Aural Chaos Interview: Kolbenfaust (Part 1: Piston Fists, Sarawak and Scene Polarization)

Written by Terence Aaron

Note: This interview was done before Carcass played in Kuching. Whatever controversy that happened during the gig, will not be discussed here. Maybe you can leave it in the comments for the band to answer.

Recently, Aural Chaos had the amazing opportunity to interview Kolbenfaust, a Metal/Hardcore/Djent/Grind band or what we Malaysians prefer to call "rojak." In this interview, Greg (Guitars), Matt (Bass) and Wak (Drums), took time off their musical laboratory to answer these questions, giving us an insight how these mad men operate. 

Also, since the boys of Kolbenfaust are a bunch of friendly, chatty lads, this interview will be divided into two! Part one will be about the band's history and how they fit into the scene. Part 2 will be about their recent tour experiences and also the band's future.

1) First of all, congratulations on making it into the line-up of Borneo Extreme Fest. How does it feel like that you are about to perform with Carcass? What do you expect from this experience?

Greg: It feels awesome to be able to open for a legendary band like Carcass, still seems unbelievable! This is the kind of opportunity that very few bands get and we hope to get more recognition from metalheads in the scene, and maybe expand our network meeting new people as well.

Matt: It feels great to be able to perform, that's for sure! Honestly I'm nowhere as big a fan of Carcass as the rest of the band; they grew up listening to Carcass. It was actually quite hilarious watching them fanboy over Carcass.

Dink: Thank you very much! Well, to be honest, we were stunned in the first place as we're sharing the same stage with Carcass! The legend! Carcass is one of our biggest influences in our songwriting. We hope that from this experience, we will be more passionate into our music line and hope will get more shows / gigs in the future.

2) To kick start the interview, could you explain the meaning of Kolbenfaust, a short history of the band and what the band seeks to achieve?

Greg: The birth of the name Kolbenfaust came about as a ‘direct’ translation of an English name we were thinking about back in 2009. We were thinking of ‘Piston Fist’ at first but we thought it sounded too punk/core so we just messed around with Google translate and found the German translation for that to be unique *laughs*

Matt: I joined the band in 2013 while they were undergoing a major lineup reshuffle. I play for another band as well, and both Kolbenfaust and my other band suffered rather similar fates. Both were on the rise around 2010, and then our respective stars fell due to a variety of reasons. Now both bands are back to claim what is rightfully theirs - with a vengeance.

Dink: Kolbenfaust was formed in 2011 with Asri on the vox, Nick on the bass and Latap on drums while Greg & Jay on the axes. By the end of 2012, Dingkle came in replacing Asri, Matt & Wak replacing Nick & Latap respectively. After through all the struggling and efforts to get shows until sharing the same stage with Carcass, Kolbenfaust would like to perform several shows abroad, internationally. We just wanted our music / songs to be heard. By that, our vision & mission can be achieved which we can introduce the next generation of local bands, to bring up more names and successfully not just focusing on one or two genres but multiple kinds. We were friends during and after high school back in Kuching. As you mentioned, coincidence and fate brought us back together as we work in KL. At first, it was not our intention to start a band but it was just for fun instead. So we decided to have a jam or two, for high school's time sake. As we went on and on, Greg Bajien wrote the song "To the Hands That Enslave". We tried the song out and thought “Yes, why not we just proceed”. In regards to playing shows or not, put it aside first. Once completed, we uploaded the songs via FB (Band page) and SoundCloud as well. Then we got our first show / gig. No harm of trying it and at last it was a blast!

Greg: It was pretty much coincidence that Jay and myself relocated here (both for studies, then work), as we were both involved in Kuching’s ‘underground’ scene back in the early 2000. I was in a band called Tribus, Jay was in a band called Red Queen. Wak was also involved with various other bands back in the day in Kuching. Jay and I decided to pursue a creative outlet to release the heavier metal side of us, and we just met up and started writing riffs and then making proper songs with programmed drums. We met Wak later on, around late 2010 and he was supposed to be our manager as the band was taking a more focused and serious path. With both vocalist and drummer leaving the band in 2012, Wak stepped in for drum duties (taking him out of retirement) and has since been in the lineup. Dingkle joined at about the same time and he’s been a friend of ours all along and even attended a few of our gigs prior, Matt is the latest addition taking over bass duties when my cousin left the band and Matt was also our sound engineer during our album recording.

