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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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)

Gigs Galore: Mosh Party 5, Damaged & Now Suffer

Its a month ripe for some headbanging action as Mosh Party 5, Damaged and Now Suffer comes your way this June with local death metal band Stillborn being slated to perform in all of them alongside other known names in the local circuit such as Thambi K Seaow, Fall Of Mirra and Oshiego just to name a few (click on posters to view event page)

Mosh Party 5 (05/06/10)



Kicking things off in June is Mosh Party 5, an ongoing event that takes place at Blackhole in this edition features the rising force of Stillborn as the opening act along with the Malaysian Duo of Merkmaid and Proclaim My Victory. Fall Of Mirra (one of the opening acts for Shai Hulud in Singapore) and Flawed Element (seen in Baybeats 2009) are making an appearance as well and at just $10, it is worth the price. Even if Zooey Deschanel is not appearing for the gig. Starts from 4pm onwards

Line Up:

+ Stillborn
+ Merkmaid (Malaysia)
+ Proclaim My Victory (Malaysia)
+ Blindfold Hero
+ Ruins
+ Flawed Element
+ Fall Of Mirra
+ Her Silent Wish
+ Mouthful Of Air
+ Straightforward

Tickets are at $10. Contact Vin for details and presale tickets at 84286559

Damaged (08/06/10)



Held right after Moshparty 5 at the very same place on a Tuesday, the line up comprises of a variety of genres but keep a definite lookout for Haze Of Darkness, Stillborn, Ark Of Death, Chaos Rising and Rising Axe as they defend the faith and wave the metal flag high with wild abandon. Tickets are at $10 and starts from 6pm till 11.30pm so get your energy booster right here and be Damaged!

Line up:

+ Kid 13
+ Haze of Darkness
+ Stillborn
+ Capture me Dying
+ Ark of Death
+ Chaos Rising
+ Roosevelts Vengence
+ Rising Axe
+ Thambi K Seaow

Now Suffer



Wrapping up the month and an indicator for better things to come for the rest of the year is Now Suffer with a stellar line up of who's who in Singapore Metal as Oshiego makes a triumphant comeback and backed by the quartet of Panzer tanks with the intention to blast your heads off! Tickets are at $10 and it comes with an EP from Oshiego titled Unending Carnage so you will not leave Blackhole empty handed at the end of the night. Starts from 3pm onwards and for tickets, contact Vin at 84286559

Line Up:

+ Stillborn
+ Zaganoth
+ Xanadoo
+ Bhelliom
+ Oshiego

How I Met Dio (Sharyl Lidzhan Sapari)

It was a typically hot afternoon in 1986. The sun was high in its full glory, casting blazing hot rays of light that seem to burn into your skin. The air was heavy with stifling heat and hot gusts of wind almost blind my eyes. With the nauseating smell of exhaust fumes, and the blaring traffic, I was thankful to my mum, for pulling my arm away from the sickly city bustle, and into the cool, air-conditioned arms of Joo Chiat Complex.



Mum was on her monthly shopping trip to buy cloth for her outfits at the shops with loud cloth salesmen hawking even louder coloured fabric. "Organza!" shouted one, *Thai silk!" shouted another. "Four dollars per yard!" another said. Mum was strong enough to resist the temptation just for a while as she dragged me to the barber shop at the back of the Complex.

It was called Sri Dewa, and it was a joint run by Malay rockstar wannabes with long unkempt hair. Even at that age, I noted the irony of it, but I didn't care. The guys were cool, gave me sweet candy, spoke to me like I was a man, and played the coolest music in the shop. I remember Metallica's 'For Whom The Bell Tolls' being blasted on the radio once, and Wings' 'Hukum Karma' on another day.

But it was a quiet day at Sri Dewa. Lead barber Ghani was almost falling asleep on the couch, his long, black hair falling lazily over his face. Fahmi, was sweeping the floor, with his thick, wavy, Bon-Jovi-esque hair flowing freely over his shoulders, his bangs falling over his eyes. Two scoundrel-looking, but good-hearted men ultimately, which is why mum didn't hesitate to dump me in their care as she went on to do her shopping.

