Anuryzm

Lore & Background

Anuryzm was created by Canadian guitarist John Bakhos in 2003 as a means to branch out from his background in extreme metal in favor of progressive heavy metal music. In 2010, after returning to the United Arab Emirates, Bakhos reconnected with British vocalist Nadeem Michel Bibby and forged the recording incarnation of the band. The band independently released their debut album Worm's Eye View in 2011, featuring guest performances by Martin Lopez (Soen, Opeth, Amon Amarth) on drums and Uri Dijk (Textures, Ethereal) on synths for one track. The album was re-released in 2012 in the United States via Melodic Revolution Records and in Japan via Asian Rock Rising, and the band recruited additional members for live performances.

Throughout 2012 and 2013, Anuryzm performed as guests for acts including Nightwish, Epica, Dark Tranquillity, Avenged Sevenfold, and Yngwie Malmsteen. As part of a one-off show during the recording of their second album, the band performed as special guests to Black Sabbath at the Du Arena, Abu Dhabi, on the Middle Eastern stopover of their world tour. Their second album All Is Not For All was released on 15 June 2015, followed by a European tour in the fall of 2016 entitled 'Awakening The Humanoids.' Following vocalist Nadeem Michel Bibby's departure in 2019, the band continued work on a third album set for release in 2020.

Reader's Guide

Anuryzm holds significance as a progressive heavy metal project based in the United Arab Emirates, notable for its multinational lineup and independent releases. The band's debut album Worm's Eye View (2011) featured guest musicians from prominent metal acts, and its re-release in the US and Japan helped expand its reach. Their live performances included opening for major international acts such as Nightwish, Epica, Dark Tranquillity, Avenged Sevenfold, and Yngwie Malmsteen, as well as a special guest slot for Black Sabbath in Abu Dhabi. The band's second album All Is Not For All (2015) was supported by a European tour. Despite the departure of vocalist Nadeem Michel Bibby in 2019, the band continued working on a third album, demonstrating ongoing activity. Anuryzm's legacy lies in its role as a cross-cultural metal project in the Middle East, bridging diverse backgrounds and nationalities within the progressive metal genre.

Did You Know?

• Anuryzm was created by Canadian guitarist John Bakhos in 2003.
• The band performed as special guests to Black Sabbath at the Du Arena, Abu Dhabi.
• Debut album Worm's Eye View featured Martin Lopez (Soen, Opeth, Amon Amarth) on drums.
• Vocalist Nadeem Michel Bibby departed the band in 2019.

Origins & Formation

Anuryzm traces its origins to 2003, when Canadian guitarist John Bakhos conceived the project as a creative outlet distinct from his earlier work in extreme metal. His ambition was to explore progressive heavy metal, a stylistic shift that would come to define the band's entire identity. During those early years, the lineup featured Bernard Moussali on additional guitars, Sami Khawam on bass, Roger Moussali on drums, and Yanad Zwein on vocals, though this initial configuration proved short-lived. The project then lay dormant for several years until 2010, when Bakhos returned to the United Arab Emirates and reconnected with British vocalist Nadeem Michel Bibby. Together, the two forged what became the recording incarnation of Anuryzm. The band's home base in the UAE, combined with a roster of contributors drawn from a wide variety of nationalities and musical backgrounds, gave the project a distinctly international character from its very inception.

Debut Album & Early Footprint

The band's debut album, Worm's Eye View, was independently released on 11 October 2011, marking the first full-length statement from the project. The recording featured guest drummer Martin Lopez, known for his work with Soen, Opeth, and Amon Amarth, as well as synth contributions from Uri Dijk on the track "Breaking the Ballot." The album cycle also prompted the recruitment of additional members specifically to handle live performances, expanding the group beyond its core studio lineup. In 2012, the record received wider international distribution through re-releases in the United States via Melodic Revolution Records and in Japan via Asian Rock Rising. Two singles accompanied the album's initial release: "Wide Awake" dropped on the same day as the full-length, while "Breaking the Ballot" followed in November 2011. This period firmly established Anuryzm's footprint in the progressive metal scene and set the stage for the high-profile touring opportunities that would follow.

High-Profile Live Appearances

Between 2012 and 2013, Anuryzm earned the opportunity to open for a remarkable roster of headliners, including Nightwish, Epica, Dark Tranquillity, Avenged Sevenfold, and Yngwie Malmsteen. These guest slots placed the UAE-based band on stages alongside some of the most recognized names across the broader metal and rock spectrum. Perhaps the most extraordinary moment in the band's live history came when, during the recording sessions for their second album, Anuryzm was invited to perform as special guests for Black Sabbath at the Du Arena in Abu Dhabi. This one-off appearance was part of the legendary band's Middle Eastern stopover on their world tour, and it underscored the genuine respect Anuryzm had earned within the heavy music community. Later, in the fall of 2016, the band launched a European tour titled "Awakening The Humanoids" to promote their second album, All Is Not For All, which had been released on 15 June 2015, bringing their progressive heavy metal to new audiences across the continent.

Lineup Evolution & Ongoing Work

Anuryzm's history is marked by significant personnel changes that reflect the band's evolving sound and circumstances. Beyond founding guitarist John Bakhos and keyboardist Jay Jahed, who have remained constant fixtures, the group cycled through numerous musicians over the years, including several guitarists, bassists, and drummers whose tenures spanned various periods between 2003 and 2018. The departure of vocalist Nadeem Michel Bibby in 2019 represented a major turning point, prompting the return of Will Patterson, who had previously sung with the group from 2007 to 2009, and the rejoining of bassist Rami Lakkis. Drummer Simen Sandnes also joined the lineup in 2019. The band continued working on a third album, initially targeted for a 2020 release, and issued the single "Etheride" in December 2019. Session musicians have played a recurring role in the recordings, with contributors like Charlie Zeleny, Michael Lepond, and Christopher James Chaplin adding percussion, bass, and strings to specific tracks, reinforcing the collaborative spirit at the heart of Anuryzm's creative process.