Antologi’s ‘Berjuang’ is the kind of Singapore Metal release that feels familiar from the first spin. There is no attempt to hide where the band comes from or what they grew up listening to. Death Metal, Thrash, old-school aggression and that unmistakable Southeast Asian underground spirit all get thrown into the same pot. Think of it like a good bowl of laksa. Different ingredients, different flavours, plenty of heat, but it still comes together as one dish.
The guitars are where ‘Berjuang’ really earns its keep. The riffs have that old-school Thrash backbone, but there is enough Death Metal weight to stop things from becoming another straight Thrash exercise. The playing is tight without becoming overly polished, and thankfully the album still has that underground roughness that gives it character.
There are obvious influences along the way. You can hear the classic Thrash school, with Slayer being one of the easier names to pick out, while some of the faster and nastier passages carry the kind of violence associated with bands such as Impiety. But Antologi are not simply photocopying their heroes. They take those ingredients and cook them in their own Singaporean kitchen.
The Malay tracks add another dimension. Songs such as ‘Berjuang Sampai Mati’, ‘Serakah Sang Puaka’ and ‘Topeng Hipokrasi’ give the album an identity that would be missing if everything was delivered in the usual English language underground metal formula. It feels more connected to the region and to the band’s own surroundings.
There are moments where the songwriting could be tighter and some of the vocal delivery doesn’t always match the strength of the guitars. A few passages also lean heavily on familiar Death/Thrash formulas. But honestly, that is hardly a crime in this particular style. ‘Berjuang’ is here to thrash, crush and get the job done.
Antologi is a band taking the sounds they grew up with, adding their own local flavour and letting it rip.
Like laksa, it may not be everyone’s bowl of noodles. But if you like your Metal hot, spicy and served without unnecessary garnish, ‘Berjuang’ goes down pretty damn well.
