Kolbenfaust ' Feast Of The Jackals
Hardcore music is taking the local Malaysian scene by storm. In fact, it's taking the South East Asian metal scene in general by the horns in an epidemic that is showing no signs of slowing down, but in fact showing positive indications of further expansion and combination with other subgenres.That being said, not every Malaysian Metalhead is a fan of hardcore, and there exists stark contrasts amongst older Thrash/Death overlords who have been around since the 80's, the new wave of hardcore rockers, and a school of sophisticated, sensible metalheads with their bibles of technical prowess. Where do you go to then if you're looking for local metal with the relevancy and modern panache of the current scene but with sufficient musical flair and technical variation? The good news is you don't need to move an inch. KOLBENFAUST, a KL/Kuching-based band with "Grindcore and Djent with a dash of Hardcore and Metal Toppings" supplies that exact cocktail of Metal.
A promo pack called "Feast Of The Jackals" is out to help prove their mettle as an underground band, but it does more than that. It shows the variety a band is capable of having if they only do what KOLBENFAUST has done and open their minds up and value originality and creativity above conformity. In my mind, there is no use trying to sound as underground and as incomprehensible as possible just to prove a point. But if like KOLBENFAUST, a band can tastefully blend genres as ideologically different as Djent and Hardcore, it will make for far more musically interesting metal. I say "musically interesting" because, as many people probably feel, metal these days has been taking a redundant path. By having elements of Djent raise the bar on technicality and rhythmic variance coupled with elements of Hardcore spicing up the overall groove and catchiness, KOLBENFAUST has managed to hone a sound that is as refreshing as it is memorable.
"Feast Of The Jackals" has only three songs and was recorded independently by the band as a simple promo to show the scene what they have to offer. I genuinely hope all three songs make it to the release of their album, and I anticipate with a fervent and almost demanding expectation that an album should be out soon, because this is the sort of music that is needed in a scene to keep things fresh. Without bands like KOLBENFAUST, outside interest in the scene will slow and the capability of metal to reach further horizons will not be acknowledged. This philosophy applies to every other metal band from every other part of the world. The global metal community does not need replicas. The industry does not need more bands that play music only to prove a point that they're "brutal" or "intense". The scene does not need watered down versions of old school Thrash bands. Art needs ideas and for ideas to take fruition art needs darers. Everything KOLBENFAUST has done so far is in line with that and I cannot wait to see what they're capable of with a full album.
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