The Formula Behind the Phenomenon of the Song for Revenge: Combine Super Melancholic Lyrics and Verses from the Quran

Kapanlagi.com - The Bandung-based band, for Revenge, is currently becoming an extraordinary phenomenon in the Indonesian music industry. The formula of emo songs combined with melancholic lyrics makes them one of the 'ambassadors' of heartbreak in Indonesia today.

Serana and Jakarta Hari Ini can be said to be the two hit singles that have skyrocketed the name of for Revenge. On YouTube, the MV of Jakarta Hari Ini has been viewed 48 million times, while the song Serana has been streamed nearly 365 million times by listeners on Spotify.

However, the peak of melancholy can only be felt when you come directly and witness the concert of for Revenge. The proof is that every time they perform live, the band led by Boniex (vocals), Archims (drums), Arief (guitar), and Izha (bass) always succeeds in making the audience cry together while accompanying the setlist performed.

"I don't write songs thinking, 'Ah, I'm going to make people cry', no. I try to pour out in For Revenge my most painful experiences. Whether that makes people cry or not, what they feel, maybe they relate to their own experiences. I was also surprised the first time for Revenge performed and someone cried, because before me, for Revenge performed and no one cried. I don't know why? What's going on with this generation?" said Boniex, the frontman of for Revenge, during an exclusive interview with the KapanLagi team.

1. Heartfelt Confessions from Boniex's Personal Experience

Not just ordinary melancholic lyrics, for Revenge has a unique choice of diction in each stanza of its lyrics. It's understandable, as Boniex, the main lyricist, indeed has an educational background in journalism.

"Maybe because I have that background of studying journalism, I learned formal words that people sometimes don't use in writing, maybe that's the influence. There’s a journalistic background when writing lyrics, so it turns out like that," continued the man whose full name is Moch Boniex Nurwega.

Interestingly, in crafting the lyrics for Revenge, Boniex always uses personal experiences as inspiration. However, he always invites discussions to test whether the lyrics he creates can be accepted by the listeners.

"Yeah, maybe there are moments when I write that it’s really a heartbreak moment for everyone. It seems like everyone can easily get their hearts broken. If you tell the story of heartbreak, it seems like it’s the same no matter the era. It’s just that the language is different, the background of the time is different, but thematically, heartbreak is essentially the same from era to era," Boniex explained when asked about the formula for his melancholic lyrics.

2. Lyrics Quoting from Quranic Verses

Another interesting fact is that some lyrics from the band For Revenge are also quoted from verses of the Quran. One example can be seen in the song Jakarta Hari Ini which goes:

But perhaps you hate a thing, and it's good for you. And perhaps you love a thing, and it's bad for you.

For those of you who are familiar, the above verse is quoted from the translation of one of the verses in the holy book of the Quran, specifically Al Baqarah verse 216, which was then translated into English. The original verse goes like this:

It is obligatory for you to fight, while it is hateful to you. And perhaps you hate a thing, while it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing, while it is bad for you. Allah knows, while you do not know.

This fact is also one of the reasons why Ferdi, a member of For Revenge Family (the name for the For Revenge fan community), idolizes the band from Bandung.

"One of the reasons I like For Revenge is because it relates to me, the choice of lyrics and diction, and the presentation of their music videos. And maybe many people don't realize that every song by For Revenge quotes from verses of the Quran, so there are messages that are quite deep. In fact, there are several songs that are really from the translation of Quranic verses. And every time For Revenge makes a new song, most people feel that this is not a new song, this is my story," said Ferdi when met by the KapanLagi team.

3. The Phenomenon of For Revenge and the Rise of Emo in Indonesia

KapanLagi has summarized an exclusive coverage about the Phenomenon of For Revenge, which marks the resurgence of emo music in Indonesia. KLovers can read it in full at the link HERE.

Prefer to watch it in video form? You can. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wqgg__eR0g

(kpl/mat/gtr)