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SINGAPORE: A Look Into the Past
With the recent international success of the Singaporean black metal legend
IMPIETY, it became obvious that the extreme metal scene was ready to open
their arms towards the isolated corners of the world, where metal music
takes a more fundamentalistic stride. This gives the local scene the due
recognition it deserves for as this part of the underground was already
thriving for more than a decade. Although Singapore is far from a third
world country (yet nevertheless "exotic" by western standards), this
infernal South East Asian country had a rather conservative stance towards
music in the past, especially for extreme music like heavy metal and
hardcore music. It takes gradual absorption of western musical culture and
when death/thrash metal was nearing its downward spiral, it gained a
particularly strong foothold in the local scene. In between the underground
prime of '87-'93, one can literally find at least five death/thrash metal
bands in a neighbourhood. Deathsters are reading such local publications
like Evil Rotting, Pandemonium, Backache, Living Corpse, etc and got
inspired to cut demos. Take a walk around the Bedok area in the earlier
years and one would frequently find gangsters in Sarcofago t-shirts or for
the more adventurous, a trip through Bidadari cemetary will reveal so much
misdeeds with its headless graves. In the earlier days, bands like ABHORER,
NUCTEMERON, etc spreaded their evil manifestation beyond the island, and
established cult followings in the underground, with devotees from as far
away as Finland and Brazil. ABHORER became the first black/death metal band
to do a 12" (as split with Japanese band NECROPHILE), followed by 7"
releases from IMPIETY and ITNOS. IMPIETY was the only band that persisted in
their satanic warfare to these days and establishing themselves as the
godfathers of the Singaporean black metal scene. Here is a look at the past
(1987-1993), at some of the bands that turned this tropical island into a
necromantic graveyard...
ABHORER
The black/death metal legend from Singapoore! The band was formed in '87
(the pre-ABHORER band goes by the name PERFIDIOUS) and it wasn't until '89
that they released the notorious cult debut demo "Rumpus of the Undead"
which became a vital piece of black/death metal history in the underground!
The demo material was subsequently reissued on a split vinyl with the
Japanese black/death metal gods NECROPHILE's collections of tracks from '87
to '90, aptly titled "Deride the Remedied". The split 12" was put out by
Decapitated/Wipe Out Records in '90, Panos' previous label before Unisound.
After the release of this cult split LP, the band deliberately went into a
hiatus, due to their "abhorrence" for the newer black/death metal bands that
held no regards for the pioneers as well as being simply mediocre. But
ABHORER returned with a vengeance with the unleash of their godly '93 7" EP
"Upheaval of Blasphemy" through Shivadarshana Productions, constituting two
tracks of desecrating black/death metal, and with a powerful crushing
productions. I'd still prefer the more old-school approach on the demo/split
LP though, but ABHORER felt that this 7" EP should be the landmark of their
prowess. In '96, they unleashed their debut full length album on digipack
CD, titled "Zygotical Sabbatory Anabapt" on the Shivadarshana label and I
find that this is where they have the most modernised approach to
black/death metal, with very technical riffings, and a more intense warring
style. They officially R.I.P. after this release but their names are
eternally whispered in the blackest masses.
Do not confuse this BELIAL with the other ones from Finland, Chile and
Columbia. This BELIAL was highly revered in the Singaporean underground as
one of the best death metal band around and I can certainly agree to it. The
band started in '90 and recorded their first self-titled demo in '92,
without their old bassist Hisham. The demo boasted a very good productions,
the music is executed with great proficiency and the songs are well written
and memorable. Although there's no tracklisting on the demo, the tracks are
"Seducer of Mankind", "Mortal Schizophrenia" and "Demon' Rise" as I found
out from separate sources. All the songs are excellent death metal with
technical touches and it even comes close to the Swedish and American
standards. I especially dig the last track as it is the most raging and
blasphemous sounding of the bunch. I've heard that they 're even more
impressive on their second demo and they had R.I.P. after that.
