SOVEREIGN

Hailing from what was once known as Persia, the Iranian band ARASHK was active for a good handful of years in the 2000's, releasing a total of 4 albums prior to hitting a stage of hiatus. "Sovereign" was the second of these, and was issued back in 2007.

"Sovereign" from 2007 comes across as an album filled with ideas still in their initial phase, planned and recorded perhaps before the ideas had been investigated in detail. Many fine ideas and sketches explore a blend of eastern sounding traditional music and dark-toned progressive metal with roots more firmly based on Anglo-American traditions. But on the occasions where the compositions appear to be more thoroughly assembled the end result is intriguing, if instrumental progressive metal of this variety sounds enticing to you. As such this is a disc that comes with a partial recommendation.