Kapitan Kulam: Blunt Instrument LP Launch
07.23.2022
@ 123Bloc
It was always great, going to such event not only you get to see your favorite bands but it was even more amazing to be able to participate a noble cause, even in small way.
And it's not a few times I've seen Counterflow put up a show to extend some hand to some needing family in the community. So i had to give kudos Nothing but respect and admiration to the people behind Counterflow , and to the bands/artists as well who participated in such events like this.
I arrived at Manadala Park a little late, as i headed to the old @123Block venue in Pioneer St.. i missed the first band that played "Prayer For The Endurance", fortunately was just in time for my favorite band "Monochrome".
MONOCHROME
Monochrome, (Not to be confused with the Post Rock/PopRock from Stuttgart Germany), easily one of the great local Post Rock band (along with Sound Architects, Earthmover, and Legarda ) have been around for quite sometime now, helped shaped and established the scene.
Monochrome's music was such a steady force, .. The wall of sound and melodicity was impeccable.
That unfathomable atmospheric sound on the right speaker , complimenting the ambient sound on the left speaker, added the compelling driving melodic bass line , and the deliberate beat/pace that keeps you on the edge.. ( The first few minutes to the song - The White Fox Project)
The music was just surreal, -that feeling of suddenly the sky have opened up, and the music was like a prelude to something divine about to happen.
i long yearned to hear and feel the music again, that this pandemic has deprived us for a period of time... and it was just amazing that we have survived it , and seeing all this crowd again was a sigh of relief, we are thriving indeed. shortly I'm having goosebumps, i froze from where i was standing and fixed my gaze at the band as the music slowly takes me on a trance.
The experience was just like a ride on roller coaster
it was an amazing 20-30 minutes , that you still reel from the awesome "ride" in the aftermath of the experience
and oh we've just started...
REALIDAD
Again, Hats off to Counterflow for having such an amazing community, for organizing an event that we get to enjoy Post Rock, Shoegaze and Hardcore all on a single show.
Next up was Realidad, The Manila based D-Beat Hardcore punk didnt waste any time, took off as soon as they plugged their instruments.
The fast , loud and agressive three piece wrecking machine were all business.
they were done with the first song before i even found my right spot.
The rumbling beat that probably goes 150bpm.. seems to be pounding on my chest, and causing those endorphins to spike up
It was a rather quickset but a quite a good reason to go Berserk for a moment.
TURNCOATS
It was the first time I'm saw Turncoats live , they opened up their set with an amazing cover of Mogwai's "How to be a Werewolf" - their version though had a much more shoegazey feel than the original, before jumping on their originals "Future Fossil" , "People Watcher", "The Sum Of all Love Songs". The Lo-Fi Indie Rock trio from Baguio , well four if we count the laptop , surely didn't disappoint .
it was an amazing set , the great thing about live music is get to catch the emotion, and how it connects to the crowd.
- It was a joy to see how the bass player was so into his music as he was melodicly anchoring the songs one after another.
and it's awesome to witness how they create their sound., especially that consistent ambient drone sound.
i was staring at the pedal board , a little petrified trying to figure out which one makes what sound, and how much it cost to invest on that sound. (well hearing the output, it must be all worth it, and a great set/gig must be gratifying . - my utmost respect to these musicians and also the production who pursue their passion of creating/making music, with so much little in return.)
, - Except for the voice mix perhaps , which was supposed to be more dense/ reverbish, but i guess that's out of the band's control. but still generally it was an awesome set
NONENTITIES
Through the years , punk/Hardcore music venues has been a struggle . more than usual we sort to garage gigs, Basketball courts, vacant lots, small pubs, and if ever we found decent ones, sound systems and the instruments is just another problem. fortunately through the years we found home to some great bars . and i have to commend Counterflow for finding amazing homes like Mow's , The Old @123 Block on Pioneer St. and this one recently at the Mandala Park. and of course for the amazing sound system provided.
...Continuance
Now we get to personally, the best part of the night . No(n)entities.
