Band: Sacrify
From: Manado Bay, Indonesia
Their formation story:
Jonah (guitar): "Before Sacrify came together, Yobel (vocals) and I already had a straight edge project called xMindset47x. That band started out as our way of protesting the common stereotype that heavy music is always tied to drugs.
"As we dug deeper into hardcore, we discovered the whole spirit-filled/Christcore side of it, bands like No Innocent Victim, Strongarm, Focal Point, Focused, early Zao, Underoath, and Norma Jean. That really sparked the idea of starting a spirit-filled band ourselves, not just musically but also as a statement against the mindset that heavy music is automatically Satanic. Where we’re from, people still think like that a lot, so it was something that had been weighing on us for a while.
"That’s when Yobel (vocals) and I brought in Aldo (guitar) and Reggie (drums). We’d already played together with them in church bands, and they also had their own band called Headchine, so they were already experienced and into hardcore as well. I asked Jojo (bass) to join too, since he and I had been talking for a long time about starting a project together but never made it happen. He also plays guitar in Exfetus. Shout out to Exfetus, they just released their debut EP, Rebirth In Pain."
Their sound in their own words:
"When it comes to our style, we pull a lot from the H8000 scene, bands like Congress and Liar, and we fuse that with darker black metal influences. That mix really gives us the kind of heavy, bleak atmosphere we’ve always wanted to bring into our sound.
"At the same time, we’re also drawn to the chaotic and dissonant side of metalcore. We love that panic-chord energy and unpredictable breakdowns you hear in bands like Norma Jean, Zao, Harvest, 7 Angels 7 Plagues, and On Broken Wings. Blending those elements together has kind of become our way of carving out a space that feels raw, aggressive, and still distinctively ours."
Latest release info:
(Yobel, vocals): "The process was quite simple. The instrumental material was already there, so we just had to put the lyrics in. The lyrics tell the story of someone fighting against desire, whatever kind of desire that makes us lose our humanity. In other words, the song is 'me vs me.'”
Future plans
(Yobel): "Our plan is to release an EP in the near future, and if God allows, we’ll be going on tour."
What other bands from their region should we check out?
(Jojo, bass): "You definitely need to check out Lethal Six. I first saw them through a random Instagram post and later found out they’re actually from Sulawesi. Even now in 2025, Upsurge and Final Amen are still my favorites.
"Medium has also been a huge inspiration, especially with that H8000 vibe (correct me if I’m wrong). They’re one of the reasons I wanted to start a band in the first place, and the people themselves are just cool as hell, they’ve got their own unique aura [laughs].
"And then there’s Sampar. Their record Under the Anxious Sky carried me through my college years. Absolute killer band. I FCKN LOVE SAMPAR.
"Big shoutout also to our New Bloods homies Cannabeast, Durasucks, Hit The Chains, Fast Pitch. And don’t sleep on the No Match roster: Fistful Threats, 406, Mepuzo, Exfetus, and Stuka. Stuka just put out their debut EP, if you’re into that classic Cro-Mags crossover NYHC vibe you might wanna give it a spin."
Sacrify on social media: Instagram
Tagged: sacrify
