Stigmata rocks Comic Con with a heroic performance

By Ezio Auditore

After much contention and a hiatus of nearly a year, local metal stalwarts Stigmata re-emerged with an electric performance at this year’s Asus Lanka Comic Con 2017 at the SLECC. The heavy metal group faced a considerable dilemma when three of its members parted ship in the tail-end of 2016 and two of the band’s founders Tennyson Napolean and Suresh de Silva were left to rebuild the unit from scratch. 

It is no secret that the industry was filled with gossip and chitchat regarding the band’s potential end. The unit only further fuelled those rumours going off the radar in 2017, opting to not give interviews and staying out of the media eye and even keeping all news and happenings regarding band activities, auditions and member selections on the down low. 

Tensions were high, rumours were flying and even some of the band’s most ardent followers had begun to doubt Stigmata’s ability to kick back from this particular disaster which many saw had damaged the ensemble’s ranks. 

However, that Saturday crowds in waves gathered, those attending Asus Lanka Comic Con but also the band’s loyal patrons, peers and curious candidates to witness the make or break of one of this country’s most beloved outfits. On one hand it was quite splendid to see so many Lankans in Cosplay, keeping the true traditions of the Comic Con culture intact and on track. On the other, it was remarkable to witness how the rock fans of the country blended in seamlessly with the patrons of the Comic Con realm. 

An explosive performance

It started with two noteworthy performances from two opening acts; Ursula Bastiansz backed by The Odyssey and a catchy punk outfit dubbed Fallen Kids – the only complaint being that they took too much time between songs – keep your ears peeled to hear more of these young acts in the future. By the time Stigmata got onto the stage, the enthusiasm, excitement and apprehension could peel the paint off the walls of the SLECC. 

It was brought to our attention that Stigmata hadn’t received a proper soundcheck and relied on their experience and that of the sound engineer to setup quickly as audiences were growing impatient. All of us could hear the mumbling and the whispers of many in attendance wondering who the new members were, what the band would perform and quite frankly how they would sound after such a long absence from the scene. 

If you have never been to a Stigmata concert, then to explain what it is truly like is difficult. Put aside everything you think you know about home-grown originality and heavy metal music. Leave aside whatever notions you may have about the band. Once they got on that stage audiences went wild. And I don’t mean the usual kind of ‘wild’ us Lankans are used to (no cricket audience could match this crowd toe to toe). The whole crowd was bursting with so much of energy it was infectious! The band pulled off an explosive performance. 

The four instrumentalists first got on stage (minus Suresh their singer) and went into the first part of a familiar tune forcing everyone onto their feet (or toes) with a unified roar, hundreds of mobile phones were up filming or taking pictures and photographers were snapping away like crazy. The band surprised everyone with a rendition of the popular ‘Game of Thrones’ theme which was fused with their anthem ‘Andura’ which had been given a heavier twist. Suresh walked on stage and by that time the crowd was ecstatic. 

The five piece blazed through Band classics ‘Forgiven Forgotten’, ‘Lucid’ and ‘My Malice’ while one of the highlights of the performance was when Suresh invited CC (of Salvage) onto the stage for a rendition of ‘Voices’ which had everyone singing along and hooked on the anthem as was evident to everyone there. 

It’s been sometime since I witnessed such a large number of people moshing and head-banging at any local concert – leaving first timers in awe! What rock fans dub a circle pit in itself would have made the band proud (which we are sure, it did). 

The only complaint if at all was that the band’s new sound wasn’t rendered complete justice in places where there were glitches in the sound balance and there seemed to be a few technical problems that could have been avoided if the band had taken a full sound balance (a forgivable sin considering that the band had decided not to keep their fans and audiences waiting and decided instead to take a small sound check without prolonging the wait before the performance). 

The plus side however was that the new sound with co-founding member and now the unit’s lead guitarist Tennyson Napoelan and new recruit Shafeek Shuail provided a thunderous rhythm section with a dual seven-string guitar attack while the new bassist Thisara Dhananjaya was on point with a good stage presence and some tight groovy playing on his five-string bass. New skinsman Udaya Wickramage delivered a rock solid foundation, never over playing parts but bringing in more weight and feel with his playing. 

