Al – Namrood – Al

Band: Al – Namrood
Album: Al – Aqrab
Label: Shaytan Productions
Release date: June 9^, 2024
Country: Saudi Arabia
Format reviewed: High-quality digital recording

The Middle East and the Islamic world in general are probably the last place on Earth where someone might expect to find metal music, much less black metal, due to obvious reasons. However, that didn’t stop brave musicians from approaching this form of art, in spite of the possible repercussions. One such band is Al – Namrood, who have been making a name for themselves in the last two decades, both due to their unique musical style which blends black metal and middle eastern folk music together, but also due to the simple fact that this music may result in consequences such as imprisonment for life and even the death penalty in the case that the identities of the band members are to be discovered. These dire circumstances greatly influenced Al – Namrood’s music, the band openly protesting and criticizing Islam and lack of freedom of expression. On the musical side, their most recent effort, Al – Aqrab is an undoubtedly powerful release. It features dark, foreboding riffs, a vocal performance that reeks of strength and melodies that portray the unforgiving nature of the Arabian desert. Even from the debut track, this album oozes unadulterated hate.

The majority of the album features slow, doom metal-like tempos, that accentuate the eerie atmosphere created by the traditional melodies and crushing riffs. The vocals alternate between the classic black metal high screeches and lower growling techniques similar to the likes of Belphegor and Behemoth. Despite the low tempo, the drumming is highly complex, featuring various forms of blast beats that were adapted to the slower tempos, adding a faint air of anxiety and anticipation to the compositions. Another interesting aspect that I have come to notice is that, compared to their previous releases at least, the folkloric musical elements are much more in focus than on other records, being almost equal to the black metal part. In a way, this makes it easier for the listener to immerse into the atmosphere of the album.

The overall feel of the album brings about a change from its predecessors, both due to the multitude of elements embedded within the music, and also due to the slower tempos. This may indicate a slight shift in the band’s approach in black metal, expanding their horizons with new and innovative ideas, but without detaching from their punishing roots. The music itself exudes a strong aura of mystery and anticipation for what’s to come. This is even more noticeable on the rare occasions when the pace of the music picks up, offering more dynamic and dramatic passages. However, although it may seem a rather homogenous record, Al – Aqrab actually comes off sounding rather diverse and undoubtedly creative, as each song has its quirks and elements that make it stand out among the others. This is further emphasized by the various song structures that range from more conventional, to almost entirely new and avant- garde. I actually found myself intrigued by this album so much that I listened to it two times back to back, It is also a fairly easy listen, and easy to get into, due to the stronger emphasis on the folk elements. If you want to get into Al- Namrood’s music, this is where I would recommend people to start their journey.

All in all, Al – Aqrab is without a doubt a really well done album that is worthy of more praise that it gets. I’m pretty sure that its accessibility will definitely bring about new fans to the band, all while delivering another banger to their older fans. This being said, I urge you to give it a listen. 9/10 by Ioanna