Kapanlagi.com - EMO is back and kicking! That statement doesn’t seem exaggerated when looking at the current music industry in the country. The Emo genre was so popular in the 2000s. Names like Asking Alexandria, The Used, Bring Me The Horizon, My Chemical Romance, Alesana, and Alone At Last, as well as Killing Me Inside in Indonesia, are just a few names that are certainly familiar in the emo scene. Its characteristics include music with heavy instruments, but filled with lyrics of pain, confusion, and despair.
However, over time, the emo era began to fade, and it could be said that it was almost over. Then came for Revenge, a band from Bandung that surprisingly became the pioneer of Emo's return to the music landscape in the country.
Formed in 2006, this band skyrocketed with the song Serana and has gone through ups and downs, lineup changes, and even took a hiatus for various reasons.
Anyway, the band led by Boniex (vocals), Arief (guitar), Izha (bass), and Archims (drums) is now one of the hottest bands that music lovers adore. Just look at the number of views on for Revenge's videos on YouTube, as well as the number of streams of their songs on other streaming platforms; the numbers reach hundreds of millions! (We will discuss the details further later).
Their concerts are never empty either. It's not uncommon to see audiences crying together when listening to For Revenge's songs during live performances. A remarkable phenomenon.
Boniex, the vocalist of for Revenge when met by the KapanLagi.com team (Photo credit: KapanLagi/Adrian Utama Putra)
KapanLagi met with Boniex Noer, the frontman of For Revenge, to delve deeper into the facts surrounding this phenomenon. Various interesting topics about For Revenge flowed naturally as we met him at the Sony Music office. Starting from the emo music scene, how he joined the band, the phenomenon of For Revenge's viral sad songs, and many more.
From there, we learned that since his teenage years, Boniex had been an 'emo-kid' thanks to the influence of music from his older brother. Eventually, this passion led him to meet For Revenge while they were performing at an event. At that moment, Boniex admitted he fell in love because For Revenge played emo songs, which matched his musical taste.
"I was born from the scene in Bandung. At that time, it was the era of Pop Punk, then in the 2000s, Emo started to emerge. Finally, I learned about and liked Emo because my brother introduced it to me. Well, I also had a band during high school. Then one time I performed, there was for Revenge there, I just liked it, it turned out there was a band from Bandung that had the same music as what I was listening to," reminisced Boniex.
At that time, the lineup of for Revenge consisted of Archims Pribadi (drums), Abie Nugraha (bass), Hagie Juliandri (guitar), Finz Yuniar (vocals), Irman Syaiful (guitar), and Faisal Riant (synth). Then in 2009, there were some changes in personnel. Finz, Irman, and Faisal decided to leave the band, so for Revenge had to look for a new vocalist.
Thanks to a connection from his older brother, Boniex dared to propose himself as the vocalist for for Revenge. Although he didn't have high expectations, it turned out that Boniex was accepted as the new frontman for for Revenge. Along with that, this band from Bandung also welcomed a new guitarist; Adistya Pratayangsha.
"At that time the vocalist of for Revenge left, then they were looking for a vocalist on My Space, then I was introduced by my brother's friend. Then I finally met for Revenge, I had no expectations at all because I was still a teenager back then, it was just like a band thing at that time. Just having fun with it, that's just a hobby," said the man named Muhammad Boniex Nurwega.
The meaning behind the name for Revenge
At that time, the popularity of for Revenge was not as high as it is now. Over the years, personnel changes happened again. In 2015, the band decided to go on hiatus, allegedly due to internal problems. A year after the hiatus, for Revenge became active again, but Boniex chose to leave the band because he had moved from Bandung to Jakarta to seek a living in other fields.
Without Boniex at that time, for Revenge continued to operate. They changed vocalists several times, such as Abiyoso Utomo and Simon Simorangkir. Both did not last long as the frontman of for Revenge. Until finally, in 2019, Boniex made up his mind to come back and fill the vacant vocal position. The story goes, old love blooms again.
"I had left for Revenge at that time, then after about 5 years, I was invited back. That was a point that changed me a lot, I mean, I had already learned a lot outside of for Revenge, and then when I was invited back, I told the kids from the start, I didn’t want to mess around anymore, I meant this has to be a 'serious' band, so it's no longer just something we make carelessly following our youthful ideals," reminisced Boniex.
The intention to make For Revenge a more serious band was further shaped by the circumstances when they had to survive amid the pandemic. As we know, the pandemic disrupted the social and economic order of the world, including the music industry in the country. Nevertheless, it seems that Boniex and for Revenge became increasingly convinced that this band has great potential and requires their full commitment.
"The seriousness only started after the pandemic, I felt that what I was creating could actually impact others. And it turns out the meaning of the songs I made could reach that far. Finally, at that point, my friends and I thought; we have to stop working, it turns out we can make a living from this band," added the now 34-year-old man.
