Don Young through a building in the US capitol. The reporter repeatedly asked about inviting foreign countries to interfere in our election, a reference to then-President Donald Trump’s apparent attempt to pressure Ukraine into opening an investigation on rival Joe Biden. Young avoided answering the question until the reporter made the mistake of cornering the capricious Congressman, at which point Don Young responded in a way only that Don Young could respond; he headthenorthernlight.org

butted the camera. Two years later, and under a different president, Young attended a cold, windy outdoor signing of Joe Biden’s Build Back Better infrastructure legislation. Captured in a video by CNBC, Biden had just delivered a speech and before signing the bill, he commented to the group, “you guys must be freezing,” to which Young replied, “we were wondering when you were going to stop, for a moment we damn near froze to death.” As reported by the Anchorage Daily News, the gruff, at-large legislator, who was unafraid to banter with the most powerful man on earth, passed away on March 18 at the age of 88 on a flight from Los

Angeles to Seattle. In a statement, Biden described the late congressman as “larger than life.” Young held the honor of being the longest serving Republican congressman in the US House of Representatives. Despite what one may feel about Young’s actions over the years, there was a comfort in knowing he was channeling that energy, courage and brash bravado into serving Alaskans. Born June 9, 1933, in Meriden, California. In 1959 he moved to Fort Yukon, Alaska. There he worked a handful of jobs. According to the biography on his website, he taught 5th graders for the Bureau of Indian Affairs,

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mined for gold, trapped animals, and captained his own tug and barge on the Yukon. He met and married his first wife Lu in 1963. Together they had two daughters Joni and Dawn. Lu passed away in 2009. His first foray into politics was as mayor of Fort Yukon. He then went on to win a seat in the Alaska state House and later the Alaska state Senate. In 1973 he won a special election to Alaska’s single seat in the US House of Representatives. There he would remain for the next 49 years. Early in his national career, he helped secure a massive win for Alaska by getting legislation for the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline @tnl_updates

PHOTO COURTESTY ADN/MARC LESTER

Alaska Congressman Don Young

through Congress. His own views on the significance of this can be seen in a quote from his bio, with him saying, “Next to statehood itself, the most historical legislation passed that affected every Alaskan then, now, and in youtube.com/tnlnews

the future, was the passage of the pipeline legislation.”

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THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2022

Don Young: Continued from cover As reported by the ADN, Young would find his place in Congress directing money and policy around the development of natural resources and infrastructure. In 1994 he was given the chair of the Natural Resources Committee, and in 2001 he stepped up to chair the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. There he was able to secure large amounts of money for state projects, a fact he was shameless about. Regarding transportation legislation, he was quoted as saying, “I stuffed it like a turkey.” And to his critics, “kiss my ear.” His temerity finally caught up with him and he was caught up in scandals surrounding funding for various projects. He lost the chair to the Transportation Committee in 2007. Despite this, it was clear that he had a passion for the country’s infrastructure. He took a politically hazardous posi-

tion by suggesting a raise in the gasoline tax to help pay for crumbling bridges and roads, as reported in a 2007 AP article. He fully recognized the risk stating, “May the sky not fall on me.” Years later he would have one more go at bold infrastructure spending. Young was one of the few Republican members of the house to vote for Biden’s Build Back Better plan. Outlined in an article by the ADN, over the next 5 years it is expected to bring in billions to the state for bridge repair, highway maintenance, upgrades to ports and the ferry system, improvements to broadband and water utilities, and investments into renewable energy. In a statement from his office, Young had this to say about the bill: “I truly believe that this bipartisan infrastructure legislation may be our last best chance to make the federal investments necessary to

modernize and strengthen America’s infrastructure needs for the next century and beyond.” Young’s off-the-cuff actions sometimes got him into hot water. In 1994 he waved around an 18-inch walrus penis bone when the first woman leader of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gave testimony, and his comments on suicide to Wasilla students in 2014 drew sharp criticism. Despite his checkered life, Young seemed to get along with members on both sides of the aisle. ADN put together a list of statements from officials following his death. It is remarkable the number of Democrats and Republicans who counted Young as a friend. His broad appeal was on display in 2019. During a time of vitriol and hyperpartisanship in DC, you would have never guessed it watching CSPAN’s coverage of the House honor Young on March 6 for becoming the longest serv-

ing House Republican in US history. During one of his speeches on the House floor, when administering the oath of office to Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2021, Young decried the hyperpartisanship politics he was seeing, saying, “I love this institution. I will be honest, I do not like what I see. It’s time we hold hands and talk to one another.” Young went on to say, when facing sharp disagreement “let’s sit down and have a drink.” The stories surrounding Young could be incredible, such as former Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner saying in a Politico article that Young had once held a knife to his throat. Young later said his account was mostly true. Jim Muller, a professor of political science at UAA, shared two firsthand accounts that shed light on Young’s sense of humor and loyalty to Alaskans. In the first, on a trip

to DC with students, the itinerary included a visit to meet Young. According to Muller, Young spoke about the importance of civic virtue and remarked to the students that he could see one of them entering politics and even running for the US House. As Muller described it, Young wryly added “you may be running against me, and I’ll whip you.” In the other encounter, students were meeting Young in a committee conference room. When someone who wanted to use the room noticed Young was just speaking with constituents, they tried to move Young along. Muller said Young did not mince words in response to being hurried away, telling them to go “boil their head.” The impact of Young on the state of Alaska is massive, as UAA Chancellor Sean Parnell said in an email to the UAA community following the death of Young. He wrote, “If

you have driven the roads and highways in Alaska, flew the skies, landed at our urban and rural airports, or taken an Alaska State Ferry, you have benefited from Congressman Young’s work.” UA President Pat Pitney highlighted Young’s contribution to the university system in her own email, writing, “In his 49 years in office, Congressman Young stepped up for Alaska and the University of Alaska System time and again.” On Tuesday, March 29, Young’s body was sent to lay in state at the US Capitol. Young is survived by his second wife Anne and two daughters Joni and Dawn.

