Chapter 59

Chapter 59

After simply trying ensemble for last check entered the studio.

On-site atmosphere quite good.

Felt spent some money on studio direction too.

Not main stage but passages also fully decorated.

These people more sincere than thought.

The team in front of us playing with best.

The vocal who asked me shouting during the day earlier.

Despite long long waiting time sang until throat burst.

In the end received 3 votes ‘Real’ sticker and proudly passed.

And on the way back met us and we exchanged pleasant greetings.

“Alright, then shall we also go?”

“Okay!”

Only Heo Junseong who slept sufficiently overflowing with energy.

Uh this not good.

As soon as going up on stage we started tuning.

Roughly looking instruments’ state good.

Before starting the main stage I matched eyes one by one with the guys.

Heo Junseong overflowing with confidence to the point about to burst and Kang Min also the same.

Kim Jihu consistent with unique cynical expression.

Meaning confident.

Lee Doyoung looked a bit tired but will do well.

“Participant number 56 Oktap.”

As voice echoed riding the mic the production team exchanged some signals.

“Oktap stage please start.”

Soon the judge’s instruction fell and Oktap’s stage started.

Oktap sharing gazes from each seats.

A little later Kang Min held the drumstick high to the sky and shouted with voice.

“Oktap! Let’s go!!!!”

At Kang Min’s energetic shout the judges burst into laughter.

As soon as the song started Kang Min’s double bass kick ran at full speed.

Together with that Heo Junseong pouring riffs not falling behind.

Lee Doyoung kicked the prejudice bass heavy with foot and filled the floor with texture as if metal sound coming.

And Kim Jihu filling rhythm sense together with them.

Piano with unique percussive texture cold as if using virtual instrument.

The song we prepared this regular album’s title song Awaken.

Originally Awaken metal-based song but a song made through popular arrangement.

Well saying easy to listen song.

Badly saying song with essence faded.

Original song was so.

“What, brought original as raw metal?”

“Did arrangement a bit?”

Just four measures of intro flowed but judges seeing through at once what preparation Oktap did.

Original basically minor key but the flow of chords composing the song used bright tone.

“Earlier there 3rd right originally?”

“Yeah, originally that the point but killed. Substituted with 5th and voicing went well?”

“Aha... Sense fine.”

But Cha Seoha using his own method well expressed the solemn and dark feel metal gives.

And Cha Seoha roaming the stage with big movements.

Swam between friends’ ensemble using the whole body and feeling in person.

Arrangement with clear direction and level playing suiting that.

And Cha Seoha’s stage manner filling the stage so the viewer not bored.

Definitely Oktap had something of different dimension from other teams.

While various judge comments coming and going Cha Seoha started singing.

On the stage where light turned off

What left is my shadow.

At that moment stretching hand

I had turned my back

Same lyrics as original.

But completely different tone and melody suiting the arranged version.

Cha Seoha not simply spitting lyrics with renewed melody on the arranged song.

Not such, in the midst of conveying the meaning this song newly gained to everyone.

Originally original if sang so frustration and overcoming felt hopeful and youth.

This song feel of desperately struggling for overcoming after frustration.

Definitely popularity dropped.

No part that catches the ear clearly and gave tension but resolution also quite not refreshing feel.

People watching Oktap’s stage couldn’t erase the thought this stuffiness all directed.

Because the intention the song gives felt too clearly.

At the same time as verse transitioning to later part Kang Min’s drums played in half time.

Drums of frequency reduced in an instant.

In that empty space cymbal and tom appropriately infiltrating and adding detail.

Heo Junseong filled necessary time only with tapping occasionally appearing.

Lee Doyoung taking the bass’s range widely and occupying the place of empty guitar and drums.

And synth pad laying sharply.

Presence less compared to other instruments but this gloomy atmosphere all thanks to Kim Jihu’s playing.

All instruments played with same rhythm.

And members moving body greatly front and back matching that rhythm.

At the appearance practice amount sufficiently felt judges also nodded accordingly.

While they fully immersed in the pleasure the rhythm gives music arrived at the chorus.

Wake me up

Awaken now

Wake the sleeping heart

Connect the scattered me

Will run again

Dark atmosphere and speed sense couldn’t feel in original.