With this new direction, for Revenge still had to experience several personnel changes. Until finally in 2022, they solidified their members, namely Boniex (Vocals), Archim Pribadi (drums), Arief Ismail (Guitar), and Izha Muhammad (Bass), who are still active to this day.
The song Serana catapults the name for Revenge (Photo credit: Sony Music Indonesia)
At one moment, one of their songs titled Serana exploded and went viral on various social media. It can be said that from there, for Revenge began to be a hot topic of conversation and became widely known among music lovers.
No member of for Revenge ever expected that they would become as big of a band as they are now. They admitted that initially, they were just playing music to channel their hobbies outside of their main jobs.
"Yeah, it was like, what can I say, I was working in an office at that time, and I needed a 'escape,' there was another side of me that I needed to express, so I finally expressed it in for Revenge," said Boniex.
The guitarist, Arief Ismail, also expressed a similar sentiment when met on a different occasion, "So the initial goal was probably the same as Mas Bonny, it was just a hobby. From this hobby, Alhamdulillah, now it produces. So there was never really a thought of reaching (national) level, what's important is to be known within the scene, the community first. So now it turns out the scale has become widely recognized, I'm just more surprised by it."
At the international level, many screamo or emo bands have achieved large-scale success. However, this is indeed difficult to achieve in Indonesia, where the music industry has been dominated by the pop genre. And for Revenge can be said to be the first emo band to reach that point.
"I was surprised, it was really magical. Since I was a kid, whenever I was asked what my dream was, I never said I wanted to be a vocalist, I wanted to be in a band, I never thought of that. I always saw foreign bands that could live off their genre like for Revenge with their screamo, emo, hardcore. I thought, ah, in Indonesia that can't happen, but it turns out it can," Boniex explained.
Not only in Indonesia, for Revenge has also started to gain recognition in the Southeast Asian music market, including neighboring countries like Malaysia. During one performance in the neighboring country, for Revenge even received a reception and reaction beyond expectations.
"Oh, I was most surprised (during the performance) in Malaysia, playing in Johor Baru. I never thought it would be that crowded. And everyone sang along, from all the setlist that For Revenge performed, they sang. So it's like, 'How did I end up here?'," he reminisced
Boniex's success in crafting lyrics that resonate with many people's conditions
The emo genre is indeed closely associated with lyrics themed around sadness, heartbreak, insecurity, despair, depression, and the like. This is also one of the main strengths and trademarks of for Revenge's songs. In crafting his lyrics, Boniex always uses personal experiences as inspiration. However, he always invites discussion to test whether the lyrics he creates can be accepted by listeners.
"It doesn't necessarily mean that I will give you a formula that works for you. There might be a moment when I wrote that, the condition was really a heartbreak moment for everyone. It seems like everyone can easily get their heart broken. The stories of heartbreak seem to be the same no matter the era," Boniex explained when asked about the formula for his melancholic lyrics.
But there must be differences in language, from different backgrounds of time, but thematically, heartbreak is essentially the same from era to era," Boniex clarified when asked about the formula for his melancholic lyrics.Not just your average melancholic lyrics, for Revenge can be said to have an interesting choice of diction in every word of their lyrics. It turns out that Boniex's educational background in journalism also plays a role in this. Moreover, Boniex also had a stint as a journalist at one media outlet during his hiatus from for Revenge.
"Maybe because of my background in journalism, I learned formal words that people sometimes don't use in writing, maybe that has an influence. There is a journalistic background when writing lyrics, that's how it is. But I rarely write poetry," added the husband of Cynantia Pratita.
But perhaps you hate a thing, and it's good for you. And perhaps you love a thing, and it's bad for you.
Is one fragment of the lyrics from for Revenge's song Jakarta Hari Ini which has a spiritual meaning. For those of you who are not unfamiliar, that line is quoted from the translation of one verse in the holy book of the Quran, precisely Al Baqarah verse 216 which reads:
It is obligatory for you to fight, while it is hateful to you. Perhaps you hate a thing, while it is good for you, and perhaps you love a thing, while it is bad for you.. God knows, while you do not know.
"One of the reasons I like For Revenge is because I can relate to it, the choice of lyrics and diction, and the presentation of the music videos. Moreover, what many people may not realize is that each song by For Revenge quotes verses from the Quran, so there are also messages that are quite profound. In fact, there are several songs that are really based on translations of Quranic verses. And every time For Revenge creates a new song, most people feel that this is not a new song, this is my story," said Ferdi, one of the members of For Revenge Family (the name of the For Revenge fan community) when met by the KapanLagi team on a different occasion.
The phenomenon of collective crying is always present at every for Revenge concert
At every For Revenge concert, an interesting phenomenon always unfolds. The audience, especially those in the front row, often cry while singing along to For Revenge's songs. Some even always bring papers with writings expressing their emotional struggles.