This was one of the most controversial baand back in the early beginning of
the '90s when the underground was pretty sceptical on the newer black metal
bands spawning from this island inferno. The first lineup consisted of
Brutal Bot (voxx), Aye (Guitarz), Talib (Guitarz) and Nazri "sotong" (Drumz).
Their debut demo "In Evil We Trust" was unleashed in '92, the only I've
heard and it claims to play (satanic) noise/death core. It has a strange
(probably unintentional) comical vibe to it, sounding like a mixture of
local grindsters DEMISOR, Wehrmacht and Impaled Nazarene. Highlights here
goes to the opening track "The Unholy of God" and the funny track "Death to
Poser" with its brow-raising "Jiwa Jiwa" lead guitar interlude! Somewhere in
'93, they released the second demo "Nocturnal Sacrament", which adopted a
more black metal oriented style. To some this band is nonsense, but it
certainly has a certain cult following.
The band played a rather raw and simplistic form of black/death metal.
According to the '90 demo "Hallucination", the lineup goes like Din (vocal),
Syidi (guitar), Jai (bass) and Mimi (drums). I'd describe their style as
close to early Treblinka and the French Mutilated (!!!) and borders among
black and death thrashing metal. The vocals is probably one of the most
extreme I've heard in Singapore, period, probably even surpassing the
hellish roars of the American legend Necrovore! But the music is not exactly
the best. especially the song "Visionary Destructor" that came after the
intro "Lucifers Scream", which has some amateurish touches. However, tracks
like "Hallucinatory" and "Cryptical Depocintory" are extremely furious death
thrashing numbers that can evoke some pretty nasty pictures of inferno and
satan. DEBAUCHERY
According to sources, this outfit was preeviously known as CEMETRY. This
band had an immense cult status in the newer wave of Singaporean black metal
scene which also constituted bands like BLOOD ANGEL, BEHEMOTH, SEVENTH GATE,
etc but on the other hand they were the most criticised band on this ungodly
island. And it even got criticisms beyond the island when It from Abruptum
(contributed some lyrics to this band) accused the band for being false
satanists. The first official demo was released in '93, titled "Spirit of
Barbuelis" and the lineup goes like Infernal Abominator (chanters/guitars),
Teutonic Guardian (guitars), Aemonius Daemon (bass) and Abysmal Impaled
(drums). There are three tracks on the demo, namely "Rites of Profanity",
"Bestial Desecration Through Unholy Prayers" and "The Unholy Ground of
Darkened Evil". These titles sounds like the grandmother of all evil, but
the music proves to be quite a disappointment, with those melodic and
beautiful guitar riffs, and irritating keyboards and female backup vocals,
which is quite the opposite of their evil desecration theme. The band later
evolved into Eibon.
IMPIETY
These maniacs are the godfathers of black metal in Singapore! And certainly
they're the most wellknown Asiatic black metal band ever! But history went a
long way back to '88 where IMPIETY began in the form of SEXFAGO and like the
name suggested, the band was heavily influenced by Brazillian black/death
metal. The first release under the unholy moniker of IMPIETY was with the
'92 demo/promo "Ceremonial Necrochrist Redesecration", which is raw, caustic
black death metal comparable to Blasphemy, Treblinka, etc. They managed to
clinch an EP deal with Shivadarshana Productions in the form of "Salve the
Goat: Iblis Exelsi" 7" EP '93. This EP created quite a controversy in the
black/death metal scene due to an anti-Norwegian statement made on the back
sleeve. In '96 they released their debut album "Asateerul Awaleen" digipack
CD on the same label and it received good response from the underground.
