Iraqi Heavy Metal Band ACRASSICAUDA In New Jersey; FOX NEWS Report Available

March 6, 2009

Laura Ingle of Fox News last month filed a two-minute report on ACRASSICAUDA — the Iraqi group featured in the "Heavy Metal In Baghdad" documentary (web site) — and the bandmembers' recent move to the U.S. where they are pursuing their dreams of heavy metal stardom. Watch the clip below.

METALLICA frontman James Hetfield surprised ACRASSICAUDA on February 1, 2009 backstage at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey by presenting them with one of his guitars, a black ESP, and signing it "Welcome to America," can be viewed below.

"That's for keeping the faith," Hetfield said, adding as he disappeared with his entourage down a corridor, "Write some good riffs."

According to The New York Times, the United States government has granted ACRASSICAUDA refugee status, which allows them to apply for green cards in a year, and the International Rescue Committee has placed them in a modest one-bedroom apartment in Elizabeth, N.J., where there are as yet no METALLICA or SLAYER posters on the walls but a bundle of guitars are piled in one corner.

"This is more than we ever could have expected or dreamed of," said Firas Al-Lateef, 27, the bassist, who arrived five months ago.

The Associated Press has just published a new article on ACRASSICAUDA consisting of an exclusive interview and brand new photos. Check it out at this location.

Find more on
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • reddit
  • email

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).