METAL INSTINCT: AT THE FOREFRONT OF AGGRESSIVE ROCK

Most remarkable development in the Bisrock scene recently is the rise of bands that present faces of society in a manner that society itself would be attentive to. It''s very much like the principle on the works of European painter-sculptor Marcus Cornelius Escher on a hand that traces its roots from the hand that draws itself.

I find the presentation of societal issues and concerns effective in the songs of Metal Instinct to arrest attention of listeners. Metal Instinct is a pack of aggressive musicians in the person of Christian Arroyo on vocals from Ozamiz City, Samuel Villarta on bass of Mandaue City, and siblings Philamuel Paul and Leif Lormann Tirariray on guitar and drums, respectively who are from Tipolo, Mandaue but who claim to have paternal roots in Camiguin and maternal roots in Bohol.

Their instincts raise interest in activism; their songs on socio-political and environmental issues employ the influences of heavy metal and contemporary gospel rock.

If at a segment of history, street parliamentarianism was a way to exhaust the stink in social order, today aggressive music has been tapped to tackle burning issues that could hit the proverbial two birds with just a single stone - to allow listeners to enjoy the rockin'' and headbangin'' while jouncing up their social consciousness.

Metal Instinct rises up to the occasion! An aggressive band that employs the combined inspiration of Metallica, System of a Down, Killswitch Engage, Lifehouse and Creed, to serve as catalyst in societal reform; believing that music flowing in the direction of progressiveness could be a "mover for change". And band-ism, a potent ideology just like the rest of the ideologies, where its very own hand traces its roots from the very hand that has drawn it.

"Wala''y street nga aktibista sa grupo pero dili sad mi ganahan mosulat og mga kantang wala''y klarong mensahe. Kay para unsa man tuod ang among music? Songs should always come with sensible messages, sensitive to culture," says Leif who writes most of their songs in collaboration with his bro, Paul.

"Poli-tikas", over Smash-ing airwaves, comes in appropriate for the needs of the times. Candidates seeking elective posts in the May 14 polls do the full throttle in the guise of service. But do they live up to being humanely with all of those unexplained wealth? Of being pro-life with those lavish lifestyles that couldn''t be explained as to how such were being funded?

Candidates promise to fight against corruption, but how would they carry out the advocacy and remain persons of integrity when they are close to corrupt individuals or drug lords? And are also vote buyers using campaign funds that come from drug money?

"Kauswagan ug kalamboan sa kagamhanan/kalinaw, kalingaw sa katawhan/mga panumpa dali rang nawala/kay kini taman ra sa ilang dila/palit diri, palit didto/para sa ilang boto/tikas diri, tikas didto/para sa ilang boto/Amigo, pañero sa partido/kontra man sa gobyerno/suporta lang sa negosyo/ilang mga saad, dali rang nawala/kay kini taman ra sa ilang dila.

Another song played over 93.1 Smash FM is "Gubat". Related to Poli-tikas, for aside from the gruesome and grotesque images of real war - actually it is unstoppable for its business aspect - also speaks of the war we wage against the system of patronage and personality politics. Though many of us have already showed our disillusionment to our current political climate, citizens are still encouraged to hold the key to raising the standards of our politics by voting. By upholding the sanctity of the ballot. By protecting our right to suffrage.

"Buhis sa kadaghanan/sa bala ra ang padulngan/kwarta sa kadagkoan/sa gubat ra giusik-usikan." This message is depicted on the cover of their self-titled debut album featuring a mushroom cloud created by the explosion of an atomic bomb. Expected to shake our grounds, eardrums and civic consciousness are the rest of the tracks - Aborsyon, Desperado, Trapiko, Tikasan, Intriga, Polusyon, Abusado, and Sosyalera.

The magnitude of the "metallic anti-war anthem" Gubat is expected to jolt us out of our inactions. Our responses to rescue an ailing nation rely so much on our metal instincts. On our supposed hardcore nationalism.

Yet, some in their subconscious just refuse to hear. This failure to hear varies proportionately with the failure to heed. And we see that nonchalance etched all over the face of our nation - wanton destruction in all forms, and the abject poverty.

Not only do people blame the government for all sorts of problems, they also continue to curse their dirty hands that scrawl on ballots the very names of the people that scourge them and burden them with immeasurable misery.

Aggressive music carries the agenda of reforms through education and active participation by way of responsible citizenship. If we back aggressive rockers like Metal Instinct to speak highly of our points and deliver the message across, this would perhaps elevate to some dimension higher the level of civic consciousness.

By then, music takes its most beautiful form. As an avenue. As a bridge. As a mode of communication.