Sliten6ix has been recognised as the flag bearer for extreme rock in the Kingdom, yet the band’s only available songs, Into The Struggle and Nevermore, have been largely overlooked. Originally made available online to promote their debut EP, the tracks on Bandcamp are a testament to the exposure and productivity the act enjoyed before a recent hiatus. The good news for fans is that the band’s vocalist, Tin, says the group is open to the idea of emerging with a new line-up and fresh sound.
To the uninitiated, this extreme form of metal may sound like a collection of marbles being dropped into a whizzing blender, but to those of us who have mastered the horned salute and survived mosh pits that looked like human casseroles, this is fine art. More importantly, it’s the historic moment when the sensitive embryo of local metal emerges from the chrysalis as a grotesque butterfly. Decades from now, these unassuming recordings could be considered a brave coming of age for Cambodian rock.
Sliten6ix’s brand of deathcore continues the marriage of metal and hardcore punk that first appeared in the late ‘80s. There was a pivotal moment in the development of metal when bands suddenly decided they were sick of singing about evil elves and became more interested in the intensity, social commentary and self-deprecating attitude of punk. Thankfully, bands like Napalm Death and Carcass saved us from becoming vampires. The sound evolved, giving birth to metalcore, deathcore and a long list of obscure subgenres. It’s quite bizarre that Cambodia’s new wave of locally produced alternative music is of a genre that would be considered among the world’s most extreme.
A key element to the Sliten6ix sound is the aggression and intensity of vocalist Tin. He has a scream that could strip the paint off your house, and his angst is believable. I’m not sure what he’s angry about but I sure as hell hope it’s not me. The arrangement of Into The Struggle is clever, taking metal fans on an impressive journey. Say goodbye to the old two-verse, three-chorus humdrum and say hello to barely controlled anarchy. Despite riding a flaming rollercoaster, the band remains tightknit with stabbing dynamics and gritty riffery – the result of years in practice studios and on stages.
Being a relatively new devotee to the local scene, I’m impressed by the courage of local heavy rockers. In present day Cambodia, Sliten6ix’s brand of rock ‘n’ roll is more shocking than Elvis wiggling his pelvis in the ‘50s or Johnny Rotten dissing the Queen in the ‘70s. There couldn’t be anything more alien to their families than irreverence delivered via ear-shredding distortion and terrifying screams, yet here they are in all their wonderfully filthy glory, putting Cambodia on rock’s world stage.
Let’s hope the hiatus ends soon because this band is deserved of the media exposure they’ve enjoyed. Phnom Penh needs mosh pits crammed with local kids who will start believing that the only thing between themselves and their heroes is a second-hand guitar, a hundred hours in a garage with likeminded friends and a venue that will give them a chance to express themselves.
Sliten6ix’s Into The Struggle and Nevermore are available for download at http://sliten6ix.bandcamp.com/
thanks for introducing this band to me! sounds amazing
This tells you everything you need to know about the state of alternative music in Phnom Penh. An article about a band that broke up a year+ ago, for all intents and purposes, and shows no real signs of getting their shit together (trust me, they’re not practicing regularly, they don’t have their guitarist/drummer situation sorted out, and the three remaining guys are all focused on other things.) I agree with the spirit of the article, but it’s not remotely topical or current at this point and it’s a sad reminder that there are almost zero bands with original songs of any genre or style playing out in Cambodia regularly right now.
Oh also, the pic you used in the header is not of Sliten6ix, it is of No Forever, which was Sam Rocker’s old band. And Tin was just sitting at my computer composing a statement saying that the band won’t be reforming but he didn’t have time to finish it. When he does he intends to post it to their Facebook page in order to end any speculation. It’s unfortunate, but they haven’t been a functioning band for over a year, so it’s not surprising.