Arsames is a death metal band formed by Ali Madarshahi in Mashhad in 2002. The group draws on ancient Persian history and mythology, combining death metal's distorted guitars, growling vocals and blast beats with Persian scales. Madarshahi began as its drummer and became its vocalist in 2008.567
The band released its debut album, Immortal Identity, in 2010 and performed outside Iran. In 2020 its members said they had left the country after a prison sentence. They continued recording, later describing a way of developing riffs on setar before adapting them to electric guitar.789
Recordings
6 releases, oldest first. Select one for its details and sources.
No matches.
Life & work
Early years
Arsames began rehearsing in underground basements in Mashhad. Madarshahi later recalled that finding a metal drummer in Iran had been difficult, so he had learned drums before founding the band. In an early lineup he played behind singer Hamed Azizi. Vahid Zehi helped write the lyrics, translated them into English and arranged them with the music.510
Madarshahi continued drumming until 2008. He later said that managing the band while playing drums had become difficult, and he passed the instrument to a younger drummer. When the vocalist left around the same time, he took up singing. The band continued to rehearse at home: in 2010 its members said they could prepare for concerts and work on recordings there, although they could not perform live in Iran.56
Immortal Identity and concerts abroad
The band made Persian history the subject of its songs. Its members described looking to that history for an epic character in their music, while retaining the heavily distorted guitars, deep vocals and fast drumming of death metal. In 2011 they explained that Persian scales and lyrics distinguished their approach; they did not consider it a separate genre.67
Their first album, Immortal Identity, appeared in 2010. They dedicated it to the heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio, expressing sympathy for his family and listeners after his death. They also recorded covers by Amon Amarth, Kreator, Carcass and Sepultura on Tribute To Warriors of Metal, and of Slayer's “Raining Blood”.71112
Arsames performed at Unirock in Istanbul in 2009, opening for Amon Amarth. In March 2012 they played Metal Mayhem IV at Jawalakhel Ground in Lalitpur, Nepal, where Napalm Death headlined.713
Leaving Iran
In August 2020, Arsames told Loudwire that its members had been arrested during a studio rehearsal in 2017. They said they spent nearly a month in detention before being released on bail, with orders to stop working, releasing music and selling merchandise. They denied being a Satanic band.8
The band said it had resumed activity after its website and Instagram account were shut down. According to the same statement, a later court summons and prison sentence prompted its members to leave Iran.8
Later recordings
Arsames returned to Cyrus in its 2024 singles “My Name Is Cyrus” and “Name Man Koroush Ast (Persian)”. Its later work also brought traditional instruments into the making of the music. In 2026 the band described developing and recording riffs on setar, then adapting those ideas for electric guitar.14159
For “The Trooper (Traditional)”, released in 2026, Arsames reinterpreted Iron Maiden's song with setar and daf. In its explanation of the recording, the band presented these instruments as a way of reshaping the song through Iranian musical traditions.1617
Sources
- 1https://arsames.bandcamp.com/music · arsames.bandcamp.com
2 quotes
Music | ARSAMES
https://arsames.bandcamp.com/
- 2Arsames · Spotify
One quote
Albums Immortal Identity Album • 2013 Singles and EPs The Trooper (Traditional) Single • 2026 RAINING BLOOD Single • 2025 My Name Is Cyrus Single • 2024 Name Man Koroush Ast (Persian) Single • 2024 Tribute To Warriors Of Metal EP • 2022
- 3
- 4Immortal Identity · Arsames (Bandcamp)
3 quotes
Pioneers Of Persian Metal Blending Epic Ancient Persian History Formed in March 2002
Immortal Identity by ARSAMES
released January 1, 2013
- 5From Behind the Drums to Behind the Mic — Arsames 2002–2008 · Arsames (Instagram)
5 quotes
When I started Arsames in 2002, I was the drummer, and I never planned to become the band's vocalist.
We started in underground basements in Mashhad, one of the most religious cities in Iran, where underground metal had almost no place to exist.
I kept playing drums with Arsames until 2008. But managing the band and playing drums at the same time was a big challenge. I decided it was time to pass the drums to a younger, more powerful drummer.
Around the same time, our vocalist left the band, so I took on a new role and became the vocalist. And I've been doing it ever since!
Back then, finding a skilled metal drummer in Iran was extremely difficult. So, years before starting the band, I began learning drums because I wanted to be the drummer of my own band and make things happen.
- 6Metal Detector: Arsames – We have to stay and fight for it · Gulf News / Georgina Enzer
2 quotes
Arsames focuses on the cultural and historical background of Iran for the lyrics. I think we are looking for something from our history to create epic music that no one has done before.
Metal music is banned in Iran so we can't play it live, but we can practice it in our homes. At least we can make sure the band is ready for gigs and can work on our albums.
- 7Interview With Arsames (Iran) · The Sickening Art / Samyam Shrestha
5 quotes
Most of our songs are based on ancient Persian mythology.
Well, it’s not a separable genre. All death metal elements like heavily distorted guitars, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, etc. are used in it. The only vital distinction lies in our lyrics and the use of Persian scales in songwriting.
Well, the band had released the debut album “Immortal Identity” in 2010. How have the responses been so far?
In 2009, we performed in an international three-day Unirock Festival in Istanbul, Turkey, where we opened for Amon Amarth.
Yes, Ronnie J. Dio was a great person – the voice of metal, and his career was so huge and honorable that we decided to dedicate our album to him.
