14.7.04

PASAL BELANTARA 3 ORANG

Ada terbaca komen di dalam forum cari.com. Kerana ada yang bertanya -- "Kenapa ahli kumpulan Belantara 3 orang??" Pada asal penubuhan sewaktu di kolej dulu ahli kumpulan Belantara adalah 4 orang, vokal, 2 gitaris dan bass. Seorang gitaris menarik diri sebelum rakaman album pertama. Keadaan juga memaksa kami tanpa drummer yang tetap kerana pada waktu itu sukar -- tambahan pula ahli kumpulan di luar negara; berkumpul hanyalah semasa merakamkan album. Pre production untuk album ialah -- menggunakan 4-track Tascam menulis lagu-lagu dalam bentuk demo (drum parts programmed). Dengan keadaan ini lebih selesa mengunakan khidmat sessionist untuk drum kerana arrangement dan part lagu telah siap dlm demo tape dan pemain drum hanya perlu mengikut apa yang di tulis -- tanpa membazir masa di studio. (Belantara menyiapkan rakaman album dalam masa 14 hari, paling lama 18 hari semasa album pertama). Kecuali piano,keyboards dan sebahagian daripada gitar akustik --- yang lainnya di lakukan oleh ahli Belantara sendiri.

Berbeza dengan kumpulan rock yang lain kerana mereka sememangnya performing band yang berkerja dengan bermain musik di kelab-kelab -- amat perlu untuk ada full line-up.

Belantara lebih menumpu kepada penulisan musik atau ekspresi artistik yang di salurkan melalui pembikinan album, medium yang mengenengahkan ide dan nilai seni dan berkomunikasi dengan pendengar musik kami. Dan kami rasa kami berjaya dan berpuas hati setakat ini setelah di nilai melalui feedback dari peminat yang begitu meminati musik kami. Kesemua lagu-lagu di dalam album Belantara di tulis oleh ahli-ahli kumpulan sendiri.

Jika kami perlu untuk membuat persembahan secara live, maka kekosongan ahli musik itu akan di penuhi mengikut keperluan keadaan (dari segi arrangement musik dan set yang hendak di persembahkan) -- tetapi mereka bukanlah sebagai ahli tetap (buat masa ini).

13.7.04

BLAST FROM THE PAST:2nd Album SRIKANDI DI SISI

Originally the cover design was by our WAZZU mate Zulqaisar with a different color scheme inspired by the works of illustrator Patrick Nagel, known for his illustration for Playboy magazine who also did the cover for DuranDuran RIO album.

This is how it turns out after we passed the original design to our record company : p


SriKandi Di Sisi
Originally uploaded by Sutra.


After the success and good feedback with the college crowd, hope was high when the band went into the studio to record their second album in 1988. Again, the recording was at Lion Studio, Singapore. This time the album was produced by Belantara themselves. The band was looking to produced a heavier sounding album with the opening track Amaran!!! - Perintah Berkurung a thrash metal influenced song. Next is a ballad Sri Kandi Di Sisi, followed by Panglima Angkasa a hard rock number heavy on the guitar tapping technique. the song is a tribute to the Air Force Fighter pilots. During this period, the movie Top Gun made quite an impression. There are love ballads such as Hadiah Hari Jadi, but a few others slow numbers were not love theme. For example, Pelangi dan Nafiri -- spiritually theme while Cubaan Bukan Satu is about hope and "not giving up when one is down". Other notably songs includes Menari Dalam Hujan, Biar Rindu, Mutiara. The final track is Cempaka and instrumental song which originally was scrapped but made into the album (the 1 minute version).

After the released of the album, the band did performed once -- live at Komtar Dome, Penang in 1988. A few of the northern rock fans might have caught the concert, especially the students from USM. For the show the band engaged a drummer and another guitarist --- Nen and Shidee --- who also appear in the music videos Srikandi di Sisi, Menari Dalam Hujan for TV3 MusikMusik. The group parted ways with Nen and Shidee after Aziz and Zaid left for US for their final year.

12.7.04

BLAST FROM THE PAST: DEBUT ALBUM

circa 1987
1ST ALBUM COVER
Originally uploaded by Sutra.


The band was originally formed by 3 guys from Washington State University and University of Idaho. Afer writing songs in Winter of 1986, the group sent demos to Polygram Record in Malaysia and was immediately offered a recording contract after the record company saw the potential. During that period -- in Malaysia -- the Rock-Heavy Metal music was slowly gaining ground into the mainstream and becoming very popular to the younger generation.
Recorded at top of the line Lion Studio in Singapore, the album was jointly produced by Belantara and Hillary (of Search). M.Nasir also helped produce the vocals on one of the song Dewi when he dropped by the studio during the band recording session. The debut album was well received, especially by the university students and was popular in the campus.
The songs:Belantara, Kepangkuan Ibunda, Jebat, Jiwa Perajurit, Sutra, Jentera Pemusnah, Dewi, Rintihan Menara Gading, Nostalgy, Negaramu Yang Utama.
Zaid: Lead Vocals
Aziz: Guitars
Shuk: Bass, Vocals

BELANTARA


from (l to r): Aziz, Zaid, Shuk

Aziz: Guitars, Vocals
Zaid: Lead Vocals
Shuk: Bass, Vocals