UAA students advocate for scholarship fund and university in Juneau By Matthew Schmitz Higher Education Investment Fund of Alaska from news2@thenorthernlight.org being swept into the state Over the course of four coffers. days, assembly members Alaska Governor Mike from the Union of Stu- Dunleavy added the IT dents of UAA spoke with funding to the UA budget Alaska state senators and proposal this year. Acrepresentatives in Juneau cording to Graziano, the to advocate for the Uni- system has not been upversity of Alaska. They graded for decades. He were part of a larger dele- described our current IT gation of students from all system as “a 1995 cell to a over the UA system. modern smartphone.” The Alaska state legInvesting in the system islature started their first would be, in his words, regular session on Jan 19 “showing commitment to and students were in Ju- students and community, neau Feb 12-15. UA State- long term.” wide organized the trip The HEIF provides and around 15 students for several scholarships. participated. One is the Alaska PerUSUAA President formance Scholarship. It Tuan Graziano was one of awards high school gradthree UAA students that uates scholarships based went to Juneau. He was on their graduating GPA. accompanied by USUAA Students can receive senator Shanone Tejada funds for up to four years and senator Ella Bryner. if they attend a qualifying Graziano, an Econom- post-secondary education ics major, sat for an inter- institute in Alaska. 2,789 view regarding his experi- students received money ence of the trip. in FY 2021. Normally an annual Another scholarship event, this visit marked is the Alaska Education the first-time students Grant, a needs-based were back in Juneau in scholarship that paid out several years. The global funds to 2,189 students in pandemic had limited ac- 2020. cess to the legislature and Graziano expressed Graziano was happy to passion for the programs have the chance to speak and frustration at their with Alaska legislative potential disruption. For members face to face. high schoolers and graduThe visit was his first ates, the APS was like a time to Juneau. Two main promise: You work hard in items on their agenda high school, and you get were voicing support for to depend on this money $20 million of additional for college. funds to upgrade the UA He said to “make sure IT system and House Bill we have credibility” with 229, written to secure the the community, “part of

that is making sure it’s stable for students.” He also pointed out the broad range of students that receive money from these programs. They are not just “traditional” fouryear degree-seeking undergrads, but also include students across other UA system programs, such as students getting occupational endorsement certificates in fields like welding and nondestructive testing. It’s hard, he indicated, to get professionals to move to Alaska and stay. The UA system is helping provide paths for Alaskans to careers, which the state needs. Cutting the program puts the existence of that future workforce at risk. Graziano and his fellow delegates spent the first two days in Juneau preparing for the meetings, so they could answer questions and give arguments for the proposals to the legislative members. It involved researching the bills and practicing their advocacy strategies. In addition to advocating for the IT budget increase and HB 229, part of their mission was to share their personal stories as students of UAA. The two days of speaking with legislative members involved a flurry of back-to-back meetings. UA Statewide set up the meetings beforehand. They try to match students up with the representatives and senators

PHOTO COURTESY SHANONE TEJADA/USUAA

Graziano(2nd from left), Bryne(4th from left) and Tejada(5th from left) take a picture with Alaska state representative Zack Fields(far right)

from the student’s district. For example, students who live in Eagle River met with senator Lora Rienbold and representative Ken McCarty. Among the legislators Graziano had meetings with were representative DeLena Johnson and senator Elvi Gray-Jackson. Regarding how the trip went, he described it as, “very productive, successful.” The bill to protect the HEIF, HB 229, he believed, would likely get the support it needs to pass.

One thing Graziano learned from the trip was that, as he put it, “people want to listen to student leaders.” In addition to this was the insight he got speaking with staffers and legislators of the importance of sending emails, letters and making phone calls. “Staffers are putting stuff on legislator’s radar,” he said. The way they determine what to bring up largely depends on the feedback they are getting. Graziano would like to see more opportunities for advocacy because, he said,

“to create deeper connections requires meeting throughout the year.” This could involve calling in on public testimony, sending emails and visits to legislators’ offices here in Anchorage. To be effective, it would take more people too, including students and faculty. In a follow-up email, Graziano wrote, “I think the most interesting part which also happened to be the most fun part of going to Juneau was connecting with other students leaders.”

NEWS

State House proposes bill to protect Higher Education Investment Fund

tinguish between the ConBy Matthew Schmitz stitutional Budget Reserve news2@thenorthernlight.org and the state’s general On Jan 18, Alaska fund. As described in an House Representative article from KTOO, The Andy Josephson intro- CBR can be thought of as duced House Bill 229. The the state’s piggy bank. The bill is designed to protect general fund is made up the Higher Investment of various accounts that, Education Fund from be- in addition to others, pay ing drained of money at for the money the state the end of the state’s fiscal spends. year. The HEIF pays for Alaska State Attorseveral scholarships and ney General Treg Taylor failure to protect it would said in a statement from result in uncertainty about the governor’s office that the long-term stability of Alaska’s constitution rethe programs. quires any money leftover The HEIF was created in general fund accounts in 2012 by the state. In a to be paid back to the CBR meeting before the state at the end of the fiscal year. house finance committee Think of it like a car on March 10, Josephson loan: you get a loan for said the fund was set up $10,000 but you only end when the state was flush up needing $7,000 for the with cash. Initially, it was car you purchase. The leftfunded with $400 million over $3,000 would go back and there were two schol- to the bank. In this case the arships it provided for: the bank is the CBR, and the merit-based Alaska Per- loan is an account in the formance Scholarship and general fund. This process the needs-based Alaska is called a “sweep,” and Education Grant. happens on the last day of Presenting to the same the state’s fiscal year June committee, Elise Sorum- 30. Birk, staff member to JoAccording to Josephsephson, described the son, only $20-$30 million history of the fund. In dollars are drawn each 2015, money was approved year from the HEIF. This to pay for a scholarship for means there is always WWAMI students. Money money left over. But, up from the fund was also until 2019, it was not conused to help pay for state sidered to be a part of the libraries, museums and general fund, so the monthe state’s retirement sys- ey did not get swept back tem. into the CBR at the end of Issues surrounding the the year. stability of the HEIF startReported by the ADN ed in 2019. There are two in 2019, Governor Mike different problems related Dunleavy’s administo it. The first is a question tration reassessed what of whether or not the ac- should and should not be count is considered to be a considered an account in part of the state’s general the general fund. The adfund. The second problem ministration made the destems from a failure of the termination that the HEIF state Legislature to vote was indeed a part of the for what is known as a general fund. “reverse sweep” at the end As mentioned above, of the state’s fiscal year. there is a second aspect Regarding the first is- to the problem confrontsue, it is important to dis- ing the HEIF. While the

