My series on Middle Eastern black metal continues with a look at Cyprus.

There’s a buzz about this 1974 album among collectors of vintage psychedelia and prog-rock; quite a rarity, the original LPs — only 200 pressed — were supposedly going for as much as $1000 in online auctions (the highest I saw was $800).
The song begins, to clapped hands, “Happy new year / my dear / it is time to face our fear”. That’s the line I kept singing, like a mantra. It’s a good alternate New Year’s theme, I think – welcome to a new, fearless year.

This album was inspired by Merritt’s image of ’60s folk music – big-production folk with dazzlingly complex arrangements.

“Lucky Day” belongs in the same canon as the very best of HANK WILLIAMS or MERLE HAGGARD.
My series on Middle Eastern black metal continues with a look at Egypt.

A spectacularly intense yet intimate performance by a still-hungry young artist on the rise.

We were also treated to a cover of “The Godfather”, a song by singer PETER CORTNER’s late ’80s band DAG NASTY.
SURFER BLOOD, on the other hand, were a complete revelation.
My series on Middle Eastern black metal continues with a look at Bahrain.