Interview with Pungky Heriansyah (vocals)
Although Indonesia has a death metal community which is widespread and supportive, to the outsider looking in, it may be daunting to sift through the massive number of bands in the country to find ones that are truly exceptional and not just interchangeable pieces of bloody meat. Murtad have been grinding it out since 2009 and along with being one of the most brutal bands you’ll listen to today if you follow the video links below, they are also musically innovative without toning down the savagery.
While their debut album Extirpate the Remaining Breath came out a number of years ago, the band have not been silent, releasing singles and a compilation album in 2021, biding their time until the right moment to release their follow-up. Vocalist Pungky Heriansyah reflects on Murtad’s journey so far and their future.
Indonesia has many death metal bands, but I believe Murtad stands out in terms of brutality and songwriting quality. What do you think it takes to get noticed in this huge scene?
Yeah, Indonesia has the biggest metal scene in Southeast Asia with tons of metal bands and festivals every week. So, I think the most important factor is continuing to create and present musical compositions/arrangements that are constantly upgraded along with the exploration of fresh and sick lyrical concepts that can be enjoyed by many metal heads around the world, especially extreme music enthusiasts. Also, doing shows/touring to maintain the band’s existence.
“The Beginning of Extinction” video was inspired by the pandemic. What are some behind the scenes facts about this production?
Yep, during the pandemic it was very difficult not only for us, but the world. Musicians and event organizers all had to stop doing activities in public places. In fact, we spent a lot of time from our recording session of the song on making the video. The band members recorded separately because of the lockdown.
How else did it affect the band?
There was a lot of fear and anxiety, even when traveling we were vaccinated several times and always wore a mask, which was very disturbing. If we were not vaccinated, then we could not travel to public places. It made us pessimistic – when will it all end, and is this the beginning of extinction? In fact, it was not, and finally everything started to return to normal and we are starting to see many festivals returning to various cities and countries now.
How do you feel the band has evolved since the early days of your first EP, Agenda Besar Busuk Belaka?
It is a miracle that this band has been able to survive this far; we have been through a lot, starting with members changing. But we grinded on, releasing albums and EPs to our first video clips, and the most impressive thing is that we were able to tour various regions and even overseas.
Your full-length, Extirpate the Remaining Breath, was released in 2015. Since then, you’ve had some releases but not another full album. When will the follow up be unleashed?
Yep, this is the umpteenth question that has come to us (laughs). We already have several new songs ready to start recording, we are just looking for the right time when we can release them as a new full album. Because all of the band members already have their own families, it is still difficult for us to divide our time. We think 2024 is a good year for us to make that happen, who knows.
One band you shared the stage with is Kandarivas, who have ties with the Indonesian scene. They have said that the Indonesian death metal scene is even more supportive than their own in Japan. You toured Japan a few times and got to experience their way of putting together shows and their fans. What are your thoughts?
Yep, we shared the stage in Yokohama with Kandarivas when we did our second tour of Japan in 2018. It’s true, the metal scene there is not as big as in our country Indonesia, but in terms of discipline, the people there are very disciplined and orderly in obeying existing regulations. It can be seen from the cities that are so orderly and clean.
And yet another story from abroad – the Thailand Deathfest in 2016. How was this experience?
Yes, that was one experience we can’t forget. Thailand was the first country we visited when we toured Asia for the first time in 2016, and at that time we shared the stage with Indecent Excision, Intricated, Cadavoracity, Ecchymosis, and many more. The cool thing was that all the bands that appeared were under the same label at that time, namely Permeated Records (IT). What a memorable experience.
And as for Indonesia – there are many death metal festivals, but which one is the best?
There are many. It is certain that there is a local festival every week here. But the best in our opinion at the moment is the Hammersonic Festival.
Some of the members of Murtad are in other bands. Who should we check out?
Sure, our drummer Arief also plays drums on @diggingup_iddm and @purewrathofficial, our bassist Hannan has played and provided bass on the self-titled @stagnatedbdm EP and also the @labiumminora debut album, and I am also the vocalist for @goreinstinct. The latest release from Gore Instinct was released by @underrated_records, the label owned by Murtad guitarist Andri.
