Egyptian Punk Rock Band Gnar Jar Do it Short, Fast and Loud in ‘Sunglasses After Dark’

Just two weeks after releasing a playful animated video for their track, ‘Werewolf at a Girls’ Boarding School’, Egyptian punk rock band, Gnar Jar, are at it again, but this time in the flesh. 

Proving that punk is a much more malleable style than most realise, ‘Sunglasses After the Dark’ sees the Alexandria-based duo of drummer, Amin Rida, and bassist/vocalist, Ziad Ashraf, maintain their ethos of creating music that is ‘short, fast and loud’. This latest track, however, benefits from a distinctive melody. That’s partially due to the presence of guitarist, Cherif Herrawi, who was previously part of disbanded group, Assfell, alongside Rida and Ashraf. While there’s no indication that Herrawi is to join Gnar Jar on a permanent basis (he doesn’t feature in the video), his contribution elevates the track as a whole, giving it a different dimension to ‘Werewolf’. In saying that, it’s still a relentless piece of music, an attack on the senses that demands repeated listens – and the video follows suit.

Produced by Cairo-based production company, DROOGS, the video somehow makes what is ultimately an empty, abandoned apartment into something of a carnival. Granted, the colourful wall-to-wall graffiti plays a big part in that, but director of the video (and co-founder and creative director of DROOGS), Bassem Mohamed, employs a similar approach to to the one he used as a photographer/videographer with infamous Alexandria skate shop, Skateimpact – the cradle from which Gnar Jar was born.

What the video ultimately serves to do is offer a real introduction of the band. While Rida and Ashraf have been inciting musical anarchy for the better part of seven years and Gnar Jar has been releasing music since 2018, this is the track and video that speaks most of the duo. This is the track and video that encapsulates their very being, that states their intent to bring their own brand of hardcore punk rock to Egypt.

Want more? Read SceneNoise's special feature, Gnar Jar: Egypt's Punk Crusaders in Their Own Words.

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Photo courtesy of Bassem Mohamed/Droogs