Mezarkabul
Encyclopedia
Mezarkabul is a Turkish
metal band formed by Hakan Utangaç
and Cenk Ünnü
. Mezarkabul is known for integrating Anatolian
elements into their music. Mezarkabul means 'accepting the grave', or literally 'grave accept' in Turkish.
. Their first songs were released in 1990 on the self-titled Pentagram album. In 1992, a second guitarist
Demir Demirkan
joined the band, as well as a new lead singer, Bartu Toptas, helping Hakan to concentrate on his guitar duties. The new line-up played several gigs until Bartu decided to move back to Sweden. He left the band in March 1992 just when they had started to record the Trail Blazer album. The voice in the beginning of "Secret Missile" is Bartu's. To fill Bartu's void, the Mezarkabul members hired vocalist Ogün Sanlısoy
. They released their second album Trail Blazer in the same year and enjoyed growing popularity, both in Turkey and across the world. In 1993 guitarist Ümit Yılbar was killed by terrorists on the mountain of Cıraf while he was serving the Turkish army. The remaining members recorded "Fly Forever" in memory of Ümit Yılbar, but the band recorded more songs that dealt with Yılbar's death: "1,000 in the Eastland" and "Anatolia" (both from the album Anatolia).
For the next three years, the band toured in Turkey and other countries. In 1995, vocalist Murat İlkan replaced Ogün, and they started working on their next album, Anatolia, which was released in Turkey in 1997. Several weeks after the release, Century Media approached Mezarkabul for a worldwide release.
The lyrics of Anatolia address war, pain and ignorance, often in an unusual way. In "1,000 in the Eastland" the lyrics stress that "thousands of people are dying in the East, all ignored by the West, where one death becomes a tragedy", at the same time emphasizing that "fighting with hatred feeds the rich men". The album has been praised by Sea of Tranquility.
They released a live album in 1998 called Popçular Dışarı
. Guitarist Demir Demirkan departed, and was temporarily replaced with Onur "Mr. Cat" Pamukçu.
The band started recording its next album in 2000 in its own studio
in Istanbul. Guitarist Metin Türkcan officially joined the band during the recording session. They composed 17 songs, and decided to split it into two different CDs. In 2001, Unspoken
was released worldwide. In 2002, Bir was released in Turkey.
For their releases in Turkey, they use the name "Pentagram". However, due to an American
doom metal
band called Pentagram, they go by the name "Mezarkabul" for international releases.
Sony Music released in 2008 Mezarkabul's concert album 1987, which includes the band's 20th anniversary concert in Bostancı Gösteri Merkezi on 4 February 2007.
in Turkey. The band's work has inspired all forms of rock music and helped it to gain popularity in Turkey. They were known to collaborate with the late vocalist of Vitamin, Gökhan Semiz, and Vitamin itself. Also, Tarkan Gözübüyük has produced, arranged and performed with numerous artists and bands. For example, Mor ve Ötesi
's groundbreaking album Dünya Yalan Söylüyor was produced by Gözübüyük. Other than contributions to rock music, Mezarkabul members continued to contribute to popular music as well. Demir Demirkan, as he pursued his solo career, wrote the lyrics and produced the first Turkish song ever to win the Eurovision song contest. Tuna Kiremitçi
, of the Vatan newspaper, wrote an article about the band, praising their contributions.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
metal band formed by Hakan Utangaç
Hakan Utangaç
Hakan Utangaç is the guitarist of heavy metal band Mezarkabul . He is a founding member of the band.-References:...
and Cenk Ünnü
Cenk Ünnü
Cenk Ünnü is the drummer of the heavy metal band Mezarkabul . He and Hakan Utangaç formed Pentagram together in 1986. He graduated from İstanbul University’s Faculty of Literature, Anthropology. He currently lives in Istanbul and runs an underground music store called Pena. He is married and has a...
. Mezarkabul is known for integrating Anatolian
Anatolian rock
Anatolian rock is a fusion of Turkish folk and rock music. It emerged during the mid-1960s, soon after rock groups such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Yes, Status Quo and Omega became popular in Turkey...
elements into their music. Mezarkabul means 'accepting the grave', or literally 'grave accept' in Turkish.
History
Mezarkabul was formed in Bursa in 1986 by guitarist Hakan Utangaç and drummer Cenk Ünnü. In 1987, bassist Tarkan Gözübüyük joined, and they started doing live showsConcert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
. Their first songs were released in 1990 on the self-titled Pentagram album. In 1992, a second guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Demir Demirkan
Demir Demirkan
Demir Demirkan is a Turkish musician, Eurovision Song Contest winning composer, formerly guitarist for thrash metal band Mezarkabul. Demir Demirkan started his music life when he was 13 and played guitar with various groups in college...
joined the band, as well as a new lead singer, Bartu Toptas, helping Hakan to concentrate on his guitar duties. The new line-up played several gigs until Bartu decided to move back to Sweden. He left the band in March 1992 just when they had started to record the Trail Blazer album. The voice in the beginning of "Secret Missile" is Bartu's. To fill Bartu's void, the Mezarkabul members hired vocalist Ogün Sanlısoy
Ogün Sanlisoy
Ogün Sanlısoy is a Turkish rock musician and a pioneer among Turkish heavy metal vocalists.-Biography:Born in Gölcük, Turkey in 1971. Graduated from Mimar Sinan University as an industrial product designer...
