Koil Launches Aku Lupa Aku Luka Video

Indonesian industrial rockers Koil have released a new video from their Blacklight Shines On album and it is poised to be a hit with viewers from the start of the first frame directed by Rizal Mantovani. The four piece stompers comprising of J.A.V (Vocals) Donnijantoro (Guitars) Leon Ray Legoh (Drums) and Adam Vladvamp (Bass) have 5 albums under their belt throughout their 17 year history and the Bandung based band are influenced by the likes of Pink Floyd, Tool, White Zombie and Rammstein just to name a few. If the name Vladvamp sounds familiar to the gothic subculture in Singapore, it is simply no mere coincidence as he dropped by to assume DJ duties as the main headliner for the Singapore Dark Alternative Movement's Halloween party held at Hyde Bar last year and word has it that he might return sometime soon but with Koil on tow. Updates will be posted here on Fortress Of Tears on any official news but meanwhile, enjoy their latest launch right here:



(To find out more about Koil, visit them on their myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/koilkarat and on facebook)

Proost!: Stillborn

(Click on the photo to visit their myspace page)

(Stillborn: Jia-Ting, Tharenii, Sathish, Vishnu and Lyon in the first incarnation)

Despite the popularity of mainstream music genres in Singapore and the emergence of hardcore music in recent times, it is heartening to note that metal has been able to weather the rising tide and maintain its relevance right here without the need to commercialise in order to get an audience. Its akin to a secret society of good music where only the best are accepted and if there is such a group in existence then Stillborn wouldn't need to fill up a single form. In fact, they can simply walk in any event and rise to the occasion with minimal fuss and a testament to their talent is evident with the 3 shows that are being lined up for them in June alone namely Mosh Party 5, Damaged and Now Suffer. Formed in 2007, the death metal quintet comprises of Sathish (vocals), Lyon (guitar), Tharenii (guitar), Jia-Ting (drums) and newest member Ashley (bass) replacing original member Vishnu in April this year. Bonded by their common love of extreme metal acts such as Behemoth, Cannibal Corpse and Meshuggah, Stillborn wears their influences on their sleeves while onstage and interestingly, they seek inspiration from regional acts such as Rudra creating a unique sound without compromising on quality. Like a bull in rage, lead singer Sathish barges thorough onstage with tremendous impact that belies his wiry frame while guitarists Lyon and Tharenii playing off each other's chords with a calm demeanour as Jia-Ting works out a sweat and abusing his drumkit without sparing a thought for sympathy but then again, this is a genre that spares no expense in the pursuit for quality. Despite the setback that they faced earlier this year and the impending conscription for Sathish in August, Stillborn refused to back down under pressure and the naysayers were given a kick in a face with Grindhouse 2010 proving to them that what seems to be their fatality only strengthens the band further and Ashley's debut on bass is an indicator of progression for Stillborn. Yet at the end of the day, these guys go off the stage together and take time to hang out with each other and knocking back with a couple of beers, a testament that music is not just a hobby, its the bond that brings friends together no matter what the circumstances are



(The new line up onstage for Grindhouse 2010)

(Bull on a rage: Sathish giving the microphone his blessings)

Like what you see? Support the band at their page on Facebook and receive updates on their upcoming gigs. Stillborn are slated to perform at Mosh Party 5 (05/06/10), Damaged (08/06/10) and Now Suffer (27/06/10)

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Day Of Atonement Slated To Perform At Trendy Bangsat Fest 18

It has been a packed month for the Surabaya goth metal outfit and for a good reason as well. Not only did they perform at Transsounds held in their country Indonesia, their single Dead Man Whisper received airplay on the Meshradio programme Taste Of Darkness in Singapore and preparations for their upcoming album have begun as well. While that is being put at the back of their mind for now, Day Of Atonement are gearing up for yet another gig organised by Indonesian metal promoters Panzerfaust Division along with 23 other bands from various parts of Indonesia with names such as Titik Koma, Bersimbah Darah and Boroxide just to name a few. The 18th edition of Trendy Bangsat Fest will be held on June 6 at Gedung Srimulat, Surabaya (Indonesia) and tickets cost 25,000 rupiah for pre-sale tickets and 30,000 at the door with merchandise going for 50,000 rupiah. For those living elsewhere and would like to go for a short holiday, this is the ideal getaway to spend your weekend or school vacation with a festival that is being throughout the entire day. Day Of Atonement will be the 19th band onstage and will start their 20 minute set at 4.20pm so get your gothic power metal fix at Trendy Bangsat Fest!

