Mirror Magazine

Mirror Magazine

Saving ourselves
By Tharangani Perera
A dramatic writer. A captivating vocalist. Two spirited guitarists. Throw in a couple of interactive developers, public relations managers and you have the dark matter that gives birth to the multi-sensory experience that is HollowPoint Halo. They are a collective; a coalescence of artistes; a circle of friends. Fusing contemporary music, creative writing and comic artistry, the eight individuals reflect the scars of humanity’s self-mutilation, and its innate desire to save itself through creative music.

Having created the genre of Bullet Rock, which is a melding of acoustica, electronica, alternative and industrial rock, HollowPoint Halo has thus far released four songs, all of which are receiving regular airplay on local radio stations. These songs, powered by the intention of creating awareness among the youth of Sri Lanka transcend the boundaries of sensuous aesthetics with their sometimes hidden-sometimes overt social messages that are focused upon issues such as domestic violence, juvenile depression, suicide and murder.

Each new release is linked to a corresponding story, which voices contemporary social issues that primarily affect the youth. These distinct animated stories merge together to form a unique six-part saga, titled Hellerd that can be followed online at www.hollowpointhalo.com. Each creative segment is wholly conceptualised by the collective and can be followed independently or in concert with the others.

On Friday, October 28, at H2O at 9 p.m. HollowPoint Halo will create yet another firestorm among the Sri Lankan rock audience. UnderSkin, the band’s second live performance, promises to be an acoustic exposition of the bare essence that lies at the heart of its music. Comple-mented by the showcasing of live visual projection and animation, acoustic guitars and a string quartet will work together to create the performance paradox of stripping away the synthesized skin, while elevating the essence that forms the core of HollowPoint Halo’s artistry.

The band will comprise vocalist Marsh Dodanwela and guitarists Ranil Goonawardene and Billy Fernando, who will be supported by a string quartet in their endeavor to deconstruct and reinterpret the music of the collective. “We’re writing the score for the string quartet and I believe that we are the first rock band in Sri Lankato write their own scores especially for their original material,” says Ranil, emphasising the novelty of such an undertaking. “There will also be special performances by Azlan Bathusha from Krebscycle, Anil Balasooriya from Independent Square, Deadlyne 21 and Amanda,” he adds.

In addition to the unique presentation of music by several renowned artistes from around the country, its gripping theme, UnderSkin will feature for the first time in Sri Lanka, an ultra-modern video wall. “The video wall will comprise six plasma TVs, and will carry all the stylised visuals we have created for the songs,” says Marsh, highlighting the importance of this high-tech creation in the presentation of the nature of HollowPoint Halo’s artistry to its fans.

Featuring some of the nation’s most inimitable musical creations, UnderSkin will offer the audience an opportunity to witness and interact with a collection of artistes from divergent disciplines, bringing together their distinctive art forms to create a singular fusion of sight and sound. With all its uniqueness, and its promise to beguile and captivate Sri Lanka, UnderSkin is certain to serve as a hallmark in the history of the nation’s rock music industry.

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