AMMAN —
Anas Al-Ethawi is an Iraqi immigrant who grew up in Jordan with a passion for all art forms. However, recently the university student discovered his love for heavy metal, which led him to start his one-man-band.
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“My band name is
Contumacy. It stands for rebellion and defiance, which is fitting considering how heavy metal is frowned upon here. I operate the band on my own — as a one-man band,” said Ethawi in an interview with Jordan News.
When it comes to making music, Ethawi always starts by finding a tune on his guitar. From there, he constructs sections that add to the melody.
To achieve a demo from the preliminary tune, Ethawi shared that he “would spend hours upon hours trying things out until it exactly matches the melody,” describing the process as “musical LEGOs.”
After using software to add the instrumentals, he gets to the final stage, which is to “jigsaw is the lyrics.”
After he has a demo, Ethawi begins his music production process. At this stage, he starts reaching out to local and international artists to bring the song to life.
“I would be looking for drummers, vocalists, audio engineers, graphic designers, video producers, and more. It is a lot to do and a lot to invest in, and the process drains me, but the ultimate result is worth it,” he said.
However, despite the exhausting efforts, Ethawi described the music process as “quite therapeutic,” sharing that his lyrics are personal and related to a particular mood that he would like to share.
“I learn more and more about the song as it progresses, and this learning process might span for months. It is the most effective antidote to any negative emotion,” he said.
Ethawi said that the Jordanian streets are not welcoming of heavy metal songs, “this is why we have our own underground scene. There are known stereotypes around the metal scene in the Middle East,” he said.
While Ethawi shared “it is understandable” that people don’t support the scene in Jordan, He affirmed that it can be challenging to deal with as an artist, a listener, and as a person.
Throughout his journey with heavy metal, Ethawi encountered various people who did not accept his heavy metal songs.
“Naturally, I have been called a ‘devil worshiper,’ ‘edge lord,’ ‘Kafir,’ and more which is a stigma that has been around for generations. Anyone who stands out and challenges social standards will be called outlandish,” he said, adding that he chooses to ignore these claims and instead focus on the support from members of the local community.
Heavy metal allowed Ethawi to express his emotions in a way that he found helpful, sharing that since his childhood: “I tried expressing my emotions with martial arts, … but metal helped me to reach my serenity. In some way, it calmed the young, angry Anas.”
Anas believes that “pleasing the audience is an essential key to be a successful artist” however he recognizes that his individuality will attract audiences that mostly resonate with his style.
The artist advises Jordanian youth to explore their taste and not be afraid to share what they like and enjoy.
“Something I noticed about my generation, and the one before me, is that we are too afraid to express ourselves, … because we are too afraid to be judged by our society. I personally would prefer to be judged for who I am rather than living in a bubble for the rest of my life,” he said.
Regarding when he would release his album, Ethawi said: “If it were up to me, I would release it tonight. However, there are many obstacles standing in the way. I am a one-man band with no record label, no funding, and, on top of all of that, I’m also a university student ... the good news is that I am almost done with the album.”
The artist’s music is available on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Anghami, and many other streaming platforms. However, he noted that his songs are not shared on any radio stations.
“Radio stations, in general, always want to appeal to the general public. … That is absolutely fine as music is subjective ... I wish that my songs could be out there; it would be fun being stuck in traffic in Amman and hear my stuff on the radio,” he said.
He concluded that “he is not a role model, nor am I aspiring to be one, because just like any other human I am full of flaws, but if I could influence only one thing through my music, it would be to make the musical experience, that I present, better to everybody. Even to those who have never listened or can’t stomach heavy metal.”
“Metal deserves a chance here. … Just like listening to the words of “Um Kulthoum” with a relaxing cup of coffee, you might also enjoy the melody of a guitar riff on a Tuesday morning.”
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