While the African heavy metal scene may not be as developed as other regions, the underground movement has steadily gained traction in recent years, offering a unique and powerful countercultural voice that rejects mainstream norms. From the politically charged lyrics of Tunisian thrashers Znous to the atmospheric post-metal soundscapes of South Africa’s Chaos Doctrine, African metal bands are carving out their niche in the global scene, drawing from diverse cultural influences and experiences to create a fresh, dynamic form of heavy music.
African heavy metal refers to the heavy metal music scene in Africa, particularly in East African countries such as Kenya and Uganda, and Southern African countries including Namibia, Madagascar, Angola, Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. It also extends into North African nations such as Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia.
Banchs envisioned his new book as a way of exploring how African metal bands are expanding the boundaries of heavy metal and how they are using metal to explore complex social and political themes. In the latest issue of Metal Hammer, we spoke to author Edward Banchs about his new book, Scream For Me Africa!: Heavy Metal Identities in Post-Colonial Africa (Advances in Metal Music and Culture). Banchs is no stranger to the subject of course, having previously written Heavy Metal Africa, a book which explored the history of metal bands on the continent.
Pioneering Artists and Bands
"Skin" of "Skunk Anansie"
As an enigmatic figure in the world of alternative rock, Skin-Deborah Anne Dyer, born in Brixton, South London-embodies a powerful voice and an indomitable spirit that resonates with audiences around the globe.
Raised in a strict Jamaican family, Skin’s musical roots trace to her grandfather’s basement nightclub. This space introduced her to a world of sounds beyond classical music, her initial inclination. This formative exposure to a diverse range of genres-from reggae and jazz to rock and punk-helped shape her signature style and approach to songwriting.
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Skin’s contributions to the African metal genre, both as a founding member of the legendary band Skunk Anansie and as a solo artist, have been instrumental in pushing boundaries and redefining the very essence of rock music.
Clay
Clay is an independent artist who has been recognized and profiled by The New York Times and Rolling Stone as an alternative rock/heavy African metal artist. Despite the rare female presence in the Nigerian rock scene as attendees, few have managed to ascend to the ranks of community leaders. Bianca Adanna Okorocha, known by her stage name Clay, has emerged as a notable exception.
Her unyielding commitment to her craft, which has led her to outlast many of her peers who succumbed to societal pressures to conform, is a testament to her perseverance and resolve.
Zainab Sule
Zainab, alongside Clay, is considered the queen of soft rock and has been a central musician of Nigerian metal music. ”One day, I’ll make you dance”, she sings in her breakout single, “I’ll Make You Dance”, and this is her sole desire when she performs in front of her growing audience.
Overthrust
The indie African metal trio Overthrust has been making waves since its formation in 2010 in Ghanzi, Botswana. The band gained international recognition after being featured in Seeker Stories’ video, “Who Are The Death Metal Cowboys of Africa?” CNN, Vice, and more.
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Their music is a mixture of Western and African influences, and their unapologetically aggressive style is a testament to their bold approach to artistry. Overthrust’s lyrics challenge societal norms, aiming at Botswana’s hypocritical church culture and exposing corruption. Their fearless approach to tackling controversial topics has earned them both acclaim and a dedicated fan base.
The band’s annual Overthrust Winter Mania Fest, a celebration of the best in African rock music, attracts fans and performers from across the continent. Featuring acts such as Adorned in Ash and SarcotrofiA, the festival offers a range of activities, including bonfires, motorbike washes, and African metal DJ sets.
Chaos Doctrine
South Africa’s metal scene has long been recognized for its exceptional quality, with numerous bands breaking into the global stage and touring internationally. Johannesburg’s Chaos Doctrine is one such act, comprising seasoned musicians whose influence in the local scene is undeniable.
The band’s second album, 2021’s And In The Beginning…They Lied, is a masterful display of their industrial-infused, groove-laden thrash African metal. It crafts a distinctive and hard-hitting sound that sets them apart from their contemporaries.
Before Crush
Emerging from the vibrant Angolan metal scene, Before Crush has carved out a distinct sound that fuses elements of progressive and death metal. This results in a sonic assault that pays homage to the genre’s greats, like Blind Witness and Sea of Treachery.
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Formed in 2007, the band has fearlessly spread their positive message across multiple continents, captivating audiences with their dynamic English and Portuguese lyrics. Their music serves as a beacon of hope in a nation still recovering from civil war, offering a sense of unity and escapism to fans both at home and abroad.
