Sometimes extreme music becomes a bit exotic, just for the fact of the origin of a band. Do you know any band from Algeria? Well, LITHAM are from there, and the "exotic" thing would become just anecdotic if the band would be bad, but that's not the case. LITHAM are good enough as to make you read this interview I did with Redouane, one of the members via e-mail. Try to check them out and you'll discover a very interesting act.

Welcome to Xtreem Music. It's the first time we feature a band coming from Algeria and it's a pleasure. How's life out there?
In Algeria those days the life is quite, note that we had a difficult period during the last 10 years with minority religious fundamentalism!

Sorry if this question disturbs you, but I feel the need to do it: Is it easy for a Metal band to work on a free basis in your country? We all over here in Europe have heard rumours about the religious situation in your country and the lack of freedom to make things like this... Or are we wrong?
Here in Algeria we don't have problems, and we never had problems to play Metal. If you see our biography you'll remak that LITHAM was born in 1996 and during this period the situation in Algeria was very, very critical!! But the real problems for a Metal band in Algeria are the cost of the material and the places for concerts and to find a good studio for this kind of music!! Because the engineers are not specialized in this kind of music!

Lets talk about your activities now: What can you tell us about the origins of the band? When were you formed?
LITHAM is the veil by which the Saharan nomads cover their faces against the pitiless desert storms. LITHAM is also an Algerian Metal band; we have chosen this name because we want to keep mystery. The beginning of the band was in March 1994, when Redouane (me) and Yacine joined together to investigate in Death Metal in an existing band called NEANDERTHALIA. In September Sabri joins the band, until July 96, when the three musketeers Redouane, Yacine and Sabri left this band to create LITHAM.

Did you have any demo before recording "Dhal Ennar"?
Nothing, it is our first recording!

How did exactly come the idea of recording those 8 songs that formed the CD? Why did you decide to release it on a more professional basis?
Coinciding with the third anniversary of the band (July 28th, 1999), LITHAM releases the first Algerian Metal album called "Dhal Ennar" (that means "shade of fire"). This album was recorded in 6 days, and mixed in 2 days, first we have signed a contract with an Algerian label that released the album in cassette format only but after the death of our manager we have decided to release it in CD format to export it through worldwide!

How many copies have you distributed of this CD?
2.350 copies were sold in cassettes (and 500 CD's brought out a new edition by the band itself). The distribution was only in Algeria.

You play mainly Metal music but enriched with elements from styles like Chaabi (popular Algerian music), Andalousian (Algerian classical music)... Why to do that?
We do that because first we like listening to those styles of music and we can find many element in them which make a good mixture with Metal! And we want to make a personal Metal which gave to us our identity.

You also use rhythms like the Insiraf or Goubbahi, can you explain us what's all of this? The fact is that your music is so varied and rich that one can delight listening to it...
Those rythms are very complex and are used in Algerian music, like Chaabi and Algerian classical music, we can't find them in other styles, and that's the other reason that we are exploring musical paths of our national patrimony.

What are your influences? What kind of music do you listen usually?
We like all kinds of good music (Metal, Jazz, Rock,...). Me, I hear to Algerian classical music and Chaabi. I like it very much and I think that it helps us to compose our music and make it very original. Our guitarists like John Petrucci (DREAM THEATER) and Joe Satriani, so we can say that they are influenced by them.

Do you have plans to do new recordings soon? Have you had any offer from labels?
Now we are searching for a record deal to record our second album, which is more original than "Dhal Ennar" and more brutal, but it's difficult for us to find a label, because we are in Algeria and we are far from europe.

How's the Metal scene in your country? Can you recommend us any band?
In Algeria there is about 15 Metal bands which are working and playing live. The other bands have splitted because of many problems like the cost of the material and the places for concerts. For example I can recommend: MELTDOWN or ENTHROPY or ATAKOR, etc ...

Is it easy for you to play live in your area? Do you like the live thing?
We play about 5 or 6 concerts per year. It's not easy to make a concert in Algeria. The major problems are to find a place for it and a good sonorisation.

What do you expect for the band in the future?
For the future, we are looking for a record contract (we are ready for everything, we work hard and have a professional attitude), and concert organizers, for tours all over the world. All advices and propositions are welcome (participation in a compilation, radios and zines interviews, concerts, contract etc...) and we are going to play in France in "Djazair 2003" (we are going to have the dates in December), the year of Algeria in France.

Thanx a lot for this interview. Any last comments?
I hope that LITHAM record it's second album for the Algerian Metal and the Algerian music, so if you are interested contact us, you'll not regret it! Thanx for everything!

Interview by Toni from XTREEM MUSIC Date: 01/2003

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