An exclusive interview of Omar Al kilani the guitarist who has involved in the most famous bands in Jordan "Half of AMMAN was sent to the jail except me why? Because they've been smoking weed which is illegal and I'm clean man so they all thought I will have shaved hair and sold guitar but no, I came with promo CD of AJDATH!!!"

Let's start by the meaning of AJDAH and a little history of your band ;)
AJDATH as a name was taken from fushha or the ancient or classical Arabic. It was mentioned in Quraan as the graves where the dead shall resurrect from. It fits the music and the concept of the band which used to be called DIABOLICAL PERFECTION so I decided to rename it.
It started when I felt that I can do something on my guitar and use it to present my ideologies and feelings so I decided to start a band. I started making some tunes and work on them then I met some metal heads and we decided that we love metal and we want to do something serious about it. We started with DIABOLICAL PERFECTION in late 1995. After one year we were joined by bassist from Iraq originally who lived in U.A.E, good musician called Ahmed. Unfortunately he had to leave to continue his studies. Before his departure the members of AJDATH started to split up for personal reasons, especially because of the lack of support and their families' pressure, so it ended as one man project.

Okay what about your musical concept?
My musical concept is mainly about the Middle East and Arabia in general. I believe we as Arabs have lots of history to talk about, death and gore to describe and sing in metal. Recently I'm more into mythologies and legends. Politics and aggression plays a big role in AJDATH too.

Well how do you approach and compose your music?
I don't squeeze myself to make music because then you will get stuck in the same circle and you won't be able to come with the new ideas. I work slowly and wait for new elements and ideas to pour in the bowl so I can reform it into the final shape. I keep myself opened to more information and more techniques.

What are the lyrics about? Notably in "I'm the terrorist" do you link it to general terror or is it about "Arabian" extremism?
As I said the lyrics and the music comes from the same influence. Mythology, aggression and politics, no one can avoid the great influence of politics we Arabs since the dawn of history are passing aggressive crusade and conspiracies. 5 years old kid would talk with you about politics.
Hmm, I have two answers; IM THE TERRORIST is one of the songs 100% taken from the daily political influences. The Israeli aggression against Arabs in Palestine is seen by one eye or blind eye in the west and the American media which makes any one who has the full view on the story feel sick and mad. I mean Polish who killed Nazis were heroes , the same French and Americans and Palestinians and Southern Lebanese are terrorists and they are fighting for the same rights Polish and French fought for so then you reach dead end that nobody want to listen or understand, they want to give names and distort the truth ..So from lets say the Palestinian or Lebanese side I'm the terrorist or I'm Mujahed I don't care, call me what ever you want, I'm doing what I have to do. The 2nd answer is, from Islamic point of view .You have it as an order in Quraan to prepare what you can gather of power to terrify your enemies and God's enemies. So that's what Americans are doing. All this false media about how great the American army is , that they got satellites and can zoom the number of your boxers, if that's true get the boxers of Bin Laden or Saddam , it's part of terrifying the Arabs and Muslims.

We notice a "no compromise" ass kicking brutality in your tracks
In which category do you see your band among metal styles?
I consider my style as DEATH/ THRASH metal technically and musically I'm influenced by those 2 styles.

Can you tell us about your influences and musical references?
I can say that bands that really influenced me are: TESTAMENT, (OLD) INCUBUS (OPROBIUM, now.) SLAYER, IRON MAIDEN, DEATH ANGEL, MORBID ANGEL, CANNIBAL CORPSE, VENOM. Speed and aggressive music gets my blood boiled that's what I like to listen and play.

Now you're living in Poland can you tell is why? And what about the new line up?
Well, I'm married in Poland that's a reason to move 2nd I lost my nerves waiting musicians to be better so we can work ,I mean I would cut my ass if I could find a drummer who can manage such a speed !!! We don't have dedication and professional attitude.
And intelligence agency always having my name in every file of drugs or Satanism even I pray in Ramadan, I don't drink and I don't take drugs because I'm a boxer since 7 years!!!! But our governments have comprehension less than my ass. I met a talented bassist called AREK who plays on the contrabass in the musical academy. Another guitarist contacted me and joined and he is into the same thrash and death metal style I play, and drummer called KUBA is from another city but he is excited and wants to do something.

Did you, or are you planning to make gigs in the future (in Jordan or other countries)?
I would love to, I know it sounds stupid but everyone in Jordan knows who OMAR KILANI is. I mean I was involved in the most famous death metal bands in Jordan AJDATH, X, DARKCIDE. So I'm sure they would like to see us live again. With X we played in the Rock Nation concert in Beirut and it was a great experience. We met great bands there such as WEEPING WILLOW, SHEPARD OF SHEOL and OATH TO VANGUISH. We Arabs have lack of contacts between metal heads and almost zero of corporation.