"Oh and cut his hair while you're at it," mum said casually as she sped off to the waiting arms of retail therapy. Fahmi picked me up and plonked me onto the barber's chair, propped with a plank to get me to a comfortable height for him to snip my locks. To be honest, I quite enjoyed having my hair cut. I love the smell of powder and aftershave that lingers about like a house guest who never wanted to leave. Even without aircon it was always comfortable there. Maybe it was the laid-back vibe chilling out at the worn sofas. The black and white posters of models from the 60's with hair from the 50's that hung on the walls like shadows, or windows into a time where guys wore suits, and posed instead of just standing. I love the ticklish almost painful sensation of the electric razor on my skin, and the almost sadistic way Fahmi pushes my head into place for him to get the right angle.

Being a child at that age, I would get restless really quick. It was only a matter of time before I got used to the painful jabs on my skull Fahmi had to make to keep my head in place. But Fahmi, ever the mellow guy, never lost his temper, and never shouted at me. In fact, he indulged me as if I was his son. He would let me pick things up from the counter and always had an answer to my questions. And it was that day, when I picked up the album cover of Dio's Holy Diver album.

And I was fascinated by the image of a monstrous demon, showing the sign of the horns in one hand, and killing off a Catholic priest with the other. I couldn't take my eyes off the cover, and Fahmi was predictably elated that I was finally subdued. I asked him what is this, and he replied with a terse, "I don't think your mother would approve of you listening to these kinda songs boy."

"But she's not here what, she'll never know! Please please let me see what this is about." I implored.

So Fahmi threw the cassette in and soon enough the eerie, atmospheric one-minute intro to Holy Diver egan oozing out of the speakers in the barber shop. What followed next was five minutes of pure face melting, ear-impaling, fingernails pulling, bone crushing metal! I was stunned, and in awe of the powerful voice that commanded me to sit still and eat, drink, breath each and every word it sang. Complimented with the heavy guitars of Vivian Campbell, the fat bass of Jimmy Bain and the earth shattering drums of Vinnie Appice, "That my boy, is Ronnie Jame Dio, the greatest metal singers ever!" Fahmi said to me.

I sat back down on the barber's chair jaws gaping open at the sheer power and intensity of the song and Dio's voice. That gave Fahmi some time to finish off the haircut, before he stopped the player and pressed the forward button. I protested but he said, "If you like the last song, you will LOVE this next one, wait abit."

And he pressed play, and the player ripped into my consciousness with the intro to Rainbow In The Dark. And when Dio sang the first words of the song, "When there's lightning - it always bring me down Cause it's free and I see that it's me, Who's lost and never found" I felt goosebumps rising and a swell of emotion overwhelming me and I started jumping, banging my head and almost instinctively stuck my tongue in the air, and emulated the demon on the album cover with the sign of the horns. And when Vivian ripped into the solo I was floored! I was literally lying on my back with my body pulsating and shaking to every note of the guitar solo before I was pulled to my feet by the majestic voice of Dio.

Seeing how I was moved by the song, Fahmi took the cassette tape out of the player, and gave it to me saying, "Here you can have this, it will change your life forever."



And life was never the same again. Something about Dio's voice and music spoke to all of me. His words made me want to have a better vocabulary so I can understand what he sang, his music stirred my emotions and appealed to the beast within me. His voice was a soothing beacon of light in a tempest, providing with solace and succour in my darkest of times, the vilest of rage and in the ecstasy of love. The charisma, confidence and strength that is his voice lifted me higher more than anything else could.

I saved whatever pocket money I could to buy all of Dio's albums I could find, and with Fahmi's guidance, I ended up buying Sacred Heart, and also Rainbow's "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow" as well as "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll". Broke, and with nowhere to go after school and on weekends, I threw myself into the music sang by Dio. I banged my head to Long Live Rock 'n' Roll, danced to "Man on the Silver Mountain" and found tender, soul searching moments in "The Temple of the King".

