"How often do you come across an Arab doom black metal band with folk elements in their music?" Exactly my thoughts when this album hits my doormat. Narjahanam from Bahrain was formed by Mardus who you might know from the Bahrain based act called Gravedom, together with Busac they created the first full length called Undama That’hur All Shams Min Al Gharb.

 

With lyrical themes about Middle Eastern history, wars, religion and genesis, which are completely sung in their native language, they try to create a dark atmosphere that suits the music. With the use of some keyboard and eastern instruments they’ve made a good start. But as the saying goes a good start doesn’t mean you’re going to be first at the finish line.

 

Well Narjahanam could be a role model for that saying if you ask me. The start of the first track sounds very promising with a dark intro that should be great for the beginning of Prince of Persia soundtrack or any other game about an Arabian warlord. Unfortunately that feeling immediately disappears when the instruments kicks in and the track sounds like any other mediocre doom metal band. The same can be said about the second song which can be added to the list of uninteresting black metal tracks. The rest of the album balances between some nice moments and parts you just want to skip. With ‘Al Jihad’ and ‘Al Shar Wa Aljan’ there are some nice moments but after this, it’s just more of the same.

 

It’s of course great when you start a side project to release something different upon humanity, especially when this project does add something special. Well I have to conclude that Narjahanam fails miserably. Of course it’s great to hear a different approach to music and the use of several eastern instruments within the music, but that doesn’t hold the attention for an entire album.