Acrassicauda: Gilgamesh *UPDATED*

Exiled from their homeland for playing heavy metal, Iraqi band Acrassicauda are now funding the production of their first full length album. The release will be titled Gilgamesh, named after the eponymous epic and mythological figure. There are only a few days left to make your donation, so show some support for these badasses before it’s too late. Although you can give any amount you wish, the minimum contribution is only $1, which costs less than the miniature of whiskey you’re drinking right now.

If the name Acrassicauda sounds familiar to you, thank the groundbreaking (and award winning) documentary Heavy Metal in Baghdad. This is a film that chronicled the struggles the band faced while playing “The devil’s music” in a land torn and tattered by war. Far from being Satanic or evil, Acrassicauda’s lyrics are in fact eloquent criticisms of  political and social corruption. Titles such as “Only The Dead See The End Of War” and “Garden Of Stones” evoke images of ruin, decay, and violence. Similarly, the music itself is shaped by righteous indignation and anger, the inevitable result of a lifetime of adversity.

To make a pledge, visit their official Kickstarter Page. For those of you unfamiliar with kickstarter campaigns, you can choose to get a reward, depending on how much you pledge. For example, $10 or more will earn you free download of the complete album, plus artwork and lyrics. A more generous donation of $1,000 or more will earn you an autographed guitar and T-shirt, with physical copies of the album (including a vinyl LP!), plus  your name will be mentioned on the album credits. You can also choose to donate any amount with no reward, just to help out their cause.

Show some support, and let the band know that they have a family as long as they have Metal. Ars longa, vita brevis!

*UPDATE*
They finally made their goal! Hell yeah! It’s about time we got some good news. Horns up! m/