Hard and Heavy

Artist: Seringai
Album: Serigala Militia
Label: Universal Music
Rating: **** out of *****
Standout Tracks: Serigala Militia (Militia Wolf), Skeptikal, Citra Natural (Natural Image), Mengadili Persepsi: Bermain Tuhan (Judging Perception: Playing God)

The release of Seringai's debut album prompts the response that it's about time a major label produced some great rock music instead of the same old mellow pop tunes.

Ladies -- and, especially, gentlemen -- please prepare your hearts and souls for this hard-and-heavy-rocking collection from Seringai, Serigala Militia.

The band opens this album with Berhenti di 15 (Stop at 15), asking everyone to go back to their youth and forget everything else besides headbanging and slamdancing.

It's a fascinating opening track indeed, because you just can't seem to stop listening to their songs after that.

The same was true of their first EP, High Octane Rock, which was released in 2004 and sold more than 14,000 copies. An amazing number for an underground band.

Seringai has been a regular headliner at school festivals in Jakarta and Bandung, West Java.

Singer Arian13, a former vocalist of Bandung-based hardcore band Puppen, is definitely one of the best local lyricists around.

In his songs, he blames the government for making young generations skeptical and curses the so-called religious mass organizations for playing God. He also mocks hipsters for always following the latest fashion trends just to look beautiful.

This 11-track collection, for which the band spent two years in the recording studio, is perfect in terms of sound quality. The music, particularly the guitar, blends well with the vocals and will surely get your adrenaline pumping.

It's not enough to listen to this album. Check them out live as well.

-- Aditya Suharmoko