NEW INTERVIEW: My second interview with Samier Tengkorak (Jakarta Death Metal), @ Surabaya, 30 May 2025.

My interview with Samier of Tengkorak, Inferno Music Studio & Rock Shop, Surabaya, Friday, 30 May 2025 (corrected by Samier via Instagram on 31 May 2025)

(Note: Samier is based in Surabaya but the other members of Tengkorak are based in Jakarta) 

Samier: Tengkorak disbanded in 2016. We are not active. We do not practice. We do not play the gigs. Last year (about November-December 2024) they want to reform. I told them that I can’t go in like before. But I still join in their management but not as a performer again. 

Kieran James: Why don’t you want to join again?

Samier: I feel I can’t one hundred percent anymore because of my lifestyle now. I’m not sure that I can join this band. In the future I don’t know. Right now I’m not in the band anymore.

KJ: You still play with the band G.A.S.? 

Samier: G.A.S. disbanded in 2017. 

KJ: What other activities do you do? 

Samier: Nothing. I just manage my studio. I have comic book store. I have simple lifestyle with my family. I’m still listening music. I still support new bands in Surabaya. I’m still watching gigs. 

KJ: Do you still follow OFM?

Samier: It’s not active. It’s just a statement. Yes, it’s a movement but it’s more of a statement. We still have our beliefs. We love metal but we stay with our belief. Because, at that time that you came before [January 2014] that statement came because so many young fans thought that if you are metal you should not have the beliefs. But it’s wrong.

KJ: You still contact Ombat [Tengkorak vocalist]?

Samier: Yes, we have WhatsApp group. I went to Jakarta last December and we met.

KJ: What are some of the young bands in Surabaya?

Samier: CPG (grindcore); Daging (death metal); Decrown (death metal); Fordity (death metal); and Gerogot (death metal). 

KJ: What is the size of the scene now?

Samier: I think the scene got bigger. Hardcore gets the young people. There is regeneration in the hardcore scene in Surabaya.

I had a motorbike accident in 2018 and my leg is broken. I need one year to recover my leg.

We had a plan (G.A.S.) to come back in 2019. And then COVID came. We had a break of three years. After that we were so excited to perform again, to come back in the band. I don’t feel so excited anymore. As a player we should practice every day, we should go everywhere for gigs. I feel not comfortable with those circumstances given my age. I don’t want to continue. They ask me to come back but I said to them I can’t do this anymore. 

KJ: How do you feel? Sad? 

Samier: Happy. Because in 1990 I joined a band (no name), a university band; we just play on the campus. We changed the name at every gig (laughs). We just play Metallica or anything we like, it’s not a serious band.

1993 I am the founder of Slowdeath. This is my first serious band. We have three albums. It is deathgrind. We have Napalm Death in Harmony Corruption style. And Slowdeath 1993-2003 (?) Then I joined Tengkorak. 

KJ: Are you the first generation of extreme metal in Surabaya?

Samier: Yes. Nendy is the first and then Edy from Wafat, Yayan from Venduzor, then Jagal. Jagal is a newer band than us. But the players come from the first generation. Endro and Deddy came from Fear Inside.

KJ: Keep going back to when you joined Tengkorak.

Samier: I joined in 2003 and made an album with them, Agenda Suram (2007). This is the fourth album from Tengkorak.

KJ: Did you join Tengkorak because of the beliefs?

Samier: I wanted Slowdeath to be bigger. I wanted Slowdeath to be a national band but to stay in Surabaya. I had a plan to relocate the whole band to Jakarta. It’s crazy at that time. Because Slowdeath when we played gigs in Jakarta we got a good reaction. Jakarta is more simple, it’s the capital, not like Bandung. Bandung community is a very closed community, just like Surabaya. When we play in Bandung we do not have a good impact. It’s possible to move to Jakarta and have an opportunity. But the other members don’t want that. This is why I joined Tengkorak. Suddenly Tengkorak lost their guitarist. I knew them for a long time, we became friends. I called them. I said: If you want a guitarist I want to join you.

