11/06/2026

LYFE THURSDAY | JUNE 11, 2026

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Ű BY MARK MATHEN VICTOR

A T the turn of the millennium, a group of rag-tag musicians in northern Peninsular Malaysia’s hardcore scene formed Herriot, a project that was conceived after its founder and vocalist Chen heard a song from In Flames on a mixtape. One of the pioneers of melodic death metal or Gothenburg metal, Sweden’s In Flames would inspire Kedah’s Herriot to become the vanguards in expanding Malaysia’s growing extreme metal scene further through melodic death metal. After releasing its EP and full length in the early 2000s, Chen put the band on hiatus. Though they

Chaos birthed from ashes

o 25 years after debut, Herriot reawakens with reimagined EP, new album, renewed vision

Chaos full-length, Herriot has come out of hiatus with Chen reforming the group and recording not only its second EP Celestial Chaos but also an upcoming second full-length Black Day Massacre . Revisit the past, forge the future Previewed during a launch and listening party in late May, Celestial Chaos ’s four tracks were revealed to be a re-imagining and preview of what will come next from Herriot. Three of the tracks – The Sign , Obelisks of the Sun , None of the Sons – were re-recordings from the 2000’s Celestial Obelisk while Light My Darkness is a re-recording from Transworld Chaos . Rather than Chen, all four tracks feature vocalists from other underground Malaysian bands: Exhuman’s Fazlur Redza, Cataclysmic Purification’s Erwan Zernal, Obscurial’s Dee and Hiatus’ Nashriq Ikhmar. According to Chen, it was intentional, as he wanted listeners to hear the difference between the original releases and the new EP with how each vocalist brings a different flavour to classic Herriot songs.

would reunite just for live shows occasionally over the next decade, Herriot seemingly disbanded in 2015 following the death of its guitarist and co-founder Adlan. Now, 25 years after its Transworld

Celestial Chaos marks the transition of eras. – PIC FROM DISSECTING THE EUPHONY Herriot also spoke about the experience of recording the EP and upcoming full-length at Sweden’s Studio Fredman under the guidance of Fredrik Nordstrom, the legendary producer and recording studio behind albums from Dark Tranquility, In Flames, At the Gates, Dimmu Borgir and Bring Me the Horizon, among others. Oddly, despite being chosen as the release to end Herriot’s hiatus, Celestial Chaos was actually an offshoot project that was conceived after the band recorded its full length and upcoming release, Black Day Massacre . New ideas from Sweden Almost as though the stars aligned, Chen revealed Herriot’s plans did not pan out the way they intended once they arrived in Sweden. “We booked the studio and Nordstrom for ten days, but because Fariz – the drummer – was too terer (excellent), he finished recording his part of the drums for eight songs in just two days,” Chen said, with the others in Herriot completing their parts soon after. In total, Black Day Massacre was recorded in just five days and due to

the remaining five days, Nordstrom pushed Herriot to do something else. Hence, Celestial Chaos was born to be an aural bridge between the old and next era for the band. Sound of new Herriot Released by premier Malaysian black/death metal label Goatlordth Records, Celestial Chaos was not the only project to be the centre of attention at the listening party: Herriot also played the entirety of Black Day Massacre for those in attendance. As the album has not been picked up by a label for release currently and while no non-disclosure agreements were signed, those in attendance verbally agreed to not talk at length about the upcoming album or reveal details about it. That said, theSun can certainly attest to one definite aspect of Black Day Massacre : It is strikingly different and more raw than any of Herriot’s past releases. In a roundabout way, Celestial Chaos was not only the perfect re-imagining of the past, but it was definitely also the final gunshot to mark the end of one version of Herriot and the birth of its next incarnation.

The listening party also serves as a ceramah for Chen, as he dishes out advice for younger musicians in the underground scene.

Chen (second, right) says he feared being turned down by Nordstrom and Studio Fredman initially. – PICS BY MARK MATHEN VICTOR/THESUN

Idayu focusing on producing high-quality music

Idayu is known for her powerhouse vocals. – PIC FROM INSTAGRAM @IDAYUOFFICIAL

IDAYU Yaakob, once dubbed Malaysia’s Mariah Carey for her powerhouse vocals, went through a phase when she came close to giving up after years of facing challenges in the local music industry. The 41-year-old singer, whose full name is Nur Farah Idayu Yaakob, said the unwavering support of her family, especially her husband, gave her the strength to persevere and continue pursuing her passion. “Their support kept me moving forward. We never know when our fortunes will change for the better,” she told Bernama recently. The former Akademi Fantasia

Iskandar is an exceptional singer,” she said. Idayu hopes Mahal will mark a new chapter in her musical journey while reintroducing her to a new generation of listeners. She also hoped the

she said. On her future plans, Idayu said she remains open to releasing new material if the right song comes along at the right time. “There are plans to record new songs. If the right song and the right timing come together, then why not? I’ll give it my all,” she said. Speaking about her latest duet single Mahal , Idayu described her collaboration with Iskandar Ismail as an emotionally rich project that leaves a lasting impression. “When I heard the final version of the song, I got goose bumps. Our voices blended beautifully and

Megastar champion said at this stage of her career, she is more interested in producing high-quality music and finding fulfilment in conveying the emotions of a song rather than chasing popularity alone. According to her, emotional depth is one of the most important elements in singing because it allows a song to resonate deeply with listeners. “We don’t want a song to be technically perfect in terms of pitch and tempo alone. I want a song to have soul and feeling because that’s what touches people and makes them connect with the music,”

song will gain wider recognition among local music fans and potentially earn a place on prestigious platforms such as Anugerah Juara Lagu .