ROAD TO HAMMERSONIC 2015

Hammersonic 2015: A Ride Through Metal, Memories, and Mango Trees

7 March 2015 — The Ride Begins

I throttled my bike at 5:30 AM, fresh off a night shift, fog curling around me like a scene from a black metal album cover. My VADER “Reign Forever World” tee clung to me like armor. Badril had just woken up when I reached his place. Morning prayer, a quick bath, and we were off—two metalheads chasing a dream.

Two flights later, we touched down in Jakarta. Garuda Airlines from KLIA2 was cheaper than flying from Penang, so we took the long route. After customs, we found an Avanza rental for RP150,000. Blue Bird taxis were our usual go-to, but impatience won this time. Jakarta traffic? A beast of its own. If you beat the macet, you’re blessed. Otherwise, welcome to the crawl.

The city pulsed with contradictions—kids busking with ukuleles, vendors selling boiled corn on highways, luxury cars brushing past poverty. Jakarta felt like a mirror to Malaysia: the powerful and the powerless, side by side.

We checked into LeGreen Hotel in Slipi, Pejompongan—clean, comfy, and just 2km from Lapangan D Senayan. Sate Padang warungs and halal eateries surrounded us. A 24-hour convenience store stood nearby, our lifeline.

That evening, we met Mustafa Daood of DEBU. He invited us to dinner at Summarecon Mall in Tangerang. The cab ride took two hours—macet, of course. I dozed off twice. Summarecon was a spectacle: mega malls, celebrity-owned cafés, and live cover bands that sounded better than the originals. I whispered to Badril, “This is just a mall band?” Indonesia’s art scene left us humbled.

We tried kopi luwak at last. Certified halal, rare, and absurdly expensive. Mustafa laughed, “I just drink Kopi Kapal Api.” His warmth was infectious. We talked about music, teaching, and giving back. “Make people happy,” he said. “That’s the point.”

I said Badril used to play drum but not taking it seriously. Mustafa again replied “… I also created DEBU for fun. Its just come out that way. I mean, in music.. just do it for fun. Never be too serious about it. Do it for fun… when you taking music too seriously, it hurts your head”. I am very much agree about it. Then he said “.. never do music to compete. I was once did everything myself, when I looked someone do this better. I wanna do it too. But then.. when I look, oohh he is way better than me. Let he do it. I play what I’m good at. If he better, let him do what he is good at. It's much fun that way…”

 

He showed us blueprints of a wooden ship—his dream project, built by the same craftsman behind the Black Pearl and Master and Commander. Unreal.

Later, Sam Martino joined us. Over lavish Indonesian dishes, he shared tales of giant parasitic fish and Colombian drug cartels. Shisha, stories, and laughter filled the night. Saying goodbye was hard.

8 March 2015 — Metal and Mangoes

We woke groggy but grateful. Breakfast was chicken sate at Pondok Sate Djono Jogya. Pricey, but worth it. Sweet soy, chili, and no oil—Jakarta’s twist on a classic.

We cabbed to Gelora Bung Karno Stadium. Badril needed cash, so we detoured through a mall. The weather held—cloudy, 29°C. The stadium fences bloomed with flowers for sale. A nursery disguised as a sports complex.

At Lapangan D Senayan, the crowd was already massive. Zizie Row, my guitarist, popped out of nowhere—rooming with an Iranian metalhead and scoring a free ticket. Classic Zizie.

Merch booths were buzzing. I snagged a Mayhem tee but sold it minutes later—“kafir” printed on it didn’t sit right with my faith. No hard feelings. Mayhem wouldn’t be Mayhem if they played it safe.

 

Hammersonic had leveled up: mobile ATMs, bigger musholla (though misused), warung-style food, and friendly security. One kid got in with outside food by saying his mom packed it and he had no money. Mercy wins.

We chilled under mango trees, watched bands, and mingled with metalheads from Bandung. They thought we were Thai and asked if I did Muay Thai. Hilarious.

CASSANDRA impressed. THRASHLINE didn’t. HEAVEN THE AXE brought Aussie energy and a bouncing vocalist. Not my taste, but fun.

COLLOSVS crushed it. We met AVULSED post-set—great guys. BESIDE, Bandung’s pride, played like BURGERKILL’s twin. MESIN TEMPUR threw bras, panties, and Indo mee into the crowd. Pure chaos.

Kompas TV filmed nearby. Zizie Row reappeared, magnet as ever. AVULSED’s Dave Rotten screamed through technical issues. “Terima Sakih,” he said. Close enough.

WARBRINGER brought the heat. DEATHSTARS turned goth. IGNITE surprised me—melodic hardcore with heart. Zoli Teglas stole the show.

VADER’s set was delayed. Sound issues plagued them, but Peter stayed cool. “Selamat malam dan terima kasih Jerkkada,” he said, bowing with his band. Class act.

The crowd swelled—30,000 strong. MAYHEM and LAMB OF GOD were the magnets. UNEARTH won me over. THE FACELESS confused me, but the fans knew every word.

TERRORIZER played relentlessly. Pete Sandoval, now a Christian, wore sneakers instead of boots. Grindcore, but the soul felt missing.

MAYHEM’s “Deathcrush” ignited the crowd. Attila Csihar, bloodied and dressed like a general, haunted the stage. I watched “Freezing Moon” from Magnum Café’s verandah, sipping free coffee. Magic.

LAMB OF GOD closed the night. “Desolation” rang out. Kids rushed forward. Free entry opened. Sleepy faces, heavy riffs. Metal dreams.

9–10 March 2015 — Farewell Notes

We woke early, prayed, and ate nasi padang. Badril had rawon sapi; I had gule ayam. We shopped at Anggerik Mall and Tanah Abang—missed the timing, but Thamrin City saved the day.

Ojek riders begged us to ride. We did. They were honest, so I tipped them extra. Mustafa’s words echoed: “Make people happy.”

That night, Badril crashed early. No sinetron drama on TV. I slurped instant soto ayam and shut down.

Morning prayer, packing, and off to the airport. Our taxi driver? A music connoisseur. MALMSTEEN, RUSH, BLACK SABBATH—he knew them all. No small talk, just real talk.

At the airport, we met Aussie metalheads, traded merch, and flew home. Garuda to KL, then another flight to Kepala Batas. I rode 40km back on my bike, exhausted but fulfilled.

 

Final Thoughts

Hammersonic 2015 wasn’t Hellfest. But it was ours. A journey of metal, mango trees, and moments that linger. From kopi luwak to grindcore, from heartfelt dinners to chaotic pits—Jakarta gave us a story worth retelling.

And like Mustafa said, “Do it for fun. Make people happy.” That’s what we did.

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