With prominent radio stations such as Volume Dez and the annual Rockultura Festival acting as cultural beacons, the Angolan rock genre continues to grow and evolve, challenging preconceptions and proving that heavy music has a growing universal appeal.
Seth
In the world of Malagasy metal, Seth stands out as a powerhouse, bringing ferocity and intensity to their live performances that few can match. While they may not yet be a household name on the international stage, their energy and the sheer power of their sound, driven by frontwoman Jennyfer’s commanding vocals, have earned them a place as one of Madagascar’s premier metal bands.
For those with an ear to the ground, Seth is a name to watch-a band poised to make waves in the global metal scene. Though they have kept a low profile outside Madagascar, their live energy and hook-soaked ferocity-brought home by vocalist Jennyfer’s punishing throat-have made this band one of their country’s stand outs. The band's live shows and ripping tunes have helped them amass a nice following within their borders.
Vale of Amonition
Within the shadowed corners of African metal, Vale of Amonition rises as a blackened doom duo whose music explores the darkest depths of history, politics, and society. Their lyrics are a journey through the horror of African history, and a tale of their lives in a country notorious for warlords and steady conflict.
Their 2019 release, “Ancient, Evil & African,” is a harrowing journey into the brutal realities of life in Uganda, from the horrific atrocities of the past to the unrelenting struggle for survival amidst conflict and instability. Their 2019 release, Ancient, Evil & African is a reach into the tragedy of Uganda, and yet a little grasp of hope for what else could be possible.
Yet, even in the face of such bleakness, Vale of Amonition’s music offers a glimmer of hope for a brighter future, a testament to the resilience and tenacity of the human spirit.
Znous
In Tunisia, the harsh realities of life as an African metal band are laid bare by the Tunisian hardcore outfit, Znous. In a political climate that has recently become more restrictive under President Kais Saied’s leadership, Znous’s uncompromising lyrics and raw energy reflect the turbulent conditions of life in Tunisia.
As the band fearlessly tackles issues ranging from police corruption to economic inequality, their music serves as a rallying cry for marginalized groups, especially women and the poor, whose voices are often silenced in the country.
Arka’n Asrafokor
Arka’n Asrafokor’s 2019 debut, Zã Keli, is a journey into a pre-colonial Africa unlike any other unleashed in the metal world. The band Arka'n Asrafokor from Togo has made a name for themselves internationally, with their own brand of metal, which is strongly influenced by Togo's culture and music.
Their music has been described as "unlike any other unleashed in the metal world.
Dark Suburb
As a voice for the unseen and unheard, those that live in the recesses of the most dire slums in their hometown of Accra, Dark Suburb’s lyrics are a call for not only their government but global citizens to look at how desperate the situation of poverty has become for many, not only in Ghana, but around the world-especially during the post-Covid era.
Skinflint
Another band that may already be familiar to Westerners by way of a few international tours is Skinflint, a trio that hails from Botswana’s capital city of Gaborone. The band perform a style of metal with a strong NWOBHM influence-minus the twin guitar attack-alongside lyrical themes that journey into various phases of their home continent’s past.
Challenges and Growth
Heavy metal made an appearance in North Africa in the 1980s. Bands in the region tend to be politically active, with members engaging in activism. In January 1997, between 78 and 87 metal fans were forcibly removed from their homes and imprisoned under Egypt's statute against the "contempt of heavenly religions" and for obscene acts, drug possession, and promoting extreme ideas.
The media took hold of the information about the arrests and spread stories of drug use, Satanic rituals, animal sacrifice, and orgies. Defendants were eventually released due to a lack of evidence, but some were held for as long as three weeks. The metal scene retreated following the crackdown but came back slowly and cautiously to avoid suspicion in the 2000s, and it has since largely recovered.
The 2011 revolution in Egypt politicized metal further and caused the genre to gain popularity among mainstream audiences, though the genre is still not fully accepted by Egyptian society. The metal community in Morocco faced a similar series of arrests as Egypt. Tunisia, Libya, and Algeria also have small metal scenes, but they struggle from lack of access to equipment, record labels, venues, and recording studios.
Central and Western Africa do not have a well-documented history of metal music.
In South Africa, heavy metal was introduced from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s in Johannesburg and saw the relative success of bands such as Odyssey, Ragnärok, Urban Assault, and Voice of Destruction. The arrival of metal music in the country was controversial.
The Botswana heavy metal scene started in the 1970s, with the introduction of classic rock, and evolved into a distinctive subculture with a cowboy-inspired aesthetic. Wrust, Overthrust, and Skinflint have achieved some international success and recognition.
Other southern African countries such as Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar have developing metal scenes as well.
