WAR ENSEMBLE - A Tribute To Slayer
by Vro
Date: March 29, 2003
Venue: ARDZ Billiards (Philippines)
Organizer: SPITFIRE PRODUCTION
Bands: SULTAN, BLOODSHED, RAGE OF ISCARIOT, PAGANFIRE,
GUARDIAN CRUCIFIX, TOMB, INCARION, END OF MAN, EFFLUVIUM, MURLOCK, EXTREME
RESPONSE
Probably the best offering from SPITFIRE Prod
to date, Christian Velasquez really had an excellent idea of organizing
another gig to which all bands must pay tribute and play some covers from
the almighty SLAYER on their set. It is indeed that every metal head and
bands here in the Philippines are listening and influenced by the aggression
and violence that SLAYER had forged since the early 80's. And even though
the bands played well or screwed-up on those slaytanic tunes, it's still a
great show to watch. Honestly, the venue is quite disappointing to me
because of the billiard tables, but anyway the show must still go on. The
crowd is really changing now compared to the last gigs SPITFIRE had
organized, many people now are getting crazy, head-banging and really
participating to the energy and adrenaline that every band is delivering,
and that includes me with Roel Morres of Tripalium Zine, Nonoy Padrejuan of
The Scene Zine/Paganfire and Alex Duma of Murlock/Dead Reckoning Zine
shouting in the front row, head banging, air punching and singing along with
those killer SLAYER tunes.
The show started of with a young band named SULTAN. As far as I know this
band came from the same city I'm living, in Caloocan and they mostly play
early modern metal with the likes of Chaos A.D. Sepultura. They first
blasted a Gillan era Black Sabbath tune "Zero the Hero" and kind of imitate
the Cannibal Corpse version. At first the band is quite tame in their stage
presence but when me and Nonoy enters the bar and bang our heads and
punching horned metal sign on the air in front of them and shouting the
chorus lines, SULTAN suddenly adrenalized and bang their heads also, even
the vocalist do the horned metal sign at us. Then after that they play their
Slayer tunes. I can't remember the Slayer songs they play but I think "The
Antichrist" and "Altar of Sacrifice" are included on their set. I must say
that SULTAN is not that tight as the other bands but they really capture the
feeling of the song they play which is more important than being so tight
but with no feeling. Hell, this is a live performance so it's normal to have
some mistakes. Probably more rehearsals and stage presence this band will be
tight as hell besides the vocal sound is really good and alive, nice one on
SULTAN camp.
BLOODSHED setup their instruments after the SULTAN set. Well, these guys
played a really tight set with their Slayer covers along with Sepultura,
Sodom and At the Gates cover. I think the Slayer tune they play is
"Postmortem" which is really heavy and tight. I really don't like their
Sodom and At the Gates cover, it's pretty much overdone on BLOODSHED set
playing these songs but I'm pretty impress and blasted by their cover of
Sepultura's "Primitive Future". It shows how good and tight when playing is
concern when we talk about BLOODSHED. Jojo is a tight vocalist and his
presence in singing is really good along with his trademark moves and
helicopter hair headbanging. The guitarists and drummer are good as well. I
just hope that Bloodshed will soon work on their original material and
release a demo because honestly, they are wasting their talent and time
being just a cover band, if you want my advice, don't be a full-time cover
band show to us what really BLOODSHED is made for.
The third band to play is RAGE OF ISCARIOT who also features Christian
Velasquez as vocals. Rages of Iscariot totally change everything on them.
The keyboard player is now handling the bass and there is no more silly and
cheesy corpse paints. If their trying to re-format Rage of Iscariot and just
be a metal band, they are truly heading for good. Their opening song on
their set is a cover from Kreator, "When the sun burns Red". It was a good
set and I think blasting only two songs on their set is not enough. Anyway
they close their set with Slayer's "War Ensemble".
The time for PAGANFIRE had finally arrived. Well to tell you the truth I
felt disappointed because honestly we are more-tighter on our previous
rehearsals than on our actual set. I don't know what's in Nonoy's mind
commanding "Curse the Gods" to be our sound check because we had agreed the
night before that it will be "Outbreak of Evil" but anyway it's just a sound
check. We open the set with the Slayer's "Hell Awaits" it's seems that every
goddamn metalheads in attendance knows this song and they are shouting,
clapping, insulting etc. on us. The second song we did was "Sodomy and Lust"
very few know that but it's a great song that every metalhead should seek
out. The second Slayer tune we did is "Kill Again" many don't know this song
or probably can't recognize, there are some who asks if that is an original
one. We close our set with our favorite song, "Nuclear Winter". The intro
part is totally fucked-up, but we manage to have a steady beat after.
After I enjoy playing on our set, the next band is the ultra-boring GUARDIAN
CRUCIFIX. I always get bore when I watch these guys, I can't feel the power,
the adrenaline is absent and even the band it self looks like they are not
enjoying what they are doing. I' rather order a round of beer with my
DETVASTATOR bassist Mark. Mark watched their set, but me I'd rather have a
good time with my friends at the back where we took some photos, gave some
copy of my zine to the people there. My only advice to these band, if you
can't be metalheads don't play metal at all. I met former GUARDIAN CRUCIFIX
Edward, he is out of the band now but he still manage to check his former
band mates, but Edward, to tell you honestly you really had a great move,
because to be out in GUARDIAN CRUCIFIX is really a great decision.
