Massive Scar Era

Massive Scar Era is an Egyptian alternative metal collaborative project that was founded by Egyptian songwriter, singer, and guitarist Cherine Amr in 2004 [1] in Alexandria, Egypt. The band's music is characterized by a distinctive fusion of metal, progressive rock, and punk, with elements of traditional Egyptian music.[2] MSE's sound is largely defined by Cherine's vocals,[3][4] which often incorporate metal growling and incorporating Egyptian scales.

Massive Scar Era
OriginAlexandria, Egypt
Genresalternative metal, folk metal
Years active2004–present
Websitemassivescarera.com

Career

Amr had become interested in Western heavy metal in the late 1990s, when the genre became popular in Egypt even though the police were known to round up fans for harsh questioning. She formed Massive Scar Era with Suzie and Sarah Kasrway.[5] They released their debut EP Reincarnation in 2006.[6] The band immediately gained notice for its female membership, often with criticism from family members and religious authorities;[5] these struggles were mentioned in the internationally released book Heavy Metal Islam by Mark Levine in 2008.[7] The band has also faced difficulty in finding gigs and record distributors in their home region due to popular disdain for aggressive music.[6]

The Reincarnation EP gained international recognition, and the band was invited to play the Sweden Rock Festival in 2009.[8] In 2010 they were featured in the Egyptian film Microphone,[9][10] covering Alexandria's arts and music scene. Starting in 2011 the band began to play at European summer music festivals regularly.[11] In 2013 Massive Scar Era was featured in the film Before the Spring, After the Fall, which depicted the participation of Egypt's rock musicians in that country's 2011 revolution.[12] Cherine Amr moved to Canada in 2015 to escape her home country's criticism and harassment toward her music.[13] Following her immigration, Cherine Amr's creative vision for Massive Scar Era evolved to become a collaborative project, where she invites a diverse group of musicians to contribute to the band's sound and bring her vision to life. This approach differs from having a fixed band membership, enabling the band to explore and experiment with various musical styles and influences while keeping the core element of the project's identity intact.[1]

In 2018, Massive Scar Era released the EP Color Blind.[14] In 2020, Cherine Amr adopted the name Cheen and released the folk-oriented solo single "Esmi".[13]

Discography

EPs

  • Reincarnation (2006)
  • Unfamiliar Territory (2010)
  • Precautionary Measures (2011)
  • Comes Around You (2012)
  • 30 Years (2016)
  • Color Blind (2018)

Videos

  • "Ab3ad Makan" – ابعد مكان
  • "Pray" (2012)
  • "Color Blind" (2018)

References
  1. "Biography". Tumblr. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  2. Bellino, Emily (5 October 2018). "Egyptian Metal Band Massive Scar Era Stress Importance of Diversity with "Color Blind"". Decibel Magazine. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  3. "Album of the Week: Color Blind by Massive Scar Era". The Georgia Straight. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  4. Metal-Temple.com. "Metal-Temple.com :: Massive Scar Era – Color Blind (CD Review)". www.metal-temple.com. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  5. "An Unusual Heavy-Metal Love Story". The New Yorker. 13 March 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  6. "Egypt's Female-Fronted Metal Band Massive Scar Era Shreds a Whole New Sound". Bitch Media. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  7. Levine, Mark (2008). Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam. Three Rivers Press. ISBN 9780307353399.
  8. "Massive Scar Era". rockeramagazine.com. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  9. "Girl mettle: Egyptian band Massive Scar Era". The National. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  10. MicrophoneMovie (21 January 2011). "أبعد مكان – فريق ماسكارا – من فيلم ميكروفــــــون". Retrieved 14 October 2016 – via YouTube.
  11. "Egyptian / Canadian Metal Band MASSIVE SCAR ERA Premiere Protest Video via Decibel Magazine". AudioInferno \m/. 8 May 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  12. Brey, Brianna. "Filmmakers With Impeccable Timing". The Source Weekly – Bend. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  13. "From Heavy Metal to Indie Pop: Massive Scar Era's Cheen Releases Debut Solo Single on Universal". scenenoise.com. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  14. "Egyptian Metal Band Massive Scar Era Stress Importance of Diversity with 'Color Blind'". Decibel Magazine. 5 October 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
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