3) I have noticed the band consists of East Malaysians, living in West Malaysia. What coincidence led to this and what is the band’s position in the scene due to this? Was it hard trying to penetrate both scenes at the beginning?

Greg: We didn’t think much about penetrating the scene in Sarawak / Sabah at first. We were more focused on getting solid songs done, and a proper EP/ album with merchandise in order to get a good base to penetrate the scene here in KL.

Matt: The coincidence was Kolbenfaust decided to record their album at the studio I was working at the time. I'm the only West Malaysian in the band because of this. Having this mix of East/West Malaysia in the band led to some minor communication issues when I first joined, because I had absolutely no idea what they were saying to each other when speak in Sarawakian slang! I've started to be able to figure out some of the words like "sik", "nok" and "siney/ciney", so I can kind of make out what they're trying to say. They do speak English most of the time though, it's just that they sometimes default to their usual slang and they don't realize they're doing it. It's all good though.

Dink: Well, with all the effort & for the love of the music, it is not hard to penetrate both scenes. As we all know that, Sarawak is famous with Grindcore, Death-Metal genre etc as well as West Malaysia. Hence, metal is booming nowadays. 

4) How would you describe the band’s music? The band seems to be an eclectic mix of Death Metal, Black Metal here and there, with a touch of Hardcore Punk, Djent or Groove-like riffs one in a while. How did you come into that decision and what were the bands that influenced Kolbenfaust?

Greg: It’s quite simple really, each band member brings his influence into the band, creating a melting pot of metal. Wak’s and Dingkle’s influences can be seen in the newer materials such as “Tomb of The Lost Disciple”, “Cycle of Perpetual Suffering”, as well as “Parasthesia”. Whereas the older stuff like “Feast of the Jackals”, “Xenophobia” were mainly influenced by Jay and myself. To sum it up: I like bands like Meshuggah, Jay likes Gojira, Wak likes Napalm Death, Dink likes Cattle Decapitation, and Matt likes Lamb of God. The common denominator for all of us is Carcass, Sepultura, and Meshuggah, LOG, Black Dahlia Murder, and Animals as Leaders. So, it’s quite a mix!

Dink: Frankly, we just label our music as Metal only. Not more or less. Let people decide it what our song sounds like. Lots of genres were mixed into our songs as we came from different backgrounds, from Hardcore Punk to Death Metal, Grindcore, Djent & also a bit of Jazz riffs. To be more detailed, we just get into the studio & we'll mixe all elements together in order to find our result ourselves. My main influences are Black Dahlia Murder, Meshuggah, Nile, Carcass, Cattle Decapitation, Animal as Leaders Deftones, Tools, A Perfect Circle and Incubus.

5) Since there are various influences in the band, could you explain the song writing process? Is there a chief songwriter or was it a joint process?

Matt: What's funny is that you can actually tell when each song on the upcoming album was written. The faster or more grind elements it has, the older the song. The running joke in the band about why our newer songs have less grind elements and more groove is that age is catching up and we need to slow down. The whole messup of styles and genres comes from the fact that Greg and Jay, the two lead songwriters and surviving members of the original lineup, each have a wide variety of musical influences. I think it's great, though, because we don't end up drawing imaginary boundaries for ourselves and limiting our songs to match the "style of the genre". I joined the band after the entire album was written, so I can't comment much on this. However, we did write a song called "C.O.P.S. (Cycle of Perpetual Suffering)" after I joined, so I can talk a little bit about that. C.O.P.S. is definitely a joint effort. It started out with Greg laying down the basic rhythms and structure, then we'd just jam it out several times and try out different arrangements, structures etc. until we come up with something we like. This process can take several weeks, though! We'll just keep going at it until we're happy with how it sounds.

Greg: Most of the songs start with riffs from me and Jay. I’d probably start with a certain pattern and riff to work around with, then Jay comes up with fillers and the structure, then Wak, Dink and Matt come in with the final touches to make it the final product. Some songs start with my riffs other songs Jay (like Jackal for example, Jay came up with the main riff while made the droning chorus riffs).

