Exhumation Interview (Ghoul)

10 years have passed since Exhumation changed direction within their Death Metal and with their tremendous beast called “Opus Death” (2014), an album that surprised me for many reasons mentioned in their review at the time, and then the band in 2020 With “Eleventh Formulae” (2020) they continued this jackal and wild path in every sense, with that rustic Death Metal flavor, but at the same time with a dirty idea in their studio production, something that is appreciated as a follower of the band. So, 4 years after that third album, we have “Master's Personae” as the band's new letter of introduction for this new era in Death Metal, and again under the tutelage of Pulverised Records, who supported the band in 2015 since their tremendous second album 10 years ago.  

Para leer la entrevista en español: Entrevista a Exhumation  

Metallerium: Welcome to Metallerium website! Thank you very much for taking the time for this interview. First of all, How are you?   

Ghoul: Not much with life. I've been occupied with all of the promotional activities for the fourth album. This is our colossal work to date. That being said, I think we need to do our best to spread out the words wider than in the last three albums. And not that you asked. Apart from that, I have also been swamped with the greatness of Cultes des Ghoules' Coven, or Evil Ways Instead of Love album. Also, the latest offering from Uttertomb is inescapable.   

Metallerium: Your new album "Master's Personae" drops on April 26th. Can you give us a sneak peek into the sound and themes explored on this record? How does it compare to "Eleventh Formulae"?  

Ghoul: Sonically, the album is the result of our resilience to stay at the heights and depths for 16 years in Death's metal domain. Merging the last three albums with our expansive sources beyond the genre to deliver the triumphant of ancient Death's metal without boundaries. And to bring out the unpredictable and unexpected beauty of extreme music, we need to let ourselves work with the primal force that made us whole—the Eastern metal magic infused with the likes of late 80's Death's metal units. That way, Master's Personae can serve its purpose: Eastern Death's metal darkness. Conceptually, the fourth album was initiated to pay tribute to the legacy and Spirit of "Mystis," the black metal forefather from Yogyakarta, Indonesia. So, essentially, all of the lyrics and the unmatched visualization by Jose Gabriel Alegria Sabogal reflect on the many profound wisdoms of the Left-Hand Javanese mysticism. A spirit that raises essential questions, considerations, and contemplations through the nature of the spiritual path of the divine in the East. The wisdom here is both timeless and liberating. Without 'Mystis,' we would not have a real understanding of how to explore the theme we talked about. Worry not, albeit the source was black, Exhumation remains metal for Death nonetheless. Well, the comparison between the latest album and Eleventh Formulae is that Master's Personae has multiple layers of sonic assault from the perspective of Southeast Asian extremism.   

Metallerium: The artwork for "Master's Personae" is striking. What's the story behind it and how does it connect to the album's concept?  

Ghoul: Some of the meanings are already elaborated on in the aforementioned statement. However, let me put it this way: we separate the concept of the artwork into three different dimensions. The first is the gateway; the second is the path to enlightenment; and the final realm is the aftermath of Mahapralaya. It is almost like the circle of life; one must die to be reborn. Then again, what's more interesting about the art is not only that it came out of a perennial source of philosophical wisdom and mystical inspiration, but also that the way Jose tried to translate our words to be seen is truly magnificent. For the reason that we all know we have shared the same but different illuminating knowledge with the South Asian tradition. So, it needs a good deal of study. It was an enormous feeling to see that Jose perfectly captured the transcendent images that we can only imagine in our wildest dreams. We must thank Daniele Valeriani as well, as his visionary work has granted us a sort of meditative drawing. Without them both, we could not imagine how to take this important matter in a more serious manner.   

Metallerium: After the relentless intensity of "Eleventh Formulae," are there any surprises fans can expect on "Master's Personae" in terms of songwriting or production?  

Ghoul: The new album is a compelling record to grasp because, for me personally, every bar has its own twists and turns. There's so much going on that it's become difficult to express in words, truly. Each composition complements the other. Each structure elevates the other. We try to give the listener room to ponder the details of our song. The result might vary, and that shall not be our issue. So, you can really expect the unexpected with this record. I just hoped that the listener would never find the linear direction in order to stay focused on the pure madness we try hard to deliver. I think we don't have many opinions about the album's production. Our friend Bable Sagale in the Watchtower Studio (Indonesia) worked very well on the mixing. And the mastering result by Jack Control of Enormous Door, need I say more of his works? We need this album to sound proto and real without discriminating against the depths of darkness that we have been carrying since the inception of the band. And the result was extremely good, at least for me. I can clearly discover the chaotic influences of "Malevolent Assault of Tomorrow, Darkness Descends, and Divus de Mortuus" over there.   

Metallerium: With "Master's Personae" coming out, are there any touring plans in the works? Will you be hitting the road internationally, and is there a chance you might come to South America?  

Ghoul: Absolutely. We have been working on a European tour right now. In the meantime, we are also working on returning to the Southeast Asian tour. There are some shows confirmed and some others in the works. As for the Latin America tour, we tried to contact some of the reliable promoters to get us on their land. Hopefully, we will thicken the plot at the end of this year because we have been amazed by the recent Chilean underground Death metal scene. We are definitely keen to play overseas as soon as the new album is out on April 26th.   

Metallerium: Exhumation has been a force in Indonesian Death Metal for over a decade. What message do you hope to convey to your fans with "Master's Personae"?  

Ghoul: Madness is a great force when put to a greater purpose. And for that purpose, you shall leave the thought that what a common man would find on the surface was not gold, as gold can only be found buried deep in the underground.   

