The Middle East has housed a multitude of dangerous artists in the Metal scene after the 21^st century, and it definitely hasn't been easy. Why dangerous you say? Because Metal is a genre that's rebellious, loud and to some extent can be satanic. This attitude is definitely not welcome in nations that espouse government loyalty and traditional values. With that said, Black Metal is not only unwelcome like the other Metal sub-genres, but in countries like Saudi Arabia and Iraq, being behind the production of an anti-God (Allah, Yahweh, Horus, whoever you want to call him) can get you slaughtered like swine.

AL-NAMROOD, translating to "the non-believer" have been rebels since the start and released throughout the years several Black Metal albums unique to the genre. The recent release "Diaji Al Joor" is very similar to the band's previous efforts in many ways, and I shall get to that in a second.

The Saudis are very notable for the style of Black Metal that day espouse. Do not expect anything orthodox to the style from the first wave, or similar to the musicianship of the second wave Norwegians. Instead, expect a style of music that's ridden with Arabian synth, guitar riffs that accompany the very oriental feel of the track, and average but relevant drums.

However, compared to previous AL-NAMROOD releases such as "Kitab Al Awthan", this new LP showcases a lot of monotony and no standout musicianship whatsoever. This isn't displeasing in the fact that it sounds similar, but the whole album from start to finish is a constant onslaught of the same guitars and synth. The vocals nonetheless are a standout. Humbaba screams decipherable Arabic vocals that deliver the misanthropic atmosphere these Allah defiants are known to inflict on the listener. As for the production quality, it is very loud and unclean, making sure you don't hear the bass and instead, the distortion of the vocals and guitar.

"Diaji Al Joor" is a recommended release for Black Metal listeners that want to explore the Arabic sounds Metal Heads in North Africa deliver. If you're already a fan of AL-NAMROOD and similar bands such as AYAT and HATECROWNED, grab this release as soon as possible.