ONE SMALL SEED MAGAZINE Issue #28 Digital 03 | Page 37

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In Syria, rock and metal is considered
‘devil music’ by government officials and
if you express any interest in the genres
(by having a beard for example!), you
could be tortured by authorities, go to
jail and have your entire families’ cell
phones tapped by intelligence. The
music’s message is of course far from
that. In fact metal has been used to
preserve human rights many times in
the past from bands like Rage Against
the Machine or early Black Sabbath
songs. Yet these bands – without
wanting to diminish their vigour – may
have had it a bit easier than Tanjaret
Daghet. Speaking out against authority
the Syrian rock band has shown great
courage amidst the horrors of their
home country’s conflict. Although they
moved to Lebanon in 2009 to be able to
express their creativity more freely, their
daring music could still get themselves
and their families into trouble. They’re not
ready to give up though and hope to
‘touch and change’ peacefully. In 2013
their debut 180 Degrees was released,
they’re hoping to tour the world with it
soon and here’s what they have to say
about music as a universal language of
change!