ESTRANGED: The Story So Far
Year: 2001 - 2009
When one speaks of rock royalty in Malaysia, it's a list that's incomplete without the inclusion of Estranged. Founded in 2001 by Rich (vocals) and Din Hormatov (rhythm guitar), the band is one with Nor Hanafi on lead guitar and Azwin Andy behind the drums.
In 2004, Estranged launched their debut album "In Hating Memory" and began their rise to the top of the local music scene. Estranged's brand of nu-metal, alternative rock, hard rock and grunge proved to be an irresistible mix to local ears. Despite the success of their debut, it was clear that "In Hating Memory" was just their stepping stone to bigger and better things.
There was no overstatement in "bigger and better". In January 2008, Estranged walked home with the biggest music award in Malaysia - the Anugerah Juara Lagu. The song in question was the now-classic Malaysian tune, "Itu Kamu". Their win bridged the divide between the independent and mainstream for the band, and propelled them towards a bigger following.
Not one to rest on their laurels, Estranged spent four months in the studio before releasing their sophomore effort, "Remain Unknown" in October 2008. Showcasing a maturity in sound, their second album solidified the band's reputation as a rockin' force to be reckoned with. The album produced hits like "Yang Pernah", "Aurora", "The Slave in Us" and more.
Fuelling their popularity amongst audiences was the quality of their live performances. Always a head-banging, heart-pumping experience, the intensity of an Estranged show has brought the band all over Malaysia, South East Asia and even Taiwan. They've graced small stages for roadshows and gigs, but also played major festivals like MTV World Stage (Malaysia), Baybeats (Singapore), Soundrenaline (Indonesia) and Ho Hai Yan Rock Festival (Taiwan), amongst others. In effect, Estranged has shared the stage with big-name acts like Kasabian, The All-American Rejects, Incubus and Korn.
Year: 2010 - Current
With accolades and awards on their shelves, Estranged has taken the three years since "Remain Unknown" to build on their music by performing; they even released two singles that weren't on the album - "Reach" and "Buat Kita". Their busy gigging schedule didn't leave them much personal time of their own, much less time to write as a band. The rush of activity was especially taxing for Rich. "It was hard for me because I had to be away from my new family for quite a bit of time. But to say the least, writing new stuff and the pressure of putting out a new album was pretty worrying for us as well," he says.
But there came a breaking point where the band made an executive decision to slow down and do some soul searching (and not to mention, write). Hanafi explains, "At the end of 2010, we decided to take a break to clear our minds, get new inspiration and spend time with our loved ones. In early 2011, we finally sat down and went through all our unfinished songs and chose one to work on."
That one song became their first 2011 single, "Pengganti". Inspired by a TV program exploring the concept of a parallel universe, the melodic alt-rock track was written by all four members and its music video only served to enforce the song's message with a storyboard that sees a professor travelling to the other realm to meet his doppelganger.
Interestingly enough, "Pengganti" was recorded at two different studios to achieve the sound that the band had envisioned for the track. Though this was a new approach for Estranged, it was one that they found satisfying and will continue to adopt in their upcoming recording sessions. "This time around, we are recording at several different studios and working with several different people, so the third album will have a combination of sounds that have different recording treatments," Hanafi adds.
Upcoming single "Borneo" stays true to their new style - it was recorded at three studios and also, Hanafi's room! A tribute to Rich's homeland, the track incorporates a percussive melodic rhythm from a traditional Kadazan dance as the intro before escalating into a grungy, industrial head-banger. For the music video, the band worked once again with Singaporean director Karen Cai (she also directed the video to "Yang Pernah").
Travelling all the way to Sabah for the shoot, the band spent three days shooting at locations like Kota Belud and areas near the Tip of Borneo like Kudat and Kundasang. Making the video proved to be an experience in itself as the band had to spend long hours travelling in vans across the state, while chasing time to ensure that there was enough light out for their outdoor shots. As expected, the video to "Borneo" will be one that lives up to the song's name: vast and complex with gorgeous scenery.
Though the framework is certainly being laid for the upcoming album, the band asserts that they're not rushing into it just for the sake of having a new record. Din says, "This time around, we're more laidback. So far we've been producing everything ourselves. We just want to work on music the way we used to back in the day when we wrote songs for fun, and loved every moment of it. It's about finding the purest moment for the musical inspiration to come to you."
Yet another approach that the boys are trying out is with their songwriting. They'll be focusing on writing songs and singles, one by one. "This new method is something totally new for us as we want to keep the music as fresh as possible - different times bring different inspirations," says Andy.
With their fresh approach to songwriting and recording, one can't help but wonder what their new tracks will sound like. The boys won't reveal much but promises a change from their second album - their signature '90s sound will be expanded to showcase more influences, including some songs that Hanafi describes as "something the fans can dance along to." Andy adds, "We've always been searching for our sound throughout the years and I think we're getting closer than ever. The Estranged sound will always be there, but we'll never narrow it down as we're always up for exploring stuff."
Regardless of the experimentation that the band is dabbling in, they can all agree that the common driving force behind their songwriting - past and present - is the fact that they're still in it together after 10 years. Din even acknowledges the band's commitment to each other as his proudest career achievement as Estranged, to date. "After all these years, we're still moving ahead," he opines.
"[Staying together] has always been the challenge for a band. You have to stick together and write as many songs as possible. Then, you'll grow together. The fact that we're all friends with respect for each other's talent is an integral part of this band. We influence each other by sharing our music - that keeps us connected and makes us gel when we go into the studio," Andy says.
Ironic, isn't it? Though the band's name may suggest a separation or rift in affections, the truth is so much further than it seems. Estranged continues to solider on as a band of brothers to chase their collective musical ambitions ("A Grammy would be great!"). You ain't heard nothing yet!
