Kuwait's up and coming veterans of modern death metal, Benevolent, have managed to create a fresh wrap of modern brutality on their latest effort. Back in November the band released their debut EP "Divided" to overwhelmingly positive reception. The EP has already been featured on a number of popular blogs, such as: Metalsucks, and Hook in Mouth.

I've been personally a supporter of Benevolent since their early days of being an instrumental band. And they have certainly come a long way since releasing the mellow instrumental "Solace."

The album opens with the crushing! "Clairvoyant Transmission," a song that will impress any modern melodic death metal fan.

Hadi has certainly crafted amazingly technical, yet very accessible and catchy riffs all around the EP. His blues inspired leads, will not cease to amaze the listener and will only keep pushing forth till Fadi takes over the song with words of monstrosity. Fadi's vocals keep improving, and if he pushes harder, he will eventually deliver a monstrous sound for future Benevolent releases.

The Tyrant marks almost 10 minutes, and would certainly satisfy progressive death metal fans; the Mikael Akerfeldt troopers will love this track! The riff leading up to the song's main solo is beyond a haunting sensation. It gives an evil spine wrenching rush, that would make you want to devour an entire herd. Simply, bone chilling!

Haunting Shores was our first taste of Divided (technically The Tyrant is, but the song got a face-lift since it's first release as a single back in 09). The song shows off Benevolent's amazing vocal range, shared between Hadi and Fadi. Where Hadi handles the clean vocals on the chorus, which gives the song a melodic metalcore vibe. While the song's main verse carries out the polyrhythmic magic of Djent godfathers Meshuggah. With a neoclassically driven solo; Benevolent have produced a slab of diverse music, beating all senses into heavy metal oblivion.

The Quantum Paradox clocks over 10 minutes, and starts off with an acoustic passage, that gives way to anvil pounding drums; all adding up to create an intense opening for Fadi to tangle in lyrics of parallel worlds. Hadi executes some solid grooves midway through the song. That would definitely have Fredrik Thordendal nodding in approval.

In conclusion: Benevolent's debut EP "Divided" is a modern melodic death metal neck breaker, and by far one of the best releases this year. Along with Depth's Memonto Mori and Voice of The Soul's Eyes of Deceit; Kuwait's metal scene is stronger than ever, proving it's one of the heaviest contenders in the region for "the next big thing" coming out of the middle east.

My only issue would be that I can clearly hear the drum machine kick in, on Clairvoyant Transmission. But that's not something to complain about. The band managed to be as diverse as an internationally renowned act could be on a full length album.

Visit Benevolent on:
Myspace
Facebook
Bandcamp

[Ed note: Haunting Shores was featured on our digital compilation album "Metality - The Compilation" celebrating the blog's 1000th post. Available here for streaming and download.]

I've been listening to Baptized In Blood all day, air guitaring all over the place. One of RoadRunner's most recent signees, Baptized In Blood the Canadian punk/thrash metal hybrid, are about to release their debut self titled album on October 19th, available in stores in Canada, and digitally for the rest of the world.

The band is co-managed by Dave Mustaine, along with Mark Adelman who also manages the likes of Anthrax and Megadeth. Apparently the collaboration between Dave and Baptized in Blood came to fruition, when Megadeth's Canadian Carnage Tour rolled into the band's hometown of London, Ontario (Canada) 2 months ago.

Front man Johl Fendley tells Noisecreep:

"Our label rep [Rose Slanic] wanted to introduce us and brought us on Megadeth's bus. There was nothing more to it than that," Fenley tells Noisecreep. "She introduced us, chatted for a while and then took off; and that was it. I said [to him] in passing, 'Maybe one of these days we'll cross paths again and maybe we'll do some shows,' [as a] tossing it out there type thing. And Dave turned to me and said, 'It's a small world. You never know."

After the meeting went over, Slanic gave Dave a copy of the band's self titled debut. A week later, Fendley received an e-mail from his lawyer saying Dave Mustaine and Mark Adelman wanted to talk management. (You can read the entire article over on Noisecreep.com)

Produced by hardcore veteran producer and engineer Zeuss (Hatebreed, Chimaira, Shadows Fall) at Planet Z Studio. Baptized In Blood's self titled debut is a 12 song thrashing punk jolt to the brain.

While RoadRunner are defiantly shifting towards a more radio friendly musical roster, it's fucking awesome to see them manage to sign a band that is capable of being a chaotic thrash powerhouse, with strong punk influences, topped with some big glam inspired choruses, and a straight up "fuck you" Rock N' Roll attitude to wrap it up.

Baptized In Blood will be shredding souls, melting faces, and crushing skulls through their debut self titled album, out October 18th on RoadRunner Records.

For more information, visit Baptized In Blood on Myspace

A Thousand Reasons is a new band from Italy. Founded by ex-Scarecrown bassit Zimon and joined by fellow former Scarecrown guitarist Blackie. The band have already released 3 new songs on their myspace page "Strength and Fight," "Take My Revenge," and "Synthetic."

