By @YANSHNSK & @sanderspikes
A year after the band’s formation, superb song covers, successful listening parties, and collaborations, Asmodeus became one of the most renowned bands in the HQRP and ANIRP community. Under the username @ASMOHQRP, this group of talented, musically-inclined individuals trended in the Philippines multiple times.
As Asmo celebrates their one year anniversary, let’s learn about how the band was formed, the major highlights, their treasured memories, and the impact that Asmodeus brought to the virtual band industry in HQRP and ANIRP.
Before it began
From what seemed to be jokes at first, not one of them expected their band to reach so many achievements, but as they showed their great talents, what really is there not to expect? From a past interview that Rin (@raijintarou), Lagablab’s Section Editor conducted, they do admit that it wasn’t really their plan to start a band, and that at first, they played around and recorded song covers that they shared with each other, which now leads to where they stand today. Isn’t that quite mesmerizing? Who knew that a group of friends’ fooling around would lead to such a great future where they can share their talents for all of the people to discover?
The Beginning
The band was first heard on April 5, 2021, during ALAB Lakambini where they performed their rendition of Paramore’s Misery Business. Choosing their debut song was surprisingly easy. “We were just looking for a fun song, na mag-iiwan ng magandang impression and Lance suggested Misery Business,” members replied when asked how they decided to go with Misery Business as their debut song. “…woman empowerment din kasi ‘yung theme ng event tapos naisip [namin] si Hayley Williams,” added Asmo’s founder, instrumentalist, and producer, Aki.
This group of talented instrumentalists and vocalists impressed their listeners right away. The aim to leave a good impression was immediately achieved when the event organizers, ALAB, requested the band to play their full rendition of the song instead of the originally 1–2 minute version. “Dapat 1–2 minute cover lang [ang] ipapasa namin. Actually, napasa na namin ‘yung 1–2 minute cover. Eh sobrang natuwa sa’min ‘yung mga taga-ALAB. They asked if okay lang ba na buuin ang kanta,” said Aki as the band shared their favorite debut memories.
Some of the current band members were solo performers during the said event. “First time ko pa lang mag-perform d’on sa ALAB Lakambini as [an] individual [performer] pero alam ko nag-fa-fangirl ako sa Asmo kasi ang galing niyo,” said Light as she recalled the performance during the event which she totally enjoyed.
It was surely a surreal experience for the band and for everyone who witnessed the very first performance that sparked the legacy of Asmodeus. “For fun lang talaga siya. ‘Di namin in-expect na may matutuwa sa’min,’’ Aki humbly shared during the interview to which all the members agreed on. From then on, Asmodeus graced almost every HQRP event with their performances, and attendees always looked forward to listening to them.
The People
We always see the band’s great performers, but what about the ones behind the scenes? Asmodeus’ secretary and editor, Enigma (@enigmasuna) shared a couple of his experiences while working with the band. And though his position could be a rather difficult one, you will surely see the enjoyment and the appreciation from his answer.
We asked them: How can you describe your experience working with Asmodeus? Enigma said “It’s actually been fun working with Asmodeus. Despite being a non-performer member, they’ve never made me feel like I’m any less than them, and they’ve always made me feel like I am a part of Asmodeus as a band talaga.” He also shared, “I remember before, nung bago pa lang ako sa Asmo, we attended an event where Asmodeus is performing, tapos hindi ako nag-click ng performer role or something like that kasi hindi naman ako part nung performance, and I remember, sila Aki, they were like “Asmo ka”. Wala lang, I thought it was nice.”
The Highlights
Since their debut, a lot has happened to Asmodeus. Throughout the months, their popularity in the HQRP community skyrocketed, earning them events that trended in the Philippines on Twitter. Asmodeus has become a prevalent name in the virtual band industry both in HQRP and ANIRP. Their performances have always been anticipated in every event that they participate in.
Most bands have their established brand or something they’re exclusively known for. Just like how bands conduct concerts to flaunt their talents and express gratitude towards their supporters through music, Asmodeus has become known for their Listening Parties, usually open to the HQRP and ANIRP community. What started as a way for them to play their covers for an audience without having to flood the timeline, now has become a staple event for all RPW to enjoy.
