EXCLUSIVE: Call For Peace, Purity and Stability from the Lands of Peace (Ahl Sina - Troops of Pain Full Length Album Review)

                                       

It’s a great honor for me to be one of the earliest reviewers to listen to Ahl Sina’s long-awaited album “Troops of Pain.” I am sending my greetings and respect to those talented, cooperative, great musicians.

First of all, The concept of the album is created on the lands of peace and purity Sinai where all cultures, religions are harmonized together on one land.

It is like sending a clear, clean, pure message for peace, love and against hatred, hypocrisy and racism.

“Troops of Pain” carries the story of the ages! The story of us! The story of human beings with all their beliefs and doubts. With all the rights and wrongs; the story of the earliest sin.

The disaster began when some hypocritical, false preachers -aside any religion they claim- made use of the peaceful, constructive, fair divine messages which they re-contextualize and manipulate to achieve certain political, finical, authoritative purposes. 

The innocent victims of those are the Troops of pain, the pure who stood against the rise of the speech of hatred, discrimination, rejection, and destruction. The troops who aim to live in a world of peace, and purity, pushing away suffering, and hypocrisy.

Exclusively, Ahl Sina’s vocalist and Co-founder Moustafa “Troll” Ali said “I wrote and framed the concept of this album through my 94 day stay in Sinai, the place I dwelt in Sinai is the exact place we portrayed on the back cover of the album.”

Caption: The Place Where Troll wrote the album in Sinai, Egypt (Photo Courtesy: Moustafa Ali)

Caption: Ahl Sina “Troops of Pain” Back Cover (Photo Courtesy: Ahl Sina) 

Release Details

Band: Ahl Sina

  

Genre: Oriental Extreme Metal

Founded in: 2009

Nationality: International (Egypt, Germany, USA) 

Release Title: "Troops of Pain"

Release Type: Full Length Album

Release Date: 2019

Rate: 9.7

EXCLUSIVE: Call For Peace, Purity and Stability from the Lands of Peace (Ahl Sina - Troops of Pain Full Length Album Review)

Written by: Rana Atef (DaRK ~~KniGhT)

Edited by: Amgad M.

The Album

The Album consists of 8 original tracks and 1 track as an outro. The instruments are used perfectly to create a beautiful musical fusion through merging Western and Eastern tunes and combining modern, folk, and classic sounds.

Each track narrates a certain chapter of the story of humanity. So, let’s take a deep look into “Troops of Pain”.

Starting with “The Gift”, the track starts with echoing Folk intro track as a short introduction for our mother native culture, then the early sounds of Nai (flute) flies in the air supported by atmospheric and ambient sounds. Those sounds just bring to your mind the image of our Earth hanging in the space with its brightening blue shade. After that , charming guitar tunes and bass fused by Nai and Drums that steal your soul and ears into a deep melancholic mood, just call your mind to have a deep look around yourself and ask yourself “Why?”“Why did we destroy ourselves?” “Why are the notes of hatred are so high?” “Why did our kind destroy the gifted nature?” 

Drums are also influenced by oriental-style riffs, in addition accompanied by oriental percussion.

Then, the clean vocal lines start to narrate the story of us in somehow a poetic style. In 2:46, the vocals take another deeper nocturnal style so the violin carries the higher sound and the Nai turns to be a part of background instruments. 

Next, the music and vocals take us into the upcoming chapter of the story of humanity and the early days for humans on Earth after the fall from heavens. 

It starts to be more extreme and faster with growling, and in my point of view it is the best way to reflect the dilemma of the human! The dilemma of all time fighting and conflicting, the war between good and evil. The conflicts between war and peace, the war between purity and hypocrisy.

The Nai and violin still sound dominant and still beautify the music, plus they are as a reminder for human beings. They remind them with the beauty of the ancient world that turned into destructed world of ugliness!

In 9:11, there is an epic part starts with a violin solo followed by a massive blaming to the world from high notes of the electric guitar, melancholic Nai, blasting drums and percussion with harsh vocals ended with one sentence “and that’s how the story begins”.

After the story of creating the universe. We will move to the first chapter of humanity! Are You Ready for the next chapter! 