The band blends raw hardcore structures, with thrash riffing, guttural growls, and a industrial touch, to execute their vision for brutality.

After Zimon decided to leave Scarecrown for personal reasons, he began writing new material on his own, and later was joined by his former bandmate in Scarecrown, guitarist Blackie, as vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist and producer. A Thousand Reasons is currently writing material for their full length debut album.

You can stream the band's new 3 song EP titled "Strength and Fight" below:

Make sure to visit A Thousand Reasons on Myspace for more information and updates

When you first hear the name Gloominous Doom, what sound would you imagine the band to execute? Probably! not what you had in mind.

It's a blend of old school Death/Thrash Metal influences infused with...Ska. Like the pissed off cousin of Sublime (only with much, MUCH more shredding and all the metal goods).

The band is compromised of:

Gloominous Doom are a Thrash Metal band indeed, but what's really unique about them is the fact that the band mixes their Thrash Metal formula with some very memorable Ska sections. It's one of the trippiest experiences you would get from listening to a heavy album, because you can't say that your fully listening to aggressive music (It's like your crazy pissed off Uncle who smacks you and a second later pats you on the back, and gives you a cookie.)

After listening to a couple of tracks on their full length album "The Feature" you start growing curious as to where next would they break the metal structures to introduce the listener to a Ska bridge. The band really know how to execute their formula greatly, with cow bells and everything!

For a moment you'd be listening to some neck breaking old school Thrash Metal with harsh vocals and the other, you find your self mellowing out to some smooth strumming and trippy effects. Somehow Gloominous Doom describe the buzz a stoner metal head gets, through their sound. It's epic to say the least.

The band is also strongly influenced by the raw old school Gothenburg sound, where you hear the classic harsh vocals backed up with thick riffing and pounding drums, but any second you might get yourself a "sublime" moment, and the pace will just go back to high energy without you even noticing that the structure just broke.

While listening to "The Feature" it'll be hard to say that your going to be able to digest everything the record has to offer from a first listen, the music while giving the sense of being raw, is still very condensed and layered.

Highly (with all it's aspects) recommended for thrash metal fans who enjoy the ganja, as well as fun folk metallers.

"By the way, NO ONE rocks a cowbell like Jeff GD (on his prosthetic leg!)."




Click here to visit Gloominous Doom on Myspace (on tour with The Binary Code)
as well as Rumpelstiltskin Grinder and GWAR on select dates

The Flaming Trees is a new rock band based in Dubai, UAE the band has promising song structures, but need to work on their vocals. Here's some more info about the band taken from their official myspace:

The band was formed when Elias Sabella (guitar, vocals) and Samir Nassif (bass) wanted to make a rock band, but not just a regular slam your guitar band, but a mix of classic rock (such as good ol’ AC/DC) and modern pop-punk (Blink 182). With only two members, they seriously were in need of some more strength in numbers, and therefore recruited friend and pianist Samer El Hage. With only three members in the band, they realized they were in desperate need of a drummer and a second rhythm guitarist. With the help of a friend (Mike), they found their drummer Siina Hawker (who is in another band called Shrimp Cocktail) who was almost immediately convinced to join the band. Finally Elias asked a classmate Olek Zyborski to join in the position of a rhythm guitarist, and he also happens to be a great solo shredder, as influenced by Metallica. (The only letdown was that he, at the time, had no experience with any other bands or performing in front of an audience. That has changed now though). Now with a complete band, they successfully completed their first gig at the ‘Trampoline’ back in February. Btw dont ask them how they came up with the name cause it was random and they might get them put in jail.

The Flaming Trees links:

Myspace
Facebook Fan Page
Facebook Group

Saudi Doom/Death Metal band Grieving Age released their debut full length album "In Aloof Lantern, Thy Bequeathed A Wailer Quietus" on July 16th. The album was Mixed and Mastered by Dan Swano (Edge Of Sanity, and Bloodbath) and cover art was made by Doom metal's favorite eye lined dark master Aaron Stainthorpe.

"In Aloof Lantern, Thy Bequeathed A Wailer Quietus" is a fresh approach and a tremendous step for the Saudi Local scene, the band showcases great musicianship, and powerful song structures, while Front man Ahmed Shawli has some of the best guttural growls in the region!

Check back Thursday morning for a full review of the album. Also head over to the band's Official Myspace to get a taste of "In Aloof Lantern, Thy Bequeathed A Wailer Quietus"

Grieving Age On Myspace

"METAL BLAST" is a new festival taking place in Cairo, Egypt on July 20th. The show will be featuring some of Egypt's most popular bands, with performances by Scarab (winners of "United We Rock") Dark Philosophy, Amulet (mother fuck yea!) and alot more.

