Worldwide Metal: Kenya
In another edition of Worldwide Metal, I will be heading to Africa to the country of Kenya. A country full of culture and diverse populations from Swahili and Bantu to Nilotic and Maasai. But what about metal culture? Is there a metal scene in the country that infuses its popular culture? Well, there is many types of styles of music from the country. Today, I will cover bands that tackle diverse genres from death metal, atmospheric black metal and good ol’ heavy metal.
First up is the band Straight Line Connection. Formed in 2017, the band is a hybrid of stoner and groove metal with elements of classic rock and traditional heavy metal. Taking inspiration from classic doom acts like Black Sabbath, while infusing elements of Electric Wizard and Orange Goblin, the band perfectly mixes an occult like sound that was big in the seventies. Releasing their debut album in 2019 Spaceless, the album established the band as a true metal act to come out of the region. They followed that record up three years later with Out With A Vengeance. Which I would admit is a step up from the previous album and a great introductory record for new fans of the band. The band’s most recent music was the song “Greatest of All Time” which paid tribute to legendary soccer player Lionel Messi.
You can check out the band’s Spotify page or their Bandcamp.
The next band I want to talk about is the one-man atmospheric black metal project Nelecc. Drawing inspiration from nature and life itself, the project released it’s debut album The Stars in 2018. With beautiful orchestration on the album’s opening title track, it really builds a folkish, ambient beginning that would appease any fan of Panopticon or Windir in the song’s musicianship. As “A Thousand Suns” starts, the song’s demo like, cavernous mix truly embodies an otherworldy presence. Along with a feeling of loneliness, longing and regret in the music. Nelson Ulgravyskvrya’s gritty, snarling vocals, intertwined with spoken word sections, really captures a hybrid of ambient, atmospheric and post-black metal. A hidden gem for fans of the post-black metal/blackgaze sound that is beginning to rise in the scene.
You can check out the band’s Bandcamp to purchase the album or check out the other singles he has released.
The last band I will be covering today is blackened death metal act Absence of Light. Formed in 2009, the band only released one album, 2013’s Vyom Chakra. With a heavy, blasting sound with subtle orchestral elements that bare striking similarities to popular blackened death metal acts like Behemoth and Melechesh. Guttural vocals of Angad Gupta truly deliver a more brutal/slam death metal sound to the atmospheric elements of the genre. With the pounding drumming and groove on “Daksha” to intricate guitars on “Samadhi”, the band truly delivers a punishing take on the genre, while adding cultural mythology and the traditional misanthropy and war of the genre. Though only one album, a pretty strong and punishing record of sheer sonic brutality.
You can purchase their album Vyom Chakra on their Bandcamp
That’s going to do it for my time visiting Kenya and another edition of Worldwide Metal. Did you dig some of the bands I featured? Were there any bands you think other readers should check out? You can also let me know what country I should travel to next, so I can stamp my metal passport on my journey to discover Worldwide Metal.
