One Band From Asia You Gotta Get Behind – BADWAVE – Debut 7″ Out Now [Philippines]

With moving to London this year, we’ve been blessed to see so many incredible bands…many of whom we never thought we would have been able to see. For example, just two weeks ago we saw Quicksand play the full Slip album…it was a religious experience to be standing there watching songs like Dine Alone live in front of us. A month prior to this show we saw the OG Biohazard lineup for the first time ever and when they ripped through tracks off Urban Discipline/State of the World Address it felt we were transported to being 15 again.

But 2023 actually started with a show that to this day stands out. We flew to Manila to watch No Pressure rip it up in the Philippines. Sure, No Pressure DEFINITELY killed it. And watching a melodic band like No Pressure in a country whose entire population LOVES singing their hearts out, was one of the most memorable experiences of the past few years for ourselves…but it was one particular opening local act that completely ANNIHILATED the show. And their singer, Kumander Kobra, in particular is a possessed beast whose stage presence is so infectious, you can’t take your eyes off his shenanigans. When the band wraps up, you’re eager to want to see their next show.

Ladies and gents and nonbinary folks – that band is called BADWAVE.

Today, the band has released a 7″ and the folks behind the release, STILL ILL RECORDS, have been kind enough to send in this smack down of an intro.

Read.
Listen.
Fall in love.
Putangina – BADWAVE is dope.
And also…dut dut dut dut dut dut da da…hoo ha.

“Unless you’ve been living under a rock or have been exclusively listening to western music, you probably know (and have seen) Badwave. Badwave tackles sensitive issues such as mental health awareness, and the day to day struggles of living in the Philippines. Playing tons of shows after the pandemic “ended”, Badwave has taken its early sound from its debut demo to a more crossover thrash direction with other hardcore/punk influences as well.

Who can better explain their sound but their frontman Jerwin aka Kumander Kobra himself:

“The album focuses on raising awareness for mental health and the challenges faced while striving in daily life. We aim to incorporate elements of hardcore crossover to create a unique sound. Our inspiration for this album comes from renowned bands such as Iron Reagan, Municipal Waste, Blind Justice, Drain, and Mindforce. Additionally, we have a special dedication to all skateboarders with our song “Concrete Surfer,” which also serves as a reflection of our band, Valkal Skatepunkx. Furthermore, the album cover portrays a skater navigating the streets while being pursued by a security guard, embodying the essence of skatepunx.”

Physical copies of the 7″ are available via Still Ill Records.

https://www.instagram.com/badwavevalkal/

Photo credit Jhona