Busuk Chronicles Metal Webzine: NEW AUTICED INTERVIEW: "We must make a movement and protect UG culture here in Bandung".

Wednesday 7 December 2016

NEW AUTICED INTERVIEW: "We must make a movement and protect UG culture here in Bandung".

My second interview with AUTICED (Bandung Progressive Death Metal)

Interpretation by: Popo Demons Damn (vocalist, DEMONS DAMN band)

Date: Monday, 18 July 2016 @ Bandung

AUTICED (April 2012) is: Angga (bass), Gilang Wallker (guitar1), Miky (guitar2), Rio (drums), Rozy (vocals). Miky is elder brother of Rio.

AUTICED (December 2016) is: Adhi (vocals – joined 2015); Wira (bass – joined 2013); Insan (guitar1 - joined 2013), Miky (guitar2), and Aden (drums – joined 2013).

The new nine-track Auticed album Arise was released on 1 June 2016 by OmegaWave Records.

Kieran James (Busuk Chronicles): Please tell us all the line-up changes since our first interview in April 2012 and what were the reasons for the line-up changes? Of course I know guitarist Gilang was sadly killed in a motorcycle accident…

Aden (drummer AUTICED): We started to change the line-up in 2011. Gilang passed away in August 2013.

KJ: So Insan replaced Gilang?

Insan (guitarist1): Yes, I replaced Gilang.

Aden: When the old line-up left, Miky (guitar2) asked me to join Auticed and asked me to find other members to join. I asked Insan (guitar1) and Wira (bass) to join.

KJ: Miky is an original member, yes?

Aden: Yes, Miky is an original member.

KJ: When did the vocalist Adhi join?

Aden: He joined in 2015.

Popo Demons Damn: I got information that Miky is still in the band but now he rests for a while waiting for baby birth. They said the babies will be twins.

KJ: Miky’s brother Rio was in the band also, yes?

Popo: To make and promote the album Auticed asked Zulf [from Inwise / ex-Dajjal] to help. We got the new information that Zulf has resigned from Dajjal.

KJ: Why did Rio leave?

Sandhy (band manager): He left to focus on his studies in the college.

Aden: In 2012.

KJ: So is the current line-up the same as on the new album Arise released on 1 June 2016 by OmegaWave Records?

Aden: Yes, same.

KJ: What are the differences between the first and second album?

Sandhy (band manager): The differences are different players and sound. We didn’t remake the character of the band but we put in new influences. We did it all by ourselves – mixing and mastering was by Wira (our bassist).

Aden: The drum is from Kill Studio and the other instruments were recorded at our own studio in our base-camp.

Adhi (vocalist): The label name is Omega Records.

Sandhy (band manager): That is our own record label.

KJ: Please explain more.

Aden: We add some Spawn of Possession influence and some Gorod influence and some influence of The Faceless all mixed together.

KJ: What do you call your genre?

Sandhy (band manager): Progressive Death Metal.

Aden: We just like to call it Death Metal but it is up to the listener whether he or she wants to call it progressive or technical.

KJ: Is the vocal style similar or different to the debut album Cemetery of Necronymph (2011, Rottrevore Records)?

Sandhy (band manager): The new vocalist has a different technique – exhale.

Adhi: It is still a Death Metal growl.

KJ: What are the lyrics about?

Adhi: It is a continuation from our first album.

Sandhy (band manager): It tells of the rebirth of the character from the first album Elizabeth Bathory. From our viewpoint we present it as a fictional story although we know a real person had that name. At the end of this year 2016 we will launch our novel or book with the story about the album.

KJ: Who wrote the story?

Sandhy (band manager): She is a friend of mine, Adi Ulfa.

Popo: Is this her first book?

Sandhy (band manager): Yes, this is her first book.

Popo: Who had the idea?

Sandhy (band manager): The idea is purely from the band.

Popo: Why did you ask her to write the book?

AUTICED band, 18 July 2016

Sandhy (band manager): Because we are interested to ask her.

Aden: She is the closest friend to us.

Adhi: Because we like to read her blog-writing. We read her writing before (short stories) and so we asked her to write the novel. We think she is a good writer.

KJ: Popo is also a good writer!

Sandhy (band manager): Next album we ask her.

Popo: This is interesting because I also want to make a book based on my lyrics. I’m happy that some band released a book. I’m waiting for the book and I must have the book!

KJ: Is the album dedicated to Gilang?

Aden: Yes, and to Rio of Rottrevore.

Popo: How did Gilang die?

KJ: I heard he tried to avoid a car or a truck on his motorcycle and he hit a wall.

Aden: Yes, that is correct.

KJ: Do you think Auticed has a low profile and needs to do more marketing?

Popo: The problem is that the band does not hang out with many people and so people did not know about Gilang passing away.

AUTICED band, 18 July 2016

KJ: This is like when Luke said Hellbeyond find it difficult to get gigs because they do not nongkrong [hang out with] the others.

Popo: Edo Hellbeyond has replaced Barata temporarily in Outright.

KJ: What is the plan for tour and promotion of the album?

Sandhy (band manager): We started promo tour in July 2016. We went to Batang and then in August 2016 we will go to Surabaya, Jawa Timur, Bali, and Lombok. We will play in Jakarta and Bandung in September 2016.

KJ: The album was released only one month ago but is there any response so far?

Sandhy (band manager): It is good but the problem is we are promoting this album by ourselves. The trouble is money.

Aden: And time.

Popo: There are no original members so how can the [current] members be confident to continue the band?

