The KL Metal Mayhem UK festival returns to Liverpool with an exclusive performance from Malaysian legends Sil Khannaz
There are moments when you pause and say to yourself, “Is this really happening?”
One such moment occurred recently at the phenomenally successful Metal 2 the Masses Merseyside Grand Final. As I wandered around BOXPARK Liverpool and ARC:HIVE marvelling at the sheer number of talented musicians and passionate scene members taking part in that event it almost felt surreal just how healthy a state the Merseyside scene is in.
Another such moment occurred when our friends in Black Label Production informed us that Sil Khannaz were coming all the way from Malaysia to play at the second ever KL Metal Mayhem UK festival, a festival that has been exclusive to Liverpool since its inception last year.
Alongside Black Fire, who Liverpool audiences are already familiar with, Sil Khannaz are indisputably the most influential extreme metal act from Malaysia.
They were the first Malaysian band to record songs in Malay and their debut album, Conception of Madness, was the first album by a Malaysian underground metal artist to be officially released on CD in 1993.
This pioneering act are making their UK debut at ARC:HIVE Liverpool this Saturday (5th September). Let that sink in…
An act that has been ground-breaking even in the face of adversity in their home country (in the early 2000s extreme metal bands were demonized in Malaysia and the underground scene was effectively shut down) will be making their UK debut in Liverpool in 2026.
Sil Khannaz’s distinctive sound is part of the reason why they continue to be so celebrated as artists.
Starting life in 1987 as a band heavily influenced by the likes of early Slayer, Sodom and Sepultura, their brutal death metal sound was gradually honed into something that melded more progressive, technical influences with a deep interest in Malaysian heritage.
Their second album, Gerbang Kayangan (1997) featured several songs that were written entirely in old Malay, using highly poetic language and telling stories about the ancient Malay ancestors.
Sil Khannaz’s approach of incorporating poetic language and drawing on Malay ancestry is also evident on their most recent album release, 2023’s The Madness of Fear.
As headliners at the KL Metal Mayhem UK festival, it will be fascinating to see how their set list unfolds.
Yet, of course, as with any festival the headliners are only part of the story.
Support is provided from some of the brightest talents in the UK underground metal scene.
Special guests Dystopian Sun played on the New Blood stage of the prestigious Bloodstock Open Air festival in 2023, and the North-Wales deathcore act followed this up with the release of their powerful debut album, Ignite the Hatred.
Merseyside’s Absolence also graced the Bloodstock Open Air New Blood stage in 2024 and they make a welcome return to the live stage with a new line-up at the festival.
Seven Circles are a recently formed progressive groove metal act who made a telling impression at the recent Metal 2 the Masses Merseyside competition.
I Am Cursed is a one-man metal force also making several strides in the Merseyside area after being formed in 2025.
Altogether, the line-up encapsulates the vibrancy of the current underground scene.
Tickets for this unique event are £10 and are available here: https://www.archiveliverpool.com/livemusic
We will see you in the pit!
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