With the recently released album Autonimbus, easily became my most fave album of recent years right after hearing the album's first track "Witness The Shredding" Literally threw me off the wall. just right off the bat.. the adrenaline was instantaneous. With the Melodicly driven guitars and that crazy drum parts
and i swore i need to settle this ( n ) fix as soon as things , (and my health )gets better.
.... which brought me to this day
Again i have to commend the great equipment and the quality of the sound system . It is such an imperative to capture the band's music the best way possible, because No(n)entities are technically proficient musicians , with veteran and legendary musician Boyet Miguel at the helm.
( n ) started the set with their earliest songs "Joy Unknowable", "Subvervience" , and "Vessel " The band's melodicity was compelling, as we started to drawn closer to get a perfect view of the band's performance..
It was always a joy to watch Ron Schanlder's unparalleled intensity. i find him so eloquent on how he passionately communicate what he sings, he wasn't just screaming , he was communicating, he was emphasizing., with his hands, with his gestures, its as if every words to the songs were manifesting with his every motion...
and i just need to also note this lyrical brilliance of the band's songwriting, with the song "Joy Unknowable'"
the construction of the words was brilliant , but the last few lines were so resoundingly inciting a course of action
"I want these questions to remain
Am I wrong to ever feel this way?
Am I wrong to ever feel this way?
Am I wrong to ever feel this way?
Am I wrong to ever feel this way?
Am I wrong to ever feel?"
- Joy Unknowable
by this point i was so into what Ron was singing about , and got me invested even what he speaks about in between songs.. and its a great thing how he just seem to casually talks to the audience, which brought me to the reason why i am into this whole "punk" thing in the first place . that is the message it tries to convey , and communicating through the songs.
the band would proceed to play "Erase the Day", "Pass the Sisyphean" and "Swing " for their final song
and at the conclusion of their set , i just know i need more of this
And it's not a few times I've seen Counterflow put up a show to extend some hand to some needing family in the community. So i had to give kudos Nothing but respect and admiration to the people behind Counterflow , and to the bands/artists as well who participated in such events like this.
I arrived at Manadala Park a little late, as i headed to the old @123Block venue in Pioneer St.. i missed the first band that played "Prayer For The Endurance", fortunately was just in time for my favorite band "Monochrome".
Monochrome, (Not to be confused with the Post Rock/PopRock from Stuttgart Germany), easily one of the great local Post Rock band (along with Sound Architects, Earthmover, and Legarda ) have been around for quite sometime now, helped shaped and established the scene.
Monochrome's music was such a steady force, .. The wall of sound and melodicity was impeccable.
That unfathomable atmospheric sound on the right speaker , complimenting the ambient sound on the left speaker, added the compelling driving melodic bass line , and the deliberate beat/pace that keeps you on the edge.. ( The first few minutes to the song - The White Fox Project)
The music was just surreal, -that feeling of suddenly the sky have opened up, and the music was like a prelude to something divine about to happen.
i long yearned to hear and feel the music again, that this pandemic has deprived us for a period of time... and it was just amazing that we have survived it , and seeing all this crowd again was a sigh of relief, we are thriving indeed. shortly I'm having goosebumps, i froze from where i was standing and fixed my gaze at the band as the music slowly takes me on a trance.
The experience was just like a ride on roller coaster
it was an amazing 20-30 minutes , that you still reel from the awesome "ride" in the aftermath of the experience
Next up was Realidad, The Manila based D-Beat Hardcore punk didnt waste any time, took off as soon as they plugged their instruments.
The fast , loud and agressive three piece wrecking machine were all business.
they were done with the first song before i even found my right spot.
The rumbling beat that probably goes 150bpm.. seems to be pounding on my chest, and causing those endorphins to spike up
It was a rather quickset but a quite a good reason to go Berserk for a moment.
it was an amazing set , the great thing about live music is get to catch the emotion, and how it connects to the crowd.
