EVEN as Rock n Roll’ slowly seeps its way into Caribbean culture, local rock band, Feed the Flames (FTF) is about to embark on a new step in their journey by lending their talents to support Trinidad and Tobago’s premier deathcore metal band, LYNCHPIN in the ‘twin-island’ in July.

For you local rock fanatics, you’ll know it’s a big deal, because LYNCHIPIN itself is making its mark on the Caribbean ‘Rock’ scene, and will soon represent the Caribbean in the Wacken Open Air Metal Battle competition in Germany.
Formed in 2008, FTF consists of vocalist, Gavin Persaud; guitarists, Gavin Singh and Emilio Martins; bassist, Gavin Mendonca; and drummer, Nicholas Chung. The band is considered to be a significant member of the Heavy Metal Movement in Guyana, which started in the late 80s.
In an interview, Gavin told The Buzz that this is a huge opportunity for them, and that they intend to represent Guyana well. “We have performed once in Suriname in 2013,” he said, “so, this is our second performance outside of Guyana. We had submitted our application to be a part of the Wacken Metal Battle Caribbean, but did not qualify.
“We still chose to go to Suriname to attend the event, so that we can be a part of ‘rock ‘n’ roll’ history.
MADE GREAT FRIENDS
“We made great friends, expanding our network, and the possibility of us performing more regional and international gigs is greater than ever.”
Having keenly observed their competition while abroad, Gavin stated that FTF will now begin to prepare accordingly, so as to win the next Wacken Metal Battle Caribbean, scheduled to be held in Suriname in 2018.
Since their formation, FTF has released a three-song EP, and is currently recording and self-producing their first full-length studio album.
The band has performed at numerous underground Heavy Metal events in Guyana, and many prestigious events for the national public’s eye.
FTF follows the trend of the ‘New Wave of Heavy Metal’: Marrying European guitar riffing and throaty vocals with aggressive drumming and heavy bass.
In Guyana, FTF has set a new standard for live performances in the ‘Rock’ scene, which is still very small and underground. “Here in Guyana, the general public is not very accepting towards ‘Rock’ music, mostly because they do not understand it. And there is a saturation of American ‘Pop’ and Jamaican ‘Dancehall-type’ music,” Gavin said.
CONTINUES TO PROGRESS
Despite this challenge, FTF continues to progress as a Heavy Metal band. Over the past few months, the group has been stepping out of the shadows, and performing at more public events, most recently at the National Stadium for the ‘Next Generation Concert’, part of the Golden Jubilee Concert Series.
It was the largest audience the band has every played for, with over 1,000 people in attendance. The band received an overwhelmingly positive response for reciting a rock version of Guyana’s National Anthem. The band’s recent single, ‘TerraPissed’, was also featured in the recently released international film, A Bitter Lime, which was shot here in Guyana.
Feed The Flames aims to take Guyanese Heavy Metal across the globe, and to prove to Guyana that young people can have dreams, pursue them, and accomplish them, even in the face of extreme adversity.
ABOUT LYNCHPIN
LYNCHPiN is a four-member Death and Groove metal band hailing from Trinidad and Tobago. The band recently won the Wacken Open-Air Metal Battle, Caribbean Edition, which allows them the opportunity to represent the Caribbean at the Wacken Open-Air Metal Battle finals in Germany. This festival, one of the world’s largest and most prestigious metal festivals, will be held from August 3-6, 2016 and will be headlined by top metal acts such as Iron Maiden, Blue Oyster Cult and Testament.
LYNCHPiN’s inclusion marks the first time a Caribbean band will perform at the festival, and is thus a historic moment for Caribbean rock and metal bands and fans.
On July 9, LYNCHPiN is hosting a fundraiser show titled, LYNCHPiN vs. The World, at Space La Nouba, South Trinidad, in an effort to raise money for the very expensive trip to Germany.
Scheduled to perform at this event in addition to LYNCHPiN are top Trinidadian bands Sidekick Envy, Goodnight Parliament, Bound to Oblivion and Absence of I. LYNCHPiN vs. The World will therefore be a true showcase of Caribbean rock/metal music, and promises to be a great event for all attendees.