Oriental/Mid-Eastern Sound in Metal Music

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Original post

Posted by mariano, 24.02.2011 - 06:23

For me, the appetite for this kind of music started several years ago when I first played the video game "Prince of Persia, The Warrior Within". The soundtrack in this game features that special ingredient I love: distorted guitars playing those weird scales coming from the Middle-East.

Of course, the concept wasn't new for me, I had already enjoyed songs with these characteristics long before playing that video game. -I bet you all remember "Wherever I May Roam" from Metallica- but until that moment I've never listened to a band that featured those elements as a signature or at least as a frequent resource.

It only took me a couple of minutes googling until I found Orphaned Land. I think that for the next 6 months their album "Mabool" was the only music I played in my old mp3 player, hopping that their next release wouldn't take long to come out. Unfortunately I waited for 6 more years...

Meanwhile, I kept looking for more bands exposing mid-eastern elements but only found a few. One that I really like a lot is Ra, although it's not being featured in this website -probably because they've been tagged mainly as Alternative Metal which I think it's not popular here. Anyway, I leave you the link below just in case you are interested in listening what they do:

http://listen.grooveshark.com/playlist/Ra+Mid+Eastern+Sound/44038004?utm_campaign=grooveshark-app&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share&utm_content=call-to-action

I'd really appreciate your comments on
1) what bands you like from this "genre", and
2) how did you come to like this kind of music.

