Mantak
Encyclopedia
Mantak is a blackened thrash metal
band from the eastern part of Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu
, Sabah
. This band is considered as the most successful and controversial Metal band
in the Island of Borneo
. Some said Mantak was also one of the most successful Extreme Metal
band from Malaysia.
with their first ever line up which was Hadi (Vocals), Naz (Bass), Azarul (Drums) and Najib (Guitar). The person responsible for making this band formed was Eddie (Front man for one of the earliest Black Metal
band from Sabah
- Kalabangan). All of Waffat's line up were previously involved with other bands, Hadi was in a Brunei
an Death metal
band, Vehemence in the early 90's, Najib was in a local rock band, except Naz and Azarul which never played in the other bands before.
dialect which means evil black magic. The band supposedly recorded their first demo in 1996 but have not found any recording studios to do so. Mantak recorded their first rehearsal tape in 1996 and planned to spread it but after sending it to a friend in Kota Kinabalu
, he suggested that the rehearsal tape not to be released because of its poor sound quality. This friend is Hanip from a local underground label Grind Empire Productions. So Mantak decided not to release this rehearsal tape, and it was never listed on Mantak's official discography.
, Thrash Metal
and old school Punk music
, The lyrics are about reality, and crimes they have committed. In the same time Mantak's music were also partly influenced by Eastern Metal (lyrics written about local myths, black magic, and occultism). It didn't take a long time for Mantak to release their second demo Sakhtyanic Doctrine, a year later. Later on, Mantak moved back to Kota Kinabalu
and started to spread their second demo there. Mantak's first ever stage appearance was at the Maximum Decibel Disaster I show in Kota Kinabalu
, and Mantak have been constantly performing live shows after that. Also in 2000, Mantak recorded an EP
, Dark Borneo Art and released in Cassette Tape
format through Malaysian independent label
Muzik Box Productions. Mantak also participated in one of Malaysia’s biggest Extreme Metal
compilation CD, Panggilan Pulau Puaka IV.
band to come out from the Island of Borneo
. They managed to sign with one of Malaysia’s biggest Extreme Metal
label Nebiula Productions, following the release of 2 Full Length album, Eye Of Deviant (2001) and Polymorphous Perversion (2003). Polymorphous Perversion have been licensed and re-released by several overseas label such as RA Productions (Indonesia), Promination Records (Germany) and recently in 2007, Old Cemetery Records (USA) re-released Polymorphous Perversion which contains bonus track
s.
Mantak have released numerous Split album
s and EP
s. One of Mantak's more successful release would be the Eastern Sexxxrigalust 7" Vinyl EP
, released through Legions of Death Records (France), this is the first time ever for a Malaysian Extreme Metal
band to release in Vinyl format. In 2007 Mantak signed an album deal with one of the most well known Black Metal
label from France, Drakkar Productions
, following the release of the highly acclaimed Full Length album, Sabahell's Blasphemer.
August 2008, Mantak visited Bangkok
, Thailand
to perform for the third time in God Beheading Live Ritual 2008, supporting legendary Finnish
Black Metal
band, Archgoat
, alongside Surrender of Divinity (Thailand
). Mantak played songs from their latest album Sabahell's Blasphemer, few songs from previous album Polymorphous Perversion, and a cover of Sodom's
Blasphemer. Mantak received great responses from the crowd, all the merchandise the band brought to the show sold out in no time.
In December 2008 Mantak once again entered the studio to record their upcoming fourth Full Length album. This new album is scheduled to be released in mid-2009 and Drakkar Productions is once more to be responsible in the release of this new album.
, Indonesia
and Thailand
, sharing stages with international bands such as Impiety
(Singapore
), Archgoat
(Finland
), Surrender of Divinity (Thailand
), Abigail (Japan
) just to name a few.
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band from the eastern part of Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu , formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount...
, Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
. This band is considered as the most successful and controversial Metal band
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
in the Island of Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
. Some said Mantak was also one of the most successful Extreme Metal
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
band from Malaysia.
1995 (Waffat)
This band was first known as Waffat in the early days of their formation back in 1995 but they changed their name to Mantak a year after that. This band was first formed in the Island of LabuanLabuan
Labuan is a federal territory in East Malaysia. It is an island off the coast of the state of Sabah. Labuan's capital is Victoria and is best known as an offshore financial centre offering international financial and business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990 as well as being an offshore support...
with their first ever line up which was Hadi (Vocals), Naz (Bass), Azarul (Drums) and Najib (Guitar). The person responsible for making this band formed was Eddie (Front man for one of the earliest Black Metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band from Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
- Kalabangan). All of Waffat's line up were previously involved with other bands, Hadi was in a Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
an Death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band, Vehemence in the early 90's, Najib was in a local rock band, except Naz and Azarul which never played in the other bands before.
1996-1997
In 1996 Hadi and Najib left the band because of personal matters, leaving only Naz and Azarul in the band. In no time, Naz immediately changed the band's name to Mantak, a word in KedayanKedayan
The Kedayan are an ethnic group residing in Brunei, Labuan, Sabah, and parts of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. They are also known as Kadayan, Kadaian or simply badly spelled as Kadyan by British. The Kedayan language is the de facto national language of Brunei...
dialect which means evil black magic. The band supposedly recorded their first demo in 1996 but have not found any recording studios to do so. Mantak recorded their first rehearsal tape in 1996 and planned to spread it but after sending it to a friend in Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu , formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount...
, he suggested that the rehearsal tape not to be released because of its poor sound quality. This friend is Hanip from a local underground label Grind Empire Productions. So Mantak decided not to release this rehearsal tape, and it was never listed on Mantak's official discography.
1998-2000
Mantak's first demo is The Borneo Chaosmakers, self release in 1998. Their music at that time were highly influenced by Black MetalBlack metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
, Thrash Metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
and old school Punk music
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, The lyrics are about reality, and crimes they have committed. In the same time Mantak's music were also partly influenced by Eastern Metal (lyrics written about local myths, black magic, and occultism). It didn't take a long time for Mantak to release their second demo Sakhtyanic Doctrine, a year later. Later on, Mantak moved back to Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu , formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount...
and started to spread their second demo there. Mantak's first ever stage appearance was at the Maximum Decibel Disaster I show in Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu , formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount...
, and Mantak have been constantly performing live shows after that. Also in 2000, Mantak recorded an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Dark Borneo Art and released in Cassette Tape
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
format through Malaysian independent label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
Muzik Box Productions. Mantak also participated in one of Malaysia’s biggest Extreme Metal
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
compilation CD, Panggilan Pulau Puaka IV.
2001-2008
Mantak became the most active Extreme MetalExtreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
band to come out from the Island of Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
. They managed to sign with one of Malaysia’s biggest Extreme Metal
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
label Nebiula Productions, following the release of 2 Full Length album, Eye Of Deviant (2001) and Polymorphous Perversion (2003). Polymorphous Perversion have been licensed and re-released by several overseas label such as RA Productions (Indonesia), Promination Records (Germany) and recently in 2007, Old Cemetery Records (USA) re-released Polymorphous Perversion which contains bonus track
Bonus track
In terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. This is most often done as a promotional device, either as an incentive to customers to purchase albums they might otherwise not, or to repurchase albums they already...
s.
Mantak have released numerous Split album
Split album
A split album is a music album which includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There have been singles and EPs released in the same nature, which can be referred to as split singles and split EPs respectively...
s and EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
s. One of Mantak's more successful release would be the Eastern Sexxxrigalust 7" Vinyl EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, released through Legions of Death Records (France), this is the first time ever for a Malaysian Extreme Metal
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
band to release in Vinyl format. In 2007 Mantak signed an album deal with one of the most well known Black Metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
label from France, Drakkar Productions
Drakkar Productions
Drakkar Productions is a French record label that has released many recordings of black metal bands throughout the world, on CD, cassette and vinyl. They have usually limited the prints to 1000 copies or less, but some have been known to vary...