Name: Trendy Bangsat Fest 18

Date & Time: 6th June 2010, 10.00am - 9.00pm
Place: Gedung Srimulat, Surabaya, Indonesia
Price: Rp 25,000 (pre-sale) Rp 30,000 (at the door)
Acts:
01. 11.00 - 11.15 CRUEL ANGEL - Surabaya Death Metal
02. 11.15 - 11.30 EVELYN VIOLETA - Surabaya Metal Core
03. 11.30 - 11.45 KORAK - Sidoarjo Hard Core
04. 11.45 - 12.00 ZORV - Surabaya Grunge
05. 12.00 - 12.15 PAK TUA - Surabaya Metal Core
06. 12.15 - 12.30 DEAD CRIMINAL - Surabaya Death Thrash Metal
07. 12.30 - 12.45 NEGARA BONEKA - Sidoarjo Metal Core
08. 12.45 - 13.00 BORN AFTER DYING - Surabaya Hard Core
09. 13.00 - 13.15 FREEDOM FIGHTER - Surabaya Heavy Metal
10. 13.15 - 13.30 DARK AGE - Jogja Death Metal
11. 13.40 - 14.00 AMERTA - Surabaya Gothic Metal
12. 14.00 - 14.20 CLIMAXETH - Surabaya Technical Death Metal
13. 14.20 - 14.40 VENDUZOR - Surabaya Death Metal
14. 14.40 - 15.00 THIRSTY BLOOD - Sidoarjo Black Metal
15. 15.00 - 15.20 VIOLENCE - Surabaya Symphonic Gothic Metal
16. 15.20 - 15.40 FEAR INSIDE - Surabaya Death Metal
17. 15.40 - 16.00 TITIK KOMA - Surabaya Death Metal
18. 16.00 - 16.20 DRY - Surabaya Blackened Death Metal
19. 16.20 - 16.40 DAY OF ATONEMENT - Surabaya Power Gothic Metal
20. 16.40 - 17.00 UNDER MY THROAT - Surabaya Death Metal
21. 17.00 - 17.20 JAGAL - Surabaya Brutal Death Metal
22. 17.20 - 17.40 BOROXIDES - Surabaya Ethnic Hard Core
23. 18.00 - 18.45 BERSIMBAH DARAH - Bali Death Grinder
24. 19.00 - 20.00 BESIDE - Bandung Melodic Death Metal

(For more information, contact Morgan at 0856.3180.485 or visit http://www.facebook.com/trendybangsat)

Coming Out To Play Tonight

As someone who prefers the symphony of destruction from Dave Mustaine's guitar to James Hetfield preaching about St Anger, it took me quite some time before convincing myself to go for Fade To Blackhole on Thursday evening and had to find a way in justifying the $6 that I will be paying for entry.

So like any normal person would do, I decided to scan through the line up that was billed for the event and it did not take me quite long before having my sights set on watching The Misfit Ramones simply because of the name. As superficial as it might sound, I figured that since it takes half of its name from the renowned devilocked fiends, there should be a couple of The Misfits hits that will be played even though it is a Metallica tribute gig. True enough, the trio comprising of Syam41 (guitar/vocals), Justin Ramone (bass/vocals) and Mizar "The Miz" Ramone (drums) played One Last Caress and Die Die My Darling during their setlist which also included songs from The Ramones that were covered by Metallica with the crowd lapping up the frenzy onstage and off it. One might be skeptical that they look nothing like The Ramones or The Misfits in terms of appearance but they are not to be judged from the facade as their quality strums volumes to their showmanship and prominent basslines as opposed to having it relegated to the background instead with the drumworks of The Miz holding the rhythm section altogether.

