Hardcore punk in the Philippines has always been shaped by the country’s geography and economic realities. With scenes scattered across islands and cities, connections often formed slowly, if at all. Figure Out, a straight edge band from Metro Manila, belong to a new wave determined to bridge those divides, channeling the frustrations and urgency of Filipino life into their music.
Figure Out formed in 2023, brought together by shared friends, past bands, and the wider Pilipinas Hardcore network. Each member comes from a different corner of Metro Manila’s scene, carrying experience from other local projects. What began as a straight edge hardcore band soon grew into something broader, as their sound pushed beyond any single style.
“Key influences used to be staple Lockin’ Out bands like Righteous Jams, Mental, etc.,” vocalist Jhona tells No Echo. “But when we added and changed some members, we branched out and looked back at the long history of hardcore.”
Through the Tides makes that expanded perspective clear. The new record moves between flashes of Strife, NYHC grit, and the melodic urgency of Have Heart, but never feels scattered. The band leans into tempo changes, inventive fills, and heavier grooves, reshaping each track while keeping a tight focus.
Lyrically, Through the Tides stays grounded in what Jhona calls "the Filipino problem." Instead of abstract politics, Figure Out write about the realities people face every day: class divides, corruption, historical revisionism, and a justice system that drags on without answers.
"These are deeply-rooted issues that push the limit of every Filipino like the Philippines’ slow and unfair justice system, class divide, and rampant historical revisionism. These issues are conveyed on our record with a balance of artistic poetry, hidden references, and day-to-day language."
The way Figure Out recorded the record speaks to how global hardcore has become. They tracked guitars and bass at home, then recorded drums and vocals at Banana Rising Recording Studio. For mixing and mastering, they reached out to Anthony Burke from Magnitude, while Fr3lan of Defy handled the artwork.
“We want to show how hardcore right now is a global thing,” Jhona says. “We have these friends outside the Philippines helping us out on the record.” The finished 7” was released through Still Ill Records.
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Jhona’s own entry point into hardcore followed a path familiar to many scene veterans: sneaking out of college classes to attend local shows before eventually becoming part of the scene directly. “A typical hardcore kid story,” as Jhona puts it. But the vocalist also believes the current generation of Filipino hardcore kids is more open and welcoming than in earlier eras.
“The current oldheads were once newjacks,” Jhona says. “They’re open to teaching newcomers what there is to be taught.”
Even as the scene grows and new trends take hold, Figure Out hold tight to what hardcore means at its core. Jhona credits bands like Whispers for putting Southeast Asian hardcore on the map, but also notes the rise of beatdown and slam-influenced acts inspired by groups like Sunami.
“This easier access to hardcore also opened the doors to those people who just go to shows for the moshing,” Jhona says. “Still quite optimistic that these new kids will learn deep down what hardcore is about.” As more people find their way into the scene, Figure Out insist that Pilipinas Hardcore is still built on DIY ethics and local support. “That’s one thing we’re all proud of,” Jhona says.
Straight edge itself also takes on a slightly different meaning within Filipino culture. In a country where drinking culture is deeply normalized, Jhona says the decision to stay sober is often viewed positively by family members rather than rebelliously.
“My mom takes some pride in the fact that I don’t take drugs or get home wasted drunk,” Jhona says. “But that’s actually not our message in Figure Out, because we believe that ‘it’s ok to drink, but it’s not ok NOT TO THINK.’”
As Figure Out continue moving forward, the band remains focused not just on itself, but on strengthening the broader hardcore network across the Philippines. Jhona specifically emphasized the importance of supporting the many smaller regional scenes across the country’s islands.
“Under one umbrella term of PHC,” Jhona says, “we’ll continue to sing about Philippine problems—from the government to poverty.”
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Through the Tides will soon be available on 7" via Still Ill Records (pre-order).
Figure Out on social media: Instagram
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