North Africa is a part of the world that no-one would expect a progressive metal band to come from. In the last decade however, Myrath have continued to break logistical restrictions to spread their flavour of metal around the world much to critical acclaim. With the recent release of their latest opus, ‘Legacy’, the native Tunisians are turning even more heads. We interview frontman Zaher Zorgati about all things Myrath…
We caught up with him after the band played an impressive set supporting prog maestros Symphony X, asking the questions of just how they have managed to break out of their North African home to gain so much attention worldwide. It seems their unique influences have taken on a massive role in getting their name out…but just how did it all begin?
Read an extract from the interview below and listen to the full audio at the bottom of the page!
You do have a very unique sound that takes cultural influences…but where does your metal side come from?
Well we started as a Symphony X cover band!
[laughs] Would you believe it? That’s amazing!
Yea, here we are supporting them! It’s amazing. But we also did like Death covers, Symphony X covers…even blues and jazz. Everything you know. But that’s where all our influences comes from. That’s why you can find the prog sections in our music, and then we combine them with our roots, culture and our melodies of North Africa.
It’s a very nice fusion, it does bring something very unique to the table.
It’s totally unique. There are thousands of bands that are doing the same thing, you know? Loads of bands doing, let’s say, prog metal. Thousands of bands are doing the same thing like Symphony X. Our producer, Kevin Codfert, who discovered us in the amphitheatre of Carthage when we supported his band Adagio. He loved the sound and told us this was something new. He said ‘Guys I’ve heard many bands that have attempted this sound, oriental metal bands and even western bands with oriental scales – but I have never heard something like this before.’ He thought the fusion was very original.
Zaher progresses to talk about the shaping of the acclaimed, ‘Legacy‘ and that insane video for the track ‘Believer‘. Listen to the rest of the interview below – great explanations from a part of the world we don’t know too much about!
