In an era where soundbites have become the norm in dictating what’s popular or not, Chicosci continues to do their own thing: maintaining that punk rock angst by just doing themselves and letting the results echo from their work.

In this CLAVEL feature, we had a chat with Miggy, Mong, Eco, and Victor about the band’s 25 year evolution and how they’re still kicking down the doors to this very day.

Kids and their Giant Robots

Imagine, you’re in the middle of the 90’s. There was no Internet to look up your favorite artists and their list of songs – you’re just literally basing on feel. That’s how OG Chicosci members Miggy and Mong found their footing to create a band and pour their passions out. Exploring influences wasn’t as easy as we have it today. At the time, they had to find gig posters and albums to figure out their favorite bands’ favorite bands and they’d replicate that sound in their own way, making it their own.

In their juvenile young minds, they just did what they felt was right and real to themselves at the time. A reflection of their influences was how it mostly sounded when they released their debut album, Revenge of the Giant Robot.

“Music in the 90’s required a lot of imagination. Natrain kami growing up trying to ouido our influences, pero di namin nakita exactly kung paano nila ginawa. So meron kaming sariling version na mali.”

They were living every teenagers’ dream despite not being the popular kids in school – being handed a boatload of cash to do what they love, which is making music. A journey that jumpstarted not by the power of algorithms and modern technology, but by headbanging their way into this way of life. And here they are in the year 2025, picking up new members Eco and Victor along the way while sharing the same vision all those years ago: make music and keep on going.

The Science of Chicosci

“We’re fucking loud.”

That alone tells you what you can expect out of the band across all of its iterations. Being placed in the position of being too out there for mainstream but too polished for purists, they’ve managed to thrive in this scenario.

“Lagay mo kami sa metal gig, kami pinakamalambot doon. Pero lagay mo kami sa gig with Sarah Geronimo (which we’ve done), then we look like Satan.”

Embracing this image further led Chicosci to have a loyal and passionate fanbase. If you get them, then you’ll really get them because again, they were never the popular kids. This brought the band into the forefront of emos across the country with their skinny jeans, eyeliners, and tattoos. They were the fuel needed to spark the confidence in likeminded individuals to embrace how they expressed themselves, and that’s such a rad thing to do. They did the cool things before it became cool.

“When you’re a fan of music, you’re a fan of more than just the sound; may kasama na siyang aesthetic and community aspect to it. Gusto namin iexpress art namin not just with our music, but the way we dress, in our album art and music videos, as well as the way we perform.”

Playing it Forward

With almost 3 decades into the business, they’ve reached full circle. From being inspired by the bands that they adored when they were kids, it’s now their turn to pave the way. They approach everyday with a much more mature take not just in terms of their music, but in how they present themselves.

The guys repping their own taste in VANS apparel.

“We look at musicians who are still doing it now like Rolling Stones, Pearl Jam, Glassjaw – how they do it. Mas holistic na tingin mo sa ibang musicians, not just music but their way of life.”

The addition of Eco and Victor in this current incarnation of the band allowed for much more leeway for visualizing what modern Chicosci sounds like – technically more proficient and cleaner, but having the same frenetic energy and passion for the craft. With this lineup, they currently have two singles under their belt, with their latest, ‘Biktima’, being released a couple months ago. This also led them at the forefront of VANS’ ‘Feel Something New’ campaign, a fitting team-up with a classic brand bringing renewed energy into the scene.

A Legacy Locked and Loaded

“Everything goes back to like if it’s still fun, we’ll still play.”

Chicosci’s journey is proof that if you just fucking do it, then you can take on all the ends of the world. They shouted out their souls through their music; a rallying cry that brought people together. Enabling a scene of outsiders with their screaming vocals, intense guitar riffs and raw emotions; Chicosci’s music is the anthem of making you feel like you can do it too.

The next step? To keep on keeping on.

Give them a follow @wearechicosci to stay tuned for their move.

In partnership with VANS Philippines,