Portal:Indonesia/Selected biography/7

Kekal is a heavy metal band formed in 1995 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Kekal was one of the first heavy metal bands from Indonesia to make international inroads and one of the few extreme metal bands from Southeast Asia to ever make more than a minimal impression on the global scene. The band underwent some shifts in lineup in its early years, but emerged with a consistent lineup of three key-members, guitarist/vocalist Jeff Arwadi, bassist Azhar Levi Sianturi, and guitarist Leo Setiawan. Frequently labeled as black metal, progressive metal, and avant-garde metal, Kekal plays a very diverse style of extreme metal and hard rock, incorporating many other music genres such as ambient, electronic, jazz fusion, and progressive rock. The band has released eight full length studio albums, as well as numerous other works. As of 2009, all key members have officially left Kekal, but continue to contribute material. (Read more...)