05/07/2025
LYFE SATURDAY | JULY 5, 2025
25 Silent Death returns to honour legacy
o Band manager-turned-lead vocalist Zizi explains revival, vision, plans for future
Ű BY R.BALA
we were quiet, not because we were done, but because life took us in different directions. But the fire, that raw, uncompromising energy that gave birth to Silent Death back in the early 90s has never really left us. Was it difficult to reconvene and reconnect with that Silent Death vibe? Coming back was not easy. Relearning who we were musically, reconnecting with our roots while facing how much we have all changed. But it also reminded us why we started this in the first place – to make music that hits deep, that is unapologetically real. The scene today is different, it is more fragmented maybe, but there is still that hunger, that pulse within us. And me and Ollie want to feed it. Describe the Silent Death sound. It is the kind of weight that does not just hit you in the chest... it creeps under your skin, coils itself around your spine and stays there long after the final note! At its core, Silent Death is old-school death metal. Raw, punishing, no-frills! What brought original drummer Ollie back into the fold? Honestly, it felt like something long overdue. Ollie was never just “the drummer”, he was part of the soul of
A SK fans of domestic death metal and the name Silent Death will surely crop up. Famed for its raw and uncompromising sound, the band, then led by founding member and lead vocalist Stone, released Before the Sunrise in 1992. After the untimely passings of Stone, Pink and Az, the band went into indefinite hiatus with sporadic recordings along the way (with different line-ups) signalling that there was still life in the old beast. The last recording to bear the Silent Death brand was Morbid Massacre in 2022, giving hope that these stirrings were a harbinger to a revival. Three years on, it has finally happened, with the band’s former manager – Zizi Hashim – taking on lead vocal duties and with former sticksman Rosli Ahmad (Ollie) returning to the drum stool. There is also a new music video – Dying Moment – for fans to enjoy on YouTube. Zizi shared with theSun the challenges of resurrecting the legacy of Silent Death. Tell us about the journey involved in the return of Silent Death. Honestly, it has been intense – equal parts reflection and rebirth. For years,
(From left) Angah Pejuang Metal, Awai ExothermiX, Zizi, Ollie and Sakka Emwai.
Silent Death from day one. His drumming was the backbone of Silent Death’s early sound – raw, instinctive and unforgiving. There is a certain violence and groove in the way he plays that we have never quite been able to replicate with anyone else. You are relying on session musicians to keep things fresh this time round. What are your plans? Yes, relying on session musicians now is not a compromise. It is a conscious evolution. Losing Stone, Pink and Az left an irreplaceable void. No one can be them. But rather than trying to replicate what they brought, we have chosen to honour their memory by pushing Silent Death into new terrain while staying true to the roots they helped establish. That is where these new players come in. They are not just technically sharp, they respect the legacy. They understand what it means to carry this sound, this history, this weight. What is it like to be a female vocalist in a death metal band? I get this question a lot! Being a female vocalist in a death metal band such as Silent Death is empowering and intense and yes, sometimes challenging. Death metal has always been a male-dominated space, especially in this region, which adds a layer of pressure and scrutiny. But instead of shrinking from that, I have embraced it as fuel to express something raw and real. So when I stepped in as the frontwoman, of course, there were eyes watching, questioning my voice, my presence, my worth. But to me, it is about soul. It is about emotion. Death metal is not just noise, it is a raw, unfiltered expression of pain, rage, loss and defiance. And I did not join Silent Death to replace the late Stone’s position as the growler. No one can replace him. I am not here to fill his shoes. I am here to honour the legacy. e ? a
reverse arc! An interesting inversion in roles! For me, it was not a planned move. Managing the band gave me this close-up view of what kept Silent Death alive. The legacy, the fans, the emotional weight the band carried. But over time, especially after the loss of Stone, Pink and Az, there was this silence, not just musically, but emotionally. I felt it deeply. And in the middle of keeping things going behind the scenes, I realised I was carrying the sound in me... It happened naturally out of love for the band and a desire to keep the spirit alive after losing them... Al-fatihah . When can we expect new Silent Death music? New Silent Death music is definitely on the horizon, but we are taking it step by step. Right now, the focus is on rebuilding the core, honouring the legacy of the band while evolving with the current line-up. We have been jamming, writing and exploring new sounds that still stay true to what Silent Death has always stood for: raw emotion, heaviness and that signature death metal grit. We are not rushing the process because quality and authenticity matter more than just putting something out for the sake of it. So while we cannot give a fixed date yet, just know that the fire is burning, the riffs are brewing and when it drops, it will be worth the wait. Long term plans for the band? Long term, the vision for Silent Death is a tribute and a transformation. For now, touring is definitely part of the plan... locally and if the stars align, regionally or even globally! Ultimately, Silent Death is no longer just a band. It is a movement, reborn, refined and ready for the next chapter. In short, the plan is simple: honour the past, destroy the stage and keep Silent Death very much alive. Fans can catch the reconstituted Silent Death in action when it headlines a gig on Aug 9 at Petai Belalang, Kuala Lumpur. b c h b a W D N o s r le w b n S e s m s
I bring my own voice, not to imitate, even though many Silent Death fans say it sounds 90% like Stone. And honestly, I take that as the highest form of respect. But the intention was never to mimic him. That resemblance, if it is there, is purely organic perhaps because I grew up immersed in Silent Death’s sound, his growls, his phrasing, his emotional delivery. It left a deep impression on me
as a listener and now as Catch Silent Death live on Aug 9 at Petai Belalang, Kuala Lumpur. a vocalist. But I never stepped into this role thinking, “I need to sound like Stone.” I stepped in thinking, “I need to sound like myself and if that self carries echoes of Stone, then maybe it means his spirit still flows through this band.” It is not imitation. It is connection. It is continuity. How did you transition from band manager to vocalist (almost opposite of Arch Enemy’s Angela Gossow, who moved from vocalist to band manager)? Yeah, it is kind of wild when you think about it... Angela went from fronting Arch Enemy to managing them, while I went the complete opposite route: from managing Silent Death to becoming the frontwoman. Total
Zizi (left) is the band’s manager and vocalist, and Ollie returns to the drum stool. – ALL PICS FROM SILENT DEATH
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