The show's line up will be:

- Scarab ( Egyptian Death Metal )[Originals]
- Beyond East ( Extreme Oriental Metal) [Originals]
- Dark philosophy ( Black Metal ) [Originals]
- Your Prince Harming (Hardcore/Screamo ) [Originals/Covers]
- Destiny In Chains (Metalcore/Hardcore) [Originals/Covers]
- Serenade (Hard rock/alternative Metal) [Originals/Covers]
- Amulet (Thrash Metal ) [Metallica/Sepultura]
- Virtual chaos ( Old School thrash Metal ) [Originals]

Opening Act: Proximus [Progressive Metal]

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For ticket booking Contact the Organizers or Rock Era Magazine . Tickets are 60 L.E. on door. buses will be available from Alexandria including the ticket more info for the contacts will be available soon.; moreover, there are limited amount of tickets, so try to book before the concert.

Doors will be open at 3 PM , The show will begin at 3:30 SHARP by the opening act Proximus.

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Click here for the event's official Facebook page.

It's been a while since I posted anything under the "Spotlight" series, but I got something interesting for all fans of Experimental Rock.

Feed Me! is an Egyptian Experimental Rock band, hailing from Cairo. The band recently released their debut album "Marching Stickmen" for free download. The album is basically a laid back instrumental, with a ton of trippy stuff going on.


Here's a little more info about the band from their Official Myspace:


Feed Me is a 3-piece band from Cairo, Egypt. The band was formed in late 2008 by longtime friends Nader Ahmed, Mohammed Ashraf 'SikSik', and Ahmed Abdel Aziz 'ZiZO'. Their music lies somewhere between Electronica & Post Rock and influenced greatly by their different musical backgrounds. All three members of Feed Me! are also in Progressive/Alternative Rock band Headcase.



Here's the tracklisting/cover art for the album, followed by a download link:


1. Hello World (4:15)

2. Painting Space (5:19)

3. Losing Everything (5:12)

4. I Had No Idea (3:52)

5. To Whom It May Concern (3:44)

6. What We're Stuck With (5:40)

7. WWV (That is World War Five) (4:32)

8. Marching Stickmen (7:26)

Dubai's awesome deathly thrashers A Shot Of Adrenaline decided to film a hilarious video for their song "Time To Reign" the video is so Metal you need to watch it multiple times to understand all the metalness going on !

And the way RD hits the first note, is too EPIC for your soul to bare ...

Now watch the video, to understand the full awesomeness that is A Shot Of Adrenaline !

Head over to the band's Myspace to check out some of their latest songs, and dont forget to become a fan on Facebook !

Alright so this year's Desert Rock, came by with some awesome bands (OPETH, Arch Enemy, Chimaira, August Burns Red, Nervecell, winners of "United We Rock" Scarab and Hatred)

Thanks to the tremendous work the organizers of CSM have put in the event all these past years, they decided to give the metal heads of the region a night to remember with a line up full of metality for DDR 09 ... (Google each band that performed at this year's DDR and you will find out they each brought their own special brand of brutality to the stage)

A while back I had "a word" with Mark Mcguire about the growing scene in Dubai, Phride and the pit stops on the way to make the scene grow ... so we had another talk about DDR, CSM and the scene today and how it was back in the days of the first Desert Rock...Slash, KSE smoking dohka (which is the best thing to smoke in Emirates), about the rumors floating around and alot more.


Here's how it went:

TMR: Whats your fondest memory of Desert Rock?

Mark: Desert Rock to me is something i treat as the quintessential international music festival and
i believe it deserves that status. Ive been to every DDRF apart from this years and apart from the fantastic atmosphere, the connection with friends and the general festival experience i think personally my favourite experiences were working with my girlfriend, taking my drummer backstage to meet Killswitch Engage (nice guys) and talking to Robin Flynn from Machine Head and having no idea who he was until i was accosted with 'dude do you know who the fuck that was?' It made me realize even more how these are normal people like you and me and they react better to being treated that way. Walking around the stage Iron Maiden had just came off was a buzz as well.



TMR: Who where some of your favorite bands to work with?

Mark: Some were fantastic and other were difficult even given the small job of keeping them on schedule and taking them on and off stage i had. To this day i still think As I Lay Dying top the lot. I had sent them a message through myspace a few weeks before, they replied and when we met i was taken into the dressing room by the guitarist Nick to the tune of 'hey guys this is our new friend Mark McGuire'. Fantastic bunch of lads. The majority of KSE were great too. I actually loaned my pipe and dohka to the bassist for the night to give him a taste of the emirates. The next day Adam D returned it too me and said he had one hit and passed out which i think is something i wont forget. Velvet Revolver worked us big style but they were very generous and made us feel very welcome. Slash owes us money haha. Other big rushes included being in Muse's dressing room and meeting Korn.



TMR: What are some of the problems the scene is facing today?

Mark: The scene is making a real effort but the buzz is dying down. Its obvious the bands are trying very hard and making an impact at every gig they play but we need to get back into the place where were hounding the press and basically demanding our interviews and our articles, which i can seeing happening again. It may not have the biggest impact internationally but its something to add to your press pack. And having been on tour as a member of Asking Alexandria any press pack is a good press pack. To bands hoping to tour - flaunt the name Dubai because its a big attention point when touring the UK.



TMR: How was setting up the first Desert Rock, did it flow smoothly back then, or where there alot of speed bumps on the way to start it off?

Mark: I wasn’t working the first DDRF but a good friend did drum for JD and opened for The Rasmus and it was a pinnacle which noted changes were coming in the scene. It was a metaphorical opening of the gates for the bands that were struggling at the time and its only grown since then.



TMR: There have been rumours about DDR 09 being the last in the festivals run, if that where to happen, do you think one of the reasons would be a decline in the scenes growth ?

Mark: I can only say these are just rumours right now but last DDRF some bands experienced a lot of negativity from fans within the emirates. This was shocking and uncalled for and lets hope they grow up because if the current progress in introducing niche market music in the UAE is being compromised, expect all your extreme music to disappear from virgin very quickly.



TMR: What do you think some of the main problems facing CSM every year putting on festivals like DDR ?

Mark: DDRF is a huge event and the head team in CSM are a small one. They are dedicated, professional and intelligent individuals who basically give up their personal lives to make each DDRF event more memorable than the next. Apart from the obvious problems from the ministry and the strict Emirati laws CSM has faced criticism from a lot of people who just dont seem to realize how lucky they are to be witnessing their favourite bands in concert in the UAE, but im sure were all sick of hearing that haha.



TMR: Apart from CSM who do you think contributed to the scene on a considerable level ?

Mark: There are a lot of names that come to mind. Obviously Joe Akkawi, founder and owner of www.phride.com has built a miniature empire based around a passion he has and which is shared by many around him. The scene wouldn't be what it is without Joe and for that we thank him.

Other people i think deserve special mentions would be -

The CSM team who have done such a fantastic and passionate job bringing the worlds music to the country . Thank you Holly, Lara, Mathile, Fab and everyone else we love you!

Nervecell and Julianna Down, who despite the criticism they may get will always have a place in our hearts for demonstrating a sense of professionalism and love for a scene which we all hope will continue to blow up internationally.

The sponsors and investors who make DDRF possible

All the moderators on www.phride.com including Fizz, Basel, Joe, Peter and all the rest for keeping us all ‘ in line’ when were ‘online’...

The old crowd including bands like Mannikind, The Jolly Rodgers, Chaotic Order, Epoch, Death Of Eighty, Minus The Blindfold and all the others who fought to play and express themselves...

I would also like to mention the people hosting gigs in their backyards etc such as the springs and the recent trampoline gig where there was even a stage built. That was a fantastic show of dedication on the organizers part and it was well appreciated...



TMR: What do you think of the shows being organized nowadays (Metal Asylum for example)?

Mark: I think these shows are a fantastic step towards injecting the scene with some life and events such as blacklist are also encouraging. Music is inspiration and experiencing this music with friends in a social environment is even more productive.



TMR: Thank you Mark for doing this once again, would you like to add anything ?

Mark: All i would add is that there are a lot of fantastic bands out there in the scene and we all need to support them because despite our limits within the music scene we have a real advantage being from a city like Dubai. We have a lot to offer and if were dedicated then we will prevail...
I handed a recording contract to Junkyard Groove on my second stint as Shamal MC and things have only grown from there.

Have faith i guess... because we already have the talent...


'We would all also like to say a big goodbye to Dayaan who will be moving off to college. As a hugely active member in the scene he had contributed his charm and charisma and always managed to make us smile. We wish him good luck for the future and hope he comes back to us soon, Mark'


I'd like to thank Mark for his time.

Don't forget to check out Of Brutality And Grace on Myspace and Facebook.

HED2GROUND are a Hard Rock band with Metal influences based in Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

The band was formed in 2007, by 4 Western Expatriate workers who currently live in Saudi Arabia. They are known around the local scene as one of the most professional and entertaining live acts. The band aims to work together with local and mid-eastern hard rock and heavy metal bands to help expand the scene.

HED2GROUND, performs a wide variety of originals and also covers for bands like Stone Sour, Tool, Slipknot, Chevelle and the list goes on.

The band donates all profit from gig payments, to charities of their choice, the charities are chosen on a gig by gig basis.

I got the chance to ask the group's drummer James about HED2GROUND's sound and upcoming material, who would he like to work with, the local scene, which band's is he currently listening to and alot more.

Here's how it went:


TMR: First of all, how’s it going?

James: Very well thanks. We are enjoying a break from our usually hectic band schedule and duties over the Christmas and New Year’s period. We have all recently been (or are currently on) holidays visiting our families etc.

It’s kind of nice to have a social life that isn’t directly involved with our H2G schedule for a change.



