Fazlee Rosli
In Semangat Serigala, local hard rock band Aerial exudes the charisma and swagger reminiscent of hard rock bands of the yesteryear, think Motley Crue or Skid Row, that’s accentuated by a little nusantara flavour – a style the band dubs as ‘Rock Temasek’.
Spearheaded by the the potent, gravelly vocals of Kael, the nine-track album’s thumping double-kicks and intertwining harmonic guitar solos dictates a frenetic pace that runs through the album, and is relentless in its endeavour to take listeners on an exhilarating ride filled with head-bangers capable of rousing the crowd in any venue.
Akin to the autonomy synonymous to a lone wolf, the lyricism in Semangat Serigala’s tracks explores the themes of independence and finding the path towards what you believe in amidst the noise of naysayers – nuances captured by “Perjuangan” and lead single “Serigala”. “Gentayangan'' then touches on finding the catharsis to one’s struggles while “Mayangsari'', on the other hand, is an edgy serenade by an enamoured lover.
While Aerial excelled in delivering the hard rock aesthetic with Semangat Serigala instrumentally, perhaps the inclusion of a sultry, downtempo power ballad in the album could have allowed the band to demonstrate range in their repertoire – but maybe that’s a story for another album.
Nevertheless, Semangat Serigala is Aerial’s statement in standing tall as the flag bearers of the local arena rock scene without being void of introspection that attunes to the band’s ambitions, and emotions. They say that rock n’ roll will never die and Semangat Serigala, in all its spirited 27-minute runtime, provides a quench to a genre currently parched of its exponents.
Semangat Serigala tracklist:
1. Bangkit
2. Perjuangan
3. Serigala
4. Sri Tri Buana
5. Purnama Nayla
6. Mayangsari (Remastered)
7. Gentayangan
8. Kacau
9. Kehilangan Berarah