Jihad Against Islam

Seeds of Iblis, the black metal band from Iraq, desecrates Islam and it already sounds interesting. This two man/two woman (you heard it right) band with Anahita (Janaza) on vocals could well be the beginning of the next wave that many of us have been waiting for.

Jihad Against Islam is pure blasphemous black metal. In particular, the track "No Islam" is just raw and an outstanding piece of work. Every song is unique and has a grim feel to it. With folk ingredients added, it sounds even better (maybe a bit too much). The best thing about the album, though, are the vocals of Anahita. With high-pitched shrieks and harsh vocals you can almost connect to the hatred of the band towards Islam. Just the brutal strength and aggression in the music makes you alive. The heavy riffs and sudden blastbeats give it a very dark and ambient atmosphere. The ep almost reminds you of early Marduk and Darkthrone.

The only thing that I disliked is the over-usage of background chants (which is alright, but is consistent throughout the album and thus becomes a bit repetitive). Yet overall it's a damn good album and anyone who likes exploring different forms of bands and black metal is surely going to enjoy it. Already looking forward to their next release.