How long was it since we’re checking some true metal stuff on Indokult? A while, I think. So, how about going back to our roots…no, say nothing, we’re doing it!!!
Today I am honoured to talk to Tony Throne from Throne Musickness label. But because active people need many venues to express their creativity, this is not only thing he does.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, OK? Let’s talk to Tony.
Hey, Tony, bro, thanks for your time doing this interview for Indokult. How are you doing these days?
Hello Rudolf, right, I guess it’s been a while too bro… I agree with you , that active people need more places to be creative and I am also honored to be given the opportunity to be interviewed by Indokult…. I’m doing well, I wish you well and good health.
The hardest question of the interview! What should readers of this interview know about you?
I’m a bass/vocal player in my bands Misanthropic Imperium and Ritual Ortodoks and also have a small record label Throne Musickness Record Label and I have a family like any other.
Well, we have quite a lot to talk about! So, can you tell me, how did you get into the underground music scene…how did you discover the extreme music underground? I assume back in the 1980s or 1990s it was not as wide-spread in Indonesia, or am I wrong? What has the scene in Malang looked like back in the day?
It’s true that in the 80s or 90s underground music was not very popular in indonesia. i found out about extreme music only around 1992 which at that time the famous band in indonesia was Sepultura before that i only knew Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Iron Maiden etc. Underground scene in Malang was formed around 1994 or 1995, there has already been a small underground community called TSC (Total Suffer Comunity) and their first event in 1996 was the PMU 1 (Parade Musik Undergound 1). After that the community grew to be large and from it the Malang Black Metal Division (a community for black metal fans & bands in Malang) was born. From the community I got more information about extreme bands. and I was interested in the black metal genre of bands at that time – I liked Impaled Nazarene, Immortal, Marduk, Mayhem, Dark Throne. At that time I was still in the band Ritual Orchestra which played black-death music such as Blaspherion and Masacre (Colombia), in 1997 Ritual Orchestra switched to the black metal. I left [the band] in 2018 and focused on the band Misanthropic Imperium which I formed in 2012. I formed Ritual Orthodoks in 2015. So now I only focus on these two bands.
Kids nowadays don’t know the pains of getting the underground music back in the day. Although i am pretty sure it was not easier to get local releases, or Melayu or Singaporean stuff, it was probably quite a different story with the European or American underground. I guess it all boils down to tape-trading, right?
It’s true that information was very minimal, because only those people who could get underground music information at that time where those who could afford it, like zines – we had to order directly abroad, tapes, CDs or T-shirts order directly to Nuclear Blast. or buy Malaysian/Singaporean releases like VSP, because in Indonesia those were rarely – if ever – released. It was really about the tape trading at that time.
One of the main reasons for Indokult interviews is to spread the knowledge and information about the less known/obscure artists and truth to be told, there is quite a lack of info even for the established artists from Asia. For you, I could find that you started with Ritual Orchestra in 1995. That itself secures you the place in the old school hall of fame, I am sure…however, have you been playing in any other bands or projects before Ritual Orchestra?
Thank you. Ritual Orchestra was formed in 1995 and at that time [the band] played black-death music then [since] 1997 played black metal music. Before that I’ve only played in a school band and did not play music seriously, only as a cover band of Metallica, Kreator, Napalm Death era Scum.
What is interesting – and I think it needs to be mentioned – that according to the information available that Ritual Orchestra’s line-up basically stays the same all through the years. How did you manage to achieve that?
It’s true, it was a long time, from 1995 to 2018, but because of the many different opinions the best decision for me was to leave. The drummer of Ritual Orchestra left in 2009, if I’m not mistaken, so the first to leave Ritual Orchestra was the drummer of Wine of Satan / Edwin.
You’ve parted ways with your old band in 2018. Can you tell us what has happened?
There were some unresolved issues and also at that time there was also a problem about the failure of live gig in Malaysia and at that time I took care of the problem. At that time I also focused on Misanthropic Imperium after releasing the „Abomination Spells“ single and a the full-length album Full Album „Cawan Amarah“ released by Hitam Kelam label.
I will be nosy now… think the split from Ritual Orchestra has something in common with the founding of your project Ritual Ortodoks, right?
Ha ha ha… Ritual Ortodoks was formed because I missed the raw black metal music style. You know, Misanthropic Imperium is different from Ritual Orchestra, I mean in terms of sound style and vocals too, because it is more black-death / blackened death metal. Ritual Ortodoks was established in 2015 and only released a split cassette with Battlethrone, so it is a new band. In conclusion, I have formed Misanthropic Imperium while still in Ritual Orchestra, after I left Ritual Orchestra and focused on Misanthropic Imperium, I’ve formed another band, Ritual Ortodoks.
Speaking of Ritual Ortodoks, its only material (so far) is the 2021 split tape with Battle Throne, and released on your own label Throne Musickness. Have you planned to get everything firmly in your hands… from songwriting to the physical release/distribution, or was there any other reason to start your own label?
For the time being we still manage our own distribution because the release is also not printed a lot. I run the label and merch myself, because maybe no one is interested in this new band. Ritual Ortodoks already has permanent members, previously I was the only permanent member with other were only session musicians. Plans for this year is to work on a new album.
Getting back to the split tape mentioned in the question 8. Have you played also with the Battle Throne, under the moniker ThroneHell?