TMR: Can you describe HED2Ground's sound?

James: I would describe our sound as Hard Rock with tendencies towards Metal. We have a very artistic sound that you can hear is based upon our earlier musical influences and training. Overall though, we are loud, in your face and enjoy experimenting with all of our musical tonal qualities.



TMR: You guys have built a rep for yourselves around the GCC region, what do you think of the scene nowadays, do you think it’s a constantly growing one?

James: Hell yes!! It is an awesome scene with so much talent here in this part of the world.

When I first accepted my job in Saudi Arabia I thought my music would have to go on hold for awhile but I was so incredibly wrong. I have been completely blown away with the level of professionalism and quality of rock and metal music in this part of the world.



TMR: When can we expect more material from HED2Ground?

James: We have just about got enough original material to record our first album and hope to have this completed within the next few months by having it all professionally recorded so we can then get it out to the masses.

As the new stuff gets tweaked to the way we want it, and we record it, we will place it on our
page, so you can expect to hear the new stuff starting to appear in the next month or so.



TMR: If you got the chance to work with your favorite musician, who would it be?

James: For myself personally, my first pick would be Danny Carrey from Tool. In my opinion he is a genius at fusing artistic and sometimes incredibly complex percussion beats rhythms and poly-rhythms with that Tool heavy sound.

Also Corey Taylor, the vocalist from Slipknot and Stone Sour. We as a band all have the utmost respect and adoration for his lyric writing and vocal skills with both Slipknot and Stone Sour (he is someone I would love to have help produce one of our albums in the future so Corey, give me a call mate!)



TMR: Which bands are you currently listening to?

James: Slipknot!!! Their new album ‘All Hope Is Gone’ is absolutely amazing and I can’t get enough of it.



TMR: Who are some of the Middle Eastern bands that you enjoy listening to?

James: All of the bands from the SA Metal (www.sametal.org) are awesome, not just to listen to but to perform with and/or watch their live performances as well.



TMR: On your official MySpace, it states that you "decided to donate all profit from gig payments to charities" what made you choose this?

James: We are all Western Expatriate workers working in the Middle East for our ‘day’ jobs so we all earn decent salaries. We thought it would be a nice idea for us as a band to donate any profits we receive from gig appearances to worthwhile charities from around the globe. It is not a lot of money and we don’t need the cash in our current positions, but there are people and organisations out there that can definitely do with a helping hand.

I think it also shows to the general public that we as ‘metal heads’ aren’t all about making noise, wearing black clothing and are not full of anger, but we like to help out the community as well.



TMR: Thank you so much James for this opportunity, would you like to add anything?

James: Yeah firstly, please go out and buy the March issue of ‘Revolver’ magazine (on newsstands late February) as they will be doing a "Meet and Greet" piece on us in that issue. This will contain links to our MySpace page and also a link on the ‘Revolver’ website to download our song ‘Blood In’.

Also visit our
page, www.myspace.com/hed2ground and listen to our music. If you get the chance to come and see us perform live, please do as we love to actually perform and put on a stage show not just stand there and play. Our live performances are definitely H2G’s strong point.

Help to spread our name people as we are on a massive PR push to get our band known throughout the worldwide scene (US, Australia and Europe); hopefully getting us booked for a tour. Make us your friend on MySpace, tell all your friends about us, drop our name casually into conversation at parties and so on. With your assistance we want to get signed to a good label in the near future. You’d be amazed what word of mouth can achieve!

Also do not hesitate to contact us through MySpace or our email address. We try to respond personally to all mail that we receive.

Lastly if you would like to be put onto our mailing list, send us an email hed2ground@windowslive.com so we can send you future gig dates, any new song details and general band information. Your email address will remain private and will not be handed out to anyone for any reason whatsoever.

Thanks


I would like to thank James for taking the time to answer my questions, make sure to check out the band's Myspace to get a taste of their music and also to stay updated with all the band's future work.

Suicidal Insanity, are a Electronica/Hardstyle band, hailing from Kuwait.

The group started out in 2005, as a project between founder SARS and ex-member Alex.

In 2008, the band took it to the next level by adding close friends, Goth and Amani to the fold.

The band is currently working on releasing their debut EP.

I got the chance to catch up with the band's founder SARS and ask him about the music they play, their upcoming EP, who would he like to work with and alot more.

Here's how it went:


TMR: First of all, hows it going ?

SARS: Its going smooth and pretty slow, life is quit busy so where are unable to focus a lot



TMR: Can you tell me a little bit about Suicidal Insanity and how did you guys get together ?

SARS: Well it was actually more of a solo project done by me SARS, I was introduced to fruity loops which is a music production program, basically it was electronic music at first, I had a fair amount of time on it, then my long time friend who is more influenced by metal and rock joined me and that's when we decided to mix heavy metal with electronic music, yet emphasizing on the electronic part more,



TMR: Can you describe Suicidal Insanity ' sound ?

