It's all clear now: Hale's Twilight turns 10

Following their self-titled debut album that without a doubt brought them into prominence in the Philippine music scene, Hale released on September 30, 2006, their sophomore record, Twilight, and instantly took the band to a whole new ground of alternative rock.

Hale, composed of Champ Lui Pio, Roll Martinez, Sheldon Gellada, and Omnie Saroca at the time, meticulously crafted Twilight in an effort to continue their recent mainstream success from the first album.

With singles such as "Waltz", "Hide and Seek", "Shooting Star", and "The Ballad Of" all scoring in the MYX charts, Twilight went on to become one of the modern shapers of Original Pinoy Music in the mid-'00s.

September 30 marked Twilight's 10th birthday, reminding all Halers of the day such a wonderful record came to life.

Twilight inked Hale as one of the most accomplished acts in the Philippines, catching millions of listeners up to date. The material was in fact certified Gold, with 15,000 copies sold in just a week following its release under EMI Philippines (now PolyEast Records).

But things were not always untarnished. While Twilight added to the band's seamlessly growing popularity by 2007, it somehow marked the time of their unexpected decline as a group. The album's huge impact on the band's personal relationships led to a 10-month hiatus wherein all four members put music aside and established Treehouse Productions, a project aimed at helping needy children suffering from mental and physical illnesses.

During this time, Saroca left the band to pursue other interests.

Hale (thenceforth with Paolo Santiago on drums) returned with Above, Over and Beyond in 2008, followed by Kundiman in 2010, before finally parting ways.

The next five years saw Lui Pio experimenting with music production, releasing his solo album Synergy, and embarking on a career as an actor.

The band, after a long quiet however, surprised fans when Lui Pio announced on Twitter the group's reunion in January 2015. They released Time & Space on March 23, 2015, and have since remained together.

All four albums by Hale during their prime (2005–10) have their respective qualities and stories—and just like the rest, Twilight has exceptionally secured its place in the Philippine alternative rock scene, diffusing insightful verses and comforting tunes forever.

Now on its 10th year, the quartet's second effort continues to extract that exquisite melodrama every Hale fan would love to wallow in over and over again. With such compelling song lyrics coated upon a melodic canvass of pure emotions, Twilight notably delivers Hale's soft-spoken legacy into the hearts of their followers.

It is high time to revisit the now 10-year-old gem. Cheers to a decade of Twilight! Hail, Hale!

Sam Corrazza

Sam is a mediocre artist, musician, and the founder and editor in chief of UNXIGNED. He is a Juris Doctor who leads an excitingly boring life in the confines of his room juggling studies with passion and dreams. He is terrible at finding balance but gets by anyhow. He wants you to follow his artist pages and channels for when he decides to up his game. Pretty open for collabs and will mix your would-be hit song for cheap.

Twilight
Album
Hale
Released September 6, 2006 via PolyEast Records