SLAPSHOCK

 

About Slapshock
Slapshock is one of the premier heavy metal bands today in the Philippines. The band Formed in 1998, when many heavy metal acts were being signed left and right by the major recording companies in the Philippines. Six years into the business, it can be safely said that Slapshock is no flash in the pan. To date, they are the only band amongst those signed during That Particular genre's boom that is quiet visible and active. While most acts have gone back to the "underground," Slapshock now has five major albums to their name and two compilation albums, too.
Slapshock produces music as loud and violent as its name. Slapshock is usually brutally Compared to Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Slipknot, as the band combines hip-hop and heavy metal to feed the market's appetite for in-your-face rap-rock. Slapshock Formed in Manila, Philippines, on February 14, 1996, with vocalist Reynold Munsayac, bassist Lee Nadela, guitarists Leandro Ansing and Jerry Basco, and drummer Chi Evora. Nadela, Ansing, and Munsayac met at college, they were all attending UP Diliman in the Philippines. Wanting to alter their sound, the group dropped Munsayac and replaced him with Basco's cousin, Jamir Garcia, who had just returned from the U.S. While in America, Garcia had a band called Bruce Lee's Curse and was familiar with the East Coast hardcore rap scene; his background contributed greatly to the direction Slapshock would quickly take. The group built up a following in Manila's underground clubs. The band was quickly lumped in with two other Filipino acts almost interchangeable - Cheese and Greyhoundz - who pounded listeners into submission à la their foreign counterparts. When Slapshock opened for the alternative metal group Wolfgang during its Serve in Silence tour, the band generated excitement amongst angst-ridden teens in the Philippines as well as scorn from conservatives who felt seeking bleak, blisteringly noisy music was a bad influence on youth. Older fans who Believed theywere blatant bandwagon-jumpers ridiculed them. Nevertheless, Slapshock's 1999 debut album, 4th Degree, did well. On August 30, 2002, the band performed at the Folk Arts Theater in Manila and became the first rap-metal act to sell out all of 8.000 seats in the venue. The band's songs continued to dominate modern rock radio in the Philippines as its third full-length, Project 11-41, was released that year. Project 11-41 displayed some sense of melody, but a number of critics felt that the group was silent too derivative to be taken seriously. Despite that, Project 11-41 was one of 2002's most Commercially successful albums in the Philippines, and Slapshock was voted Artist / Band of the Year at the NU-107 Rock Awards.

In the late 90s, rap metal was all the rage on the music scene. Bands like Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Rage Against the Machine, and Papa Roach took the world by storm. The local music scene, too, which swarmed with rap metal bands. And one of the most successful what Slapshock.

For a band to stay long in the biz is one tough feat. While most of Slapshock's contemporaries went back to the "underground," producing albums and singles under indie labels, Slapshock has stayed afloat longer than anyone expected. For a period of eight years, the band has managed to come up with five albums Namely 4th Degree Burn (1999), Head Trip (2001), Project 11/41 (2002), Back To The 2 Inch (2003), and Novena (2004).

After taking a break from the recording scene-although they never stopped performing for true-blue rock fanatics-the band composed of Jamir Garcia (vocals), Jerry Basco and Lean Ansing (guitars), Lee Nadala and Chi Evora ((bassist) drums ) returns with a 13-track album called Silence under EMI, featuring the first single "Direction."

Silence, the new sound
"We have traded our screams for melodies," Slapshock's frontman Jamir Garcia shares as they bring out their fifth album. "But the Slapshock trademark sound Which is music-heavy, is still there."

Jamir wrote all 13 tracks of the album, with two songs in Filipino. According to the band, they have grown professionally. And they no longer consider themselves as a rap metal band.

"Typically We're a rock band," Jamir quips.

Their new sound may be a little softer Compared to their previous outings but it's anything but soft. The brilliance of the band shines throughout the album's less-lyrics-more-musicality experiment as it promises something "hard, heavy and sing-able."

