A Little Bit of Tangled Hair

Trains Are Broken (Tangled Hair)

If you are a fan of Colour (RIP), then go check out Tangled Hair. It's Alan Welsh's (former singer and guitarist of Colour) new project, and it's absolutely great.

Download Tangled Hair's First EP for free here.

http://tangledhair.bandcamp.com/

To check out the ruins of Colour's myspace, go explore HERE.

In other news, Tubelord is supposed to come out with their new single, Stacey's Left Arm today on a limited run of 100 cassette tapes (yes, cassette tapes), which also gives you access to download them in MP3 form.

Tellison is busy recording their new album. The Joy Formidable are mixing their album right now. James Yuill has finished recording his second album and is looking for a summer release. And Three Trapped Tigers are going to be touring with Talons (!). That's the news in short

Signing out

Over and out

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Now playing: Tangled Hair - Cardboard Hilltop
via FoxyTunes

Brunei Band of The Day: Hard Time

Siapakah Aku (Hard Time)

I must say, the MP3 submissions to this project has been heavily varied. Take for example, Friday's submission, which was melodic thrash metal, and before that grunge. Before that hip hop, pop, etc.

That trend of variation has certainly continued with today's post. Today we have a good, old-school, hard rock from Hard Time. Formed in 2006, the band consist of:

Hard Time

Rob - Bassist
Rody - 1st guitarist
Zeri - 2nd Guitarist
Kid - Drummer
Aming - Vocalist

In the band's early days (circa 2004-2005) they were called Destine, and their vocalist was a lady called Maria. In 2006 they recruited Zeri and Aming (who participated inP2F Session 2) and started what is now called Hard Time.

Their influences are Dream Theater, Metallica and Avenged Sevenfold, and claims to have a Hard Rock Heavy Metal Progressive, while also being versatile in that they are also able to delve into any genre they see fit.

Download the song HERE.

You can view the lyrics HERE.

Signing out

Over and out

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Now playing: Eight Legs - More Than Nothing At All (Live)
via FoxyTunes

Brunei Band of The Day: Hebiimetaru

[FILEDEN IS BEING SHIT RIGHT NOW. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN ON MY TUMBLR]

Hebiimetaru - The Wheel Of Life (Feat. Yean Matussin of Thermal Collision)

One of the first genres to really gain an underground following and developed its own scene in Brunei is metal, with the likes of [H8], Wan Long Kok and Draconaeon serving up some heavy, extreme music to the Bruneian public.

Now I haven't heard much news from these forefathers of Bruneian metals, but today's Bruneian metal has been slowly creeping back into the public consciousness, even with heavy competition from genres such as indie and indo-alternative rock.

One of the bands to lead this renaissance is Hebiimetaru, a five-piece Melodic Thrash/Groove Metal band formed in 2004. Their influences range from thrash (Metallica, Megadeth, Trivium), melodic death metal (Children of Bodom, In Flames), metalcore (Bullet For My Valentine, As I Lay Dying) and many more (Amon Amarth, Carcass, Black Sabbath, Cannibal Corpse, etc).

The production value for this song is impressive. The tightness and the execution of riffs, basslines and drumming is incredible. Both vocalists (the woman's voice is Yean Matussin's, of Thermal Collision) sound amazing together. I've been listening to this song non-stop.

This song is making me fall in love with metal again. I'm not exaggerating. Now I want to listen to all my Metallica albums, Dragonforce CDs, Killswitch Engage songs, and Mastodon's masterpieces.

Anyway, this song won't be available to download. But Hebiimetaru will come out with a new album, hopefully by this month, and it will be on sale for $10 (Brunei dollars). So if you like (or love it, like me) this song, get the album from them.

Listen to their other songs on myspace HERE.

Become a fan of Hebiimetaru on Facebook HERE.

