By: Khid Buck
Raksar is back with their new album and this time around it is obvious that the Fuzz Rock quartet has taken things up a notch. Every aspect of Sattira seems a little more complex, making their previous work Bentala seem minimalist in comparison.
Let’s start with the sound – anyone who is a fan of Raksar’s will know that the band’s sound is heavily influenced by early Doom especially in the likes of Black Sabbath. The band, in fact, has been touted as “Malaysia’s Black Sabbath” in some quarters. I do not know whether that is a fair comparison – Raksar having its own unique sound – but there is little doubt that the traditional Doom influence was there from the start and is, yet again, present in the second album.
This time, however, listening to the songs on Sattira, I am somewhat reminded of the Queens of the Stone Age’s early works as well. There is something about the new songs which are reminiscent of some of QOTSA’s songs especially from the cult-classic album Songs for the Deaf. I do not know whether this was intentional but I do know that the band’s drummer, Awie Joe, is a massive QOTSA fan.
Recording-wise, Sattira sounds more “authentic” (for lack of a better term) than the previous album. There is a more “live” feel – more of a sense that the songs were recorded through a microphone instead of a machine. This is not to say that the recording was sloppy. On the contrary, Sattira features more “attacks” than Bentala, showcasing just how much chemistry the members of the band have with one another. The mixing and mastering are also all you would expect from a studio album. I suppose the best word to describe the recording of the songs is “real”.
Another interesting aspect of Sattira – which would be more apparent to those who have listened to Raksar’s earlier songs – is that this time around, the band seems to have expanded its vocabulary as far as lyrics go. While the haiku-styles of many of the songs on Bentala are somewhat missed, the more comprehensive lyrics found in the songs on Sattira are certainly appreciated.
As for variety, Raksar has managed to be a little more exploratory in Sattira with songs ranging from the more “as expected” Padang Fuzzchor, to even an acoustic number. The overarching Raksar sound, however, continues to blanket each of the individual songs.
Having said all this, I personally feel Sattira is less approachable when compared to Bentala. While Bentala was an album that fans of any Rock genre would be able to “easily” enjoy, Sattira doesn’t seem to be for the casual listener. The album seems to cater more towards those who are either already Raksar fans or who have the patience to sit down and actually listen to music – somewhat of a rarity in today’s world of instant gratification.
Cover art from the physical CD.
Tracklists on the Sattira's album.
Sattira is out now on CD and it is certainly worth the price of admission. Featuring 10 songs, some of which go for as long as 6 – 8 minutes, there is a lot more material here than there was in Bentala and if you’re a fan of music then that material is kickass. The “Para Pendusta” out there, however, may want to be wary – album ini ada “Taring”… cheh…