Interview with SPAKTRA
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about SPAKTRA (Members, Starting Year etc).
SPAKTRA emerged from the southern part of Yogyakarta, a small town we often refer to as "Morbid Wonolelo". The name “SPAKTRA” itself is derived from the English word spectre, meaning a ghost, spirit, or something eerie and dangerous. To make it catchier and more memorable, we modified the word into “SPAKTRA” - which also happens to echo the strength of the word “Sparta.” The band was formed in late 2023 by Jose (Vocals) and Anang (Guitar). At the time, both of us were looking for a creative escape, a way to stay busy, even though, to be honest, life was already overwhelming with work and the weight of daily routines. Maybe it was our way of running away from the harsh reality of living in a third-world country that offers little to no security for people like us. Add to that the constant frustration with politics. So, eventually, we started writing songs, initially just based on what we liked and felt. By mid-2024, we decided to take things more seriously and invited more friends to join this journey with us. That’s when Yadek (Bass), Bima (Drums), and Juan (Guitar) came on board. Together, we became the full lineup of SPAKTRA. Later we hooked Ucup (Guitar) to complete the performance of the shows we’ve got, because Juan is still in the Uni at Surabaya, which is about 7 hours drive away from Yogyakarta. Our music could be described as crossover, but we like to keep it open and exploratory, we don’t really follow any strict set of rules. This mindset gave birth to our 2025 demo, War Ashes, which was released just recently on May 7th. Unlike many crossover bands that lean heavily into destructive or violent themes, SPAKTRA revolves around a concept we call the “Confusion Guardian,” embracing a more melancholic atmosphere. War Ashes showcases four tracks that don’t tell around the typical satanic deception as the root of human sin, but rather reflect on the fragility of human awareness, how easily people can fall into the traps of greedy illusions.
You have recently released your demo ''War Ashes''. What is the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
We didn’t anticipate anything huge with the release of War Ashes, even though we did put a lot of thought into the “pre-release” side of things. For example, we created a short movie teaser leading up to the release and the response to that was incredibly enthusiastic. When we officially dropped the demo on May 7th, 2025, the feedback was surprisingly intense and so positive. It felt like people were truly connecting with the vibe and the message, which means a lot to us. To be honest, we didn’t expect Filthy Dogs of Metal to discover us this quickly either, it’s a real honor to be invited for this interview. We really appreciate the chance to share what we’re trying to express through our music. With this first release, we’re pretty upfront about the core message: it’s a brutal self-reflection. That’s why it’s called “War Ashes”, it’s the war between us and our greedy desires. We openly admit how flawed we are as human beings oftentimes acting in ways that are far from humane, both toward each other and toward the Mother Earth. So yeah, War Ashes is our way of criticizing those human sins, sins that destroy the harmony of life and damage the natural balance of the universe.
Label or DIY and why?
Honestly, we think both are great. But coming from the kind of environment we live in. Where community, mutual support, and collaboration are part of everyday life. We’ve always embraced the collaborative spirit. The spirit of productive together, whether it's just us as a band or with close friends in our circle, growing and moving forward side by side. So far, everything we’ve done has been rooted in that spirit. From producing the tracks, designing the artwork, to creating teaser videos and handling other technical stuff. It’s all been possible thanks to the people around us. It’s very DIY, but also very connected. That mindset is also part of why we invited Weirdasfuzz to collaborate on the intro of the demo - specifically the track "Allegory of the Cave." We know he’s deeply into experimental and exploratory sounds, and that’s exactly why the intro ended up having a dark wave vibe to it. And yeah, we absolutely love how it turned out. That said, we’re also not closed off to working with labels as long as the process is fun, respectful, and leads to something positive and creatively explorative, then why not? We’re open to that possibilities in the future.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
There’s actually a weird story (or unusual at least for us) that happened during the making of our demo. Originally, the plan was to include just three tracks: “Allegory of the Cave,” “Maze of Suffer,” and “Death Assault.” That was it. But we have this habit of jamming randomly at the studio, just messing around with new ideas, sometimes they become something, sometimes they don’t. One night, we were doing just that, casually jamming with no pressure, thinking maybe we’d save the material for a future release. Out of nowhere, we ended up creating a longer, more intense song. And then Anang, with his creepy smile and dead-serious face, suddenly suggested, "What if we record this now and just throw it into the demo?" We’re not exactly sure what was going through his mind, but somehow we all in and just said, “Yeah, why not?” That song turned out to be “Sin King.” It’s probably the most honest track on the demo, purely based on Anang’s personal anxieties, with no filter. After that, he asked Jose to write the lyrics. At first, he was a bit overwhelmed because there wasn’t much time left based on the release deadline. But the next day, Jose managed to write all the lyrics - less than an hours right before he took the vocal recording - drawing inspiration from some verses by Jalal ad-Din Rumi, A Persian poet. And just like that, the lyrics were born. It all happened super spontaneously, but somehow it felt very right.
