Janissary Link: https://youtu.be/6Lhmj2qsnN0?si=_CrY3R38ZfrTCmsB
In a nutshell, they were the Islamic world's equivalent to the Knights Templar.
Their ranks were comprised mostly of adolescents taken from their Christian parents at swordpoint during raids and incursions into Southeastern Europe.
These boys were trained and tested far beyond any regular infantry units and in short order, the Janissary became the Ottoman Empire's most feared fighting group... the emperor's "Special Forces", if you will.
In time, the Janissary became very powerful and wielded political influence and control throughout their lands. Just as the Templars had grown too big and powerful throughout Europe, threatening the Christian Emperor's hold on power, the Janissary too found themselves in such a position as they fell out of favor with Ottoman Emperor, Mahmoud II.
He secretly ordered their arrest, capture and execution with the aims of dissolving the troupe, wresting control and power firmly back into his hands exclusively. Like the Templars before them, the Janissary too were hunted down and eliminated piecemeal at the order of an Emperor they were sworn to serve.
I thought it a great story to tell in song as most in the western world have never heard of this historical fighting force. I also found the intrigue of Christian boys converted to Islam under threat of pain and death, becoming their greatest fighting force ever only to then be annihilated by their own monarch, to be quite the ironic thing. Even moreso when you realize the same thing happened to their seeming counterparts, The Templar Knights, in the Christian world. Politics!
Of course, none of this happened in a day or even a year. I have condensed it here for brevity so that you all have some basic understanding of who the Janissary were. Feel free to research further.
When writing the song I felt it appropriate to keep the metal sounding "middle eastern" throughout and even added some arabic vocalizations for deeper immersion and flavoring. Keith Knight, Danny White and Bryant Contreras played their parts flawlessly and we invited Thomas Vaucher of Swiss band, Emerald - a beloved band that ASKA and myself have done music with before, to contribute his brilliant keyboard work to the proceedings, putting the icing on this cake.
Now that you know - feel free to share this with anybody or any groups you're in where people enjoy this kind of music.
Sure we could sing songs, like they do in the popular world, about "Wet A** Pu**y" and Bustin' caps or moves or whatever, but in my eyes, music is even cooler if you can gain a little historical insight, perspective and knowledge of the world in which we all live by simply listening to a song. Click the link and let it transport you to a place in time where there were no safe spaces for anyone!
Hail!
George Call
Pic courtesy of Scott Waters
ASKA's Knight Strike pre-orders are beginning to arrive at their new homes!
This is one of the bonuses of pre-ordering. You get it FIRST before the public at large.
There is still time to get your pre-order in!
3K in 2 weeks.
3/7/2024 - Soul Stealer
ASKA - Knight Strike Coming April 13th, 2024
Cover & Track listing, as promised.
Pre-Order Today @:
https://askahq.com/merch
01/10/202
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Where we will drop our latest news and show announcements.
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12/16/2023
ASKA fans, friends, troops and supporters - we'd like to take a moment to announce to you today our new guitarist. Please help us welcome to the band one of the most solid, dependable, experienced guitarists in the Texas metal music scene today: Mr Eric Halpern. We first met Eric when ASKA & his Houston based band, Z-Lot-Z, performed some shows together here in D/FW and there in H-town in the late 90's. His bonafides, are all well in order with Eric having done stints in Destiny's End, Leatherwolf and other bands of note. We are pleased to have him join ASKA and will have some live show dates for you soon so that you can come say hello in person and hear for yourself how great the band is sounding today. In addition we have some other, very cool announcements coming very soon. Stay tuned and watch this space! Welcome to the band Eric Halpern!
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