Posted on: Friday, June 9, 2006
The metal men
By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
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Members of the band The Welschly Arms rehearse during a recording session last week at the Vibe Asylum Studios in Kaka'ako. Welschly is one of 15 bands scheduled to perform at Metalfest IV on Saturday.
JOAQUIN SIOPACK | The Honolulu Advertiser
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The bands Haole Rot, and 8mm Overdose, below, are among the bands that will rock — and rock hard — at Anna Bannana's Saturday night at Metalfest IV. The guys of 8mm Overdose created the all-ages festival to encourage the hard-core rock scene in Honolulu.
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MORE HOT SUMMER SOUNDS
Saturday's live metal marathon is just one piece of this summer's musical action. Whether you're into headbanging, hip-hop, house or Hawaiian music, there are many alternatives, with live-music series launching this week and throughout the coming months. This week Kulcha Klash Music FestivalWith Ky-Mani Marley, Mr. Vegas, Baby Cham, DJ Kimball Collins, 15 local bands, 20 DJs (hip-hop/R&B/house, trance, etc.), Flowrider surf competition, half-pipe skate competition 8 p.m.-4 a.m. Saturday Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park $20 advance, $25 at gate 18 and older www.groovetickets.com, www.kulchaklashhawaii.com Ke Kani O Ke Kai Summer Concert SeriesWith Raiatea Helm 7 p.m. Tuesday Waikiki Aquarium $18 adults, $10 ages 7 to 12; $15 and $7 for aquarium members; free for 6 and younger 923-9741 Also: Willie K (June 27), Keahiwai (July 11), Olomana (July 25), Na Palapalai (Aug. 8) Moonlight Mele on the Lawn Concert SeriesWith Na Palapalai and Aaron J. Sala 6 p.m. Thursday Bishop Museum $15 general; $10 museum members, Bank of Hawaii customers/employees; $5 ages 4 to 12 847-8290, www.bishopmuseum.org Also: Jake Shimabukuro (July 26), The Makaha Sons (Aug. 15) Honu Festival 2006Exotica with The Forbidden World of Don Tiki 6:30 p.m. Saturday Turtle Bay Resort, west lawn $30 advance, $35 general 550-8457, www.honoluluboxoffice.com Wildest Show In Town Concert SeriesWith Ernie Cruz Jr. Doors open 4:35 p.m. Wednesday Honolulu Zoo $2 926-3191, www.honoluluzoo.org Also: Melveen Leed (June 21), Rocky Brown (June 28), Makana & Friends (July 5), Rolando Sanchez & Salsa Hawaii (July 12), Manoa DNA (July 19), Ben Vegas & Maila Gibson (July 26), Holunape (Aug. 2), Jimmy Borges & Friends (Aug. 9), The Surfaris (Aug. 16) Twilight Summer Concert Series With Royal Hawaiian Band Glee Club5:45 p.m. Thursday Foster Botanical Garden Free 522-7064 Also: Hana Hou, pop ensemble of the Air Force Band of the Pacific (June 22), Celtic Pipes and Drums of Honolulu Band (June 29), Kentucky 202nd Army Band (July 6), Dixieland Band, of the Pacific Fleet (July 13), Ha'aheo (July 20) LATER THIS SUMMER The Makaha Sons' 4th annual Take A Walk in the CountryWith The Brothers Cazimero, Hapa, Daniel Ho and Herb Ohta Jr., Ho'okena, Hoku Zuttermeister, Na Kama, Fiji, Aunty Genoa Keawe, Barry Kimokeo, Mark Ho'omalu and the dancers of the Academy of Hawaiian Arts, Chinky Mahoe and Halau Hula 'O Kawaili'ula, Olana and Howard Ai & Halau Hula Olana 4:30 p.m. June 17 Blaisdell Arena $15 tickets still available (877) 750-4400, www.makahasons.com Island 98.5 FM's Bomb Bucha ConcertWith Maxi Priest, Three Plus, O-Shen, Go Jimmy Go, Sashaman, Red Degree, Rukkus, Rizzen, Lubei, A Twist of Marley and more 4 p.m. June 17 Aloha Stadium parking lot, near 50th State Fair $20 www.islandtix.com Bayfest 2006With Juvenile, Chris Cagle, Staind, Molly Hatchet, Trick Pony, .38 Special Showtimes vary, June 30-July 4 Marine Corps Base Hawai'i, Kane'ohe Bay 254-7679, www.bayfesthawaii.com The Love FestivalAnnual nationally touring DJ festival returns with vendor village, art installations, food booths, two stages of entertainment 8:30 p.m.-4 a.m. July 22 Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park www.thelovefestival.com KCCN-FM 100's 16th Annual Birthday Bash5 p.m. July 28 and 29 Waikiki Shell www.kccnfm100.com 36th Annual 'Ukulele FestivalWith Ohta-San, Danny Kaleikini, Bryan Tolentino, Holunape, Herb Ohta Jr., Brittni Paiva, Manoa DNA, Roy Sakuma's 800-piece 'ukulele band and more 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. July 30 Kapi'olani Park Bandstand Free www.roysakuma.net
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Metal is alive and in good hands.