, following the release of the highly acclaimed Full Length album, Sabahell's Blasphemer.
August 2008, Mantak visited Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
to perform for the third time in God Beheading Live Ritual 2008, supporting legendary Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
Black Metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band, Archgoat
Archgoat
Archgoat is a black metal group that formed in Finland in 1989. There are three band members: Angelslayer , Ritual Butcherer and Blood Desecrator . Their first demo, Jesus Spawn, was released in 1992...
, alongside Surrender of Divinity (Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
). Mantak played songs from their latest album Sabahell's Blasphemer, few songs from previous album Polymorphous Perversion, and a cover of Sodom's
Sodom (band)
Sodom is a German Thrash metal trio from Gelsenkirchen, formed in 1981.Along with the bands Kreator and Destruction, Sodom is considered one of the "big three" of Teutonic thrash metal...
Blasphemer. Mantak received great responses from the crowd, all the merchandise the band brought to the show sold out in no time.
In December 2008 Mantak once again entered the studio to record their upcoming fourth Full Length album. This new album is scheduled to be released in mid-2009 and Drakkar Productions is once more to be responsible in the release of this new album.
2009-Present
March 2009, Mantak launched their latest MCD, entitled 666, released through Evil Dead Productions (Malaysia), it was released in a limited amount of 666 copies. The title of their upcoming Full Length, Diabolical Psycholust was revealed through their official website, however, there were no exact release date. There were also an announcement of upcoming releases found on their official website, Amput Rogol & Sodomi 7 inch EP (Necromancer Records), Eye of Deviant CD re-release (Old Cemetery Records) and Dark Borneo Art 10 inch LP re-release (Drakkar Productions), no exact release dates were given.Live Stage
Mantak have played in many live shows over the years, locally and internationally. Mantak have performed in SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, sharing stages with international bands such as Impiety
Impiety (band)
Impiety is a Singaporean black metal band, formed in early 1990 by Shyaithan and drummer Necro-Angelfornicator. They are notable for being one of the first extreme metal bands to emerge from Singapore, including releasing records on notable Western record labels.-Biography:Impiety was originally...
(Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
), Archgoat
Archgoat
Archgoat is a black metal group that formed in Finland in 1989. There are three band members: Angelslayer , Ritual Butcherer and Blood Desecrator . Their first demo, Jesus Spawn, was released in 1992...
(Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
), Surrender of Divinity (Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
), Abigail (Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
) just to name a few.
Studio albums
- 2002: Eye of Deviant
- 2004: Polymorphous Perversion
- 2004: Polymorphous Perversion (Indonesia re-release)
- 2007: Sabahell's Blasphemer
- 2007: Polymorphous Perversion (USA re-release)
- 2009: Diabolical Psycholust
EPs and singles
- 2000: Dark Borneo Art
- 2005: Thy Sexxxmageddon
- 2005: Eastern Sexxxrigalust
- 2009: 666
- 2009: Amput Rogol & Sodomi
Split albums
- 1999: Back to Attack (split with Mortuary Ancestor (Malaysia))
- 2006: Raping God's Law (split with Amputator (USA))
- 2007: Nekrosimon - The Art ov Blasphemies (split with Enshadowed (Greece))
- 2008: Baptized by Beers (split with Barbatos (Japan))
- 2008: The Eastern Desekratorz (split with Abigail (Japan))
Sessionists
Musicians who have contributed to Mantak, either in the studio, or during live shows.2002
- Wan (Scarlett, Demizer)
- Nizar/Ninop (Gorensick, Nasruhak)
- Cho (Ex-Demizer, Splattered Soul, Mi Scusi)