Music
9 Malaysian Hardcore Bands You Have to Check Out
Want to get acquainted with the local hardcore scene? Start here.
Much like most musical genres these days, division lines can be drawn pretty intricately on hardcore music. Initially a more aggressive offshoot of punk rock borne out of the streets of Southern California with pioneers such as Minutemen and Black Flag, the genre, much like most genres, has gone through metamorphosis over the years. It has branched out to sub-genres such as metalcore (an amalgamation with metal) up to Nintendocore (look that one up).
In these parts, hardcore music has similarly gone through massive changes, with the 1996 seminal compilation ‘Visionville Hardcore Compilation Vol.1, Reaching Out’ establishing the budding hardcore scene back then for what it was, to what it is today, with a raft of young bands breaking out and taking the genre from dingy drinking holes to huge music festival stages. We list 10 Malaysian ‘hardcore’ bands (subgenres aside) that you owe yourself to check out.
1. Another Side
Included in the ‘Visionville’ compilation, Another Side was formed in 1996 and is probably one of the oldest local hardcore bands still kicking. Yes, the band are still bringing their cacophonous brand of hardcore to younger audiences these days. They reunited this year and have been hitting the gig circuit again. Don’t rule out a new release soon.
2. Cassandra
Probably one of the earliest metalcore bands to explode in a big way in Malaysia and gain a loyal following, Subang Jaya-born band Cassandra rose from the ashes of bands such as Groundless Victim, Missing Rites, Foreground Division and Killed By Accident in 2002 to pioneer a brutal and precise form of metalcore that quickly made them a mainstay in the local music scene.
3. Chronic Mass
Another ‘Visionville’ alumni, Chronic Mass is often credited with being the proper pioneer of hardcore music here in Malaysia. With a strong punk lineage running through their sound, the band delivered hardcore fit for purists - fast, abrasive and unifying. With tracks such as ‘Togetherness’ still sounding as fabulous and powerful today as it did way back in 1996.
4. Kids On The Move
Formed in 2003, Klang Valley band Kids On The Move has slowly carved a good niche for themselves over the years by keeping things pure. Their EP ‘Directions’ laid down a solid marker for the band and over the years they have amassed quite a following by delivering hardcore that’s fit for the streets of Southern California in the late 70s.
5. Massacre Conspiracy
Massacre Conspiracy’s slickness may put fans off of the crusty garage-style hardcore but it’s hard to deny that they serve a properly mean metalcore dish. The band came out of nowhere in 2008 and in the last decade, has properly established themselves as one of the biggest names of the genre, scoring opening slots for popular international acts such as Unearth and Bring Me the Horizon.
6. Trophy Knives
KL-upstarts with a real knack for delivering catchy hardcore punk, Trophy Knives can at times sound a little too slick but they make up for that with raw power and the sheer will of their songs. It’s this quality that attracted Chris #2 of well-known American punk band, Anti-Flag, to sing on their track ‘We Can’t Be Saved’.
7. Naratu
KL-based band Naratu sticks to the classic hardcore way. By toning down melodic riffs and keeping things grinding, the band has built a strong following since its inception way back in 1998 by delivering no-frills metalcore for fans. The band’s use of Bahasa Malaysia as their medium also sets them apart from their peers.
8. Restraint
One of the biggest names in the local hardcore scene, Restraint has been kicking it on and off for close to 20-years now. The band released a record ‘Rise Above Hate’ at the end of 2016 and has been doing their rounds of promotions this year. The band has shared the stage with international luminaries such as Earth Crisis, Sick Of It All and Caliban.
9. Second Combat
Malaysia’s most well-known ‘straight edge’ band (an offshoot of hardcore that embraces abstinence from vices), Second Combat has worked themselves to the top of the local hardcore heap by sheer hard work, one gig at a time. To get an insight into the band’s psyche, watch the fantastic short documentary above which dives into the reasons behind Second Combat’s desire to be straight edged.
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