Mezarkabul
Mezarkabul is a Turkish heavy metal band. It is considered a pioneer for the metal scene there. The quintet from Istanbul was able to achieve some success outside their home country. Mezarkabul mainly sing in English, but also have a CD with only Turkish texts published. In their music they combine heavy metal with oriental influences.
- 4.1 Studio albums
- 4.2 Live albums
- 4.3 demo
- 4.4 DVD
Band name
Mezarkabul means as much as, grave acceptance 'or' acceptance of death '. This band name is used exclusively for activities outside of Turkey. In Turkey, the band still called Pentagram. The band found itself in Turkey because of the name, repeatedly confronted because of the then unfamiliar music and the mostly black clothes with allegations of satanism. However, the band denied this from forever and it can also be found in the texts no evidence.
Band History
Beginnings 1987-1990
Mezarkabul was founded in 1986 by guitarist Hakan utangaç and drummer Cenk Ünnü under the name Pentagram. 1987 met bassist Tarkan Gözübüyük and guitarist Ümit Yılbar the band and formed the underground formation. As a singer acted Gökhan Semiz. In the early years Pentagram Thrash Metal / Speed Metal played and sang exclusively in English, which was new in Turkey. After a few performances, the paths of the band members and Ümit Yılbar parted. He was succeeded by Murat Net.
First albums 1990-1997
In 1990, the English-language debut album was released with new singer Bartu Toptas, which carried the band name: Pentagram. In particular, the songs Rotten Dogs and power days were hits in the scene and are still played at every concert. Pentagram was one of the first metal albums of a Turkish band and achieved good sales figures. There followed a number of concerts in Turkey.
After singer Bartu Toptas left the band in 1992, with his successor Ogun Şanlısoy the second album Trailblazer launched. On the lead guitar played for Murat Demir Demirkan Net. From album the songs Secret Misile and Vita Morte it stand out. At Secret Misile first time a video clip was filmed. This was followed by an extensive tour. Nuclear Blast brought the album in Europe market. The metal ballad Fly Forever was dedicated in hindsight the former guitarist Ümit Yılbar, who was killed in military service in 1993.
Achievements 1997-2002
Demir Demirkan left the band in 1995 to go to the U.S.. With the new singer Murat Ilkan, work began on the next album Anatolia, which was released in 1997. Murat Ilkan attended the Conservatory in Izmir. With his four-octave -range voice, he impressed considerably since the band's sound. After two years, guitarist Demir Demirkan got back in the band. The album was sold shortly after the release through Century Media and outside Turkey ( under the band name Pentagram ). It sold over 100,000 copies and is considered one of the most successful in the band's history.
With Pentagram Anatolia came away from the thrash / speed metal and only English texts. On the album, which is attributed to the heavy metal, there are also three Turkish-language songs. Also new was that the band was first incorporated oriental sounds in the songs. About the title song of Anatolia video clip was filmed. He is represented in two versions, English and Turkish. For the first time there is also a ballad ( Sonsuz ) with purely acoustic instruments on a pentagram / Mezarkabul album. It is striking that the recording quality was significantly improved to Anatolia compared to the first two albums. The band was in the time to several concerts in their home country.
At an open-air gig 1997 recordings were made for a live album, which was released in 1998 and the title Popçular Disari wore. After this album Demir Demirkan left the band to pursue his solo career. He was temporarily replaced with Onur Pamukçu.
In 2000, the work on a new studio album began. The guitarist Metin Türkcan replaced Onur Pamukçu. The recordings for the fourth studio album took place in the Sierra Studios in Greece, the finish of the band's own studio in Istanbul. The album, titled Unspoken was released in 2001 in two different versions. The version for Turkey carries the original band name pentagram on the cover, the version for the European market, released under the label of Sanctuary Records, the name Mezarkabul. The name change was necessary because there was already another band called Pentagram. In Turkey, but is held at the original name pentagram. The production of Unspoken received within and outside Turkey good reviews. It sold shortly after the publication of more than 50,000 times. All songs are in English.
In 2002, the album Bir appeared exclusively Turkish texts. It was only sold in Turkey. Although Mezarkabul were more concerts in the following years and had television and festival appearances, longer time appeared no more album more.
The DVD 2008
To mark the 20th anniversary of the band was on February 4, 2007, a concert in front of thousands of fans in Bostanci gösteri Merkezi, which also films to be made. In 2008, the elaborately produced music DVD was released with the name Pentagram in 1987 under the label of Sony Music. Next to the Concert It also includes photos of the band and its members, together sections of the concert preparations as well as in a hidden bonus section including concert recordings from another festival appearance. At the same time a live CD was released with the same title ( Pentagram 1987). 27 July 2008 Mezarkabul stood as the opening act together with Metallica at the Ali Sami Yen stadium before 40,000 spectators on the stage.
MMXII
Mid-May 2010 announced the singer Murat Ilkan that he was suffering from multiple sclerosis and, therefore, the band would leave. Barely a month later, on 25 June 2010 his farewell concert was held in the Inonu Stadium as part of the Sonisphere Festival in front of 40,000 spectators instead. A few days before the concert presented Mezarkabul on their homepage Gökalp Ergen as the new singer of the band before. Ergen sang before the Turkish rock group The Climb.
On 5 July 2011, the single Wasteland appeared as a precursor to the studio album MMXII, which was released on April 27, 2012. With the change of the singer was also a musical change. Stylistically, the first studio album the band has failed generally softer for ten years as his predecessor.
Activities outside of Turkey
In addition to good reviews in trade magazines and appeared in Europe albums Trailblazer, Anatolia and Unspoken Mezarkabul could play some concerts in Denmark, Germany and Greece. One of the biggest successes is certainly the appearance at Wacken Open Air 2002, which is considered one of the biggest heavy metal festivals in the world.
Discography
Studio albums
Live albums
Demo
DVD
- 2008: Pentagram 1987