KJ: But you still stay in Surabaya? 

Samier: I stay two weeks in Jakarta, two weeks in Surabaya, sometimes by train, sometimes by plane. My sister stays in Jakarta. It depends on Tengkorak activity. When we release my first album with Tengkorak, I stayed in Jakarta or two or three months to rehearse and practice and record the album. Because when we did the record, we changed the drummer two years before, in 2005. We changed the drummer. And I join with Tengkorak until 2016.

KJ: Did the band continue with the younger players? 

Samier: The persons in the first or second line-up joined again. The bass player, the founder, rejoined again. Ombat is still the vocalist. Ombat (vocals), Yoyo (guitar), Danang (bass), Rony (drummer, joined 2005), Donny (second guitar). Donny is actually the drummer from Tengkorak in 1998 and the bass player from 2012. Right now he is the second guitarist. The new line-up has one single just released. 

[Tengkorak--Zionist Downfall (video), featuring Ombat daughter on vocals.]

Samier: Donny is a good songwriter--actually he can play drums, bass, guitar, he is so productive.

Deddy and Sari (G.A.S. vocalist) have a new band Decrown, they just have one single. 

KJ: What is the lyric about in the Tengkorak video? 

Samier: The lyric is similar to the other Tengkorak songs. It’s about Zionist. It’s time for the Zionist downfall.

We in Islam we believe the Zionist downfall is coming. It’s written in Al-Quran how Israel ends. Maybe for some people outside Muslim they can hardly believe what is written in Al-Quran. There is a big war at the end of the days, Israel and Islam. So we know exactly that in the end it will be the end of Israel. Right now we are heading to that event. We know exactly what Israel is. We have a long story about them, from Moses. They betrayed Moses. We know exactly what they are doing in the first Islam era. They always betrayed. If you read the books about Mohammed, it is about what Israel people did in that era--they always betray. 

KJ: Did Tengkorak get any recognition from other countries? 

Samier: Yes, especially from Japan. There is a Japanese label that always support Tengkorak.

KJ: Is there any interest from Muslim countries?

Samier: No (smiles). Tengkorak--we are not good to promote ourselves. I have a family in Bandung. In school they are taught the teacher will support you if you have arts or music talent. The Bandung mentality is special.

[Top picture: Samier (left) with Nendy of Fear Inside, Surabaya death metal.]

*****THE END*****

NEWS: G.A.S. releases debut album "Demoralisasi Penguasa Bangsa" (Surabaya Grindcore), 1/3/2016

NEWS: G.A.S. releases debut album "Demoralisasi Penguasa Bangsa" (Surabaya Grindcore, featuring guitarist Samier Tengkorak)

Full-length album

Release date: 1 March 2016

Label: Inferno Records

1.	Peradilan Sesat	03:10
2.	Ode Pecundang	03:00
3.	Negeri Para Serigala	00:55
4.	Absurditas Makna	02:51
5.	Disosiatif Identitas	03:24
6.	Media Setengah Telanjang	03:18
7.	Obscured by Fundamentalism	02:51
8.	Degradasi Moral Bangsa	00:48
9.	Reformasi Palsu	03:36
		23:53

NEW G.A.S. INTERVIEW: "I wrote about the soccer scandal" (Surabaya Grindcore feat. Samier Tengkorak)

Our interview with Samier of GAS (Surabaya Grindcore)

By: Kieran James and Dimas Valerian

Date: 9 December 2014 @ Colors 87.8 FM Radio Station, Surabaya

GAS is: Samier (guitar), Raynold (bass), Antonia (drums), and Sari (vocals).

Kieran James aka Jack Frost (Busukwebzine): This is a Surabaya band?

Samier: Yes.

KJ: Where are you putting your attention – to TENGKORAK or to this band GAS?

Samier: To this band and to TENGKORAK as well. But I concentrate on GAS at the moment. We have done an EP and a video-clip. The EP will be released soon [January 2015]. The video has already been released.

