Melechesh

Melechesh is an ethnically Assyrian black metal and Mizrahi metal band that originated in Jerusalem and is currently based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Ashmedi started the band as a solo project in 1993. In the following year, guitarist Moloch and drummer Lord Curse were added to the line-up. The band’s goal was to create a type of black metal incorporating extensive Middle Eastern influences mainly based on Assyrian (Mesopotamian) and occult themes (both musically and lyrically); the band invented the title «Mesopotamian metal» or «Sumerian Black Thrashing Metal» to best describe their type of metal. They are sometimes referred to as oriental metal.