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by Jepun

Hello and thanks to phil(at)poisonfree.com for giving me an oppurtunity to make a special report about scene here. Actually I am from Malaysia, and Phil has told me to make a scene report to him recently. I would like to say that Malaysia is not a big country, and so the scene is too small if I just tell about my own very scene as Phil asked me to do. Then I would like to make the scene report about the whole country, I think that is no big deal. I will do it as complete as I can.
Here we go!!!:
I'll begin with the north of West Malaysia. There is a indera kayangan state´ called Perlis. There has a band named Silent Majority. This band creates it's own scene as the band is playing music of their own style. I don't say that they create their own music, but the sound and the performance of them is unique and too good. Maybe a little touch of hardcore and punk and you can see that the vocalist has a unique style as well. The heaviness of sound and angry vocal will make this band even better for tomorrow. Good luck!
The next state is Kedah. Here, we have a lot of talented bands and many of them would make the scene grow and make some impact because of their music.
Most of the bands are likely known as NRHC (non regional Hardcore Community). I started with the band that was playing old school hardcore, that is UPHOLD. Uphold has begun the performance in 1996 and since then, many line up changes were made from time to time. This band has a sick of it all-like sound and has it's own creditability of their perfomance. The band has joined the compilation called "straight out of our minds"´ produced by Struggle Records. The compilation contains the bands such as Self Defense, Arm IN Arm and Non Priority. Do contact Struggle Records at strugglerec(at)most-wanted.com.
After that we have Self Defense. This band has begun creating the music and also did a live-performance in 1997. The band plays hardcore with a lot of heavy sound and an angry voice. The sound and songs can be described as influenced by Abhinanda and Morning Again. This band has a full line-up of straight edge people and also joined the World Wide Straight Edge Compilation by Commitment Records. The compilation includes 40 bands from all over the world the world. All distros get in touch! Email this band at sdnrhc(at)hotmail.com.
The next band is Sardotical Scoundrel. They play some Brutal DeathGrind. Maybe the sound is influenced by the bands from Tampa. They had released the EP called "extinction by the birth control" by North Poem Records. Mostly the sound of the guitar and the unique own style of the vocals may ruin the world of gore! They also had finished recording the second EP that will be out soon... Congratulations to them!! We have one distro called Welfare Distro that is very DIY and the people behind the distro are too great. Get in touch at welfare_distro(at)yahoo.com.
Next I move on to the state that has many talented bands called Perak Darul Ridzuan... This state a.k.a Silver State has many bands, I think I will take the most famous band from there and who still kick ass living in this world. I begin with 4 elm Kids: this band has a touch of emo and pop, listen to their EP, I can say that the songs are great and they are good in making a music.... I like the songs on their EP because of the songs have a touch of keyboards and the songs are melodic... The great vocal make the music more sense! I think the lyrics are very good and maybe can satisfy the people...
Next we have Tabaraka: this band is too talented... I am admiring their sound and songs... listen to their split EP with Kindread from Singapore, I am sure that they will satisfy you... but the lyrics are too generous and double-meaning but I am sure that there is no big deal about that...Tabaraka is playing hardcore with the angry vocals and heavy guitar sound (maybe like Fingerprint ) maybe because they are living in Perak, the sound is more over to metal...(perak has a lot of talented metal bands)..one member of their line-up, if I am not mistaken, has making the side-project hardcore band called Carbon 13 (now released under InWorks Records) get in touch with them. Tabaraka has joined the compilation called "kopi Sechewan" (including of 4 elm kids, bloody Mary, carbon 13 and others) and they frequently tour around the country. Good luck!!!
After that I move on to the state that's central in the west Malaysia...a big metropolitan city that is Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. I begin with the band that is too famous since I am still young... that is Carburator Dung: the line-up is not totally from Kuala Lumpur, but they are living there. CD is a classic and they took a big part in making the scene in Malaysia become a success... (am I right ?) CD has making the music since 1993 ( if I am not mistaken) and they played many gigs around the country... They have good lyrics and the sound of their songs is more likely punk rock, yeah, this is punk rock!!!
From Kcus (Klang City Underground Scene) we have Second Combat, the band which started playing in this world a long time ago. They bring old school hardcore. I think the line-up was changed often and now most of them are straight edge! They released the EP called "race truth, lies, power" from One Voice Records (containing one song from Dash Own), and they play really fast and with little bit of crossover. Between the bands, I would like to include the band called Fast Game, this is old school hardcore... the vocals are really great, I am sure that they recently grew up, but the value of the band cannot be asked, they are talented, and have good lyrics (they joined a compilation with Kental, second Combat and Etc). There are a lot of distros here, too much to mention here, maybe sooner or later I would like to include one band that has a unique style and is very creative in making music: it is Death Becomes Her ( formerly known as extraterristrial)... this is goth+ pop+ indie! Their sound and songs are more over like to The Cure... big clap to them, making the scene more different! Next band that from KL is Basic Right ( the KLHC warrior), even this band has no more longer (RIP?...) ... but it is a long time existence in Malaysian underground scene. They had released the split with Chronic Mass (also the hardcore band from KL, and also joined the compilation called Vision Ville Hardcore Compilation including Disaster Funhouse, NET, Another Side, na Project A.K,..). Basic Right is still influencing for the hardcore scene in Malaysia... this is legend!!!
Now I move on to the south of West Malaysia, the state that is behind Singapore, called Johor: from Batu Pahat, we have CrestFallen: they sound great... they are playing the melodic emo hardcore, they are too great, I am admiring them since they brought one cover song from Chalkline ("disseminate"). The guys are really nice and they are talented to make the scene there grow up. Maybe sooner or later they will release the EP, at least I hope so!!! From Johor Bahru, there are many bands that are really talented. I take the most famous bands there... One of the bands is called Reprisal: this is great emo core, they had just released the first LP (Cd formatted) under First Stance Records called "words of life", containing about 7 songs with a fully coloured print inlay. Nice work! The person behind First Stance Records does also the project band called Kharisma and also the distro called Pustaka DIstro and is also frequently managing gigs around the state: Good luck to u guy!!! Contact him at firstance@usa.net.
From state called Pahang, in Kuantan we have Secret Army, this is the best band... They are playing a post punk plus a little bit of indie pop. I am attending their gigs and the sound is great.... good voice and with its own style here, also they have one collective called Sober and I heard that they will release stuff soon... They do a great job!!!
From East west Malaysia, a state called Terengganu ( a state of fish), there is one of the band called The Mojos, playing indie rock from Kuala Terengganu. They released the latest ep called "cappucinno sold here". Do contact them at suratpanasss(at)hotmail.com.

That is only the scene report from me, and I am sure that the bands, distros, zine and information here are not enough for you and are not complete, and of course many of the bands are not included here, but I am trying my best to select one state of one to three bands to put here, with a focus on West Malaysia...Thanx to those, who sent me information. For those that want the email adresses for the bands and other stuff, email me at sdnrhc(at)hotmail.com because I don't have all of the contact adresses. I am sorry if I did some mistakes, nobody is perfect - see you!!! Hail!!!

Jepun