Pakistani Rock - Heavy Metal

Heavy Metal

After the successful emergence of Vital Signs in 1980s and Junoon in 1990s, the heavy metal music genre began to rise after the 1997 general elections. The Black Warrant was one of the earliest heavy metal band that releases its very first album in the public. The roots of Pakistani heavy metal music can be traced back to the British styled New Wave when it was transferred in late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1980s, the bands "Final Cut" and Barbarians are considered the earliest Pakistani heavy metal bands. Although they were short-lived, they influenced many other musicians. Guitarist Salman Ahmad gained fame for his unique style of playing Sufi-style and neoclassical musics in heavy metal form.

The second wave of heavy metal artists, including bands such as Dhun which was Fawad Baloch's more conventional metal project and Black Warrant which still continues to promote the genre.. The most notable and productive work on heavy metal genre was bestowed and carried out by the Mizraab whose Panchi album was an ultimate success in this genre. Guitarist Faraz Anwar of Mizraab's solo instrumental work is widely noticed by the public and news channels dubbed Anwar as "Pakistan's master of progressive-metal rock." In recent studies and reports conducted by CNN, the Heavy metal is one of Pakistan's most popular genres of music, and country's radio FMs broadcast the music each week. Since 2004, the economic liberalization programmes of Prime minister Shaukat Aziz which helped open the new Pakistan and several music video channels, have trigger the underground heavy metal movements in cities such as Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.

Although Mizraab, a band led by Faraz Anwar that is considered to be Pakistan's first progressive metal band, have also played a significant role in promoting the growth of metal music in Pakistan. Furthermore, bands such as Jehangir Aziz Hayat, Takatak, Messiah and Foreskin are examples of significant metal bands that have surfaced in the past five years.