No, really.
Sure, these days Black Sabbath co-founder Ozzy Osbourne is known best as the brain-numbed pater-familias of reality television's most famously bizarre, but ultimately close-knit, family, "The Osbournes." And the biggest metal band of them all, Metallica, not only signed up for band therapy but filmed its sessions for the myth-breaking documentary "Some Kind of Monster," which portrayed the band as one seriously dysfunctional multimillionaire-rich family.
But Honolulu thrash-metalheads 8mm Overdose are still keeping the faith. Here's a band so into encouraging others to play the beleagured genre that it started its own biannual festival to spread the love.
Welcome then, to Metalfest IV. Dare to fork over $8 to the door dude at Anna Bannana's on Saturday and you'll get not one, not two, but 15 metal bands.
Scheduled for the nine-hour marathon of live maelstrom are 8mm Overdose, Haole Rot, Trepidation, Angel Slayer, The Welschly Arms, Floodgate, Pacifica, Debauch, Deep Wounded, Marriot Hatchet, Laissez Faire, Deadly Influence, The Seizures, Unholy Union and 2 Face 4.
"I never got to play shows in clubs when I was in high school," said 8mm Overdose first-name-only-please vocalist/guitarist Jack. "Hawai'i has never really had a scene for metal, hard-core and punk bands that could offer anything more than playing locally. My goal is to get more exposure (for) the music scene here."
Figuring there are no folks more uniquely qualified to tell us about the bands at Metalfest and the current state of metal than the bands at Metalfest, we contacted all of them for questioning.
Some of them called us back immediately. Some of them didn't call us back at all.
Introducing several of the ones that did:
THE WELSCHLY ARMS
Members: Eui Sung "Terry" Kwon (drums), Chris Okamura (vocals), Andrew Barboza (bass), Adrian Koning (lead guitar), Sean Coranado (guitar)
Founded: 2005
Influences: Saosin, Thrice, Thursday, Chiodos, Finch, Underoath, Norma Jean, As I Lay Dying
Best metal album ever: "Metallica (The Black Album)" by Metallica
Took its name from: A Will Ferrell "Saturday Night Live" sketch
Our music, in one line: Different and mysteriously catchy
Originals or covers? Originals
Question: Metallica: a) still rocks, b) is too rich and mainstream famous, c) isn't the same after therapy, d) other. Answer: Metallica: a) still rocks
Fill in the blank: Our band wouldn't be caught dead playing ________ at Metalfest. Answer: playing Linkin Park at Metalfest.
Why check out The Welschly Arms set at Metalfest? Because we are energetic and are good-looking kids.
Metal, in one word: METAL
8MM OVERDOSE
Members: Jack (vocals/guitar), Rob (bass), Kirk (drums)
Founded: Mid-'90s
Influences: Slayer, Tony Bennett, Britney Spears
Best metal album ever: "Reign in Blood" by Slayer
Why play metal? Metal is the best way for ugly guys to meet chicks.
Our music, in one line: We live it, we write it, we play it.