On May 29, 2021, more than a month after their debut, the band held their very first listening party — A Night With Asmo, wherein they performed six sets with an overall number of 60 songs. It was a pajama party and sleepover themed event attended by more than 150 audiences from HQRP. Asmo’s high-range, power vocalist, Light, recalled her experience during the listening party, not as a member but as an attendee. “‘Yung first LP ko po [‘yung] A Night With Asmo. Fan lang nila ako tapos poof, member na ako! Sa pagkakaalala ko, Asmo ‘yung unang nagpa-LP so na-excite ako and na-amaze ako sa mga members kasi ang gagaling nila.” Kev, one of the pioneering members and the band’s guitarist, told us that it was very challenging but a great experience for them and added, “There were only a few members back then, so it was really stressful for us. But it was worth it in the end. It was something new to me, and trying new things with these people had always been fun.” The success of A Night With Asmo inspired the band to organize more listening parties and sparked the interest of more people from the community.
Events like listening parties are not always extravagant. Sometimes, they were more intimate and only close friends and acquaintances were invited to attend. That was the set-up for Asmo’s 1st Mini-LP on July 10, 2021, with only 40 songs in total and divided into six sets. The theme was set to be an elegant prom night and most of the attendees are Asmo’s friends from the gdm where the band was first established. It was not just a showcase of talent and a prom night party. For Asmo and the other gdm members, it was a commemoration of their friendship and appreciation towards the people who witnessed the birth of one of the sought-after bands in the community.
After two listening parties full of their own performances, Asmo opened their doors for guest performers on August 7, 2021, during Antares: Asmodeus’ 2nd LP. In participation of other bands such as Hukbo (@HUKB0), Moonsidus (@moonsidus), Nocturnals (@THEN0CTURNALS), Aguha (@aguhamatata), and Gabriela (@bandangina), attendees were able to jam to more than 80 songs for nine sets in one night. Just like the cosmic and celestial theme of the event, Asmodeus shone like stars as the hashtag #ShineBrightLikeANTARES trended in the Philippines.
On September 23, 2021, Asmo tweeted a teaser on their account which sparked the interest of the HQRP community. It was a 25-second video with an 80’s retrowave vibe, showing a car driving towards the sunset and the words ``September 25, 2021 8PM” and “See you there,” before the video ended. On the said date, at 4:25 PM, the band surprised the entire community with a link to their 2nd Mini-LP which instantly became the major topic on the timeline. Guest performers were present during the event. They were HQRP’s notable bassist, Ru (@bumabahista), and two of the celebrated vocalists in the community, Perth (@NAK1N4NGINA) and Loise (@mizushims). More than 40 song covers were performed during the 2nd Mini-LP.
Nobody can stop Asmodeus. After four successful listening parties, they announced a two-day event from December 3 to 4, 2021 with 20 guest performers from HQRP and ANIRP entitled PRISMA: Asmodeus’ 3rd LP. Day after day, new teasers were released. The marketing and visuals were superb, that the people from HQRP and ANIRP continuously interacted with every tweet. The interactive “Find the Performers” pubmat was a great hit, amplifying competitiveness and curiosity of the people in the timeline.
Behind all these teasers is a talented man, Asmo’s editor, Enigma. He shared his Prisma experience with us in an interview. “Even though it wasn’t my first LP with Asmo, I think it was the first [time] na na-feel ko talaga ‘yung Asmo work. Super daming preparations and never kong na-feel ‘ang pagod. Feeling ko bumabaha lang ng edits n’on.”
The band also had a lot of stories to tell during the preparations. Vocalist Light said, “Nag-cram kaming lahat. Tapos may mga pahabol na last-minute recording, tapos maraming songs sa setlist na ‘yun na gustung-gusto ko.” Asmo’s male vocalist, Maverick, recalled his hardships and memorable experiences in preparation for Prisma. In the interview, he said, “Doon ko lang naranasan mag-record ng more than 15 songs, and the thrill [was too much], given the fact na two days ang itatagal ng LP. Plus, I was able to sing the songs na dati ko pang gustong ma-record.”
