Review TUMENGGUNG “Back on the Streets”

“Back on the Streets” is an album that radiates something exotic. It’s not because of the title, which is very much in line with the principles of traditional heavy metal, and it’s not because of the music itself. It is rather the fact that Tumenggung hail from Indonesia and “Back on the Streets” is their second longplayer to hit the shelves.

The guys premiered in 2020 with an album called “Soul of Steel”, which is now followed by the second effort of the Indonesian trio.

As already mentioned, it’s not the breathtaking new sound that reaches us from the east. Tumenggung deliver music that can act as a time machine, taking you right back to the mid-80s when bands like Dokken and Lizzy Borden had their heyday.

“Wall Breaker” is the intro and opens the gate to eight well-done metal tracks, of which the up-tempo title track is the first headbanger on this album. Arif Ramadhan delivers a very solid guitar performance and high-pitched vocals reminiscent of some of the metal sirens of the eighties.

Tumenggung don’t leave any cliché untouched, which is also reflected in some of the titles. “In the Dead of the Night” and “1000 Tons of Metal” are song titles that reflect denim and leather music, and that is exactly what you can expect from this longplayer. Especially the pounding “1000 Tons Of Metal” is a highlight of the album and a challenge for the neck muscles while “Symphony of Hate” starts rather atmospherically before turning into a riff-attack that reminds you of some German heavy metal from the 80s.

What limits the enjoyment of the album is the rather basic sound. These songs would have deserved a more powerful production and a full-bodied sound to reveal all the 80s joy. “Back on the Streets” is like a walk down memory lane. 80s metal seems to have a solid fan base in countries like Indonesia and this trio follows their passion for denim & leather metal.