LIST 71

25 Iranian Rock Bands

1. Ababeal (death metal)

2. Alookal

3. Amertad

4. Arteebun

5. Black Blooms

6. Fanoos

7. Fara

8. Fat Rats (punk)

9. Hack

10. Khak

11. Kharazmi (Gothic trance)

12. Kooch

13. Kuarash (acid jazz)

14. Lunatics on the Grass

15. Mud

16. Namjoo

17. Nefrin (reggae-pop)

18. Oolan Batoor

19. Saar

20. Soma

21. Stainless Steel

22. StoNail

23. The Angels of Hell

24. Uzima

25. Xakestar

Unusual Band # 3

Rondellus

The Estonian band Rondellus plays music of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance on period instruments, such as the lute, harp, and hurdy-gurdy. That's not terribly unusual, but what earns them a spot in the book is their fourth album—Sabbatum, an entire disc of Black Sabbath songs recorded on medieval instruments and sung in Latin. I can only imagine a perplexed Ozzy Osbourne listening to “Verres Militares” (“War Pigs”) and “Oculi Filioli” (“Junior's Eyes”).