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Kekal - interview September 2001 |
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Victory: Hello Kekal, how are you doing? We're doing fine, Thanks.. Victory: If someone asks you, "what is kekal?", you answer...: Kekal is an adjective word that means "eternal" or "immortal" in Indonesian language.. Victory: Tell me the history of your band. Well, it started in August 1995 when original member Newbabe (pseudonym) met his friend and formed a one-time session band.. Newbabe came with an idea of band name, that's Kekal which means 'Eternal' or 'Immortal' in Indonesian language.. Actually Kekal was formed for the purpose of recording some tracks and releasing a tape, just for fun.. There were some songs that already written at that moment, and they just needed to write some other ones to record the demo.. The demo were finally recorded in November 1995 with Harry as a vocalist.. Harry had a sick voice that made everyone shocked and happy.. The tape was dubbed into 20 copies and were spread around the tape-trading circuit.. A guitarist named Leo heard one copy of this tape in his friend's house, this guy (the Leo's friend) was a friend of Harry too.. Later Leo contacted us as he was interested in joining us as 2nd guitarist.. We said like "ok, just come in and bring your guitar".. When he played some riffs and some solos, we felt that this guy is the right man for the band.. In about June 1996 Kekal became active again, but this time with a vision and commitment as a serious band, not only a one-time project band.. We remixed the very first demo and with some new material we released "Contra spiritualia Nequitiae", our official demo.. The demo itself has got a good response from the underground and sold 500 copies.. Some changes in line-up appeared.. With Harry on Vocals, Leo on Guitar, Jeff on Guitar/Vocals, and Azhar on Bass/Vocals, Kekal continued to write new material.. Early in 1998, the first full-length album entitled "Beyond The Glimpse of Dreams" was recorded and licensed to various labels.. First is just on cassette format by Indonesian label THT Productions, and later being re-released on both CD and cassette formats by Singaporean label Candlelight Productions (now called Sonic Wave).. "Beyond The Glimpse of Dreams" has got very good reviews from 'zines around the world.. The response has also been very good since it has been sold for almost 4500 copies now.. At the end of 1998 Harry left the band due to other commitments outside music.. Azhar, Leo, and Jeff remained in the band.. Our 2nd full-length album called "Embrace The Dead" was finally recorded independently again and is being released on August 30, 1999 by THT productions as a tape version (and later by Fleshwalker records and THT Productions as CD versions).. Early 2001 we entered the studio to record songs for the new full-length album called "The Painful Experience".. Victory: You are one of the leading christian black metal groups, how did you end up playing black metal? We don't feel that we play black metal.. When we started the band in 1995, we already played this kind of music but we didn't call our band as a black metal band.. Myself and original member Newbabe came from the 80's metal background, we were listening a lot of stuffs from Celtic Frost, Bathory, early Sodom, early Kreator, Bulldozer, Necrodeath, etc. a long time back in the late 80's.. And their styles of music are known as the main influences, even the cornerstone for the development of modern black metal.. We don't listen to modern black metal, I mean black metal bands who did their first album after 1992.. The musical atmosphere and styles have already been done in the 80's by the bands I mentioned above.. Even if black metal never exists, we would probably still playing this kind of style.. Our 1st demo has 2 tracks that the music was actually written around 1991 to 1992, that's before the black metal term is known to the public and before we even knew that 'black metal' term exists.. But they are still considered as black metal songs by many people.. Victory: Who writes the music and the lyrics. You have, btw, very good lyrics. On our first album "Beyond The Glimpse of Dreams", all the band members contributed in the lyrics, but on the 2nd and 3rd album I write most of the lyrics.. The music is written by the band members, individually or collectively.. Victory: You have a great anticipated CD on the way, how is it compared to your earlier works It's different than our previous albums.. In terms of style and song writing, this album is our best yet, this album has the most challenging style that we have yet so far.. The production is also better than our past 2 albums.. It will be surprising.. Victory: Is it hard to be a christian in your country (Indonesia). I've heard many reports that Christians are being attacked and so on. Yes, all the reports are true.. It's quite hard for Christians to live here.. We got physical persecutions.. Churches being bombed, burned down, and vandalized during the services, even in some places the congregations are beaten, tortured, and killed.. It's all a political matter.. Victory: If you had the opportunity (perhaps you've had) to do a gig with a satanic band, would you do that? We haven't played live yet so far as we haven't got a permanent drummer, but we are in touch with the local underground community here.. Some of the key persons in the scene are our friends.. They are peoples with different political stances and ideologies and religions in the underground, there are Muslims, Christians, Satanists, atheists, Hindus, etc.. Even they have different spiritual beliefs or ideologies with us we got no problem with them, as long as we don't smash their head off with the Bible, and preaching directly to them verbally.. We have to first respect their beliefs, and they will respect us.. It means if you don't hassle them they will most likely do the same.. The most important thing is our attitude and behaviour.. They will see us through our attitude and behaviour.. Satanists are just like us human being, if they want to discuss anything with us that's cool and we would love to talk with them.. They are not the enemies of Christians, not at all.. Victory: What is your message to any nonchristian reading this interview? Hello..! Victory: What do you think about the future, is the end coming close? Yes of course.. We are at the end of time.. Victory: Please tell me your five favourite CD's. Five? I think I'll give you ten as it's really hard for me to pick only 5.. RUSH "2112" RUSH "Grace Under Pressure" TROUBLE "Psalm 9" IRON MAIDEN "Seventh Son of A Seventh Son" IRON MAIDEN "Piece of Mind" HELLOWEEN "Better Than Raw" CAMEL "Moonmadness" MARILLION "Seasons End" ENYA "The Celts" JOAN BAEZ "Greatest Hits" Victory |