I found these pictures on Facebook and decided to post them on my webzine. I feel it’s important to preserve the heritage and history of Pakistan’s heavy metal scene, and show it to people who may not have been part of that specific time.I got into metal in 2006, so all of this happened before I was a part of the local scene in even my own city of Lahore. A lot of classic and cult Karachi acts are featured in this set of pictures – it’s definitely interesting to note what the crowds were like back then and their sense of rock/metal fashion.



Legendary Karachi Death Metal crew Autopsy Gothic slaying the audience in 2003. Random gig, couldn’t get the name of the fest. Vocalist Kamran Farooque also was with Hell Dormant for a while, but now roars for Karachi Butcher Clan.



Fans headbanging at a gig in 1996. This is from a gig with Fawad Balouch, who had a now-cult band called Kainath/Kosmos. According to some fans, he put out a demo tape in 1996 or 1997 that was inspired by Morbid Angel, and also had a cover of Helter Skelter. He was known for his crazy shredding and for usually being completely inebriated on stage.



The crowd at Karachi’s Rockfest 2001. This used to be a big annual event in Karachi back in the day, and usually drew a large crowd, as you can see. Metal bands attracted larger crowds than rock bands in those days.



The Autopsy Gothic crew posing for a picture with some fans, at Rockfest 2001.



Another picture of Autopsy Gothic at Rockfest 2001. You can see Aneeq Zaman (currently of grindcore/hardcore band Throttle Instinct), looking quite the same as he does in 2014. Aneeq also does artwork for local bands Multinational Corporations (Grindcore), Irritum (Funeral Doom), as well as design posters for the Hellfest event in Islamabad.



A decade ago, in Lahore, there was one band that had the notoriety and badass image that no other band could cultivate at that time. That band was Seth. Here’s a picture of Seth’s guitarist tuning his guitar at Rockfest 2001 in Karachi.



This man is credited to have laid the foundation for heavy metal music in Pakistan, back in the early 90s. Dusk’s Babar Sheikh has a smoke on stage during Karachi Rockfest 2001. I’m not sure, but his band Northern Alliance was probably playing at this event. Moving from progressive doom/death metal to barbaric and bludgeoning black/thrash, Babar has always made killer music.



Random shot of some random band playing at Rockfest 2001. Couldn’t get their name, but you can see the crowd’s enjoying themselves. You don't see this kind of audience any more at local gigs. Must have been good times for live music.



Babar Sheikh of Northern Alliance/Dusk with some other people at Zakfest 2003. Zakfest was one of the other big festivals in Karachi during those days.



Another killer shot of the crowd from Rockfest 2001.



Ash were one of the premier hard rock/grunge bands in Karachi during the early 2000s. This is a legendary picture, in my opinion, of them playing at the classic Zakfest in 2003. Look at the fan crowd-surfing. You don’t see that anymore at gigs in Pakistan.



A shot of Zakfest 2003. Autopsy Gothic were ravaging the stage. I have no idea what’s going on there but I want to get up and stage-dive ASAP! Photo credit: Autopsy Gothic



Another “I don't know what is going on” picture, but it’s awesome! 2003, Zakfest. Photo credit: Autopsy Gothic

This post originally appeared on Eternal Abhorance. Photo credit: Hasan Shirazi.