Review: Lowen ‘Do Not Go To War With The Demons Of Mazandaran’
This was one of those releases that really intrigued me, so I grabbed the opportunity to review Do Not Go To War With The Demons Of Mazandaran when I could. I’ve heard lots of positive things about Lowen, but I was still unsure of their history and background, so being on the excellent Church Road Records, I wanted to see what the fuss was all about.
Lowen are a London based Middle Eastern progressive doom band consisting of Nina Saeidi on vocals and assorted instruments, Shem Lucas on guitar and Cal Constantine on drums. Having seen them recently at Riffolution Festival in Manchester, the quartet is completed with a live bassist.
There are six tracks in total and it begins with the explosive Corruption On Earth, which sounded amazing live, and gives a fascinating insight into the explosive vocal talents of Saeidi. The riffs are crushing, not only on this track but across the whole album, and the Middle Eastern melodies take you away to a far-off land. Of course, playing metal is illegal in Iran and women singing unaccompanied risk execution, so to hear such a powerful vocal performance is something to behold.
progressive metal that will make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck…
Najang Bah Divhayeh Mazandaran features both Farsi and Sumerian lyrics and is another slab of progressive metal that will make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. With the monumental Waging War Against God sung entirely in Farsi, you get a powerful song named after and written about the death sentences placed on women protesting the Islamic Republic of Iran in 2022. They take the suffering and pain felt by so many and combine it to atmospheric rhythms that make something quite spectacular.
The Seed That Dreamed Of Its Own Creation is a slightly slower paced track but still formidable, with crushing riffs, pounding drums and piercing vocals before May Your Ghost Drink Pure Water rises from the ashes, with a guest cello performance from Arianna Mahsayeh, which is soothing and quite beautiful before they break out and lure you in with another brutal riff. It’s my favourite track as it combines many elements and creates something delightful to listen to.
The final track Ghazal For The Embrac Of Fire features a Neo-Babylonion ghost summoning incantation and at nearly nine minutes long, you get to sit down and soak it all in. The lyrics are personal and meaningful, and with the music composition to back it all up, this seems like an important moment for Lowen and a time for them to shine brightly.
Label: Church Road Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Matthew Williams