. They released their second album Trail Blazer in the same year and enjoyed growing popularity, both in Turkey and across the world. In 1993 guitarist Ümit Yılbar was killed by terrorists on the mountain of Cıraf while he was serving the Turkish army. The remaining members recorded "Fly Forever" in memory of Ümit Yılbar, but the band recorded more songs that dealt with Yılbar's death: "1,000 in the Eastland" and "Anatolia" (both from the album Anatolia).
For the next three years, the band toured in Turkey and other countries. In 1995, vocalist Murat İlkan replaced Ogün, and they started working on their next album, Anatolia, which was released in Turkey in 1997. Several weeks after the release, Century Media approached Mezarkabul for a worldwide release.
The lyrics of Anatolia address war, pain and ignorance, often in an unusual way. In "1,000 in the Eastland" the lyrics stress that "thousands of people are dying in the East, all ignored by the West, where one death becomes a tragedy", at the same time emphasizing that "fighting with hatred feeds the rich men". The album has been praised by Sea of Tranquility.
They released a live album in 1998 called Popçular Dışarı
Popçular Disari
Popçular Dışarı is a live album released by the Turkish heavy metal band Mezarkabul, in 1998. It is the fourth album of Mezarkabul.-Track listing:# Intro # Before the Veil# Behind the Veil# Welcome the End# No One Wins the Fight...
. Guitarist Demir Demirkan departed, and was temporarily replaced with Onur "Mr. Cat" Pamukçu.
The band started recording its next album in 2000 in its own studio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
in Istanbul. Guitarist Metin Türkcan officially joined the band during the recording session. They composed 17 songs, and decided to split it into two different CDs. In 2001, Unspoken
Unspoken (Pentagram album)
Unspoken, released in 2001, is the fifth album of Mezarkabul. In fact, this is the only album they released under the name Mezarkabul...
was released worldwide. In 2002, Bir was released in Turkey.
For their releases in Turkey, they use the name "Pentagram". However, due to an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
band called Pentagram, they go by the name "Mezarkabul" for international releases.
Sony Music released in 2008 Mezarkabul's concert album 1987, which includes the band's 20th anniversary concert in Bostancı Gösteri Merkezi on 4 February 2007.
Influence on Turkish music
Mezarkabul is often considered to be the pioneers of heavy metalHeavy 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...
in Turkey. The band's work has inspired all forms of rock music and helped it to gain popularity in Turkey. They were known to collaborate with the late vocalist of Vitamin, Gökhan Semiz, and Vitamin itself. Also, Tarkan Gözübüyük has produced, arranged and performed with numerous artists and bands. For example, Mor ve Ötesi
Mor ve Ötesi
Mor ve Ötesi is a Turkish alternative rock band from Istanbul. Its four current members are Harun Tekin , Kerem Kabadayı , Burak Güven and Kerem Özyeğen . Former members include Alper Tekin and Derin Esmer...
's groundbreaking album Dünya Yalan Söylüyor was produced by Gözübüyük. Other than contributions to rock music, Mezarkabul members continued to contribute to popular music as well. Demir Demirkan, as he pursued his solo career, wrote the lyrics and produced the first Turkish song ever to win the Eurovision song contest. Tuna Kiremitçi
Tuna Kiremitci
Tuna Kiremitci is a contemporary Turkish writer.His first poems were published in the magazine Varlık during his Galatasaray High School years. His book entitled Ayabakanlar that won him the "Yasar Nabi Nayır" Award for Poetry met his readers in 1994...
, of the Vatan newspaper, wrote an article about the band, praising their contributions.
Current lineup
- Gökalp Ergen - vocals (2010–present)
- Hakan UtangaçHakan UtangaçHakan Utangaç is the guitarist of heavy metal band Mezarkabul . He is a founding member of the band.-References:...
- guitar (1986–present) - Metin Türkcan - guitar (2000–present)
- Tarkan GözübüyükTarkan GözübüyükTarkan Gözübüyük is the bass player of the Turkish heavy metal band Mezarkabul .-Biography:Born in 1970 in Erzurum, he grew up in Bursa...
- bass (1987–present) - Cenk ÜnnüCenk ÜnnüCenk Ünnü is the drummer of the heavy metal band Mezarkabul . He and Hakan Utangaç formed Pentagram together in 1986. He graduated from İstanbul University’s Faculty of Literature, Anthropology. He currently lives in Istanbul and runs an underground music store called Pena. He is married and has a...
- drums (1986–present)
Former members
- Ümit Yılbar - guitar (1986–1989)
- Murat Net - guitar (1989–1990)
- Bartu Toptas - vocals (1990–1992)
- Ogün SanlısoyOgün SanlisoyOgün Sanlısoy is a Turkish rock musician and a pioneer among Turkish heavy metal vocalists.-Biography:Born in Gölcük, Turkey in 1971. Graduated from Mimar Sinan University as an industrial product designer...
- vocals (1992–1995) - Demir DemirkanDemir DemirkanDemir Demirkan is a Turkish musician, Eurovision Song Contest winning composer, formerly guitarist for thrash metal band Mezarkabul. Demir Demirkan started his music life when he was 13 and played guitar with various groups in college...
- guitar (1992–1998) - Onur "Mr. Cat" Pamukçu - guitar (1998–2000)
- Murat İlkan - vocals (1995–2010)
Albums
- 1990 - Pentagram
- 1992 - Trail Blazer
- 1997 - Anatolia
- 2001 - UnspokenUnspoken (Pentagram album)Unspoken, released in 2001, is the fifth album of Mezarkabul. In fact, this is the only album they released under the name Mezarkabul...
- 2002 - Bir