*“Feasts of the Jackals” is my favourite with that amazing mix of Black Metal tremolos and Death Metal like verses.*

Dink: Thank you & it's cool that you've mentioned Feast of the Jackals as it was one of Kolbenfaust's earlier songs created circa 2011. Back then, songwriting was primarily created and arranged by Greg, Jay and a computer. As the band evolved, more songs created in the studio with each member providing input and have creative freedom. In short nowadays most of our songs start of as a freestyle jamming session then everything just falls into place in the end and hopefully we remember the next day.

6) Since the band is into mixing all sorts of genres into your conception of Metal, what is your opinion in the polarization of scenes? For example, Hardcore bands arguing with Metal bands (and vice versa) that their music shouldn't mix. What is your stance then?

Greg: That just limits potential in my opinion *pauses* but that’s just me, I respect that others have a more pure interpretation of the genre they love, so to each his own but it’s not necessary to have an argument over genres. Having mutual respect should be the way. No need to politicize and polarize heavy music.

Matt: I'm strongly against the polarization of the scenes, and I'm pretty sure the rest of the band is as well. I think it's really stupid, and I feel that the Malaysian metal and hardcore scenes are already small enough. We don't need infighting and discrimination to make it even smaller and even weaker! That's also why I haven't being going for many shows lately; when I'm paying for a ticket to watch a show, I don't want to hear 10 bands that sound almost or exactly the same as each other. I want some variety!

Dink: For us, scenes need to be bond together in order to preserve our underground's music scene. We believe that the music genres should be mixed but literally it's all about individual themselves. We should be more open & accept everything what's nice to be heard, to be more matured in terms of everything surround us. By that, creativity & innovation were created. That's what songs are all about. True?

This interview will be continued in Kolbenfaust Part 2. Stay tuned for more updates.

Terence A. Anthony commutes between Kuala Lumpur and Kuching. Co-Founder of Aural Chaos. He also writes for Greater Malaysia and Opinions Unleashed.

Search and Destroy - Search and Destroy

Before delving into this review, let me make it clear that I am no connoisseur in Metalcore nor am I the authority to quote in Post-Hardcore but I shall make a critique on the Metalcore scene as an outsider. I respect the scene as it is, but there are just some things that I don’t get.

First problem that Metalcore has is that it is a broad term that no scene has actually defined the phrase properly, causing confusion and exacerbating the genre wars between subculture. At least when crossover existed back in the 80s, there was a clear set of what the rules were and the genre/subculture wars had a clearer definition.


The result being is that there is a wide spectrum on what it falls into, leading to a lot Metalheads, hating on the Metalcore presented to them, despite the existence of closer to the Metal spectrum Metalcore bands. The second problem is that it exists in the internet age where everything new is treated like a novelty.


This has caused people to not take the art seriously and easier to be seen as a trend instead. A person can easily empathize with old conservative elitists when the concentration of bands are so high in such a short period, coupled along with bands sounding so similar to each other because they get the same influence from the same set of bands.


A whole new set of bands sound like each other because they listen to the same band in a short period of time but has a limited gene pool. This situation is not unique to Metalcore itself, check out later era Gore-Grind bands and the multitude of Cyber-Grind bands in the late 90s.


Every single band copied each other that every riff is a cannibalization of a distant cousin. Everyone sounds like a 4^th cousin of At the Gates with E-string breakdown abuse and that became a stereotype of the scene (which fortunately, isn’t true.) So with those two conventions established, how does it correlate with the music of Search & Destroy?


Well, it’s the very fact that this band calls themselves Metalcore but it leans closer to Post-Hardcore while at the same time the band does not fall into the category of another regurgitated breakdown of another Metalcore band.

Checkered shirts? Flannel shirts? I'm pretty sure they're not from Seattle.

At first instance, I have to admit, I don’t get the dubstep (forgive me if it sounds pejorative or my mislabelling of the music) intro that the band inserted into their EP. So it made me feel that it was done out of novelty’s sake. Another trademark of music made in the internet era, where people get influenced with huge range music because of the availability of music at their fingertips. It can be good or positive, it’s up to your perception of the rapid pace globalization.


