In Malaysia, Cassandra is far from being a cursed princess. One of the most respected hardcore metal bands thus far, they were one of the first hardcore bands to play for annual outdoor music festival Rock The World. They have also shared the stage with Comeback Kid, Caliban, Soilwork, Parkway Drive and Misery Signals, among others. Having been together as a band for around seven years, Cassandra have gone through plenty of ups and downs.
The journey began when Kash (vocals), Aza and Poka (guitars), Boy (bass) and Apeq (drums) got together after their own respective bands split up. With each member possessing his own background and personality, the band decided to work towards one vision to succeed in the hardcore community. Cassandra are still working on their long-awaited debut album, which has been a work in progress since December 2007. With influences like Caliban, Misery Signals, August Burns Red and Between the Buried and Me, the album will contain old songs as well as new material.
Planned for a 2010 release, you may wonder why the heck it’s taking them more than two years to finish the album. But it hasn’t been easy, as Apeq explains, “When we started recording, we could not commit ourselves 100% because we still had other commitments like work. We also do not want to rush it, because we want this album to be a satisfying one. If we found a small mistake, we would re-record the whole thing again. We also played a lot of gigs to collect money to pay for the studio and other stuff.”
I ask if the band feels threatened by the bulk of new hardcore bands coming out of the woodwork. “I’d be lying if I told you that I don’t feel threatened,” says Aza. “But the threat is a positive one. It pushes us to do better.” Apeq nods in agreement, “It’s actually good for the scene when more bands keep coming out. It shows that the scene is getting bigger.”
I ask if the underground scene in Malaysia could ever make it to the mainstream, such as in countries like Indonesia, but Aza is cynical. “The scene will expand, yes, but it will not reach the mainstream stage. I don’t think we will ever see these bands playing at AIM or any government-related ceremonies. [Because] The conservatives will always be there. Even in the West, [the scene] has taken some time to get big.”
Once the album is out, Cassandra plan to play in neighbouring countries because that’s what they love about being in a band: the touring and performing onstage. Things may seem a bit slow now, but their seven years have certainly paid off considering how respected they are today.
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