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
We definitely prefer physical formats—whether it’s vinyls, cassette tapes, or CDs. But if we had to choose one that fits us best, it would be cassette tapes. Pressing vinyl is pretty challenging and expensive where we live, so tapes are a much more realistic and accessible option. For us, tapes are more than just a medium - they’re a form of genuine appreciation for a band. They’re affordable, easy to produce, and with that compressed sound, they just feel... perfect. However, we can’t ignore the role of digital formats today. The digital world really helps us reach new listeners, even discover new bands, and we’re grateful for that. But still, nothing beats the nostalgic vibe of a cassette tape. On tape, no song ever sounds bad. Everything feels magical.
Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
At our core, we’re heavily rooted in Bay Area Thrash. Slayer, Metallica, Exodus, Vio-lence, Nuclear Assault and Death Angel have been the backbone of our musical foundation. The tight downstrokes, chromatic riffing, and dark lyrical themes, they’ve shaped how we write and play from the very beginning. We grew up with this stuff. We still remember those childhood moments listening to these bands on our older brother’s crappy old laptop through Winamp. Good old times. One of our guitarists is a huge Metallica fan, especially their early years, and you can absolutely hear the influence in the riffs throughout War Ashes. But we do agree about old school influences should be a compass, not a cage. So we never called ourself as a pure thrash metal band since we also reflect so many other elements. We’re also drawn to groove metal, bands like Sepultura (even we like their earlier era more) and Pantera definitely left their mark on us. So maybe, in a way, our sound walks somewhere between those territories. Technically speaking, we also try to trim the malignancy, so to speak, from the new wave of crossover/thrash, bands like Enforced, Lowest Creature, Red Death, Fugitive and even from the Norwegian thrash scene, like Inculter and Sovereign. Those modern bands really push the energy up a notch, and we love that. It’s a big part of how we shape our own intensity.
Which things do you think a band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your band?
To be honest, we’re not entirely sure what “success” really means for a band. If success means becoming arrogant, unapproachable, or just plain annoying, then we absolutely don’t want to be successful. We really value all kinds of feedback from others. We genuinely so open for receiving constructive criticism or any advice. At the end of the day, we’re just a bunch of uncles trying to keep good relationships with the people around us. The dedication we put into this band is simply our way of adding something different to what already exists in our scene, nothing more, nothing less. We want to contribute, not dominate. And when it comes to sacrifice, if it’s for humanity, for something meaningful and collective, then yeah, we’re totally in. Because music should be about connection, not ego.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
For us, the only “ideal” live show is, to listen and to have fun. Not punching people on purpose or getting unnecessarily violent just to prove something. That’s not what we’re about. We’ve played a few shows already, and there are more coming up in the near future. Right now, we’re also working on plans for a mini tour across Central Java, which we’re really excited about. Hopefully it becomes a space where people can enjoy the music, connect, and just have a good time.