Aden: Long time ago I had a band with Insan and Adhi called Crematopsy so it is not difficult for me to bond with them. We have known each other for a long time.

KJ: Why not give the band Auticed a new name?

Aden: We want to keep the old spirit of Auticed alive. We don’t want to upset the fans.

AUTICED band, 18 July 2016 with Kieran James

KJ: I suggest you try harder to promote the band through Facebook.

Sandhy (band manager): We sell the album through Amazon, iTunes and Spotify. We think we must promote it worldwide. The album is in more than 50 internet stores. We promote the album through our website and on Facebook.

KJ: Do you know how many copies sold?

Sandhy (band manager): Now we are hitting 400 copies sold since the release date of first tune. In Indonesia the culture is to buy some original merchandise and sales of physical CD are low. We are trying some gimmicks and tactics to sell our album.

Aden: Which we hope will convince the listeners to buy our physical album.

KJ: How many copies of the CD were produced?

Sandhy (band manager): 1,000 copies of the first pressing.

KJ: Did you think of teaming up with overseas label for reissues?

Sandhy (band manager): We only issued 200 copies of the T-shirt for the album. We might do a reissue of the CD [ourselves through OmegaWave Records]. We will restock it if necessary.

KJ: Is the whole album on YouTube?

Aden: No, just a teaser.

Sandhy (band manager): On Spotify you can hear the whole album.

KJ: Did Miky play on the album?

Sandhy (band manager): Yes, he was involved in the making of the album. He cannot join the tour because he is responsible to look after his twins.

Sandhy (band manager): Maybe the babies will be born in September 2016.

KJ: When can he join again?

Sandhy (band manager): In the New Year 2017 maybe.

KJ: Is there an additional guitarist on tour?

Sandhy (band manager): We asked Zulfie [from Inwise / ex-Dajjal] to join our tour.

Zulf: It’s a good idea!

KJ: Is Miky happy with the new members? Any comment from him?

Aden: He’s happy.

Sandhy (band manager): Zulfie was a member of Auticed before.

Zulf: Second-generation!

KJ: What is your feeling to join Auticed?

Kieran James (Busuk Chronicles) @ Ayr, Scotland, UK

Aden: It’s an honour for me because I was a fan of Auticed. Now I’m promoted to join the band.

Adhi: [No answer.]

Popo: Another shy vocalist.

Adhi: It is hard to give an answer.

Insan (guitar1): When I joined Auticed Miky and another member made me feel comfortable. They made it feel like a home so I’m very happy to join with Auticed.

Wira (bassist): I feel like I have a new family in Auticed.

KJ: So the new CD is kind of like a Crematopsy CD?

Aden: Yes, but we kicked Adhi out of the band [Crematopsy] so that the vocals are not the same as for Auticed.

Insan: He is not needed anymore!

KJ: Does Crematopsy still exist?

Aden: I think so; I hope so.

Insan: I think so.

KJ: What is the style of Crematopsy?

Aden: It is more like The Faceless or Gorod but not classical like Auticed.

AUTICED 2012 interview, Gilang third from left (RIP)

Popo: I just want to know your opinion about DM scene in Bandung and what you hope for the future?

Sandhy (band manager): Bandung is the biggest underground scene in Indo but we are just a small band here. We just hope the audience can support us to make the scene grow bigger and bigger. Maybe it is a time for us to make a movement and protect this culture in our city. We need support from everyone and other bands to make a real movement again.

Popo: What is your hope for the scene?

Aden: We want more regeneration.

Sandhy (band manager): We hope the scene in Bandung can support new bands here and we hope this encourages the bands to grow their band like the pioneers of Bandung. We need the support of our seniors in this scene.

Popo: Do you feel it is different now?

Sandhy (band manager): In the past so many band members used to have time to spend together talking about music and making gigs together. Now in Bandung the gig venues are very expensive.

Popo: It is hard to get a place to play metal gigs. If you find some place it is very expensive. That is why in Bandung we have so many festival gigs. It is hard for new bands or bands with few followers to play in the festival gigs. I look at the gigs now and [think] it is only for business really. They only think about selling more tickets.

AUTICED 2012 interview (Gilang fourth from left)

KJ: It is not the UG spirit so much now?

Popo: Yes, you can say that. That is why we miss so much Bandung Death Fest. It has been three years since the last Death Fest. We need a big festival only for Death Metal. Then we can regenerate killer bands.

Popo: I don’t know why when I read many newspaper articles they say every Bandung band just follows Jasad. For our band [Demons Damn] we also try to sound different from Jasad.

KJ: Auticed plays very different from Jasad but perhaps in East Java Auticed is not well known and this tour will help to promote the band.

Aden: Yes.

Popo: The problem for the new bands is that they do not want to put in hard work for promoting and networking. It is also important not just to promote on social media but to meet people. When people make gigs we must always ask them whether our band can play.

KJ: What is your message for the fans?

Aden (drummer): Buy the original CD and merch. Keep supporting us, that’s all.

Insan (guitar1): I just want to thank the fans for their support. Keep supporting us.

Wira (bassist): I want to say thanks for support and please buy the original CD. Don’t download illegally.

Adhi (vocalist): Thanks to support us for playing gigs. Thanks to support our local movement. Thanks especially for buying our original CD and merchandise. Without the fans we are nothing.

Sandhy (band manager): Keep supporting us. Thank-you for buying our merch and CDs for a long time up until the present. That is all.

KJ: What are your future plans?

Sandhy (band manager): We will make a video and also the book.