Originals or covers? Originals
Why metal endures: There will always be someone (really angry) about something.
Worst thing to happen to metal: Lars Ulrich
Metallica: d) has never returned the copy of "Mean Girls" they borrowed from us.
Our band wouldn't be caught dead playing something requiring talent at Metalfest.
Metal, in one word: Evil
HAOLE ROT
Members: Justin Schultz (lead guitar/vocals), Evan Padro (guitar), Ronson Estaban (bass/guitars), Whitney Haugen (drums)
Founded: 2004
Influences: Necrophagist, Emperor, Yngwie Malmsteen, Opeth, In Flames
Why play metal? Hawai'i's music scene lacks talent and skill. We all share a passion for music that at least requires some practice to play. Metal displays the highest skill levels in all instruments.
Our music, in one line: A pineapple smashed over your skull
Originals or covers? Mostly originals
Worst thing to happen to metal: Slipknot
Metallica: d) used to kick (butt).
Metal, in one word: Brutality
PACIFICA
Members: Ricky Jumper (drums), Ikaika Trujillo (bass), Jay Donato (guitar), Earnie Ecraela (guitar), Kika Diama (vocals)
Founded: Mid-2004
Influences: Saosin, Dave Matthews Band, Deftones, Thrice, At The Drive-In
Best metal album ever: "Cowboys From Hell" by Pantera
Why play metal? There's a lot of energy, and a lot of chicks like it.
Our music, in one line: A spinning-tornado-kick to the face
Originals or covers? Originals
Why metal endures: Because Ozzy bit off that bird's head
Worst thing to happen to metal: The murder of (Pantera guitarist) Darrell Abbott
Our band wouldn't be caught dead playing Jethro Tull at Metalfest.
Metal, in one word: Pig squeals
TREPIDATION
Members: Alika Lyman (guitar), Brendan Williams (guitar), Anthony Vandergriff (bass), Mike Smith (drums)
Founded: 2005
Influences: Pink Floyd, Yes, Iron Maiden, The Beatles, Iced Earth, Rush, Judas Priest
Best metal album ever: "The Number of the Beast" by Iron Maiden
Why play metal? It's the most fun genre of music to play (and) has the speed and energy that no other genre has.
Our music, in one line: A yin-yang blend of darkness and light
Originals or covers? Mostly originals
Why metal endures: Metal and rock are the staples of the music world ... like rice in a musubi.
Metallica: d) completely lost their (... uh ... five-letter word for scrotum) after cutting their hair.
Our band wouldn't be caught dead playing death- or black-metal at Metalfest.
Metal, in one word: Emotion
ANGEL SLAYER
Members: "Violent" Doug High (lead guitar/vocals), Henry "The Beast" Wassman (lead guitar/ vocals) Cameron "Warthog" (synths/keyboards/samples), Calvin "Vader" (bass/vocals), "Nasty" Nate (drums)
Founded: 2005
Influences: Classical to funk bass; punk to black metal and thrash metal
Our music, in one line: A fusion of heavy, death, black and thrash metals with a punk/ funk rhythm section, classical keyboards and industrial samples
Originals or covers? Originals
Why metal endures: Because the kids love it. Metal is a place where people escape and let go of everything.
Worst thing to happen to metal: rap and grunge
Metallica: d) will always rock
Our band wouldn't be caught dead playing emo, country, Christian or ska music at Metalfest.
Metal, in one word: Heavy
FLOODGATE
Members: Sean Waddell (vocals/guitar), Justin Vincler (drums), Gary Gomes (lead guitar), Chris Lohman (bass)
Founded: 1995
Influences: Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Limp Bizkit, Black Sabbath
Best metal album ever: "Master of Puppets" by Metallica
Why play metal? Because of the raw energy factor
Our music, in one line: Creative fun
Originals or covers? Originals
Worst thing to happen to music: Mainstream record labels — proudly ripping off artists for over 50 years!
Worst thing to happen to metal: Glam rock
Metallica: c) isn't the same after band therapy
Metal, in one word: Hard
Reach Derek Paiva at dpaiva@honoluluadvertiser.com.
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