When asked what the most memorable listening party is for the band, most of the members undoubtedly proclaim that it was Prisma. “First LP namin na complete kaming 13. Do’n rin namin nakilala si Kuya Kev. Super memorable siya for me kasi I got to work with more instruments than usual. It felt nice being trusted that I could pull it off alongside instrumentalists na master na ‘yung ginagawa nila,” Aki said as he remembers the recording phase for the listening party. First time event host, vocalist Maverick also added, “That’s the first event that I hosted together with Aki and Light [during the 2nd day]. It was a really nice memory for me.”
Everyone who attended Prisma can agree that it was a very successful event. With a two-day program, 20 guest performers, 16 sets in total, 125 song covers performed, a guest band that debuted named Vespera, and hashtags that trended in the Philippines again, it was undeniable that Asmodeus is on the top of its game. But unbeknownst to the attendees and the supporters of the band, Prisma gave Asmo a much greater opportunity to get closer and created a bond that made their teamwork stronger. As the members agreed, “‘Yung last part ng Prisma event, may mga letters ‘yung mga members and it was really sweet. [We] really felt appreciated at that time. It made [us] cry. It still does.”
In celebration of their first year anniversary, Asmodeus is preparing for a much-awaited event, a listening party entitled RETROSPECT: Asmodeus on Rewind, which will be held on March 12, 2022.
The Collaborations
During the interview with Asmodeus, we asked them which collaboration/s they favored the most, and what their most memorable Asmodeus experiences were, and here are their answers.
“For me, I think working on prisma was the most matrabaho and tiring but also the most enjoyable so far. There were so many collaborations with artists, and bands, and organizations. First time ng Asmo makipag-collab with organizations for non-music related stuff n’on so I learned a lot in terms of handling partnerships and collaborations. As for the artists and bands, especially the solo artists, I enjoyed partaking in making instrumentals for them and giving them advice on how to do this and that. Para ko sila naging kabanda rin for that short time, extending yung help ko whenever they needed it.
But most of all, with all the artists, and bands, and organizations we collaborated with nung Prisma, it really solidified yung teamwork namin sa Asmo kasi we learned who could do this or that, who can handle talking to who, what work this person was willing to take — the workload was spread across the team talaga and that really made me happy”
– Aki (@akimakibaka, Founder, Producer, and Vocalist)
“P’wede ba lahat? Kasi ‘di naman magkakaroon ng LP without the help din of our ka-collabs hahaha.”
– Light (@naglight, Vocalist)
“For me, as an Asmodeus vocalist, I think the most memorable experience was during the Prisma LP. Since we had so [many] songs that we recorded during that time. I felt thrilled and challenged as we have to reach our desired number of covered songs. We exerted both of our time and effort in making the songs. I couldn’t be happier when we were [able] to pull it off, considering the party took two days to officially finish. Additionally, we were able to upload a new set of covered songs on Spotify. The thrill, excitement, and pressure — I loved it all, which made it the most memorable experience.”
– Maverick (@bokulista, Vocalist)
“My favorite collab would be with Cynefin doon sa Prisma. Taga Cynefin din kasi ako kaya kita ko yung mga ginagawa nila. Most memorable experience naman is yung simula pa lang ng Asmo and lahat nag-sesend ng kung ano-anong video ng covers nila sa gdm and nagpa-plano pa lang kung anong magandang name ng band and ano-anong position.”
