I don’t know much about music from Africa, but when I heard that Togolese metal crossover band Arka’n Asrafokor were about to release their second album (their debut for RPM), I knew I had to find out more. Sepultura were the first to really get the local influences/metal crossover going with the mighty ‘Roots’, with Soulfly unsurprisingly following in a similar vein at times, but they are not the only ones. New Zealand’s own Alien Weaponry have been making a big name for themselves on the festival circuit, while Samoan band Shepherds Reign need to be heard to be believed (I am sure they will soon break out of the NZ market) while Mongolians The Hu have been making a name for themselves. Will these guys be next?
It has been five years since the debut, but the line-up has stayed the same, with Rock Ahavi (guitars, lead vocals), Enrico Ahavi (keyboards, harsh/rap vocals), Francis Amevo (bass), Mass Aholou (percussion), and Richard Siko (drums) – note there is both a percussionist and a drummer, with those combined rhythms being a hugely important part of the music. The rhythms set the stage, the bass links in hard, and then we have the crunch of the guitars, some lightness from keyboards here and there and plenty of combined vocals which takes the listener on a journey. It is with Shepherds Reign that I hear the most similarities, as while that band has two guitarists, in Filiva’a James they have someone who not only provides vocals and keytar, but is also adept at the pātē, the split log drum, and they approach their music in a very tribal fashion. If someone could get these bands on a touring bill together, they would set venues on fire – it would not matter that most of the vocals would not be in English as both bands would provide so much energy that no-one would be listening to the words.
Arka’n Asrafokor are the first metal band I have heard from Togo, probably the first from Africa, and I wonder what else the continent is hiding as this is a great introduction.
Rating: 7/10
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/arkanasrafokor/
https://reigningphoenixmusic.com/