SARS: To be frank we haven't picked a genre or a certain sound yet, but for our first EP its going to sound like a strange anarchic beat combined with chopped and stuttered guitar riffs along with some melodic electronic parts



TMR: You guys are working on a new album at the moment, when do you plan on releasing it ?

SARS: It is our first public release, and it is on hold for the moment, we actually wanted to release it on 1/1/2009 to mark the new year with our name but unfortunately things didn't work out, we are currently waiting for a musician abroad who is featured on one of the tracks, that's mostly whats holding us from releasing the EP.



TMR: What can your fans expect from the release (soundwise) ?

SARS: Energetic anarchistic mind-boggling sound yet soft and dreamy at some point



TMR: Which bands and musicians do you enjoy listening to ?

SARS: A lot, I don't want to mention any names because if I mention one I feel obligated to mention them all



TMR: If you got the chance to work with your favorite international musician who would it be and why ?

SARS: Infected Mushroom, they are just simply mind blowing



TMR: Whats your upcoming plans for Suicidal Insanity ?

SARS: We just want to get this EP done for now



TMR: Thank you for this opportunity, would you like to add anything ?

SARS: Thanks to the metal reporter ^_^


I'd like to thank SARS for taking the time to answer my questions.

Make sure to check out the band's Myspace for some of their awesome tunes and also for all the latest updates, concerning the group's upcoming EP.

Check Out Suicidal Insanity On:
Myspace

Depth are one of the most impressive bands based in Kuwait !

The band's sound is strongly influenced by the likes of Opeth, In Flames, Children Of Bodom and many more.

Their latest EP, features guest vocals from Sarj M. of Kuwaiti Goth Rock band Nocturna on the song "Before I Die" which is a epic 8 minute track, very diverse and extremly impressive (They maintained a great balance between clean vocals and death metal growls, the death growls along with the riffing at times reminiscent of the very popular finnish band Insomnium)

I got the chance to catch up with Frontman and Rythm/Lead guitarist Chaos (Gasser Al-Safti) and ask him about the band's sound, how they got together, the metal scene in Kuwait and more.
Here's how it went:

TMR: First of all, can you tell me about yourself and your musical background ?

Chaos: I started playing guitar when I was 14, listened to a lot of Metallica back then.

After getting seriously into playing guitar my musical taste moved away from thrash and more towards melodic death metal and progressive music, and that's the kind of stuff you'll hear in our music.



TMR: How did you guys get together ?

Chaos: Myself and Edi were childhood friends and we used to play guitar together when we were younger, Bash was a friend we met later and he wanted to start a band, at first we had Max as the bassist, but he left the band for personal reason and our close friend Waleed filled in the slot of bassist and that's the lineup as it is now.



TMR: Who are some of the bands that influence the sound of Depth ?

Chaos: I've been told quite often we sounded like a mix of Opeth, Children of Bodom and In Flames.

I think that sounds fair since those 3 are among the list of favorite bands for all 4 of us.



TMR: Which bands got you into heavy metal ?

Chaos: The very first metal that I found very influential was Metallica's Master of Puppets along with the In Flames Colony album



TMR: What do you think of the metal scene in Kuwait ? Has it been progressing over the years ?

Chaos: It's definitely gotten better since we've left town, from what I hear at least, there have been more gigs and events like the battle of the bands. Bands in Kuwait have always struggled to get any sort of attention because it was always hard having shows because of problems with venues or government authorities.



TMR: Is there hang out spots for fans of music ? like coffee shops and such ?

Chaos: Not necessarily a hang out spot, it's just because Kuwait is a small country so its easy to identify that group of people wearing black anywhere you go that everyone will call 'Satanists' or 'Goths' or whatever the stereotypes are.



TMR: Is heavy metal in Kuwait accepted ? or do you guys have problems with authorities for licensing gigs, etc ?

Chaos: *laughs* it's anything but easy organizing a gig in Kuwait. Shows were always shutdown either because authorities claimed the bands were 'Satanic' or blasphemous or something of the sort or because fights always broke out in the gigs that DID happen so lots of bands gained a bad reputation with venues and weren't allowed to hold any more shows in that particular place.



TMR: Any bands from the Middle East that your fans of ?

Chaos: I'm a huge fan of Nocturna, I think Sarj's work and voice is excellent, so I'll be waiting for his album release.



TMR: When can we expect new material from you guys ?


Chaos: Well we've just released our first full length album last summer, I've already started working on new material but so far new releases are still in the making.



TMR: Who would you like to share the stage with ?

Chaos: International band: Opeth, my all time favorite band.

Middle Eastern local band: Nocturna, it's always been good working with Sarj and I think it would be great if we could have a show together



TMR: Would you like to add anything ?

Chaos: To anyone already in a band or thinking of starting one, its all about effort and practice, from all the members, if your band isn't working out for you it just means you're not putting enough effort into it. Good luck to all the bands in the Middle East, it's tough around here.


