…With a Vengeance

Words by Joey Dizon

Though many were worried that Kjwan’s silence these past few years was a sign of impending doom n’ gloom, fans and followers can now breathe a sigh of relief, because it looks like the band wisely used the downtime to regroup and realign their collective goal of churning out balls-out, nasty-as-fuck hard rock. It was the proverbial calm before the storm.

And now, we’re all digging the new sound and single, “Dahas,” which sonically drives the band’s trademark penchant for unadulterated classic rock riffs and straightforward rhythms, spiced up by the presence of the band’s newest member, guitarist Louis Isok. Known for his trademark angular and highly creative guitar-playing style that skillfully incorporates traditional classic rock styles and deftly phrased, almost-odd-time riffage, Isok’s joining definitely had social media buzzing at the time and musician contemporaries excited for the new sound.

You can listen to “Dahas” here.

Almost immediately after the song dropped, the band released a music video for “Dahas” which is a display of contrasting colors and intense visuals and moods, directed by Jay Ar Villarojas. 

Of course, PULP Magazine wasted no time in throwing a few questions their way…

PULP: Tell us about the new single, and how it all came together. 

Marc Abaya: Louis and I immediately began working on new songs as soon as he formally joined the band last December 13th, 2022. Eo and I would go to his house with my PC set up and record his riffs, put beats to them and make basic song structures for each one; leaving room for each band member to add his flavor to the song. “Dahas” was the first idea for a song that Louis presented—high-octane and straight to the point. It was effortless coming up with melodies but a little tricky when it came to the words since Louis suggested that we write all our songs in Tagalog. The basic demo for “Dahas” was ready in a day for the band to digest. We finished the song during our first rehearsal at Studio M on January 15, 2023.

PULP: Now that you’re officially part of the band, tell us how the experience has been so far. 

Isok: The experience deals with love, compassion, joy and equanimity. With these immeasurable maxims, we intend to raise the level of Philippine excellence through the culture of music. Personally it’s an exercise of “know thyself.”

PULP: What’s next for Kjwan now that “Dahas” is out?

Kelley Mangahas: Dahas is our re-introduction: we have more music coming for everyone this year and the next. It’s been great creating with all the guys and I can’t wait for the fans to listen to the sonic landscape we’re painting. Joey Santos has been helping us through this process and I know we’re going to give everyone something new and exciting with every track drop. Aside from working on new music, we’re also looking to perform live more often: we’ve been reconnecting with our friends in the scene and working on finding spots to perform live for everyone.

PULP: How would you describe the band dynamic now compared to before? 

Eo Marcos: Well, ever since Isok joined, it’s just been a different energy: all of us are really making that conscious effort to write as many songs as we can, and there’s also that unspoken understanding for each of us to be better musicians; honestly, I’ve been practicing way more than I used to, and from what i see, everyone is really stepping-up. I also like how everyone’s very collaborative with the songs we’ve been writing – everyone contributes as far as songwriting and producing is concerned, and having Joey Santos help us is really cool too; the overall vibe inside Joey’s studio is simply fun. PULP

For more information and updates, follow Kjwan on Facebook and Instagram.