No, I don’t play in Battlethrone.
You play live with Ritual Ortodoks, along with live musicians. Do you think this project will eventually evolve into a regular band? Or you prefer just going solo?
Yes, it will definitely develop further. Now I am not in Ritual Orthodox as a solo or one man, there are already permanent members.
Even before departing from Ritual Orchestra, you’ve started to play in Misanthropic Imperium. Compared to other mentioned, how does M.I. differ from them – and while we’re discussing it… which project/band is your most favourite? OK, I know that’s a hard question again… 🙂
Honestly, I like everything. The difference between Misanthropic Imperium and Ritual Orchestra and Ritual Ortodoks is in terms of music, I want Misanthropic Imperium to have a more modern sound and play neatly in the music. I like playing with Ritual Ochestra with its old school style. I like playing with Misanthropic Imperium with its black-death style and I like playing with Ritual Orthodox with its raw BM style .. so I like all of them because I still play in the black metal genre.
And lastly, we need to mention Ravenblast. That’s Surabayan band, and that’s quite a distance from Malang, isn’t it? What’s your history with the band, seeing you’re not only a live session bass player for them, but you’ve also released their album on your label?
The distance from Malang to Surabaya is about 2 hours, I don’t think it’s too far. and Ravenblast’s vocalist lives in Malang. and in Ravenblast I am only an additional and they also rarely play live. for the same label [and] also in the collaboration with others.
Speaking about the label, we’ve already mentioned a little about it. What bands are currently signed with the Throne Musickness? Apart from your own projects/bands, can you tell us something about the other artists under your label umbrella?
Throne Musickness’ output is not big, namely:
Severity / Heretica split
Triumphator/Sereignos/Dibolical/Sereignos 4-way split
Ritual Ortodoks / Battlethrone split
Balzabuth
Dimentorn
Ravengoth
Blastodest
Sorem
Ravenblast
Compilation of Malang Black Metal Division
Artists under Throne Musickness label are not bound to the management of the band, the contract with the band is only limited to cassette releases. Touring and merchandise is still in the hands of the bands themselves, although Throne Musickness sometimes releases merch (T-shirts only), but only in limited quantities.
According to the information available, so far you’ve released 6 releases. Which one is your most favourite and which would you consider as the overall best received by the fans or your label customers?
It seems like the response is the same. Because my releases are also not too many and my customer base is quite fixed, so for fans of releases in the form of cassettes there is not much development, especially with the development of technology that makes music lovers lazy to buy physical releases unless they are collectors of physical releases.
How do you choose bands which to release? Are you aiming to release only local, Indonesian bands?
Based on offers. so there are some bands that make offer directly to my label and when I like them I approve it. actually for bands outside Indonesia I am still not sure because my releases are few, because it is still a small label.
In 2024 is still not unusual to see releases in a casette tape format. Most of your releases are indeed on tape. Is it just a coincidence seeing they are still popular withing the Indonesian market (which, I assume, is your main selling area), or is it by a deliberate decision?
Throne Musickness releases cassettes because the production costs are cheap. can be produced in a small amount of 50 pcs. not like CDs or vinyl, which must cost a lot because they have to be produced in large quantities.
I’ve seen on your Instagram profile you’ve been to studio again not so long time ago… can you tell us what are those vocals for, or is it still a secret? What about the plans for Tony, the musician and Tony, the label owner, for the rest of the 2024?
In studio a while ago to tracking vocals for collaboration with French band Risperidonia. which will be released by Japanese label Masaiden Prod. There will be a split album Misanthropic Imperium / Risperidonia on Masaiden Prod release. Ritual Ortodoks plans to enter the recording studio for the album and Throne Musickness record label released Sorem album, tribute to Surabayan black metal band Dry.
Malang scene is – unsurprisingly – quite big. I only know Suffer In Crease from the vast roster of bands from your local scene, and I definitely want to know more. What bands from Malang would you recommend to check for readers of this interview? Any promising newcomers we should know about?
For black metal bands, there are many too, because we also have a community, namely Malang Black Metal Division, there are too many to recommend.
Playing live was also mentioned, but there’s a specific gig I want to ask… what are your memories playing Hammersonic Festival? That’s a biggest metal festival in Indonesia, am I correct?
It’s true… in my opinion, Hammersonic Festival was the greatest, the memories of playing at the event are very happy and proud.
I don’t suppose you have any free time considering all of your activities…but let’s say you have 🙂 What are you favourite hobbies besides playing music?
Besides music my hobbies are walking to nature such as forests or hills, I like to do that when I’m off work or when there is no live [performance] with the band. I’m also a fan of coffee and I like to enjoy coffee with metalhead friends or with family.
I can’t forget my other interest in Asia – food! I’ve learned already Indonesian local cuisine is quite different from city to city or from region to region. What is the signature dish/food for Malang?
A typical food in Malang Rawon is a beef dish with gravy, and also Pecel dish with raw vegetables and peanut sauce. you should try it bro.
That surely I will! And we slowly coming to the end of this interesting interview. Thank you, Tony, once again for your time and all the best in the future with your activities! Any final words or message to readers of Indokult?
Okay, bro, you’re welcome. Keep working and no bullshit, stay Dark and Vicious!!!
Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thronemusickness/
Bandcamp: https://thronemusickness.bandcamp.com/
