- Chicosci
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Chicosci 
Background information Origin Manila, Philippines Genres Older material:
Nu metal
Rap metal
Rapcore
Alternative metal
Current material:
Pop-punk
Post-hardcore
Emo
Alternative rockYears active 1996–present Associated acts Sandwich
Project 1
April Morning Skies
Sponge Cola
Love Me Butch
Sun Valley Crew
Taken by Cars
Arcadia (formerly Fallen Oppression)
ItchywormsWebsite http://www.chicosci.org Members Miggy Chavez - Lead vocals
Mong Alcaraz - Guitars, Vocals, Keyboards
Calde Calderon - Bass guitar, Vocals
Ariel Lumanlan - Guitars
Macoy Estacio - DrumsPast members Eugene Esquivias - Percussions(1996 - 2007)
Sonny Baquisal - Guitars (1996 - 2007)
Joel Salvador - Drums (1996 - 2008)
Jan Kevin Santos † - Unclean Vocals (1996)ChicoSci is a 5-piece Filipino rock band based in Manila. The band is composed of Miggy Chavez, Mong Alcaraz, Calde Calderon, Macoy Estacio and Ariel Lumanlan.
Contents
Background
Formation and early days
The group started out as a peer of young college kids from the Ateneo de Manila University, ChicoSci (previously Chico Science) was originally composed of Miguel "Miggy" Chavez, Paul Ivan "Bimboy" Nota, Miguel "Mong" Alcaraz, Carlos "Calde" Calderon, Jan Kevin Santos and Joel Salvador. The six enjoyed playing together so much that they decided to take their music seriously by recruiting guitarist Sonny Baquisal and long-time friend Eugene "Yug" Esquivias to solidify the songwriting process. The band won an inter school Battle of the Bands and spent the prize money in recording a demo – an investment that landed them a two-album record deal with EMI Philippines. The band released the albums Revenge of the Giant Robot and Method of Breathing....
Career as Chico Science
The highly successful debut record established Chico Science as one of the forerunners of the new generation of rock. They struggled a lot trying to get their first album signed because nobody would sign them due to the fact that their songs are incredibly flaming with homosexuality and listeners' ears would tend to bleed from the incredibly awful noise that cam out of Miggy's mouth. so they had to kiss a lot of rear ends just to get them signed. Furthermore, they had to start wearing eyeliner so that people would actually notice them Revenge of the Giant Robot spawned hits such as Amen, Soopafly, and the MTV hit, Sink or Swim. This album was also nominated to the prestigious Awit Awards for Best Rock Recording. Their first-ever music video Sink or Swim, directed by Lyle Sacris, also won as the Best Directed Video for the 2001 MTV Pilipinas Awards. Later on, they decided to change the name Chico Science to ChicoSci, in order not to be confused with the Brazilian singer.
Career as ChicoSci
Never satisfied and always trying out new things, the band continued to work on redefining their sound. Shifting their musical direction to a more melodic style, they sought Raimund Marasigan for guidance in working with their second album. True enough, both audiences and critics embraced the new sound of ChicoSci. Method Of Breathing included several hits such as Glass is Broken, Rolento, and the highly-infectious Paris. Interestingly, Paris holds the record for the most number of weeks a song (foreign or local) has stayed in a countdown. It stayed in the NU107 Midnight Countdown for more than 52 weeks and giving Chicosci the Song of the Year award at the 2002 NU 107 Rock Awards.
In 2004, the band released their third album, Icarus, under Viva Records. The band again enlisted the help of Raimund Marasigan, who tagged along Buddy Zabala, to produce the bands most experimental album. In May 2004, the band gained media recognition by becoming MTVs Lokal Artist of the Month. The songs Theme from Conversation with Fire, Shallow Graves, and An Argument, enjoyed media airtime, also went into the NU 107 Midnight and Year-end Countdown.
On June 6, 2006, ChicoSci released and launched their self-titled 4th album. Having been in the studio for more than a year, the band boasts it as being their best work to date. A self-produced effort, the band again attempts to give listeners something new to look forward to. The self titled album features catchier melodies and more synth playing from Alcaraz. At the same time, there is minimal screaming and more focus on Chavez's singing, the most obvious change on the self titled album.
With the release of their carrier single A Promise, ChicoSci gained more popularity as their market grew. ChicoSci went on to play in Malaysia and Singapore as well as local hot spots like Cafe Saguijo. The album has spawned four singles, A Promise, Seven Black Roses, ChicoSci Vampire Social Club and Last Look. The music video for ChicoSci Vampire Social Club won the Favorite Rock Video at the 2008 Myx Music Awards. The band released their fifth studio album, Fly Black Hearts in 2009.
Discography
Main article: Chicosci Discography2000 – Revenge of the Giant Robot
2002 – Method of Breathing
2004 – Icarus
2006 – ChicoSci
2007 – BEST
2009 - Fly Black HeartsAchievements
- Listener's Choice Award - NU107 Rock Awards, 2009
- Favorite Artist of Philippines - MTV Asia, 2008
- Best produced album - “Method of Breathing,” 2002 NU107 RockAwards
- Song of the year - “Paris,” 2002 NU107 RockAwards
- Guitarist of the year - Mong (2002 & 2006 NU107 RockAwards) and Sonny (2002 NU107 RockAwards)
- Best Director - Lyle Sacris for “Sink or Swim,” 2001 MTV Pilipinas Music Awards
- Best Designed Album Cover - “Revenge of the Giant Robot,” 2001 NU107 RockAwards
- Male of the year - Mong, 2006 NU107 RockAwards
Nominations
- Song of the year – “Diamond Shotgun,” 2009 NU107 Rock Awards
- Album of the year - “Icarus”, 2004 NU107 Rock Awards
- Guitarists of the year - Mong and Sonny, 2004 NU107 Rock Awards
- Best album packaging - “Icarus”, 2004 NU107 Rock Awards
- Drummer of the year - Joel, 2002 NU107 Rock Awards
- Best rock recording - “Sink or Swim,” 2001 Awit Awards
- Song of the year - “Sink or Swim,” 2001 NU107 Rock Awards
- Best music video - “Sink or Swim,” 2001 NU107 Rock Awards
Former members
- Eugene "Yug" Esquivias - Percussions (2000–2007). Last appeared on Seven Black Roses music video. Esquivias left for Canada.
- Sonny Baquisal - Guitar (2000–2007). Last seen on ChicoSci Vampire Social Club music video. Baquisal left to go to Italy with his family. Replaced by Ariel Lumanlan of the metalcore band Arcadia on November 2007.
- Joel Salvador - Drums (1996–2008). Last seen on ChicoSci Myx Live Performance. Replaced by Macoy Estacio of the post-hardcore band April Morning Skies.
- Jan Kevin Santos † - Unclean Vocals (1996). Co-founder of ChicoSci.
- Bobby Fraga- Guitars- 2005
External links
Compilation albums Singles Soopafly · Amen · Sink Or Swim · Glass Is Broken · Rolento · Paris · Shallow Graves · Theme From Conversations With Fire · An Argument · A Promise · 7 Black Roses · Chicosci Vampire Social Club · Last Look · Diamond Shotgun (Lock And Load) · Breathe Again · What's Your PoisonLabels Categories:- Philippine rock music groups
- Pop punk groups
- Post-hardcore groups
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