Groundbreaking Indonesian trio Voice Of Baceprot have released their new single 'The Enemy of Earth is You'.
Stream: https://li.sten.to/the-enemy-of-earth-is-you
2016. The year when natural disasters wreaked havoc across Indonesia. A staggering 1,985 events struck the nation - among them, the flash floods that swept the region of Garut in West Java.
Born and raised in a corner of Garut, Voice Of Baceprot received the shock of their lives. 'The Enemy of Earth is You' is their result: it encapsulates their anxiety after witnessing just how catastrophic the disasters are, and expresses the band's broken hearts and agony.
In the word's of VOB's vocalist Marsya: "It is a song that summarises our loathing towards anyone who becomes an enemy of the Earth. On the flip side, the single reminds us not to turn into one of them."
Realising the severity of the damage, VOB have increasingly campaigned for climate change initiatives. As a result, the group have aligned the single release with the Music Declares Emergency initiative. This joins over 6,600 musicians and music industry professionals to use music as a means of raising public awareness about climate issues and the protection of life on Earth.
With their NO MUSIC ON A DEAD PLANET campaign, Music Declares Emergency have garnered support from artists including Billie Eilish, Arcade Fire, The 1975, Imogen Heap, Fatboy Slim, Major Lazer, and Tom Morello.
'The Enemy of Earth is You' will also be included in Voice Of Baceprot's upcoming debut album Retas, which is set to drop in July 2023.
There are few groups as powerful and potent as Indonesian rock trio Voice of Baceprot (pronounced ‘bah-che-prot’, often abbreviated as VOB).
Forming in Garut, West Java, in 2014 while still at school, the band – Marsya (vocals/guitar), Widi (bass) and Sitti (drums) named their band after the Sundanese word for ‘noisy’: a true representation of their style of music.
The band are already celebrated across the globe for their indomitable attitude and power of representation.
One of the most exciting musical voices from Southeast Asia, VOB began to turn heads with early viral covers of Rage Against The Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Slipknot, and Metallica, garnering attention from local and international media, as well as endorsements and praise from Tom Morello and Flea.
Besides their obvious prodigious musical talent, it was also the unique and contradictory combination of heavy rock and their wearing of the hijab that have caught the eye of many.
The group have overcome many obstacles in their still-young career, not least facing opposition from conservative Muslims in their home country, and stereotyping elsewhere due to their hijab-wearing on stage.
In the words of Marsya: "Wearing a hijab should not be a barrier to the group's pursuit of its dream of being heavy metal stars... I think gender equality should be supported because I feel I am still exploring my creativity, while at the same time, not diminishing my obligations as a Muslim woman".
Themes of empowerment and celebration run throughout Voice Of Baceprot's work. Their previously-released single, the monumental ‘(NOT) PUBLIC PROPERTY’ was released in conjunction with UK Government to collect donations for victims of sexual violence and abuse.
The anthemic single 'PMS', short for perempuan merdeka seutuhnya ("completely independent women"), celebrates women who are breaking stereotypes and boundaries in all forms.
The origin of 'PMS' is from VOB’s own background, when the band members still lived in their village in rural Indonesia. A conservative community, there are few career options for women after school - by choosing a career in music, Voice Of Baceprot have been marked by some as an anomaly or rebel in their community. 'PMS' is then a solidarity call for all women who face the same problems but march on regardless, to keep doing what they love.
This fearless and fearsome approach has already cemented VOB’s position as a hugely exciting prospect – and noticed by key media players globally, including The New York Times, The Guardian, NME, Metal Hammer, Kerrang!, and many more across USA, Europe, and beyond.
In summer 2022 VOB performed at Wacken Open Air 2022 to over 5,000 fans, and have collectively garnered close to ten million views and streams of their music across all platforms.
Voice Of Baceprot are:
Marsya (vocals, guitars)
Widi (bass)
Sitti (drums)
Official website www.voiceofbaceprot.com
Instagram www.instagram.com/voiceofbaceprot
Twitter www.twitter.com/baceprotvoices
Facebook www.facebook.com/voiceofbaceprot
YouTube www.youtube.com/voiceofbaceprot