Soon enough I discovered "Heaven And Hell" as I felt the very same swell of emotions rising up as the riff to Heaven And Hell tore through my earphones before Dio's voice came on to calm me down. Dio, as he always did, took my hand gently, and brought me along for a wondrous musical ride that lasted till today.



As time went by, newer acts came by that made me turn my head and appeal to my musical ears, but none moved me the way Dio did. And even as I became preoccupied with other big acts of the time, like the Guns and Metallica, and other big acts of yore like Slayer, Dio's Holy Diver, Sacred Heart, Heaven And Hell, Die Young, I, Long Live Rock N Roll, Temple Of The King never left my musical consciousness. Dio has always been a musical frame of reference, an audio benchmark for other bands vying for my fan-age, and while many failed to live up to the majesty of Dio, many have also come close enough. But none of them can ever be as big, unique and powerful as Dio.

Imagine how happy I was when it was announced in 2008 that Black Sabbath and Dio will be performing in Singapore. There I was, a 31-year-old man being transported back to the Sri Dewa barbershop in 1986 at the sound of Dio's voice. I saw a much older Dio than I remembered, but, as was I. And yet his voice still has the ability to empower me, to inspire me to do and be better than I am, and to move me.



At the end of the concert, Rachel and I decided to stake out the backstage exit as the band left. Tony Iommi shook our hands, Geezer Butler walked on by, Vinny Appice waved shyly, while Scott Warren cruised on by into the waiting van. Dio, ever the showman, strode out, screamed in his trademark metal voice, waved to everyone, showed the sign of the horns, slapped his hands on the small sea of palms waiting for a handshake, and brushed briefly on mine.



I know it wasn't much, but for a second, all that I am, all that I ever was, and all that I am going to be, converged into that one moment Dio brushed his hand on mine, and it made my year. It still makes my day when I think about it. And it always takes me back to that fateful day at the barbershop.

The day I met Ronnie James Dio.

So how did you meet Ronnie James Dio?

Rest in peace uncle Dio.

(The author is a liberal non-practicing narcoleptic who has had stints at Singapore Press Holdings, Singapore International Foundation and a contributor to the Singapore Kopitiam. Currently single, he is renowned for his exceptional navigational skills especially in Thailand and was last seen blastbeating to Holy Diver at Toa Payoh Swimming Complex in preparation for the YOG)

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

Nevar Say Never

Finally being able to squeeze in a bit of spare time in between her hectic schedule, local alternative photographer Shirley Zhong (aka Nevar) has resurrected her own website which consists of her wonderfully taken shots ranging from the NUS Arts Festival to her own personal concepts which are a definite eye opener for anyone who has seen her works here and just when you thought its going to be something similar, Nevar conjures up a whole different rabbit out of the hat with impressive results. To see her collection, log on to http://www.white-wind.net/ and be inspired

The Past, Present and Potential Future: Shai Hulud in Singapore

While Singapore has hosted the likes of Placebo, Muse and with Slash soon to come, one name stands out from the rest of the field and while it might not be held at the Integrated Resort or Fort Canning, it was just as fervent and intense from the word go. Making their very first foray into the local music scene, the Shai Hulud gig was held at Blackhole on Labour Day by Echo Production and alongside the New Yorkers were the local trio of For Better Endings, My Precious and Fall Of Mirra to augment the impressive line up for the night as the first stop off their South East Asia tour.


