Metal4Africa.com » » The United Underground descends on Stellenbosch

“Imagine a time when people went to shows simply because, well, there was a show to go to! A time when we all banded together towards a common goal” These are the words by metal veterans, Bulletscript. Although this name of band is still a growing force in local metal, it’s composition of members span deep into the Cape Town metal scene’s history and features former members from bands such as Sacraphyx – to name but one – who in their own rights spanned a decade of SA metal. Despite how things have changed over the years, there are those in our local scene who can and should be regarded as the ‘Keepers of the Flame’.

“Punk rock and heavy metal have many things in common when one strips away the surface and explores each genre’s fundamental essence. Both are, in today’s age, genres of passion epitomised by a ‘fuck you, I’ll play what I want’ attitude,” points out one of Bulletscripts guitarists. In South Africa, the land of Kwaito and soft Afrikaans rock, punk and metal both have always been and still remain distinctively underground. Both genres, while unique in their own ways, are united by the fact that punk and metal artists in South Africa play for neither profit nor fame, but for the simple fact that they love what they are doing.
“Back in the day, there were no egos, no bullshit, and nobody cared if you were punk, metal or an ageing ginger goth; and there was a time in Cape Town when punk and metal shared the stage regularly. That time was when the underground was at its strongest” declares Bulletscript. Why then, one might ask, are the two scenes seemingly so far apart today? Why can’t you listen to your favourite punk-rockers back to back with some monstrous metal?
Well, there are some bands from both scenes who are determined to turn the tide and to restore the underground. Bands from both fronts will share the stage once more and in a loud, united voice that when focused in the right direction, can and will ignite the change!

This weekend at Aandklas in Stellenbosch, you can be a part of this movement for a united underground no matter which side your primary allegiance lies. Representing on the metal front are two bands filled to brimming with the aforementioned ‘Keepers of the Flame’, Bulletscript and Ing. Bringing up the punk are Half Price and Alive At Midnight – neither of whom are strangers to metal audiences, having both performed to warm reception at similar mixed-genre shows in the past. Another stalwart of the local underground scene since the earliest of days, Subterania Music will be hosting a merchandise stall featuring great international and local merch.

For full gig details, see the gig on Facebook or make enquiry here: info@bulletscript.com.