A launch to remember - Stigmata hurls forth a Paradox

If you are above 20 years old, heck, if you are above 16 years old, consider yourself a music enthusiast in general but haven't yet heard of the Launch of the Year, I simply must ask - dude... what blessed boulder have you been concealing yourself under?

Ahem....the Lady is peeved *smooths her ruffled skirts*. Anyways,

Stigmata is releasing their 4th album this October and we are stoked beyond words. We have gotten a taste, rather a heaped serving, of what is to come and we are greedy for more.

Our Beautiful Decay, An Idle Mind is the Devil’s Workshop, And Now We Shall Bring Them War and Let the Wolves Come and Lick Thy Wounds have already been performed, heard and savoured, albeit with plentiful lipsmacking and needless to say, we dig what we’ve heard. And we have great expectations of this album which has been 5 years in the making. 

So we’ve heard four tracks already. Some of you may have already heard the full album (we regret having missed the full album hearing on the 5th, but then again, we assure ourselves that the pleasure is really in the wait). So why in the world would we want to go for the gig anyway? 

Well, realistically and logically speaking,

• Because the four tracks we’ve already heard is just a part of a grander scheme – one that will bewilder and bamboozle we are sure, true Stigmata style. They’ve piqued our curiosity as to what sorcery the rest of the album holds and you wouldn’t be able to keep us away even if you stuffed tomatoes in our mouths and locked us up in a broom closet. (minds out of the gutter yo)
• Because these guys are the masters of theatrics – no two performances are alike and you never know what to expect from a Stigmata concert. From random impromptu pieces till someone fixes their instrument, cartoon tunes from the past, broken noses to flying saucers, really, you have no idea what’s coming.
• Because, talent! Andrew (of course Andrew without his curly locks will never be the same as Andrew with his curly locks, but that’s beside the point) with his goosebump-inducing solos, Tenny with his quirky stage moves and crazy prodigious rhythm, Tharaka, with his badass drumming (now that Tharaka is back in the fold, all is well in the sonic universe again), the Stigmata cub – Lakmal with his sedate strumming and of course His Wackiness Suresh, with his versatile and vibrant vocals hold the audience in a hypnotic trance unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.  
• Because each Stigmata performance is intensely real, raw and intimate. The energy is simply electric and for each person in the audience, the experience is acutely personal. You won’t get this from any other band.
• Because each album that the band has produced throughout these years is intrinsically and ubiquitously unique. Each has its own signature personality. Now would this be a wizened old man, a preppy young lad, an elaborately feathered silver parakeet or half man-half lion with a pair of grand deer horns on head? Only the concert would tell.  
• Because a Stigmata piece is like a good pot of Coq au Vin. Apart from the deliciously juicy main tune, there are little bits and pieces, tiny morsels of decadence that you can nibble on, wonderfully brought together with a beautifully silky background theme that will leave you simply intoxicated in the end. No unpleasant hangovers with this one. Only thorough and beautiful addiction. 
• Because, well, eye candy! *ahem*.                                                                                                                 No other band has been known to be as photogenic as they are. These buggers know it and play up to it as well. Think theater, think flying hair, think micro facial expressions rivaling those of seasoned Shakespearean actors, think stage chemistry. Well, think Stigmata. 

• Speaking of being photogenic, there is also going to be a photography and artwork exhibition of pictures of the band taken by miscellaneous photographers as well as other artwork inspired by Stigmata and I am guessing that there will be an interesting collection of some hardcore stuff from throughout the years. A very tempting feature for any lover of photography and modern art I must say.
• Because since the sonic wizardry of Psalms of Conscious Martyrdom, we have waited 5 long years for the next and we sure as hell are not going to miss it. You shouldn’t either.
• Because one day you'd want to tell your grandchildren about the time you attended the launch of the decade and establish your cool granddad/grandma status.
• Because throughout their 15 years in music, they have always represented true Sri Lankan originality. In a world where creativity and authenticity are as rare as a maalu paan with actual maalu in it, we as Sri Lankans, are proud to have a band that has stuck to their guns right throughout, no matter what it had cost them.
• Because a lot of thought, effort, sleepless nights, blood, sweat and booze had gone into it and these guys fucking deserve all the support they can get.
• Because, rumour has it that this is going to be the biggest, most badass launch that the country has ever seen. They are definitely pulling out all the stops for this one – signed posters, pamphlets, custom made shot glasses, card packs and even (brace yourself for this) fridge magnets!  It’s gonna be so damn huge and you know it!

And the name of this killer-esque album? *Cue Drum roll*    The Ascetic Paradox! *Confused mumbling ensue*

Stigmata is known for their enigmatic album names that leave one’s tongue in Gordian knots and we are glad that the album name is actually pronounceable this time. (The last one was named Psalms of Conscious Martyrdom, the previous being Silent Chaos Serpentine). Not that we are complaining. Not being second to the band’s lyrics, they keep us guessing all the time and we like it. This is not brainless sugar candy – this is a sensationally wrapped package of thoughtful artistry for those who like to think.      

