Penitentia

U.P. Los Banos, University of Perpetual Hell

Headbanging metalheads

U.P. Jammers' Club, Los Baños Metal Team (destroy!!), Ethereal Studio

OUR BAND LOVES: optimism, evil horns, aised fists, extended middle fingers, mosh pits, circle pits, detuning, breakdowns, flashy guitar & drum solos, shredding, sweeping, pinch harmonics, dual guitar harmonies, staccatos, blast beats, & screaming vocals..WE ALSO LOVE: sex, drugs, alcohol, violence, underaged groupies, pentagrams, inverted crosses, sacrificial maidens, & burning churches. NAH! JUST PLAYIN' WIT' YOU FOOL!!

Metal: A Headbanger's Journey, Killadelphia (Lamb of God), Spinal Tap, The Pick of Destiny, Rockstar.

The music of our peers (Tempest, Iron Fist, Hyena Harmonies Inc., Kuwatro Beinte, etc.), Unearth, Arch Enemy, Lamb of God, Trivium, As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, At The Gates, In Flames, Children of Bodom, Metallica, Pantera, Iron Maiden, Guns n' Roses, etc.

Metalocalypse.

Gemini

The town of Los Banos, Laguna has always been a breeding ground for up-and-coming musical geniuses. Spawning acts the likes of Suckerfish, Hemp Republic, and Valley of Chrome, Los Banos continues to produce bands which are musically quirky yet intelligent, spontaneous yet thought-out, diverse yet cohesive, raw yet potent, and artistic yet relevant. Whichever way you choose to describe or categorize them, only two things bind them all - talent and respect for each other.

Theirs is a scene away from the city, proving that a band needs not contracts, airplay, pictorials and other distractions to be musically and artistically fulfilled. Everything was well in the local music scene. Or so it seemed to be.

In August of 2007, five musicians tuned in carefully, only to notice that the noise has been somewhat diluted. Metal was starting to be consumed by its own darkness. Only a handful refused to cease fire. It was then that Leland Cordova (vocals), Jec Castillo (guitars), Ferdie Pendon (guitars), and Kit Clarito (bass) started writing their own brand of Los Banos metal. Penitentia was born, rising from the ashes of those who went down fighting to keep metal alive in Los Banos. What came out from their hunger was an intense and dynamic collage of breakneck riffs, searing guitar solos, complex, thunderous rhythms, and honest, passionate, ripping vocals, all incorporated by their razor-sharp songwriting and arrangement skills.

Not to say that the music is flawless. In fact, the band at the time was, and is still growing. In January 2008, Lester Faraon joined the band as its skinsman, giving his bandmates more freedom to go insane with songwriting as he is one of LB's most competent drummers. And in June 2008, Penitentia and Kit Clarito came to a mutual decision to part ways, as he wanted to focus more on his funk band, Hyena Harmonies Inc., also brothers of Penitentia in the LB music scene. Andrew Obedoza was recruited, adding his creative firepower and monstrous stage presence to the band's shows.

Their brothers in Tempest and Embercore, who came before them to uphold the pillars of metal in the Los Banos music scene, now have a formidable ally in Penitentia. They have shared the stage with some of the biggest names in Philippine metal, including Valley of Chrome, Bloodshedd, Sin, Cog, and Intolerant. They have also shared the stage with April Morning Skies, The Out of Body Special, ImbueNoKudos, Boy Elroy, Typecast, Chicosci, and Nyctinasty. 2008 was a good year for the band, as they were given a slot on Tower of Doom's Siege Tour 2008 in its Laguna leg (special thanks to Miggy Ramos of Tempest! Haha!).

No one is as excited for 2009 as the band members themselves. Penitentia is currently recording and mixing their very first EP to be entitled, "Dagat ng Apoy".

For gigs/bookings, please contact: Leland Cordova - +639063026574

Penitentia @ Myspace