(Beat your heart out: Linus from From Better Endings)

(Starting off on a high: Damian Steven from From Better Endings)

Kicking things off for the night were For Better Endings and just seconds after the commencement of the gig, Linus and company began making their presence known and what a way indeed! David Lee Roth jumps, balancing acts and intimate crowd interactions might have been just some of the antics that were cooked up to keep the crowd going but the music was not compromised at all as For Better Endings marched on through their set with their unique myriad of sounds that comprised of relentless guitar shreds, beastly growling and surprisingly, tribal drumming reminiscent of Igor Cavalera courtesy of Shaun Benjamin. Returning Home was also being played as tribute to their friend Vishnu as the heartfelt rendition was belted out with emotion and reverberated through the walls of Blackhole and this in whole sums up For Better Endings, a band that is packed with boundless energy and aggression even when it comes to songs close to the heart and this reflects on their unwavering passion to excel in their craft. Same can said for subsequent bands Fall Of Mirra and My Precious as they kept the crowd going with intense brutality and maintaining the quality of music for the night without making any room for error and keeping their cool during their respective sets


(The legends have landed: American hardcore aces Shai Hulud)

(No barriers: A rare shot of Mike Moynihan onstage, just moments before launching himself into the crowd)

For the uninitiated, Shai Hulud are a 5 piece band hailing from Poughkeepsie, New York comprising of Mike Moynihan (vocals), Matt Fox (guitar), Matt Fletcher (bass), Tim O'Leary (guitar) and Matt Covey (drums) and have gone through various line up changes which at one point included Chad Gilbert from New Found Glory. But to the audience, they are the definition of hardcore punk and laid the foundations to metalcore before the term was coined with that being said, it was obvious to see why they are regarded highly in the hardcore scene just by the numbers that turned up for the gig and did they disappoint? Far from it as Mike rips through the set like a ravenous carnivore and his eyes were fixated on giving a show that could rival a sandstorm, breaking the barriers and achieve the oneness with his audience. Not to be outdone, twin guitarists Tim and Matt Fox were trading riff with fluidity while Matt Fletcher worked up his charm to the crowd as Matt Covey stayed in the background to give the drum kit an intense marathon of consistent heavy blows. Even the audience had their share of the action as they literally sang along with Shai Hulud and launching themselves as human projectile which had Mike doing likewise, much to the approval of the intense crowd and just when you thought it was all over, everyone was clamouring for more and their wish was granted which goes to show how much Shai Hulud is willing to go the distance for their fans

While my knowledge and love for hardcore music is pretty much limited to Black Flag, Gorilla Biscuits and a few others, a newfound respect for Shai Hulud was etched onto my heart by the end of the gig and at the same time impressed by the quality of the local bands who were undeterred from the pressure of having to play in the same bill with Shai Hulud and kudos to the girls at Echo Productions for doing tremendously well for their debut, not a glitch was detected and the sale of band merchandise was positive. While figures of from the past were the main event for the night, they have presently managed to pave the way for the potential future where the likes of For Better Endings will set the trail blazing and Echo Productions hosting more gigs to keep the passion burning

Video Vindication!

From Grindhouse & Shai Hulud In Singapore:

Stillborn breaking the ground for Grindhouse


Truth Be Known unleashing the Panzer


For Better Endings as the opening band for the seminal hardcore band


Shai Hulud launching themselves into Singapore


Congratulations to all of the abovementioned bands and their superb performance during those respective gigs, you have left a mark on those who attended in a great way

Absinthe Heart: Kiss Them Black For Me

Release the bats and paint the walls black, its not Halloween just as yet (that falls on 31st October) but rather, World Goth Day which falls on 22nd May every year and while it is a great way to meet up with friends and dust off the old Siousxie vinyls to play Christine once more, is there a need for us to adhere to organised events such as these as part of our love towards the subculture? Or is it just another marketing strategy cooked up by event oragnisers to lure a niche crowd into spending copious amounts of money and gain huge profits in one night?


