Incinerated Interview (YF)

After having an Indonesian Brutal Death Metal band like Symphobia in a past review, once again this country presents us with an extreme metal album, but this time we will not write about more Brutal Death, but about a Death Metal band and that has a very used name within many metal bands around the world and it is Incinerated, and all of them are curiously related to the death genre, something to highlight within this concept of name, because it meets all the trends of the style to say that they are a band within this field. So, now we have those Indonesians with their second studio album called "The Epitome of Transgression" released through BlackSeed Productions.

Para leer la entrevista en español: Entrevista a Incinerated

Metallerium: Welcome to the Metallerium website! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us. First of all, how are you doing, and how is the band feeling now that your second album, “The Epitome of Transgression,” is finally out? Incinerated: Thank you for having us. Im just fine and we’re quite satisfied with the results.

Metallerium: It has been 10 years as a band, and now you are releasing your second album. In today’s music scene, where there is constant content and fast production cycles, why did you take so much time to release new music? Incinerated: Because making art is requires focus and dedication, freedom and discipline. In doing so we must sacrifice our consciousness to touch the unconscious, raising shadows that lurks beneath our desire. To made it breathing forms in words, sounds and images. Everyday life offers nothing but pain, suffering and anguish, so transfigured it is the best effort to channeling those into something sacred. while in the process, developing certain thing is important. Thus, the experience will be invaluable, touching the heart and resonating the souls.

Metallerium: Also, since this is our first interview with you, would you mind sharing a bit about the band’s origins, how you all met, and what inspired you to create a band as Incinerated?

Incinerated: The idea is born from tunnel vision that permeated decaying light through the labyrinth which no one can’t escape, to take this path and exploring it with carefully thinking and to manifested it into words and sounds; one must have reason and consequences to use art into act in the realm of transformation which striving towards innermost necessity; a revelation in fire. When vision becomes bright it perceives with same conclusion which bring passion and same interest to enduring it. Then each of us came from mutual recognition in this negation.

Metallerium: In addition, there are several extreme metal bands with the name “Incinerated.” Why did you choose this name, and what does it mean to you?

Incinerated: Incinerated, its related to chaos and order in its very essences: fire. Fire can be symbolized power, rebellion, even purification and it can be metaphorically express the struggling of human transfiguration or annihilation. Challenging human condition to the spirit of the divine, burning and tearing it apart to find ourselves alive in this mundane drama. Raising the existential reckoning and spiritual awakening to appears in consciousness. Without equally transcend, in one terror; the result is personal and depends in each individual experiences to enduring this fire. The idea of the name itself is comes from Puissance – Love Incinerate. While listening it and reading the lyrics gives me excited with terrifying illusions, even now. For me, it resonates with God/Satan, as both is consuming fire. This earth and flesh are just waiting their judgment to perish in the luscious flames of Armageddon.

Metallerium: Now, what bands or styles influenced your sound, and how would you describe your music, especially now, in a time where extreme metal is more diverse, and it is hard to label a band?

Incinerated: In musical aspects our inspiration is taken from everywhere; traditional music, classical music, ambient music etc. Diverse indeed, but Death Metal and Black Metal is mainly important and inspirational; malevolent, transgressive, and dark. Also, literature, plays important part in our art even the music comes first, the liminal procession takes vision into sharper corridor and the struggling desire thus opened the gates in between. This certainly manifested something profound between finite and the infinite which can be called spiritual and metaphysical. To feel discomfort and use dissolution as a bridge to dare exploring the sacred rupture beyond. Because I believe each notes in music had a communication to something greater, higher, or even absolute; a dialogue between chaos and order – between awe and terror. I wouldn’t come into specific classification since progression is the natural thing which confront our limits and ultimate creative freedom is the essence in our art to release the radical self-improvement in one single purpose under I as Incinerated. Consume-corrupt-manifest, we’re playing Death Metal.

Metallerium: Now, when did you begin to work on “The Epitome of Transgression”? Are these entirely new compositions, or did you rework older ideas from past recording sessions?

Incinerated: We challenge ourselves by exploring more in every field we walk which influenced us and offers us something destructive, the struggle that bring revelation is the main catalyst in the process.

Metallerium: Well, the new album sounds darker, tighter, and even a bit progressive or technical at times. What’s your creative process like when composing songs with that level of detail and atmosphere?

Incinerated: Creation demands attention and awareness, it’s crucial to works for a conceptual album. Each track is matter, and all of them have been composed for four years, it was slow-burning process of transformation where structure dissolve into chaos to make a form. By releasing madness and confronting our limits in the name of transgression, we exploring the void to search what lies beneath. We expend the time and energy for these sacred experiences. A natural progression where our emotion collide, fragmented with passion and intention, agonizing the souls into ecstatic and chaotic soundscape to aiming towards one single purpose. It’s was carefully crafted, not as product but an offering to inner abyss.

