It’s a wrong idea that Metal can’t be played in any country you think of (except in dictatorial states or those with severe religious constrains). Metal isn’t a national thing, or can’t be played by different people (although there are mind-fucked supremacists everywhere). Since the days that Metal bands appeared in the Middle-East, a new cultural blend was born, and since then, many and many more appeared. One of the younger names of the Middle-East scene is DUNE, from Saudi Arabia, here with its first EP, “Years of Chains”. The main question of the reader is what is shown by the quartet, and it’s simple: an ample and eclectic form of Groove/Thrash Metal plenty of cultural traces of Middle-East music in some moments (please, groove is an essential element of traditional Folk music in any country you can think of).

Even some Progressive Metal elements can be heard (some technical bass parts, as heard on “Reject”), fine melodies and a massive energy. Although it’s their first release, it’s excellent and points for a great future for them. The band produced the songs, and it was mixed and mastered by Crushing Studio, and the final result sounds clean and defined, but in a sharp and aggressive way that’s hard to hear in a day when aggressiveness is losing its charm for many. And Mamdoh Tawili (the band's bass player) did a fine artwork for the cover, indeed.

“Sieve” is an aggressive and slow song based on strong Groove Thrash Metal elements, sounding nasty, but always with excellent guitar riffs and arrangements. Progressive Metal elements and Middle-East folk touches can be heard on “Reject”, a song with many contrasts, but filled with excellent bass guitar parts and fine clean vocals contrasting with harsher ones. Boosted by groove, “Insidious” shows again shows fine contrasts between vocals tunes, what lay some different musical layers to the song. “Refuge” brings the band to a more aggressive and classic Thrash Metal approach, with a strong playing on the drums.

“Years of Chains” is really a very good first coming, and people can expect great things of DUNE, indeed.