‘Negeri Seribu Bangsa’: Musical hybridization in contemporary Indonesian death metal

Despite its origins as a hybrid genre, death metal is often subject to discourses of purity, and the inclusion of diverse influences is not always looked upon favourably. Indonesian death metal bands, however, often combine elements of different styles ranging from traditional Indonesian musics to contemporary global popular genres, revealing an incorporative approach typical of modern Indonesian musical practices. This article explores musical hybridization in Indonesian death metal using the band Siksakubur as a case study, examining the ways they negotiate relationships with the overlapping contexts of death metal as a global genre, Indonesian death metal as a localized phenomenon and popular music in postcolonial/post-Soeharto Indonesia. Throughout, I consider the implications of these practices on postcolonial theories of cultural hybridity.