Ossified, two years after

Blurb: Despite his silly-goofiness, Ossified’s main man, songwriter and spokesperson Fario proved he has another side to himself that could challenge one’s political opinion.

Unlike other band members who started making music in some neighborhood, these youngsters’ musicality bloomed when their paths crossed at the University of Cebu main campus five schoolyears ago.

As mechanical engineering students, Bernard Fario (vocalist), Dante Taactaac (rhythm guitarist), Ronnel Bual (bassist), with Jose Condor, Jr. (ex-drummer) and Rheggie Ybañez (former keyboardist) grouped to the inspiration provided by Bisrock music and christened their band “Ossified” which means to stand firm and unified to the call on making music, whatever challenges this decision might pose.

But that was two years ago, when the brew of band-ism was at boiling point. After going through ups and downs, drummer Condor was replaced by Roldan “Dongke” Arnaiz (who also parted ways with his former band, Republika). Rheggie also gave up the pursuit; however, Jonathan Bolay joined in as lead guitarist. Short of living up to its moniker, the band name had somehow stuck.

According to Fario, it’s hard to drop the name. It was one medical jargon they learned from a Social Science professor, of which they were pleased of the “perceived sense of concretion” at the very sound of the term. From the word “ossification”, the band name has something to do with the formation of bones being the structural element in vertebrates.

Fario, who stands as big brother, main man, songwriter, and spokesperson of the group, said that “we kind of like the sound of it and the sternness implied by its meaning.”

To the band, the word means to become rigid in habits and in opinions when facing the challenges in pursuing their passion, their kind of music. And coupled with what was once growing resentment demonstrated by their parents to the concept of band-ing, the youngsters’ bulldog tenacity to pursue their musicality had also been dared.

“Pero karon mature na mi gamay, buotan na sad mi. Graduating na mi sa mechanical engineering course. On his fourth year na si Jonathan. Nag-work na sad si Dongke,” said a grinning Fario.

According to Ms. Zarah Smith of Handuraw Events Café, the then haven of artists in Cebu where I first watched a live Ossified performance, the band is “makalingaw” as Fario catches audience attention with his antics more than his “Hagtik Titik” orientation, pertaining to literary works at the Lakandiwa, the school organ of the UC. Together with Dante, Ronnel, Jose and Rheggie, a buffoon-like Fario performs with so much life with his intermittent display of antics, faces, hoots, grooves, shaking and jiggling, and trembling as though shocked with volts of current.

Fario takes care of the verses; the rest of the Ossified pack provides the melody. Two years ago, a bandmate said, “sometimes we chipped in a few lines, but we really leave it up to Fario because he is more of a son of the plume.” Thus, the birth of carrier “Deep Pressed” of their Extended Play album entitled “Ma’da ra’g Smile” released in 2006. They may not be as musically advanced as other bands considering that their song materials that time were still in the raw, and have not been actively recording lately because of financial constraints, but the boys at such young ages have vowed to move on in trailblazing for the blossoming of cultural revival, while carving a name in the Bisaya rock music scene that later on saw a niche in mainstream music.  

The EP which saw initial distribution during the “Bisrock to the Max (Tribute to Max Surban) concert at the Millennium Plaza in Lapu-Lapu City last year had already ran out of copies. The carrier track entitled “Deep Pressed” is about being in a state of snafu (situational normal all f**cked up!). Ossified! blares, “I hate being like this/sobra pa ka sa mga kurakot nga pulis/ I hate being like this/ baho pa ka sa mga basura ug sa mga ipis/ I’ve been in love and I’ve been hurt/di na ma-in love sa babaye nga flirt.”

“Nahutdan lagi’g kopya, nya di pa mi makaproduce og bag-o kay focused sa mi ron sa pagtoon kay graduating naman mi,” Fario said referring to their mechanical engineering studies at the UC.

“Ma’y pa ganing pirata sa Colon kay paspas pa modistribute sa mga Bisrock CDs with our songs in it,” he added in jest.

Personally, I like the auditory feel of “Ma’da ra’g Smile” because this is a song about hope for hopefulness. Despite raging teen angst delivered by quite a number of bands, Ossified tackled smoothly a teener’s common dream in such a way that it veered from the tenor of being mad or angry or upset or irate, “ang mga taghoy sa kalanggaman, nagapanlimbasog nga imong madunggan/ Ako unta may tumang hinagiban/Aron ang tanan mapuslan/Si Eva ka, sa paraiso ko/Prinsesa ka, sa gingharian ko/Si Juliet ka, ako si Romeo/Kanus-a kaha kini mataghapan/ Sa damgo posible ang tanan/Sa tago puno ako sa kalipay/Mad’a, mad’a ra’g smile…”

But Ronnel said that they are one in choosing “Problem Solving” as their anthem as a band reflective of the principle they are living and the call they would want the youth to heed, “ato nang isinggit nga dili ta palupig/sa mga problemang dagko pa sa mga bukid/ayaw na paglagot og dili na magbagutbot/ayaw pagsapot-sapot kay ang kalibotan nagtuyok…”

Further, sentimentality and radicalism had also pushed Fario to incorporate current issues into his latest compositions. Despite his silly-goofiness, Fario proved he has another side to him that could challenge one’s political opinion.

Writer/poet/critic Richel Dorotan of the bisayayahoogroups said that with “Last Term” for example, which is another latest composition, “using here the image of a self-confessed erring politician is not an effective point of view; however, it has successfully established the identity of Fario as a lyricist.”

“Self-confessed nga makasasala? Naa ba god ni siya ron sa habig sa atong mga politiko? Nakita nako nga di kaayo ni epektibong punto de bista bisan ibutang ta nga tinuod gyod nga kurakot ang mga politiko,” Dorotan said.

“Dili sad kaayo hagtik ang abstractions, pero makita nato nga naa na siya’y identity isip lyricist. Mamatikdan sab ang iyang pagtuon sa kamapuslanon sa maayong liriko isip kaabag sa pagmugna og kanta,” he added.

Despite the glitches noticed also in the poetic aspect of Ossified songs, Fario’s pure energy on stage has endeared him to quite a number of Bisrockistas, most especially in the cities of Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue and Ormoc. In fact, Ossified has transpired to become one of Cebu’s most admired bands. Their influence has also touched rockistas as far as Negros Island , Leyte, and the northern Mindanao .

Dante once shared it would be a joy to find somebody singing their songs in the next years. “That we would call achievement,” Dante said.

With the way airplay requests have been pouring in for their latest composition “Lapida sa Gugma”, the prayer must have already been answered.

Two years ago, they shared about dreaming of a compact disc generation compiling their songs that speak of the ossification of their passion with the strength of their aspirations.

Today, the biggest challenge that they have to deal with is on how to continue creating an impression, and defining as well as refining their musical direction.