account technically became sweepable by the Dunleavy administration, the state Legislature normally holds a vote at 12:01am on July 1, to do a “reverse sweep.” The reverse sweep sends money that was swept in to the CBR back out to accounts in the general fund. This process was laid out in an article by James Brook in the ADN. This is done because there are many programs that need constant funding to function. Using the car loan analogy, imagine you kept the $3,000 leftover to help pay for gas and car insurance. Let’s say the bank asked for that extra money back and you returned it. Then, the very next day, you got a new loan from the bank for $3,000. This is basically what happens at midnight on July 1. While this back and forth may seem asinine and mere accounting sophistry, the reason for it has to do with the original intent of the CBR. The fund was set up, according to Alaska Department of Revenue’s website, to “provide fiscal stability,” and the state is required to pay back any money taken out of it. To draw funds from the CBR, as happens in the reverse sweep, Alaska’s constitution requires threefourths of legislatures to approve. In 2019, republican lawmakers held up the vote and some accounts, in addition to the HEIF, were drained of money. Later that year they came to an agreement were able to have a reverse sweep passed and funds were restored to the HEIF. In 2021, the legislature again failed to vote on the reverse sweep, but this time they were unable to come up with a solution,

PHOTO COURTESY ALASKA PUBLIC MEDIA/SKIP GRAY

Alaska State Capitol

according to Josephson. This has led to the HEIF having all its funds moved to the CBR. As reported by Alaska Public Media, earlier this year four university of Alaska students filed a lawsuit against the Dunleavy administration, challenging the sweep of the funds into the CBR. On Feb 17, Judge Adolph Zeman ruled against the students saying that actions of the sweep were in line with the state’s laws. Even though the money behind the scholarships has been removed, the scholarships themselves were paid for in the 2022 school year by the state, according to Josephson. Also, as stated on the governor’s website, the budget proposal includes funding for them in 2023. This method of paying for the three scholarships would mean subjecting them to a yearly vote by the Legislature, meaning there is less guarantee for students that money will

be there long term. As Josephson said in a committee meeting on Feb 7, students facing this uncertainty would wonder “why am I staying in Alaska where every year I have to hold my breath and ask myself: will there be new general fund funding?” In the March 10 finance committee meeting, Chad Hutchison, director of state relations for University of Alaska, said that during frank conversations with the University of Washington, the medical school said the instability of funding for WWAMI could result in Alaska being cut from the program. HB 229 does several things to help protect the account from being swept each year. They all involve clearly indicating that the HEIF is a separate fund and not a part of the general fund. This includes calling the HEIF a separate fund and labeling it a trust. Also, it moves the fund into the Alaska Stu-

dent Loan Corporation as a subsidiary. Josephson described these as “layers of armor” to protect the fund from being a part of the yearly sweep. According to him, these actions will be read by Alaska state courts as clear indicators that the HEIF is separate from the general fund and therefore cannot be swept. There are some other bills making their way through the state Legislature that seek to protect the HEIF, though if any of them pass, there will still need to be another vote by the Legislature to recapitalize the account. If using new funding, this would require a simple majority vote plus approval from the governor according to Josephson. To bring funds back from the CBR would require the approval of a three-fourths supermajority of the Legislature.

UAA’s center for human development recognizes Brain Injury Awareness Month, educates about risks and indicators By Jake Dye editor@thenorthernlight.org

The University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Human Development recognized Brain Injury Awareness Month throughout March by hosting events, talks, seminars, and even a high school brain trivia competition. Each of these events had the goal of increasing awareness of the severity of brain injuries. Alaska currently leads the nation in brain injury-related deaths. Danielle Reed, Direc-

tor of Community Services at the Center for Human Development, discussed their objectives as part of Brain Injury Awareness Month as well as what makes Alaska such a leader in deaths related to the issue. Reed explained that CHD is “a university center for excellence in developmental disability.” The CHD is one of around 60 in the nation but is the only one in Alaska. Some of their focuses are developmental disabilities, brain injuries and mental illness.

Brain injuries come in lots of different forms. Reed described traumatic injuries, often the result of falls, crashes or assaults, and non-traumatic injuries, such as a stroke or an overdose. While most people can rehabilitate and recover after brain injuries, untreated injuries or repeated injuries can cause permanent issues. The CHD is focusing on educating the public about these issues because understanding the risks and the indicators of a brain injury can allow individuals access to the re-

sources and support they need to recover. An important distinction drawn by Reed is that Alaska leads the nation in brain injury-related deaths, not necessarily brain injuries. While she described “a lot of potential for falls” in our “active population,” the central statistic of leading in deaths might be an indicator of a different issue. Though there isn’t any direct studies proving this, Reed speculated that a few of the reasons for Alaska’s difficulty with brain injury-related deaths is a lack

of awareness and recognition, as well as a lack of treatment infrastructure. Alaska doesn’t have a level one trauma center, so patients with life-threatening brain injuries have to be transported out of state. This issue is only exacerbated by the size of the state, as Reed stated patients in rural communities are looking at “a more lengthy rescue time.” Though March has concluded, and most of the events tied to Brain Injury Awareness Month have passed, some of the

talks and seminars hosted by CHD can be viewed as an archive from the event schedule hosted on the UAA website. CHD will also be involved with Springfest on April 22, discussing domestic violence and partner-inflicted brain injuries. More information about the University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Human Development can be found on their Facebook page at https:// www.facebook.com/alaskachd/

