Pentagram (Mezarkabul) "Anatolia"

Mezarkabul (also known as Pentagram in Turkey) is a Turkish metal band formed by Hakan Utangaç and Cenk Ünnü. Mezarkabul is known for integrating Anatolian elements into their music. Mezarkabul means 'accepting the grave', 'grave admittance' or literally 'grave accept' in Turkish.

Mezarkabul was formed in Bursa in 1986 by guitarist Hakan Utangaç and drummer Cenk Ünnü. In 1987, bassist Tarkan Gözübüyük joined, and they started doing live shows. Their first songs were released in 1990 on the self-titled Pentagram album. In 1992, a second guitarist Demir Demirkan joined the band, as well as a new lead singer, Bartu Toptas, helping Hakan to concentrate on his guitar duties. The new line-up played several gigs until Bartu decided to move back to Sweden. He left the band in March 1992 just when they had started to record the Trail Blazer album. The voice in the beginning of "Secret Missile" is Bartu's. To fill Bartu's void, the Mezarkabul members hired vocalist Ogün Sanlısoy. They released their second album Trail Blazer in the same year and enjoyed growing popularity, both in Turkey and across the world. In 1993 guitarist Ümit Yılbar was killed by terrorists on the mountain of Cıraf while he was serving the Turkish army. The remaining members recorded "Fly Forever" in memory of Ümit Yılbar, but the band recorded more songs that dealt with Yılbar's death: "1,000 in the Eastland" and "Anatolia" (both from the album Anatolia).

For the next three years, the band toured in Türkiye and other countries. In 1995, vocalist Murat İlkan replaced Ogün, and they started working on their next album, Anatolia, which was released in Turkey in 1997. Several weeks after the release, Century Media approached Mezarkabul for a worldwide release. The lyrics of Anatolia addressed war, pain and ignorance, often in an unusual way. In "1,000 in the Eastland" the lyrics stress that "thousands of people are dying in the East, all ignored by the West, where one death becomes a tragedy", at the same time emphasizing that "fighting with hatred feeds the rich men". The album has been praised by Sea of Tranquility.

Tracklist:

All songs written & arranged by Pentagram.

Except "Gündüz Gece" written by Aşık Veysel.

1. Anatolia (English) 04:10  
2. 1000 in the Eastland 04:55   
3. Dark Is the Sunlight 05:54   
4. Gündüz Gece (Aşık Veysel cover) 03:19   
5. Stand to Fall 03:30   
6. Give Me Something to Kill the Pain 04:14  
7. Welcome the End 04:36   
8. Anatolia (Turkish) 04:12
9. On the Run 03:59  
10. Time 05:26   
11. Behind the Veil 05:29   
12. Fall of a Hero 05:10   
13. ∞ 05:25   

Time:   01:00:19  

The band goes towards a more Middle-Eastern influenced unique style with this one.

Re-released by Sony BMG in April 2008 with 3 bonus tracks:

14. Give Me Something To Kill The Pain (Live)

15. Dark Is The Sunlight (Live)

16. Gündüz Gece (Live)

Recording information:

Recorded & mixed at RMS, Istanbul (November 96 - March 97).

Mastered at 301, Sydney, Australia.