I am really pleased to be able to get this album, even it’s only in a digital format. Why? Let me pose a counter-question: How often do you come upon an album from a metal group from Afghanistan?
Well, I was equally surprised. Unfortunately, Afghanistan is known for many things, but metal is not one of them. However, as the music unites people, even when it’s currently banned in that country, the seed of metal are firmly sown there.
And what an album this is? It’s more of an experimental/progressive stuff – the band calls it “psychedelic metal” and they are not wrong – with a touch of drone doom (as witnessed in 10:17 long “Two Seconds After the Blast”, a really powerful, amazing track and “Portraits”, another great track, clicking at 9:40), and that’s another thing I wouldn’t expect. If you tell me guys play thrash, death…well, I won’t be as surprised as I am now.
And to tell you the whole truth – I would never guess the country of origin of these guys.
The album contains 9 tracks and I am really blown away with this – the music, the vocals, the production…it may be this was actually done by Afghan musicians outside Afghanistan (as I’ve found out, it was recorded in Afghanistan, in Travis Beard’s studio), still, even that wouldn’t take away the quality District Unknown offers their listeners. As the album’s playing time clocking near 51 minutes, there’s a plenty to enjoy.
But the album offers not only moody, gloomy, droney stuff (although I am more than satisfied with it), as witnessed by “Struggle”, which contains more riffy, musically aggressive passages. But yes, the music contained on this album is more on the ambient, contemplative side of the aural beauty, going even orchestral (listen to “Requiescence” as a proof).
The only hard thing here is the difficulty to pick a favourite song. All of those 9 tracks are on the same level of quality and I can’t but to take my hat off (and I do have a hat) before these Afghan musicians from District Unknown.
By the way, two of the guys formed later a new band called Afreet… and we’re gonna meet them as Indokult marches forward to the future….
