Kekal 8

Kekal -  8

In this review I’m reviewing a different direction of music, as I think metal tends to be weighed in its own pretentiousness, here we have something connected to the style but is expanding upon the tome.
Hailing from Indonesia, and later settling in various locales, Kekal started in the mid to late 90′s as a band of raw, unrefined black metal. Their first record Beyond The Glimpse Of Dreams shows off their potential. Embrace The Dead is more focused, followed by the The Painful Existence.

By their third release the splintering from extreme metal begins. Each release thereafter i.e. 1000 Thoughts of Violence, and Acidity shows Kekal evolving and morphing of musical boundaries. There isn’t just one style that one stays true to anymore, and that’s a bold statement considering how militant the average metal fan has become in today’s climate. I find this be the allure of their existence, pushing what is acceptable, making one think about what is perceived as ‘metal’.

Specifically, they are not atypical group of persons, nor a single entity. They are a criss crossing river, engaged with enigmatic personalities pushing music forward. Their focal point is with merging both known and unknown influences into a cohesive structure. They are experimental without having the baggage of the artsy part, its interpretive yes, but at the same time it underscores the importance of hearing and letting it fuse into whats already known.

Tabula Rosa the first single encapsulates this idea succinctly. But, at the same time the foundation is rearranged again with the preceding tracks. A Linear Passage for example, is layered with bizarre effects, overlapping with beats, electronic rhythms, all while enhancing the emphasis upon subtle distortion. Guitar wise, there is the hard aspect but its played in almost stream of conscious aspect. Each song has its own reason for being, and this might put people off.

8 relies more upon hybrid, and morphism, and is a deliberate extension of prior releases like Audible Minority, and The Habit Of Fire. Kekal’s records are cryptic, and they will make the listener work for uncovering newness, invention, while pushing musicality forward. 8 is a record meant to be explored, and after many listens I still find new aspects to uncover. I wouldn’t say this is a strange record, but I’d say its very different to what is out there. Take a listen. Thanks for reading.



B.