– Darius (@kislapngbuwan, Editor)
Based on their responses, it’s obvious that they loved the Prisma LP dearly. Which is why we have here the line-up of your favorite artists and bands who performed and some that debuted in the said LP:
- VESPERA (@VESPERARECORDS)
- HUKBO (@HUKB0)
- Reese (@lavieenreese)
- Skob (@rockafeIler)
- AV (@bukod_tangii)
- Perth (@NAK1N4NGINA)
- Friox (@N4GSUL4T)
- Zephy (@haveyoumetzephy)
- LUAN (@kinanginangluan)
- Ru (@bumabahista)
- Ren (@gumigitarista)
- Drei (@shotpre)
- Kodzuken (@konzumesyon)
- Clyde (@_nanghaharana)
- Luna (@KYKSHlMIZU)
- Rou (@bah1st4)
- Chyrille (@estellyachi)
- Mal (@at6umu)
It’s very admirable how they can pull off their events successfully every time, and they make sure that everyone they work with always has the best experience of their lives when collaborating with Asmodeus, and for that I think we stan the right band.
The Process
Behind successful events and collaborations were never-ending processes of decision making and preparations. As a band, Asmodeus was very familiar with all these, from deciding for their events’ themes to choosing songs for their set list. The band shared with us how they arrived with their themes, where they get their inspirations for the publication materials, and how they decide on which songs to cover for their performances.
“Sobrang daming evolution na pinagdadaanan [lalo na] dito sa Retrospect. Naalala ko n’ong una, very retro dapat siya, tapos naging space na trippy, tapos naging 90’s anime. Usually, ‘pag may nabanggit, naghahanap na ako ng pegs, moodboard, [or] samples for edits kasi gusto ko siyang ma-visualize para alam ko [kung] paano i-execute,” shared Asmo’s editor, Enigma, who is considered as the backbone of the band’s publication materials and video edits. He also added, “Send lang [ng] pictures. Minsan nag-e-edit kami ni Zen during meetings to show samples. Tapos kung anong feeling naming maganda, ‘yun na siya.”
Aki, who also handles the band’s social media posts and captions, told us more about their themes, a specific inspiration for Antares and shared his insights about their team’s progress. He said in the interview, “[On] our first LP and mini-LPs, we stuck with Asmo’s colors tapos [we] expounded on it. We didn’t exactly have a set theme. We made edits lang tapos we [realized na] parang pajama party or elegant prom night and went with it. For Antares, we were heavily inspired by the UP Cosmos poster then looked for a color palette to start off. Our planning skills have progressively gotten better after every LP.”
Every event requires a setlist and it is another thing that the band needs to prepare for. “We used to record and record until mag-pile up ‘yung songs namin. Tapos, we base each set on what vibe these groups of songs give and work from there,” Aki said as he shared with us the band’s unique way of building their setlists.
Asmodeus is not just a band but a whole events organizing body. Aside from that, they also produce their song covers which arrangements last from two days to a week. Every member has their own contributions and makes sure to deliver astounding performances.
The Future Plans
It has been a year and Asmodeus has nowhere to go but to greater heights. We witnessed their performances and they never disappointed their audience. Instead, they continuously exceed expectations and set new standards in the industry. They showcase their talent like no other and inspire more musicians to embrace their skills and show them to the community.
The circle of musically-inclined friends from a GDM that once exchanged song covers for fun now performs on events that trend on Philippine Twitter multiple times. Asmodeus’ listening parties have become one of the most anticipated events in the HQRP and ANIRP community. Every collaboration is successful and every cover is a hit. It seems like Asmodeus have reached their peak.
But this band is aiming for more, and who are we to stop them?
We might hear a cover of Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance as four members — Aki, Light, Maverick, and Hiraa — collectively agreed that it is the song they’ve been wanting to perform for a long time. They are also eyeing to collaborate with some bands from ANIRP.
Asmodeus has more in store for us. More collabs, covers, events, and maybe more Spotify releases and original songs. There is no limit to what this band is capable of. With the level of editing in the band’s publication materials, it is not impossible if they release a music video one day. But to Aki, Enigma, Maverick, Zen, Hiraa, Light, Ansleigh, Kuya Kev, Trevor, Koz, Rize, Darius, and Kev, what they anticipate the most is to meet one another. If that happens, we might be able to listen to a live performance — something that has never occurred before.
Who knows? Only Asmo can tell.
Kita “Gian” Shinsuke (@YANSHNSK) and Iwaizumi “Alisander” Hajime are feature writers from LAGABLAB. They can be contacted at Twitter.
