““This is what happens when you break open metal’s conventional framework and pour in the rich musical heritage of Africa – you get something that roars with both ancestral power and contemporary fury”

— Christine Greyson, Elevar Magazine

Where Ancient Spirits Meet Modern Metal: Review of Arka'n Asrafokor's 'Dzikkuh’.

Deep in the heart of Togo, where the earth's pulse beats strong, Arka'n Asrafokor has created something extraordinary with their latest, 'Dzikkuh.' This album screams beyond the typical genre, – it's world emotion wrapped in pure, metallic thunder and ancestral wisdom.

I don’t know why it’s taken me this long to hear of these guys; I’m obsessed with African music, and I love metal. Seems like I would have found them and latched on sooner.

The vocal landscape of 'Dzikkuh' expands the traditional metal paradigm into something far more colorful. It’s got guttural growls to rap-metal fusion, and it moves from traditional African melodic patterns to storyteller-style narration. The album weaves a tapestry of voices that feels like a conversation between generations.

Take "The Truth," for example. It’s the album's opening salvo. Traditional melodies dance around a heavy rap core, creating a sound that cracks open like a geode – rough and imposing on the surface, but revealing crystalline beauty inside. "Not Getting in Line" follows this with its raw, uncontained anger, and "Walk with Us" showcases the band's masterful integration of ethnic melodies with complex polyrhythmic foundations.

My favorite of the collection might be "Mamade," a diamond of a track that breaks through the album's metallic intensity like the sunrise. It's here that the full range of vocal artistry shines brightest, shifting seamlessly between tender moments and powerful crescendos. Towards the end of the song, we get to hear the clarity of Rock’s very impressive voice.

"Asrafo" opens with a storyteller feel and the distinctive sound of a blade being sharpened – perfectly connecting the band's traditional elements to a modern edge. Arka'n Asrafokor doesn't just play metal; they've reconstructed it all, using the building blocks of their heritage.

The percussion throughout 'Dzikkuh' deserves special mention, and it’s definitely got my respect with the use of traditional hand percussion layered over massive blast beats. Rhythm is its own language, and this album screams.

What emerges is more than music – it's a manifesto from a band that embodies their art completely. Arka’n Asafokor is the achievement of brothers Kodzo "Rock" and Elom "Enrico" Ahavi, alongside Mass Aholou (percussion), Richard Siko (drums), and Francis Amevo (bass). Together, they have created something that transcends genre classifications. 'Dzikkuh' carries the weight of centuries of musical tradition while charging fearlessly into metal's future.

This is what happens when you break open metal's conventional framework and pour in the rich musical heritage of Africa – you get something that roars with both ancestral power and contemporary fury. 'Dzikkuh' is a reminder that the best heavy music comes from a place of cultural truth and unwavering authenticity.

Be sure to check out Zã Keli, their first album, as well. It’s a banger. I’m impressed with these guys; they’re diverse, resiliant, and their music retains the energy and emotion of Alkebulan.