With that being said, The Misfit Ramones are not just a cover band that can be found playing in pubs islandwide with balding men trying to bring back the glorious days of the past. What I have discovered at the end of their set was a youthful trio who wear their influences like a metaphoric badge on a leather jacket and with their 2nd year anniversary fast approaching with a free gig on June 19 at Chapter 6 studio (along with Frostymug). A band worth looking out for, the spirit of punk and horror still lives in this decade right here in Singapore and with the likes of The Misfit Ramones making their mark, hopefully there are more like minded bands who can churn out songs inspired by groups such as Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13 and The Cramps, just to name a few



(Hey Ho, Lets Go!: Syam41, Mizar & Justin of The Misfit Ramones)


(One Last Caress: Justin Ramone giving the crowd a taste of his basslines)

Chronicles Of Reverence: Siouxsie Sioux

Born Susan Janet Ballion on May 27 1957 in London, she is famously known for being the frontwoman and center of attention for Siouxsie And The Banshees along with subsequent projects as a solo artiste and the band The Creatures throughout her singing career. Surviving a rough childhood with the loss of her father and a near death experience, Siouxsie first made her mark on the punk scene with her unique fashion sense fueled by the inspiration of bands such as David Bowie, Roxy Music and The Stooges which gave an inkling on her path in life later on with the formation of Siouxsie And The Banshees in 1976. Together with fellow founder Steven Severin, the band was fast selling out venues in its early days and eventually had their first single Hong Kong Garden released under Polydor which reached the top 10 of the UK charts soon after and subsequently released The Scream in 1978. Making guest appearances every now and then, Siouxsie's last discography came in the form of her solo album MantaRay and was last heard in the The Edge Of Love soundtrack singing Careless Love and is currently taking a break from touring

The Relevance Of Her Reverence


Everything that sums up the roots of the music subculture and her work with The Banshees provided the strong branch for subsequent goth influenced acts to grow from the punk subculture and taking a cue from her musical hero David Bowie by adding an element of glam with a drop of darkness that quickly spread through the waters and becoming a huge influence to bands such as Janes Addiction, Massive Attack, Garbage and even to bands that are just as acclaimed such as The Smiths whose lead singer Morrissey collaborated with Siouxsie at one point. Even to the bright lights of the fashion industry, Siouxsie Sioux is hailed as a doyen of her subculture by combining the elements of punk and goth seamlessly into her own wardrobe evidenced by the countless collections that have gone through the runway with her essence strongly felt from the make up to the raven hued articles. The Creatures era had some impact in the music subculture as well and despite not being a household name as The Banshees, it still managed to achieve critical acclaim and has influenced modern acts like PJ Harvey while MantaRay received the sign of approval from publications worldwide with Siouxsie's foray into solo territory looking to inspire the upcoming generations as she did with The Banshees and The Creatures and at 53 this year, Siouxsie is not resting on her laurels anytime soon. So the next time you listen to your favourite band and wonder why the melodic voices, fusion synthesisers and jet black apperance seems to strike a chord, it is simply because Siouxsie Sioux has influence in that artiste and its a statement that needs no verification.



To know more about Siouxsie Sioux:

http://siouxsiemantaray.com (Siouxsie Sioux)
http://siouxise.com (Siouxsie And The Banshees)

Meteoor: A Cosmic Blast By The Waterfront

Have you ever thought on how the sounds of the past and present can blend together seamlessly without detecting an obvious difference? Its akin to describing a generation gap where your parents prefer serene music played by the erhu while you opt for upbeat tunes churned out by a synthesizer but all it took was under an hour to debunk those myths and putting that question to the test. With the tranquil background of the sea and the Esplanade Waterfront providing the platform, local synth pop duo Cosmic Armchair and the Artssphere Chinese Instrumental Trio combined their musical wizardry together on Labour Day to marry their respective sounds in holy matrimony and for the whole of 45 minutes, the crowd were enthralled by the melodic compositions that were being played for the night.As the wonderful Jane lends her sultry vocals and Ben working in tandem with their partners in crime, it was definitely sweet music to the ears and one could feel as though the windows of their soul were being opened up and given a relaxing massage as a form of respite away from hectic life. Exquisitely executed and an evening worth spending, the Cosmic Armchair-Artssphere Chinese Instrumental Trio collaboration at the Esplanade Waterfront managed to tug the heartstrings of both young and old, bridging the gap together and being given a resounding applause for what its worth



