UNIVERSAL RECORDS proudly brings you FUCHSIANG PAG-IBIG the new album from SILENT SANCTUARY, UR’s latest addition to its rich roster of recording artists. The album is comprised of 12 original compositions, including the current single “Ikaw Lamang,” which is steadily rising in radio charts nationwide.

The band is composed of Anjo Inacay on cello, Chino David on violins, Allen Calixto on drums, Paolo Legaspi on bass and Sarkie Sarangay on guitars and lead vocals. Their new album is a curious combination of catchy rock-influenced pop and classical string arrangements. Make no mistake though, the classical strings do add a new dimension to their sound; unlike other contemporary bands foreign and local whose attempts at bringing in violinists are merely ornamental at best. From the aforementioned single “Ikaw Lamang” to the engaging album opener “Rebound” to the funny and witty love ditty “Pink 5ive” to the universally appealing closer “14,” FUCHSIANG PAG-IBIG could very well be the breakthrough album for this St. Scholastica-based group.

The band started out during their first few years in college with Anjo and Chino jamming with other musicians. Their original lead singer Norman was the anchor behind the songwriting; coming up with an independently released album entitled “Ellipsis of the Mind.” The album had a dark mood to it; which inspired the band name. Some of the original members left one by one for various reasons, until Norman had to leave as well.

The remaining members then conducted auditions. Sarkie auditioned both as guitarist and lead vocalist; but he was initially accepted as a guitarist only. Things didn’t work out so well with the lead vocalist that was initially hired so Sarkie asked his bandmates if he they were open to the idea of trying him out on lead vocals. Soon enough, Sarkie charted a new musical direction which was lighter and bordering more on the pop side.

“My only musical influences are the Eraserheads, Rivermaya, Smashing Pumpkins, mga mainstream talaga,” Sarkie notes. “Yun yung mga tipo kong kanta, melodic at madaling na-relate-an.”

“Our first independent album was conceived mainly for ourselves,” Anjo explains. “We wanted to go to another phase, because yung dark moods kasamang sumama with our original lead vocalist. This time we wanted to write and play music not only for ourselves but for whoever wants to listen and give us a try. We tried to do a more symphonic sound, where musically makikita mo sa mga songs na there are a lot of things happening, at the same time, na hindi nagsasapawan. Mas madaling pumasok ang ideas, dahil siguro ito yung music na talagang kami. Nakahanap kami ng common ground.”

And the band persevered until they managed to master that cohesive feel and write new songs in the process. They eventually found a new management in One Big Family (same management as Itchyworms and Ciudad), bagged an NU Rock Award as In the Raw awardees (for being the best unsigned band of 2006) and a major label record deal with Universal Records. They soon obtained the new songs they recorded at a different studio and finished it at Sonic State with Robert Javier and Jonathan Ong (whose promising resume includes Orange and Lemons Strike Whilst the Iron Is Hot.

“We settled on the album Fuchsiang Pag-Ibig not only because of the wordplay, but because naisip naming ang love puedeng kulay fuchsia kasi parang depende sa tumitingin kung masaya or malungkot ang kulay,” says Anjo. “The album is basically about the joys and sorrows that come with love.”

With Fuchsiang Pag-Ibig, you’ll find an album filled with the many faces of love as interpreted by a bunch of guys who love music.