EMQ’s With Dark Phantom
EMQ’s With Dark Phantom
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with Iraqi Heavy Metal band, Dark Phantom. huge thanks to their Guitarist and founder member, Murad, For taking part.
What is your name, what do you play, and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
My name is Murad, I’m a founder and guitarist. The band is from Kirkuk (in Iran) created in 2009 by me and my cousin. We used to play together, and we were looking for members to complete the band. These we found in college and social media. They were not professional musicians, but we all learned together how to play as a band and get lessons from YouTube and some friends. We wrote music and we did our first show in 2011 in Kirkuk, and it was so good at that time more the 300 people attended. After that we got attacked by Al Qaida! They sent us messages that they knew our family names, so we stopped playing in Kirkuk for couple years. The situation was so horrible, we were scared for our lives and fans, as it was so easy for someone to put any bomb in the venue. Also, as we are a band we are as a family. Between us we are like small Iraq with membership mixed between different nationalities. There is Arab Kurd and Turkmen, and we are so close and like brothers.
In 2012 we recorded our first EP. It’s was like Heavy Metal not extreme music. The quality was bad as we didn’t have any experience in recording and mixing the music to making a good quality product, but when Mir come in as a new vocalist, he’s one best sound engineers in Iraq! We made the “Nation of Dogs” album epic through his experience in recording. We played many shows in north of Iraq in the Kurdistan region Kurdistan where it is safer, and we played in Syria too. Now we have written many songs which will be released soon.
How did you come up with your band name?
Actually, in our city always there a dark clouds, because of all the petrol. It’s made Kirkuk one of richest by petrol, and that’s what I chose the dark phantom.
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
From the city of Kirkuk in the north of Iraq. Actually, we can say Metal is almost dead here.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
‘Courtship of Death’ is the single from our upcoming album released in August 2022.
Who have been your greatest influences?
Metallica because they were the first band who led me to be a musician and their music changed many things in me.
What first got you into music?
Metallica’s CD was the reason. It got me into metal music when I got their CD’s from someone in the US army in 2003.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Lamb of God, because when I listen to their music, I get inspiration and it pushes me to write music.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Hellfest, Which I feel is something of a sacred place.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
A fan put a sticker on my guitar and he said it’s beautiful with it.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
When you guys play next show, this is what always what they sent through social media.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Check Schuldiner.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
Playing live and writing riffs – this is my favourite. What I hate is when I get excited for my show and at the last minute, they get cancelled – this makes me so angry, but I do not give up.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Remove all the digital music – make it all live.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Metallica – Master of Puppets.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
For me I’m with CD’s.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Syria, Lattakia February 2019.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Will give all my times to reading, movie and video games.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
I would bring in the 4 other band members, as they are so close to me.
What’s next for the band?
Trying to reach to play in Europe – this is one of our dreams.
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
https://www.facebook.com/metalbandIraq/
https://www.instagram.com/dark_phantom_band
https://darkphantom.bandcamp.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/666darkphantom666
Jaffa Cakes! Are they a cake or a biscuit?
A Biscuit!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Your very welcome and no I don’t!
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