FEATURES

The Firm, UAA’s new feminist club By Matthew Schmitz news2@thenorthernlight.org

Just in time for Women’s History Month, UAA recognized The Feminist Intersectional Rights Movement, aka The Firm, on March 4. Started by student Deirdre Goins, it is UAA Life’s club of the month for March. Goins is currently serving as the club’s president. Speaking with her about setting up The Firm, she said the idea came to her in a class, Introduction to Sociology, where she learned of the importance of women being allowed to gather for the Women Rights Movement. After discovering that UAA lacked a feminist club, she went about fixing it. Goins, a veteran of the US Army, served eight years and participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. She was a noncommissioned officer and carried out unit decontamination, and conducted response training for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear warfare. Now a sophomore at UAA, she is pursuing a degree in Social Work. Although it’s her first time venturing into feminist activism, Goins mentioned she had a tendency to challenge gender norms while growing up. In her own life she’s experienced sexism firsthand. Pointing to her time in the military, she said she missed out on promotions and received less support due to being a woman. As the club’s name suggests, The Firm embraces “intersectional feminism.” According to Goins, it is different from early feminism in that it recognizes that dis-

& AE

crimination often has multiple facets; not merely being about gender only. Factors such as race or gender identity can play a role in the way in which women are discriminated against. Intersectional feminism sheds light on the unique experience of groups that have been overlooked, like black and trans women. From their website, “We are a group of motivated feminists looking to learn and make change for the betterment of all humans at UAA, in Anchorage, Alaska, and the United States.” While the club focuses on women’s rights, Goins said anyone can join. As she put it, they “welcome anyone who supports equality for everyone.” The Firm already hosted a game night and on March 25, they participated in The UAA Esports Lounge & Club Council 24-hour Livestream for Charity (they happened to be the group streaming when the goal of $2,500 was reached.) According to Goins, they plan to offer several different kinds of activities, such as recurring movie nights, called Pajamas Against the Patriarchy, and educational meetings. Some more specific events include a bake sale on April 11, and a booth at Spring Fest on Earth Day, April 22. Goins would like to have female candidates for state legislature and Anchorage assembly members come to give talks as well. Regarding the club’s goals, she wants to see it “raise awareness for the importance of feminism in Alaska,” and encourage young women to advocate in the community for women’s rights. Not running things alone, she is as-

arts1@thenorthernlight.org

With the Hugh McPeck Gallery’s “Foundations” exhibition, which showed off instructorselected student artwork from UAA 100 and 200 level art courses, wrapped up last week, student artists now have the chance to look forward to the gallery’s upcoming self-submitted exhibits. The 2022 Juried Student Art Show begins Wednesday, March 30, with a lecture from this year’s guest juror, Linda Infante Lyons. Lyons is a local artist from Anchorage, with lineage from the village of Karluk on Kodiak Island. She has a bachelor’s of art from Whitman College in Washington state, then moved to Chile, where she attended Vina del Mar Escuela Bella Artes as a fulltime art student for three years, after which she remained in Chile for 15

sisted by Mary Petrash as vice president, Milee Yu as treasurer and Lotus Becker as secretary. The club’s advisor is Professor Nelta Edwards. Mars Kashevarof is their design specialist and Emily Hufford is the club’s photographer. Those interested in joining can do so

by going to UAA Life’s website at https:// life.uaa.alaska.edu/. Sign in with student credentials and search for the club to join. To contact The Firm, they can be reached via email at thefirmuaa@gmail. com, or found on Instagram under thefirm_uaa.

Hugh McPeck: Upcoming Student Art Exhibitions By Dylan Flos

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FIRM’S FACEBOOK PAGE

more years. Lyons’ work has had work featured in exhibits in the Allen Memorial Art Museum, the Alaska State Museum, and the Alaska Contemporary Art Bank, among others, and has been showcasing her work for over 20 years. Lyons also maintains a string of awards to her name, including the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation National Artist Fellowship in 2018 and the Santa Fe Arts Institute and the Institute of American Indian Art Fellowship in 2015. Currently, she travels to remote Alaskan villages through the Alaska State Council to teach art and create collaborative art projects with local residents. To attend her lecture and participate in the art discussion, visit the UAA Fine Arts Building Room 150 at 7 PM on March 30. The following day at 5 PM at the Hugh McPeck Gallery in the student union, Lyons will an-

nounce the winners of the Juried Art Show at the opening reception, awarding a total of $2,800 to winning student artists. After the opening, the student works will remain on display until April 28. Student artists that missed the submission deadline for the juried art show but still want to have a chance at having their art displayed in the gallery can submit works to be displayed over one of the three summer exhibits. Pieces can be submitted to the Hugh McPeck Gallery online through a google forms document, and accepted pieces will be announced in early May. Exhibition of these pieces will begin May 16, and will be split between three summer exhibits ultimately ending on August 1.

A&E

Entertainment Headlines and Highlights for April 2022: Spring into the theater By Jake Dye editor@thenorthernlight.org

With April, we begin moving back into the exciting summer months, and there’s plenty to keep moviegoers, gamers and streamers busy. Which honestly is messed up because how are college students supposed to balance finals and catch all the new and noteworthy releases? Sonic the Hedgehog 2 April 8 The first “Sonic the Hedgehog,” released in 2020, was surprisingly good! It wasn’t a revolution or anything, but in a world of terrible video game adaptations it stood at the top of the pack, among the first to clear a low bar and become “good.” “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” is taking that foundation and building on it, bringing in lots more elements from the game’s canon, like Miles “Tails” Prower, Knuckles and the chaos emeralds. Paramount, the studio behind the project, seems very happy with the film, having already greenlit an additional sequel and a spin-off for Paramount+. I’m stoked to see a more colorful and inventive follow-up to one of the surprises of 2020. Everything Everywhere All at Once - April 8 The latest film distributed by A24, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is a low-budget action film starring Michelle Yeoh as a woman pulled into a multiversal plot. The trailer features surreal imagery, and gives almost nothing away, but this film came onto my radar following the intense critical acclaim it has seen in the last month after debuting at SXSW, then seeing a limited theatrical release on March 25. Reviews are calling this film a massively original take on the multiverse concept that is

increasingly being seen in dominant franchises, and Yeoh is praised for an incredible performance. This is one that may be coming in under the radar, but also one that people will be talking about for a while. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent - April 22 In this film, Nicholas Cage plays Nick Cage, a fictionalized version of himself who takes a job attending a rich guy’s birthday party. The rich guy, played by Pedro Pascal, is a Nicholas Cage superfan. He’s also a criminal wanted by the United States government. Seeing Cage lean into his own eccentric persona is always fun, but I can’t think of another film like this where an actor has to introspect on their career in such a fashion. Props and images from his past movies are present and discussed heavily in the trailer. Nicholas Cage also plays Nicky Cage, a digitally de-aged, over-the-top version of himself. I think this movie is totally fascinating, that it actually looks funny is only icing on the cake. Film Highlights “Ambulance” is the latest film from Michael Bay, releasing on April 8. Reviews are saying it’s a return to form for the director. The film is dominated by an extended chase scene as stars Yahya Abdul Mateen II and Jake Gyllenhall go on the run in a stolen ambulance after a bank robbery gone wrong, taking Eiza González, who plays an EMT, as a hostage. Trailers do look pretty good, playing up the action as well as the character relationships of the three leads. “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” is the significantly delayed third installment of the “Fantastic Beasts” series, itself a spinoff of the iconic “Harry Potter” franchise.

