Malaysian rock drummer tragically passes away during festival performance

On July 18, while playing at the Teruntum Rock Festival in Kuantan, Malaysia, drummer Raja Azreen Raja Talib of the Malaysian rock group Meditasi fell over his drum kit, as per MetalInjection. Soon after, he was tragically declared dead, according to People, which was informed by numerous Malaysian newspapers, such as Berita Harian and New Straits Times. From the Chaoszine team, our deepest sympathies to Talib’s family, friends and loved ones.

The band’s frontman, Bakaruddin “Burn” Daud, claims that Talib slumped over onto his kit just as the band was beginning the second of what was supposed to be a ten-song set. After being transported backstage, he was declared dead a few hours later at Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital. Before the performance, he had not displayed any overt symptoms of illness.

I rushed towards him, but I could sense that he was already gone, I called out to him and tapped him, but there was no response. His body was already cold. – Bakaruddin “Burn” Daud

According to Talib’s brother, heart issues were the reason of death.

He was given respiratory assistance, but he did not regain consciousness or respond after the collapse.

Talib’s brother and bandmate both brought up his new diabetes diagnosis, despite Talib’s apparent lack of illness before to the festival. Talib was reportedly admitted to the hospital in June due to cardiac problems.

He was hospitalized twice; the first stay lasted two to three weeks before he was admitted again – Talib’s brother

Azman went on to say that Talib, a passionate motorcyclist and former bike shop owner, “went straight” from a BMX race to the festival, suggesting that “it is possible that extreme fatigue took a toll” on his brother’s heart.

The band took adopted the moniker Meditasi, which translates to “meditation” in Malay, when they first formed in the 1980s. Although Daud and Rosli Ahmad, the band’s guitarist, haven’t talked about the band’s future yet, they do intend to keep playing because they think Talib would have wanted them to.