Acceptance of metal has declined in Jordan, compared to 2005-2007, as groups say its impossible to organize and book concerts there.
Some bands managed to draw the attention of the government, which ordered them to stop performing and to be dissolved without providing any official reasons!
The problem which is also present in Lebanon and other Arab countries is that the public opinion about Metal music still endorses this idea of it relating to satanic worship. Useless and meaningless stories spread around saying that metalheads perform live after injecting themselves with some weird substances to be able to play freely?
Members from some of Jordan’s most successful metal bands have day jobs as computer programmers, managers and youth counselors.
Bilocate’s guitarist Rami Haikal stated that “The most dangerous thing to metal in Jordan is bad news articles”.
“I’m a family man. I have two kids. I sustain a good and responsible life and yet I pursued my passion for music,” said Hani Abadi, a bassist in Bilocate whose day job is working as a personnel manager.
Groups rehearsels are held in private and bands works are broadcasted over the Internet. Some groups also travel outside of Jordan to perform.(Bilocate live in Lebanon) While Europe has hosted concerts for several Jordanian metal groups, other Arab countries like Lebanon, Egypt and Dubai allow performances, though metal heads say that could change just as easily as it does in Jordan.
“You can’t talk about war and have this kind of Back Streets Boys vocals in the background. The issues we tackle are very serious and when you’re angry you don’t talk in a normal tone, you shout … and you get relief out of it,” Abadi said.
