Persistence and real passion for music were all it took these pharaohs to finally be able to make it out there – we’re talking international tours and record deals among some other well-calculated steps Anarchy are steadily taking toward a serious musical career. The critically-acclaimed five-member Progressive outfit founded in Cairo back in 2008 released their debut album Scriptorium last year and has been relentlessly carving their way out of the prosaics ever since. Rock Era Magazine decided to cut the corners on Anarchy’s journey of success and thoughts about the present-day music industry; here’s what they said:

What’s the reason behind the choice of name Anarchy?
We like to think that we create Anarchy within our music composition. Being a Progressive band, we love to get out the basics and always look for something new to enrich our listener experience by giving him something different.

Your lyrics portray exotic tales of ancient Egyptian and Greek cultures. Who is the lyric writer? And what is it that lures you in writing about such topics on your songs?
Ancient cultures and mythologies are full of wisdom and amazing tales to tell and this was our choice for our first album Scriptorium. As for the lyrics writing, Adham wrote them himself after studying Egyptian and Greek mythology for 3 month in order to get the facts straight on 12 Gates and Pandora. But our next album will be far away from history and mythology.

Last year you toured South Africa within three weeks time, and it seemed it had been quite a success. How was
the venture from a band’s perspective?
– Well, it was amazing 3 weeks we spent there where we played 7 shows all around the country side by side with our dear South African brothers Maximum Carnage and we call them “brothers” because that is exactly how these guys made us feel as part of their family. Of course the scenery all through the tour was mind-blowing, the fans and all bands joining us through the tour had been very supportive. We can’t wait to tour this magical country and meet all the friends we made there again.

What was the most common feedback you received from the audience when on tours?
All the feedback that we got after each show was very positive and some was really overwhelming but the one we always enjoyed hearing was “Your music is different” and that truly inspired us and put a wide smile on our faces.

What were the funniest/most awkward moments of 2013 for Anarchy?
We have our moments in Ganoub studio as it’s where we jam and also recorded our first album, but there’s one moment in particular that we can never forget about: a conversation between Hazem and Amr Hefny. Hazem was supposed to record a bassline that day and he showed up unprepared.

Hefny being the sound engineer asks “Are you ready to record, Hazem?”
Hazem: “Yes”
Hefny: “You restrung your bass and it’s sounding good?”
Hazem: “No. Regardless of the sound, I am ready to record”
Hefny pauses for a moment and replies: “So you surely trained on the bassline and know it by heart then?”
Hazem: “Umm, no. Regardless of the training, I am ready to record”
Hefny pauses again and goes: “GO HOME, HAZEM!”

Another moment was in Cape Town while on tour; we were invited to an interview on Cape Town radio. On the day of the interview most of the band members were.. How can I put this? Let’s say “hammered”. We could barely talk or walk, LOL. Interview started and let’s just say that our responses were in a new language other than English- a small example: when we were asked “Are you guys having a good time in South Africa?”, one of us answered “We are having the life of our time”!
The radio broadcaster laughed and said “You mean you are having the time of your life”, but one of us replied “YES, we are having the life of our time”. Again! LOL.

So how do you guys manage to afford the time for Anarchy and your personal lives?
By proper planning, commitment and being lucky that all people around us in our personal life are very supportive to Anarchy.

As for 2014, it too comes packed with live activities- Neck Buster back in March, Wacken Metal Battle Egypt in May- and a tour in Spain in July. How are you preparing for all this?
That’s true. 2014 is and will be a busy year for us, but we do nothing differently. We train hard, jam harder and give our best on each stage where we perform. That said, we would like to highlight that this coming Wacken battle of the bands on 3rd of May means a lot not only to the participating bands but also for the entire Egyptian Metal scene. This is the first time Wacken takes a closer look into the Egyptian Metal scene so let’s all bands and fans give them a hell of a battle.

And there are talks about a new album this year, have you guys decided on a release date yet?
No albums will be released by Anarchy this year but a single will be out soon.

In regards to the distribution deal you signed with Legacy Records last year, is it going to be applicable for upcoming album, too?
Our contract with Legacy Records is for Scriptorium. For the next album, we haven’t decided yet.

What impact do you believe heavy music has on the Arab world nowadays?
Maybe it’s the other way around. The Arab world and all that’s going on in the area generates a lot of strong emotions that can be expressed through Metal, and as we all can see Middle Eastern African and Arabian Metal is on the rise like never before.

