SINGLE REVIEW: BATOSAY (Jakarta Power Metal) - "Eagle Hunt", 8/10/2015

Left to Right: Renggo Mawadah (soldier metal-lover); Rhona (Batosay Vokalis); Erick Mortis (Anastasya Bassist); and Reddy (Batosay Bassist). The sky is always blue in Power-metal Land even in Jakarta!

Batosay's Eagle Hunt is a great alternative to the ones who miss the good old-school power metal. The song start with powerful guitars, being followed by more nice guitar riffs and solid drumworks. A short keyboard line is also present, but the sound keeps it's more straightforward direction for the longest part of the song, which is really good, considering how crowded Power Metal's sound has become nowadays. I am a big fan of giant bombastic songs with orchestral tracks to the bones, but it is really nice to have an alternative to this style where we can enjoy the most of a more clean, guitar-driven song. And talking about Batosay's work, those are guitars which are pleasant to listen to, the leads are absolutely delightful and the solo is just like any power metal catchy single should be: full of energy and intention. Batosay delivers an excellent guitar work and, complemented with the also excellent bass work, we have a recipe for success. Vocal-wise, the singer [Rhona] shows a lot of potential and a very beautiful voice color on the lower tones, showing that he has a hidden power which can be uncovered on his full-body voice, but this power is being hindered by the constant and, if you allow me to say, unnecessary use of high pitched notes. In some cases less is more and I can see his voice growing and beautiful new aspects of it being uncovered if the super-high head voiced notes became more of an ornament than a constant through his work. Overall, I give a big "YES" to Batosay's Eagle Hunt and can't wait to listen to their upcoming EP [by Drake Chrisdensen for BUSUK CHRONICLES].

BAND BIO. Batosay formed in 2006 is Power Metal from Indonesia based in Ciamis, they will release their first EP "Eagle Hunt" via Interlude Records. Containing 6 songs taken from their single last year and one single release in 2015 with lyrical theme about love and fantasy. Release date and artwork will be revealed soon.

EP Tracklist: 1. Eagle Hunt 2. Last Fortune 3. Lost Angel 4. Your Mistake 5. Horizon 6. Horizon (New Version)

A special thanks to: UCIK (Fauzi Nurul Amin) for providing this information.

28 September 2015

Check new single "Eagle Hunt":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuZzyAhbc6A

Rhona Batosay (vokalis BATOSAY, Jakarta Power Metal)

Power Speed Community, pictured are members of Lentera (Surabaya), Umbra Mortis (Jakarta), Anastasya (Subang), and Batosay (Jakarta)

CLASSIC INTERVIEW: Our first interview with Rhona BATOSAY (Jakarta Power Metal), 18/11/2014

Left to Right: Renggo Mawadah (soldier metal-lover); Rhona (Batosay Vokalis); Erick Mortis (Anastasya Bassist); and Reddy (Batosay Bassist). The sky is always blue in Power-metal Land even in Jakarta!

Dimas Bramantyo (Valerian Guitarist): INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Thanks very much for agreeing to do interview with our website. These are the questions:

Rhona (vocalist BATOSAY)

DB1. Tell us band History, and the band line-up?

Rhona: Batosay adalah band dari daerah desa yang punya nama daerah banjarsari kecamatan, di ciamis kabupaten, dalam wilayah barat jawa, berawal dari gemar pada rock musick pemuda di sana mencoba belajar musik dengan otodidak tanpa guru musick, Kemudian setelah mampu mulai main musick di rental studio, makin lama tambah mampu dan mahir, karna itu sepakat membangun band rock secara serius. Awal nama dari band adalah 'thepol band' (1997) dengan personil - Isa sondara .. Guitar - Endang .. Vocal - Agus hermanto .. Guitar - Asep dani andrian .. Bass - Gun-gun .. Drum di tahun 2002 nama band berubah jadi 'primata band' dari rock gendre beralih ke power metal gendre, dengan personil band - Isa sondara .. Guitar - Ari herdiana wijaya .. Guitar - Asep dani andrian .. Bass - Agus hermanto .. drum - Rhona B I .. Vocal Tahun 2006 nama band diganti lagi jadi 'mutiara band', jadi band cover lagu helloween band power metal dari jerman, dan kami seperti biasa berganti pemain musick dengan personil - Ari herdiana wijaya .. Guitar - Deni heryanto .. Guitar - Asep dani andrian .. Bass - Tito sutristerianto .. Drum - Rhona B I .. Vocal Kemudian nama band diganti lagi menjadi 'BatosaY' (2008) dan masih tetap selalu main power metal gendre, jadi band cover helloween juga, personil batosay aktip dan tidak aktip: -Guitar: Ari herdiana wijaya .. -Guitar 2 : Muhammad okvi, Jajang bakul (ex..) -Bass: Reddy Otung fortuna (ex..) -Drumer: Arianto / Akira Tito sutristerianto (ex..) Gilang gartika (ex..) Arfan (ex..) -Vocal: Rhona B I.
   

