FASPITCH: Highly underrated legends

In this slow and stubborn quest to push myself to go out more often, I somehow ended up planning a night out with some high school friends to watch bands play live. They hadn’t been to a gig in so long. Honestly, neither had we together.

Luckily, my favorite local band Faspitch was playing nearby at Unknown13 Pub for a Fiends and Family show.

I always follow Faspitch and make it a point to catch a show anytime I can. There’s something comforting about knowing they’re on a lineup. You just know it’s going to be a good set.

Their music ended up being the perfect soundtrack for us to reminisce about who we were 20+ years ago. Back when we had a band. Back when after-school hangs meant “rehearsals” at a nearby studio. (It was mostly them. I just sang sometimes.) Back when alternative and metal music felt like the only thing that made sense, and our biggest problem was figuring out how to ask our parents for permission to watch a gig as underaged high school students.

I was also ridiculously happy to finally watch Fell The Mighty live. I’ve been a fan of Miguel Palispis since his Curbside days, but never had the chance to see him perform in person. Worth the wait. Super worth it.

But of course, I’m here to talk about Faspitch.

For anyone who somehow isn’t familiar, Faspitch has been around since the before-before days of the local metal scene. The era when gigs were flyered, and the door charge often includes a drink. When you discovered bands through word of mouth and burned CDs. The days when you can still smoke inside a lot of venues. (I mean thank God we can't smoke indoors anymore honestly). They’ve survived lineup changes, personal storms, industry shifts, and the general unpredictability of being a heavy band in the Philippines.

And yet here they are in 2025. Still releasing new songs. Still showing up. Still doing the work.

Current lineup:
Henry on vocals.
Martin on bass.
Andrew on drums.
Russ and John on guitars. (the same Russ and John of Urbandub.)

They’ve played outside the country, including Baybeats in Singapore (2008 - sorry for carbon dating you angkols), which is a huge milestone for any band from here. They’ve won two consecutive Awit Awards in recent years. That alone should put more respect on their name.

And still, somehow, they remain one of the most underrated bands in the country.

Maybe it’s because metal will always sit slightly outside the mainstream OPM spotlight. Maybe it’s because they don’t just do things for the hype. But if you’ve followed their journey, you know they’ve built something steady. They’ve shown range. They’ve evolved. And most importantly, they’ve stayed.

Watching them at Unknown13, playing a set so tight even after I’ve seen them a dozen times, still amazes me. That’s just how they are. Consistent. Reliable. Solid. It just felt right.

Old friends beside me. Loud music in front of us. A band that’s been part of our lives for over a decade still doing what they do best.

Twenty years later, we’re older. Slightly more responsible. Slightly less chaotic.

But for a few hours in that packed little pub, it felt like we were back in rehearsal rooms again. Or in a school hallway after class, sharing earphones and listening to our favorite “noisy” songs like they were secrets only we understood.

And Faspitch?

Still here. Still heavy. Still underrated.

Listen to FASPITCH.

FIENDS AND FAMILY: UNKNOWN13

(We got so busy catching up, I ended up only taking photos of Fapitch. moops. I'll do better next time!)