The next band is another boring band named TOMB, there is a line-up change
due to the absence of their vocalist. Their bassist handle the vocal duties
but still it's not a great set. The only thing that set my interest to check
this band is their drummer because his really good. "Killing Fields" had a
crushing drum patters and TOMB's drummer manage to had a steady beat. And
also that guitarist Philip is a good one. But anyway, if you are playing
Slayer songs, or you consider yourself death metal band, you guys should be
intense and had a good stage presence. Don't be like GUARDIAN CRUCIFIX and
let your spirit of being metal (if there is) burst out. There's nothing
wrong to bang your head, to get crazy and be intense. Remember what Paul
Ballof said "Bang your head as if up for the dead, Intense metal is all that
you need".
After that two boring set from GUARDIAN CRUCIFIX and TOMB, INCARION ignited
another adrenaline that makes the crowd in the front row crazy. Their
opening set is "Raining Blood" which makes us in the front shout, sing, air
punch and banging heads. There's a new line-up also with the presence of two
guitarists, they are the guys of TOMB and I doubt if they are official
members or just there as sessions. If those two guitarists will be official
member, I'm not pretty confident if INCARION can have killer set like the
old days when Unlight and Lucifernicus is still in the band. Anyway, they
also play two original songs which also available on their "Blasphemiak
demo" which very few know and their set is supposed to finish but the crowd
requested another song, someone shouted (I think it's Nonoy of PAGANFIRE)
"War Ensemble" and they play that song. INCARION's set is good and I hope
its succeeding appearance on future gigs would be more killer.
END OF MAN really surprises me because someone inform me that some members
are from MASS CARNAGE they had a mysterious vibe in front and as the
instruments are set-up the vocalist introduced himself as ex-DISCANT X
member and open their set with a DISCANT X cover. For me, their set is the
best that night, playing a really heavy and intense old school
trash/crossover that makes everyone in front fucking crazy. The front man is
a real performer and the only front man who doesn't do growling or
screeching vocals but he is probably the best that night. He even have those
whacky stage banter which makes everyone laugh. I saw Fin of RESSURECTED
banging crazily, I use to watch RESSURECTED then when they sound like this
but from the previous gigs they are becoming more lame and tame, please
bring back the real RESSURECTED sound Fin like "Race War", "Reprodestruction"
and "Coumoflauge". Anyway, END OF MAN continue thrashing the night with
their songs and ended their set with Slayer's "Postmortem" and "Raining
Blood". We are shouting for more songs but END OF MAN really finished their
set and unplugged their instruments. Me and Roel Morres (Tripalium Zine)
rushed to talk to the front man and gave him our flyers, if this guys are
doing demos expect them on the future issue of local zines like METAL HAVOC,
TRIPALIUM, THE SCENE ZINE and DEAD RECKONING.
Not only Manila bands are there to thrash and pay tribute to Slayer, Laguna
hordes MURLOCK and EFFLUVIUM are also there to play. After that killer set
from END OF MAN, the guys of EFFLUVIUM set-up their instruments. EFFLUVIUM
open up their set with their Voivod-ish track "Chernobyl" which is available
on the new demo CD "Behind the Shadows". That song really trashed the crowd
and very few know that it was their original song. They also blasted another
original which is available on their new demo and Willie (guitar/vocals)
promoted their demo to the crowd. They did the Slayer track "Black Magic"
which is not that tight but still heavy and good and also that Iron Maiden
one "Killers" is not bad at all. They ended their set with a CANDLEMASS
cover with guess appearance of Alex Lexicon of MURLOCK/DEAD RECKONING Zine
doing vocals. It was an entertaining set and Alex presence is something to
be watched out.
After EFFLUVIUM's set it's the long awaited MURLOCK set. Fucking Alex is
really energetic and very metal, they opened their set with their original
and our favorite "Nuclear Fuck". Alex is really different that night, he
really had this evil aura and their second song "Burn with me" is what death
metal is about. Vic is really a tight drummer and energetic even on his
EFFLUVIUM set, this guy is very good and probably if he will practice his
craft more, he will be more killer. Alex called Willie of EFFLUVIUM to
session on guitar for their next song. It's the Slayer classic "Live Undead"
and that is really a good one, they ended their set with the song that makes
everybody fucking crazy, it's a cover from KREATOR entitled "Terrible
Certainty", man if you're only there you're see how killer this band,
everybody is singing, banging and air punching, the intensity is very metal
and killer. I can't wait for MURLOCK's material to come out but lets hope it
will surface.
After the MURLOCK set, some of the people are leaving and I don't know why
and If they think they are satisfied with what they witnessed with the early
bands that played, they are wrong because the last band that played has a
crushing and grinding metal set. The band is EXTEME RESPONSE, I think me and
Roel Morres of Tripalium Zine is the only headbanger in the front but to
tell you the truth their set is one of the best second to END OF MAN. They
play mostly BRUTAL TRUTH covers and I can't really remember if they play
Slayer tunes. After their opening set, I shouted "Do you believe in God",
the bassist answered with his growling sound "I believe in myself", I was
fucking energized when he answered that, these guys truly worshipping BRUTAL
TRUTH's "Extreme Conditions demands Extreme Responses" album. The front man
is really abusing his throat singing and their dual vocals with the bassist
is really a killer one. I was really getting crazy when they played "Walking
Corpse" and I will really try watch out these band in the future if ever
they will release a demo.
The gig is finally over and it's well anticipated and well executed, we just
hope this will happen again and lets make it more killer and memorable. I
don't want to point out everything because I really enjoy the gig and not
really observing some things there. I would like to congratulate SPITFIRE
production with the success of the gig, hail to the bands that participated
and make their set good and to all the crowd who attend and watched the gig
from the start to finished. Just see you all in the next gig.
METAL HAVOC fanzine/distro
c/o Alvaro G. Martin Jr.
83 Tugatog St. Bagong Barrio Caloocan City
1400 Philippines
Email:
metalhavoc@edsamail.com.ph |