#3: Nawather
The band hails from Tunisia, a hub for Oriental folk metal artists.
Background Info (Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives)
Country of origin: Tunisia
Location: Tunis
Status: Active
Formed in: 2013
Genre: Progressive Metal with Middle Eastern Folk influences
Lyrical themes: Hope, Terrorism
Current label: M & O Music
Years active: 2003–2013 (as Agony’s Serenades), 2013-present
ALthough Nawather and Myrath (another Tunisian band) share similarities in terms of style, I really appreciate Nawather’s music because it is a thing in its own — most of their songs (especially in Wasted Years) have “less aggressive” tempos, which provide variety when I’m binging on oriental folk metal (West Asia/North Africa).
They have a qanun player! (a kind of “Mid-eastern” zither). The sound of the qanun and the maqams blend really well with the band’s music. It really brings out the folk aspect of their sound, as well as the imagery that comes with it — cultural and geographic. Besides the qanun, they also incorporate folk percussion (I think I could hear a doumbek and a daf in the tracks from Wasted Years) and other instruments in their records.
Favorite albums:
- Haven’t heard the entirety of their newest release, Kenz Illusion (2021), so I may have to update this section soon :)) I liked the music video for Falleg though.
Favorite songs:
- Raped Dreams (Wasted Years; 2016)
- Defnouna (Wasted Years)
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