Not only that, the band uses it as glue in between certain songs that kept me wondering whether the band tacked in on variation sake or do they honestly respect that electronic beat that they need to feature it? However when the guitars come in, the notes hit those uplifting parts you hear a Post-Hardcore track, in a modern way.


It sounds like Envy without the Post-Rock parts and has a heavy emphasis on the melody created not through Gothenburg riffs but to an almost atmospheric feel. Even though the riffs at times does resemble some sort of Melodic Death Metal influence that Metalcore’s gene pool has overlapped a lot but most of the time it does not remind anyone of that Gothenburg feel.


Probably the band appeared slightly late in the game that it has enough time to process all the materials that appeared from 2000-2004, causing them to cherry pick the best elements on what could constitute something memorable. In no way there is any form of dark atmosphere created here, but something that you could lay-back to but having an enough kick from the distortion to keep you awake.


In fact, there are parts that sound like the more melodic Post-Hardcore parts of Isis. The vocals also sound like a cross between the tough-guy Hardcore of the Hatebreed variant with the harsh Post-Hardcore influenced bark of Isis. This is at times coupled with gang shouts that sounds lighter and of the more conventional Gorilla Biscuits type sing-a-longs. (Or should I call it shout-a-longs?)

It's either he thinks he is on a baseball pitch or he is about to throw the mic. Then again, all Hardcore kids look angry.

However, the breakdowns still sound jarring to me, maybe because the limited range of what a breakdown could be constituted as a breakdown. There are two ways around the usage of breakdowns, find a way to make it more energetic, that it does not sound like something that is stopping halfway through of a proper energy burst, or the other way is to use it creatively in different patterns.


The later, has assisted the creation of Djent but this band is no way in that category. The former however isn’t still what the band falls into. The breakdown still sounds forced, as I it is used to justify the Metalcore tag of the band, to make it sound tough. It sort of reminded of how Killswitch Engage actually sounded good in their poppy parts but starts to sound like a stuck blender when they try to deflect the homophobic insults of the tough-guy Hardcore community.


That is unfortunately, what the general masses seem to think when told to imagine how “Metal” sounds like. To be fair, those bands were also a direct descendant of the groovier side of Pantera and Sepultura’s Arise with the harsher side of Hardcore. What people need to realize is that it could work well as glue between their transitions and ultimately stood out like a sore thumb.

While the band has some sort of talent to create memorable, uplifting, pseudo melodramatic melody, the band is still hung up of pleasing what their genre tag implies. The band tries to be unique but ends up adding elements that seem to be closer to a novelty than something that suits the music. While that is how experimentation works, and some experiments fail, some work, this falls into the former category for those certain elements.


This band however is one of those bands that have succeeded in things that they didn’t expect to create but does realize how much they could do if they realized it. Now it may be offensive to order bands on what they can play or could not and I am not advocating that. From this review, which I hope they could take in is that, it could be great if they ever refine those sharp edges that sounded jarring because I do hell love the melodramatic parts.

PS/ This EP is from 2012 and I decided to review this because I wanted to add more South East Asian bands to the blog. Plus, the EP was free, so why not, right?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Searchandestroyband
Bandcamp: http://searchanddestroyband.bandcamp.com

Terence A. Anthony commutes between Kuala Lumpur and Kuching. Co-Founder of Aural Chaos. He also writes for Greater Malaysia and Opinions Unleashed.

Daarchlea - Suns

Daarchlea is one of those bands that use elements that Metalheads are used to, elements that are familiar to the senses of those who dabble in such music yet are able to create something different. On the surface, one could easily throw names like Behemoth, Dimmu Borgir or to a certain extent, Emperor to describe the music played by this band.


While from their past releases there is a slight tinge of Middle Eastern scales in the music, the music on Suns barely has that but move on closer to the modern Black/Death sound, but with light clean vocals sprinkled on top. What is interesting about this band, and made them slightly different from their peers is that the band has decided to use Islamic themes and imagery in Suns.


