Experimental metal band from Jakarta, Indonesia Kekal reported the following:
‘Kekal is set to release a new download-only EP [title to be announced], and it could be out as early as September 2013, with all newly-recorded tracks – no remixes, no fillers, and it will be followed by another EP in 2014, before the full-length album comes sometime in 2015. More info on the 2013 EP will be announced in the next few months. The next Kekal releases may get help from various net-labels worldwide. That means they will be available digitally as free downloads [although most probably only as 320k mp3 formats], with a possible option of very-limited edition CD boxsets sold as merchandise only.’
They started in 1995 as a more straightforward black metal band. Throughout the first 5 years, they developed their own style by incorporating many diverse elements from outside metal. This distinct style become most prominent in the third album “The Painful Experience”, which marked as a starting point for the band to step more and more into the progressive metal and avant-garde metal and made further experiments with their music.
In 2003, they released “1000 Thoughts Of Violence” and received positive media reviews. This led to their first European mini-tour in 2004, playing a string of shows in countries such as Germany, Netherlands, and Sweden. After that tour, they released their 5th album, “Acidity”, in 2005. They made even further experiments on their 6th album, “The Habit Of Fire”, which found the band decreasing their early metal sound to give more room for jazz, avantgarde and electronic elements.
3 former key members are Jeff Arwadi [guitars, vocals, programming, drums], Azhar Levi Sianturi [bass, vocals], and Leo Setiawan [guitars], all have left the band in 2009. Read their full bio.
Currently Kekal has no official band members.
Discography:
Beyond the Glimpse of Dreams – 1998
Embrace the Dead – 1999
The Painful Experience – 2001
1000 Thoughts of Violence – 2003
Acidity – 2005
The Habit of Fire – 2007
Audible Minority – 2008
8 – 2010
Autonomy – 2012
Weblinks: Facebook / Website / Myspace / Bandcamp
Related articles:
8 Songs From ‘Kekal’s’ ‘Autonomy’ Available For Streaming [out of 11] [Sept. 2012]