Death in Iraq

No, not another antiwar rant, but a post about Death Metal.

Death Metal more international than people think. Perhaps it's Sweden's most popular export after the Volvo? (It did start in Sweden, didn't it?). I remember meeting a student from Iran of all places at an Anathema gig in Manchester a year or so ago.

Now I read about the Iraqi Death Metal band A. Crassicauda (the scientific name for the black scorpion).

All their songs are in English. Heavy metal should be either in English or German, says rhythm guitarist Faisal Talal. "Arabic doesn't fit." Moudhafar interjects with sudden hauteur, "We don't want just anybody to listen to our music. It should be, like, an educated person."

Not sure what death metal might sound like in Arabic. I know metal sounds quite wrong in French, although Goth Metal sounds good in Polish.

Now the war is over, they've had to drop their compulsory pro Saddam song from their set:

Follow the leader Saddam Hussein He'll make them fall Drive them insane

Although the singer is none too happy about this.

"Damn, I'm really mad we can't sing that song anymore," says Talal. "It was our best song. The chorus was too much, it was great."

(Link from BlogCritics)