From the lyrics, touching about creation from an Islamic perspective, to Islamic theology on Qhilav, the band was able to pull it off without feeling as if being forced fed while reading the lyrics or listening to the tracks. Everything is done in a semi-vague manner that uses Arabic terms, giving a sort of exotic feel, like the first time I read lyrcis by Norwegian bands who uses terms from Norse Mythology or how Anaal Nathrakh uses legal terms of Latin origin.

One may say it’s the band’s shtick. Considering how Islam plays a huge role in the daily affairs of a Malay-Muslim in Malaysia, this whole image is honest. In fact, as a non-religious man myself, I would say that this pretty bad ass.

Last I recalled, Malaysia wasn't as cold as Norway.

Since this isn’t an anthropology paper, let’s get back to the record. What struck me most is how every single element is represented greatly in the songs. Firstly, the vocal range by vocalist Al-Matin (Which actually translates to “The King” in French. I have no idea if he knows it though), is amazing. He could pull off deep growls that could very well fit in a Cattle Decapitation record and you could easily hear the words he enunciates. This isn’t some random growls that you could throw in a not figure out the words even when not reading the lyrics.


On the flip side of the coin, the Black Metal influence on the shrieks were done in a tasteful manner, that does not sounds like an annoying Dani Filth but sound closer to what Ihsahn pulled off in Anthems. To me, it was sort of surprising considering the band claimed to have Cradle of Filth as an influence in past interviews. While Nergal could be cited as an influence, none of the vocals were the mid-range bark that Nergal has.


As mentioned above, there were clean vocals here but don’t expect deep operatic vocals like Dimmu Borgir but you can expect vocals that are pseudo-calming like Ulver’s Bergtatt but used in a manner that wants to be operatic. The guitars were crisps clear and the modern production definitely helped a lot here. Every single riff had a purpose the transition between haunting guitar tremolos that they pulled off from a Norwegian Black Metal textbook really shines in between the modern Death Metal punches.


The Death Metal riffs aren’t the old school semi-thrash sounding riffs or even the New York, slam inducing riffs but its closer to the more to the straight up modern Death Metal of Kataklysm. There are NO GUITAR SOLOS here but who says you need guitar solos to create good extreme Metal? The riffs here are amazing enough that I don’t have much to complain.


However at one or two times the band sounds as if they were about to transition into a breakdown, making me fear that all that amazing energy accumulated might just go to waste. Then again, that is just a minor gripe and my bad experience of listening to the multitude of Deathcore clones that just doesn’t try to be different from one another.


Another thing that was ringing through my mind is that I wish the band has the bass cranked up higher. The bass here just sounds as if was a hitchhiker along with the ride. Like any traveller, he might have something interesting to say but at the end of the day he is not in the driver’s seat.

Daarchlea @ Rock The World '13. Sort of like a Malaysian Soundwave or Download Festival where bands of various genres play here so there will be Metal bands like Daarchlea thrown into the mix.

This is all layered by amazing drumming that uses the double pedals sparingly but has a knack of using the snare as every good Black Metal band should. The drum rolls to transition from part to another were amazingly connected that it felt like glue. If it weren’t present, the parts would just sound jarring and might fall apart. A lot of bands just skip the transition and expect that two drum beats could connect, and expect the band to just go on.


There are times it could work, say when the band is trying to pull off a surprise tempo change, just like how Cephalic Carnage does from time to time but a band that tries to put glue to different parts, will have to realize that you do need an adhesive, and that adhesive are those amazing drum rolls. Kudos on that.  


On the keyboards, yes keyboards. This is where the Cradle of Filth or Hecate Enthroned influenced comes in. Not only the keyboards replace the orchestra, they add a whole different atmosphere when the Death Metal sets in. It turns it from the conventional Death Metal to the soundtrack of a decapitator in medieval dungeons. Though I’m sure that is no what the band wants you to imagine with their lyrical themes but that is how it sounds like. The piano at times takes the leads and becomes the driving narrative.


On tracks like Qhilav, the piano sets up the battlefield before the battery charges in, creating that mystical feel, almost Goth-like set up. To add another twist to the band’s style, the piano takes it’s time to shine when all the other instruments are set to rest for a minute and gets accompanied by the sound of a Kompang in the instrumental track, Ascend to Arasy.