Having experienced both, what does the music industry abroad possess that
Egypt’s own requires in order for it to prosper?
Actually we have a strong music industry in Egypt but it’s been directed in a one-way road a million miles away from Metal for so long now. In order to Metal music in Egypt to rise and be called Egyptian Metal music industry you need everything that’s normally found in other countries which respect and appreciate the music like labels, more venues, more promoters ,more organizers, sponsors. But hopefully one day we will have it all.

If I ask you to name one thing music has taught you, what will it be?
Adham: Patience
Hazem: Listening to others.
Naeyer: Persistence.
Peter: That everything in life is related.
Raouf: That through music you can create your own world and live in it.

By the previous lines Manowar set the undying law of metalheads, the only music fan community powerful enough to stand in the face of social, religious, cultural and even political feuds. According to that metal in Egypt survived, that’s why we have a variety of metal acts and gigs. Ladies and gentlemen, I present you, Neck Buster II rocked El Sawy Culturewheel on Tuesday February 18, 2014, 7 pm sharp. The night was a dual play between the very well known five pieces Progressive metal band Anarchy and the jinxed Deathcore act Mephostophilis. Outside of the stage metal lovers started swarming in and out with two questions dominating every discussion: “Isn’t it too-much-concerts for Anarchy already?” which relays on the band’s tight time gaps between a live show and another before their tour in South Africa, and a concert very recently – featuring Scarab – and the one we are reviewed for you!

Youngsters were majority among the crowd, a scene made me recall what it was like to be a junior metalhead back in the days, knowing no one and just searching for the adrenaline rush and thunder in one’s guts. The mild weather encouraged many to go discover the new comers – for most of the audience – Mephostophilis. Tickets in hand, horns up high, and we’re off!
To our surprise the openers were Anarchy, introduced us to the show with “The battle within” but guitarist Ahmed “The Dragon” Ra’ouf wasn’t at the right hand of Adham –the vocal- and replaced by Omar Damian – ex-Enraged, currently Devour – who proved himself a real Guitar Hero for memorizing and mastering the complicated riffs and solos the band known for.

 Needless to say, Adham‘s stage persona, slithering moves and old-school-air-guitar became a personal trademark, in a way he manages to attract viewer’s attention to what the tunes tell relaying on his stage moves. Following this track came a fan favorite “12 Gates” along with an unexpected tech difficulty: Omar‘s guitar died! But audience met the unfortunate stoppage with supportive applause then the track started over perfectly and ended flawlessly.

After a tight performance of “Pandora”, Adham gave a fiery speech about support mentioning the key flaw in Egyptian metal scene support pattern: being too picky in who – and what – to support! He mentioned some of the rising little bands like the thrash metal band Gorynov who come all the way from Ismailia weekly to jam in Cairo, and the oriental metal new band Absolution.

The speech is something to stop at, as a die-hard fan and a person who stood for so long amidst the moshing waves of metal lovers in Egypt, I can tell that the biggest obstacle for ALL the bands is the element they primarily depend on: their audience who never give the proper support and summarizing their fandom in the “Like and Share” process. Fans of metal in Egypt unknowingly destroy their scene.

Speaking of support, there were many big faces in the concert hall to support the bands like Alshareif Marzeiban of Scarab, Marwan Shaaban of Wyvern, Mohamed Sa’eid and Zander of Destiny In Chains, a group of musicians who sent a clear message to the metal scene that: We are all in this together, we are one!

Keeping up the fervent atmosphere came “The Headbanger” an instrumental track worth its name, ending with a great finale “Albus Dumbledore” came on stage – Harry Potter joke? Get it? Anyone? – Or as Adham named his masked persona “3am 3abdou”, an old man with a huge white beard, crazy hair, and an asylum inmate suite. Closing the insane performance with “Asylum”, The band and fans had a rest preparing for what’s to come next.

Up next was Mephostophilis, a deathcore band with a load of bad luck, probably well known for the misfortune they face, remember when they were called off the stage after about 2 minutes of starting their performance back in 2012? THAT was the last time fans ever saw them live!
Starting with a pretty messy track, they introduced themselves to the crowd, notable the amount of groovedeath-core attending especially for them. Avoiding flaws of the starting track, they indulged more into the setlist proving how powerful can deathcore be especially when it’s new for Egyptian ears, track met approval and chemistry by the fans. Band’s vocal Mahmoud Hosni improved his growling style,
They finally got the drummer Ahmed Hesham instead of excessive use of drum machines. This man was the crown gem of the band’s performance, he managed to cover up for the mistakes and drops made by the guitarists excluding the Bass holder, Dimitry, who put a solid show appeared in all the tracks.
A string of fan favorites began with “Internal explosion in the chest” which was altered to give the drummer a full DRUM SOLO! And boy was he a monster. Full 10/10 to this guy!

