Metal festival to honor the War of Dardanelles

ISTANBUL

The members of the Iranian band Master of Persia say they organized the festival in Turkey because the musicians in Iran work hard but face big risks.

The western province of Çanakkale will host a rock & metal festival in honor of the 100th anniversary of the War of Dardanelles, organized under the leadership of Iranian band Master of Persia. Rock and metal groups from Israel, Iran, Turkey, Lebanon, Dubai, Georgia and Bulgaria will be on the stage together during the event on March 28 with the motto “love and peace around the world.”

Master of Persia is a female-fronted band from Iran formed in 2005. The band characterizes its music as oriental metal. They make their music in Turkey because rock music is illegal in Iran.

Speaking on their journey, the band members said, “We left our country in 2011. We went to Armenia first and had a lot of solo concerts there. Then, in 2012, we organized the first Persian Metal Fest in Yerevan with bands from Iran, Armenia and Georgia. Our second festival was in Tbilisi, Georgia, in 2013 with the Coverage of BBC Persian & BBC World Service and also with the support of the Tbilisi Government. Now, we will do it in Turkey.”

They said they organized the festival in Turkey because the musicians in Iran work hard but face big risks. “They need to play somewhere out of the country to show their live performance. We help them to show their voices all around the world through these festivals,” they said.

The festival’s headliner will be Orphaned Land from Israel. The festival will also feature Mental Destruction from Bulgaria, Anuryzm from Dubai, Phenomy from Lebanon, Arallu from Israel, Natural Life from Georgia and Insistence, Dikey, Plüton’u Kurtarmak and Listana from Turkey.

The festival will be held on March 28 at the Kolin Hotel Megaron Concert Hall. There will also be an “After Party” with underground DJs from Iran, Turkey, Russia and Georgia on March 29 at Lodos Bar.