VARIOUS ARTISTS

Brutal Africa: The Heavy Metal Cowboys Of Botswana SVART

Rough and ready uprisings from the African flatlands

Botswana’s cowboy metalheads garnered attention in 2011 thanks to a Vice photoshoot. Behind the eye-catching denim’n’ leather image is a story of deprivation and struggle, corruption and oppression that an empowered few are using metal to hold a middle finger up to. Brutal Africa

compiles six Botswanan artists to showcase a small example of heavy metal rife across the African continent, roughly divided into the savage, grooveoriented old-school death of Crackdust, Overthrust and the impressively technical Wrust, and more strippeddown, rhythm and groove of 90s trailblazers Metal Orizon, Pmma and Stane. To compare their music to western metal would be odious; these bands haven’t had the same access to the music, culture, technology or means of publicity/ distribution and there is something inescapably rough-hewn about their music, but their spirit of defiance is undeniable and inspiring. ■■■■■■■■■■

FOR FANS OF: Obituary, Pantera, Sepultura

TOM O’BOYLE