[new music] BARRIERS - "Cancer"

© Kssael Productions

With a lot of bands emerging in this day and age, Barriers, a straight-up, in-your-face metal band hailing from Metro Manila, Philippines is one you shouldn`t dare to neglect.


For several months in the past, the lads have had some rough patches with members having difficulties of keeping up with local gigs and personal issues, yet early 2014 came and Barriers is finally back in the scene — renewed, restored, and revitalized.

© Niko Cezar

Their influences include bands such as The Devil Wears Prada, Parkway Drive, August Burns Red, and Miss May I among many others. They also play alongside melodic hardcore band Saving The Dying Hope, False Contender: a pop punk band from Quezon City, and SIMILAR//INTENTS, a progressive/melodic hardcore band.

Enticed already? You should be. With their first single Cancer [free download here!] from their upcoming EP entitled, CONTAGION out now, these boys would be hard to miss.

"I am torn between someone I should let go and someone I should hold on to.
Torn in two, forgotten the truth.
I seem to subject that the answers aren't bestowed upon me.
Yet they are right in front of my face.
So many months on end. So many days passed by.
Am I bound to live alone or am I bound to live with someone?
Is this the only way to make my life relevant
or are there any means for me yet to learn in this forsaken world.
Torn in two, forgotten the truth.
Fate is a cancer, it spreads on and on without end.
I am a slave to fate and nothing can set me free.
We are all slaves to fate and we aren't meant to be free.
Every remaining piece of my soul shatters at your first sight.
I am devastated in a blink of an eye.
Maybe I'm meant to be wretched and alone at the same time."   Like what you`re hearing? Then go follow them on Facebook and Twitter!

LUCID RIOT x BARRIERS

Last night, I went to iAcademy`s party to kickoff the year: Lucid Riot. The whole venue had numerous booths, all amongst neon and black lights, illuminating every urbanite`s colorful outfits. There were several performances by their music org, a couple of dance troupes (which in my shame, forgot their names. I`m sorry.) and Barriers. More photos under the cut!

GRIM REAPER

Finally, finally, FINALLY back!! I have been itching to update this little world of mine but things have been hectic for me. I`ve been going places back and forth, running errands here and there, attending events everywhere (although I`ve turned down opportunities :'() and my boyfriend recently had his birthday week which was oh-so great! Did I mention my flash drive was being a little bitch? My files were nowhere to be found unless I attached my drive to my boyfriend`s laptop. Talk about being clingy.

Anyway, I wore this outfit to a gig and boy, May 22 will forever be remembered as an insanely fun day. Happy anniversary to Saving The Dying Hope aka everybody`s favorite band!! ☺and below is a photo taken by street photographer Bene Arcayan while I was walking along Ayala on the way to said gig. Moral lesson: always look your best wherever you go because you don`t know when the camera`s pointing at you ;)

NOT-SO-ODD COUPLE: LYRICS FOR LIFE

Yes, 5 lines is never enough! There are just so many songs that have great, empowering, tear-jerker lyrics. You can say that this list is only the first edition.

Let`s start with his choices, shall we?

HIS:

1. "I will bask in the blackness of my darkest days" — RIT by The Devil Wear Prada

2. "If the good die young then I will live forever" — Deliverance by The Air I Breathe

3. "False statements fall to the feet of dead gods" — Lord Xenu by The Devil Wears Prada

4. "So take this life and hold it for it's about to change, bleed out the coursing veins. Who will answer the call when it comes from within?" — Abrasumente by Northlane

5. "Find life in the consequence of discovery but there's still a mystery that blinds." Two Worlds of Design by Born of Osiris

HERS:

1. "I`m a rough and tough; nothing`s gonna knock this girl down." — Settle Down by No Doubt

2. "Your time will come if you wait for it. It`s hard, believe me, I`ve tried." — Amsterdam by Imagine Dragons

3. "Nothing comes between me and my plans. I can`t live my life always backing down." — All Signs Point to Lauderdale by A Day To Remember

4. "Just cause you`re right, it doesn`t mean I`m wrong." — Best Of Me by A Day To Remember

5. "I love you so, but why I love you, I`ll never know." — I Love You So by Cassius

There you go! All these are what is commonly called "quotable quotes" (wtf) they`re good for tweeting actually! HAHA the song titles are all linked to their Youtube videos, btw so I hope you give them a listen! You can consider this post a playlist too ☺ and you can expect more of this next time.

