...the girl rockers

General Luna Tames the Metal Tiger

 

By Tony Maghirang

Coke Music Studio 

 

Photo courtesy of Warner Music Philippines

 

The name General Luna brings to mind one of Philippine history's most astute Filipino war generals.

 

These days, almost a century later, General Luna is the nom de rock of the combined forces of bassist Alex Montemayor, rhythm guitarist Audry Dionisio, drummer Bea Lao, lead guitarist Caren Mangaran, and lead vocalist Nicole Asensio. Their self-titled major label debut delivers heavy music from the distaff side of the gender divide, and then some.

General Luna, the band, is riding high this month behind the music video of "Nandito", a rock ballad that comes out onscreen as a mother-against-daughter high drama. The MTV recreates the lyrics alluding to a young lady's pursuit of the rock and roll life to the displeasure of her closest kin.

The song itself builds up to a melodic crest then crashes to the song's refrain that starts on a sad note. Nicole sings, "Di ko alam kung ba't tayo na lang ang nandito," echoing perhaps the disenchantment of struggling musicians with the initial indifferent reception to their music. You can almost count with your fingers the audience turn-out on the debut performance of amateur bands everywhere.

Lucky for General Luna, their first splash into Manila's loud music pool came with the serious backing of Warner Music.

Lady Luck struck a second time when "Red Heaven", the first single off their self-titled first album, raced to the number one spot on the now defunct NU 107 FM's top seven songs of the week countdown. It muscled its way to the top against heavy sniping from local and foreign releases.

By their looks alone, the ladies of General Luna should be baiting serious, albeit testosterone fueled attention, wherever they go. They've got the face and the figure worthy of lusty wolf whistles and well, DOM leer.

However, their fashion sense onstage hardly invites imaginations from getting out of hand. A bare midriff here, a hint of cleavage behind cascading long tresses there, or a few exposed white and smooth calves should not normally incite psychotic reactions. But with metal crowds, half of the bets are off!

In the first place, the little Lolitas in the band have had prior exposure under the public eye. They are all commercial models and played in other groups before hitting the big leagues with General Luna. Bea still hits the skins for Wally Gonzales Band, whose namesake once gave Juan de la Cruz its weeping blues wail.

Caren ripped fretboards for heavy rockers Sanctus, Alex was in Blush, and Nicole did time with Crowjane and also acted in the local production of the play "Rent".

Their previous musical experiences resonate in their debut album. Opening track, "Red Heaven", appropriates the sonic pace of Heart ("Barracuda") with Nicole trumping the head rush with classic throaty wail alá Ronnie James Dio. Lead guitarist Caren sends off electric chord runs in the riff-roaring sparkle of "Dala ng Ulan". A bit of Razorback and '70s heavy rock fuel the immensely engaging come-on of "Walang Bintana" while "Maria" is the first of several songs of personal empowerment propelled by anthemic soaring music. The backbeat tandem of Bea and Audry lets loose some new wave-ish flair in the stop-and-go pulse of "Blind Man" and in a skanking remake of Asin's "Usok".

Most of the songs on the album were composed by well-known songwriters working in the rock genre like Mayonnaise vocalist and guitarist Monty Macalino, Typecast frontman Steve Badiola, and Sugarfree's Ebe Dancel. Fortunately, the male perspective notwithstanding, the five ladies of General Luna commandeer the songs on their own terms and provide enough firepower to put each of them in a different light.

To be sure, there are hits and misses typical of debut releases. It would be fascinating to watch and listen to these five misses bloom into an even tighter and heavier rock ensemble.

Tony Maghirang is a rock icon in his own right, being a respected music reviewer for several publications since the 1970s, including Jingle Magazine, Pulp, and the Philippine Daily Inquirer.