To find out more about Cosmic Armchair, log on to http://www.cosmicarmchair.com

Proost!: Day Of Atonement (Indonesia)

(Click on logo to visit their website)


Starting from May, a monthly column will be dedicated specially for artistes that I believe have the potential to go all the way and once their big break comes, I hope I will be able to say Proost! to their success

Kicking off things this month are a band that is reminiscent of early Nightwish and Leaves Eyes with their dual vocalists blending in seamlessly with music that gives off feelings of pomp and grandeur but Tarja Turunen it ain't for this 7 piece band are as cohesive both onstage and off it. Hailing from the passionate country of Indonesia, the gothic metal outfit from Surabaya consists of Istie Flow (vocals), Zain (vocals), Ferry (guitar), Y-Sin (guitar), Yudha (keyboards), Ryo (symphony) and Cholix (drums) with inspiration coming from the likes of Epica which helped to sculpt the structure of their music and the result? A band that leaves you feeling enthralled the moment you press play and Day Of Atonement are no slouches either, taking time and effort to perform in various gigs throughout Indonesia and their upcoming performance sees them holding their own against their fellow compatriots at Transounds 2010 which will be held on May 2nd. Currently working on a 2nd album, one of the tracks that has been made available for listening is the epic 9 minute masterpiece Dead Man Whisper as we wait with bated breath on the full fledged assault that Day Of Atonement has set their sights on


(Day Of Atonement performing live)


(To listen to their track Dead Man Whisper, click on the Soundcloud link located on the right)

Chronicles Of Reverence: Amduscia

(Amduscia as photographed in 2008 for the Madness In Abyss album)

Hailing from Mexico, the 3 man outfit comprising of Polo Amduscia (Vocals, Lyrics & Programming), Edgar Acevedo (Synth, Sampling & Mixing) and Raul Amduscia (Keyboards & Sampling) were formed in 1999 and despite the early comparisons to fellow countrymen Hocico and Cenobita due to their sound, Amduscia soon changed the minds of skeptics with their brand of aggrotech being used with a variety of genres like old school EBM, futurepop and cyberpunk among others. Releasing 6 albums in total through Out Of Line records with the exception of From Abuse To Apostasy which was released through Metropolis and their demo Perdicion, Perversion, Demencia, Amduscia had their share of grief as Raul left the band and on March 2010, Edgar passed away due to complications in his health but despite the setbacks back, the band is currently working on a new album with a few tracks available for listening

Mark Of Reverence


(The late Edgar Acevedo, a member of an accomplished band in the aggrotech field)

While they are not the first band to come out of Mexico, a band named after a duke from hell in medieval demonology were definitely anything but cold with their demo album Perdicion, Perversion, Demencia making an immediate impact with listeners and their rise continued with their tracks Evil Song and Profano tu Cruz making into the Machineries of Joy Vol. 1 & 2 compilation albums with critical acclaim and scoring a record label deal with German electronic label Out Of Line records who released most of their albums beginning with Melodies For The Devil (November 2003). Amduscia also had the pleasure of performing in mega festivals such as WaveGotikTreffen in 2004 and M'era Luna in 2005 while sharing the stage with Combichrist. Their influence spread towards remixes with other artistes as well with God Module, Suicide Commando and Grendel having the honour to have their songs given the Midas touch by the Mexican wizards.


To know more about the band:

http://www.amduscia.de (Official Amduscia website)

http://www.myspace.com/amduscia (Amduscia on Myspace)