Much love,

Jia

PRE-SUMMER SLAM DECISIONS

Probably my most favorite dress in the world! I seriously have worn this countless of times but in different ways because it`s very versatile and it can go with just ANYTHING! From day to night, street wear to formal wear — this dress is just amazing. For this ensemble, I paired it for the first time with my denim polo wrapped around my waist for that 90s vibe and yes, my friends think it`s already my "signature look". I can`t really wear the polo because that would cause me a heatstroke and to be frank with you, the Philippine weather is quite bipolar these past few months. This week it`ll be really freezing, and the next it would be back to it`s tropical state. 

Since summer is approaching, I`m already planning my outfit to the annual Pulp Summer Slam! I`m thinking of wearing neon colors since everyone would be in black. Trust me, I was one of them donning black. This year, I`ll be the — note the uncertainty — magenta in a sea of black! I got this new magenta top from Vivienne Tam, a gift to me by a family friend who just came back from the States. I think it would be a good concert look ;)

Much love,

Jia

Fuck Thursdays, I`m Doing a Throwback: Bring Me The Horizon

© Pulp Live World

March 6th, 2013 was the most amazing day of my life. I met the band that made me a confessed fangirl, the band that made me open to more genres, the band that just made me gaga: Bring Me The Horizon.

I woke up at 8 in the morning that same day despite the meet and greet starting at 4 in the afternoon because I was just too excited to head on to SM North Edsa`s Skydome where the meet and greet and concert would be held.

I made them this box the day before of the concert for the fans to put their letters, souvenirs and just about any knick knack they want to give the band. During the day, I went around the venue to collect their beloved gifts. The moment I was next in line to meet them, Jordan (keyboards/tech) and Matt Nicholls (drums) already noticed my package saying "Oh! That`s a very lovely shoe box!". butterflies. When I finally met them, I handed them the box and they were all like "Thank you! That`s so sweet!" and "We love it!" which I think was half-genuine and half-surprised. I also handed them those signs that read "ALL HAIL THE BMTH QUEEN", as seen in first photo, because well, I wanted my meet and greet photo to be memorable. And of course, people already call me the BMTH Queen for starting the Philippine street team and obviously knowing that I am an obsessed fangirl (yeah, I know). 

So that`s me, crying after the meet and greet taken by my good friend and non-biological son, Kyle. I look like shit, yes?? My emotions were overflowing with extreme joy and the fact that I finally met them, and hugged them, and made conversations with them. Oh god, I miss this. There`s just not enough words to describe how I felt before, during, and after the concert (even though I lost my iPhone). 

My street team buddies Niko and Kyle

© My friend Che`s Twitter 

A friend of ours gave this to Jordan the next day and she said he placed it in his bag. flails Thanks so much, Che!!

And behold, the BMTH wall in my room! Most posters and clippings are from Kerrang! Magazine and some from Pulp Live World. This is what you would see upon entering my room. 

There, that`s my addiction to Bring Me The Horizon. They`re just the only band I`ve been this addicted to. I miss them to bits and this coming March 6th, 2014, it would be a year since they had a show in Manila. I love how they were tweeting and posting photos on their Instagram accounts about how much they were enjoying the Philippines. My fingers are crossed for Pulp to bring them back for a set in the Summer Slam, if not another solo concert. I miss you Oliver Sykes, Jordan Fish, Matt Nicholls, Matt Kean and Lee Malia. Having a 3-day long post-concert body ache was all worth it after moshing non-stop to your great music. 

Much love, 

Jia