Al-Namrood - Astfhl Al Thar CD
$4.00
Al-Namrood - Astfhl Al Thar CD
$4.00
When I heard AL-NAMROOD's debut album “Astfhl Al Tha'r” for the first time, a puzzled expression was inevitable: That the opening credits of the legendary “Asterix bei Cleopatra” cartoon could be the first thing that I would like to debut a Black -Metal band from Saudi Arabia comes to mind, came as a surprise to me too. On the other hand: what else should one have expected here? Perhaps the fact that the accessories that surround ordinary Black Metal sound exactly as one would expect from the Arab world was also surprising.
Because "Astfhl Al Tha'r" makes use of what we would probably use as a prime example of the generic term "oriental music" in the first few notes. The different cultural backgrounds of musicians and western consumers are also revealed with the first tones - are the traditional instruments on which AL-NAMROOD play, either tuned to a different tone system (the guitars, however, obviously not) or simply and purposefully not at all. For a western-influenced ear, some things here sound grossly crooked or damn exotic, depending on your point of view.
This may not always be easy to cope with, as one or the other passage seems a bit sinister even for normal black metal fans without perfect pitch. On the other hand, it gives the album a high degree of authenticity: AL-NAMROOD easily manages to combine the traditional melodies and instruments with Black Metal, as we know it from Scandinavia. Nothing seems artificial, artificial or intentional here - instead traditional elements and black metal merge, as if Arabic black metal were the most natural thing in the world. In addition to the tone sequences that take getting used to, the sound of "Astfhl Al Tha'r" is a bit deterring at first, as it sounds really "true" by Western standards: The guitars only saw in the upper mids and highs,
At first glance, none of this sounds particularly positive, and yet I refuse to let “Astfhl Al Tha'r” look bad at the end. For two good reasons: On the one hand, it is hard enough for a metal band to even exist in a country like Saudi Arabia, so that it would simply be unfair to apply European standards to production; on the other hand, "Astfhl Al Tha'r" is a really interesting album despite all the criticism expressed - because once you have listened to the material and are able to ignore the criticisms mentioned, AL-NAMROOD present a varied debut that probably even the most experienced and knowledgeable Black Metaller can show some new facets of "his" genre.
On this basis, “Astfhl Al Tha'r” can hardly be assessed objectively - neither a particularly good nor a particularly bad rating seems appropriate here. But since the album is everything, just not an ordinary average, this time I remain without rating, but with the mentioned reservations with a clear recommendation to every adventurous and cosmopolitan Black Metaller: Even if I still find it difficult after multiple runs, some tone sequences Not to grind your teeth, "Astfhl Al Tha'r" is at least guaranteed to broaden your horizon ... because there is simply nothing like it yet. - Metal1.Info
Pressing Information
Shaytan Productions 2009. Limited to 1000.
