In fitterkarma’s Songs of Love and Horror
fitterkarma doesn’t shy away from producing songs in a creatively twisted humour that deliberately hits the spot, especially now with their upcoming album and concert in place.
Words Rica Mae Labbao
Photos courtesy of fitterkarma
September 15, 2026
Photos courtesy of fitterkarma
Love isn’t something that weak people do. Being a romantic takes a hell of a lot of hope.— The Priest, Fleabag
They say discovering love is like watching a horror film. You'll get scared at first but eventually, you’ll find the most courageous version of yourself that is ready to surrender everything that you have for love.
For fitterkarma, a Filipino indie band, romance is indeed the haunting and twisted type to settle in between your skin and bones. As one of their songs says, “pag-ibig ay kanibalismo.” Because sometimes, you lose yourself in the process of falling in love.
This uncommon view of macabre romance with classic horror folkloric themes has been the backbone of fitterkarma’s iconography. From ‘Kalapastangan’, ‘Pag-ibig ay Kanibalismo II’, and ‘Sumpa’ to their latest album, the alternative narration of the quartet’s lyricism grounded their music edge in the OPM scene.
With their upcoming first headline solo show, ‘kung tayo'y nasa isang horror na pelikula, tiyak ako ang una mong papatayin: The Album Concert’, fitterkarma promises a full performance experience that will seep through the listeners’ souls.
“For me, watching the songs performed live is the best way to experience it, because music being played live has no limits, reaching and releasing your emotions, and the record is meant to be felt above all,” says Joao de Leon, frontman of the band.
In collaboration with The Manila String Machine, this show will serve as the first live record of their debut full-length album released on September 9, 2026. This tracklist will feature 13 tracks carefully produced and arranged by the band members, including ‘Purgatoryo’, ‘666’, and ‘Bampira.’
As LORY mentioned, they did not solely focus on the narrative arc of the tracklist but on the sonic feelings of each song. “More on the overall progression of what the album will sound like and feel like.”
When asked about their favorite song in the album or the one that really resonated the most with them, three members—Joao, Sanders, Sophia—picked ‘Bampira’ while LORY chose ‘666’.
Watch this historic live concert of fitterkarma on September 19, 2026 at the Metropolitan Theater Manila. Score your tickets via Ticketmelon.com and witness the band’s noise-driven and shoegaze-influenced serenade.
