Awkward Diary is the third album by the Iranian alternative rock

Alternative rock

Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...

 band Ahoora

Ahoora

Ahoora is an Iranian alternative rock band from Tehran, formed in 2001.The band currently features Milad Tangshir Ashkan Hadavand and Mamy Baei...

, released by Zirzamin on 2nd of March 2010.

Reception

Some critics were disappointed by the new electronica

Electronica

Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...

, alternative rock

Alternative rock

Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...

 approach rather than progressive metal

Progressive metal

Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...

 of the previous albums. Metal Invader called it progressive

Progressive

Progressive is an adjectival form of progress and may refer to:-Politics:* Progressivism, a political ideology* Progressive Era, a period of reform in the United States Progressive is an adjectival form of progress and may refer to:-Politics:* Progressivism, a political ideology* Progressive Era, a...

 trip hop

Trip hop

Trip hop is a music genre consisting of downtempo electronic music which originated in the early 1990s in England, especially Bristol. Deriving from "post"-acid house, the term was first used by the British music media and press as a way to describe the more experimental variant of breakbeat which...

  while Insomniac Magazine wrote: “As a band, Ahoora frequently shifts gears between Heavy Metal

Heavy metal music

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...

, Groove Metal

Groove metal

Groove metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It was often used to describe Pantera and Exhorder.- Characteristics and origins :Pantera's Cowboys from Hell album from 1990 was described as "groundbreaking" and "blueprint-defining" for the groove metal genre...

, Hard Rock

Hard rock

Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...

, Alternative and Jazz

Jazz

Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...

 melodic meanderings mixed in with synths and other varied instruments”. Classic Rock Magazine believed: “This shows some very nice touches. Imagine Muse

Muse (band)

Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...

 and Tool

Tool (band)

Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...

 getting all cozy around Iced Earth

Iced Earth

Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band from Tampa, Florida. Originally formed under the name "Purgatory" in 1984, Iced Earth has released a total of ten studio albums, one live album, three EP's, two compilations and boxsets...

and you’ve got the drift here. The musicianship is accomplished, the songs concise and focused”.

Track listing

Personnel

• Milad Tangshir – guitars, backing vocals
• Ashkan Hadavand – lead vocals
• Mamy Baei – bass
• Farzad Golpayegani – guitar solo on tracks 4 & 11
• Darren Motamedy – Saxophone on track 11
• Parviz Norouzi – Saxophone on tracks 4 & 5

Produced by Ahoora

Recorded & Mixed by Mamy Baei

Mastered by Farzad Golpayegani

Front cover by Richard Baxter

Back cover by Mattijn Franssen