The second track is “Vowed” (my favorite track). It is simply a Melodic Black Metal track. It starts with magical mini-orchestra, just as an exposition for the upcoming play! I mean with the shifting between sneaking vocals and spoken ones like a dramatic dialogue exchange in plays, It is faster and darker. What’s really impressive is how the guitars are influenced by the orchestral riffs of the intro. 

Drums and Bass are highly influenced by Blackened/Death style to enrich and back the rest of instruments with that darkened and blackened style. Spoken parts were closer to a confrontation between two characters ended with the same orchestral line in the beginning but it is slower than the intro, it’s like the fall of the action.

You want to understand this track more! Let me give you a small hint! Do you know what the mother of the seven deadly sins is? Pride, Right? Just bring the conversation between Mephistopheles “Faustus” and the Pride in Christopher Marlowe's “Doctor Faustus”

                     

Next is “Knowledge of Pain”. It starts with a deep, countryside like a Nai melody in the background with oriental folk percussion. It is a merge between Egypt’s deserts and countryside.

On 1:42 a breathtaking instrumental riff begins. It is digging deeper into your mind and lets you think deep. It is also backed with orchestral vibe. In 2:30 you can trace the appeared violin line. In 2:43 the vocals are not spoken like previous ones, but they are like blaming as it is known in Egyptian native culture, followed by a long Extreme part of rough vocals variety. In 3:58, you can hear Nai and orchestra echoes in the background. 

On 4:50, the riff takes another deep-oriental accompanied by a dominant performance for Nai followed with energetic extreme part to 6:03. On 6:26, there is a Nai interlude ending with a deep, dreaming like violin. A picture of broken, burnt homes, with blood stains and rain showers try to ease the destruction in that scene. 

The following extreme part is strongly attached with the violin interlude is like a high feeling of guilt and a deep call for peace. Spoken part screaming with peace accompanied by orchestral mood is epic! It is like a shocking wake up call.

(Video: Album Teaser)

The upcoming chapter is “Miracle to Demise”. This one is opened with the main riff directly there is no orchestral or folk intro for it. The opening lines are themed in oriental beats and vibes. The drums and percussion beats are closer to the one used in Upper Egypt. 

The first part of clean vocals is harmonically accompanied with the Violin, followed by a short groundbreaking growling part. In 1:36, you can listen to a vocal part as the screams of the soldiers in the wars. At the background, there were battle themed drums and sounds of conflicted swords.

On 2:11, it is a really impressive part as it gives me the impression of power/Heavy Metal music for a few seconds before shifting to more Death/Blackened Death Metal music. 

On 3:27, it is a surprising part as it shows how to shift smoothly from Western Metal music to a unique oriental music. It starts with guitars then Nai, oriental violin tunes glow in the air with riffs as used in the classic Arabic songs. The fusion between guitar and Nai was heartwarming. Fairly, this mood is broken with fast and extreme oriental tunes.

 

The fifth track of the album is called “Enlightenment Discarded”. The music starts with a beautiful calm guitar sound accompanied by captivating Nai tunes. You can smell the Arabic desert sands and the glory of the oriental breeze, even you can feel that in the first part of the clean vocals. 

Shortly, the rest of instruments join! A great harmony between the instruments, the guitar melodies are magnificent, the drum beats are fascinating.

On 1:40, there is a transitional part of oriental percussion to move from this calm spiritual mood to a faster and harder one; harsh vocals, high drum beats and guitar melodies. 

I like the intermingling of different vocals types and shifting between clean, harsh and sneaking ones, It is the war between good and evil or light and darkness. Follow the lyrics with the music, you will find that the vibe of the music is perfectly scripted with the lyrical mood. 

On 4:28, there is another great oriental interlude built with typical oriental Nai and percussion like the country side original music. This part also exposes the vibe of folk celebrations in the Egyptian society. I can say that the Nai is one of the main players in the music. 

The flute perfectly moves us to a well-written, rhythm violin and keys. For seconds, the whole symphony is turned on; clear bass lines, the echoes of the atmospheric instruments, enchanting guitar tunes, and strong drums. 

On 8:02 the most extreme part in the track, the riffs turned to be faster with clear domination for the flute, and more extreme vocals. I was mesmerized by the final instrumental part with a Nai solo followed with an emotional and a catchy guitar solo with an amazing violin performance. And then the track fades out with impressive spoken vocals. 