Signing out

Over and out

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Now playing: Hebiimetaru - The Wheel Of Life
via FoxyTunes

Best Gigs: Revisited

Foals in Oxford

This was absolutely mental. Youthmovies (RIP) and Jonquil were supporting, and the crowd responded to them beautifully. Youthmovies was having a rough time before the gig, so the whole of their show was them giving the guitar to the audience to play. Foals themselves did not disappoint. That was their homecoming gig. The crowd adored them. It was absolutely electric.

Tubelord, Blakfish (RIP) and Colour (RIP) in Kingston

Home turf for Tubelord and Colour. After the lacklustre support from Mistakes In Animation, the three bands in rapid succession dominated the intimate space that was The Fighting Cocks. The crowd was on the verge of pouring onto the stage, but somehow it didn't. We were right in front of the stage, like always, so we saw first hand the energy coming out of these bands converted into sonic perfection.

Vampire Weekend in Newcastle

"Ezra, you're a legend!" as one declared, and Ezra acknowledges. The backdrop is the cover of Contra, a mysterious, unnamed woman, who, in this show had her eyes lit up. Oh how we moved to their songs. The frantic power of Cousins and A-Punk. The dance-inducing Walcott and Oxford Comma. It was Vampire Weekend alright.

Blakfish (RIP) in Leeds (Brainwash IV)

"It could be worse, we could be dead. I don't know how we survived, but all I know is, we did." And so we chanted, as the crowd poured into the stage, all hungry for a piece of the microphone. We sang, we screamed, we shouted with Blakfish. It was beautiful.

And so many others I don't have the space to mention. Hopefully I have more to look forward to.

Signing out

Over and out

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Now playing: Love Bites and Bruises - Just Stop Talking
via FoxyTunes

Brunei Band of The Day: kLip - Nasi & Coffee

Nasi & Coffee (kLip)

I'm really liking this song by kLip. I've known this song for quite a while now, so when it was sent to my inbox, I already knew I was going to post this. It's sort of got that Lily Allen thing going with the lyrics (I wake up, do stuff, do more stuff, something happens), which I dig.

They're got tuneage, I tell you. I'll dance to them. I'll jump to them. I'll bob my head from the right to the left and back to the right again. I like this song, and so should you.

For you who don't know, kLip is a Bruneian indie grunge four-piece consisting of these guys:

Ameer - Vocals, 2nd Guitar
Is - Lead Guitar
Hardy - Bass
Sepol - Drummer

They're quite a Pelangi FM favourite, having been nominated for the 2008/2009 Pelangi Awards for "Best Duo/Group" and "Best Newcomer," and also having been chosen as their spotlight artist of the month once.

So download the song, and there are more songs available for download on their blog. Check these links out.

Download the song HERE.

Read their blog HERE.

Listen to their music on Popfolio HERE.

Become a fan of kLip on Facebook HERE.

Signing out

Over and out

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Now playing: kLip - Nasi & Coffee
via FoxyTunes

Brunei Artist Of The Day: Carliano (Feat. Dee) - Chain of Events

Carliano (Feat. Dee) - Chain Of Events

For fans of: 50 Cent, Jay Z, Gangsta Rap, etc (sorry, I don't know too many rappers)

If you don't like profanity, don't press play. If you don't mind, continue.

So what's next in line after some indie, some pop, some metal and some grunge? If it's not obvious to you, then I'm telling you now, it's gotta be Gangsta Rap.

Hip Hop have had a good following in Brunei, with MicBandits right now grabbing the headlines (even getting Joe Flizzow to feature in their video), and though I can't really classify Brunei as a country of ghettos known to nurture the best of gangsta rap, Carliano here does a good job of embodying/emulating the visceral nature of the genre.

Part of me thinks it's ironic, especially with the poklen and kijang reference, but I don't know for sure. And oh, the rapping in Brunei Malay is hilarious, in a good way. I do think Brunei Malay is an untapped resource for rap. I know, some rappers have done it. But imagine, a flourishing Bruneian rap scene.

Some do regard rap as poetry, and I know some rappers do have the lyrical fluency and wordplay capabilities for it to be considered so. So Bruneian rap might become the next form of Bruneian poetry. Think about it.

I said think about it.