(Smells like commercialism? Shirts, mugs and keychains are the order for the day)

After all, there is Halloween after all and for years it has been a commercial success from costume sales during the month of October to the big scale parties that are being held, giving people the chance to dress up as their favourite horror movie characters such as Count Dracula and Freddy Krueger or to look out of the ordinary and bring in some laughs Whatever the case is, the true meaning of Halloween has been completely masked by candy and theme parks which is highly upsetting to some goths as the significance of Samhain is totally lost and with the appearance of newly created events such as International EBM Day (celebrated on 24th February every year) and World Goth Day, there is a sinking feeling that the name of the gothic subculture and music in particular will be further dragged through the mud and dirtied by their hands whose motives are just as murky. Akin to staging a modern day concert, ticket prices will be raised and a variety of merchandise will be hawked for revellers to lap it up as a form of remembrance and as a sweetener, event posters will be plastered with big names to attract the numbers and bombarding various media platforms with incessant advertising to make it known but the question still remains: Does it matter if the ones attending are into the subculture and feel relieved to have an event commemorating a lifestyle that they have been steadfast to? Or is it just another party like the other ones last week which was billed as Bob Marley Day and The Tupac Memorial the week before?


(A poster promoting the yearly event on 22nd May)

Alternatively, one can make use of World Goth Day as a day where anything conventional gets thrown out of the window and give the routine life a much darker twist instead. It can take place in a variety of forms such as a small congregation at a secluded park and dance to death rock music on a portable music player with speakers or even call up your local radio station (as suggested by one such website promoting the yearly event) and convince them to play a track from the likes of Depeche Mode or The Cure, dedicating it to the day itself. It may be a few minutes of music to the disc jockey or normal listeners but to the older generation of goths have long hung up their Misfits jacket in the closet or the teenager who has yet to experience quality music, that one song could reignite past memories of having a devilock or a gateway to a lifestyle that exemplifies the unorthodox and beauty on the same page. While the likelihood of meeting new faces are minimal and getting the chance to see your favourite acts in the flesh, there are always other opportunities to do so in the form of music festivals and album signings so there is a silver lining at the end of the rainbow, as ironic as it might sound for a Goth

At the end of the day, World Goth Day is just there as a platform for like minded individuals worldwide to showcase their dedication and love for the subculture through various platforms and irregardless of scale or aspects, the bottomline is to have fun and yet at the same time be discerning of the ones that you attend on 22nd May 2010 which coincidentally falls on a Saturday. As for myself, I will be celebrating it at the comforts of my own lair with Danzig playing at the back before falling asleep. Like I always do for the rest of the year

Stillborn & Truth Be Known runs rampant!

Organised by Mourning Sound, Grindhouse 2010 took place on Friday 30th April at Blackhole with a stellar line up which included the likes of our local crusaders in the form of Truth Be Known and Stillborn with the latter being the opening act for the night and what a wicked way to kick things off! With a slight change of personnel with Ashley Rozario on bass and making his debut on stage, Stillborn powered through their set and played the likes of Words Of A Priest at its unbridled fury courtesy of lead singer Sathish. Along with his ferocious growls, Stillborn's rhythm brigade was expertly coordinated by twin guitarists Tharenii and Lyon coupled by Ashley's bass line and relentless drumming from Jia-Ting which seamlessly blends into the scheme of things and for those who missed this set, do not despair as they are set to perform at Moshparty 5 in June which will be held at Blackhole (more details to come soon. As for those who had the opportunity to watch them however, it was akin to watching the birth of greatness and judging from their reactions, no one will dispute that fact.

The other local band that was onstage was just as dominant as Truth Be Known tore the house down with a rampage so brutal that it could take an elephant apart with just one swift motion. From the moment vocalist Subash snatched the microphone off the stand and whipping up a tsunami of words, the crowd went into a frenzy as the headbanging fraternity lapped up every single note that was uttered and even the guitarist Damien and bassist Joshua got into the act as they stood over the crowd and absorbed the adulation that was bestowed upon Truth Be Known while drummer Gene dished out the blastbeats with relative ease. If Stillborn was the chieftain of the new generation of local death metal, Truth Be Known must be the forefathers of that said genre and setting the standard of showmanship for the rest to live up to, giving the audience a night worth remembering for irregardless of the scale of venue and age is just facade once Truth Be Known steps on stage for the boundless energy of Subash and company puts a teenager to shame

Aside from Stillborn and Truth Be Known, other bands that performed at Grindhouse 2010 include Grindbuto from Indonesia, Lacerate from Thailand and the Japanese behemoths of Defiled and GxSxD with the latter putting up a fantastic performance which was simply mindblowing. Even if the name was unfamiliar, their infernal aura onstage and razorblade shreds definitely left a mark on the crowds as chants of GxSxD were being bellowed out loud in unison towards the end of their set. Once more, the geniuses at Mourning Sound have succeeded in orchestrating a magnificent gig and the words from Grindhouse are definitely to be trusted!