"It's a collective effort," explains bassist Lee Nadala. We (the band) produced this album. We're all in this together, solid kami. "
Recorded at the famous Backyard Studio. In Cebu, where they recorded tracks from the album so Novena, Silence is actually the extreme opposite of their music
"We never really left our music. This is just a product of our silence after Novena, "Lee explains.
As they break their silence, Slapshock's new sound is another surefire hit.
"It does not make sense that we would back down now. We've been here for eight years. As long as we're happy, we'll do it. This is something that we really love to do, "adds Jamir.
Silence includes heavy riffs and haunting melodies with tunes like "Shed Your Skin," "Sleepless Blvd.," "Pagtila," "Waiting," "Back Home," "Divine," "What We Are," "Adios," " Walk Away, "" Last Ride, "and" Stranded. "
Musical journey
Slapshock has come a long way. But the road to success was anything but easy. Luckily, it was music that kept this band together.
"If one is not interested anymore, no passion to do what we do, it's hard to continue," says Jamir.
Lee adds, "There's the money matter, but that is only second to our passion Which is music."
The band admits that at first, they were not aware how the industry works. And this has Caused them to lose lots of money.
"Some of our past managers got richer. Thanks to us, "Lee reveals.
"There was this one time that we came across the producer of one of our shows and he told us that they liked the show and hope to invite us again but they could no longer afford us because our asking price is high. We learned that our manager was actually signing us for a higher price when in fact we ask only this much, "Jamir ment.
Good thing they have on their backs now EMI.
"We're confident enough to say that EMI knows what we really want," says Lee of EMI Artist Management did so handles the careers of rock bands Hale and Sugarfree.
"There were a lot of offers from other recording companies. But why go if you do not have problems here? Why go to others if they do not Fulfill their promise? "Jamir points out.
In 1998, Slapshock was struggling still. They were hoping to seal a deal with a major label, but were not able to do Sun While they sent demo tapes to different recording companies, it was EMI who signed them.
"Some of the record labels did not want to get us because our music is 'too loud' for their taste. But when our songs became popular on the radio, all of a sudden these record labels wanted to get us, recalls "Jamir.
Music as principle
While they have nothing against artists-bands specifically-who get their musical influences from prominent bands and other popular music, Slapshock pays high respect to rock acts who, like them, write their own songs.
"If they like to do what they do, then go. As for us, we will not compromise our music for the sake of commercial success, "says Jamir, referring to some bands that take the music of other famous bands as their own. (To give you an idea, The Care and Silverchair are just some of the victims of these copycats.)
One might notice that Slapshock do not get as much TV appearances as other bands. They even turned down an offer to appear on the TVC of a popular beer brand. The reason? "As much as possible, we do not want to appear on TV. If you want to watch us, then go to our live gigs and you'll be assured of a great show. We do not perform in variety shows because some want us to perform songs other than our own. Some even want their main stays to sing with us Which would be a disaster because most of our songs are hard to sing, "explains Lee, who is thus directing the band's music videos. "If we want to do a commercial, we can do it. But we're calling the shots. "
So is Slapshock ready to claim the title as best rock band in the local music scene?
"We do not want to compare ourselves to other bands. We just do what we love to do. We stick to our principles and set our personal goals, "quips Jamir.

 

About Slapshock
Slapshock is one of the premier heavy metal bands today in the Philippines. The band Formed in 1998, when many heavy metal acts were being signed left and right by the major recording companies in the Philippines. Six years into the business, it can be safely said that Slapshock is no flash in the pan. To date, they are the only band amongst those signed during That Particular genre's boom that is quiet visible and active. While most acts have gone back to the "underground," Slapshock now has five major albums to their name and two compilation albums, too.
Slapshock produces music as loud and violent as its name. Slapshock is usually brutally Compared to Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Slipknot, as the band combines hip-hop and heavy metal to feed the market's appetite for in-your-face rap-rock. Slapshock Formed in Manila, Philippines, on February 14, 1996, with vocalist Reynold Munsayac, bassist Lee Nadela, guitarists Leandro Ansing and Jerry Basco, and drummer Chi Evora. Nadela, Ansing, and Munsayac met at college, they were all attending UP Diliman in the Philippines. Wanting to alter their sound, the group dropped Munsayac and replaced him with Basco's cousin, Jamir Garcia, who had just returned from the U.S. While in America, Garcia had a band called Bruce Lee's Curse and was familiar with the East Coast hardcore rap scene; his background contributed greatly to the direction Slapshock would quickly take. The group built up a following in Manila's underground clubs. The band was quickly lumped in with two other Filipino acts almost interchangeable - Cheese and Greyhoundz - who pounded listeners into submission à la their foreign counterparts. When Slapshock opened for the alternative metal group Wolfgang during its Serve in Silence tour, the band generated excitement amongst angst-ridden teens in the Philippines as well as scorn from conservatives who felt seeking bleak, blisteringly noisy music was a bad influence on youth. Older fans who Believed theywere blatant bandwagon-jumpers ridiculed them. Nevertheless, Slapshock's 1999 debut album, 4th Degree, did well. On August 30, 2002, the band performed at the Folk Arts Theater in Manila and became the first rap-metal act to sell out all of 8.000 seats in the venue. The band's songs continued to dominate modern rock radio in the Philippines as its third full-length, Project 11-41, was released that year. Project 11-41 displayed some sense of melody, but a number of critics felt that the group was silent too derivative to be taken seriously. Despite that, Project 11-41 was one of 2002's most Commercially successful albums in the Philippines, and Slapshock was voted Artist / Band of the Year at the NU-107 Rock Awards.