More stuff in the (e-)mail to be posted here.

Download the song HERE.

Check out Carliano's youtube channel HERE.

Check out his website HERE.

P.S. I'm certain this song is meant to be ironic. I'm certain. Or is it? Hmmmm.....

If you're a Bruneian band or artist and want your music to get some exposure, send your mp3s to mujahidjohar@gmail.com, preferably with a link to your official website/profile and some info.

Signing out

Over and out

R.I.P. Blakfish

When I was checking Twitter just now, I found an ominous-looking tweet by Blakfish, simply saying 'the end' and then pointing to a link for their myspace blog. Little did I know it contained news of the sad kind. One that has me holding back tears.

Blakfish at Southsea Fest

Blakfish have called it a day, citing the leaving of Sam from the band at their show in Bilbao, Spain, as causing a chain of events that led to them deciding that Blakfish is now no more.

I'm sure most of my friends have never heard of Blakfish. And most of you are probably wondering why I'm taking the time to even write this about a band many have never heard of. Well, I'm writing because these guys have had a special place in my life.

Blakfish at The Fighting Cocks, Kingston

The first time I saw Blakfish, I didn't know who they were. It was in a pub venue called The Fighting Cocks in Kingston. This was back in 2008. We were there really for Tubelord, who remains one of our favourites as well. Another band that night was Colour, and if you know Blakfish and Tubelord, you will probably know Colour had broken up as well last year.

That show in Kingston, I was instantly captivated by the positive energy these guys exude. Lyric after screaming lyric, I fell more in love with Blakfish. In between the brilliance of Colour and the power of Tubelord, there was Blakfish, a symphony of violence and energy, of a cacophony of riffs and screams masterfully remoulded into something beautifully harsh.

This was the first, but it was not the last I saw Blakfish. Every show has been a story deserving of its own space, but I will not tell them now, for the sake of brevity. But one of the most memorable ones was at Brainwash IV in Leeds, which ended in a truly beautiful stage invasion, where everyone sang the lines to 'Ringo Star - The 2nd Best Drummer In The Beatles.'

Blakfish at Brainwash IV

The song itself is an angry commentary on the sad state of the current music industry, and how appropriate it was for the whole audience to be chanting 'it could be worse, we could be dead,' over and over again, everyone feeding their energy into the mic. As we all crowded onto the stage surrounding the sweaty band members, I thought in my head, 'this is why I go to shows.' That was why I looked forward to every single Blakfish gig I went to.

Every single photo I post here was taken by me. And every one of them captured a moment in time in which Blakfish absolutely made the world around us disappear, as if the world itself only consisted of us, the audience, and Blakfish, the gods of this small world.

I'm a massive gigs-goer, catching as many bands as I can, as often as I can. And I can honestly say few bands can better Blakfish when they take the stage.

Hopefully we will see the members in another form. That kind of energy should not be kept hidden. It should be shared with a crowd that will appreciate it, and shout back every word you shout at them.

Rest in peace, Blakfish (2000-2010)

Signing out

Over and out

Brunei Artist Of The Day: Wilma Moshek

Wilma Moshek - Mengapa (Feat. Adi Rani)

Wilma Moshek is a singer-songwriter from KB who has undertones of Michelle Branch in both her singing and songwriting. Dare I say it, she's a Bruneian Michelle Branch. I'm hoping she'll treat that as a compliment, because I think it is.

The song itself is fully written and composed by her, and produced by ProjecTunes Records. This involvement with ProjecTunes also comes in the form of one of Brunei's most prominent producer/singer/composer being featured in the song. If you still have to be told, then well, okay. It's the award-winning Adi Rani.

This song has been released recently as a single on February 1st. Go request it on Kristal FM or Pelangi FM.

Download it HERE.

Signing out

Over and out

Bruneian Band of The Day: Pemuzik Kena Reject

Mizah (Pemuzik Kena Reject)

Pemuzik Kena Reject - translates to The Rejected Musician(s) - is a band who claims to have no commercial aspirations or a desire to appeal to the mass. Instead they're keen to show that they are here just to have fun. With lyrics that they say don't really mean anything and a sound they describe as "Weird, Rock N Roll, Big Guitar Sound."