Following to earlier track they played “Disposal of mankind” and “Brutality Shall remain” 2 new tracks previously published online. After a steady and stable performance they ended the show earning their stamp of approval by their new –and old- fans.

It was a long tiring day but that’s what it takes to form a TRUE music scene. Till the next time. See ya!

Reviewed by: Ahmed A. Ateyya
All Photo’s rights reserved to: Lina ElGohary

With the whole political instability and daily life frustrations, metal-heads needed a gig to refresh their minds. So Brain Slash decided to give us a treat by organizing one of the most electrifying metal gigs on the Egyptian scene on the 25th of November 2013 in our very own Sawy Culturewheel. The gig was headlined by two of the most famous and hottest bands on the scene; Scarab (Brutal Death Metal) and Anarchy (Progressive Metal.) Those two bands did their best to entertain the audience and give them one hell of a night.

I am no stranger to Anarchy; I almost attended all of their gigs and watched them perform, they develop from one gig to the next, which makes a lot of people see them as the futuristic strong force in the Egyptian scene. The thing about Anarchy as a band is that they know how to bring energy to the event with their talented and energetic front man Adham Kafafy. The guy knows how to set people on fire with his movements and air guitar skills, which makes their live performances unique and great to watch. Anarchy‘s performance was everything that you’d expect; an energetic performance and one hell of a way to start the night. For Anarchy the last couple of years were awesome with releasing their debut album “Scriptcorium” and going on tour to South Africa.

The playlist wasn’t much of a surprise, they played the good ol’ tracks that fans know by heart, they were (with no order): PANDORA, one of the most complicated and multi layered tracks produced by the band, a mix of hard riffs and solos played by the new music power houses Peter Ayman and the dragon Ahmed Ra’ouf. The notable thing about the guitar duo of Anarchy is the confidence and the eye contact, both of them never –from our point of view as audience- seem to know when the other is ready to play the double layered riffs and the ear pounding solos, a sense of strong onstage chemistry that’s not often spotted among Egyptian musicians in general – no offence.

The new addition to the playlist was a SUDDEN instrumental track called “The headbanger”; a track with a secret message: “We might be a progressive metal band…but we know how to make the crowd jump around in a frenzy!!!”

The playlist also consisted of well known tracks such as “12 gates” and “Asylum” (hence Adham‘s shirt).

After a short break, familiar growls shook Sakia’s walls…it was time for the pharaohs to roar out of their tombs, along came Scarab!
It’s been a while since I last saw Scarab. Fact is I last saw them back in 2011 in Brain Slash vol.1, so yeah I was eager to see them again. Scarab‘s reputation in the international metal scene is very decent, and they are no strangers to touring outside of Egypt.

The fans were on fire, which made sense since people waited for about two years to see the band again; and the band definitely gave them with a taste of the long-awaited new album ”Serpents of the Nile.” The thing about Scarab is that they have a really strong stage presence, and they’ll force you to headbang and go to the battle field aka the mosh-pit even if you don’t want to. Their kick ass music will make you do it, it’s like magic, BLACK magic!
Track listing for Scarab won’t be so hard because they have a theme of shuffling old and new songs. Fans were astonished by the professionally conducted act that the band put out; everyone was agreeing that “what we are now beholding is what makes them internationally notable.”

Let’s talk about the other aspects of the gig, I loved the lighting system. It suited the atmosphere of the songs and added a lot to the gig itself. As for the audience, well to be frank, I hate people who see a metal gig as an excuse to get drunk and spread the ”poser” disease. I saw some dude who was really REALLY drunk that he puked beside me and on several people from the audience, the guy smelled like a walking gas station. It’s people like that dude who give the metal scene in Egypt such a shitty reputation by behaving immaturely.

On a lighter note -and a wider look on matters- the rest of the people attending the show were literally hungry for music, music (audience in Egypt tend to be judgmental and picky) but that day everyone went home happy.

Reviewed by: Hossam Ramzy and Ahmed A. Ateyya