Massive Scar Era - School Girls | بنات المدرسة (feat. Chaney Crabb)

Translation of Arabic lyrics is available in in the CC
This song is part of the EP, ASSYAD, which blends traditional Zār songs and rhythms with metal. Each track is inspired by a specific Zār spirit.
Zār is a possession cult that incorporates music and dance into its rituals, aiming to establish reconciliation between individuals and the spirits (Assyad) believed to inhabit their bodies, causing illness. The Assyad represent the projection of fears and anxieties, and the Zār ritual seeks to alleviate suffering, challenges, and conflicts faced by the individual. At the heart of the Zār ceremony, an ensemble guides the devotees through a trance dance, breaking down barriers to personal identity through rhythmic and melodic patterns deeply rooted in emotional and cultural contexts. This allows individuals in a trance to identify with the possessing spirits, providing a unique sensory experience.
School Girls = "Banat al-Madrassa (in Arabic) or al-Handasa" is a traditional Egyptian Zar song that reflects a pivotal era in Egyptian society and feminism, highlighting middle and upper-class women's pursuit of higher education in the 1950s. The song embodies women's aspirations and empowerment, with the muealima (spirit) serving as a guide in the female Zār realm and a social archetype for all.
Credits
Creative producer: Cherine Amr
Zār Leader, teacher, and consultant: Muhammed Hussein Abouzeid
Community Connector, Cultural Consultant, and overseas executive producer: Dr. Kawkab Tawfik
All songs and lyrics are written by Cherine Amr.
Any Arabic vocals heard on Assyad are folkloric Zār songs.
Percussion and Kawala arrangement and performance: Muhammed Abouzeid
Traditional Zār singer: Salem Atallah
Drum arrangement and performance: Simon McKay
Bass arrangement and performance: Frédérick Filiatrault
Vocal, Guitar, and back vocals arrangement and performance: Cherine Amr.
Death Growl: Chaney Crabb.
Music Producer: Etienne Tremblay (La Machine à Mixer)
Recorded at Studio Mix Art in Montréal, Québec, by Nicholas Pétrowski and Etienne Tremblay.
Mixed and Master by Etienne Tremblay (La Machine à Mixer)
Artwork illustration: Zeinab Gholami
EP vinyl design: AbdElrahman Hafez
Lyrics editor: Jess Amy Shead
Lyrics translator: Nansy Beshara
Video: Andrea Mantelli productions
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
© Massive Scar Era
About the EP ASSYAD:
In December 2021, I undertook a 20-day residency with Zār musicians in Cairo, Egypt, supported by Dr. Kawkab Tawfik. Immersed in traditional Zār songs and polyrhythms, I aimed to create an EP blending metal music with Zār's essence. I connected deeply with the Zār Abul Al-Gheit ensemble, led by Mohammed Abouzied.
In 2023, I united metal and Zār musicians for a three-week residency in Montreal, QC. We held music workshops to refine our collaboration, resulting in an interactive show at Le Petit Campus on August 18, 2023, and the EP Assyad, which blends traditional Zār songs and rhythms with metal. Each track is inspired by a specific Zār spirit.