Now as humble as they are about their musical ability, one can't deny they've got some good riffs in them, and that DIY-punk sense of rawness, even if their influences are listed as Marilyn Manson, Limp Bizkit and Korn. More than anything, I can't help but compare them to the Foo Fighters and the Sex Pistols.

Members:

Ojan - Drums
Wan - Guitars
Lobo - Bass
Pemuzik Jalanan - Guitars/Vocals

You can download the song HERE (right-click and SAVE LINK AS)

Become a fan on their Facebook Fan Page HERE.

Visit their myspace page HERE to listen to more songs

Submitted by: Khairul Irma Matusop

Signing out

Over and out

Brunei Band of The Day: 5.10 am

Bintang Di Langit Malam (5.10 am)

5.10 am is a Brunei band in the Indonesian alternative tradition, and as a big fan of Sheila On 7, I certainly can draw some similarities between the two bands. Their lyrics also betray the same obsession with the sky that many Indonesian bands also share, such as Peter Pan and Dewa.

I certainly do like the music these guys are making. And the Bruneian public agrees. Recently they performed with another Indon-alt rock favourite, A Band Once, and this single peaked at 2nd Place on the 'Carta Kitani' on Pelangi FM.

The band consists of Alwie, Fik, Fauzi, Eio/Khairul, Sach, Amin and Eiji, and their Facebook page states that they hail from Tungku.

Their new single, Walau Sesaat, will premiere on Pelangi FM on Monday 8 February (tomorrow) at 5pm. Of course it'd have been apt for it to be launched at 5.10 am, but hey, we all know not too many people listen to the radia at dawn.

Download the song HERE.

Become a fan on their Facebook fan page HERE.

Brunei Band of The Day: The Monopolists

Moving In Time (The Monopolists)

One listen to this song, and who does it remind you of? If it doesn't remind you of the Strokes, then, well, it just should. This is a Bruneian indie-garage rock band firmly influenced in said New York indie gods and Nashville rock megastars, Kings of Leon.

Become a fan on their Facebook Fan Page HERE.

Visit their barely updated myspace HERE.

Check out their other single, which is also ace. It's on their Facebook page, on the tab called Music.

Members:

Amin Aziz Rahman - Guitar/Vocals
Qawiem Jamil - Guitar/Vocals
Hazwan Azani - Guitar
Nuruddin Sufian - Bass
Maliki Aziz - Drums

"Formed in early 2009. We play indie rock that resembles garage rock sounds. Influenced by The Strokes, Kings Of Leon and Muse.

We just want to make good music, hope you guys will like it"

Submitted by Hazwan Azani.

Signing out

Over and out

Brunei Music's Download Of The Day

Permainan Dunia (Reverance)

Citing their influences as the likes of Megadeth, Metallica, Slayer, Testament, Anthrax and a host of other metal bands, you should definitely check out Reverence if you're a metalhead.

More songs, please!

Download HERE

Check out their myspace page.

Submitted by: Yusree Yusainey

"I just remembered that I had the myspace for my project band. It has only 1 song, we are quite slow due to work commitments and our drummer is also the drummer for Karacoma. Check it out if you have time. Thanks."

Signing out

Over and out

NME Awards Tour 2010

We went to the NME Awards Tour Show at O2 Academy, Newcastle, which featured New-York post-punk band The Drums, London electro-rocker The Big Pink, the young but extremely talented Bombay Bicycle Club, and indie favourites The Maccabees.

Now I might be biased, but I thought Bombay Bicycle Club were the best of the night. If it wasn’t for us being stuck in the balcony, it would’ve been one of the best gigs in a while.

Click left or right on the sides of the video to see the other videos from the night.

Pardon the bad sound quality and the bad view. Fuck balconies.

Signing out

Over and out

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Now playing: Bombay Bicycle Club - Always Like This
via FoxyTunes