Metallerium: At Metallerium, we reviewed the album and found it to be an excellent release. What has the feedback been like so far, from fans and from the media?

Incinerated: Thank you for your kind words, much appreciated and we’re gratefully to know. Those reception is beyond our exception and so far, we’ve got good appreciation both from reviewers and listeners, but one must stay awake in order not to be tempted by the superiority of judges and the words that gives feeling of pride. Even we’re proud of this album, we try to avoid or not choose to fall deeper into those temporary emotion. The charm of pride which irritates self-narcissism is dangerous as man is essentially arrogant, and those arrogance is quite enough to humiliate perception and opinion of man. I choose self-defeated condemnation to raising sardonic desire to be more confident and powerful.

Metallerium: Also, since you are a relatively young band, how do you feel about technology in music today, from recording at home to experimenting with AI for art, videos, or even composition? Is it something you use or avoid?

Incinerated: As far as I understand, art is a wonderful experience coming from our consciousness and unconscious, channeling our physical forces to know and understand we’re finite being. It’s made us expose the profound between spiritual and metaphysics. AI art is not good for human experience, its offers different sensation that release the ego without responsibility neither to the subject nor object; the destroyer of aesthetics.

Metallerium: In addition, what does this second album represent in your career? And compared to your debut, what should listeners expect in terms of lyrical content and overall musical direction?

Incinerated: The words “career” is silly, it’s erasing the essences of Incinerated. Since we’re not considering as “professional musician” and all of us had a job to be forced to fit in society. The Epitome of Transgression is a spiritual warfare through art, and it’s not about enlightenment or clarity.

Metallerium: Well, what are your plans now that the album is released? Are you planning to tour, either locally or internationally?

Incinerated: We are starting write new material but not recorded yet. Yes, a tour is our desire and hopefully we can do both.

Metallerium: About your country, how would you describe the extreme metal scene in Indonesia today? Could you recommend some bands or albums that our readers in Latin America should definitely check out?

Incinerated: I’m not really into “scene” in this country and I don’t feel I give a huge contribution, so I don’t really have an opinion about scene in here. Since my statement is weak therefore I didn’t know much about bands in general. Of course, I think I’m missing out some good stuff here but ok, it’s part of life and not a big deal, just let the mysteries continue. Regarding your question, sure I can recommend you some worthy local bands (past & present), maybe you heard it some before. I’m going with aesthetic background in which they’re understand what they’re doing not only in musical aspect but deeper than that. First and foremost, Exhumation, Fallenlight, Mystis, Immortal Rites, Eternal Madness, Deathroned, SiksaKubur, Veneration just to name a few.

Metallerium: What drives you to keep Incinerated alive after a decade? What inspires you personally and musically to stay committed to such a brutal and demanding form of music?

Incinerated: A tension between the sacred and the profane in human nature is the fire that forged my soul.

Metallerium: In your opinion, what does “success” mean for a death metal band today? Is it about recognition, creative satisfaction, playing live, or something else? What are you aiming to achieve as musicians?

Incinerated: Struggle, curiosity, spiritual confrontation, metaphysical risk and endless pursuit of self-overcoming is the core for an artist. The terms success is depends on what each individual aiming for, if there’s only for commercialization then there’s no art, ultimately dead.

Metallerium: Do you believe extreme metal still has boundaries to break, or has it already reached its peak of evolution?

Incinerated: This is good questions but unfortunately, I don’t think I have the capacity to answers this in detail. By mean “extreme metal” one must cast off their material pleasure and confront limitations towards alteration through liberation in triumph. I think as long as the fire inside is still burns in every hearts, great honest artists always challenge themselves to improve neither in music nor spirit.

Metallerium: If someone outside the metal world listened to your music, what would you want them to understand about it, beyond the aggression and intensity?

Incinerated: I would not force the listeners how is this supposed to understand. But one is certain, Incinerated works is a profound confrontation with spiritual decay and negation in which society denied: chaos, death, and darkness.

Metallerium: If you could go back to the beginning of the band, what advice would you give yourselves based on what you’ve learned so far?

Incinerated: I don’t fully understand what this question aiming for. So, the best I can answer is I’m skeptical about nostalgia.

Metallerium: We are close to the end. How do you stay inspired in a world saturated with music, algorithms, and constant content? What keeps your music personal and authentic?

Incinerated: By dedicating it with no expectation in return but only mere experience, to ignite something higher beyond. Because for me music has form; it’s served as a hammer and sword – guide to my journey in the fertile ground of consciousness and unconscious.

Metallerium: Thanks again for your time and for this great album. Congratulations on the release of “The Epitome of Transgression.” Before we finish, could you please leave a message for your fans in Latin America and for the readers of Metallerium who are discovering your music for the first time?  

Incinerated: Thank you, much appreciated. Thanks for the interview! Consume – Corrupt – Manifest!