PHOTO COURTESY PARAMOUNT STUDIOS

“Sonic the Hedgehog 2” adds more iconic characters from the games like Tails and Knuckles

There was a time when this may have been one of my most anticipated films of the year, but unfortunately, the previous two “Fantastic Beasts” films weren’t great, and the loud transphobia of author and creator J.K. Rowling hangs over the entire franchise, miring every release in controversy. I am still including the film here because the trailers do look fun, and I’m happy to see more of Newt Scamander and Jacob Kowalski, but I still haven’t decided whether or not I’ll be seeing this when it releases on April 15. The Northman,” releasing April 22, is the latest film from Paul Eggers, known for directing weird, slow and tense horror films like “The Witch” and “The Lighthouse.” On the surface, this film looks like a departure from Eggers previous work, with a much larger scope, cast,

and a lot of action shown in the trailer. I think this is likely more of an evolution, as the trailer does feature plenty of unsettling imagery that would fit into “The Witch or the “The Lighthouse” just fine. The film tells the story of a viking prince’s quest for vengeance for the murder of his father. Based on Eggers’s prestigious filmography alone, I will definitely be checking this one out. Gaming Highlights “Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga” collects all nine mainline “Star Wars” films, and gives them the now-familiar Lego coat of paint. Lego games have followed a similar style for years, with releases based on popular franchises pumping out since the original “Lego Star Wars” in 2005, but this game seeks to completely revolutionize the game brand. These

PHOTO COURTESY A24

“Everything Everywhere All At Once” is a critically acclaimed film about the multiverse. As a fan of both good movies and multiverses, it has my attention.

games have previously been coming out at an impossible rate, with up to three titles releasing each year from 2005 until 2019. Tt Games has spent the last three years rebuilding their engine, revitalizing their formula, and “The Skywalker Saga” looks like something special. “The Stanley Parable” finally comes to consoles on April 27, following its original release in 2013. This game is described as an interactive drama, where the player is alone in an office building, exploring and pressing buttons. The game won awards when it was originally released for its unique storytelling, varied endings, and fourth-wallbreaking humor. I’ve been interested in playing this for nearly a decade, and the upcoming console release is exactly the excuse I need. “Nintendo Switch Sports” is the latest successor to “Wii Sports,” the fourth best-selling game of all time. Bowling is back. Baseball will be back later. No word on Boxing yet, but I’m hopeful. Anyone who owned a Wii knows that “Wii Sports” is a hit, and I’m definitely hosting game night when “Nintendo Switch Sports” drops on April 29. Streaming Highlights Netflix doesn’t have any huge new movie or series premieres, but it does bring a second season of the popular “Russian Doll,” which originally premiered way back in 2019. The follow-up drops on April 20. “Ozark,” one of Netflix’s longest running series, comes to a conclusion with the sec-

ond half of its final season on April 27. Disney+ just continues its weekly premiering series, “Moon Knight” and “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.” The “Moon Knight” premiere was spectacular, and I will be eagerly following that series for its run. HBO Max also just brings long-awaited follow-ups to some of its most popular series. “The Flight Attendant” season 2 kicks off April 21, and “Barry” season 3 begins April 24.

& AE Local Trails: Reflections Lake By Dylan Flos arts1@thenorthernlight.org

Here in Alaska, we tend to find our most stunning views at the top of high mountain peaks. Sometimes, however, we don’t feel like climbing thousands of feet, especially now while deep snow only makes it more difficult. Here’s where Reflections Lake comes in - an easy, relatively short hike circling a lake with an observation tower on the far side for a fantastic view of the surrounding river valley. Located near Palmer, the lake is a little over a 30-minute drive from campus. At only 1.1 miles and almost entirely flat, Re-

flections Lake realistically just borders the line between a hike and a walk. The trail is well marked, usually well-groomed and maintained, and quite easy. In the summer, the lake itself is the main attraction, reflecting the surrounding environment and, for some, being a nice location to bring kayaks. In the winter, however, the lake is frozen over and covered in snow, shifting your attention to the surrounding mountains and frozen Knik River. For those interested in going a little further than the short lake loop, a fork in the trail leads you to the edge of the Knik River, and for as long as it remains frozen, you can

head out onto the ice itself. On the far side of the lake stands a multi-level observation tower, providing an overlooking view of the lake, the river, and the mountains surrounding you. If the day is clear, you’ll have a stunning panorama surrounding you. The trail is dog friendly, and relatively popular, so expect to see other people and maybe a few furry friends along the way. The loop itself will likely take about 30 minutes, although if you take off on the spur trail to the river edge you’ll likely spend a little over an hour on the trail. The short trail might not be worth the drive from campus just to go around, especially while the lake is hidden by snow, but for students already living further north or driving through the area, Reflections Lake is worth a stop if the weather is clear.