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Unhealer Eclecticist Posts: 2311 From: Argentina	Permalink 12.02.2012 - 23:26 Unhealer Eclecticist Posts: 2311 From: Argentina I think my first experience with this style was with Behemoth and Nile many years ago. Those solos and licks that somehow reminded me of Egypt really got me I absolutely love the solo in the song "Cast Down The Heretic" by Nile, gives me the goosebumps everytime. Later I checked out Orphaned Land and I fell in love with those guys too. Also Melechesh last year And that is pretty much all I've checked from the style... Oh, and the death metal cover of Shakira by Kartikeya. Amazing. Loading...
JD Account deleted	Permalink 13.02.2012 - 20:38 JD Account deleted Written by Unhealer on 12.02.2012 at 23:26 Oh, and the death metal cover of Shakira by Kartikeya. Amazing. This song born to be a metal song. Loading...
Wraith000 Posts: 128 From: Pakistan	Permalink 13.12.2012 - 07:16 Wraith000 Posts: 128 From: Pakistan Listen to Myrath's Album The tales of the sand I'm looking for metal music with middle eastern sounds too ---- \m/ - - \m/ Loading...
Wraith000 Posts: 128 From: Pakistan	Permalink 13.12.2012 - 07:18 Wraith000 Posts: 128 From: Pakistan Written by Unhealer on 12.02.2012 at 23:26 I think my first experience with this style was with Behemoth and Nile many years ago. Those solos and licks that somehow reminded me of Egypt really got me I absolutely love the solo in the song "Cast Down The Heretic" by Nile, gives me the goosebumps everytime. Later I checked out Orphaned Land and I fell in love with those guys too. Also Melechesh last year And that is pretty much all I've checked from the style... Oh, and the death metal cover of Shakira by Kartikeya. Amazing. the cover song and the band wicked awesome thanks for the post man \m/ ---- \m/ - - \m/ Loading...
squidrick420 Posts: 187 From: USA	Permalink 21.01.2013 - 04:02 squidrick420 Posts: 187 From: USA Isreal has some REALLY good bands!!! too many to list on here. I was about to suggest Orphaned Land, but then i noticed you already found them. Idk what your into, but Salem is a really good Isreali black metal band, and armilos is a good death metal band. Good places to start your search for middle-eastern metal. Loading...
CyberSymphony Ollie Posts: 673 From: UK	Permalink +1 20.03.2013 - 15:56 CyberSymphony Ollie Posts: 673 From: UK I have a list of around 40 albums of Oriental/Asian metal, http://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=2903. Loading...
envoke Posts: 1 From: Turkey	Permalink 30.04.2013 - 15:32 envoke Posts: 1 From: Turkey Check out Gathas Loading...
The Hammer33 Posts: 19 From: Canada	Permalink 29.03.2014 - 19:01 The Hammer33 Posts: 19 From: Canada Aeternam, Arkan, Myrath, Distorted (a bit) AETERNAM's 2 albums are MUST HAVES!! Loading...
ToMegaTherion Posts: 718 From: Australia	Permalink 30.03.2014 - 14:01 ToMegaTherion Posts: 718 From: Australia Edenbridge dabbled with Sitars and Mandolins for a few albums there. This made a few of their more well know tracks really. I rather enjoy the eastern feel of Shine in particular. Loading...
toxx Supreme being Posts: 390 From: Norway	Permalink 02.04.2014 - 15:32 toxx Supreme being Posts: 390 From: Norway Loading...
Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 60962 From: Sweden	Permalink 31.05.2014 - 14:34 Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 60962 From: Sweden Dislocation http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Dislocation/3540324677# even band is from Latvia, main man is lezgin, nation who live sin N Azerbajan and S Dagestan and speeks lezgian (well seems now he lives in Norge) band has like Melenches, Persian and suuch area influences Pretty good I say https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW2xtK4zKuM#t=29 ---- Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!! Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die'' apos;' [image] I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing Loading...
Dr.Overkill26 Posts: 112 From: USA	Permalink 01.06.2014 - 04:41 Dr.Overkill26 Posts: 112 From: USA Melechesh if course, they're almost like the Nile of Israeli Black metal. Or Sumerian Black Metal. ---- Do you need what I need? Boundaries overthrown Look inside to each his own Do you trust what I trust? me myself and I Penetrate the smoke screen I see Through the selfish lie Loading...
Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 60962 From: Sweden	Permalink 02.06.2014 - 14:10 Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 60962 From: Sweden Written by Dr.Overkill26 on 01.06.2014 at 04:41 Melechesh if course, they're almost like the Nile of Israeli Black metal. Or Sumerian Black Metal. why you suggest this band that its been done million times here and all knows it? ---- Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!! Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die'' apos;' [image] I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing Loading...
Dr.Overkill26 Posts: 112 From: USA	Permalink 02.06.2014 - 22:24 Dr.Overkill26 Posts: 112 From: USA Written by Bad English on 02.06.2014 at 14:10 Written by Dr.Overkill26 on 01.06.2014 at 04:41 Melechesh if course, they're almost like the Nile of Israeli Black metal. Or Sumerian Black Metal. why you suggest this band that its been done million times here and all knows it? Whoops My bad should've read that first page. U mad bro?;) ---- Do you need what I need? Boundaries overthrown Look inside to each his own Do you trust what I trust? me myself and I Penetrate the smoke screen I see Through the selfish lie Loading...
Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 60962 From: Sweden	Permalink 02.06.2014 - 22:28 Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 60962 From: Sweden Written by Dr.Overkill26 on 02.06.2014 at 22:24 U mad bro?;) ¨ negative ---- Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!! Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die'' apos;' [image] I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing Loading...
Dr.Overkill26 Posts: 112 From: USA	Permalink 02.06.2014 - 22:40 Dr.Overkill26 Posts: 112 From: USA Written by Bad English on 02.06.2014 at 22:28 Written by Dr.Overkill26 on 02.06.2014 at 22:24 U mad bro?;) ¨ negative [javascript:addtext('message_body',%20';D')/quote] Totally off-topic but that makes me think of Terminator. From now on I'm going to say "Affirmative" when I'm at work. ---- Do you need what I need? Boundaries overthrown Look inside to each his own Do you trust what I trust? me myself and I Penetrate the smoke screen I see Through the selfish lie Loading...
Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 60962 From: Sweden	Permalink 02.06.2014 - 22:49 Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 60962 From: Sweden Written by Dr.Overkill26 on 02.06.2014 at 22:40 Written by Bad English on 02.06.2014 at 22:28 Written by Dr.Overkill26 on 02.06.2014 at 22:24 U mad bro?;) ¨ negative [javascript:addtext('message_body',%20';D')/quote] Totally off-topic but that makes me think of Terminator. From now on I'm going to say "Affirmative" when I'm at work. of topic... but civilans must learn military formath of spach, less mistaces and errors, I always try to use this one ---- Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!! Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die'' apos;' [image] I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing Loading...
Ganondox Posts: 1089 From: USA	Permalink 20.06.2014 - 08:24 Ganondox Posts: 1089 From: USA Does System of a Down and the occassional Disturbed song count? Nile is also cool. Loading...
The Hammer33 Posts: 19 From: Canada	Permalink 09.11.2016 - 12:54 The Hammer33 Posts: 19 From: Canada Aeternam (from Quebec, Canada!!!) 2 albums so far - amazing Loading...
Orphydian Posts: 5 From: Romania	Permalink 22.11.2016 - 01:06 Orphydian Posts: 5 From: Romania Aeternam has a ridiculously skilled vocalist. He should do more clean singing. The clean part from "Moongod" gives me chills the best were already mentioned. Apart from that I would like to list some songs that have a slight influence/ thematic of this style Loading...
nevi464 Posts: 2 From: USA	Permalink 02.12.2016 - 05:22 nevi464 Posts: 2 From: USA This band typically uses Hirajashi scales and harmonic minor scales https://kaidanca.bandcamp.com/album/syndicate Loading...
Kriegsmesser Posts: 5 From: USA	Permalink 02.12.2016 - 18:03 Kriegsmesser Posts: 5 From: USA Eastern-sounding flute can often serve as a counterpoint to metal riffs. Loading...
KC Posts: 135 From: India	Permalink 09.01.2017 - 07:47 KC Posts: 135 From: India The mighty RUDRA - https://rudrametal.bandcamp.com/ ---- Transcending Obscurity Records \| PR Company \| Online Magazine (est 2005) http://www.tometal.com http://www.facebook.com/transcendingobscurity Loading...