KJ: What is the reason that you started this band?

Samier: First of all I have been in bands and I love to perform and I love to practice. At that time in 2009 TENGKORAK had fewer gigs than before, so I needed to form a band in my hometown. I formed the band and I chose the players and the musical direction. This is more of my band. I almost did everything in this band.

KJ: How is the music different from TENGKORAK?

Samier: It is a little bit different. I write all the songs. The basic music is the same. I feel better playing this kind of music. It is more like my old band before I joined TENGKORAK called SLOWDEATH.

KJ: Have you got any specific influences for this band?

Samier: Yes, NAPALM DEATH. I always have played this type of music since I first formed a band in 1993. The other influence is TERRORIZER.

KJ: What are the lyrics for this band?

Samier: It is more about what is happening in this country and what I am most interested in. It is more about the reformation [reformasi] in 1998. People hoped that after the reformation it would improve but it has got worse. We have a song title “Reformasi Palsu” [false reformation]. I wrote that song in 2008 before I formed the band.

KJ: Is there any problem with TENGKORAK? Do they think you should use your new lyrics for their band? 

Samier: No, it’s OK.

G.A.S. (Surabaya)

KJ: Does the new band have the Islamic perspective like TENGKORAK?

Samier: No, it’s more about political and social. I wrote the song “Vote for Losers” about Indonesian Football Federation. In 2008 there was a soccer scandal. Indonesia lost. It happened in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s until now.

KJ: What are your favourite grindcore bands from Indonesia?

Samier: NOXA (Jakarta) and MESIN TEMPUR.

Dimas Valerian: The song “Stupid Declaration” says that all lifestyles are equal, it is an individual choosing.

KJ: Did you choose to have female band members on purpose or it just happened that way?

Samier: I planned it. I wanted it like ARCH ENEMY which I loved at that time. I planned the female vocalist but with the drummer it was just an accident [all laugh]. We just went with the flow. The first drummer quit and my friends recommended a female drummer to me.

KJ: I heard the songs. There are no blast-beats; it’s more traditional metal drumming.

Samier: Yes, it is like old-school metal drumming such as BENEDICTION.

Dimas Valerian: Nowadays you must choose a priority. Which band do you choose if you have to give priority?

Samier: Actually I want to balance the priorities. GAS now should be highlighted so that people can know about it. People have known about TENGKORAK for a long time. I wanted to do something for my hometown of Surabaya. I want to be part of them. With TENGKORAK I don’t have a direct connection to Surabaya. I formed the band to have a connection with the scene in my hometown. Now I choose to prioritize this band.

KJ: What is the meaning of the name?

Samier: GAS is a simple word. GAS means gasoline. It is important for life.

Samier Tengkorak and Kieran James @ Inferno Studio, Surabaya

Dimas Valerian: Long time ago, from early-1990s to 2000s, grindcore was bigger in Indo than right now. The regeneration is now slow. Is that true?

Samier: I don’t think so. In the 1990s grindcore was not so big. In the 1990s most bands wanted to play traditional Death Metal such as MALEVOLENT CREATION and SUFFO. Up until now just a couple of bands play grindcore. People in Indo want to play more complex music than DM.

KJ: What is your comment about the band DEADLY WEAPON from Jogjakarta?

Samier: It is a good band. They choose a less popular genre. Too many bands want to play brutal DM with gore lyrics.

KJ: What is your comment about the band OVERDEATH from Sidoarjo?

Samier: They are my friends. That is Agus’ band. They have not put their album out yet. They might have played one or two gigs in Sidoarjo in their own community. We don’t hear anything new about OVERDEATH. A lot of 1990s bands in East Java have the word “death” in their names.

KJ: What are your next plans for GAS?

Samier: We want to release the EP and then an album. We want to play as many gigs as possible. We want to play at Jakarta Grind Fest in April 2015. I want to promote this band.

********THE END

CLASSIC INTERVIEW: "Believe in Satan but not God, that's ridiculous man" (Samier Tengorak Interview)

TENGKORAK band with guitarist Samier second from left.