- It was a joy to see how the bass player was so into his music as he was melodicly anchoring the songs one after another.
and it's awesome to witness how they create their sound., especially that consistent ambient drone sound.
i was staring at the pedal board , a little petrified trying to figure out which one makes what sound, and how much it cost to invest on that sound. (well hearing the output, it must be all worth it, and a great set/gig must be gratifying . - my utmost respect to these musicians and also the production who pursue their passion of creating/making music, with so much little in return.)
, - Except for the voice mix perhaps , which was supposed to be more dense/ reverbish, but i guess that's out of the band's control. but still generally it was an awesome set
NONENTITIES
...Continuance
Now we get to personally, the best part of the night . No(n)entities.
With the recently released album Autonimbus, easily became my most fave album of recent years right after hearing the album's first track "Witness The Shredding" Literally threw me off the wall. just right off the bat.. the adrenaline was instantaneous. With the Melodicly driven guitars and that crazy drum parts
and i swore i need to settle this ( n ) fix as soon as things , (and my health )gets better.
.... which brought me to this day
Again i have to commend the great equipment and the quality of the sound system . It is such an imperative to capture the band's music the best way possible, because No(n)entities are technically proficient musicians , with veteran and legendary musician Boyet Miguel at the helm.
( n ) started the set with their earliest songs "Joy Unknowable", "Subvervience" , and "Vessel " The band's melodicity was compelling, as we started to drawn closer to get a perfect view of the band's performance..
It was always a joy to watch Ron Schanlder's unparalleled intensity. i find him so eloquent on how he passionately communicate what he sings, he wasn't just screaming , he was communicating, he was emphasizing., with his hands, with his gestures, its as if every words to the songs were manifesting with his every motion...
and i just need to also note this lyrical brilliance of the band's songwriting, with the song "Joy Unknowable'"
the construction of the words was brilliant , but the last few lines were so resoundingly inciting a course of action
"I want these questions to remain
Am I wrong to ever feel this way?
Am I wrong to ever feel this way?
Am I wrong to ever feel this way?
Am I wrong to ever feel this way?
Am I wrong to ever feel?"
- Joy Unknowable
by this point i was so into what Ron was singing about , and got me invested even what he speaks about in between songs.. and its a great thing how he just seem to casually talks to the audience, which brought me to the reason why i am into this whole "punk" thing in the first place . that is the message it tries to convey , and communicating through the songs.
the band would proceed to play "Erase the Day", "Pass the Sisyphean" and "Swing " for their final song
and at the conclusion of their set , i just know i need more of this
CREPUSCULAR DAWN
... Another Dawn
Crepuscular Dawn comes next , One of the compelling reasons why i need to attend this gig. This Post Rock Quintet just released an EP called " In Filmic Stasis".. and i got to say i was blown away immediately with their music as soon as i had the chance to listen to it.
The band had written some pretty impressive originals, they captured that 80's Post Punk vibes, characterized by the riveting guitar lines, and Kirk's enthralling goth voice, which was definitely tailored in the same fashion as Peter Murphy (Bauhaus), Ian Astbury (The Cult) , and Justin Sullivan (New Model Army) . and more impressively, i was personally roused by the poetic construction of their lyrics.
In contrast to the genre's dark themed origin. It was pretty obvious that this band is very much bonded by friendship and booze , the way they interact from setup/soundcheck up until performing their very last song, especially the band's guitarist Mark and the singer Kirk , were both quite a character.
it was evident they were having a lot of fun.
And as a spectator to that bond and their amazing music, I guess they can list me as an ardent fan.
KAPITAN KULAM
The Main Curse
The slow, Heavy , Sinister Instrumental sound kicked off KK's set... The ominous piece was so haunting that the song tempo set the pace of my heart beat... And after a few words from Frontman Lourd De Veyra.. the band suddenly went Blitzkrieg with the fast and ferocious track "CCTV'..