What attributes do you think that a new Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
We don’t really believe there’s a fixed formula for what a new metal band should do to be stand out. But for us personally, exploring symbolism and semiotics is something we find really important. Being “unique” doesn’t always have to come from wearing certain attributes or pushing some kind of image. Sometimes, delivering subtle, subliminal messages to your audience - whether through lyrics, visuals, or atmosphere - can be even more powerful. In the end, we believe that we’re all part of the show. It’s like theatre. Nothing is truly real, not even us.
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its work?
We’re not gonna pretend that digital platform taking nothing to the band nowadays. We're definitely not the kind of people who hate modern formats or refuse the sacred of physical formats. Digital platforms absolutely have their own space and purpose, and they’ve really helped in spreading music, especially for new bands like us. There are people out there who just don’t “stimulated” with physical releases when trying to discover new bands, we respect that. Digital access makes it easier to reach listeners who might not have the chance to see us live at local shows or underground gigs. It’s a powerful tool for visibility. And it’s not just about the audio things. These days, you can explore a lot more when it comes to promotion, like creating teasers that match your band’s theme, making MV, selling merch for you band's profits or even embedding your ideals and attitude through your online presence. That’s something unique to this era, and it has value. However, even it's totally different way to live in this days, we don’t really see a big difference between the old days and now. Humans change, the world’s mechanisms change. The only thing that hasn’t changed is the plague of corruption in our country, still gnawing till this world in chaos.
Do you see any differences between the Indonesian Metal Market & the EU Metal Market (Labels, Bands, Fans etc)?
Honestly, we can’t speak too deeply about the EU metal market because we haven’t experienced it firsthand, at least not yet. But from what we’ve seen and heard, there are a few clear differences between the Indonesian and European scenes, especially in terms of structure and infrastructure. In Indonesia, a lot of things are still built on strong DIY ethics and community-based effort. We often rely on mutual support between bands, collectives, and small circles, especially when it comes to gigs, production, and even distribution. There’s this beautiful sense of solidarity, but also a lot of challenges due to limited resources. Meanwhile, the EU market seems to have more established systems, whether it’s with labels, media coverage, or touring circuits. Bands can often access broader networks and professional tools that are still quite rare or expensive here. We hope someday we can experience it ourselves and feel that difference directly.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Indonesia (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
The underground metal scene in Indonesia, especially in Yogyakarta is incredibly diverse, even among bands playing within the same genre. There’s a lot of fresh energy and spirit, especially from younger generations who are really pushing the boundaries of creativity within the underground. Some amazing bands from the wider Indonesian scene like Masakre, Exhumation, and MASS-49 are out of this world. Closer to our own circle, we’ve got friends doing great stuff with bands like Feral Wound, TRRRHT, Maledicti, Naja, Sayat, Rodra, Ventor, Svraoz, Poison Vomit, and Blavatsky. And honestly, there are so many more great bands in Yogyakarta that we just can’t name them all. Zine culture is also very much alive here. If you’re looking to dig deeper, definitely check out Consumed Media or Soundless Nation, you’ll find tons of underrated bands and artists being covered there. There’s a real sense of discovery in these zines, and they play a big role in supporting and documenting the scene.
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
Of course, we’re aware of some legendary names like Necromantia, Rotting Christ, and Suicidal Angels. Everyone definitely knows those bands. But honestly, we don’t follow the Hellenic metal scene very closely, even during its golden era when it had a huge influence on black metal worldwide. So we’re not too familiar with the deeper details or what’s currently happening in the scene over there. But we’d really love to learn more, especially since Greek scenes have inspired so many across the globe, including us.
What are your future plans?
Our nearest plans right now are to keep pumping more gigs, both in our hometown and outside of it. We’re also in the process of gathering and developing new material for our upcoming LP. There's a lot of excitement around pushing our sound even further. And we’re currently preparing some physical releases too, which we hope to put out in the near future.
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Thank you for having us in this interview. Big up to Stavros! This means a lot to us. From the depths of Morbid Wonolelo, SPAKTRA salutes you!
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
SPAKTRA CONTACT:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575926290601
https://www.instagram.com/spaktrawhispers/
https://spaktra.bandcamp.com/album/war-ashes-demo-2025