Suresh took command of the port and played the part of curator and metal monster on stage with his banter and sarcasm (engaging audiences both new and familiar) and vocals showcasing his incredible range, on stage swagger and precision. Another surprise that evening was when Tennyson revealed that he is more than capable of handling the role of lead guitarist effortlessly, playing those iconic sizzling leads and even reproducing some of the band’s memorable solos flawlessly, while having optimum support from Shuail who is a diligent rhythm guitarist in his own right.

The new song ‘Sacred Spaces’ was received well by those in attendance, leaving many spellbound and unsure how to respond to it. It was hard hitting and full of doosras and some interesting sections to keep the listener on the edge of their seats (or feet). It is a song that shows the band sporting a new sound; intense and catchy but also aggressively accurate where it counts, with enough turns and twists to have head-bangers snapping their heads off their shoulders. Time will tell with more listens how the new music will take shape. But as a first peak into the band’s new compositional approach – it was a powerful moment many of us will cherish, especially as we were the first to hear it! 

A notable facelift

Stigmata’s stage show has also received a much notable facelift. The unit has always been a force to be reckoned with but it would seem now that the ensemble looks more like a well-groomed sports team working in unison with everyone giving one unified vibe and a crazy live performance. It will be interesting to see how Tenny and Suresh move ahead with the new candidates, taking things to the next level and what the future has in store for them. 

It was brilliant to see all five members oozing confidence and energy, cracking jokes with each other and the audience and lightning up the mood before pummelling those in attendance with another anthem. This too proves that here is a unit of pros that know to work a crowd before wowing them. 

The highlight for me though was when Stigmata concluded their set with ‘Jazz Theory’, a hard hitter that anyone worth their salt would be familiar with off their second album ‘Silent Chaos Serpentine (2006). The ‘Uda Palagaththath Wattaka’ inspired epic had also been given a twist prior to the song’s solo initially confusing fans with a new jam arrangement before venturing to the flamenco and heavy solos that follow. Being the last song for the evening the entire crowd seemed to merge into one massive blob of hair, sweat and energy. ‘Jazz Theory’ was an explosive performance and the perfect end to a stellar show, with everyone on and off stage head-banging and moshing until the end like it was their last day on earth. 

The Band promised a new EP that will feature the new tune ‘Sacred Spaces’ on it, before year’s end. Stigmata also mentioned that the Band will embark on a series of overseas tours in 2018 with the new line-up. 

Connecting with fans

By the time the concert finished the band’s official stall at Comic Con had sold all its CDs and merchandise, but that didn’t stop the audiences from seeking the members out for photos, selfies and autographs by the hundreds – not something you see regularly in Sri Lanka. Unlike most Lankan acts and performers, Stigmata stayed true to tradition and spent time with anyone in the audience that liked to talk to them or take pictures, augmenting the experience further for fans. 

Maybe one of the most significant things about Stigmata is that throughout the band’s illustrious career that they really have made an effort to connect with fans there is a sense of mutual love and respect shared by both band and fans. The connection between the performer and the crowd is a sacred thing and Stigmata have mastered the art of exceeding audience expectations whether they are on a stage or off it. I marvelled at how many first-timers claimed it was one of the most amazing things they had ever experienced, there is no masking the truth. When it comes to a live performance there is no middle ground. Many of them had never experienced something like this before and rest assured that Stigmata won over a large new fan base after the performance. 

Even though the performance wasn’t perfect, it was powerful and memorable, humane and sincere which translated well with everyone because we were reminded that there we were watching five guys who were literally like superheroes on stage – at times vulnerable, honest and focused but with a more human than human strength to be persistent and show how passionate they really are. The current line-up will grow leaps and bounds in time we hope. 

Overall the sentiment and consensus of course is that Stigmata are back and sounding better than ever. If this year’s Asus Lanka Comic Con was indeed a culture shock and broke new records, then Stigmata was the perfect ending to a fantastic Saturday, topping the day off with a performance that had the foundations of the SLECC shaking and rumbling. This is one show many will savour and treasure and continue to remember. 

Long live the Geek Club of Sri Lanka and long live Stigmata. IMO Sri Lanka definitely needs more of both.