This time they have a more modern black metal sound. Their breakthrough came
with the phenomenal release of "Skullfucking Armageddon", the second album
'99 on Dies Irae Productions, also on digipack CD (with vinyl pressings from
Iron Pegasus). This is their strongest work to date and it captures the evil
essence of true ancient black thrash attack! They are working for the third
album and the future seems positively black. FRACTURED SKULL
The demo sucks with its layout but the music is top notched. They released
this demo under METALTRAX (their own label) and the lineup consisted of
Burhanudin "Skullbanger" (guitars/vocals), Imran "Bonecrusher" (bass),
Ramlan "Mindgrinder" (rhythm guitar) and Imran "Skinpounder" (drums). I like
the intense death thrashing with a strong old-school flavour; the riffings
are something that gets the approval from Kreator and the drummings are
possessed by Dave Lombardo. I find that they were some of the most vicious
and technical guitarists from that time. Some of the song-titles like "The
Ballad of Two Fools" and "Desecrated Youth" may sound stupid, but they are
ultra-wicked deathgasms! Other highlights here are the title track "Thrash
Till Death" and "Infernal Torment". MORBIFIC
Tragedy strikes at this band towards the end recording of the second demo,
aptly titled "Obscure Dreams" Demo '93 as the drummer/vocalist Kamal died
after a coma. So, upon completion, the demo is released in his memory as
stated in the sleeve. I don't know what happen to Wahid (guitars, bass), the
sole member left after this recording, but I've heard that they've got a new
lineup for their third demo. Anyway, this was one of the strongest work from
these dedicated deathsters. The recording sucks abit but they handle their
equipment with good competence, churning technical death metal with some
similarity to supreme death metal bands like Revenant, Exmortis, etc. There
are five tracks on this demo, of which the standouts are "Undying Lust",
"When Death Draws Near" and of course the title track "Obscure Dreams". LIBATION
Here is another desecrating band from the unholy island of Singapore! They
used to be known as MUMBRA (which is more death metal oriented) before the
formation of Libation. The lineup on this debut demo "Sanctimonious
Offering" from '91 goes by Necrocarnivore (growls), Abominator (guitars),
Leprophilliac (bass) and Demonomancer (drums). Some of the members
contributed to the IMPIETY lineup. The music on this demo has the same kind
of blackened deathgrind approach of bands like IMPIETY and XTREME OBSESSION,
only more primitive and uglier, and of course worshipping the same kind of
sick evil of bands like Blasphemy and Sarcofago!!! Some of the tracks I like
here are "Benighted Obsequies" and "Reign of Enmity". This demo is actually
one of the best local metal demos around so it has a special place in my
collection. The band later changed their name to ITNOS. ITNOS
This band was previously known as LIBATION. ITNOS stands for "In the Name
of Satan" and their music very much live up to the evilness of the name.
They were one of those few black/death metal bands from Singapore to have
actually gotten an EP deal. This 7" EP was released by Superior Creations in
'94 and hand numbered to 500 copies. The lineup goes like Necromanism (bass,
vocals), Abominathroe (guitars) and Demoncia (drums). Two tracks are found
within this 7" EP, namely "Massacre of the Innocents" and "Christ Mary
Bitch", both of which are fucking screwed black demonic death metal! While
the songs are not as simplistic and Sarcofago-like as the ones they play in
Libation, they are still truly bestial in the flavour of Bidadari's grave
stench! The band subsequently metamorphosized into Doxomedon and changed
their style drastically.