Boniex and the crew are very aware of this. It’s not uncommon for Boniex to intentionally come down from the stage, approach one of the most emotional audience members, and then hug them. Occasionally, he also invites fans to come up on stage to share the emotional turmoil that is weighing on their hearts.
"The first time I still remember was in Bali at that time. We just came back from the pandemic and went on tour to Bali. There was a moment when someone cried, a girl at that time cried, confused. Finally, we stopped at that song, we kept stopping and I asked why (crying)? Then eventually that's when he told the story, oh this song is relatable, what’s the point is that he just broke up even though he had been dating for a long time. It turns out his ex got married to a friend or someone like that, that was the first time. Quite shocking," recalled Boniex.
A huge fan of for Revenge, Ferdi also expressed a similar sentiment. According to him, the songs of for Revenge are indeed very relatable to the hearts of many people, so many feel touched and emotional when their idol band performs.
"The choice of lyrics has always been relatable from the old albums to now. Especially their comeback is even more relatable to the kids today. About heartbreaks - heartbreaks. It is increasingly popular among Gen Z," said Dika, another member of For Revenge Family.
Although the lyrics are the main strength of for Revenge in touching the hearts of their fans, Boniex and the team stated that they never had a specific intention to write lyrics to make fans cry or feel sad. They simply pour out their own bitter experiences, which turn out to be relatable to many people.
"I don't write songs thinking, 'Ah, I want to make people cry', not at all. I try to express in for Revenge just my bitter experiences. Whether that can make people cry or whatever, what they feel, maybe it relates to their experiences. I was also shocked the first time for Revenge performed and someone cried because before me, for Revenge sang and no one cried like that. I don’t know why? What’s up with this generation?" Boniex expressed regarding the phenomenon of his extraordinarily emotional fans.
On their YouTube account, for Revenge even has a special highlight to document the extraordinary emotional expressions of their fans at each concert. However, it seems that many fans are now starting to appear who also pretend to cry, just to get highlighted by the documentation team for Revenge. Boniex has memorized the characteristics of the fans who come to his concerts.
"Yes, even those who pretend to cry are there. It could be that for Revenge finally captures that, captures the moment when there's someone crying in the audience, we post it on social media. There might also be people who are like, 'I want to get in on this too.' But you can tell. When I watch, I pay attention, 'Wow, this one is pretending (to cry)'," Boniex emphasized.
Boniex when talking about the genre of for Revenge (Photo credit: KapanLagi)
Until now, debates often arise when discussing the music genre of for Revenge. Many label it as emo, but there are also quite a few who refer to it as a typical pop rock band. Regarding this, Boniex has his own perspective in responding.
"Yeah, the identity is indeed that (emo). From the beginning when we formed the band, it was due to the influence of emo music from the 2000s wave. If now someone calls it pop or rock, that's okay too. But for me, the consistency is in emo. From the lyrical writing aspect, what we write, what we tell in our works is emo, that's emo," Boniex responded when asked about his band's genre.
for Revenge is currently under the label of Sony Music Entertainment Indonesia. The SME party itself acknowledges that one of the attractions of for Revenge is their consistency in the emo genre. From there, the collaboration between the two took place.
"What makes us very interested in for Revenge is the strength of the songs and the consistency in this genre (emo). There are many detailed aspects, the lyric writing by Boniex, and then there's Arief who creates the melody and the arrangements as well, the collaboration is from start to finish," said Keke Kananta, Head of A&R Sony Music Entertainment Indonesia.
Regardless of fans' views on the for Revenge genre, Boniex does not want to impose limitations. One thing is for sure, according to him, for Revenge will always be consistent in presenting works that explore sadness. At this moment, there is not even a thought in Boniex's mind to create songs with fun and happiness themes.
"The emo aspect is what we have maintained from the first time for Revenge was created until now. Like there are some of our old fans who say, 'Why has for Revenge become like this?'. Actually, if you listen to the old stuff and the new stuff, in terms of lyrics and the story of the songs, it’s the same, all about heartbreak, so nothing has changed. That's always the common thread. You might be confused if For Revenge makes a happy song, it seems like it would be strange, I haven't experienced that either. I don't know, it probably won't happen haha," Boniex replied while laughing.
Will for Revenge become one of the living legends in Indonesia?
Sony Music Entertainment Indonesia believes that For Revenge will someday become something very big in Indonesia. And to realize that belief, Sony is accompanying For Revenge step by step in the process. As the next step, Sony hopes that in the coming years For Revenge can start entering the international market, especially Asia.
