WOLFGANG [1]
The Philippines music scene is not a very conducive environment for metal/hard rock music, dominated as it is by solo artists performing sugary love songs and easy listening tunes. Wolfgang, however, has defied the odds to become one of the country's most popular and best-selling acts, its name synonymous with hard-driving riffs and precision group interplay.
Wolfgang formed around 1994. Vocalist Basti Artadi (born Sebastian), bassist Mon Legaspi (born Ramon), and drummer Wolf Gemora (born Leslie) started in other local bands and guitarist Manuel Legarda returned to the Philippines from living in Spain. As much music in the Philippines is greatly influenced by Western sources, Wolfgang took their cue from Metallica, Soundgarden, and Led Zeppelin, among others.
Wolfgang submitted demos of two original compositions, "Darkness Fell" and "Left Alone," to local radio stations, which generated many listener requests. The band signed with Def Tone, a label of local independent Ivory Records. Wolfgang released its first album, Wolfgang, in 1995, at a time when a rock craze, which started the previous year, was underway in the country.
At the 1995 NU107 Rock Awards, the country's premier rock awards show, Artadi was nominated for Vocalist of the Year, Gemora for Drummer of the Year, and Legarda for Guitarist of the Year. The band was nominated for Artist of the Year and Best Live Act. Legarda was named co-winner for Guitarist of the Year.
The band signed in 1996 with a major label, Epic of Sony Music Entertainment Philippines (SMEP). Wolfgang's first Epic release, Semenelin, reached at least double-platinum status (80,000 units sold -- Wolfgang does not allow SMEP to release precise figures, but does allow it to state if the album reached gold, platinum...). Wolfgang became one of the most popular bands in the Philippines.
Semenelin was named Album of the Year at the 1996 NU107 Rock Awards, where Artadi won Vocalist of the Year, Gemora took Drummer of the Year, and the band was named Artist of the Year and Best Live Performer. Semenelin was released in the United States in an all-English version in March of 1997, with two songs originally performed in Tagalog, the Philippines' national language, re-recorded in English. The other tracks on Semenelin were originally recorded in English.
Wurm was released in late 1997, and was an outstanding, most adventurous set, truly a landmark album that reached platinum status (40,000 units). The lower sales than that achieved by Semenelin can perhaps be attributed in part to the downswing of the rock movement, which had started several years earlier. This, however, does nothing to diminish the standard set by Wurm, which was nominated at the 1998 NU107 Rock Awards for Album of the Year, which also saw Artadi winning his second Vocalist of the Year award, and Gemora winning his second Drummer of the Year award, while the band took honors for Listener's Choice and Artist of the Year.
Wurm, which was recorded entirely in English, was released in early 1998 in Japan, the world's second-largest market for recorded music, and Wolfgang performed several showcases in Japan to promote the album. Wolfgang's fourth album, Serve in Silence, was released locally in March 1999, and saw a return to the style purveyed on 1996's Semenelin. Though another critical and commercial success, it did not see international release.
Serve in Silence was nominated for Album of the Year at the 1999 NU107 Rock Awards, as well as for Best Album Packaging. Wolfgang was nominated for Artist/Band of the Year, and all four band members were nominated for individual awards: Basti Artadi for Vocalist of the Year, Manuel Legarda for Guitarist of the Year, Mon Legaspi for Bassist of the Year, and Wolf Gemora for Drummer of the Year. In addition, Wolfgang was nominated for Producer of the Year. Serve in Silence tied for first place for Album of the Year, and Basti Artadi won again for Vocalist of the Year, his third overall win in this category. Wolfgang also won the Listener's Choice award.
In February 2000, the excellent live album Soundcheck: The Live Recordings, featuring Wolfgang and three other rock bands signed to Sony Music Entertainment Philippines, was released. For the 2000 NU107 Rock Awards, Basti Artadi was nominated once again for Vocalist of the Year, Wolf Gemora for Drummer of the Year, Mon Legaspi for Bassist of the Year, and Manuel Legarda for Guitarist of the Year. Basti Artadi won yet again for Vocalist of the Year, the fourth time he has received this honor.
In late 2000, Wolfgang released a live concert album, Acoustica 9/30/2000, a beautiful set on which previously recorded songs were played in an acoustic manner. Several guest artists, including guitarist David Aguirre of local rock band Razorback, also participated. The album reached gold status.
In April 2001, in conjunction with U.S.-based music retailer Tower Records, Volume, a compilation of Wolfgang material culled from all four of its studio albums, including its first Ivory Records set, was released in Tower Records stores in the U.S. and Australia. Vocalist Basti Artadi's participation in a side project with members of labelmateRazorback culminated in a release in August 2001 of an acoustic-styled rock album entitled, Brain Salad. Wolfgang's next studio album, Black Mantra, a double-album set, was released locally in August 2001
Wolfgang has disbanded since then.
WOLFGANG [2]
Developed in the early 1980s by greedy video game tycoon William Jennings Wellworth as an expensive prototype robot capable of human feeling, Wolfgang was also extensively analog-programmed with an encyclopedic knowledge of the popular music of the era, with the idea of creating the world's first robot pop star, capable of writing hit songs.
Having developed some of the most influential titles of the newly-emerging video game industry (such as "Rocketship Rangers" and "Galaxy Battalion"), Wellworth turned his attention to robotics and artificial intelligence. Utilizing video game microchips in conjunction with the synthesizer and sequencing technologies of the age, Wellworth assembled a humanoid robot with the capacity to autonomously compose music.
