Band Members

Pouyan Khajavi (Guitars, Bass, Vocals)
Shahram Khosraviani (Drums)
Salim Ghazi Saeedi (Guitars, Keyboards)

Past member: Amir JahanShahloo (Bass)

Biography

Making original hard rock and metal mingled with ancient Persian culture in Iran is a bold act. But Pouyan Khajavai and Shahram Khosraviani started this in 2001 by establishing Arashk band.
They had no support or chance for media coverage in Iran except few concerts in universities. After Salim Ghazi Saeedi joined the band in 2004, Arashk band underwent two main projects: From 2006-2008 three "instrumental progressive rock/metal albums" released composed by Salim including Abrahadabra (2006), Sovereign (2007) and Ustuqus-al-Uss (2008) and in 2008 Arashk released the album YELL (2008) as a "Persian hard rock with vocals album" composed by Pouyan and Shahram.

Arashk members are eastern minded guys who enjoy western music and try to have their own interpretation of hard/progressive rock. Their goal is not to blend or even reconcile eastern and western music which are ill-advisedly considered detached; but to insist on the evident fact that creativity in music is not culturally bounded.

The album YELL released in 2008 - recorded in a private studio Arashk members built themselves - is a hard-rock/metal album incorporating Persian vocals with mostly classic poems; reconciling epic poetry with contemporary heavy rock. Ustuqus-al-Uss (2008) being compared to "Arabian Nights in rock music format" (Ragazzi, Jun 2011) combines elements of progressive metal, jazz-fusion and Persian music. Sovereign (2007), containing the most eastern flavor among other Arashk albums is based on Ferdowsi's Epic of Kings, and is a "story of a jester inside an epic of Persian kings" (Psyche Music, Nov 2011) . Abrahadabra (2006), is the first attempt by Salim to depict his idea of "pictorial rock" and called by Gnosis2000 website, "the Ultima Thule of instrumental progressive metal".

The band went inactive in 2008 since having no chance for concerts inside Iran. Meanwhile Salim Ghazi Saeedi started pursuing his solo project. For more information and sound samples visit Arashk band's website at www.arashkband.com