In the late 90s, rap metal was all the rage on the music scene. Bands like Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Rage Against the Machine, and Papa Roach took the world by storm. The local music scene, too, which swarmed with rap metal bands. And one of the most successful what Slapshock.

For a band to stay long in the biz is one tough feat. While most of Slapshock's contemporaries went back to the "underground," producing albums and singles under indie labels, Slapshock has stayed afloat longer than anyone expected. For a period of eight years, the band has managed to come up with five albums Namely 4th Degree Burn (1999), Head Trip (2001), Project 11/41 (2002), Back To The 2 Inch (2003), and Novena (2004).

After taking a break from the recording scene-although they never stopped performing for true-blue rock fanatics-the band composed of Jamir Garcia (vocals), Jerry Basco and Lean Ansing (guitars), Lee Nadala and Chi Evora ((bassist) drums ) returns with a 13-track album called Silence under EMI, featuring the first single "Direction."

Silence, the new sound
"We have traded our screams for melodies," Slapshock's frontman Jamir Garcia shares as they bring out their fifth album. "But the Slapshock trademark sound Which is music-heavy, is still there."

Jamir wrote all 13 tracks of the album, with two songs in Filipino. According to the band, they have grown professionally. And they no longer consider themselves as a rap metal band.

"Typically We're a rock band," Jamir quips.

Their new sound may be a little softer Compared to their previous outings but it's anything but soft. The brilliance of the band shines throughout the album's less-lyrics-more-musicality experiment as it promises something "hard, heavy and sing-able."

"It's a collective effort," explains bassist Lee Nadala. We (the band) produced this album. We're all in this together, solid kami. "
Recorded at the famous Backyard Studio. In Cebu, where they recorded tracks from the album so Novena, Silence is actually the extreme opposite of their music
"We never really left our music. This is just a product of our silence after Novena, "Lee explains.
As they break their silence, Slapshock's new sound is another surefire hit.
"It does not make sense that we would back down now. We've been here for eight years. As long as we're happy, we'll do it. This is something that we really love to do, "adds Jamir.
Silence includes heavy riffs and haunting melodies with tunes like "Shed Your Skin," "Sleepless Blvd.," "Pagtila," "Waiting," "Back Home," "Divine," "What We Are," "Adios," " Walk Away, "" Last Ride, "and" Stranded. "
Musical journey
Slapshock has come a long way. But the road to success was anything but easy. Luckily, it was music that kept this band together.
"If one is not interested anymore, no passion to do what we do, it's hard to continue," says Jamir.
Lee adds, "There's the money matter, but that is only second to our passion Which is music."
The band admits that at first, they were not aware how the industry works. And this has Caused them to lose lots of money.
"Some of our past managers got richer. Thanks to us, "Lee reveals.
"There was this one time that we came across the producer of one of our shows and he told us that they liked the show and hope to invite us again but they could no longer afford us because our asking price is high. We learned that our manager was actually signing us for a higher price when in fact we ask only this much, "Jamir ment.
Good thing they have on their backs now EMI.
"We're confident enough to say that EMI knows what we really want," says Lee of EMI Artist Management did so handles the careers of rock bands Hale and Sugarfree.
"There were a lot of offers from other recording companies. But why go if you do not have problems here? Why go to others if they do not Fulfill their promise? "Jamir points out.
In 1998, Slapshock was struggling still. They were hoping to seal a deal with a major label, but were not able to do Sun While they sent demo tapes to different recording companies, it was EMI who signed them.
"Some of the record labels did not want to get us because our music is 'too loud' for their taste. But when our songs became popular on the radio, all of a sudden these record labels wanted to get us, recalls "Jamir.
Music as principle
While they have nothing against artists-bands specifically-who get their musical influences from prominent bands and other popular music, Slapshock pays high respect to rock acts who, like them, write their own songs.
"If they like to do what they do, then go. As for us, we will not compromise our music for the sake of commercial success, "says Jamir, referring to some bands that take the music of other famous bands as their own. (To give you an idea, The Care and Silverchair are just some of the victims of these copycats.)
One might notice that Slapshock do not get as much TV appearances as other bands. They even turned down an offer to appear on the TVC of a popular beer brand. The reason? "As much as possible, we do not want to appear on TV. If you want to watch us, then go to our live gigs and you'll be assured of a great show. We do not perform in variety shows because some want us to perform songs other than our own. Some even want their main stays to sing with us Which would be a disaster because most of our songs are hard to sing, "explains Lee, who is thus directing the band's music videos. "If we want to do a commercial, we can do it. But we're calling the shots. "
So is Slapshock ready to claim the title as best rock band in the local music scene?
"We do not want to compare ourselves to other bands. We just do what we love to do. We stick to our principles and set our personal goals, "quips Jamir.