Beliefs Unite as Idols Must Fall Sign to Itchy Metal
In western culture, we often take for granted certain liberties up to and including our choices in what we can believe. But in other regions of the world, many face outright persecution, legal implications and in the most extreme cases, death for expressing themselves outwardly and artistically.
In recent years, North African fans in the city of Casablanca were jailed for what were described as moral crimes for liking a certain type of music… heavy metal. IME founder Ed Fassio followed the story closely when it became world news in 2003. Back then, he never imagined running a global record label fueled by the genre and could never have anticipated a return to the site of such controversy. This time, only 95 kilometers to the north in Rabat, Morocco where he became introduced to the band “Idols Must Fall.”
“I remember their submission,” states the Itchy Music CEO. “I couldn’t believe where it was from, given the history of the region and the strong opposition to heavy metal there. But when I saw the number of fans flocking to this young band, I knew that a force had risen that couldn’t be contained and this was much more than a band chasing a dream, these were young people standing for a way of life.”
A rebel himself, Fassio often roots for the underdog – especially when the underdog faces opposition.
“The tenacity of IMF drew me in,” explains Fassio. “Respectful, resolute – these guys wanted to be a part of Itchy Metal and made it a mission to do so. I personally feel honored to have them because I understand the sincerity of the group. This is a very genuine band.”
Idols Must Fall is known for their heavy breakdowns, melodic and harmonic riffs, poetic lyrics, and for their boundless energy that is felt strongly at their live shows. The metal-core assembly began performing while the majority of the members were still in high school. They are currently working on their EP after self-releasing their demo called “Remnants of a Buried Vision”.
