Bryan was a devoted metalhead long before learning to play music. Picking up the guitar casually at age 17, he dabbled in classical music as part of an ensemble (while unsuccessfully trying to play Malmsteen licks) until joining one of Singapore’s premiere death metal acts – Oshiego (www.facebook.com/Oshiego). There, he was schooled again and again in the art of aggressive yet precise riffing, the hallmark of any heavy metal band worth their salt.
Using a guitar amplifier that also doubled as a stereo, Bryan performed two Oshiego songs to a backing track, The Great Architect of Nothing and Crossing the Bridge of Siraat, the title tracks of two of the band’s albums. Oshiego’s style of death metal takes big influence from the Stockholm scene of early 90’s Swedish death metal, as well as German thrash metal from the 80’s, notably from Kreator (who will be performing in Singapore in August). This style of music is understandably and desirably abrasive for the uninitiated listener, albeit bolstered with strong melodic lines.
Bryan considers heavy music to be anathemic to the glossy and dull pop songs that adorn megachurch halls. It’s not for everyone and it doesn’t try to be. Despite that, many of his musical influences are less sonically devastating – Marty Friedman, Jon Schaffer, Neil Zaza, etc.
https://www.facebook.com/Oshiego/