My interview with Samier of Tengkorak, Inferno Music Studio & Rock Shop, Surabaya, 26 January 2014

Interpretation where necessary by: Dimas (Valerian Guitarist) & Verrell (Valerian Drummer)

Expert Comments and Questions by: Dimas & Niza (Climaxeth / Osiris Vocalist) 

(Note: Samier is based in Surabaya but the other members of Tengkorak are based in Jakarta)

Jack Frost (Busuk Webzine): First of all tell us your life story, just a short introduction...

Samier: Love story?

JF: The history of Tengkorak then, just briefly...

S: The band was established in 1993. I joined in 2002. At that time Tengkorak just wrote some political lyrics, corruption – not about jihad or anything like that. We started writing about Islam and jihad and topics like that in 2007. It’s in our third album Agenda Suram. We write about jihad because we feel lots of westerners believe that Islam equals to terrorism.  It happened because of 9-11. We started to think how to counter that statement; Islam is not equal to terrorism.

JF: OK, please tell us more about the band’s philosophy and vision?

S: It comes from our [personal] philosophy itself. We have faith in Allah, we believe Islam; it’s a good religion, not a terrorist. We should tell about the truth. A lot of kids in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta, at that time were starting to doubt their beliefs so we counter that. A lot of bands say they don’t believe in God; some of them are fake you know. If they don’t believe God they don’t believe Satan. If they believe Satan but don’t believe God, it’s ridiculous, man! So we tell the truth. We want the kids who watch us to continue to believe their religion. Although they like metal they should not accept the lifestyle.

JF: What are the things wrong with metal lifestyle and what things are OK?

S: A lot of metal fans here say that you are not metal if you are not drunk; you are not metal if you are not tattooed; it happens over the years. If you live in Indo you don’t have to take that lifestyle if you like metal. You have your own lifestyle. As a child you studied your religion, you prayed, it was like that. If you like metal you should not leave what you believe. If you believe it is not correlated with your music. Music is just entertainment. If you like horror movie it does not mean you are a killer or something like that. Don’t adopt the western lifestyle. If the lifestyle doesn’t match with your religion don’t take it.

JF: What about black tee-shirt and long hair?

S: It’s OK for me; it’s not OK for some. In the end we realize the music has power to state our message. If people have a bad message in their music the metal fans think it’s OK. Why then is the good music not OK? In Indonesia it’s different to other [western] nations, you still have religion.

JF: Do you think Indonesia is too easygoing about the religion compared to, for example, Malaysia?

S: Maybe in Malaysia the government is based n Islam but in Indonesia it is a secular government. We are a Muslim majority here but the government is not Islamic; it is too American you know...

Samier Tengkorak and Jack Frost (Kieran James)

JF: Do you know about the Christian metal scene and what do you think about it?

S: I think it’s good. They do it for the Christian people; to help the people to still believe. Metal does not have to have a correlation with your belief; it’s a different thing, it’s just your hobby maybe. Lately metal has had a message which a lot of kids have adopted.

JF: What is your comment about the band Deicide?

S:  I read an interview with Glen Benton; he said he was not serious with the lyrics; it’s just a gimmick.

JF: At least the early lyrics seemed to be quite serious?

S: Maybe he changed as a person you know. He said you should pay for your rent, for your family. He said the lyrics are not serious. I don’t know if he lied or not. I think the music is good but the lyrics are not good for me.

JF: OK, I want to ask are you musician first or preacher first?

S: I’m just a musician [laughs] but I realize that music should have a good message. It becomes our responsibility - to our audience especially; it’s important for us.

JF: Do you aim to convert the non-Muslims to become Muslim?

S: No, never.

JF: What do you think of Niza wearing jilbab [hijab] on the stage?

S: It’s difficult to say you know [laughs].

Dimas (Valerian Guitarist): For me it’s not important Jack.

JF: What is the reaction to your band?

