NJ band Massa Nera levels Batangas and Manila with incendiary performance

NJ band Massa Nera levels Batangas and Manila with incendiary performance

by rick olivares

Sometimes, you’re in disbelief that one of these indie bands that you like is coming over to Manila. Then imagine the feeling you get when they completely blow you away with a fantastic performance.

That was Massa Nera last March 30 at Mow’s. 

The New Jersey-based hardcore quartet performed only a six-song set – the encore performance a song they have never even finished or recorded – that was so mind blowing that it was criminal that it wasn’t longer. 

Massa Nera – guitarists Chris Rodriguez and Allen Nuñez, bassist Aaron Garcia, and drummer Mark Boulanger – were on the tail-end of a Southeast Asian Tour (Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore) before they head over to Japan for a series of shows. 

They softened up the Philippines with an electric show at Hardcore Hope in Batangas last Friday and though the Saturday night mow’s crowd had an inkling of what was to come, it was still jarring. 

“The moment Mark (Boulanger) said he was ready, I knew something different was going to come down,” shared Flojo Tan who pounds the skins for local screamo outfit, Dobrev. “After that first song, everyone was left speechless.”

More so when the band performed an unfinished song for their encore – that wasn’t even finished and would be the first time that Boulanger would perform it on a complete drum kit. Remarked one Mow’s habitué, “Yung practice nila, gig natin.”

Added music photographer Janlor Encarnacion, “I can see why people have such high regard for Massa Nera. Their stage presence and musicianship was great. Even the song that they didn’t practice sounded and blended well with the rest of their set. It was very entertaining to say the least.”

Furthermore, unlike most bands that have only one vocalist, all four members of Massa Nera (the Black Mass is the literal translation of their name) sing as they either alternate or all sing or scream at the same time during their songs. That changes the dynamic and the performance.

And that isn’t the only game changer. All four members love jazz music; hence, the free-flowing interludes and syncopated rhythm patterns that give Massa Nera progressive feel to their music and is more so evident Boulanger’s drumming (he played in a jazz ensemble as a kid). 

When their debut album, Los Pensamientos de Una Cara Palida was released in October of 2017 (by a consortium of indie labels including Zegema Beach Records out of Canada, German DIY label Dingleberry Records, Belle Epoque Publishing, Ancient Injury Records Middle Man Records), Massa Nera had the feel of an underground version of Rage Against the Machine. 

Los Pensamientos de Una Cara Palida is a highly political album that rages against issues of racism and fascism among others. Yet unlike the rap metal of the Zach dela Rocha-led band, the hardcore emo music of Massa Nera is profoundly infused with odd-time signatures, the atmospherics of post-rock bands and the soft-loud dynamics of the Pixies, Nirvana, as well as the traditional emo sound. 

The band runs deep too. The imagery that accompanies the band’s album artwork and merchandise is striking. Chris Rodriguez designs a lot of the imagery that depicts urban decay, religious imagery, stark images such as faces, infrastructure, and abstract art.

Although the lyrics to the songs from Los Pensamientos were written by former vocalist John Rodriguez who has since left the band, the lyrics – since the remaining members are three-fourths Hispanic American – mean something even more in the light of political changes in the United States. 

The band also makes use of soundbytes to spice up their songs. 

“Mark and I usually have conversations about soundscapes that use field recordings,” revealed Chris. “I like to record the radio a lot especially on WFMU (91.1 in Jersey City and the Hudson Valley of New York) where on Thursdays towards the evening, they have like a storyteller who is very emotional and has a lot of character. He speaks to me. I include a lot of things that I hear on radio.”

Added Boulanger, “Adding all these soundbytes, the jazz influences, and whatnot, it’s almost like being a DJ and taking things from different sources to make up our songs. And we’re certainly happy that it resonates well with fans.”

In fact, many of this New Jersey band’s fans come from overseas. “That our music is well received by fans especially overseas comes as a big shock to us,” chipped in Nuñez who told about a fan from Costa Rica named Mauricio who constantly messages the band about how the songs mean a lot to him.

Added Chris, “It is funny because when we started this band, our first supporters were from Malaysia. It blew my mind. Now most American bands go to Europe and they skip Asia. As for me, I felt like it is something we had to do.”

One of the band’s first extended play records was co-pressed by a Malaysian label. And the merch the band sells on this tour features the work of Indonesian artists Anandhika Primawan and Yasinviolent. 

“Coming to Manila, it would be interesting to see what collaborations – if ever – we can do with local artists,” said Boulanger. “This global community is really interesting and there is a lot to learn and discover about it.”

“And having fans in the Philippines and doing these shows is like a dream come true. Really. Playing music and traveling? That’s not too bad at all,” added Nuñez.

After their tour, the band hopes to drop their second full-length album. One that reflects the band’s newfound approach where everyone – including Garcia who is the newest member of the band is the one member who went to music school – will contribute. 

“The four of us writing songs that to our mind are more structured with over-arching themes, makes everything more personal,” added Boulanger. “It’s more rhythmic and has more moving parts.”

“We’re exploring all sorts of soundscapes to the music,” summed up Garcia. “It is the sum of all our adventures in this past year or so.”

“I think we might be one of our best sets ever in our history right here in Manila,” concluded Boulanger in the aftermath of the show that had shaking their heads in disbelief at the power and deft musicianship of Massa Nera. “It would be nice to come back and play in front of these remarkable fans again.”