Listen to Lebanese Blackened Death Metal Band Kaoteon

The Middle East is a hotbed for metal talent, but because of the oppressive governments that exist in so many countries there it often doesn’t make its way out into the metal world at large. Consider the persecution that Kaoteon, a Lebanese band who have since migrated to the Netherlands, had to go through in their native country. Via press release:

“As a band, Kaoteon has faced censorship at the highest levels in their home country – they have been put in jail for devil worshipping, attacked by religious groups, and raided several times by police trying to use them as scapegoats to mask political and religious problems in the region. It’s a terrifying but enthrallingly honest story of a metal band trying to exist, succeed and break out of the Middle East.”

This seems like a good opportunity to point out that these are the folks who are leaving the Middle East for Europe… not the allegedly unsavory types some politicians would have us believe. But that’s a topic for another day.

What matters right now: Kaoteon’s punishing new track “Damnatio Memoriae,” which comes from their forthcoming album of the same name. Fans of Behemoth, Marduk (who share drummer Fredrik Widigs with Kaoteon!), Watain and the like should have no problems whatsoever getting into the band’s groovy, atmospheric, frosty death metal attack. The band recorded the album themselves and had a mixing assist from Daniel Bergstrand (Dimmu Borgir, Behemoth).

Damnatio Memoriae comes out on February 23rd and can be pre-ordered here.