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Rachel Mok

Sporting a name that makes them sound more like a horror film than a band, proud Hongkongers Evocation recently rocked the international stage at Wacken Open Air in Germany.
Fronted by Tomy Chiu Sin-chung, with guitarist Tam Kwan-tai, bassist Chung Chow, drummer Man Leung Kin-man and synth player Jamline Lo Ka-ho, the heavy metal outfit finished fourth at the festival's Metal Battle competition in August.
"It was truly an eye-opening experience, and we feel honoured to be selected as one of the top five bands," says drummer Leung. Band members agree originality was the most crucial factor that swayed the festival judges to vote in their favour.
That was true of the other winners, too, say the band, citing third-place winner Huldre, from Denmark, as an example.
"Huldre covered the stage in vines and leaves, and played indigenous folk melodies and instruments mixed with traditional heavy metal," says Leung. "The sound was uniquely their own, and I think that was what all the judges were looking for."
Formed in 2002, Evocation largely play death metal, a sub-genre of extreme metal that involves technical musicianship and a great deal of screaming and growling.
But the band have been slowly evolving. Last year's studio album Abracadabra, which followed 2008's Take Your Soul, seemed full of newfound influences and passion.
Some critics put that shift down to a number of personnel changes, a transition which saw Leung come on board in 2010. "The sound you find on Abracadabra is a result of those changes," agrees Chiu, who has a tattoo of the band's name in Chinese on his right arm.
Their latest achievement at Wacken Open Air - which is widely considered the largest festival of its kind in the world, and was this year attended by 80,000 headbangers from across the globe - is a roaring endorsement of their newly minted sound.
To compete in the festival, the band first had to beat 300 other contestants in the regional heats in China. After winning at home, Evocation went on to represent both Hong Kong and the mainland, and battled bands from 30 participating countries, keeping their eyes firmly on a top five place, which entailed a cash prize.
The five-piece gave their all in terms of music and stage presence. When the band hit the Wacken stage, concert-goers were greeted with huge banners featuring Taoist talismans and imagery that harked back to the 1980s  jiangshi-themed (Chinese hopping vampires) horror cinema of Hong Kong.
This take on local horror culture is also reflected in their music and lyrics, which tackle the supernatural, Chinese folklore and Taoist concepts. The outcome is an original and refreshing take on heavy metal.
Evocation's Wacken outing also gave them the chance to see some of their favourite metal bands performing, including Megadeth, Slayer and Behemoth. The three-day metal bash was physically tiring, but the presence of such bands made the fest a dream come true for the members.
They say, half-jokingly, the experience brought tears to their eyes. "These are bands we grew up with, and would likely never have a chance to see in Hong Kong. So catching them all at once was an emotional moment for us," says guitarist Tam.
They were impressed by the varied nature of the audience, too, according to Leung.
"The audience was great. In contrast to the more alternative/underground feel of metal shows in Hong Kong, we saw parents bring their kids to Wacken Open Air like it was a family day out. That says a lot about the popularity of heavy metal in Germany," he says.
The eye-opening experience at Wacken made the homegrown metalheads reflect on the state of the metal scene in our city. Though there are some great heavy metal bands in Hong Kong, the local metal community remains small.

	It was truly an eye-opening experience, and we feel honoured to be selected as one of the top five bands

	Man Leung, drummer
"The lack of media coverage, and the difficulty of finding affordable practice space, keeps heavy metal relegated to the fringes," Leung laments.
While these are deep-rooted problems with no easy solutions, Evocation remain optimistic about the scene here, and are already planning their next release. They're also hoping to do an official tour to promote Abracadabra on the mainland.
But first, they will support Swedish death metal band Therion in Beijing on September 30 and at the Changjiang Midi Festival in Shanghai on October 2. The band are excited that the gigs give them an opportunity to reach out to a new and wider audience of metal maniacs across the border.
 


Rockers Evocation do city proud in German battle of bands

Evocation are (from left) Jam Lo, Tomy Chiu, Man Leung and Tam Kwan-Tai. Photo: Dickson Lee

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