BLACKFIRE “The Hereafter Live” Cd

I remember listening to this tape in Azmi’s car when we hang out in Kangar as he returned home for Hari Raya in 2000. Like other old folks, Azmi keep telling me the nostalgic part on how the gig turn frightening when some of the crowds no longer enjoy headbang instead they worship the songs like satanic mantra - sitting in front row and do tribal-like ritual ceremony. He told me that all those shout and scream I heard from tape coming from RATOR and the gang, who are young rebellious youth on those days. They even started a fight in the mosh pit, that’s why in the middle of their cult song “Black Hell”, you can hear Azmi try to calm them down saying – Jangan Gaduh-gaduh, Black Metal, Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, Heavy Rock Thrash. Semua adalah saudara” which means all kind of metal are brothers. And yes, I almost forget, Azmi started off “Black Hell” with his legendary quotes – “Welcome to my black zone where you can find evil and danger..”

The truth about this tape, Blackfire never asked for it. Azmi told me that when the show is over, the sound engineer gave it to him said that he recorded it for fun. But there are others who did the recording of that show on that days, including Joe Kidd of the infamous Aedes Zine ( the first UG music zine in Malaysia ). As known to all, it was his recording that spread all over the globe thus making Blackfire one of the most important band in Asia. If the other bands still copy Venom and Bathory to named it as Black Metal. Blackfire has formulated their own Asiatic version of evil music and sang in Malay at the first place. We can clearly heard Azmi confirmed their nature, before blast off with the song “Sengketa” – Kami bukan band Thrash Metal, influence kami lebih kepada Black Metal. ( We are not Thrash Metal band, our influence more to Black Metal”.

The venue for this unforgettable live show took place in Semua House, Kuala Lumpur on May 21st, 1988 which actually felt on 2nd day of Hari Raya Edul Fitri. Semua House back in the day was a fine place for underground community, - thrashers, skate boaders, punksters get unite. Lots of independent events were organized there. In that gig, Blackfire were playing with RAMPA, which formed by Zainal Rampa, the founder and ex-singer of Malaysian rock monsters, SEARCH.

Our deal with Basement Records begins when I received an email from Shammir in 2006. This hard working Hardcore Punk label has released lotto great products and got good distribution channels world wide. I heard some metal heads disappointed we choose punk label to release our cd, but Me and Azmi already gave up with the so-called Metal label that offer us. They only want profit but the result was total shit. So, we don’t have any problem signing with small punk label that do their job honest and keep their promises. Since then, I’m helping Shammir with the artworks, converting lotta demo tapes to cd like Infectious Maggots, Multilation, and many more.

There are only 3 tracks recorded here, so Basement asked me if I could add some rehearsal track as bonus.Iit would be damn expensive and wasting to press a cd with only 3 tracks on it. So, I put in our old rehearsal in M.A Studio, Perlis with Core on guitar and Pak Keh on bass, while Hadi singing and drumming. I remember watching those rehearsed, I’m really impressed with Hadi. It was really brutal, if only I had a camera on that day...

Now about the cover. The artwork for this cd were done by me. I even print a shirt with the artwork in very limited quantity. Those who are interested to buy it can contact me for that. The truth about it, I wanted to draw something in the same mood of original artwork on his tape. But Azmi disagreed and told me he never like any skulls design in any Blackfire artworks anymore.

by:- Rammy