Akvan - Heritage
Self Release
Folk black metal
2 songs (13' 17")
Release year: 2016
Reviewed by Andy

From an unlikely source last month came Heritage (میراث), self-described Iranian black metal outfit's debut EP. Needless to say, Iran isn't the first country you'd think of when black metal comes to mind, but Akvan's combination of folk instruments with Norwegian-style black metal riffs is natural and unforced.

As expected, there is a good deal of Middle Eastern folk influence in the music, with tinkling stringed instruments carrying the melody over traditional drums and percussion instruments. The electric guitars, playing along with the all-folk parts of the songs at first and then moving to Norwegian-sounding black metal riffing. The lyrics, rejecting to the Satanic tropes of Northern Europe, dwell on Iranian traditions, emphasizing Zoroastrian themes, sung in thin, echoing vocals similar to the vocal screeches of early-90s pioneers. The only parts that really feel like they don't quite fit are the spoken-word pieces; even the chanting at the end of King of Kings makes perfect sense.

Heritage proves to be a strong black metal EP, with a lot of flavoring from Northern European traditions mingled with the Iranian parts promoted on the album. For a name-your-price at Bandcamp, it's an unusual glimpse of black metal influenced by a folk culture that doesn't often contribute its sound to the metal world.

Bandcamp: https://akvan.bandcamp.com/.

Killing Songs :
None
Andy quoted no quote
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