Essential Punk Records from the Philippines: Badburn’s “Bound by Blood”

Essential Punk Records from the Philippines: Badburn’s “Bound by Blood”

Released on compact disc by Universal Records in 2001.

This was the first local hardcore crew signed by a major label. A crossover band, Badburn’s hardcore was infused by hip hop grooves. The move caught many by surprise because the 90s band explosion had already waned. Back then labels big and small signed bands by the truckload many of which didn’t amount to anything or sounded like shit.

Consider this – the label once asked alternative rockers the Weed to record a reggae-sounding song that was so unlike anything else on their repertoire because their music wasn’t pop enough. This is the same label that wanted to tear up the contract of Datu’s Tribe on account of playing hard rock when they said hard rock doesn’t sell unless it’s Bon Jovi. Well, Datu’s Tribe went gold, motherfuckers.

Anyhow, years later, in the opening track of “Bound By Blood” – “Realm of the Wicked” Badburn used the word “motherfucker” twice; bitch, once; and shit, twice”.

And that was just the opening track.

There are 19 expletives and four-letter words littered throughout the album. No doubt, if the band had their way, there’d be more. In the lyric sheet, whoever from the label tried to soften the venom by using the letters “MFKS” to abbreviate “motherfucker” missed out on it once. And there it motherfucking is in all its glory in the last track “41”.

Like I said, prude. Pretentious fucks. It’s a good thing, Badburn isn’t.

They bulldoze you with 12 brutal tracks behind lead singer Marben Romero’s agro-assault and the crunching guitar David Abaya. Bassist Hendrick Gonzales and drummer Libyano laid down the foundation for their bone-crunching beat.

What makes this band stand out is they built on their hardcore influence with tinges of jazz, odd time signatures, rap, and the knack for groove. While other bands will turn up the aggro, for Badburn it is all about the groove. In fact, in later incarnations of the band, they added more guitars to add more depth. But the groove, it’s got meaning.

The album revolves around themes of unity, strength, and seizing the day while taking aim at the unbelievers, haters, and doubters. When I first saw them in Club Dredd and listened to this album, there was an elation that we had our own hardcore band just like the crews from New York that I followed. Even after all these years, I still get a kick out of listening to this album.

“Bound By Blood” also has its share of guest performers such as Russell dela Cruz of Sky Church, Marc Abaya (then with Sandwich), Mon Mancio (Tribo Manila), and Wam Molina (Brownbeat All-Stars) who all add to the style Badburn has found.

So how did “Bound by Blood” do? The entire run sold out. However, the band never recorded another album for Universal and went back to their underground roots releasing an EP and their second full-length album after their major label debut.

More than a solid debut, this album gave hope to every punk and hardcore rocker out there.

Other Essential Philippine Punk Records:

Signal 3 "Convergence Zone" and "Kingsley United"

Half the Battle's "What We Have"

Bad Omen's Black Cat album