User:Kerekter

Natural Disaster is a pop/punk/new wave/metal/alternative/grunge band form in early 1998 by 3 secondary school mates in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. Rising from the ‘no-instrument allowed’ boarding school and no music player is allowed rules did not stop them from entering one of the biggest underground music scene on Malaysia during that time. Influence by the contemporary boom of mixture genre ranging from punk, grunge to metal scene during the ages. It was founded by Muammar Rashikin Abd Hamid (Singer/Drummer) and Ahmad Mahathir Hilmi (Lead Guitar) while hanging together on their school’s dining room while waiting for the out stock supper meal being remake. The boredom comes to an end while Ahmad Mahathir hear the sound of acoustic guitar being played by one of the dining hall staff which he refer to most easiest rhythm of A.C.A.B (Malaysian Infamous Punk Band). He promptly shouts to Muammar Rashikin “I can play even better than him”. And so it goes, both of them went back to their room after supper; meet up with Amir Che Mansor (Bassist) who is sitting next to his bedside ‘playing’ the so-called guitar which made by themselves using their dorm bed piece of wood (make up a guitar neck) with no strings, no body and no tuners. They call the ‘thing’ as mitar (combination of mute+guitar words) because it doesn’t produce any sounds but the player will hit several notes and imagining the sounds on their head! After that they set up the date and went for a jamming session during weekends. They played O.A.G., The Pilgrims, A.C.A.B., Green Day, Subculture, The Ramones, Butterfingers and little Metal riff from Iron Maiden and local’s As-Sahar.

The session went to limitation of full-song being played as it was hard for Muammar Rashikin to drumming whilst singing. After a few months, the band recruited their forth member, Mohd Kamal Sulaiman (Drummer) to play the drum. At the date, it was his first time of his life knocking a drum set. It was terrible at first but suddenly come a helping hand for unknown legendary drummer which waiting for his turn to practice at the studio. He taught Mohd Kamal Sulaiman basic note to knock the drum and like a miracle he can play well then. Starting that time, Natural Disaster will tight their schedule on weekend practising more and more to enhanced their skills. Up to that date, they have been able to play complete cover song perfectly.

The ambition to create and compose their song however stuck on a half way. The limitation of instrument to do practice, lack of freedom to going outside schools and near to the final secondary school examination S.P.M. too much restricted them from actively involved on music careers. The Natural Disasters then remain on hibernate mode and each of the members went to different college and form their own band. Muammar Rashikin went to UNITAR Kota Bharu, Kelantan and forms his emo/pop/punk genre band called The Shikin’s. The band covers song from Blink 182, Green Day, Muse, Radiohead and many international acts to sharpen their skills. They have been played on several UNITAR Kelantan occasion, Battle of the Band and to flirting chic for their future. Ahmad Mahathir however got brighter side during his college session at UM Kuala Lumpur. Together with his course mate, they form the Psychedelic/Indie/Rock n’ Roll band called Pax De Parma and successfully release two (2) demos. This band got played on several gigs around KL and one Battle of the Band at Penang on 2003. Inspired by Seattle sound like RATM, Deftones, Pink Floyd, Soundgarden and many more technical band, they did it well as their demo had been reviewed by the only local mainstream music magazine that covers underground scene, R.O.T.T.W. Far aside from his members, Amir Che Mansor while studying at UiTM Terengganu still continue the spirit of Natural Disaster to play music. At the college, he form The Rented House and played on several Battle of the Band during college time. They start covering malay-language song and melodramatic song in order to gain public attention and to flirt even more chic. On the other hand, back to his hometown at Taiping Perak, together with his cousin and uncle blood brother, he involved in their project band called Adik Beradik (The Siblings). Here the massive influences come from different genre. They play Slipknot, System of a Down, Deftones, HIM, Thursday, Weezer, Nirvana and also the legendary one hit wonder local band, Shizuka from Ipoh. Back on hometown as well was a reunion session with Natural Disaster’s drummer Mohd Kamal Sulaiman. He sometime played sessionist drummer for Adik Beradik’s band and Amir Che Mansor sometime jammed with Mohd Kamal Sulaiman college band which their name remain unknown. The City College Boys perhaps.

The unstoppable involvement on music actually made the 4 of them to think about major reunion. Soon after graduation, they actively brought Natural Disaster back on acts. On 2006 all of them gather at Kuala Lumpur for future issues. Besides they all work on KL too. Muammar Rashikin and Amir Che Mansor stay together with Mohd Kamal Sulaiman. Ahmad Mahathir is not so far away. They usually had their jamming session at Kebabo Studio Taman Equine, then the studio at Petaling Jaya Section 14 and also near Taman Melawati, Keramat. During 2008 there a bit loose of music activity since one by one member is thinking ahead of having the families. Natural Disasters remain cool, again since then and the new song composing by Amir Che Mansor remains on his own recorder until now. 6 songs altogether are waiting to be play at any jamming session after this (if there is).