Name:  F. Justin Ossmann (aka StormDrake)
Location:  Southwest Florida
Date Of Birth:  January 21, 1980
Contact Info:  *stormdrake at metalcoven dot com*
Position:  Full Time Reviewer

About StormDrake:  My name is F. Justin Ossmann, though I usually go by the nickname "StormDrake" online. I am a 23-year-old writer and journalist living in Southwest Florida. My birthday is January 21st. I have been involved online since approximately 1997, and take part in several online niches and communities.

While extreme metal is definitely my favorite style of music, I am a firm believer that there is music worth listening to in every genre out there. From punk and alternative rock to rap and R&B, to techno and electronica, to various world music traditions and more, my CD collection is very large and very diversified. Be it popular or underground, good music is good music. But don't get me wrong; my heart belongs to metal.

 I didn't listen to music until I was almost 15. The first song I ever heard that motivated me to buy an album was Green Day's "Basket Case." Watching the video for that song on MTV, I felt something change, and since that day in late 1994 music has been my biggest passion. From Green Day's "Dookie" and the Offspring's "Smash," I fell in love with punk music and alternative rock of the mid-90's. The first time I heard Metallica, I thought the vocals were too harsh. But before long, I was listening to Filter, Monster Magnet, and other hard rock bands. The soundtrack to "Demon Knight" introduced me to Pantera, Megadeth, and Sepultura. The soundtrack to "Mortal Kombat" introduced me to g//z/r, Fear Factory, and Napalm Death. In 1998, I bought the Century Media compilation "ID4 - Identity Four" because it was only two bucks, and because I had never heard of any band on the disc. This was my introduction to underground extreme metal, with bands like Iced Earth, Emperor, Arch Enemy, the Gathering, and Nocturnal Rites. MP3.com brought Blind Guardian into my life, and they have become my favorite band in the world, regardless of genre. My college roommate freshman year was already into obscure death metal and black metal, and he introduced me to too many bands to list. As to why I write about music, the simple truth is that few things in life give me as much joy as music does. I want to share this joy with the world, by convincing as many people as possible to listen to good music. Simply put, writing is my greatest skill and music is my greatest passion. It would be a sin not to combine the two.

 My other interests are pretty limitless; I enjoy learning new things for little practical reason, and I try to stay informed on a variety of subjects. Some of my favorite movies are "Amilié," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Dead Poet's Society," "The Hours," "The Neverending Story," "The Nightmare Before Christmas," and "The Princess Bride." Some of my favorite books are Dragons of Autumn Twilight (Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman), It (Stephen King), Jurassic Park (Michael Crichton), and The Prince of Tides (Pat Conroy). And some of my favorite video games are Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy IX, every game in the Legend of Zelda series, the Secret of Mana, and SSX Tricky.

 If you would like to contact me, please send an e-mail to stormdrake @ yahoo.com. But no spam, please.

Essential Albums Every Metal Head Should Own:
Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle Earth
Dream Theater - Metropolis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory
Emperor - In the Nightside Eclipse
Emperor - Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk
Iced Earth - The Dark Saga
Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast
Megadeth - Rust in Peace
Metallica - Ride the Lightning
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Metallica - And Justice for All
Morbid Angel - Blessed Are the Sick
Morbid Angel - Domination
Opeth - Morningrise
Opeth - Blackwater Park
Symphony X - "V"

Favorite Bands:
Agiel, Beach Boys, Blind Guardian, Death, Dream Theater, Emperor, Estradasphere, Green Day, Iced Earth, Avril Lavigne, Metallica, Morbid Angel, the Offspring, Rhapsody, Slipknot, Symphony X, Ten Foot Pole, the Vandals, and Zero Hour.

Favorite Movies:
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Dead Poet's Society, The Neverending Story, The Nightmare Before Christmas, X-Men

Favorite Books:
Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Jurassic Park, It, The Silmarillion, The Trilogy of the Ring

Favorite TV Programs:
(I rarely watch television),  American Idol, VH1: and Behind the MusicThe Simpsons

Hobbies:  Drawing, Music, Reading, Video Games, Writing