I'd like to thank Chaos for taking the time to answer my questions.

Make sure to check out the band's Myspace to listen to their EP, and I personally recommend listening to "The Last Ties Part 2" ... actually all 6 tracks on the band's Myspace is melodically death metal in its own way.


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Coming up:

"A Word" With
Adrian Erlandsson from Melodeath Forefathers At The Gates, Nemhain, Brujeria and Ex- Cradle Of Filth

"Reviewed"
Metallica - Death Magnetic (yup been promosing this review for a while, make sure to keep an eye out for it)

3PM is an alternative rock band based in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia and they are also one of the 8 finalists in the "United We Rock Online Band Battle".

The band has been playing shows in Saudi Arabia for a while now, performing gigs in Riyadh and Dhahran.

3PM Consists of :

Sarthak Swami (Vocals/Rythm Guitar)
Jake Breeze (Lead Guitars/Backing Vocals)
Sue Tate (Bass/Backing Vocals)
Taylor Porter (Drums/Backing Vocals)

To get to know the band a little better, I recently got the chance to ask Taylor about the band's sound, their musicial background, bands they would like to share the stage with and a lot more.

Here's how it went:

TMR: First of all, hows it going ?

Taylor: It's going good. Just playing music whenever we can like always.



TMR: You guys are one of the 8 finalists in the "United We Rock Online Band Battle" if you win, who would you be looking forward to sharing the stage with ?

Taylor: If we had a choice who could play that day with us, Three Days Grace, 30 Seconds to Mars, Nickelback, and even Avenged Sevenfold would be some of our top choices.



TMR: Can you describe your sound ?

Taylor: Not really. With everyone in the band having such different influences, we all bring something different to the table. Our songs can vary from an upbeat jazz style song to a hard rock song with some background screaming.



TMR: Can you tell me about your musical background ?

Taylor: We all learned our instruments by listening and playing different types of music. I learned by playing along with bands such as Slipknot, Mudvayne, In Flames, bands like that. Sarthak began with bands such as Lifehouse and Nickelback. Jake got a lot of influence from Santana. While Sue has heavy influence from bands like My Chemical Romance.



TMR: Who are some of your all time favorite musicians ?

Taylor: Between all of us it ranges between people like James Hetfield, Joey Jordinson, Santana, Flea, Daniel Adair, Jason Wade, M. Shadows, and a lot more.



TMR: You guys have been playing some shows around Saudi Arabia (Khobar,and Riyadh for example) what do you think of the scene nowadays in KSA ?

Taylor: The music scene is like most places around the world now a days. Its growing like crazy. You can find bands playing all sorts of genres from all around the kingdom and its cool because music helps people from around the world to connect unlike anything else.



TMR: Who are some of the local bands that you enjoy listening to ?

Taylor: Hed2ground would definatly be one of the big ones we are pretty close with the band and enjoy having a jam session together every now and then.



TMR: If you where to share the stage with your all time favorite band for one song, who would it be and what song would you play ?

Taylor: We would choose to play with Avenged Sevenfold. We all listen to their music and enjoy the music they make. The song we would choose would be Afterlife because it has fun parts for all of us to play.

TMR: Would you like to add anything ?

Taylor: We would like to thank everyone who have supported us throughout our music careers and look forward to seeing the results of the United We Rock Online Battle. We would also like to say good luck to the other bands in the Online Battle.



I'd like to thank Taylor for taking the time to answer my questions, Make sure to check out the band's Myspace to get a taste of their material.

And also head over to www.UnitedWeRockBattle.com and Vote for 3PM for their chance to play at DDRF 09 and With Full Force Festival (Germany)... Good Luck Brothers !


check back shortly for "A Word" With Adrian Erlandsson from At Gates, Nemhain and Brujeria (which he is currently on tour with) and "A Word" With Lee Barrat from British hardcore titans "Gallows" !

Also last but certainly not least, keep an eye out for a Major announcement.

For a while now, I've been on the look out for bands and musicians from the scene in Kuwait, and this will be the first installment of many more to come, from the "Spotlight On Kuwait" series.

First up is Benevolent, a progressive rock band founded by brothers Hadi and Fadi Sarieddine who are actually from Lebanon, but are living and studying in Kuwait.

They recently released "Solace" on their official Myspace page, which is a great track to get a taste of what the band is capable of, a very experimental mellow rock song.

Taken from the band's Myspace page:

" Benevolent is a progressive rock band founded by brothers Hadi and Fadi Sarieddine. The band's sound emerges from many genres of music including progressive metal, progressive rock, hard rock, heavy metal, death metal, new age, and other diverse genres within and outside the rock/metal circle.

The band was formed in early 2007, originally being "Eminence", but that just sounded too Evanescence to us! The band is currently seeking a bassist. If you are interested in trying out please contact us.