DB2. How do you describe your music, who are your band influences? What is your sound like?

Rhona: Musick punya kami adalah power metal yang mengambil harmonisasi enak di telinga kemudian dibuat keras dan cepat tapi tidak buang nuansa asik dan enjoy dalam musick, HelloweeN sangat mempengaruhi Batosay dalam musick dan gaya juga perform di atas panggung,...tipe suara vocal mirif michael kiske (ex helloween) dan timo kotipelto (stratovarius).  

DB3: Tell us about your feeling and experience playing Power/Speed Metal Music, and tell us your different values or characteristics compared to the other bands playing power/speed metal music?

Rhona: Banyak suka dan duka, banyak perjuangan, karna berawal dari band kecil jadi harus berusaha dari bawah, dari festival ke festival lain, dari panggung ke panggung lain, tapi kami selalu dapat sambutan baik juga meriah karna musik kami berbeda dari band lain, kami bergendre power metal dan itu sangat kontras kepada warna gendre apapun, kami selalu jadi pembawa semangat di setiap event, pengunjung dan penonton pasti menyambut dengan semangat juga gembira bila kami naik ke panggung. kami berbeda dengan band yang lain karna kami memberikan humor dan canda kepada penonton supaya mereka tertawa bahagia sebelum mereka menikmati musik power metal yang kami mainkan.  

DB4: Why do you choose to play Power Metal? Because In Indonesia I think Death-Metal is bigger than Power Metal. Do you think in Indonesia Power Metal (genre) can be big like Death Metal or maybe bigger than Death Metal?

Rhona: Kami bermain power metal karena sangat suka nuansa nada di irama power metal, kami amat suka bermain power metal dan yang paling penting kami mampu bermain power metal dengan warna musick kami pribadi. ..Death Metal tidak lebih besar dari Power Metal tapi Death Metal lebih banyak dari Power Metal, kenapa seperti itu?? Karna Power Metal seperti lebih ringan dari Death Metal, tapi Power Metal lebih sulit dari Death Metal. ...Power Metal lebih stabil dari gendre metal lain, dari waktu ke waktu Power Metal selalu ada, beda dengan gendre metal lain yang kadang sangat tinggi dan besar, tapi di lain waktu kebawah bahkan hilang...Power Metal lebih universal dan dapat ideal bagi semua konsumen musik, jadi Power Metal bukan lebih besar dari Death Metal, tapi Power Metal lebih bisa diterima semua orang tidak hanya diterima orang komunitas metal saja. 

DB5: How many albums has Batosay finished? Tell us about the process, concept, distribution?

Rhona: Kami baru mulai membuat album, karna sebelumnya kami tida punya pasilitas recording juga dana, Kami membeli alat2 murah untuk recording dengan waktu lama, lalu kami menyusun tiap lagu yang sudah coba kami buat, baru lima lagu yang selesai, Walau helloween adalah band idola kami tapi kami bebas mencari warna power metal kami lalu kami membebaskan juga tiap personil untuk expresi mengangkat emosi musik masing2 supaya warna lagu yang kami buat sangat hidup, ..distribusi masih memikirkan karna album masih proses pembuatan.  

DB6: Ok Let’s Start With Favourites Game: (You Just Choose One Answer) Iron Maiden Or Helloween?

Rhona: Helloween. 

DB7: Paul Dianno or Bruce Dickinson?

Rhona: Bruce Dickinson. 

DB8: Kei Hansen or Andy Deris?

Rhona: Kei Hansen. 

DB9: Can You tell about the other bands in Indonesia playing Power/Speed Metal Music, and tell us the power metal scenes in your region?

Rhona (vocalist BATOSAY)

Rhona9:  Umbra Mortis punya warna musick power yang khas dengan kemampuan yang hebat secara pribadi mereka teman yang baik ramah dan suka berbagi terutama tentang ilmu musick metal LENTERA yang lahir dari daerah rock metal yang kental yaitu Surabaya...sangat handal dalam memainkan power metal, hebat perform di atas panggung, tentunya mereka juga secara pribadi sangat ramah dan menyukai berkawan, kami cukup akrab juga. Metal secara umum besar dan sangat disukai oleh generasi muda di daerah kami, sedangkan power metal sangat bisa diterima dan dikagumi. 

DB10: Thanks For doing interview With Busuk Chronicle Webzine. I hope we can meet this year.

[Interview by Dimas Bramantyo, Valerian Guitarist, for Busuk Chronicle Webzine.]

Rhona (vocalist BATOSAY) live onstage

Power Speed Community, pictured are members of Lentera (Surabaya), Umbra Mortis (Jakarta), Anastasya (Subang), and Batosay (Jakarta)