Few bands in the Philippine scene have reinvented themselves as relentlessly as Chicosci. The emo pop-metal hybrid act has spent decades walking the line between experimentation and identity; sometimes stumbling, often soaring. Their latest single, “Biktima,” proves that even after lineup changes, sonic detours, and the natural wear of time, Chicosci still delivers with undeniable force.
Chicosci’s evolution has never followed a straight path. Miggy Chavez’s voice, once a razor-sharp weapon, now carries the grit of experience. Mong Alcaraz’s guitar riffs blur between Chicosci’s signature raw sound and echoes of his other projects. The band’s ever-shifting lineup has left gaps that longtime fans notice. Yet somehow, through all these changes, the band’s core energy remains intact.
Their nu-metal days — Revenge of the Giant Robots (2000), Method of Breathing (2002), Icarus (2004) — feel like artifacts from a different era. But their self-titled album back in 2006 marked a turning point, birthing anthems like “A Promise,” “Seven Black Roses,” and “Chicosci Vampire Club” that became touchstones of their respective eras. These tracks, in particular, defined a scene that thrived on the band’s emo-pop mythology.
However, “Biktima” isn’t just a nostalgia play. It’s something bolder; a statement that says Chicosci still has new ground to break. Chavez snarls in English, painting a portrait of a predator circling its prey; his delivery are sharper and fry screams more ferocious than it’s been in years. The heavy, dense instrumentation feels vital: Alcaraz and bassist Eco Del Rio lock into a groove that’s both familiar and fresh, while the complementing and widely dynamic drum fills by Victor Guison shake up their formula just enough to feel exciting.
While this single marks their baby steps into newer territory, the structure of the song wears out slightly between verses and breakdowns with Chavez’s vocal presence lacking the melodic flair that gives the song this newly added range to the band’s repertoire. Nevertheless, the way “Biktima” pushes the envelope through chopped samples between guitar riffs, heavy chord progressions, and the swapping of electronic drums to real drums outweighs these weaknesses.
This is what bands should aspire to be: not just coasting on past glories, but finding ways to stay dangerous. Chicosci has always taken risks — whether in catchy horn section of “Raspberry Girl” or rap reggae delivery in “Sink or Swim” — and “Biktima” proves those risks can still pay off. They’re still the scene’s sharp-toothed outliers, finding ways to make their music sting. In an era where so many legacy acts fade into irrelevance, Chicosci remains stubbornly, thrillingly alive in “Biktima.”