In october 2008, Khalid Abuwarda and Bader Abdullah joined us to fill ..s and Drums!"

To get to know the band a little better, I had "a word" with one of the band's founding members and lead guitarist/back up vocalist Hadi Sarieddine, about the band's sound, his favorite musicians, the scene in Kuwait, and alot more. Here's how it went:


TMR: Hows it going ?

Hadi: Going great man! Currently getting ready to finish up my Fall semester at the American University of Kuwait so things are a little hectic, but the upcoming break should put some gas back into my tank!



TMR: Can you tell me about your musical background? and about yourself?

Hadi: Well I was born here in Kuwait, spent most of my life here too. I started playing guitar 6 years ago, in January 2003; I spent the 1st 9 months creating my own tunings because I didn't understand how the whole tuning system works! I'd tune the strings in a way w here they sounded "musical" enough together to me, fretting was quite the issue at the start! hehe

I guess things got serious for me when I got my 1st electric guitar, 9 - 10 months later. Luckily by then I had learnt about the standard tuning and could play a few chords here and there, nothing fancy! I started doing the exercises for long hours and had some short-term goals that I wanted to achieve as a guitarist and a musician, and I started moving forward with more goals as I went along.



TMR: Who are some of your all time favorite musicians?

Hadi: John Petrucci and Dream Theater top that list, him and the band are my main influence and drive to be a better guitarist and push myself to write better music that's original and challenging, and edge-ie. However, there's more to the list as I listen to many styles of music! Hmmm let's see, I'm currently going through an Alter Bridge-fever stage, they're all I listen to mostly. As for across the years since I started playing it would be Linkin Park, Metallica, Opeth, Pink Floyd, Symphony X, Dream Theater. As for solo artists I'm really into Guthrie Govan, Andy Timmons, and Joe Satriani.

TMR: Can you tell me about Benevolent's sound?

Hadi: The sound that I personally "feel" when I'm composing for Benevolent is a warm, atmospheric, heavy and mellow in the same time. The musical themes are usually sad, dark, and with some hope sprinkled around here and there, if that makes sense! This combin ation could be what the lyrics and the music portray when they work together. I guess our sound is yet to be solidly defined as we create more music!



TMR: When do you guys plan on releasing more material?

Hadi: We currently have one song released, Solace, however we had some written and recorded material here and there that we never took to the next step.

However, Fadi and I have been working on just might be the new Benevolent song (If we end up being impressed by the final result!). I finished recording all the guitars, and programming all the instruments, Fadi finished writing the lyrics and we're almost done piecing together the vocal melodies before recording the vocals. He's working on it until he gets the perfect thing down! I'd rather not give any details about the track but I can say that it's very different from Solace, but they both carry a similar "feel", I guess this is what's going to define our sound as we go along.

Besides that, Fadi and I have spoken about many song ideas that we'd like to put together and we are hoping to release some more material in 2009!



TMR: Hows the rock scene in Kuwait, are there venues availble or places that hold rock gigs?

Hadi: The scene out here fluctuates, some gigs pop out every once and then but there are no consistent live opportunities. Sadly enough for us we haven't had a full-band setup in any of the gigs so we did not get the chance to play full-piece live gig.

As far as the music being released, the scene out here is pretty good and has a good mix of rock and metal genres, there are some death metal bands, some alternative rock ones, thrash, and other genres too! There are some pretty good tracks being released and very good musicians out here!



TMR: Where you involved in other projects before Benevolent?

Hadi: Yes. I've been in and out of a couple of bands and projects I've been part of, these include a band called "Winter". We had written some songs but that was a few years back.

I have also worked with Terminus on part of the production process for their upcoming debut album, Bader and Khaled recorded all their guitar solos at the little studio Fadi and I have setup out here at home. I'm looking forward to hearing the very final version of that one!



TMR: Who would you like to share the stage with?

Hadi: Oh boy, this is a tough one! Well I'd like to play a full-band gig with Benevolent as a start! I'm really looking forward to that opportunity! Hopefully we'll get the chance to put something together and play a local gig soon! It'd be nice to go out there and play for a crowd and share the stage with people you're very good friends with!

I would actually also love to perform along side Alter Bridge, the music is just very energetic and Myles Kennedy is one hell of a singer and I'd love to play guitar live to that!



TMR: Would you like to add anything?

Hadi: I'd like to thank you for giving us this opportunity to promote the material that we're releasing and for appreciating the underground local scenes out here in the Gulf and the Middle East. I'm looking forward to another encounter with The Metal Reporter!

Keep your eyes on our myspace page for the upcoming song! And wish us luck piecing it all together!

Thanks!


I'd like to thank Hadi for taking the time to answer my questions. Make sure to keep an eye out for Benevolent's upcoming releases on their Myspace.



Coming Up: "A Word" With Christian Olde Wolbers from Fear Factory about his new gear from Randall Amplifiers and his new band Arkaea !