2 Weeks Later: Iditarod Wrap-Up By Dylan Flos arts1@thenorthernlight.org

Saturday, March 5 brought a flurry of snow to Anchorage, the perfect send-off for the 49 dog mushers beginning their trek to Nome that day. 2 weeks and 1,000 miles later, the last of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race competitors have crossed the finish line. After the Willow restart on Sunday, March 6 at 2 p.m., racers headed towards the Yetna. Martin Massicote took the first lead, arriving at the first checkpoint just under 4 hours later at 5:59. Later that night, Ryan Redington took the lead, being the first to arrive in Skwentna at 9:23, although Dan Kaduce was the first to depart from the Skwentna checkpoint at 11:59. Several mushers, including Redington, made competitive progress with each other for the next few checkpoints. At 5:41 pm on March 8, Aaron Burmeister was first to arrive at the McGrath checkpoint, where he won the “Spirit of Iditarod” award from Alaska Air Transit. For this, he was given beaver/moose musher mittens and a beaver fur hat, both handmade by residents of McGrath. Brent Sass was the first to the Cripple checkpoint,

which marks the halfway point of the race. He arrived on March 9 at 3:50 p.m., where he won the Dorothy G. Page Halfway Award. Sass, of Excelsior, Minnesota, competed in his first Iditarod in 2012, where he won “Rookie of the Year.” He won the Yukon Quest, another sled dog race that runs from Whitehorse to Fairbanks, in 2015, 2019, 2020, and is known for putting his dogs’ health first, as well as assisting other mushers in need of aid - his rescue efforts in the 2011 Yukon Quest led to the creation of the “Silver Award,” an award given when mushers and dogs perform acts of heroism on the trail. Anja Radano withdrew from the race after arriving at the Nikolai checkpoint on March 10. She decided to withdraw in the interest of the health of her 12-dog team. 11 other mushers scratched out along the trail this year, leaving only 37 to finish the race. At 2:36 a.m. on March 12, Sass remained in the lead, being the first to cross the Kaltag checkpoint where he won the “BBNC Fish First” Award. His prizes included $2,000, a wood-burned art piece, and 25 pounds worth of Bristol Bay salmon filet. Soon, Sass was on his way again, and at 11:32 p.m. on

March 13 he won the Ryan Air “Gold Coast” award for being first to arrive at the Unalakleet checkpoint. Ryan Air employees presented Sass with one ounce of gold from the area, currently valued at over $2,000. Sass’s position went unchallenged as he made it first through the White Mountain checkpoint on March 14. His team powered on through the night, and Tuesday morning at 5:38 a.m., Sass was the first to cross the finish line in Nome, completing the race in a total of 8 days, 14 hours, 38 minutes, and 43 seconds. This is Sass’s first time winning the Iditarod, though in 2015 he came close to victory but was disqualified for having an iPod touch on his person, which due to its wifi capabilities is considered an illegal device by race standards. On top of his various earnings from enroute prizes given by race sponsors, Sass won $50,000 for completing the race in 1st place. The last musher to make it to Nome without scratching was Apayuaq Reitan, a long-time musher from Kaktovik, Alaska, who arrived with her 7 dogs on March 19 at 11:39 pm after 13 days, 8 hours, 39 minutes, and 13 seconds on the trail.

PHOTOS BY DYLAN FLOS

The low sun reflecting on the snow and ice provides beautiful lighting over Reflections Lake.

Anja Radano and her 11 dogs scratched at the Nikolai checkpoint on March 10, putting the health of her dogs over the potential winnings of the race.

PHOTOS COURTESY @THEIDITAROD ON INSTAGRAM

Brent Sass, 3-time champion of the Yukon Quest, took home his first Iditarod victory this year after 8 days on the trail.

A&E

Hitbox Review: Destiny 2: The Witch Queen - Nine years in, Destiny is better than ever By Jake Dye editor@thenorthernlight.org

Release Date: Feb. 22, 2022 Developer: Bungie Platforms: PlayStation 5 [Played], PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Stadia, PC “Destiny” has had its ups and downs over its nearly 10-year history. The service game approximates a living world, with events and developments happening weekly, monthly, and annually. I’ve been playing on and off since 2015, beginning with “Destiny: The Taken King” through the launch of “Destiny 2” in 2017, then stepping away until 2019’s “Destiny 2: Shadowkeep,” which kicked off the current major storyline. My history with the game is admittedly short of comprehensive, but I feel comfortable saying that it’s never been better than it is right now, with the launch of “Destiny 2: The Witch Queen.” In “The Witch Queen,” players step back into the shoes of a guardian, a magical warrior who travels the solar system fighting aliens and collecting loot. For myself, this means returning to a character I’ve been playing since I was in high school, 8 years ago. For newcomers, this means taking their first steps as a new light, with a short introductory storyline. Guardians come in different forms, with different colored powers, mine is currently a sorcerer who wields the dark power of ice to freeze enemies in their tracks, but I’ve historically dabbled in throwing black holes at baddies or creating a well of phoenix fire to empower allies. When Mars suddenly reappears (it disappeared back in real-world 2020),

PHOTOS COURTESY BUNGIE

the guardian races in to check things out, finding the planet covered in temporal distortions, and also already occupied by Savathûn, the titular Witch Queen. She has recovered from being our prisoner for almost the entirety of real-world 2021 and has grown neat moth wings. The guardian breaks into her throne world (a magical alternate dimension where she reigns supreme) and discovers something quite troubling. Somehow, Savathûn’s followers, the hive, have stolen our magic. Our enemies have turned the tables, and now wield all of our strongest abilities against us. The “Witch Queen” storyline is spectacular to play through. The story features twists, character moments, and significant reveals about the larger storyline, and the action has never been better. Central to this is the brand-new addition of a legendary difficulty to

the story. While previous expansions have featured some solid storytelling, the story missions have always been very easy, designed for everyone to clear before entering the real game after rolling credits. I played the entirety of “Witch Queen” on legendary, and it was some of the most fun I’ve had with “Destiny”. It feels expertly balanced; success never felt out of my grasp, but the hardest encounters took many tries as I had to learn each fight and adapt my strategy. Fortunately, each major encounter, a 10-20 minute long fight that must be cleared in its entirety without failure, is clearly and discretely identified. Each is a checkpoint, wherein I could leave and even do other things within “Destiny” without losing my specific place in the mission. I’d absolutely recommend trying the legendary difficulty, but it may

Guardians take the fight to Savathûn’s Throne World, an ephemeral world of swamps and palaces. Fortunately, it’s filled with new guns and armor for guardians to collect.