They are the gods of Singaporean death/thrash metal underground! NUCTEMERON
was formed in late '87 by Omar (Drum) and Khalid (Bass), and they were
possibly the first local death/thrash metal band (thus giving the notion
that their habitat Eunos district is the birthplace for the scene but there
are several arguments that Chai Chee was the origin). Several months later,
Jani (Guitars) joined this unholy union and released unto the earth the
death metal cult demo "The Unexpected" in '88. This demo is truly one of my
most favourite amongst the Singaporean death/thrash metal underground. Four
killer tracks of unsurpassed death/thrash metal took form with "Legacy", "Transitation",
"Swirling Blackness" and "Silent Sorrow". The vocals is as sinister and
wicked as Tom Angelripper's snarls and I'd say that the music is pure
witching death/thrash in the old Sodom tradition, with pure holocaustic
thrashing rhythms and unrelenting drum syncopations. The second self-titled
demo was released in '90 and it contains four tracks of similar
death/thrashing metal, with tighter proficiency and heavier parts, but the
old-school magic of the first is still the most supreme. They R.I.P. in '91. XTREME OBSESSION
Fucking evil blackened death thrash straiight out from a fucking nuctemeron
of necromantheon! The "Obsessed" demo '90 is truly one of the most
interesting local demo I've heard period! Sort of reminding me of LIBATION,
DREAD, etc! This band truly worships the evil essence of such crazy punks
like Sarcofago, Blasphemy, etc! The lineup is Nik (vocals), Hai (guitars),
Burn (bass) and Axor (drums). The guitars are rancous grinding and flies
insanely like second to fourth album era Bathory under black exorcism, with
its wicked bestial voices command over the bloody lightning strike of the
pounding punishment... on full speed of course! If you've heard the
excellent works of the cult U.S. black death metal band like Infernal Death,
you'll see some comparisons as they are both extremely evil! All the four
tracks here are great unholy soulreaper, namely "Termination", "Seduction",
"Blind Faith" and "Obsession" which only catalyse the immediate fall of
Jesus Christ! Cult! DEMISOR
This is filthy grindcore, noise(!!!), like stated on the front cover! And no
doubt, this band is one of the most famous death/grind sensation in
Singapore. This demo was handnumbered and the line up according to the liner
notes went by Iskandar (vox), Zulkefil (drums), Azizi (guitars) and Khairul
(drums). I'm not exactly a fan of grindcore but this rehearsal/demo appeals
alot to me. They play straight forward noise grind, fast blasting gritty
punk with some mid-paced mosher thrown in for good measures, sort of
reminding me of anything between Impulse Manslaughter to Deathcore. You
can't go wrong with tracks like "Mental Deterioration Ponderosity Mestectomy",
"Insatiable Masturbation", "H.I.V." and "Otosclerosis".
This is the band with members spawning to so many other outfits like XASTHUR,
IMPIETY, BEHEADED NASRANI, PROFANATION, ABBATORY, etc. The original lineup
on this debut '90 demo tape "Rest Without Peace" is Azman (voice), Razali
(bass), Shahid (guitar) and Iskandar (drums). Razali was known to later move
on to form the Dies Irae Productions label. The music is primitive thrashing
death metal driven on the mid tempo and having that total punk/hardcore
appeal. Three tracks are on this tape, namely "Rest Without Peace", "Morbid
Fate" and "Act of Aggression" of which the second track is the most
interesting of the lot, with its morbid bone-grinding rhythms that simply
crush in undead ultimatum.
This death metal band was quite well known in the scene 'cos all the four
members of the band are chinese (OK, there's the cult thrashcore act
Opposition Party), which is welcoming as it shows that death metal curse is
spreading everywhere, regardless of race and creed. So evil knows no
boundary! The bandname SILENT SORROW is no doubt inspired by NUCTEMERON's
cult song! They released a demo "Mental Obliteration" around '91 and I
believed that the material are featured on the Big O's "New School Rock III"
compilation CD '93 which I have. Well, it's sort of a compilation featuring
local indies band and I chose not to elaborate too much on the CD 'cos it
isn't strictly a metal compilation. By the way, the two tracks on the
release are "Suffering in Silence" and "Pain Breeder", both of which are
totally excellent technical death metal stuffs recalling the prowess of
excellent death metal bands like Grave, Dismember, Unleashed, etc! Pann (the
lead guitarist) later formed CONCAVE SCREAM.
** Check Vasp website Necromansy, which reviews old black death thrash:
http://www.geocities.com/vasp_1999/
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