Soundscape Records pres. Envy

By Penny Wong  •  in Reports
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The last time Envy performed in KL was back in 2009 and since then, fans have been demanding for the band’s return to Malaysian shores. Well, thanks to Soundscape Records, the Japanese post-hardcore band gave a one night performance at KL Performing Arts Centre. Needless to say, the venue was almost at maximum capacity thanks to the band’s legion of hardcore fans.

The concert was delayed by almost an hour but Envy fans were not swayed. As soon as the doors opened, some flocked towards the front for the perfect view while the others stayed behind for some hardcore moshing. Very courteous guys!

The night kicked off with Killeur Calculateur as the opening act. Hailing from downtown KL, the quintet got the crowd going with their full throttle emotive hardcore blast tunes that do not exceed more than two minutes each. As much as we appreciate uniqueness, we found it a tad frustrating as the music often ended just when we were about to enjoy the rhythm.

As Envy got on stage for set up, they were cheered on by the excited crowd. Most cheered and applauded their appearance while the others, with a questionable sense of humour, threw out words like ‘Honda’, ‘Sushi’, ‘Mitsubishi’, etc. But the band did not seem to mind as they concentrated in setting up and left the stage soon after.

Within half an hour, the lights dimmed and crowds immediately went wild. As the soothing intro of the first song ‘Worn Heels And The Hands We Hold’ played, guitarists Nobukata Kawai and Masahiro Tobita, bassist Manabu Nakagawa and drummer Dairoku Seki took their places on stage. The song kicked in with vocalist/sequencer Tetsuya Fukugawa’s trademark screams and growls which drove fans into a moshing frenzy.

Throughout the night, the band showed no sign of stopping. With a total of thirteen songs performed on that night, their blistering, high energy live set, driven by howling vocals and melodic guitars clearly proved why this band has gained international recognition. Having supported bands like Mogwai, ISIS, Converge, Explosions in the Sky, and Locust, Envy is undoubtedly one of the most energetic bands we’ve had the pleasure of moshing to in a while.

Envy had fans moshing and headbanging at KL Performing Arts Centre on Friday 17 June 2011. Relive the explosive performance at our gallery. Scream your heart out at www.myspace.com/officialenvy.