Ricky Siahaan, guitarist of the renowned Indonesian heavy metal band Seringai, has died at the age of 48.
Siahaan passed away from a heart attack on Saturday, shortly after finishing a performance with Seringai at Gekiko Fest in Tokyo. The band was wrapping up their Wolves of Asia Tour. Japanese musician and DJ Freya Fox, citing sources close to the Tokyo police, confirmed the news.
The band’s members — Arian “Arian13” Arifin, Edy Khemod, and Sammy Bramantyo — shared the heartbreaking update via Instagram. “Ricky Siahaan has left the stage,” they wrote. “Our guitarist, our friend, our brother, Ricky, has passed away suddenly after completing our tour-closing set in Tokyo, Japan. Ricky left this world with something he loved: playing music hard and loud.”
Siahaan co-founded Seringai in Jakarta in 2002, alongside vocalist Arian13, bassist Bramantyo, and drummer Khemod. The band made its debut with the High Octane Rock EP in 2004, followed by their full-length album Serigala Militia in 2007. Their most recent release, Seperti Api, came out in 2018.
In their tribute, the remaining members of Seringai described Siahaan as “energy, laughter, and strength on and off stage.” They called his death “a loss of one of the most important parts of this entity.”
Siahaan’s death occurred on the final day of the band’s international tour, which included stops in Taiwan before concluding in Japan. Just hours before his passing, Siahaan posted on social media, reflecting on the journey and looking forward to the final performance.
“Japan, we have lift off. Show number 4, Merry Go Round Shinjuku was an effing blast!” he wrote. “Tokyo is one city that will never be boring. We met and talked with many new friends. Besides Indonesia and Japan, there were some friends who flew from Singapore and Malaysia too.” He added, “Merry Go Round wrapped, means there is one more show to go before we fly back. @gekikofest is a finale that we’ve been waiting for. See you tonight!”
In their closing message to fans, Seringai extended their gratitude for the outpouring of love and support. “You are part of our family, and we know you are grieving just as much,” they said. The band asked for time to mourn and promised to share updates when ready. “Farewell chainsaw, riffmeister, until we meet again. Always, always, forever.”
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