Iqbal M. has never put on a dull show. Despite everything that makes them, and especially the showmanship of their frontman Muhammad Iqbal, the subject of online scrutiny, they’ve amassed loyal fans from one gig to another. Never mind the guitar-smashing, calling audience members on stage just to make fun of them until they cry, throwing their personal belongings (shoes, shirt, mask, you name it) off stage and asking the fans to surf through the crowd to get their things back — if there was a lesson you can take from their live shows, make it that no matter how much you want Iqbal to change, he’s never going to. He doesn’t need to.

In “Trek 8”, the first peek of their upcoming sophomore album, Iqbal M. swells in gratitude for their fans. Almost four years after the release of PSJKB, Iqbal seems to never lose his sincerity as both a vocalist and a songwriter. If anything, his writing shines through this pop rock track, an unfamiliar territory they’re dipping their toes in. “Jangan pernah rasa luntur / Matahari pun belum mundur,” he sings, like a reassuring pep talk to their fans before the curtain call. It’s so unfortunate that the second half of the track begins and simultaneously ends with Iqbal’s dreary vocals laced awkwardly with autotune, backed by soft synths and guitar, almost like an imitation of a track by both The Strokes and The Voidz: “Alat gantian belum tercemar / Walau semua import di China / Kita masih belum habis teroka.” The entire ending feels like an accident, like stumbling extra salt to an otherwise fulfilling meal.

But still, the theme is too large to ignore. It’s not a farewell anthem to music, although Iqbal’s recent Instagram post may hint at his wilting enthusiasm for it. “Trek 8” is simply a gift to the fans who don’t mind the guitar bashing, those who are willing to be a part of his on-stage conversations though they almost always end awkwardly, and those who still open their arm to catch the man costumed in a Spider-Man suit or painted skull face, ready to dive into the crowd. It’s an elating gift for the Modern Rokes who — in spite of everything — still cares.

Listen to the track on Spotify: