Acrassicauda, the Iraqi metal quartet featured in the 2007 VICE documentary Heavy Metal in Baghdad, is back with new music and have launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund their first full-length album. Their EP, Only the Dead See the End of War, produced by Alex Skolnick of Testament, featured four tracks that described the horrors of living in a war-torn society. They are back with new music but the album will be focusing on the Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient poem dating back to the third millennium, B.C.
As shown in their documentary, Acrassicauda has overcome tremendous odds. Forming in 2001 in Iraq, they were accused of worshiping Satan and even had to convince the Sadaam’s regime that they were a group formed to praise the former dictator, even though they went on to say that they only did so to prevent (or reduce the amount of) harassment. At one point in the documentary, their practice space was actually destroyed. They played shows with heavy security to a small following of heavy metal fans who were brave enough to attend their shows while living in a country where they received numerous death threats for playing western music. If you have not had the chance to see the documentary, it is available on Amazon.com for purchase and also on Netflix.
Contributors to the Kickstarter campaign are to receive items for their contributions including track downloads, special-edition t-shirts and autographed memorabilia from the band. The album’s first single, “Gilgamesh,” will be made available to funders in September, according to their Kickstarter page.
