TUMENGGUNG
Back on the Streets LP BLACK

Jawbreaker Records, black vinyl, ltd. 400

Imagine being given a time machine by the higher entities—those we can only assume blessed the world with the existence of heavy metal. Now, this time machine takes you back to the early to mid-80s, where metal was an experimental genre in the UK and Sweden, a melting pot of sounds and influences. But instead of Europe, take the scene you find there and place it in modern-day Indonesia. Think of bands like Judas Priest, Thundersteel-era Riot, maybe even a touch of Dokken, Lizzy Borden and also of modern day bands like Ambush and RAM —combine their essence, stir in some Indonesian spirit, and you’ve got Tumenggung’s unmistakable style. The group’s new album Back on the Streets, set to release in January 2025, is a collection of everything an 80s metal heart could long for. From headbanging riffs to sing-along choruses, melodic song structures, and pit-opening anthems, Tumenggung delivers with force. They may draw clear inspiration from their 80s metal predecessors, but their unique sound is what truly makes them stand out.

Having started as a quartet back in 2007, Tumenggung has since slimmed down to a power trio, and their upcoming album shows a band that has matured musically. They’ve grown beyond the subgenre they were founded upon, noticeably adding dynamics and delving more into the raw energy of heavy metal, but still embracing their influences while crafting something uniquely their own. Back on the Streets showcases the band’s melodic side like never before with guitar leads right out of the 80s metal dream. Its analogue recording style gives the riffs and raw, unpolished vocals an organic, visceral edge. The 9 tracks on the album are bound to surprise you, taking you from soulful melodies to the kind of thrashing speed metal that gets your adrenaline pumping.

Fans of Judas Priest, Riot, and anyone with a love for authentic, unfiltered 80s metal will find Tumenggung’s latest work a journey worth taking.