As the bus crossed from Singapore into Johor Bahru, I looked out the window and couldn't stop my mind from forming that thought. Maybe it was just the juxtaposition of coming straight from Singapore - possibly the cleanest, most orderly country in South East Asia. Malaysia's one of the few countries in the region that didn't suffer through decades of war, but you wouldn't know it from the crumbling buildings and decay that greeted you as you make your way from the immigration building to downtown JB.
I was expecting to see more people from KL - and not just because I was hoping for a ride back. But apparently an eight hour round trip on a Sunday was too much for most people - either that, or I overestimated how popular ENT are with the sizeable grind/crust scene here.
Desecration's set was delayed due to problems with the monitor set-up. Between Friday night and Sunday I had only scrounged up four hours of sleep total, so I used the delay (as I find myself doing more and more these days) to find a quiet corner and take a nap. Extreme Snooze Terror.
Desecration were worth the wait, even if I had seen them just the night before - though without Home Club's pristine sound set-up, their faster moments were reduced to an indistinct rumble of blastbeats and rumbling guitars. There's a whole subsection of death metal fans who seem to think that this music should sound like a cement mixer broadcast over AM radio - I'm not one of them. Unfortunately, even with the lengthy set up, they were waylaid by technical problems early into their set. When they got back on track they managed to pick up steam and were firing on all cylinders at the end. They made the layover in JB worth my exhaustion. Hopefully these guys will be back - in an era where "old school" affectations have replaced creativity, Desecration are the real deal.
If sheer physical size was the deciding criteria, Damokis would be the heaviest band in the region - when they're all on stage together, they look like the Malaysian Crowbar. The band members introduced themselves as "Extreme Fat Terror", so clearly they're having fun with their appearance. Grindcore bands are a dime a dozen in Malaysia, but to Damokis' credit, they strive for fun, memorable songs over short tuneless blasts.
As expected, there was a tribute to Phil Vane ("I miss my brother," Jones said in the middle of a rambling dedication, and the words fell heavily), but watching him so blitzed on stage that he struggled to get to his feet, it was hard not to worry about ENT losing their other vocalist as well. A lifetime devoted to punk's music and ideals is commendable; succumbing to its self-destructive nihilism is not.