User:Monkoii/sandbox

Mortad is a Metal band based in London, UK, fronted by Iranian female vocalist Somi Arian. Their first album, "The Myth of Purity" was released as a free cover-mount CD in the February 2012 edition of Metal Hammer magazine (UK). Subsequently the band has self-released the album through their website and produced a video for the track "The Voice".

Mortad began a tour of the UK with some additional shows in Europe in the second quarter of 2012.

Founding & Relocation
Mortad was originally founded in 2009 by Somi Arian and was based in Scotland. In June 2010 the project was uprooted and relocated to London where the band's ranks were refreshed with the addition of Jon 'Thrash' Hughes (guitar), Joseph Perumal (bass) and Szylek Lawik (drums).

In August 2010, Mortad studio recorded two tracks followed by a self-released music video for the track "Discipline and Distortion" in October. This activity garnered an amount of positive reaction and, in conjunction with gigs around the city, the band rose to the top of the London charts on Reverbnation in October and subsequently the site's UK charts in November. They held the number one position for seven weeks.

Pandemic Paranoia (EP) & Bloodstock
The band followed up their Reverbnation chart success by releasing a four song EP entitled Pandemic Paranoia in Febuary 2011 and going on tour to support the release. One of the tour shows was a set on the Sophie Lancaster Stage of Bloodstock Open Air festival on Friday August 12th 2011. The show was well received, not least by the UK magazine Metal Hammer who featured the band in their review of the festival.

The Myth of Purity
In October 2011 Mortad returned to the studio to record their first full-length album. The album was named 'The Myth of Purity' and was produced by Russ Russell who had previously worked with Napalm Death, Dimmu Borgir and Evile among others. In support of the album, the band recorded a video for the track 'Waste of My Rage'. The video production was sponsored by Alchemy England Clothing, and was formally released in January 2012.

In the February 2012 edition of Metal Hammer's UK magazine the album was included as a free CD. The attention that the album received prompted the band to re-release the album through their website. It was then picked up by major retailers as well. Another track from the album was furnished with a video in April 2012 ; 'The Voice' draws attention to the Death of Neda Agha-Soltan in 2009.

2012 Tour
Along with confirmed appearances at HammerFest IV and Metal Female Voices Fest 2012, Mortad began a tour in support of The Myth of Purity in April 2012 which will take in dates around the UK as well as a show in Germany. At the same time, the band are writing material for their next album whose release date is not yet known.

Current members

 * Somi Arian − vocals (2009−present)
 * Jon 'Thrash' Hughes − guitar (2010−present)
 * Joseph Perumal − bass (2010-present)
 * Szymek Lawik − drums (2010−present)

Discography

 * Studio Albums
 * The Myth of Purity (2012)


 * Extended Plays
 * Pandemic & Paranoia (2011)


 * Singles
 * Waste of My Rage (2011)
 * The Voice (2012)