Arkan – Salam (2011)

Season Of Mist bring us the second full-length album by Arkan, “Salam”, following their promising debut from 2008, titled “Hilal”. Last year I discovered a couple of exciting bands from the Middle East such as Orphaned Land, Melechesh and Absolace, Arkan comes to completing the picture, their music is labeled “oriental death metal”, an inspired mixture of the sounds of East and West, the melodies of North and South, amalgamate melodic Death Metal with Oriental traditions with roots reach deep down into the ethnic sounds of Algeria and Morocco. Arkan put together the whirlwind of Arabic percussion and the magical sound of ancient oriental string instruments with crushing riffs and intense rhythms, clean singing of Sarah Layssac with the screams and growls of Florent Jannier. Mystic and intense, “Salam” (Peace) is a colourful and powerful album with all the best spices of the East and West compounding together.

Arkan was formed by Foued Moukid in 2005 at Paris, France. “Salam” was produced by Fredrik Nordström (In Flames, Dimmu Borgir) and benefits also from a guest appearance of Kobi Farhi from Orphaned Land. 13 tracks, excellent songs, performance and production.

Arkan – Official Site
Arkan – on MySpace
Season Of Mist