Arab Metal Music Bands

I never thought I would see the day where Arab bands perform metal music, needless to say there are many sub metal cultures that will not feel welcome in the Middle East. Early one the metal bands in places like Egypt were demonized (that's the whole point) They were linked to devil worship and weird acts. Back in college one of the students was a Jordanian who has abandoned his college education to go back to Amman to join back with his Metal band--he came back two years later.

While there are some truth to that, I think most of those accusations come form a place of ignorance and fear of the unknown. I know metal bands are welcome in places like Lebanon, Jordan and most recently Bahrain. Of course there are limits to what those band can get away with, but to make metal music in Arabic, it's magic.

When I first came to America, I hated this music, it's so loud, I thought. Then in some movies, the music was used so well, that I have acquired the taste for metal. Back in my running days, I used to listen to the British band Iron Maiden, I loved their "Mother Russia", I thought it was well done.

Here are few samples of Arabic metal including one track where the Middle East and orient have been incorporating into one song. Notice the incorporation of Arabic calligraphy in many forms. I feel like i am walking into a Hot Topic store. Do not know much about the history of calligraphy and metal, but I know it communicates something bold.

Again, I did not think the middle East have anything to offer to this very Western art form, but I now know it does. While not everyone in the West endorse metal music, some of them even fear it as much, but there is a lot more freedom here.


Narjahanam - Al Jihad (الجهاد) Arab Metal

Al Namrood - Fe Zafrat AlMout (LYRICS)

Al Qaynah - Ground Zero Pilgrims