(Saying it with words: Tharenii & Sathish from Stillborn)


(Stillborn rocking out in full force)


(The legends take the stage: Truth Be Known)


(Go Asphyxiate Yourself!)

(The crowd favourite for the night, GxSxD)

Cosmic Armchair performing at the Esplanade Waterfront

(Click on photo to view event)



Zooming straight down from the galaxy in their rocket ship and into planet Earth, electronic pop duo Cosmic Armchair will be performing at the Esplanade Waterfront on Saturday, 1st May 2010 from 10pm onwards as they collaborate with the Artssphere Chinese Instrumental Trio. With a fusion of sounds of the traditional Chinese instruments such as the pipa and erhu meeting the modern melody of the synthetiser at a venue so serene on an evening, be sure not to miss out on a showcase that will leave you even more knowledgeable about music and how ancient instruments can be given a futuristic feel to it. Cosmics Ben and Jane together with their friends are set to on giving an intergalactic show that will repel the UFOs away and putting our worries at ease for 45 minutes of enthralling music.

Place & Time: The Esplanade Waterfront, 10pm
Date: 1st May 2010
Price: Free

Visit http://www.cosmicarmchair.com for more details

Dalsix & Hendricka Meshradio session

Appearing alongside myself on the Taste Of Darkness recording yesterday was the lovely Hendricka as guest hosts with the hysterical duo of Saito Nagasaki & Foxy. While I am not going to reveal much as to what you will expect from the show, let's just say that it will involve eye raising dialogue, peppermints & gagging. But it is not all about the witty banter and theme, the music still takes centerstage and I had an opportunity to choose a couple of songs off my playlist and again, I will not reveal my cards until its out but here is a teaser to 3 of the bands featured:

1) A parallel Trent with just one album to its name. The song played is a feeling one would get in euphoria

2) You do not have to cast the line that far to know where this band is based at (although you might need to pull the line harder to reel this fish in). Melinda Gordon would be familiar with this song

3) A change of personnel at the helm which caused a huge uproar and decided to settle down with a singer who had a stint covering a certain Scandinavian group. You might want to avoid this desert though but not the song

HINT: They are fronted by a female singer


Here's a sneak peek on the Meshradio session:


(Recording of Taste Of Darkness)

(We wanna rock! With our band shirts)

Grindhouse 2010 (30th April 2010 at Blackhole)

(Click on poster to view event)



Just before Labour Day comes a gig that will gather a rally of epic proportions and no, it will not be held at some stuffy strait laced building and filled with scripted politicians promising you an upgrade that is as useful as a person on a diet going to a fast food outlet. Instead, all suits are thrown out of window as Blackhole plays host to a stellar line up comprising of local bands Stillborn & Truth be Known, Grindbuto from Indonesia, Lacerate from Thailand and the Japanese double act of Defiled & GxSxD to complete the firing squad. But no bullets involved, just explosive riffs, infernal growls and blast beats of headbanging proportions. Event starts at 6.30pm with Stillborn being the first band to open the floodgates of fury so do come early and rock the horns on the 30th, because metal preaches better politics than anyone else!