What about metal in Jordan? Are there other bands to make us discover?
Well the best time of metal in Jordan was early 90,s till 1998 we had a big concert of almost 2000 people called Metal Storm and there happened a fight and knifes were used and one of the bodyguards had a big cut on his head . That fight took the attention of the police of such violent actions and later you could find articles by stupid journalists of Satanism in Cairo and Lebanon and rituals which appeared to be mooching and head banging!!! But for them it was dark satanic rituals!! And to make it more fucked some kids in Lebanon killed themselves listening to NIRVANA so intelligence in Jordan started to compare such behaviour and concerts in Jordan and they arrested many metal heads in 1997. Most famous case was vocalist and bassist of thrash band called RAPTURE IN HADES and his story was famous in Jordan which made others stop playing and quit the whole metal thing and he just was playing SLAYER covers, and the agents used to think that when he starts to roar then the JINN hunts him!!!!
Till now X still exists even we all went to the intelligence agency but they could not prove anything on us so we kept playing. I joined in 1998-99 a band called DARKCIDE after I heard they kicked their previous guitarist I offered them to join because I saw that time dedicated young musicians and truly we recorded a full length CD and 2 songs were featured in Malaysian compilation CD with other Asian bands. But when the guitarist and vocalist left to CANADA we wanted to take the band to more professional track but because of lack of his experience we didn't use the material we recorded in correct way and we started loosing time and efforts and it appeared that he was waiting to sign a deal with giant labels such as METAL BLADE or NUCLEAR BLAST. I mean it's nice but nobody yet knows who is DARKCIDE so we had to start with underground label and work on the name but it was the beginning of fights which made me regret this childish management of TALAL and then I decided to concentrate on AJDATH .

Where and how was the recording of your demo?
as I said I wasted lots of years working and supporting other bands but the mentality in our countries and lack of metal sound engineers made it almost impossible to do something specially with fast music I play .I couldn't manage to get the drummer of DARKCIDE to reach that level so after one year of my arrival in Poland I had a complete line up with session drummer and we recorded in middle class studio 9 tracks we featured 3 tracks of them which you can find at www.mp3.com/ajdath.

We're looking forward to the album, any plans for recording soon?
I sent some cds for many labels around the Europe, starting in Poland where I live. I hope they will respond soon and maybe we can release the rest of the album in professional way.

Have you an idea to share about other Arabian metal bands?
Yeah, since you are a band and passed all this shit which is extreme, especially in our countries, it's such a waste of time and money to split up without leaving legacy. Stay dedicated this is the only thing that separates us from the Western scene.

Any plans for the "long term" future?
Signing deal and to release good metal music and prove that there is something called ARABIC METAL scene.

Some of the occidental world wonders how we can lead our lives as metal-heads in Muslim countries. How is it for you? I mean I hope there are no troubles with society!Because I don't know if you heard about what happened for our brothers in morocco (See killer zone interview...in our web site)...
Well the first stupid question you might face is why your hair is long, are you trying to look like a girl?!! Well we, who claim we follow the Islam, we proved how little we know about traditions and Islam. No prove till now says that man with long hair is homosexual or looks like a girl even it's hated in Islam to have only moustache which 90% of Arabs have , and it's hated in Islam to have undercut hair which most of Arabs have . So if they want to talk about Islam they should know that they are far away from Islam. You open the Arabic channels what do you find is al Rissalah film or belly dancers and cheap singers with breasts shown using stolen Greek and Turkish tones?! This is Islam? They are preaching for Islam or sex and drugs and alcohol? George Wassouf, everyone knows that he doesn't sing before he finishes the first litre of whiskey is he an Islamic symbol? And we metal heads are the danger! Bro we all share the same stupidity in Algeria or Jordan or in Egypt if you live on principles and values no one can make you stop metal or anything, if you stay away from illegal things no one can prove you are wrong. Half of AMMAN was sent to the jail except me why? Because they've been smoking weed which is illegal and I'm clean man so they all thought I will have shaved hair and sold guitar but no, I came with promo CD of AJDATH!!!
What happened in Morocco was fucked; I mean who opens www.arabtimes.com can see all the scandals of the Arabic governments and leaderships starting from Morocco ending on Jordan. Our countries are built on filth and hypocrisy. Poor guys playing music which is found all over the world on net and satellite channels, what crime they have done? Let them catch the Moroccan king for working as spy for Israel or his sons and daughters for wasting the Moroccan public fortunes on bullshit, or getting the economy down till you can find half of the Arabic prostitutes Moroccan girls ,this is the crime not guys playing on guitars . I wish them the best and I tell them if you want to achieve something leave your country, where at least people appreciate your art.

Any message for Arabian underground?
thank you a lot for this conversation you are one of the few I know in this cursed region who is working right on this scene , hailz to all who listen and understand our music, stay together and be from the first seed of Arabic corporation in metal .

Thanks much for the interview
We wish you a good continuation and good luck for the future, a famous last word for our readers?
Yeah as I said since you are doing no illegal shit stay confident and proud of what you are doing, none of our laws in the Arabic countries says that playing metal is a crime. Unless they caught you in satanic ritual or taking drugs they can't tell you cut your hair or don't touch guitar.

Interview by n0cturnus

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