Getting four Death Metal bands from Singapore and Japan together on one bill makes ‘Shishiku’ an interesting document of the underground, with Vrykolakas and Poison Void representing the local side alongside Japan’s Deadly Spawn and Transgressor. The CD preserves fourteen tracks from a gathering that brought these four bands together, giving each act a place on the same release.
Poison Void sounds sterling on this recording. The band handles its set with strength, precision, and conviction. The band’s excellent musicianship gives the performance the substance and precision needed to deliver the goods live. The dark atmosphere and crushing Death Metal riffs give the songs plenty of weight, while the tight playing keeps everything in place. ‘Realm of the Dead’, ‘Call of the Void’, and ‘Spectral Embrace’ make up the original material, followed by Bathory’s ‘Massacre’. The cover is a welcome addition, and Poison Void confidently delivers the entire set.
Japan’s Deadly Spawn brings ‘Lunatic’, ‘Omnipotence Is Impotence’, ‘Expected Attack’, and ‘Forced Into Atrocities’ to the release. Formed in 1997, the band has spent years working within the Japanese Death Metal underground, and this show marked its first performance outside Japan. Its brand of Death Metal draws on an aggressive, old-school approach, with heavy riffing and a dark, forceful character. Having the occasion preserved on CD gives the release additional significance, particularly for listeners who have not had the chance to encounter the band live. Its appearance alongside the Singapore acts also brings together two underground scenes with a shared appreciation for Extreme Metal.
Vrykolakas has been part of Singapore’s underground since 1991, and its three tracks here, ‘The Storms and the Shadows’, ‘Darker Than the Occult’, and ‘In Filthy Vomits’, represent another chapter in the band’s long history. Its Black/Death Metal roots and brutal Death Metal approach bring a dark, heavy character to the release, with the music reflecting decades spent in the Extreme Metal underground. After all these years, seeing Vrykolakas share a bill with Japanese acts is a welcome reminder that the local scene has its own longstanding names and history.
Transgressor brings the Japanese side of the old-school equation to a close with ‘Deathfile’, ‘Mortal Agony’, and ‘Limbless Doom’. Formed in 1989, the band comes from an older generation of Japanese Death Metal, with a raw, aggressive sound rooted in the genre’s early underground years. Its Singapore appearance was its first here with a new lineup following the passing of member Kikuchi. That makes the performance a meaningful chapter in the band’s continuing history, and its place alongside Deadly Spawn gives the Japanese contingent a strong presence on this release.
I received my copy directly from Yutaka Kimura-san during his visit to Singapore, having missed the show because of work and other commitments. Through Bloodbath Records and his collaborations with local promoters, Yutaka has helped bring Japanese bands here and strengthen the connection between the two underground scenes. His contribution deserves our appreciation because organizing these shows takes considerable time, effort, and money, often without much financial return.
That is something we understand well in Singapore. Many musicians have to hold down full-time jobs to support themselves, leaving rehearsals, recordings, and gigs to whatever hours remain. Making a living from underground metal is hardly realistic for most, and artistic work can easily be treated as non-essential when weighed against everyday responsibilities. Yet the scene continues because bands, promoters, and supporters keep putting in the effort. We are fortunate to have Yutaka here, helping make these gatherings possible and bringing the Japanese and Singaporean undergrounds closer together.
‘Shishiku’ preserves a meeting of four bands from two scenes, each with its own history and following. The release also documents an occasion that might otherwise have remained a memory for those who attended. Get this!
