Southeast Asia Heavy Metal
Podcast Tour 2012
-Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines-
Episode 1: Philippines
Pinoy Metal or
Filipino Metal, in this episode we feature heavy metal music and
interviews with Filipino metal artists. Regarding Filipino people and
their relationship to metal music, Yagi Olaguera, singer for the band
COG states “People think that Filipinos are a very happy people, and it
is true. However, I feel like metal fans here in the Philippines these
are the kind of listeners that don't want too much escapism in their
music. These aren't the kind of people that close their eyes to what’s
happening around them. I think that people that listen to metal and
hardcore and these heavier genres; they listen to this kind of music
because it reflects what's happening around them; it just doesn't
dismiss the surroundings. It's very difficult here in the Philippines to
not talk about politics because of how corruption, poverty and all this
stuff affects people's lives. So, COG and a lot of the bands here, we
are not overtly political, but you can't really escape it." COG is a
ground breaking metal band in the sense that the band has incorporated
the use of a saxophone in their music. That combined with a prolific
gifted singer, in Olaguera, and the band’s eclectic musical influences
combine to make COG a band that is contributing new elements to heavy
metal music. Regarding the band’s genre Olaguera states, “I don’t
really like to put a label on it. Depending on the song we have, our
songs sound pretty different from each other. Depending on the songs
that people hear they have said we sound like Carcass; Hatebreed-which I
don’t listen to very much, Isis; and Mastodon-some people have said
that. I guess some of those are in the mix somehow, but we don’t really
try to define it. It’s metal. That’s pretty much all there is to it.
Metal with a lot of different influences thrown into the pot.”
Yagi Olaguera, vocals, COG
Filipino
women are also active members of the Pinoy Metal scene. Fronting bands
as lead singers, ranging from melodic to guttural death metal vocals to
forming complete all female metal bands. Answering to the question, on
how metal music has empowered Filipino women, lead singer for SERENUS,
Rhokz Batidora, states, “It empowers women because being a female or
being a woman takes great courage to listen to metal music. It’s like
you're freeing the monster inside a woman's body. Well that's how I feel
every time I am performing. And it takes great courage for a woman to
stand in front of many people, and let them understand the message of
the songs and the music itself. It is not a boys club anymore. There is a
power in metal music; it’s really great.” Several of the bands featured
in this special include female members, SERENUS, DESCANT GOTT, ANHURA,
OREMUZ, DREADED MORTUARY, and VOICE OF TRANQUILITY. Additionally, female
members Monika Preysler (vocals, Ahura) and Russel Jean Gabitanan
(bass, Oremuz) are featured with an interview in this episode. In
short, Filipino women are taken seriously in the Pinoy Metal scene.
Making an immense contribution to heavy metal through their music, Pinoy
women are also providing a little touch of Filipino beauty to the
scene.
Russel Jean Gabitana, bass, OREMUZ
Influenced
by their surroundings, and using heavy metal music to empower
themselves. Filipinos are a people of Southeast Asia that are putting
their own particular stamp to heavy metal. Innovating, experimenting, or
just playing the other styles of traditional metal with something new
added. Filipino metal bands are breaking new grounds in heavy metal
music, today. Such is the case of COG and their wide-ranging influences
that include a saxophone player in their line-up. Filipino women have
become an important part of the equation in the metal scene and will
continue to be a force to reckon with in the future. Above all,
Filipinos might be a happy people. But they are more than content with
what they have accomplished so far in heavy metal music. A scene where
men and women are equal in the grounds of heavy metal; a hunger that is
fueled by the trials of society; a genuine feel for experimentation and
innovation; all of these are elements that make for a remarkable metal
scene.
Monika Preysler, vocals, ANHURA
Artists/Songs in order of Appearance:
1. BLOODSHEDD - Beast 696
Death Thrash, Pasay City, website
2. COG - Promethean
Experimental Metal, Quezon City, website
3. VOICE OF TRANQUILITY - Warlord
Death Thrash, Taguig City, website
4. ANHURA - Illuminisim
5. TYRANNY OF SOLIDITY - Unmerciful Wrath
Melodic Death metal, Metro Manila, website
6. OREMUZ - Carnival
7. DREADED MORTUARY - Kill Your Senses
Thrash Metal, Quezon City, website
8. ATTHISMO - Walang Sino Man
Hardcore, Valenzuela, website
9. SIN - Equilibrium Supremacy
Experimental Metal, Metro Manila, website
10. DESCANT GOTT - Forgotten Paragon
Melodic Death/thrash, Cainta, website
11. HALMISTA - Man and God
Power thrash metal, Pasig City, website
12. SERENUS - In My Dreams
13. COG - Millipede
SOUTHEAST ASIA HEAVY METAL PODCAST TOUR 2012
APRIL 20 - INDONESIA
MAY 04 - SINGAPORE
MAY 31 - MALAYSIA/THAILAND
JUNE 15 - GRAND FINALE