Judges hearing this chorus became certain.

“Quite determined.”

Not even one section that can feel popularity.

Cha Seoha sang scratching the throat a lot.

Simple but speed overflowing bass and drums as if about to destroy the world.

And guitar as if trying to invade the vocal’s place.

Even synth of lines not at all in original.

Oktap determined to show orthodoxy.

As if seeing the heyday of Black Label that dominated 70s Britain.

Oktap’s stage continuously proceeded at level.

Judges gradually immersing in their music together with flowing time.

Passing the second chorus around the time this song’s tension becoming inertia.

All instruments stopped playing in an instant.

And Kim Jihu’s lead solo played with very small volume.

Flashily played the instrument of sound emphasizing mid-high range.

Sound too small so not hearing well what playing but that all design to concentrate attention.

And volume gradually increasing.

Around the time able to notice the identity of lead solo Kang Min’s drums joined.

Basic 8 beat and tom mixing grandly sparsely.

Meanwhile Cha Seoha with both hands on the mic stand head fully bowed fully immersing and appreciating music.

And bass naturally sliding in together with slide.

While three instruments slowly forming harmony and making something that can be called music Heo Junseong raised the pick high and walked out to the front of the stage.

“Wow, crazy!”

“Solo. Solo.”

As soon as Heo Junseong walked out with playful expression judges anticipated the next part.

And Cha Seoha shouted into the mic and gave certainty.

“Guitar!!”

A few quick sweep pickings.

Heo Junseong announced the start of solo while emitting atmosphere of just roughly scraping strings.

Playing immediately continued with flashy picking.

Heo Junseong’s expression and body movements very raw feel.

Atmosphere as if beast with no thought at all emitted but his fingertips full of precision.

Seemed heart boiling.

Judges too.

And Heo Junseong in the midst of proceeding playing too.

Picking stopped briefly.

Heo Junseong shaking the tremolo arm and completely detaching the right hand.

Then shouted with voice.

“Hey!!!!”

With fully mischievous expression went one step more toward judges then threw the pick outside the stage.

Then returned back again and took seat and poured technical legato and ran the end of flashiness.

Heo Junseong cleanly presenting the technique also called measure of skill.

Perfect both hands mute.

Noise control perfect.

How immersed in playing staring at the ceiling with mouth open and fully intoxicated with himself.

When the speed sense of playing reached the extreme shook head crazily and fully released the desire of playing as if can’t endure more.

“Ha, really...”

“Heh, me really...”

Judges no longer even surprised.

Already thinking have to process as pass.

Together with thought where such kids gathered also drawing too far future of probably winning.

While various thoughts coming and going Heo Junseong finished solo playing and judges thought now the song might return to the main point.

Until Kim Jihu takes over the solo.

Suddenly Kim Jihu’s right hand started running urgently on the keys.

At the unexpected synthesizer solo screams popped out from the judges.

“Waa!”

“Wow, these crazy guys that.”

“Wow fuck, high school right those kids?”

Unlike hot-blooded man Heo Junseong Kim Jihu calmly engaged in playing.

He played the main melody frantically with right hand and between that didn’t stop note bending with left hand.

Kim Jihu adding humanity with bending to machine-like sound.

But such things not suit Kim Jihu.

Precision.

Unrealistic playing as if machine stamping.

Have to show such too.

While continuously playing similar lines with right hand pressed the transpose button recklessly at appropriate timing.

Solo continuously key changing.

Then later even pressed the octave change button boldly and directed absurd solo.

Is this realistically possible playing?

Guitarist was excellent person’s playing.

But that synthesizer player achieving level human can’t achieve.

Judges unable to say any more words.

As Kim Jihu’s playing ended now the song entered the main point.

Wake me up

Awaken now

Wake the sleeping heart

Connect the scattered me

Will run again

Awaken running toward the end as the last chorus bursting out.

Guitar and synthesizer that presented too big ego until a little while ago also somehow became one and played the same music.

The pleasure when music finds its place always pleasant.

And Oktap who knows how to well bestow that pleasure.

Passing the chorus the song’s outro started.

Around the time thought now really ended something stepped on Cha Seoha’s eyes.

‘What is that?’