Arcadia ~ Philippine Bands Podcast

Biography

Formed in 2007 by guitarists Ariel Lumanlan and Bjorn Santos – both hailing from underground groups who honed their chops being permanent fixtures in the local underground club circuit, Arcadia started strong after adding bassist Jeff Cabudoy and deciding that the best route was to take their equal strengths and transform them into songs. Though the rest of the year did not go unhitched with the band’s first vocalist leaving and Santos attending to matters abroad, the band regrouped the following year, acquiring the services of drummer Ian de Guzman, and a powerhouse vocalist in the making, Marc Velasquez. Gigging under the name Fallen Oppression, the five-piece unit slowly but surely made their way to audiences all over the metro, combining fierce, technical metal riffs and breakdowns rooted in both old school and new school hardcore. After managing to impress fellow musicians and larger crowds in clubs like 6underground, Dayo Bar and Freedom Bar (popular gig spots of the best local Philippine bands where they are judged mostly by their peers…), the clamor and respect they earned from their fanbases quickly became obvious as hundreds started flocking to their preliminary audiences, earning them one-off performances out of town, often sharing the stage with international underground bands like Out of Step (from Germany), also earning them the credibility with hardcore scenes all over the nation.

The following year would prove to be a consistent pounding both at the stage, and finally in the studio. In between recording what would be the band’s first full-length debut, the band opted for a name change into being Arcadia – which clearly reflected the band’s positive, self-empowering message and the big stages began calling: the group had earned a festival slot in the Philippines annual PULP Summer Slam (an annual 16-hour summer rock festival featuring more than 50 bands playing on the largest local stage ever built…) and shared the bill with metal titans Testament and Lamb of God. That same year, the band ended up opening for international Grammy-nominated heavy metal group Shadows Fall in their Madness in Manila Tour and were set among local greats in both the mainstream and underground music scene, like Slapshock, Intolerant, Skychurch, Kamikazee and Franco.

As the veteran musicians approved and their colleagues only dreamed of being on the same level, the band had enough originals to finally compile them in one neat full length. And so 2011 seems to eb the year when Arcadia is finally unleashed wholly, as Parallels has just hit the market as of this writing. A collection of slick-recorded material which feature the best of both old and new hardcore elements, the band still earns its keep with a combination of passion, hard work and sincerity, as it continues its street-smart marketing sensibilities using D.I.Y. promotions and marketing. Currently, they have teamed-up with fellow new school hardcore band April Morning Skies with their monthly all ages show Moshpit Sundays which recalls the matinee hardcore shows of yore, but garners nearly thousands of kids’ loyalty and connection.

This time, the fans are coming from all over to see and hear their mighty roar, instead of the other way around. Also, Arcadia will once again conquer the big stage in PULP Summer Slam 11: Resurrection, where they will brave a 35,000 strong audience to play alongside metal legends Death Angel, Hellyeah and Anthrax! Expect more great, ground-shattering things from this group that doesn’t mind breaking the barriers and bridging the gap between old and new. Arcadia is definitely in the game and winning it.

A L B U M

Album1 : Parallels