“Haft Khan” is the name of the sixth album of the Iranian-Norwegian band From the Vastland , released by Satanath Records. Sine, composer, vocalist, guitarist, and, of course, the founder and sole member of the band, accompanied by bassist Tjalve and drummer Spektre . Sina started working with the Sorg Innkallelse in 2004 and founded the From The Vastland project after attending the 2013 Norwegian Inferno Festival. His appearance in the documentary Blackhearts (by Fredrik Akselsen), which is about the stories of several musicians who immigrated to Norway, made him famous and his activities in black metal music.
Haft Khan album, like all previous works from From The Vastland that paid special attention to Iranian history, legends and myths, is taken from the story of Haft Khan Shahnameh of Ferdowsi and Rostam’s battles in Mazandaran to liberate Kikavous. The album has a high-tempo epic structure that reminds the listener of the early 1990s Black Metal and the works of Gorgoroth and Immortal with successive, sometimes rhythmic shouts and riffs. Although the album evokes a concept, the songs have a special and different dynamic; Fast or slow riffs distinguish each crack from another. The cinematic and, of course, epic sound at the beginning and the ending of each track creatively simulate the intro and outro of each “khan”. Apart from the dramatic drum marches at the beginning of the songs, some of the melodies also have a black metal theme of Iranian (Eastern) songs. This 46-minute album has seven tracks, each of which deals with one of the Khans.
“Khan e Sheshon” lyrics:
In the mountain of Sparus
Demon encampment
Of the city of Mazandaran
Rostam is at the gate
Arzhang is the guardian
With his corpse at the gate
All around the city’s wall
One by one ready to fight
Rostam is with burning
Torch in his right hand
Standing and gazing
With spear in other hand
Twilight time, red sky
Dark clouds over city
Rostam and his Rakhsh
Ready to start the fight
The hero is getting ready to attack
With his mace and massive sword in hands
He ties Ulad to a tree with rope
Making sure he can not betray
Hero is yelling with wrath
Faster than light
Stronger than rock
Towards the Arzhang demon
He reaches the demon
In a blink of an eye
Kill him by his hit
With his mace and fist
Corpse of Arzhang
Gate protectors
Shocked and scared of the hero
Now the gate is open
And final chapter is ahead
The last stage of his journey
The seventh labour is about to begin