S: We had a lot of negative feedback in Jakarta especially thinking we want to...they say don’t mix religion with metal.

JF: What do you think of Jihad, for example, singing about Islamic philosophy and also saying “we are secular band”?

S:  It’s stupid you know. Are you afraid to say what you believe? Why are we afraid to say what we believe?  

Samier Tengkorak and Jack Frost (interview @ Inferno Studio)

JF: What bands are you most influenced by?

S: There are a lot of bands you know. The main influence is Napalm Death for the music.

JF: What are the future plans for Tengkorak?

S: We should make a new album. Our last album was 2007 you know. It’s been too long. We continue to deliver an Islamic message; we continue to proclaim the message that Islam does not equal terrorist. We hope our audience can still believe what they believe even though they still like metal music.

JF: What do you think of Indo metal musicians dedicating their albums to Allah but using 666 number and pentagram symbol?

S: It’s stupid; they don’t know what they believe. They say “in music don’t believe Allah”, why?

JF: How is Purgatory different from Tengkorak?

S: Purgatory lyrics have a message from the Al-Quran; it puts quotations into the lyrics, but Tengkorak does not.

JF: Do you want to tour in the Middle East and did you get any feedback from there?

S: Not yet.

Dimas (Valerian): In your opinion what do you think about the metal scene in Surabaya?

S: A lot of the community people here do not know the meaning of community itself. They think it is like a gang. A community should un by itself. If you are a writer you should write about your metal scene or maybe you have a label... 

  

JF: What do you think about the Ariel Peterpan court case?

S: People like Ariel; it’s a new phenomenon.

JF: It copies from the west as well, yes?

Niza (Climaxeth / Osiris Vocalist): Yes.

S: He is very popular right now, more than before. He is more successful with the new band. It’s a prophet’s name Noah. They go to imam and say “what is the best name for my band?” It’s true.

JF: What do you think of the culture of hardcore genre?

S: I think it’s good because if we learn religion you will find that you should respect family, parents, mother, sister, etc. All the good things come from our religion, your religion...I think a hardcore band should say about religion. Our culture came from religion. If they don’t say that a lot of people think hardcore is a religion. I read that it says metal has become a religion. Wendy of Rolling Stone magazine said hardcore lyrics are inspiring. Wendy is a Muslim. I told her that if you want inspiration you should read Al-Quran.

TENGKORAK with Samier first on left

JF: John Yoedi and I took the 666 out of the Busuk Webzine URL, what do you think about that?

S: Congratulations [smiles]!

JF: Do you have any political philosophy about left-wing or right-wing?

S: No, I don’t know much about that.

JF: What are some good young bands in Indonesia?

S: Climaxeth, Valerian, lots of good bands...Full Fontal (hardcore)

JF: Do you hope for new young bands to follow the philosophy and style of Tengkorak?

S: I hope so. If they are Christian or Muslim they should talk about their religion, it becomes about responsibility. Indonesia is not western; we have a religion; stay true to your religion.

JF: What do you think of Jasad singing about Sundanese culture on Rebirth ov Jatisunda album?

S: Jasad also wants to rise up their culture; I think that it is a good thing. They want to make traditional music more popular. I think it’s a good thing to mix metal with traditional music.

JF: What do you think of use of inverted cross symbol by Indonesian metal bands?

S: It’s stupid. We should respect the other religions. Those people just follow; they don’t know the essential meaning of the symbol.

JF: Do you feel the same way as some Christian metalheads who feel caught somewhere between the church and the world?

S: Metal is metal and music is music. It does not mean if you have a faith you should not like the metal music. You have the right to like the metal music.

JF: Did you ever use an imam or theologian to advise you on the lyrics?

S: No.

JF: So to record the new album you will have to go to Jakarta?

S: Yes, I must go to Jakarta for a couple of months to do the rehearsals.

JF: Ok, that is all, thank you very much for interview! Best wishes for the new album.

S: Thank you!

Samier's new grindcore band G.A.S. (SURABAYA).