By this time, we could've easily went Berserk with the sudden rush of momentum. and though i didnt, in my own way , and i guess a few more that were beside me, where blown away as you can feel the intense exchange of energy as we sway our heads to the song's
while holding back pressing ourselves because of how the band/stage was set up. i can easily move back and do something crazy , but i guess at 45 and with some hobbling health concerns , i choose to cherish the spectacle and just write about it later . ( which i did)
It's amazing how Lourd , constantly reinvents himself and kept his music significantly progressing with the changing times, first saw him as an amazing guitar player for local hardcore legends Dead Ends in the mid 90s, to his Jazz-Rock / Spoken Words fusion and all what not brilliance in Radio Active Sago Project in the 2000s while doing some hosting stuffs in TV5 , writing books , oh and an amazing visual artist as well , in between. and now this amazing Sludge -core band Kapitan Kulam .
That haunting drop down guitar tuning, which was the main characteristic of ‘Sludge Metal’ that began in the late 1980s , the bands down-tuned guitars with thick and oppressive sounds that was kinda ominous suggesting an imminent threat , sludgy imagery.
resoundingly churns in my head that even after the show , it pulled an instant playlist on my mind , where i connect that same emotions , Sabbath, St,Vitus, The early Melvins, Earliest Soundgarden , Helmet among many others
It was more than an amazing set as that emotion and imagery did crave for some more, and i guess that was curse that i got from watching Kapitan Kulam.
CREPUSCULAR DAWN
... Another Dawn
Crepuscular Dawn comes next , One of the compelling reasons why i need to attend this gig. This Post Rock Quintet just released an EP called " In Filmic Stasis".. and i got to say i was blown away immediately with their music as soon as i had the chance to listen to it.
The band had written some pretty impressive originals, they captured that 80's Post Punk vibes, characterized by the riveting guitar lines, and Kirk's enthralling goth voice, which was definitely tailored in the same fashion as Peter Murphy (Bauhaus), Ian Astbury (The Cult) , and Justin Sullivan (New Model Army) . and more impressively, i was personally roused by the poetic construction of their lyrics.
In contrast to the genre's dark themed origin. It was pretty obvious that this band is very much bonded by friendship and booze , the way they interact from setup/soundcheck up until performing their very last song, especially the band's guitarist Mark and the singer Kirk , were both quite a character.
it was evident they were having a lot of fun.
And as a spectator to that bond and their amazing music, I guess they can list me as an ardent fan.
The slow, Heavy , Sinister Instrumental sound kicked off KK's set... The ominous piece was so haunting that the song tempo set the pace of my heart beat... And after a few words from Frontman Lourd De Veyra.. the band suddenly went Blitzkrieg with the fast and ferocious track "CCTV'..
By this time, we could've easily went Berserk with the sudden rush of momentum. and though i didnt, in my own way , and i guess a few more that were beside me, where blown away as you can feel the intense exchange of energy as we sway our heads to the song's
while holding back pressing ourselves because of how the band/stage was set up. i can easily move back and do something crazy , but i guess at 45 and with some hobbling health concerns , i choose to cherish the spectacle and just write about it later . ( which i did)
It's amazing how Lourd , constantly reinvents himself and kept his music significantly progressing with the changing times, first saw him as an amazing guitar player for local hardcore legends Dead Ends in the mid 90s, to his Jazz-Rock / Spoken Words fusion and all what not brilliance in Radio Active Sago Project in the 2000s while doing some hosting stuffs in TV5 , writing books , oh and an amazing visual artist as well , in between. and now this amazing Sludge -core band Kapitan Kulam .
That haunting drop down guitar tuning, which was the main characteristic of ‘Sludge Metal’ that began in the late 1980s , the bands down-tuned guitars with thick and oppressive sounds that was kinda ominous suggesting an imminent threat , sludgy imagery.
resoundingly churns in my head that even after the show , it pulled an instant playlist on my mind , where i connect that same emotions , Sabbath, St,Vitus, The early Melvins, Earliest Soundgarden , Helmet among many others
It was more than an amazing set as that emotion and imagery did crave for some more, and i guess that was curse that i got from watching Kapitan Kulam.
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment