MANILA, Philippines?They may not sound like the original jailhouse rocker.

Elvis Presley may not even be their idol, but for the newly revived Lamb of God (original name: No Bail Band), the sound of rock is good enough to send their colleagues jumping and singing along, within the walls of the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City.

Old members of the rock band are now testing the musical stylings of three new members who recently joined the band to replace those who have passed on in recent years.

The original members?drummer Jun Estacio and rhythm guitarist Arnel Rance?are now jamming with three new band-mates whose friendships were forged not only because of a common love for music but because they are all serving life terms for non-bailable crimes.

?It has always been our dream to revive the band here at the national penitentiary, especially now that there?s only two of us original members left,? Estacio said.

New members

The three new members have begun practicing with Rance and Estacio in the maximum security compound at the New Bilibid Prison, where they have accumulated guitars, a drum set and a tape recorder over the years.

Joining the band are Luis Garchitorena as vocalist; Efren Detaza, a bass player and guitarist Delano Mendiola.

?It would be a shame if the band would just fold up, so we decided to revive it. After all, we still had our instruments with us,? Estacio said.

He promised that the new and improved band?s music would be ?louder and would have more rock selections? rather than old tunes.

?Our sound before was mostly old songs, cover versions. Now we want it to be louder, more rock ang dating,? he added.

But this time around, the band will be going by a new name?the Lamb of God Band?to thank a constant patron and fellow detainee, former Congressman Romeo Jalosjos.

The band had its beginnings in 1997 at the Quezon City Jail when a detainee, Cenen Quiambao, thought of holding regular jam sessions at the seedy jail?s sunning area.

From a desolate prison, the jail was transformed into a music venue in the afternoons as the band played Beatles tunes and assorted popular hits, among others, for their fellow inmates.

The band dedicated a song to convicted rapist Leo Echegaray, aptly titled ?Hiram na Buhay ? (Borrowed Life) and played it when Echegaray was put to death on Feb. 5, 1999.

Almost famous

The group had a brief flirtation with fame when recording firm Alpha Records offered the group a two-year contract after company representatives heard ?Hiram na Buhay.? But prison officials barred the band from recording outside the jail.

By this time, Estacio was transferred to the NBP and was replaced by other inmates at the city jail.

But the group started losing its members. Quiambao died of a heart attack at the NBP at the age of 53. In 2000, Efren Dimayuga died at the Quezon City Jail while Rene Zafra was released a year later, his whereabouts unknown.

New songs

In the meantime, Estacio has begun composing new songs?some of them love songs, others with a rock or R&B influence?for the band.

?I?m still cleaning up the compositions. It?s not that hard for us (Estacio and Rance) to adapt to the new members; they can pretty much play anything,? Estacio added.

A working title of a new song, ?Hiwaga sa Dilim? (Mystery in the Dark), tells of the hard life of a man doing time in prison while another ditty, ?Pastor sa Lupa? (Pastor on Earth), is about a religious man in jail who preaches to his fellow inmates.

With the new songs, the revived band is hoping to get the support of RockEd Philippines, a volunteer group that has been making regular visits to the NBP.

In the meantime, Estacio added, his band will continue rocking and rolling until they are free once more to play outside the prison walls.