Rock and metal have always relished the notion of rebellion, but Voice Of Baceprot embody that concept on another level; in a way, their very existence is an act of defiance in itself. The trio – vocalist and guitarist Marysa, bassist Widi and drummer Siti – come from a rural and conservative part of Indonesia, where opportunities for young women after they leave school remain limited, let alone a life in music. It means, that on their debut album, their voices crackle with an urgency that’s more profound that most.
The songs on their debut album ‘Retas’ blaze with determination. The vibrant ‘P.M.S’s (standing for ‘perempuan merdeka seutuhnya’, or ‘completely independent women’) celebration of empowerment is palpable in its Bahasa Indonesian chorus, while the bombastic ‘School Revolution’ sees Marysa’s tongue roll expertly round the clipped consonants of some fantastic (and fast!) raps. Most striking of all, however, is the searing ‘God, (Please) Allow Me To Play Music’, where Marysa prays for the simple right to make music despite religious opposition: “I’m not a criminal, I’m not the enemy / I just wanna sing a song to show my soul,” she sings.
Their words of protest are just one part of a two-pronged attack – they’re paired with a curious blend of metal styles that are richer and more multi-dimensional than might meet the ear initially. The low guitar chugs that characterise much of ‘Retas’ are pleasantly reminiscent of the eccentric, angular flavour of metal peddled by System Of A Down. The menacing yet subtly flamboyant anti-war anthem ‘What’s The Holy (Nobel) Today?’ stomps from the speakers with a thick, chunky nu metal-esque bounce, but combines that with some intricate soloing. Meanwhile, the instrumental ‘Kawani’ opens with a wall of gritty riffs that dissolve into something more virtuosic in a thrilling show of skill.
Sometimes, however, the strength of a song is determined by its structure – ‘The Enemy Of The Earth Is You’ doesn’t have quite enough of a backbone and feels a little more swampy as a result, while their movement from one section to another in other songs is occasionally disjointed.
Despite this, there’s clearly plenty of scope for Voice Of Baceprot to evolve even further, and what they have already done is not only clever and creative, but compelling. Most importantly, they more than deserve to be heard.