Caption: Another photo of a place Troll wrote Ahl Sina’s “Troops of Pain” album’s concept (Photo Courtesy: Moustafa Ali                                 

Before moving to the rest 3 tracks and the outro! Do you still remember our timeline (In Case, you are still reading). The first and the second tracks talk about the early life on the Earth, the rest talk about the story of the ancient wars between kingdoms, and the improvement of the human life on all levels. You can say that now we are standing on the sign of the middle Ages.

Let’s get back to track number 6, “Beyond the East”, it begins with an oriental desert kind of sound with few keyboards then the music moves on to a highly active instrumental part. The riffs are somehow written in a familiar style as the one of “Knowledge of Pain”. On this track the drums are still influenced by highly melodic folk beats style.

On 2:48, there is a singing part as the classic Arabic songs known as “Mawashahaat”. After that there is a journey of extreme and rough vocals with dynamic energetic riffs. The spoken parts still enhance the feelings of diving into one connected story. 

On 4:20, there is a folk percussion part as stepping into the deserts after that the flute performs a dancing, chanting style backed by guitar and violin.

Moving to “No Boundaries - The Fall of Utopia” which expresses issues and conflicts of the meantime. It starts with a percussion inspired by the cultures of Nubia. The tunes of the guitar are powerful, and alerting; the riffs are full of scars of conflict and darkness. The tempo is somehow fast. 

On 3:03, there is a beautiful, catchy part from deep and melancholic guitar line influenced with wars, and tragedies soundtrack. The oriental percussion in the background that enhanced the riff with a unique oriental taste.

On 4:51, you can hear that the sound of percussion is replaced with the drums to give a heavier sound. The guitars are turned to be tougher.

In 6:02, there is a part in my point of view is like melodic Death Doom stuff or Melodic Depressive kind of tracks. It is really has mourning emotions especially with bleak orchestra in the background with the violin and clear bass lines. This part is decorated with a guitar solo that is like an actor on the stage who performs a monologue to express the demonic hatred people show.

Now it is the final track’s turn “Troops of Pain”. Honestly, it is a special and phenomenal track. It starts with a folk intro, but Bedouin song -the native culture of Sinai dwellers- You can trace the rising sound of percussion with the original hand clapping. This folk song is followed by impressive clean vocals with a charming oriental riff. The vocals performance is closer to the one in our old Arabic singing. 

There is wonderful shifting between flute and violin. The main instruments in the spoken part are the guitar, bass and violin with beautiful background from drums and guitars. The track issimply trying to catch the remnants of innocence. 

Once again, still the vocals performance is captivating. Ahl Sina is still introducing more unique sounds from the first line in the album to the last!

Just follow the vocals and lyrics till you reach “Troops of pain” and hear the echo behind saying “Troops of pain”. 

The track is closed with a recorded speech against hatred and racism with a background with melancholic keys and flute. 

We can consider that this speech as the main core of the Album’s concept! That all humans need peace and stability, and there is no logical reason for hatred and terrorism that cover the world currently! Those false preachers are mainly responsible for creating the roots of misunderstanding, racism, discrimination and rejection.

Ahl Sina just stresses on many humanitarian principles as justice, equality, peace, and understanding! Also, the band rejects all forms of discrimination and violence. 

The outro “Regret” is just a short instrumental track focusing on the idea of the communication between the east and the west and the south and the north. 

Summing Up

Honestly, I have nothing to say! This is a phenomenal original extreme oriental Metal album. Every line is composed and mixed with the following lines perfectly. The work of the flute is not only oriental but it is has a deep Egyptian country side style. The Drums and percussion did incredible work while wandering between heavy Metal Drums and folk influenced beats. The violins and the keys enrich the music with vivid charming sound and give a sense of epic/atmospheric presence. 

The guitar and bass lines are more than unbelievable! They combine the eastern and the western kind of sounds, the good and evil, light and darkness, and past and present. Finally, the vocals made me speechless! I’ve never heard something like that ever before! The various styles of vocals, the clean parts, the spoken! Each one has its own touch and influence.

This is not only a brighten icon in the history of the Egyptian Metal Scene, but also in the history of the Oriental Metal music! Just listen to it, and support Ahl Sina.

Rate: 9.7/10