Anthony Assaker

Anthony Assaker, guitarist and songwriter of Lebanese breakthrough metal bands Kaoteon and Death Tribe, has released a solo acoustic song ‘Some Things Never Change (Words of a War Child)’, reflecting on the devastating Beirut explosion one year on.

Featuring Jo Quail on cello, watch the lyric video here:

Anthony commented “Today marks one year since the massive non-nuclear explosion in Lebanon that took the lives of 218 people, injured 7,000 and left 300,000 homeless. My house in Beirut was damaged beyond repair, the streets I played in as a child changed forever beyond recognition. This event rendered the Lebanese hopeless as the situation seems helpless. This is what Lebanon has been ever since I saw the light.

“We always try to comfort ourselves and look at the positive side of things. My parents are “at least” alive, our houses were destroyed but “at least” we are all still here, we lost all our hard earned life savings but we “still” have our body parts.

“This is the result of a corrupt regime that has paralyzed a nation and knocked out its rebellious spirit into a coma of numbness – One year later and there is still no one to blame and no hope of a better tomorrow. On the contrary, the situation worsens each day, the Lebanese are fighting for basic supplies: from simple medicine to gasoline. This is heart-breaking. What hurts even more is knowing that many other nations that suffered and made news headlines are still suffering in silence and the world goes on.

“This is an exemplary life of a war child who did not chose the land nor the race nor the religion they were born into. George Carlin once said: “Pride should be reserved for something you achieve or obtain on your own, not something that happens by accident of birth. Being Irish isn’t a skill… it’s a … genetic accident. You wouldn’t say I’m proud to be 5’11”; I’m proud to have a pre-disposition for colon cancer.”

“This works the other way around too, some people are cursed for a lifetime of troubles and hardship because they hold the scars of the nation they were born into. The difference between you and them is just destiny.

“Thank you to all those who helped and continue to help make the world a better place for future generations. We are all one nation sharing one planet floating in the vast dark space – together we are stronger.”

This follows his politically-charged solo acoustic song, ‘Who’s To Blame’. Highlighting issues such as discrimination, racism and social injustice in the world, an unlisted version of the song went viral within the Middle-Eastern community during the US election, racking up over 70k plays whilst still unlisted. The video was filmed in Amsterdam, where Anthony now resides. Now officially released, watch ‘Who’s To Blame’ here: https://youtu.be/fEgwBjpxli8

Anthony Assaker has had a busy year so far, not only with his solo work, but he also released his critically acclaimed Death Tribe album, Beyond The Red Light District: A Canal Experiment, and completed work on a new Kaoteon record. More news soon.

Purchase Beyond The Red Light District: A Canal Experiment here: https://bfan.link/beyond-the-red-light-district-a-canal-experiment

DEATH TRIBE, the politically-charged project founded by award-winning Kaoteon guitarist Anthony Assaker, has released new album and animated movie, Beyond The Red Light District: A Canal Experiment.

Premiered via Knotfest, watch the full movie HERE.

Purchase the album here: https://bfan.link/beyond-the-red-light-district-a-canal-experiment

Beyond the Red Light District: A Canal Experiment (The Red Experiment for short) is a statement against all that is wrong in the world today. Everything that is pushed down our throats as we lost our tenure and are blinded by fear and manipulated knowledge – the worst kind of ignorance. All music, lyrics, guitars and concept by Anthony. Other musicians include and not limited to: Baard Kolstad (Leprous) – drums, Linus Klausenitzer (Obsidious): bass and Chris Baum (Bent Knee): violin.

Born in the midst of warfare, Anthony almost had his spirit broken by oppression, but now creates the perfect soundtracks to rebellion and defiant resistance. Anthony is pushing the boundaries of his artistic expression on the second album, these songs are the long, throat-rending roar of one man’s resolve to forge his own life on his own terms and to savour every breath.

Already known for his work with Golden God Award winners Kaoteon, Death Tribe is Anthony’s most diverse musical statement to date. This is a staggering achievement against all the odds, the sonic distillation of absolute defiance. This epitomises everything that metal was ever meant to be.

Anthony comments: “Music is not only about creating angry music but it is as well about the message behind the music. I want to create music with purpose to impact the listener and build awareness about what is wrong in this world. I want the listener to think about their daily choices that are leading humanity to its own demise. We need to stop blaming the world for our own mistakes. We are the world, we have the right to vote, the right to act, the right to raise awareness in many parts of the world and if we want a better world, we need to stop choosing what is right for our best interest and do what is best for everyone. From speaking up and supporting black communities, to LGBTQ+ communities, to supporting women’s rights and talking about oppressed nations from Colombia to Palestine just as much as I speak up about the suppression of the Lebanese people by their own government. We cannot choose when to call something right and wrong and this is what the 2nd album is all about – This is a wake up call to the world to realise that we need to change faster than ever before.”

Anthony now resides in The Netherlands, but he was born into the chaos and conflict of Beirut, under the looming shadows of corruption and domination, the disciples of radical ideologies poised vulture-like over his days and nights. However, he was not born a man to blindly accept his fate – he was determined to shape his own destiny. This is the first album that Anthony composed in the Netherlands and it feels like a new breed of chaos was born in these lands.

Death Tribe is a celebration of life’s ultimatum – Death.