be somewhat inaccessible to new players. It challenged me to strategize and switch up my loadouts, but new players joining the game won’t have access to the same deep arsenal that I did. I can’t imagine weathering the waves of hive thrall without Ager’s Scepter, a laser built for crowd control, or felling some of the largest bosses without the Gjallarhorn, an outrageously powerful rocket launcher. Part of the fun of the challenge was the need to reach into my deep vault and select the right weapons for the job. New to the game with “Witch Queen” is a crafting mechanic called weapon shaping. Much of the loop of “Destiny” has been constantly chasing weapon drops, looking for the perfect combination of randomly assigned perks to make one weapon bet-

ter than the other. With weapon shaping, players can just build a weapon they like, then level it up and mix and match perks, choosing the weapon they want instead of chasing a theoretical version that may never drop. After completing “The Witch Queen,” players can jump right into seasonal content, where the ongoing story develops every week, as well as a wide range of other content for any taste. Dungeons, Raids, Dares of Eternity, the PsiOps Battlegrounds, the Crucible, Gambit, Wellspring, there’s a never-ending line of content to choose from, loot to find, and enemies to battle. “Destiny,” for me, is appealing because it never ends, content is added all of the time, and its characters have been familiar and developing for nearly a decade. The game strug-

It’s entirely messed up that the hive are using our powers against us in “The Witch Queen.” Suddenly Knights have the Titan’s Void Shield, Acolytes have the Hunters Solar Blade Flurry, and Wizards have the Warlock’s Stormtrance. Savathûn will be hearing from our lawyer.

gles immensely with new player onboarding, it really isn’t great at explaining to newcomers what’s going on and what they should be doing. It doesn’t help that because the game is a living world, much of its history is no longer accessible. Players today can’t fight Savathûn’s brother in the rings of Saturn, experience the yearlong story of Savathûn’s captivity by the Queen of the Reef, they can’t experience a lot of the history with the title character of this expansion that longterm players have. I think “Destiny” is worth the effort to jump into, and it’s never going to be a better time than now. “The Witch Queen” is the final step before the two-part finale of the story Bungie has been telling since the game began in 2013, and the game has never felt better to play. Come for some of the best first-person shooting action in the industry, stay for the over-the-top space magic and lore. Though a lot of the history is missing, and that truly is a letdown, I’d encourage anyone to jump in and be part of the next story. Players today can play through the entirety of the current major story arc of the game, beginning with “Destiny 2: Shadowkeep,” when a dark secret is discovered inside the moon, then “Destiny 2: Beyond Light,” where the guardian must seek new powers to fight back against the Thanos-level threat of this world, and then catch-up with “Destiny 2: The Witch Queen,” which sets the stage for what promises to be a thrilling two-part finale; “Destiny 2: Lightfall” in 2023 and “Destiny 2: The Final Shape” in 2024.

OPINION

It’s time to make a change

helps, think of the terms By Matthew Schmitz as “summer time” and news2@thenorthernlight.org “winter time”. What matters is that We’ve just gone on Mar 12, in Anchorage, through that dreaded time of year again when the sun rose at 7:15 am and we “spring” our clocks set at 6:54 pm. The followforward, or as most peo- ing day, after we changed ple understand it, lose a to daylight savings, the precious hour of sleep. sun rose at 8:22 am and set Here in Alaska, the year- at 7:57 pm. Why change the clocks? ly ritual seems particularly masochistic. We If you’re looking for an exAlaskans already have, citing moment in US hisdue to the extreme chang- tory when advocates and dramatically es in seasonal daylight, a dissenters fragile internal clock and debated the policy, you’re the change feels like a gut going to be sadly disappunch to that precarious pointed. We have it because Germany adopted sense of time. It also doesn’t help it back in 1915 and three that the hour loss, which years later, we followed pushes sunrise back an suit. What made the Gerhour, makes it seem as if mans think it was a good the dark, dreary months idea? No joke, efficiency. The argument is as folof January and February have viciously clawed lows: if there is more daylight in the evening people their way back. Perhaps equally frus- will use less electricity; if trating is understanding the sun doesn’t set until what daylight savings 7:57 pm, then you don’t time is, and why we have need to turn your lights on it. Simply put, there is until then. This is still a “daylight savings” time popular argument for why and “standard” time. Over we should use daylight the winter months we op- savings in the summer. The notion that it helps erate under standard time. In March, we switch to farmers is bogus by the daylight savings, and then way, they actually have back to standard in the fought against it, accordfall. Under daylight saving to The Washington ings, we turn the clocks Post. There have been other forward an hour and this effectively pushes sunrise reasons offered up as to and sunset back an hour, why it is beneficial. A pagiving us some extra day- per in The Review of Ecolight in the evening. We nomic and Statistics saw lose an hour of time but a reduction in crime following the change to DST. gain an hour of daylight. Confused? Me too. Also, a Danish study saw Why is one called daylight an 11% increase in patients savings and the other stan- with symptoms of depresdard? I have no clue, and sion right after the clocks frankly don’t care. If it were turned back in the fall. More light in the eve-

ning might help alleviate those symptoms. This raises another thorny aspect of this tedious discussion: what time is better, standard or daylight savings? That’s right, if you want to end the biannual clock change you will need to settle on one, and each have their pros and cons. As already mentioned, daylight savings time might help us use less energy, though according to an article in Scientific America, the idea is debatable. The argument against daylight savings is that sunrise also gets pushed back an hour. The change was actually tried in the 70s and there was widespread complaints about the sun not rising until after 8am. As reported in the Washingtonian, parents did not like their children going to school in the dark. Being a lifelong Alaskan, I can’t say I have much sympathy. The main benefit of standard time is that the hours more closely align with people’s normal sleep cycle. This may help people sleep better, as reported in the Washington Post, by having the sun rise closer to when they would be waking. Early birds would prefer this system too because it means earlier sunrises. What is undeniable, whether you like standard or daylight saving, is the change itself is a real cause for concern. Studies have shown the feeling of a major disruption is entirely justified. There is a

notable uptick in healthrelated problems surrounding the springtime change. Some include an increase in heart attacks, as described in a study by The University of Michigan, and strokes, studied by The American Academy of Neurology. You know it’s worth considering when both Republicans and Democrats are agreeing that something should be done. The aforementioned statistics come from a joint op-ed on CNN’s website by Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and Democratic Sen. Edward Markey. Unfortunately, states cannot

just decide to make these changes on their own, it has to be done through Congress. Only two states, Arizona and Hawaii, are exempt from daylight savings time (they operate under standard time yearround.) The nightmare might be coming to an end, or just beginning, depending on your perspective. The Senate just unanimously passed a bill to make daylight savings time permanent. The news, as one might expect, has kicked off a debate along the lines previously described. It still must go through the House and be signed by

the president. If the bill becomes a law, then daylight saving would become the new standard. As for me, I would personally prefer Alaska to be under standard time year-round as it would give us more daylight in the morning, though I’m happy to try daylight savings time. If the sun rises at 10 am or 11 am in the winter, does it really matter? My main gripe has more to do with the disruption caused by the change itself, and if we must adopt daylight savings to put an end to that nonsense, I’m all for it.