- 8Metal Band Arsames Escape Iran After Being Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison · Loudwire / Graham Hartmann
4 quotes
Our Instagram page, official website ... banned and they shot down all for a year, but we built a new Instagram again and [started] to be active until few weeks ago [when] the court called us again and they gave us 15 years [in] prison. So we had to escape from Iran.
We [were] arrested in 2017 when we were in our studio during rehearsal. They moved us to jail that day and [did] not [tell] our family about where we [were] for a week.
Finally after nearly a month later we paid bail to come out of prison and they told us you should not work, release [or sell] your merch until your final court ... and do not talk with media!
In a statement to Loudwire, Arsames wrote that they’re not a Satanic band.
- 9From Setar to Metal – The Sound of Arsames · Arsames (Instagram)
One quote
In this video, our guitarist first develops and records riffs on the setar, a traditional Iranian string instrument. We then adapt those musical ideas to the electric guitar, transforming their character into heavy metal riffs.
- 10Arsames interview · MUEN / G. Cataline and Lissy MacMillan
2 quotes
HAMED AZIZI : VOCALS ALI AZHARI : LEAD GUITAR HAMID YOUSEFI: RYTHEM GUITAR ALI SANAEI : BASS GUITAR ALI MADARSHAHI; DRUMS
AS A MATTER OF FACT THE LYRICS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY COOPERATION OF TWO GUYS (ME AND DR VAHID ZEHI) - WHAT'S MORE ALL LYRICS HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH AND BEEN ARRANGED WITH THE MUSIC BY DR ZEHI
- 11Tribute To Warriors of Metal · Arsames (Bandcamp)
3 quotes
Pursuit of vikings (Amon Amarth) 04:14 2. Phobia (Creator) 03:40 3. Polarized (Carcass) 03:49 4. Roots (Sepultura) 03:25
released January 1, 2010
Tribute To Warriors of Metal
- 12Raining Blood (Slayer Cover) · Arsames (Bandcamp)
2 quotes
Arsames - Raining Blood (Slayer Cover)
released December 1, 2014
- 13Concert Review: Metal Mayhem IV (Headlined by Napalm Death) · The Sickening Art
4 quotes
Arsames (Iran) were okay, but not as per what I had anticipated.
Date and Time: March 17, 2012, 2 PM onwards
Venue: Jawalakhel Ground, Lalitpur, Nepal
[Concert Review]: Metal Mayhem IV (Headlined by Napalm Death)
- 14My Name Is Cyrus - Single · Apple Music
2 quotes
My Name Is Cyrus - Single Arsames Metal · 2024 Preview October 25, 2024 1 song, 5 minutes ℗ 2024 Distrokid
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- 15Name Man Koroush Ast (Persian) - Single · Apple Music
2 quotes
Name Man Koroush Ast (Persian) - Single Arsames Metal · 2024 Preview October 25, 2024 1 song, 5 minutes ℗ 2024 Distrokid
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- 16NEWS: Arsames take us back to ancient Persia! · Metal Noise / DJ Vapour
One quote
For this tribute to Iron Maiden’s legendary song “The Trooper,” Arsames chose a different path. Instead of simply covering the original track, we reimagined it through the sound of ancient Persia by incorporating two of the most iconic instruments of Iranian music: the Setar and the Daf.
- 17The Trooper (Traditional) - Single · Apple Music
2 quotes
The Trooper (Traditional) - Single Arsames Metal · 2026 Preview June 20, 2026 1 song, 4 minutes ℗ 2026 Distrokid
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- 18Immortal Identity · Apple Music
One quote
Immortal Identity Arsames Metal · 2013 Preview January 1, 2013 9 songs, 36 minutes ℗ 2020 Arsames
- 19Immortal Identity · Spotify
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Immortal Identity Arsames 2013 9 songs , 37 min 6 sec At the Gates of Persia Arsames Cyrus the Great Arsames Dooms Day Arsames Homo Sapiens Arsames Immortal Identity Arsames Monotheism Arsames Xerxes Arsames Testament of the King Arsames Persepolis Arsames
- 20Tribute To Warriors of Metal - EP · Apple Music
2 quotes
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Tribute To Warriors of Metal - EP Arsames Metal · 2022 Preview July 27, 2022 4 songs, 15 minutes ℗ 2022 Distrokid
- 21Tribute To Warriors Of Metal · Spotify
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Tribute To Warriors Of Metal Arsames 2022 4 songs , 15 min 10 sec The pursuit of vikings E Arsames Phobia E Arsames Roots Bloody Roots E Arsames Polarized E Arsames
- 22RAINING BLOOD - Single · Apple Music
2 quotes
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RAINING BLOOD - Single Arsames Metal · 2025 Preview February 16, 2025 1 song, 4 minutes ℗ 2025 Distrokid
- 23RAINING BLOOD · Spotify
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RAINING BLOOD Arsames 2025 1 song , 4 min 47 sec RAINING BLOOD Arsames
- 24Name Man Koroush Ast (Persian) · Spotify
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Name Man Koroush Ast (Persian) Arsames 2024 1 song , 5 min 12 sec Name Man Koroush Ast (Persian) Arsames
- 25My Name Is Cyrus · Spotify
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My Name Is Cyrus Arsames 2024 1 song , 5 min 12 sec My Name Is Cyrus Arsames
- 26The Trooper (Traditional) · Spotify
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The Trooper (Traditional) Arsames 2026 1 song , 4 min 52 sec The Trooper - Traditional Arsames