Retrospective Review: Exploring the Anatolian Metal Legacy of Pentagram's "Unspoken"

 

Retrospective Review: Exploring the Anatolian Metal Legacy of Pentagram's "Unspoken"

The music blog The Progressive Subway has published a retrospective analysis of Unspoken, the 2001 album by the pioneering Turkish progressive metal band Pentagram (internationally known as Mezarkabul). The review highlights the band's unique blend of thrash and doom metal with traditional Anatolian elements, heavily featuring regional instrumentation such as the ney (end-blown flute) and the zurna (double-reed instrument). The album is recognized as a significant cultural milestone that elevated Pentagram to international prominence, eventually leading them to become the first Middle Eastern metal act to perform at the prestigious Wacken Open Air festival in 2002. According to the piece, Unspoken remains a timeless classic in the regional progressive metal scene.

Sources:

• https://theprogressivesubway.com/2026/09/27/lost-in-time-pentagram-a-k-a-mezarkabul-unspoken/

Iron Maiden's first ever festival is a triumph and a true celebration of one of heavy metal's most storied bands

 

Iron Maiden's first ever festival is a triumph and a true celebration of one of heavy metal's most storied bands

•

Metal Hammer

"You'd think there was a football match on!" grins Bruce Dickinson as he looks out over 50,000 giddy Iron Maiden fans having a thoroughly lovely time in the hazy evening sunshine. In just over three hours from now, England's men's team will have confirmed their place in a World Cup semi final, but here at Knebworth, there are far more pressing matters: celebrating 50 years of this country's most storied heavy metal band.

A year on from a historic homecoming gig at West Ham's London stadium, you'd be forgiven for assuming that Eddfest - Maiden's first ever curated, multi-day festival - is little more than a fist-pumping victory lap for a band that are well into the second year of their Run For Your Lives world tour. Nope. From the second you walk onto the festival grounds, you feel less like you're at Yet Another Iron Maiden Show and more like you've just stumbled into a fanatic Maiden fan club member's fever dream.

"10 Of The Biggest Metal Album Cover Controversies

 10 Of The Biggest Metal Album Cover Controversies

Metal Injection by Graham Hartmann /

If you've got any of these albums covers on a t-shirt, chances are you're not wearing it to the airport. Over the 50-year history of heavy metal, numerous controversies have been stirred over violent, sacrilegious or immoral album covers, further adding to the lore of these bands.

From pissing off religious groups, getting investigated by international governments, and getting pulled off shelves (in some cases for years), these are 10 of the biggest album cover controversies in metal.

"The 10 best heavy metal mascots of all time

 The 10 best heavy metal mascots of all time

Metal Hammer

Nothing says metal like a gnarly mascot staring at you from an album cover, backdrop or whatever merch item the band can cram it on. From the esoteric to the straight-up wacky, these made-up figures have captured the imagination of fans almost for the length of metal’s existence, with the most iconic ones standing the test of time for generations. With that in mind, here are 10 of the very best metal mascots to grace our world, from Iron Maiden’s Eddie to Ghost’s Papa Emeritus.

Eddie The Head (Iron Maiden)

(Image credit: Iron Maiden)

Towering animatronic samurai, skeletal cyborgs with lasers, soldiers – Eddie The Head’s been all of them and evolved with every single Iron Maiden release. As their stage shows have grown more elaborate, he’s joined them onstage for sword fights with Bruce Dickinson – or just stomped around threateningly during iconic songs from The Trooper to Run To The Hills. No matter what he’s up to, though, Eddie’s a metal legend.

" 10 Metal Albums That Launched Entire Subgenres

 10 Metal Albums That Launched Entire Subgenres

Metal Injection by Graham Hartmann / 

e

These albums changed everything.

" The definitive history of every Slipknot mask

 The definitive history of every Slipknot mask

Metal Hammer 

Where to buy Slipknot masks

* Etsy (opens in new tab) have a range of fan-created Slipknot masks
* Amazon (opens in new tab) have more options from Slipknot’s past
* Check out Slipknot's official store (opens in new tab) for band-related merch

Slipknot are synonymous with masks in the same way Eddie Van Halen is synonymous with guitars. A fundamental part of their identity since the band's formation in 1995, the masks have served to entice and terrify in equal measure, creating a distinct aesthetic that helped them stand out in the nu metal age and endure long after that genre took a dirt nap. 

"PANTERA Pulled From German Festivals Over Racism Accusations

 PANTERA Pulled From German Festivals Over Racism Accusations

500+Metal Injection by Greg Kennelty / January 24, 2023 at 05:11PM

//

keep unread

//

hide

Pantera's appearances have been cancelled for both the Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park festivals happening this summer. According to a statement from the Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park organizers, the cancelation comes after conversations with artists and fans, all of who have collectively decided that Pantera should not perform.