How did the band start, when and where?

The band started in 2005 when guitarist “Karim Kolaly” and drummer “Rafik El Naggar” had the passion to form a heavy metal band which has the taste of heavy music with the thrashy touch…They started at school with other members. Then the band had a lot of changes regarding their members till we settled on the current members.

As a band from Alex how you can describe the metal scene there and how do you connect with Cairo’s scene? 

Amr: The metal scene is becoming recognizable now more and more and we have a very strong positive point that we all come together and support each other in every event whenever it is and wherever it is. About Cairo fans we have our fans and friends there among the other bands. We also connect with them through our YouTube channel

Do you suffer from the accusations towards the metal scene nowadays in media? How do you think we can solve this problem? 

People think that we are aggressive because our music is heavy for ’em and we’ve always been treated as a second degree band because we play music which is different from what people listen to. We can solve this by inviting new people to our concerts and make them listen to our music, and we can help also by organizing charity events, well sponsored ones, to show the people our real image and prove to them that we are normal people who just play a different type of music.

Tell me about your current members and former ones? 

The current line-up is:

• Hazem Mamdouh: vocals
• Amr El Gendy: Lead/rhythm guitar
• Saadalh El Nagar: Bass guitar
• Youssef Ali: lead/Rhythm guitar
• Rafik El Naggar: Drums

The former ones:
Karim El Kolaly: Guitars and vocals
Ibrahim Bof: bass
Barakat: Guitars
Ahmed Ayman: Bass

After the release of Metal albums for other bands are you guys planning for an Alexandrian album release of your own? 

Currently we are preparing for recording our original songs and for sure it’s a dream for us to release an album here in Egypt for all the people to listen to.

What are your favorite metal bands in Egypt and why? 

Varden band .The band is great and has the taste of real power metal music. Wyvern band also is a very respectable band and well known here in Egypt. Also Redeemers are a very serious, well organized band.

How can do categorize your music? 

Heavy metal with a groovy and thrashy touch plus the melodic part in our songs.

Tell me about the competition held in Alex bib. and what was your feelings after winning three awards?

It was a music competition that Bib Alex host every year in the summer .We got accepted to play in it and we did a hell of a show .It was on August the 6th 2007 and we played 4 songs, 2 originals and 2 covers.

After the concert we were all happy and celebrated together but we never expected that we’d win anything.

Three days later bib Alex called us and they said that we won something but they didn’t say what it was, but they asked us to perform again on August the 10th. We went there and it was a moment to remember!

Anoxia won three awards that day:

1. The audience award “votes”
2. The best cover band
3. The best lead guitarist “Amr El Gendy”

It was a hell of a night and we still celebrate it until now.

Tell me about your discography? 

Well we have many original songs:

• Rattlesnake
• Self suicide
• Death machine
• Blame yourself
• Goddamn no
• Survivor
• Of fear and denial
• Made of steel
• Ride to hell
• Broken hearts
• Within my heart
• The last ride

Are there any official videos for the band? 

Yeah the band has got many videos from our previous concerts…Some were uploaded on our YouTube Channel

Are you guys planning to enter music competitions around the world?

Sure, If we got the opportunity to participate in a world music competition then why not?

Can you give me names of bands that you shared and/or want to share the stage with in the future?

Bands we shared the stage with are: “Abraxas, Nemesis, Rotten Mind, Frost Morn, On Thrones…”

We’d like to share the stage again with any band who plays real good music and for sure they must have a friendly attitude so we can have the fun and the crazy stuff we always do backstage.

Give me a brief summary about your previous gigs and concerts? 

AnoxiA performed many gigs here in Alex, mostly at Bib Alex:

1st was on June 21st 2007.
2nd one was @ hands cafe together with Abraxas band November 23rd 2007.
3rd one was @ bib Alex music competition August 6th 2007.
4th one was @ bib Alex closing ceremony August 10th 2007.
5th one was @ bib Alex together with Nemesis band December 14th 2007.
6th one was @ bib Alex together with Nemesis and On Thrones July 30th 2008.
7th one was @ bib Alex together with Abraxas band on October 30th 2008.
8th one was @ bib Alex March 6th 2009.

Is there any merchandise for the band? 

Not yet but by the release of our demo some merchandise will be available.

Anoxia what do you mean by the name? 

It means absence of oxygen, i.e. suffocation.

Are you guys planning to hit the western world? 

We’d love to for sure but first we need to prove our presence here then we shall move to the western world.

What are your plans for the future? 

We are planning to release our 1st album and give a hell of great shows all around Egypt so that people can hear us everywhere.

What do you think of Metal albums released lately in Egypt , is it a good step for more records to come up soon and how do you think we can promote heavy metal in Egypt? 

For sure it’s a great step for the metal scene to get improved and rise in Egypt which tells people that our music isn’t bad after all!

Are there any upcoming concerts soon? 

We are planning to give a show very soon .Just stay tuned!

What are the lyrical themes of your tracks?

Every song has its structure and it’s own issue. Our lyrical themes varies between personal issues such as in “Blame yourself and Broken hearts”, Social issues like talking about drugs in “Rattlesnake” and Global issues like “Death Machine” and some of our lyrics talk about AnoxiA as a band and our fans.

Do you guys perform covers in addition to originals, and can you give me the names of those covers? 

Yeah, we perform covers but mainly we perform our own originals

Covers like:

Cowboys form hell “Pantera”
Ride the lighting “Metallica”
Alone in the dark “Testament”
DNR “Testament”
Domination “Pantera”
The day that never comes “Metallica”
And more to say ..

Is there any message that you want to deliver to your fans?

Support us ..It’s what we really need THE SUPPORT from everyone!