You Review It: Dendura
March 20, 2008 by Scott
A quick run-down of my new Feature “You Review It”. This is going to be a regular here on MetalMartyr.com. You Review it gives you, the readers, a chance to give me and other readers a chance to share your opinion of the featured band. This edition of You Review it is Dendura. Let me give you their Myspace.com introduction and a quick “what I think”.
“Dendura, who formed in 2004, are a haunting, progressive metal band who recently signed to KillZone Records. The warmly seductive, almost gritty, vocals of Aziza Poggi draw from the rich cultural heritage of her Egyptian and Lebanese roots, while the combined talents of Steve Wethy and Paul Stein couple classical guitar melodies with metal virtuosity. Together, the band transcends the boundaries of progmetal to create a mysterious, unforgettable soundscape.”
Belly dancers? Yeah, belly dancers. While the bands mixes symphony with a pregressive metal, Egyptian sound they also perform with belly dancers. Kinda sexy~. In this day a lot of bands do a lot of different things to be unique, so why not belly dancers. It can only make the shows more interesting. Click the link to go to their Myspace site and give some of the songs a listen and comment on what you think of Dendura. Singer, Aziza Poggi has a very beautiful voice and the guitar work is pretty interesting. It’s not for everyone, kinda like Yakuza is not for everyone. So…YOU review it!
Click on the picture to go to Dendura’s Myspace
Since I am pagan and am very interested in Ancient Egypt, this band caught my eye and has held my growing interest. I have only seen them perform live once at the WGRD Bootleg Bash in Grand Rapids, Mi. I was blown away by the vocals, stage presence, music and lyrics. And that was without the belly dancers. It’s not your typical murder/death/kill metal unless it’s a song about that happening among the ancient Egyptian Deities. The beat is hypnotic, the lyrics historically accurate, and the vocals are powerful. Be careful, you might actually learn something while listening to Dendura. Not all of their songs are Egyptian infused but enough to keep my interest as well as others who may not share my passion for it.
Click on the myspace link and give it a try!
Great review! I have always liked Dendura from the first day I heard them. I saw potential from the beginning. They have grown alot from their debut album. I love Aziza’s vocals. Very beautiful and powerful. The dual guitar work is amazing. You have to see them live to see the lineup since their debut to really know what Dendura is about. They also started a new trend with the belly dancers. Lots of other female fronted bands are trying to follow suit. Their can be only one. That one is Dendura.
We’ve had the great opportunity to utilize some music from DENDURA in our independent films and trailers for Five Clover Films. Definitely check this CD out!! Mike Madigan
Thanks for your comments. I was starting to wonder if anyone was going to do anything with this.
My take on Dendura is this. It’s not my mug of beer. While it’s different from most metal it’s just not me. Like I said. It’s not for everyone but I was sure there was people out there that enjoy them. I’m not saying they are bad by any means. I think musically it is very good and unique. I just can’t seem to get into. A live show may change my mind as it has for other bands that I had a hard time getting in to.
Whether the rest of the Metal community grabs onto this is beyond my prediction because as the range of Metal changes these days you never know what will become big and what will be pushed aside.
I am the opposite, Scott, I have little interest in anything else metal but the minute I heard them on the myspace page I was very interested even without realizing it was Egyptian infused. The first thing I did was grab the lyrics because I have small children and didn’t want them to hear anything that wasn’t appropriate and then I was even more hooked.
I am SOOO excited about the new CD coming out! They played one of the new ones that night I saw them, Lady of War. It’s by FAR my favorite song and I am betting the rest of the new stuff will be even better.
It’s hard to put my finger on all of the differences between their music and other metal, mainly I think its the use of Arabic and Middle Eastern scales. And YES, I had to research that one because it was driving me crazy what was so unique at least compared to the other music I generally listen to.
I saw Abida Blaze perform at the Grand Rapids Pagan Pride Day and she was awesome, I am hoping to catch one of their shows with her dancing. I almost saw her at the first show I went to but seriously 5 minutes before Dendura went on stage I was called home to my hysterical 3 year old little girl who woke up and needed her mommy. I may love Dendura, but my children always come first.
Metal Mike, have you seen them live?
Anyone planning on going to see them at the Flight of the Valkyries in St Louis in June?
Gotta love a band with belly dancers.
I don’t know, I think the description is misleading this bit in particular “the band transcends the boundaries of progmetal to create a mysterious, unforgettable soundscape.” I think anyone that is truly into prog will right away recognize that this band has little to nothing to do with the genre. They don’t play verse chorus verse chorus but neither do most metal bands nowadays. I suppose what they do is unique in their approach, but musically if I wanted something Egyptian sounding I would go for Nile. The biggest pet peeve here is that tons of bands nowadays just put that they are prog and I am always drawn in like a fool, and usually disappointed. Also I don’t think there is much in the way of virtuosity in this band, I don’t want to tear them down but the acoustic song on the myspace site tends to make my point, the solo being the main proof of that. I think maybe you could label this band as melodic metal, but prog it is not, it is just not up to the level I expect from someone claiming to be progressive.
Hey Dave,
They didn’t start out as a prog band. The song I have a gun was one of their first songs. That’s why I mentioned that when you hear their new songs, you will see they are a prog metal band. Go to youtube.com and type in Dendura and listen to Sacred Gateway, Walk with the living and Afterlife which are clearly progressive metal songs. As Aziza told me, every song on the new album is progressive metal. I have a gun is a fan favorite so which is why they have an acoustic version of it up on their site as well. They are recording those new songs for their full album soon. I am on their email list so I know what is going on behind the scenes and have spoke to Aziza before. She is also part Egyptian. It’s very difficult to judge this band off the recordings on their myspace page because those songs are also over 2 years old. They have changed alot and you can only see that in their live show right now. I hope this information helps and that you check out their videos. Metal Mike
Thanks for the carity, Mike.
A lot of the bands on myspace have songs up but they aren’t their best or best recording and sometimes lose quality when uploaded. You can’t always judge a band from their myspace music. When asked to do a piece on Dendura this was all I was provided with and thats how it is most of the time.
Hey guys, Dendura added 2 new live tracks that will be off their new album onto myspace/denduraband. Definately progressive metal!
I have listened to Twisted Pharoah is it? I honestly can’t say anything good about it, since it just gave me a headache with the drum and cymbals pounding. It sounded like someone who was just working out frustration more than music. Plus, I am not a fan of theirs, but I don’t think the new songs are really worth the positive comments that are on here. That is all
Odd you don’t even know the correct name of the song but have a big distaste for them. Sounds like you didn’t give any of the other songs a thorough listen. First off, that drummer is in time, and adding tension to the song building it up for what is to come. And saying you don’t understand why people like them, is also weird. I don’t understand why some people like emo and hardcore music, but that’s their taste as Dendura is mine. I love them for their originality, big and powerful sultry vocals, and great musicianship. So, if you don’t like them, fine, but why question others who do? Their great musicians who actually study their craft unlike alot of bands who just play 3 little chords over and over again.