REPORTS

UPD Report: March 21 - March 28 Total Calls for Service: 192 Unlock Calls: 12 March 22: Issued in Error March 22: Notice of Tresspass at West Hall March 25: Vehicle Accident at Lake Otis Parkway and Providence Drive March 26: Disturbance with violence in progress at the Alaska Airlines Center March 28: Notice of Trespass in West Hall Parking Lot All information is provided by the University of Alaska Anchorage University Police Department

Top 30 Charts by KRUA Artist, Record, Label 1 SIMPS, THE Siblings Lex 2 SAMM HENSHAW Untidy Soul Dorm Seven/AWAL 3 MOMMYHEADS, THE Swiss Army Knife Self-Released 4 WAVEFORM Last Room Run For Cover 5 WIDOWSPEAK The Jacket Captured Tracks 6 HOT FLASH HEAT WAVE Sportswear Park The Van 7 APPLESAUCE TEARS, THE Scores Black Cottage 8 ANNA ASH Sleeper Black Mesa 9 MITSKI Laurel Hell Dead Oceans 10 BEACH HOUSE Once Twice Melody Sub Pop 11 KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD Butterfly 3001 KGLW 12 REPTALIENS Multiverse Captured Tracks 13 CLOAKROOM Dissolution Wave Relapse 14 PEDRO THE LION Havasu Polyvinyl 15 CAROLINE LOVEGLOW Strawberry 100% Electronica

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Sam 30

CRYSTAL MURRAY Twisted Bases [EP] Because SASAMI SQUEEZE Domino HIPPO CAMPUS LP3 Grand Jury ADORED “Space Club” [Single] Self-Released BEECHWOOD Sleep Without Dreaming Alive Naturalsound STRONGBOI “Fool Around” [Single] Self-Released FLY ANAKIN Frank Lex BETHLEHEM SHALOM “I Can’t Look” [Single] Self-Released JERRY PAPER “Kno Me” [Single] Stones Throw ARLO PARKS “Softly” [Single] Transgressive/PIAS AUTOMATIC “New Beginning” [Single] Stones Throw SUNDOG “Triple Dog” [Single] Self-Released GULLY BOYS Favorite Son [EP]Get Better QUINN CHRISTOPHERSON I Am Bubblegum [EP] Play It Again GREENHOUSE Range Hot [EP] Self-Released

KRUA Metal Reviews: Mythic Djent – Meshuggah and Animals As Leaders release mesmerizing albums By Russ Slaten KRUA Loud Rock Director

Russ Slaten, KRUA Loud Rock Director, writes Metal Reviews based on new, heavy music at KRUA 88.1FM (kruaradio.org), UAA’s student-run radio station in Anchorage, Alaska.

‘Immutable’ by Meshuggah. Courtesy Atomic Fire Records. Release Date: April 1, 2022 Sounds Like: Polyrhythms + chaos = Meshuggah. Djent originators. Progressive & technical death metal. Recommended Tracks: 2. The Abysmal Eye, 4. Phantoms, 10. I Am That Thirst

Ladies and djentlemen, the weeks of March 25 & April 1 marked the release of albums from two prominent metal bands in the metal style known as ‘djent.’ Scene progenitors from Sweden, MESHUGGAH, have released their ninth studio album with Immutable on Atomic Fire Records. Meshuggah is often known for their complex song structure and technical prowess. This is still

the case. Polyrhythmic grooves and angular guitars give the feeling of looking at a complex equation with your ears. On the surface, it sounds like music made by robots, but drummer and songwriter Tomas Haake proves otherwise, giving it depth. Taking a deeper dive, one can even hear the influence of tribal polyrhythms from traditional African music. The wide spectrum of influences has allowed

Meshuggah to become the originators of its own progressive metal subgenre—djent. The name djent imitates the highgain, distorted and palm muted signature guitar sound developed by Meshuggah guitarist Mårten Hagström. Immutable is a strong release to compliment a discography that has influenced a generation of musicians. It is also a contender for Top Metal Albums of 2022. Rating: 4

‘Parrhesia’ by Animals As Leaders. Courtesy Sumerian Records. Release Date: March 25, 2022 Sounds Like: Instrumental Between the Buried & Me, Meshuggah, jazz + math + progressive metal. Recommended Tracks: 8. Micro-Aggressions, 2. Monomyth, 4. Gestaltzerfall

Washington, DC-based ANIMALS AS LEADERS goes beyond metal with their sixth studio album Parrhesia on Sumerian Records. Animals As Leaders defies the progressive metal moniker as a thought-provoking, storyladen journey into sound. Nigerian-American Tosin Abasi is the guitarist and primary songwriter of this instrumental outfit. He seamlessly blends the progressive stylings with technical might—he even has his own guitar com-

pany! Simply watching Abasi on his 8-string guitar is a treat in and of itself. He started Animals As Leaders as a solo project, but quickly made it a collaborative project with Javier Reyes on guitar and bass, and Matt Garstka on drums. His playthrough and music videos validate the sometimes super-human sound of tracks like “Micro-Aggressions.” The latest album, Parrhesia, still has the Ani-

mals As Leaders signature sound of musically-proficient and memorable hooks, but seems to have more of an electronic tone. The futuristic soundscapes take you into the depths of space and allows you to explore other worlds, while exploring the possibilities of the guitar. Parrhesia is so far my favorite album this year, and can be enjoyed by those who simply have a love for music. Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

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