The Misfit Ramones performing Last Caress at Fade To Blackhole

Look out for their upcoming showcase with Frostymug at Chapter 6!

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)

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

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)

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)