One of my favourite songs to play live, written and recorded way back in 2008 and is part of the second album which we just released and sold via gigs for the next 7 years. A lot of difference it makes when you get a great guitar player to join the band, named Inigo. This was his song and riff and it came a long way from then.

Weightless

The second song written for the second album way back 2008. This flowed quite naturally when jammed and finished it within the session. I like its catchy hook and chorus. Also a staple on our live gigs for the next 7 years or so. I wish we could write more new songs the way we wrote this.

Strange

I joined Halik Ni Gringo around the tail end of 2009 as the guitar player but later on helmed the bass duties til today. I've been with the band for more than 5 years already and have immensely enjoyed every minute of it. From the live shows and just by hanging it with these fine fellas. This track we rarely play live anymore but i believe is one of the best songs from the band, it was originally pegged to be part of a compilation for Ely Buendia's graphic novel/cd comp but the project never materialized. I love the bon jovi-esque bassline and the reggae ending, wish we could play this more often live.


Keep Calm And Love The Bomb

Uploading songs from the debut album that not all are familiar with but i personally love playing live. Our staple heavy song on gigs that have heavy bands on the bill. Originally written for another comp for an online gaming that never materialized or did it? Maybe we were dropped, i dunno. Our first and only tagalog song, maybe we should write more tagalog songs in the future cause i think this wasn't half-bad. I love the riff and how easy it is to play leaving more room for LRing.

Lubog Sa Laro

A much overlooked track from the album which is fun to play live and as soundcheck sometimes. I wish we'd play this more often. It's actually about family planning hiding beneath a metal riff and rob zombie.

People Powerman 5000

This was my first real band, a bunch of college buddies and best friends with the same love for loud music eager to play anywhere, anytime, it was a great decade to play live gigs, we were young, reckless and full of promise. We never got anywhere eventually and all of us moved on to other things after it ended, but i swear, this was the best days of my life. Poorly recorded way back the tail end of the 90s.

Quattro

We were stupid enough to think we could sound like The Rollins Band, there is only one Henry Rollins, but we had fun playing this song live and even got a chance to re-record it for the NU 107 In The Raw compilation.

Belonging

The first song I ever wrote for Shoulder State, this was 2005, so forgive my emo self-deprecating state. The track was later on added to the 6Underground: The Gathering compilation a few years later. I love playing this live and it even has an acoustic iteration on the rare occasion we do an intimate set. I'm proud of this band for playing many many gigs during it's existence and every one of those gig we play with our hearts out. This was engineered by Shinji Tanaka, with Richie on bass, Chino on guitars/vocals, Julius on drums and me on guitars/vocals.

10 My Hypothalamus

This song was written pretty quickly after I was doodling the opening riff during a jam session. Then everything flows smoothly following that riff. Vocals came in pretty quickly too as we were inspired by an Archers Of Loaf song. Proud of this one and we always try to play it live whenever we can.

06 Still Go On

A track off our second album. Rarely played live but thought it was pretty good(yeah, i know, love your own haha)Wish we could play this as often as we could. Wish we could still play, period.

Heart & Soul

Works as an Ad Guy, plays guitar, listens to records and has corrective glasses and wears cap.

Rio Vargas