Our first interview with HEUGARD
(Subang / Bandung Death Metal)
Date: 14 May 2019.
Venue: Putra from Lumpur’s café,
Bandung.
Translation by: Teguh Prasetyo
(Interfectorment / Digging Up).
Band line-up: Yudha (bass), Hari
(guitar), Fajar (drums), and Imam (vocals).
Teguh
Prasetyo: What is the meaning of the name?
Yudha
(bassist): The origin of the name is Hegar
(Sundanese language). It means holy and clean environment. We talk to the
artist who said we should change the name to become more like a slang word. We
mix Hegar word with Hindi language
for the same term Haigar. The Hindi
word is Haigar, the meaning is the
same. Before we were very straight-edge, no smoking, etc.
Teguh:
Now they are 100% pure asshole!
Hari:
Adapting!
Kieran
James: How about you tell us the band history and how you came to Bandung?
Yudha:
We started on 12 December 2012. First we formed for a school festival and we
were covering other bands’ songs, e.g. Burgerkill and another popular local
band. We did not know about DM.
Hari:
The members are the same as from high-school. We added two new people after
that school project was done. We started to become more serious with the band
and began to listen to Bleeding Corpse, Forgotten, and Turbidity. We started to
make a band with DM theme, we chose slamming genre. Then we made a
demo of two songs. The demo was released in 2016.
Yudha:
There was a positive reaction from the people as we released 100 pieces of CDs
and T-shirts (packaged together) and we sold them all.
Teguh:
Why did you change the genre? To my ear it’s slightly changed.
Yudha:
We didn’t intend to change the genre but now we have more variation and
influences so we evolved from slam. Only the first demo is slamming. We just
want to make our own musical character.
KJ:
And tell us about how the members moved from Subang to Bandung.
Hari:
We became a part of Bandung scene because the vocalist goes to college in
Bandung now. He started to know Glenn. I also go to the college but the college
is in Cimahi. We got to know Glenn and Daniel and we organized an event
together with them. It was called: Sindang
Sari Squad. From that we went on to get to know everyone.
KJ:
What do you think about Bandung City?
Yudha:
Bandung has a determined character.
KJ:
What do you think about Bandung scene?
Hari:
Very friendly and very open towards all people from local areas and from other
cities. We don’t feel like outsiders in the scene, everyone is welcoming.
KJ:
Tell us about the new songs and the plans.
Yudha:
For the music it is the same as before. We try to include all our influences.
Teguh:
We cannot call them slamming band now; they become more general in DM, they are
not as specialized as before.
Yudha:
We have already made five songs but we are planning to have eight or ten songs
for the album.
Hari:
The lyrics are social, about fascism, communism, legalization of marijuana,
commenting on events in this country, the oppression of the minority by the
majority, etc.
Teguh:
What is your viewpoint about the legalization of the weed?
Yudha:
We feel that there are some positive things we can get from marijuana.
Obviously the high, happy feeling…
Hari:
And for medical purpose and for clothes…
Yudha:
And for food too.
Hari:
This is God’s creation, why is everyone against it? I’m quite afraid talking
about this…
Teguh:
It’s only an opinion that everyone can have…
Hari:
Our country has some of the best marijuana; it has a potential economic value
for our country. But the main point is that the purpose is not just to get high
– it is the medicinal and industrial value.
KJ:
Why do you like DM?
Hari:
It is similar to water; water can be blended and mixed with any other materials
to become something new. DM is the same – you can mix it with anything to
become something new. DM is good in that it is challenging and can evolve to
something new.
Yudha:
I like DM in general. I don’t want to have boundaries in DM music. A band might
be called Tech DM and it has to stay with Technical. I want to be unrestrained
and to be able to mix every element.
Daniel
(Turbidity guitarist): How many chicks did you get in your time playing DM?
Yudha:
Two.
Hari:
Not yet.
KJ:
Do you prefer religious chick or metal chick?
Hari:
Religious chick.
Teguh:
Why?
Hari:
For another perspective, for balancing my lifestyle.
Yudha:
To stop me from doing stupid things. If I met DM girl, it will be a rehearsal
not a relationship [laughs].
Daniel:
Same.
Teguh:
For me I have a different opinion. As long as they want me to be their
boyfriend, it doesn’t matter.
KJ:
Message for the fans?
Imam:
Keep the rules and bad boy.
Hari:
Never give up in every situation and break your limit.
Yudha:
No woman no cry!
Fajar
(drummer): We are not only a playing band; we can do more.
Imam:
We are close with the scene members because we go to gigs and get bullied in
Bandung! Daniel asked me why I wear training pants; do I want to go for a jog
or go to a gig? We became close as a result of these jokes.
Teguh:
Daniel was just joking and testing the mentality of Imam. If he can stand this
joke he can stand to hang out with the rest of us.
Teguh:
Any comment about this band?
Daniel:
They are good because they have survived and want to be part of our guys in the
scene and they have a will to learn.
Putra
from Lumpur: Good band and still strive for the future.
Teguh:
Are you Subang band or Bandung band?
Imam:
We still consider ourselves to be a band from Subang but we evolved and grew in
Bandung.
*****THE
END*****
