Poor Harker must have been traumatized beyond belief. Something that not only would have had him thinking what he’d possibly done to deserve such an ordeal, but would have earned him two lifetime’s worth of therapy – not to mention the shocks of white hair.

If Harker ever lived to the present day and saw a Scarlet Tears gig, he’d likely spit his drink, point at the band and yell like a girl: "Vampies! They’re all undead!"

Not that Sam Vigilia (keyboards) would confirm or deny the vampiric overtones in their songs or their name (though they first took the moniker Crimson Lake). It’s just that the band does have the onstage, all-black visual appeal, not to mention the heady and swirling chops to bring Harker back to all the blood, horror and alabaster beauty that had scarred him.

The twentysomething Katrina Pallon (vocals), she of the lace sleeves, leather boots and Tsinoy-Boticelli features, also in charge of the album art, however plays down the vampire aspect, saying "The concept behind the CD art is more art noveau. I wanted to bring out the dark, romantic feel."

Katrina is a third year art student, so she knows what she’s talking about. Sam, meanwhile, owns a photocopy and sari-sari shop. Marvin Abordo (guitars) is an officer for RCBC, Aldwin Santos (bass) is in between jobs and Roel Sotto (drums) is a road technician for bands like Cheese and Parokya ni Edgar.

A banker, an art student, an entrepreneur, a drifter and a roadie seems to be one of the most eclectic mixes in a goth band possible. But their sonic chemistry, particularly on their independent EP Beneath a Crescent Moon, is undeniable. Especially since a scene veteran like Sam, a frustrated classical pianist who used to be in dark metal outfit 5 Wounds to Enter, is helming the project.

"Our mind set when we were formed [in 2003]," says Sam, "was to get an album done and out ASAP. My experience with bands is if you wait you’ll always get to a point that you’ll faze out, disband or magkatamaran na."

With most of the songs culled from Sam’s poetry, love letters and what have you already written and arranged, and the instrument line-up completed, all Scarlet Tears needed was a female singer.

Enter one of Sam’s cyber escapades and the all mighty Friendster. Sam, wiry and tranquil, explains: "Katrina was found on-line, through Friendster. I used a search engine with terms like `music’ and `dark.’ I didn’t want to find someone who wanted to be a vocalist exactly. I wanted to find someone who appreciated the same music."

So Katrina was the very first person to reply and she auditioned. Afterwards they went on to interview four other singers. Upon comparison, though, it was still Katrina -- former singer for grunge band Sessha and lover of all things operatic, dark and fairy tale-like -- that stuck.

"I believe strongly in fate," grins Sam. "We all decided that it would not be good for the band to accept the first person that came along. If she’s really destined for this band, then even if we audition others she’ll still be the one in the end to get the position."

They made the right choice. Songs like "Beneath a Crescent Moon" or the dirge-wail of "Hear Me Out" would have faltered in the hands of any other female singer who couldn’t reach the high registers easily. Something which the smooth, young vocal cords of Katrina’s does easily. Her voice lends itself well to the soaring and nigh epic songs. Though there are pop hooks aplenty, the music remains distinctly in the shadows with minor keys reveling in misery and gloom.

The songs and the production of Beneath a Crescent Moon is flawless, rich and textured. Unafraid of solos and drop-in riffs, the band’s sonic landscape is full to the brim. If this was a painting it’d do injury to the eye with all the things to take in.

We must particularly thank the precision, thundering drum work of Roel Sotto and the haunting, atmospheric keyboards of Sam Vigilia for building on top notch craft and musical theory.

Scarlet Tears’ music comes at you in waves. It lifts you up skyward where your head almost touches the clouds then it brings you crashing down, dashed against the rocks. It’s dangerous and fanged, undoubtedly gorgeous so much so that, being drawn to it becomes the first step to your demise. Just ask Harker.

Though props must be given to the flamenco-infected guitars of "Adele Walking on a Spiral Highway," the best track here is the fusion of glam and downtempo goth that is "Cold-Blooded Lover." The song careens like a rollercoaster on a collision course with fatal attraction. Lines like "What do you bring?/ Nothing but hollow desires/ Strike hard and follow through with lies" make for pleasingly good moping.

As good as this EP is you just wait for the full-length album to come out sometime late this year. "The concept for the art will be fairy-tale like," nods Katrina. "An elaborately designed storybook that will fit the lyrics and feel of the song."