Date: Friday, 30 April 2010
Time: 18:30 - 22:30
Location: Black Hole 212, Syed Alwi Road
Cover: $15
Acts: Stillborn & Truth Be Known (Sin), Grindbuto (Ind), Lacerate (TH), Defiled & gxSxD (JPN)

Chapter 66: Too Fast For The Black Widow

Despite the love hate relationship that I have with my brother, there is at least one thing that I can never thank him enough for: Carelessly leaving his cassettes around while I stayed in his room. He might not look the part but when it came to music, that boy sure knew how to rock with bands such as Scorpions, Bon Jovi and Motley Crue being blared out of his stereo and singing You Give Love A Bad Name like a debonair rockstar (he still does at the ripe old age of 37 and with 2 kids. In the car with the latter two thinking that its my fault) It was from the daily visits in his room that first introduced me to music and even though the first song that I listened to was Scorpions' Wind Of Change, it was Motley Crue that became my favourite band and before you had Tokio Hotel and the other pretty boys putting on make up, Vince Neil and the gang were already donning cosmetics in the hair metal era known as the 80's while singing about their good buddy (Dr Feelgood) bad habits (Smoking In The Boys Room) and their thoughts of being in love (Too Fast For Love). But it was Marilyn Manson that changed my life completely instead at the age of 14 and the rest they say, was painted in black with Holywood at the back. Admittedly, there was a gap period where I thought that Dr Dre & Snoop Dogg was the shizznit and Mandy Moore was amazing but Mr Brian Warner salvaged me from Loserville and into a mean lean machine who did not care if society was ostracising him, music alone was an escapism and an education to their ills that were being masked by Stepford smiles. But it did not end there but rather the beginning of a musical voyage that made me want to listen to various kinds of music from the fast emerging (HIM), legendary (The Misfits) and obscure (Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13). Black metal was another influential force for me with Cradle Of Filth ripping up a vicious vortex for me to enter and discover the grim reality of life but I didn't have to be a Satanist in order to enjoy the genre as Immortal have proved and with great success (except the Call Of The Wintermoon video)and did help matters that I was into Norse mythology so the bond between me and the genre was quickly fostered. If being a goth was about the macabre and realism, then black metal was all about strength and viciousness (Note: I am not a Satanist and respect all forms of religion, everyone has a right to believe what they preach in irregardless of orthodoxy). Fast forward to modern times and 22 years on since childbirth, I am still listening to music and looking out for new bands to listen to irregardless of genre since what matters most is the quality and intensity of the music so do not be surprised if I start listening to Goatwhore at one moment and PMMP (Finnish pop duo) the next, it is the passion that counts and this is the one thing that no one can ever take away from you


So what inspired me to start an online page to talk about my innermost thoughts? It all started off with my regular gig as a writer for the Singapore Dark Alternative Movement and with the 3 columns that I contribute regularly (Absinthe Heart, Meteoor & Chronicles Of Reverence)it made ponder one day that while I am enjoying myself by pursuing my passion of writing for my subculture, I am only able to present it in the angle of being a goth and after looking at various online pages such as Murderfreak and The Fashionate Traveller, I became motivated to start a page of my own and write about the things I love while at the same time promote bands and events through my site. As you can see on my navigational links under Associated Arsonists, these are the fruits of labour that my friends have started and working hard towards their dream which goes to show that no matter how many obstacles you have to face, it takes dogged determination to get to where you are and for that, I salute to each and every one of you who taught me subliminally that its possible to achieve what you aim for. Hopefully with my posts here, someone out there will notice these efforts and take time to click the links to find out more about their endeavour and for those who would like me to put it on my site, feel free to drop me an email or via my personal networking sites (located at the links bar) or even to promote your events, I am more than happy to spread the word for you. As for myself, this is just another step to educate and motivate me in writing articles while pursuing my degree in English Literature at the same time. I might need to suit up and look "normal" should I end up becoming a teacher (aka secondary dream) instead of being the next Lord Byron (aka hedonistic poet/Romanticist rockstar with a quill) so for now, I just wanna rock!

(ps. For those who think that being a journalist/writer/poet is boring and decidedly "square", you might want to read up on the life of one Nick Kent. Not only did he play guitar for The Sex Pistols before they ditched him for one Sid Vicious, he bagged the hot Chrissie Hynde)