Metallerium: The Indonesian Metal scene is known for its diversity. How has your experience been as a Death Metal band in Indonesia? Have you faced any unique challenges or opportunities?  

Ghoul: The first year of Exhumation is very challenging. Before our debut album "Hymn to Your God" came out, we had many troubles promoting Exhumation across the island. The reason was that, in that particular year, 90% of brutal death metal was still dominating the scene. We were in a constant state of flux because we were too young to adapt and accept what was going on. We tried to send our demo to the local labels back then, but it was zilch. That was why we did send our demo overseas until Dunkelheit Produktionen (Germany) found us. And thankfully, after the first album came out, we had a chance to show the voices of the many that we have something different to offer. After many rejections, we got more and more invitations to play shows. We didn't know exactly what was going on—was it because we got the record deal with the international label or because our new album was an eye-opener for them? However, we made our own conclusions that most people admired our attitude back then, until recently, I guess. We didn't really give fuck to what was happening in the scene. And through our naivete, we believe a true Death's metal bearer will surpass the test of time. Well, we have learned so much about the past of Exhumation. I think that was what made the vocalist P. Bones ask me to be super selective about playing shows in Indonesia in the first place. He thinks that one of the factors that made Exhumation hardly get recognition before we released the first album was that the Indonesian scene perceived that we didn't really fit into the local metal showbiz. We can't entertain the masses, which has been true until now. Who said Death's Metal for the masses anyway? However, P. Bones probably hated the fact that most of the local metal heads saw us as entertainers, not maniacs, who wanted to dedicate their whole lives to metal. So in short, being true to Death's Metal Bearer, what was in the beginning is quite challenging, from our experience from 2008 to 2012 at least. Our lives have changed since the sophomore album "Opus Death" was released. More opportunities came our way, particularly when we were included in the "Band of the Week" by Fenriz many years ago.   

Metallerium: In recent years, Indonesian Metal has gained more international recognition. What are your thoughts on the growth of the scene and how do you see Exhumation contributing to it?  

Ghoul: I'm aware of that, and I am extremely grateful for that. It has been a great feeling to see that the portal is finally open for almost everyone who fights their own battle. We have learned many things from the past. I know we were not the only ones who struggled to survive in the Indonesian metal scene that day, but now having more friends gain worldwide recognition is very amazing. And I think the Indonesian underground is about to be the real threat to the Occident. For the last ten years, I have seen and heard burning passions from new bands. More new metal promoters are also taking their rightful place. Last year, we hosted the legendary Anatomia and the unstoppable Faceless Burial. Do your own research, but I think their mini tour was one of the highlights of the Indonesian metal show for the last five years at least.   

Metallerium: For aspiring Death Metal bands emerging from Indonesia, what advice would you give them in terms of carving their own sound and getting noticed?  

Ghoul: I think I will probably only give the wrong answer for that, as I'm not sure that I have the capacity to answer such a question. My thoughts will go, "Burn the barriers; don't let the current situation or the scene tell you what to do." Getting recognition is somehow a double-edged sword, as I see it in a deeper way. I've seen enough of many bands going in the wrong direction after they reach the peaks. They become a whore, selling their dreams just for the masses. Given the fact that Indonesia has a very big metal scene, I think I'm going to say that now is the perfect time to be ourselves; finding our identity in uniformity is the best way to survive among the many. I believe there are a few great bands from the East, one must learn from Mighty Impiety. I know this is another topic, but we must realize that we don't really have much difference with the Singaporean underground scene in its bigger picture. I just feel that there is an unbreakable passion in their veins; they follow their own paths with the premise of good faith: "ravage and conquer."   

Metallerium: Reviewers often compare your sound to classic Death Metal bands like Morbid Angel and Autopsy. While you wear those influences proudly, how would you describe Exhumation's unique identity within the genre?  

Ghoul: You know, wearing that kind of attribute is very intimidating. I've read a lot of reviews about Exhumation because I'm a big reader. And absolutely, there's no place to hide anymore; we are greatly proud of what history has written for us and what the future might bring. Out of many confusing extreme terminologies that come our way, you better know Exhumation as the The Bearer of Eastern Death's Metal Darkness.   

Metallerium: "Hymn To Your God" and "Opus Death" showcased a more traditional Death Metal style, while "Eleventh Formulae" incorporated some interesting interludes and a faster tempo. How has Exhumation's sound evolved over the years, and what can fans expect in the future?  

Ghoul: In this shallow life, I tried to be realistic with Exhumation as my vessel. I failed many times about what to expect from this band, truly. I even used an inclusive approach just to comprehend the transformation of this band from time to time. So, to answer that question, our supporters should expect the unexpected, as cliche as it is, because it has been tremendously hard to control the energy that is bigger than ourselves. There are a lot of spontaneous acts of transcendence and the intimacy of unexpected musical conversation in the band because we hate stagnation. This means if you want to know about Exhumation, you have to be present and honest and understand very well that our style of Death's metal has no boundaries and draws from a broad palette to meet the needs of unhindered expansion.  

Metallerium: Well, people of Exhumation, the end of this interview has come, I hope you enjoyed this one as I did, thank you very much for your time, and congratulations on this first album. Anything you want to say to your news Latin American fans and Metallerium readers?  

Ghoul: I truly appreciate you taking the time to talk with me. Support Exhumation album IV Master's Personae. Support the way of the underground. Eternal hails Latin American madness!