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Chaos
reigns ‘Silent Chaos Serpentine’ – the second album of Stigmata affirms the elevated status of a genre of music, which was until a few years back very much the ‘ugly duckling’ of the local music industry. The album, as well at its launch, at My Kind Of Place (MKOP) bear a stamp of professionalism and originality – now commonly associated with Stigmata. The Stigmata that took to the stage of MKOP on February 25, 2006 was not what it was in its infant days, performing in the basement of the now defunct Rock Café. While at the time it was the anti-thesis to the pop/hip-hop heavy movement of the day, it was still struggling for an identity of its own. However, here was a group who had subscribed to heavy metal, or should I say subscribed and mastered. They had not only created an identity but also carved a niche for themselves – a niche which others now seek to follow. Their determination to stick to the not so popular (to put it mildly), their courage to experiment and most importantly their ability to learn has paid dividends. What is notable about the journey of Stigmata, from its inception to MKOP on that night, was that here was not a case of the artiste succumbing to popular culture, but popular culture following the artiste. Despite the theme of chaos that dominated the music, there was rhythm and reason behind every word and every chord at the launch. Stigmata performed all eight singles that were included on the CD. These were interspaced with singles from their first album, ‘Hollow Dreams’ (albeit slightly varied in harmony from the version that was released in 2003), as well as covers of bands from whom Stigmata drew inspiration. It was slightly ‘nostalgic’ to hear “Fear Of The Dark” by Iron Maiden, as well as “Voices” off ‘Hollow Dreams’. They were aptly introduced by Suresh, as that which goes to the very roots of Stigmata, in the case of the former, and the latter, the anthem of the band. It was a well-conceptualised event, which mixed the band’s past glory with their present hits, while acknowledging their influences from the world of heavy metal. A taste of the future could be evidenced in the interaction between the band and the mass of head-bangers surrounding the stage. The large following Stigmata has attracted prove the commercial viability of the band, as well as the brand of music they create. While the arts and economics don’t make the best of bedfellows, the continuance and proliferation of any form of the arts depends on continued financial backing. Financial backing was perhaps the greatest drawback for Stigmata, whose public performances in their early years were limited by this factor. The publicity material for the launch, as well as the jacket of the CD clearly indicates that it received the patronage of corporate Sri Lanka, and the print and electronic media. A heartening sign that the band has been able to sell something that was commercially unviable a few years back to sponsors, and that the sponsors are willing to back home-grown originality that spring from the alternative school of music. Mention must be made of two institutions who are at the heart of promoting alternative music – especially original work: TNL Radio Networks and The Rock Company. Stigmata is possibly the biggest success story of the TNL’s Onstage competition, which showcases local bands that are yet to hit the big time. Although they were unfortunate not to win the competition on the second occasion they participated, this proved to be the watershed for the band (in my opinion anyway). The Rock Company has been instrumental in bringing together bands and providing them with avenues for exposure. The institutions have done something, which is as hard as being different – supporting those who are different. Now the proverbial ‘saving the best for last’ – ‘Silent Chaos Serpentine’. The album showcases Stigmata’s ability to transform the gravest of social issues into melody. “Swine-maker” which deals with religious extremism takes the highest honours in this regard. ‘Silent Chaos Serpentine’ in general continues the themes of ‘Hollow Dreams,’ and deals with affliction, misery and the darker side of human existence. The songs seek to capture the element of chaos – the chaos that is present in our everyday lives from chaos in the order of things to the fickle nature of humans to the futility and despair of the human condition. The music reinforces the message found in the lyrics, and has definite progressive/thrash metal elements. “Jazz Theory”, the third track on the CD is something else. In inimitable Stigmata style, the harmony is complex, and highlights the range and diversity of Stigmata as musicians/composers. It also has that unique Sri Lankan touch the band tries to incorporate into their music. The same meticulous planning that went into the launch has certainly gone into the album as well. Every song is powerful and emotive. The brilliance of ‘Silent Chaos Serpentine’ is the fact that there is something for everyone, no matter what sub-genre of metal they worship. In short, I would not be surprised if the album opens windows of opportunity for the band, outside the shores of our island. There was a time when the only way you could hear Stigmata on your radio was by hoping their single “Fear” would have enough requests to make it on the ‘Top 9 At 9’ – a show broadcast over the local radio waves, playing the songs that received the most amount of requests. A few years later, you have an album, an EP, ample airplay and plenty of gigs to choose from. And now you can add ‘Silent Chaos Serpentine’ to that list. The band has certainly evolved from the days of “Fear”, but they still seem deeply rooted in their origins in one aspect – a passion for doing what they do. |
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