An interview with Firas Allateef the Bass player of Acrassicauda a Heavy Metal band from Iraq :"We play the rock because we like it not because we "dick-sucking for the Americans" and to prove that the band started before the war and who was knowing that the Americans will invade Iraq "

Hi guys, thank you for according us some of your time and let's start from the beginning :Who is Acrassicauda what is it and from where is it ??
It's an Iraqi metal band plays all kinds of Heavy Metal like. Punk metal, death metal, thrash metal......

Since when does the band exist? Is the actual line up the original one?
This band started since 2000 - 2001 and the original one start 1999-2000

Let's talk about the music you play. I've noticed that the demo is a fusion of post-trash/prog/heavy metal .So you don't deal much with simple stuffs for there are several influences , and on each track we have right to a different sound and style . Aren't you focused on a defined style? or may be are you looking for your musical path ?
We have focused on a defined style but as you know we are the only now in Iraq and we have to let all the rock fans to enjoy what they hear no mater what style they do like ...

What are the band's influences? and what do you often listen to ?
Each one of the band members have his own favourite style but we all focused in our music on one style in each song to let all the rock styles listeners enjoy what we play .it's a hard thing but we have to do it especially in our country .because we are the only one here

While listening to the demo I saw that it resembles a bit to iron maiden and metal church and I think it's great because I like those bands very much notably on " under world" which sounds as "hollowed by thy name" but don't care I'm not talking at all about plagiarism or "copy and paste".
We are trying to make the listener judge and verify our style.

You are 2 vocalists in the band Fasil and Marwan , who does what ? I could notice that you have a variety of vocal types /one very "heavy" that sellotapes on "psycho" and an other less powerful on "under world" and to finish a hybrid of a neo-trash or even bawling vocal without forgetting that in the beginning and on the last notes of "beginning of the end" we hear on of you sending a yelling scream à la machine head. On what do you run guys? !!
Yap the one who sings ( psycho) he is our ex. vocalist and we did record this song before he quit the band, and after he left we start to cover what we miss plus that each song has it self spirit so we change the vocal in each song to give the song what it deserve to get to be good .

What are the topics of your songs ?
Mostly of our songs are talking about all what the man can face in the life every where and about what we have face in our life especially we do live in a war zone in Iraq.

Your demo was made is a "youth club" so in deplorable conditions I guess , and for that I insist to congratulate you because the result is more than the average. How much time did the recording last? Are you proud of your first work?
No but we are looking forward to do more and more . But let me tell you that we were forced to do those songs to stay safe and a way from the government hand.

I've noticed that except on "beginning of the end" you don't deal much with oriental sonorities according to many Arab bands. Do you think that the fact of sounding too exotic couldn't be well accepted by the foreign public who isn't used to this kind of sonority?
No we can play oriental stuff but the think is that we want to let the foreign public get close to the Arabic bands by hearing our songs which is mix between the foreign style and the Arabic spirit and also to know that there is Arabic's metal bands.

I was told that you were banished and forbidden to make gigs !!! can you tell us more about your last gig is the chasing club in Baghdad?
When we start to play a song of Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" at a recent concert, a lot of fans rushed the stage, jerked their heads to the music and slam-danced.
Midway through the set, the club official took the stage and ordered the crowd to sit down. The band ignored him and kept playing, and around 50 of the roughly 200 fans remained standing. The official ended the concert and angrily escorted the band off the stage. Faisal Talal, the band's singer and rhythm guitarist ask the crowd to sit down, but such The staid Iraqi Hunting Club, which hosted the concert, says the band won't be allowed back.

I thought I known that metal bands aren't welcome in your country , thinking about the band Scarecrow which the members were imprisoned because of a riot act during a gig , how could you explain this dictatorial plot ?
As you know some of people refuse all kind of stuff that's deal with religion and they think the metal it's a Satanism worship and author people think its just a noise.

In order to get peace according to your teacher's devices you composed a patriotic song to that good old saddam, do you think that in order to get peace man should lower one's head?
Its not about that. First thing we got forced to do it. As you know the rock its an American style of music and in his time all American things are not allowed so to stay away from the troubles we made it.

I learned that metal music and other kinds are banned by the extremists who see it as a "dick-sucking" for the Americans, do you think that music whatever it is and wherever it comes from , is universal? And that there's no flag? Is this the beginning of the abolition of all forms of culture in your country?
We play the rock because we like it not because we "dick-sucking for the Americans" and to prove that the band started before the war and who was knowing that the Americans will invade Iraq .
And I think that the people who thinks that way they need to understand that the music its not just for the Americans its universal so this people need stop telling shitt like that and repair their minds or go to hell .

What do you think about the re-election of bush? Do you think that's good for humanity as he will harvest all the shit he has scattered during 4 years?
We don't give a fuck about bush if he got re-elicit or not. And we are not a politics we are musicians.

I've learned that you have looked for labels everywhere to take you under its wings but the answers were negative except one from the land of stinking cheese "France" which suggested you to release the famous "youth of Iraq" in a compilation, do you think that the fact of coming from Iraq (according to Europeans) is a weakness sign and a gold mine to earn money trough bands who have an important message to send?
You seed it! : We have looked every were. And the expectation you talking about he want to use as a toll to get money by using our songs as a politic flair, and we been hopping that any Arabic labels can help us. But no answer.

How are you living your daily head Bangor life in a country almost in ruins where joy doesn't live in Iraqi's hearts? What did Alan melody become, I was told it was your Ali Baba cave bringing you metal discs?
We are a live that's all what I can say and we will continue what we started no matter what. And about Alan he is not the only one who have a metal CD's there is a lot of ways we can get our CD's through it so he is not the Ali Baba cave as u think he is..

Which is the Iraqi and Arab bands that you support and particularly appreciate?
We have some cool bands we do like. Melechesh , Litham and a Syrian band.

Any future plans?
Nothing for now

Thank you so much and I insist to say that we're here for you, just hold out because you're a band that must exist a last word to close this interview?
We want to tell the whole world that we are here alive breathing and we will keep rock !!!!!

Interview by +Ben+ English translation by N0cturnus

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