In the Studio: TRIVAX

The Documentary Podcast

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary, Personal Journals

4.3 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 4 November 2024

⏱️ 26 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Formed by guitarist and vocalist Shayan, TRIVAX was formed in 2009, in the underground music scene of his home city, Tehran. The capital of a country where freedom of expression is severely restricted, resulting in tough censorship laws. The Iranian government tightly controls musical content, prohibiting lyrics or themes deemed critical of the regime, or inconsistent with Islamic values, and heavy metal tends to fall under this category. Escaping to the UK, Shayan found a like-minded ally in bassist Sully, who had similarly left Syria after facing jail time for his metal associations, and they teamed up with British drummer Matt Croton. Now, TRIVAX utilises the adversity of its members’ roots, to produce its unique trademark sounds they call "Eastern Death Magic”; a combination of black metal with Middle Eastern influences and on a mission to fight against oppression and totalitarianism through music. Sahar Zand follows them as they work on their latest track Against All Opposition.

Transcript

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0:00.0	The spirit of rebellion, that's what defines us, what defines our mission. We're not
0:07.1	rebelling against anything, but we are rebelling for something. And it's for liberation. It's for
0:14.2	freedom. It's for empowerment. Welcome to the documentary in the studio from the BBC World Service,
0:28.6	the program that investigates the creative process of artists from around the world.
0:33.1	I'm Sahar Zand, and this program is about Trivax,
0:36.9	a UK-based heavy metal band with a mission to fight
0:39.8	against totalitarianism and oppression.
0:45.1	Trivax is known for its unique trademark sound they call Eastern Deaf Magic.
0:50.6	It's a unique combination of black metal with Middle Eastern influences.
0:55.5	The band's distinctive sound and its ambition reflects its foundation rooted deep in places
1:02.2	where merely being associated with heavy metal could get you in serious trouble.
1:09.0	One, two, one, two.
1:11.0	One, two. My, two. One, two.
1:13.7	My name is Cheyhan. I'm the guitarist, frontman and composer of Trivex.
1:18.9	I was born and raised in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and I now play black metal in the UK.
1:28.3	I wanted to really make an impact by putting the flag of where we come from into the map of the metal scene.
1:37.3	Why?
1:38.3	Because it deserves to be heard, because we're proud of where we come from, despite all the challenges and all of the tragedies attached to it.
1:48.6	Trivaks was formed in the spring of 2009 by Cheyhan and a friend in the stealthy underground music scene
1:55.0	of his home city, Tehran. The capital of a country where freedom of expression is severely
2:00.5	restricted,
2:01.6	resulting in tough censorship laws.
	...

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