Fans of hard rock music in the country will be treated to an adrenaline-filled night when the Gegaran Warisan concert is announced to take place on July 18, 2026, at 8pmat Warisan Hall Studio, Sijangkang, Telok Panglima Garang.
Interestingly, the event organized by Mentari Merah Entertainment in collaboration with Warisan Hall will feature three names with their own influence in the local rock and metal scene, namely Punisher, FOR, and Sniperz, along with a special appearance by the legendary rock figure, Amir SYJ @ Sofea.
Managing Director of Mentari Merah Entertainment, Mohammad Noor Mustapha, said Gegaran Warisan is not just an entertainment concert, but rather an effort to revive the legacy of the local hard music scene and to provide space for the new generation to learn about the history of that scene.
"We want to create a night that brings the audience back to the golden era of underground gigs." At the same time, we want the younger generation to see for themselves who the pioneers of heavy music in Malaysia are.
"That's why we chose the name Gegaran Warisan, besides it being a token of our gratitude to Mohd Khair, who has often helped us in every aspect." It is also a symbol of a legacy that is still alive and continues to breathe," he said.
According to him, the selection of a venue with a small capacity was also made to create a closer atmosphere between the artists and the fans.
"When the space is smaller, the aura is more palpable." The audience can see the real energy on stage for themselves. That is an experience that is becoming increasingly hard to find now.
The name Punisher is not unfamiliar in the history of the local underground music scene. This band was formed around 1987 in Kuala Lumpur and is often considered one of the pioneers of the Malaysian thrash metal movement. They were active, shaking the stage around the late 1980s, including the Thrash Concert at Stadium Negara and several other major gigs during the local metal resurgence era.
Punisher is known for their aggressive music, fast riffs, and strong influences from international big names like Slayer, Exodus, and Metallica. Their presence at Gegaran Warisan is sure to be a major attraction for old-school metal fans.
Punisher, consisting of Rosdan Baharom (vocals), Muhammad Ariffin (guitar/vocals), Zaid (guitar), Yunus (bass), and Mohd Faris (drums), are also eager to return to the big stage with a lineup of more aggressive songs.
Among the songs that will be performed are "Black September," "Wrath of the Machines," and "Gout," along with several other songs that are still under wraps.
Rosdan described this concert as a different experience for Punisher because they are no longer just sharing the stage with underground bands, but rather with a lineup of mainstream rock and metal groups.
"The uniqueness of this concert is quite different from before, where previously we only performed on stage with underground groups." This time we are performing with rock and heavy metal groups," he said.
He also added that genre differences are not a barrier, but rather have become a norm in the international music world.
"There is no problem with different genres because out there, Metallica has performed as the opening band for Ozzy Osbourne, as well as Anthrax and others." I myself once organized Nemesis as the opening band for Bumiputera Rockers at Galactica some time ago," he added.
Also catching attention is FOR, a band known among local rock fans for their street music spirit and unique identity. FOR often performs at various community gigs and underground events, making their name well-known among loyal fans of the local scene.
The manager of the band FOR, Mohd Arifin, described the opportunity given as a great honor and promised to deliver maximum performance.
"We are very honored by the space and opportunity given and promise to deliver a 200% best performance," he said.
FOR is currently made up of Din FOR (guitar/leader), Mie Senna (bass), JK (drums), and Wanz Leybor (vocals). This group will maintain the Rock n Roll and Hard Rock identity that forms the foundation of their musical journey, in addition to using the Gegaran Warisan stage as a promotional platform for their latest album titled "GEBANG MELANGIT," which will be launched at the end of 2025.
More interestingly, FOR will also accompany the special appearance of the local rock figure, Amir SYJ/Sofea, adding exclusive value to the event. Overall, each band is scheduled to perform around 7 to 8 songs, while Amir will bring 2 special songs for the fans.
Meanwhile, Sniperz from Ipoh brings a touch of modern rock with hard and energetic elements. Their name has been listed on several independent music platforms and is known for the spirit of the local hardcore music scene.
Their names have been listed on several independent music platforms and are recognised as the spirit of the local hard music scene.