Essentially force-fed huge libraries of The Human League, New Order and the like, it was hoped that Wolfgang would pay Wellworth back in kind in the form of huge record sales and royalties. Despite putting all the vast resources Wellworth had into the project, Wolfgang was not able to create under his cruel and cold hand. This failure cost Wellworth his fortune as well as his reputation. He was never heard from again.
Nearly 25 years later, renovations to convert the crumbling Wellworth Electronics factory in Brooklyn into luxury condominiums had rallied a group of young neighborhood activists to take action against what they saw as the impending gentrification of their poor artistic community. During a nighttime mission to vandalize the building, one of the activists discovered Wolfgang discarded in a dumpster amongst endless amounts of electronic waste.
With a thorough cleaning and a battery charge, Wolfgang became operational again. Developing special feelings for the young man who had provided rescue from the dumpster, Wolfgang had at last experienced a human emotion. That emotion was love.
This awakening allowed Wolfgang to begin composing music, just as Wellworth had intended. The man loved to dance, and Wolfgang enjoyed providing the beats. Soon Wolfgang would begin writing and performing songs as a show of bravado for the object of the robot's affection.
And some songs were written in private. As Wolfgang began to realize that a human can never truly love a robot, the music became a way to deal with the emotional sensory overload. Wolfgang's songs illustrate the experience of happiness and heartache, of the initial joy and eventual hopelessness that accompanies unrequited love.
Wolfgang has issued two titles through the New York label Hypnote Recording Concern. The EP "Not In Love (Not True)" was released in late 2005, along with a 7" single which adds an extra track. The EP also has two bonus tracks not included on the then-forthcoming album, including a cover of Lime's "Angel Eyes". The album "The Wicked Truth About Loving A Man" was issued in 2006, although all of the material for it was recorded in 2004.
Arise
Wolfgang Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The fear that's in your bones
That is I, I am the taker of souls
Shout, my name at the heavens and be cast to fire
Hold my hands as we roam with the pack
Cause evil is our lair
Sentinels of pain on a mission once again
Half dog men and their knives, haunting your lives
Pray, it's good to pray, in our masses we shall say
He is no more and will be dead
Though he is laughing beside you instead
I am the king, I need no queens nor friends
You bow before me because blood is my feast
And fear is my staff
And I will come to take you and yours away
Listen to me my child I'll feed your body
Free your mind, come closer if you dare
To this manner of beast
The lyrics to Wolfgang's song "Arise" are dark and haunting, painting a picture of an evil and powerful figure who takes pleasure in consuming souls and spreading fear. The verses alternate between describing the omnipotent nature of this figure ("I am the night, I am the day, I am the light gon astray") and the havoc he and his pack wreak on the world ("Sentinels of pain on a mission once again / Half dog men and their knives, haunting your lives"). The chorus calls on listeners to acknowledge this figure's power ("Shout, my name at the heavens and be cast to fire"), but also suggests a possible escape through prayer and denial ("Pray, it's good to pray / He is no more and will be dead / Though he is laughing beside you instead").
Overall, the lyrics are a warning about the seductive allure of evil and the difficulty of resisting its pull. The figure described in the song is not just a monster, but also a charismatic leader who demands loyalty and devotion. The references to blood and feasting suggest a vampiric quality to his power, while the line "Listen to me my child I'll feed your body / Free your mind" evokes the idea of a Faustian bargain where power is exchanged for one's own soul.
Line by Line Meaning
I am the night, I am the day, I am the light gon astray
I embody both the light and the darkness, and sometimes people fear me
The fear that’s in your bones
I am the source of the fear that resides within you
That is I, I am the taker of souls
I am the one who steals people's souls
Shout my name at the heavens and be cast to fire
If you call out my name, you may suffer the consequences
Hold my hands as we roam with the pack
Come with me and we will hunt together as a pack
Cause evil is our lair
We operate in a space of darkness and malevolence
Sentinels of pain on a mission once again
We are agents of pain who have a mission to complete
He sends, them out to roam
Our leader sends us out to carry out our mission
Half dog men and their knives, haunting your lives
We are a pack of fierce and dangerous individuals who use knives to terrorize people
Pray, it’s good to pray, in our masses we shall say
You should pray because we are coming for you, and many others like you
He is no more and will be dead
We've killed someone, and now they are no more
Though he is laughing beside you instead
Even though the person is dead, their presence may still be felt in unexpected ways
I am the king, I need no queens nor friends
I am powerful and don't require anyone's assistance or companionship
You bow before me because blood is my feast
People fear me and show me respect because I feast on their blood
And fear is my staff
Fear is the tool I use to control and manipulate others
And I will come to take you and yours away
Eventually, I will come for you, and everything you hold dear
Listen to me my child I’ll feed your body
I will provide you with sustenance, but at a cost
Free your mind, come closer if you dare
I can offer you freedom from your troubles, but you must take a risk to attain it
To this manner of beast
You must be willing to confront and make deals with someone or something that is dangerous and brutal
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Lalamove9850
A metallica voice with a megadeth riffs❤️🤘
@josephalvarez2540
The Riff progression sounds like Holy Wars by Megadeth. I love this song.
@marlexdeiparine585
Rockin this August 31st 2023 🤘🤘
@GregEtnomla-sc5fz
Old from 80's but g🪙ld ♥️
@j.c.bernardo7967
80s? 90s yan, chong.
@user-py4uw9ex2z
90's Po Yan sir
@warfresktorch5862
i fell enlightened
@chairmanstyle1996
Nice song
@jeromegibaga5814
The best of song of wolf gang ,,,,,,,
@ryanjosephmante3142
Halik ni Hudas