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During this time of the year, the mighty advertising agencies in Asia would be busy showering their beloved clients with Chinese New Year greetings, in the form of oranges, small mandarin oranges and in blatant cases, red packets stuffed with cold, hard cash. Unlike Christmas, advertising agencies don’t typically bother to flex their creative muscle much when it comes to the most important festivity of all traditional Chinese holidays. Which is a shame, really. Why would Christmas be more important to us in Asia than Chinese New Year?

This is the year of the metal tiger. One who emerges every 60 years. A rare amalgam of courage and skill – capable of the most amazing leaps. To celebrate the occasion with their clients, partners and supporters, Tribal DDB Singapore produced – get this -  an album with the traditionally annoying Chinese New Year songs, remixed HEAVY METAL style by the most insane Chinese heavy metal band in Singapore, Evil Singing Pandas.

The album was freshly delivered to my office yesterday, all suited up with metal studs and a sleek leather CD jacket.

The front cover of the album reveals an ingenious logo that represent both the metal tiger, and our hand symbol of rock.

My command of the language is terribly limited, but I think the words here talk about how the metal tiger has emerges. I’m more impressed with the budget they had on this seasonal greeting. Metal studs with hot foil stamping? Sweet love.

Even the way to which the CD was housed is noteworthy. I got my fortune told with a single swirl of the CD.

Just when I thought that was the end of Tribal DDB Singapore’s brilliance as I headbanged to the fuckawesome songs, I was ushered to their website. It’s hard not to want to visit their website when the music is that good. I mean, when was the last time you headbang to a Chinese New Year song?

I was prompted to select my Zodiac sign (no, I’m not telling you which one it is). Just when I thought I was to have my fortune told (when you’re in the Industry that long, creativity can become predictable), the agency decided to make me work a little harder. I had to headbang to the music video and headbang as the blue bolts enter the orb. YES, they were testing my ability to headbang! WTF.

Sorry, Imma use a screenshot provided instead of my face. I’m having a really bad hair day. Anyways. By the end of the song, my score was used to generate my fortune for the year. Imagine the fortune teller telling you this “Your luck no good, you need to headbang more.” Haha.

Well done Tribal DDB Singapore, for the badass Chinese New Year greeting. I believe that if a brand would really like to thank their clients and wish them well, they should do so to the best possible manner, or otherwise not do it at all. Mandarin oranges are just so… impossibly insincere. And I bet the mandarin oranges were bought by the office manager who signs on behalf of everyone anyway.

Once again, well done Tribal DDB Singapore. Now check out the behind-the-scenes images too.