"Simply put in my mind, For Revenge is going to become one of the living legends. They are mature in age, they are also grown up in terms of musicality, and in terms of business thinking as well. They are already professional. So I think in the future, For Revenge will be a band with a long lifespan. In the next five years, we believe For Revenge can go international. No need to go far, we will play in Asia first, it seems like that dream is not too hard for for Revenge," Keke hopes about the future of for Revenge.
Responding to Sony's hopes regarding the future of for Revenge, Boniex and the team do not want to be too ambitious. What is certain is that in the next few years, they want the band that has made a name for itself to be something that is always remembered and recognized by Indonesian music lovers.
"This is a tough question. In five to ten years, for Revenge should be in the top three bands in Indonesia, yes, top three at least. At least top of mind for people, 'What is the Indonesian band? for Revenge'," Boniex expressed while answering Keke's challenge.
"As for my desire, I just want to survive. Because the hard part is surviving. Maintaining what we have now, if possible more. But at least, minimally survive," replied Arief Ismail, the guitarist.
Meanwhile, Archims Pribadi, the drummer and founder of for Revenge, also had a similar answer, "The position is advantageous, keep going. Amen. A position that will always be remembered, I can't elaborate on wanting the highest position, I can't. There will definitely be regeneration."
The meaning of for Revenge for Archims Pribadi
As one of the bands whose popularity is soaring high, For Revenge certainly has an incredibly large fanbase in every different city. From there, the For Revenge Family was created, a community that serves as a 'home' for the hardcore fans of For Revenge. They even have a special place in the hearts of Boniex and the gang.
"I have started to recognize the people (For Revenge Family), I’m starting to remember the main ones. Whenever we perform in those cities, we always make time to meet with the FRF backstage after the show. If it’s really close, I might even borrow money, haha. But still, we mean it, without them, there wouldn’t be For Revenge. We also maintain it, we have a group together with the leaders and all that." "Of course, if we create something, they’re the first to know," Boniex expressed about his closeness with the For Revenge Family.
Archim Pribadi also didn’t want to miss the opportunity to express his appreciation for the presence and loyalty of the For Revenge Family, "They (For Revenge Family) are the ones who sustain us. Organically, they are the heartbeat. Without them, who would want to listen to For Revenge? I am really grateful to the For Revenge Family."
Popularity does not make For Revenge forget its loyal fans. In every performance, Boniex and the team always take the time to meet the For Revenge Family backstage just to chat and take pictures together. For that reason, For Revenge also leaves a very deep impression in the hearts of the fans.
"In my opinion, For Revenge is like family. Since I joined the For Revenge Family, I have been able to meet many people from outside the city and have many connections too." "It's like that influence for me personally, for example, being able to go to a concert in Bandung or anywhere, we’re not alone, so we have friends from outside the city," said Dika, one of the members of For Revenge Family.
Nazla, the head of For Revenge Family, also took turns expressing her deepest appreciation for For Revenge, "For For Revenge, thank you so much for trusting me (to be the head of For Revenge Family). Every time you perform, you get tired, but you always make time to meet us. In that moment, I feel appreciated by you and the heartbroken committee team. Such small things can make us feel acknowledged. And thank you also for the great works that so far can be listened to by many friends out there, who might be just like me, whose stories relate to your songs."
for Revenge brings home the trophy from the Indonesian Music Awards 2024 (Photo credit: instagram.com/forrevengeofficial)
The success of For Revenge in the music industry is not just measured by the extraordinary support of its fans. The singer of the song Serana has been nominated for prestigious awards such as 'Best Rock Performance' at the Hammersonic Awards 2023 and has been nominated twice for the Anugerah Music Indonesia (AMI), in 2023 and 2024.
Recently, For Revenge made history by winning the Duo/Group/Band of the Year category at the Indonesian Music Awards (IMA) 2024. This emo genre band managed to surpass big names like Juicy Luicy, Maliq & D'essentials, JKT48, and Lomba Sihir.
"Alhamdulillah we were able to bring home the title tonight. We are very grateful; initially, just being nominated for IMA was already amazing. Moreover, we are the only rock/emo band in this category. But it turns out this is a form of positive appreciation for our works. Thank you very much to IMA," said Boniex on the podium while receiving the award trophy.
Not stopping there, For Revenge also has a very positive record on various streaming platforms. On YouTube, for example, as of this news being published, the MV of the song Jakarta Hari Ini has been watched 48 million times, while the MVs of other songs have also reached millions of views. Not to mention the number of streams of their songs on platforms like Spotify, where the song Serana has been listened to 363 million times, while Jakarta Hari Ini follows in second place with 161 million streams.
The numbers and achievements above can be considered truly extraordinary and phenomenal. Moreover, for Revenge brings forth the emo genre, which has traditionally struggled to compete in the mainstream music market. So, it is fair to call for Revenge the pioneer of the emo revival in Indonesia. Because if not now for emo music to rise, when else?
(kpl/mat/gtr)
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