Kompang for the uninitiated is a Malaysian folk instrument that is similar to a tambourine with Arab origins, normally played during weddings.


I could assume that in future albums the band would add more of the Malaysian influence into the music.

#Hornthrone
Check out Daarchlea playing Suns in it's entirety on the 27th. Don't forget to stop by.

By the end of the record, it will dawn to you that this is a great example of a great modern sounding album. Everything is glued together without sounding so jarring. While many bands decide to combine various genre to create something unique this band combines the genres to make something that feels familiar on the surface but then later on closer inspection shows something slightly different.


The tone, or probably the musical “accent” that the band has, gives the band identity. I remember a while back in an interview that Mirai of Sigh said that them speaking Japanese 24/7 probably have accidently led to the band putting in their accents or the more melodic elements of the Japanese language into their song writing elements.


That probably made the band sound different from their other Black Metal peers. Daarchlea’s Suns, just like the amazing Malaysian record, Langsuyr’s Asyik has accidentally added the tone, the accents of the language or elements they pick up in life. It sounds Malaysian, it has the musical feel of a Malay-Muslim musical heritage and that is probably what made Daarchlea sound different from the rest. Get it for excellent Malaysian Black/Death Metal.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daarchleaofficial

Daarchlea - Dher Phalse Mesaya

I'm not a Muslim, nor am I a religious man. In fact, agnosticism and skepticism, has always been proper descriptors to my "belief system" ever since my teens. So when I first heard that there is a band that uses Islamic imagery and Arabic/Middle Eastern influences in their music I was a bit skeptical.


Not so much on the usage of Middle Eastern influence in the music but how well do Islamic teaching goes with metal, and in this case Melodic Death Metal with Black Metal influences. Bands like Melechlesh, Behemoth, and even Nile have well integrated Middle Eastern influences in their music. Christianity has also dabbled with Black Metal, ranging from utterly cheesy "I love Jesus" but in a pagan-esque way, to the old testament, vengeful God portrayal that could make me say "Hallelujah" in a heartbeat.


The closest I thought an Islamic tone ever work in Extreme Music was in a sarcastic manner like what the Hardcore Punk band, Fearless Iranians From Hell had as a gimmick. Even Taqwacore Punk bands were sort of cheesy.

By the time I saw this videoclip, let's say my skepticism has sort of quelled. The Islamic imagery seems to work well, akin to the Old Testament vibe that most Christian Metal bands have. The band however employs a sense of Sunni-Supremacy ideologue (to a certain extend, I suspect anti-Shiite), for the lack of a better term. Also, clearly showing the influence on their song title. "Dher Phalse Mesaya." Reminded me of the Muslim Hardcore Punk badasses at the end of the movie Taqwacore, Bilal's Boulder. Whether they should be celebrated for those views, it's up to you to judge. I'm not here to be Reza Aslan or to debate the tenets of a religion that I only understand the basics of.

Now on the music instead. The band employs quick paced melody lines, and by quick paced I mean alternating between blast beats, complex rollings and your regular Death Metal double bass.Now judging from that song only, the band does not seem shy to show their Black Dahlia Murder influence. At times they jump to Dimmu Borgir like clean vocals that somehow managed to fit well into the song. Normally when bands copy Demon Burger, they order an extra slice of melted cheese with it. The droopy ones were my concern. All in all, I can say the track sounds like a very melodic Behemoth, with clean vocals towards the end.

Now these, bad boys (maybe holy would be a better adjective) also have an album, coming out this 27th of August. Even their album inlay has the Arabic influence all over it. To be honest, I thought this was a nice alternative to the typical artwork most Metal bands had.

Don't forget to check out Suns, on the 27th of August and their album launch where they will be playing the whole album, on the 27th of September at Alt HQ, Bukit Bintang. Will definitely be there.

https://www.facebook.com/daarchleaofficial

Terence A. Anthony commutes between Kuala Lumpur and Kuching. Co-Founder of Aural Chaos. He also writes for Greater Malaysia and Opinions Unleashed.