Which is one of the reasons I’m in love with these guys. Being academically trained to dissect and take apart every piece of literature and art that dare cross my path so much so that I do it almost unconsciously, Stigmata plays up to it, with thought provoking creativity every step of the way. Their lyrics are sheer poetry, one of the things that drew me to them 10 years back and had kept me there throughout the years. There’s a lot below the surface than just putting together some words for the sake of rhyming which is how most ‘musicians’ get by these days. Their music is complex - every component coming together seamlessly in perfect harmony, catering to the mood that the lyrics set. There may be a deeper meaning, there may not be at times – but what it definitely brings us is its thought inducing nature and powerful imagery with its famously signature disjointed vibe (think William Faulkner, think T.S Eliot, think Virginia Woolf). And it’s interesting to see how they have maintained this quality throughout the years.

Speaking of the album, the artwork is totally gush-worthy – hand painted by this amazing artist named Madhri Samaranayake (I don’t know her personally, but then again, I don’t know Salvador Dali either but I still admire his work), as was the case with all the Stigmata artwork in the recent past, it’s simply breathtaking and I suspect, tarot inspired (?) (a separate shout out and a hefty pat on the back to the artist. You are awesome!). The artwork comprises of six different elements and each element is symbolic. I am simply going to copy-paste the Stigmata definition of the artwork below.

The Martyr: always honorable, perpetually noble, yet suffers for something greater and beyond.

The Resurrector: Re-gifting Life and Light to that which has died or reached its demise

The Consigliori: The calculating strategist that counsels with honorable intentions and pristine foresight… the voice of reason.

The Torturer: The dominant predator that stalks, hunts and torments his/her prey, not without reason, not without purpose. At times for pleasure. At times for survival.

The Tortured: The prey and victim suffering at the hands of internal and external forces, tormented and broken – always spinning on eternity’s wheels. Society’s silent sufferer.

The Solitary Lamenter: The proverbial piper of reason. The sentinel of purpose. The last poet of society; the rose, the key and the door.

And it all comes down to….. *cue drum roll* THIS!

How cool is THAT!

Trust the band to come up with something as intricate as this.  

While the entire concept of the album continue to intrigue and seduce everyone who has crossed its path even once, I am particularly interested in this one track "Let the wolves come and lick thy wounds" in which Stigmata collaborates with Sanjeev Niles and Chrisantha de Silva. Now we all know of the time when Suresh de Silva collaborated with Sanjeev Niles and Raveen Ratnam of Paragon Productions (who is also interestingly, mixing and mastering The Ascetic Paradox) to create the magical masterpiece Cadence of Your Tears. And therefore we know that when these three get together, sparks really do fly like a dinosaur crashing onto a transformer during a massive thunderstorm. There are some great things in the horizon and we are very much intrigued.   

So the point being, don’t miss the event. Need more convincing? Munch on this awesome event trailer for some inspiration.

When, where, how, what, eh?

• Date – 17^th October 2015
• Time – 7.30 pm onwards
• Venue – British College Auditorium

Check out the official event page for more information, exhilaration and titillation. 

They are not stopping there. Stigmata is also taking Sri Lankan flavour to New Zealand this October immediately after the local gig and they are launching the album in Auckland and Wellington as well. So if you are in New Zealand and curious to check them out, you totally can and you totally should!

Oh and they have a brand-spanking new website as well. Yes, they've been very busy boys this year which only goes to show how serious they really are about their craft, another thing we absolutely respect about this band - their indefatigable perseverance. Check out their site right here and get ready to gush, gape and simply go gaga!

On a side note, in an age when anyone and everyone who could strum a few notes on a string call themselves 'musicians' (who can't sing for toffee btw), hire publicists, journalists, bloggers and the like to present an inflated, rather a cosmetically reconstructed image of themselves out into the world, this unassuming band triggering totally spontaneous gush-posts, commendations and rave reviews from random people such as myself alone should tell you something. Although not loved by the mass populace (Well, Fifty Shades of Crap sold out by millions, didn't it? ), the very genuine affection of their close circle of steadily growing loyal followers (theirs is an audience who knows the lyrics of their songs by heart and who would sing along with the band at concerts. This is something you don't see every day) will always be theirs because of this reason alone. 

So don’t miss it, come hell or high water, you must simply clad yourself in fireproof clothing, build yourself a raft and paddle your way across to the British School (find paddling for dummies guide here ) and it would totally be worth it.

And if you see me there (I’m actually bit taller than I am in the picture and won't be carrying the walking stick) wave like crazy.

Till then, here’s something to gorge your ears on. An Idle Mind is the Devil’s Workshop, a mind-marinating, thought-braising, then deep-frying track off The Ascetic Paradox.

Come for the gig! We’ve got more of this! And, cookies J   

Ok so maybe not cookies. But maybe hot dogs and cupcakes and stuff from Delish :)