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Myrath
Tunisian progressive metal band From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Myrath (Arabic: ميراث mīrāth, "Legacy") is a Tunisian progressive metal band formed in 2001 by guitarist Malek Ben Arbia and currently based in France.[1] The band has been noted for its mix of Arabic and Middle Eastern instrumentation with power metal and progressive rock[2] and is considered an important band in oriental metal.[3] They call their own sound "blazing desert metal".[4][5] They are the first band from Tunisia to be signed to a record label outside the country.[6]
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Career
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Early history
Guitarist Malek Ben Arbia, then age 13, formed the band, first named X-Tazy, in 2001 with some childhood friends.[7] The band played covers of blues, heavy metal, and death metal songs. Amongst numerous lineup changes, keyboardist/singer Elyes Bouchoucha joined in 2003 and remained with the band until 2020. They eventually moved toward a progressive metal and oriental metal sound. In 2005 they released the EP Double Face via USB flash drives in Tunisia.[7] The album gained some notice in Europe, leading to a contract with France's Bremmis Music. Now known as Myrath, the band became the first Tunisian act to sign with a European label.[7] During this period they met French musician Kevin Codfert,[8] who has been their producer ever since.
Their first album under the name Myrath, produced by Codfert, was Hope in 2007.[8] At this time the band included Arbia and Bouchoucha with bassist Anis Jouini, who became a permanent member, plus drummer Saif Louhibi.[7] Shortly after the release of Hope, singer Zaher Zorgati joined the band and took over lead vocals from Bouchoucha. Zorgati's ability to combine Islamic chants with heavy metal wailing became a key component of Myrath's sound,[7] while the band's lyrics began to focus on Tunisian folklore.[9]
The album Desert Call was released in 2010; this album's sound was compared favorably to that of Orphaned Land.[10] Tales of the Sands followed in 2011.[11] Drummer Morgan Berthet joined the band in 2012, forming a stable lineup for the next several years.[7] They began to play European summer festivals regularly, and their first American appearance was at the ProgPower USA festival in 2013.[12]
International recognition
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Myrath opened for Symphony X during a high-profile tour of England in 2016.[13] The album Legacy, featuring lyrics contributed by Tunisian poets, was released later in 2016.[14] Also that year, Zorgati made a guest appearance on the album The Source by Ayreon.[15] Myrath then toured around the world consistently for more than two years and appeared at several international music festivals.[16] During this period they signed an international deal with EarMusic.[17]
In 2017, Myrath performed in their native Tunisia for the first time in three years with a concert at the historic Theatre of Carthage.[18] This performance was recorded for the live album Live in Carthage, released in 2019. Their fifth studio album Shehili was also released in 2019.[19] They appeared at the Sweden Rock Festival in 2019 as a last-minute replacement for Behemoth; and have been invited to return for future versions of the festival.[20] They also toured with the Dutch symphonic metal band Epica in 2019.[21] In 2021, Zorgati provided guest vocals on the track "Code of Life" on the Epica album Omega.[22]
In July 2022 the band announced via their social media that it separated from Elyes Bouchoucha back in 2020.[23] The album Karma is scheduled for release on 8 March 2024.[24]
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Discography
Studio albums
EPs
- 2005: Double Face.[29]
Live albums
- 2020: Live in Carthage.[30]
Compilation albums
- 2018: Merciless Times.[31]
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Members
Current members
- Malek Ben Arbia – guitar (2001–present)
- Anis Jouini – bass guitar (2006–present)
- Zaher Zorgati – lead vocals (2007–present)
- Morgan Berthet – drums (2012–present)
- Kevin Codfert – pianos (2006–present)
Malek Ben Arbia
Anis Jouini
Zaher Zorgati
Morgan Berthet
Kevin Codfert
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Former members
- Walid Issaoui – guitar (2001–2003)
- Fahmi Chakroun – drums (2001–2004)
- Saief Louhibi – drums (2004–2011)
- Yassine Belgith - bass (2004-2006)
- Zaher Hamoudia – bass (2001–2004)
- Tarek Idouani – lead vocals (2001–2003)
- Piwee Desfray – drums (2011-2012)
- Elyes Bouchoucha – keyboards, backing vocals (2003–2022)
Live members
- Kevin Codfert – additional pianos and guitars (2006–present)
Timeline
References
External links
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