Heavy Metal in Indonesia (Coursework Sample)

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Heavy Metal in Indonesia
Heavy metal music has a long history behind it, tracing its roots back in the 60’s and 70’s. The genre developed in the United States and Britain for a long time before disseminating to neighbouring countries in later years. In Indonesia, rock music started out in the 70’s with bands like God Bless flying the flag for the genre. God Bless is one of the first bands to become prosperous having released a total of seven albums before the turn of the new millennium. However, rock music split into subgenres with heavy metal music taking centre stage in the 90’s. Heavy metal in Indonesia further split into ‘subgenres’, as well. The most rampant in the country became death metal, black metal and thrash metal. By 2000, death metal was the more acceptable of the subgenres in the city of Jakarta. Death metal in Indonesia was marked by extremely dark themes similar to those of Black Sabbath and AC/DC bands. Major highlights were blasphemy and gothic evil. Being an Islamic nation, these themes in the music are still the major hindrance to the genre’s success to date. A review of some of the bands is crucial in understanding how far the genre has transformed in the country. Heavy metal bands in Indonesia have just about the same ridiculous names as in the Western countries.
Uterine fibroids
This band was formed only recently in October 2010. However, its growing popularity is outstanding compared to its years of existence. Based in Jakarta, the band plays in almost all metal concerts in the city and has created a heavy following,unusual for a band that started four years ago. It differentiated itself from other heavy metal bands by having two vocal artists performing on the same stage, Hardy Yohansyah and Muhammad Iqbal. Much as this band has the normal band instrumentals like guitar and Bass, the duo vocals has really worked out for this metal band.
Dead Vomit
This band is based in Yogyakarta town in Indonesia. Starting out on heavy metal music way back in 1995, the band has released several albums to its name. Eternally Deprecated, their debut album, was the first to be released under their own record label Demented Mind Records. Released in 1999, this album set the stage for its rein in underground metal music. The bands’ latest release (2009) has earned it fame in the genre. Flames of Hate album (2009) became Indonesia’s first heavy metal music album to be released on DVD. This album was a hit and catapulted the band’s signing to the great Xenophobic Records based in Australia.
Kekal
This band has been regarded as the most successful in Indonesia’s heavy and death metal history. Since its formation in 1995, the band has undergone countless transformations. It was formed by Jeff Arwadi in 1995 after his guitar lessons in high school. He recruited his friend,Newin, and together they went on a hunt for big names in the metal industry at the time. Leo, who had worked with the famous Metallica, became their first guitarist. A few other members were recruited between 1995 and 1998. In 1998, they released an album dubbed ‘Beyond the Glimpse of Dreams’. This is the album that put this metal band on the international limelight, having been released on two record labels. They became recognised by veterans in America’s and Europe’s underground metal music.
The band saw a breach to its loyalty in 2003 when one of the key members, Leo, sadly left the group. This really hit hard the remaining members of the band, Jeff and his friend Azhar Levi. However, despite the loss, the band was determined to deepen their roots in Indonesia’s heavy metal scene. They worked tirelessly on an album they named ‘1000 Thoughts of Violence’. This album distinguished this band from other underground heavy metal bands in Indonesia. The album was recognised internationally, especially in the Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Norway and Denmark). The band decided on a mini-tour of the countries, which was a complete success. The band toured selected cities in Germany in 2004, as well.
Currently, from 2010 to present, the band has managed two studio albums that continue to hit Indonesia and beyond. All founder members, however, left the group. The band is being run by guest artists who perform on contracts. This turn of events has not taken Kekal off the heavy metal scene as it still leads in concerts and general music production in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Praying for Suicide Tragedy
This band represents upcoming heavy metal bands in Indonesia. Formed in 2009 in West Sumatra, Indonesia, the band has risen through the challenges of the genre and has released a split album named ‘Creation of Death’. The band is more rooted to Satanism, death, sexual immorality, evil and occult...