Massive Scar Era releases protest song after denial at USA border during SXSW 2017
Obstacles and persecution, these are just a few of the things Cairo / Vancouver post hardcore band MASSIVE SCAR ERA have become accustom to since first forming in Alexandria, Egypt in 2005 where they were accused of being Satanist for simply just performing the music they love, a form of metal with classical and Middle Eastern influences. Over the years, through all the struggles, band co-founder Cherine Amr decided it was time to relocate to a safe haven where the band’s artistry would be more accepting. With the difficult decision along with other founding member Nancy Mournir, MASSIVE SCAR ERA would be a band working in two continents from two countries. Cherine would relocate to Vancouver, Canada and Nancy would remain in Cairo, Egypt.
Over the years, the band has seen much attention for their unique take on metal along with their lyrical messages. They have performed on festivals such as Metalocalypstick (Canada), Total Metal Festival (Italy), Inferno Metal Festival (Norway), FreakStock Festival (Germany), Saxstock Festival (Germany), Metal Asylum, Dubai (UAE), SOS Music Festival (Egypt) and Sweden Rock Festival, but there was one event last year during March 2017, SXSW in Austin, TX, MASSIVE SCAR ERA were denied performing at, even though they had showcased in 2015 and 2013. On their travel to the festival through Canada, the band was blocked from entry at the USA border.
Cherine Amr comments:
“Last year, the band was invited once again to perform at SXSW, although Egypt wasn’t on Trump’s ban list along with being granted the visas from the American embassy, the border agents didn’t allow us into the country. We were given multiple inexplicable excuses.”
This denial fueled MASSIVE SCAR ERA‘s next musical expression / protest in the form of their fifth EP “Color Blind”.
Cherine adds:
“The new EP we are planning to release later this year is heavily influenced by this incident; the songs mostly talk about discrimination and stereotype. Plus we continue to introduce pre-colonial Egyptian music to our sound celebrating our Egyptian identity, which means all the violins are in Egyptian scales and microtones don’t follow the guidelines of the Cairo Music Conference (1932) that was held during the British Colonization of Egypt.”
MASSIVE SCAR ERA are sharing their music video for the EP’s title track. The video is collaboration between the band and Vancouver’s Nebula Company Theatre merging modern contemporary dance with metal music to demonstrate the artistic emotions MASSIVE SCAR ERA have felt during their US denial to SXSW in 2017.
MASSIVE SCAR ERA‘s single “Color Blind” is available for download on Bandcamp here.
Recording Band Line Up:
– Cherine Amr (Vocalist, Guitar)
– Nancy Mounir (Violin + Percussion + Egyptian Flute)
– Dylan Wijdenes-Charles (Bass)
