Şebnem Ferah is not actually Turkish, she is Macedonian, she just grew up in Turkey. She started out taking music lessons from her father who specialized in Rumelian folk songs played with baglama, mandolin and piano. From there, her musical training moved to guitar and vocals. The direction changed when she entered secondary school and started up a group, which later emerged as an all girls band that experienced some success in local performances. During that time, Sebnem became involved in some corollary experiences. For instance, she provided the voice for Ariel of the Little Mermaid, an interesting sideline for a vocalist of this level of achievement.

Following these experiences, Sebnem moved to Ankara to begin studies in Economics. Her career there was limited and she returned to the music scene, where, in 1994, her band Volvox disbanded. Fortunately, at about that time she was discovered by several prominent musical authorities in Turkey who began to move her forward in her musical career despite the loss of her band. She released her first solo album in 1996. That production, entitled Kadın was followed by a series of four more releases, culminating with the current release being reviewed here. The early releases were described as being more soft rock oriented. There is even a jazz sound to some of that music and that capability is not entirely gone from this production. However, with Can Kiriklari, Sebnem’s music took a harder tack and can be described as more closely associated with a traditional metal sound, albeit one with a decidedly Middle Eastern tone.

Today, Sebnem is generally recognized as the leading rock musician in Turkey and one of the most generally admired musicians throughout the country. She has performed in a number of capacities and is expert at a number of musical styles. This range of styles has influenced her recording endeavors as well. For instance, on her third album, Perdeler, she collaborated with the Finnish cello rock band Apocalyptica. For those of you not familiar with Apocalyptica, it is a traditional Finnish Gothic sound performed in a classical manner. She has also done more traditional classical work on occasion.

Backup musicians on this production include Buket Doran (bass guitar), Metin Türkcan (electric guitar), Aykan İlkan (drums) and Ozan Tügen (keyboard). This group has been performing with her in studio and on stage since that 3rd album, Perdeler. The sound is first class, a very tight background cast with a serious capability for solo instrumental work although it is not generally highlighted. Sebnem drives this music, she is the action and the focus and for good reason. The sound is different, and of course the lyrics are completely foreign, Turkish for the most part, incomprehensible for most Americans, but the sound is one that communicates in a universal language. Her voice is not one you hear regularly in Western musical styles. It is clearly influenced by the Middle Eastern rhythms and tones which gives it a foreign sound, but an entirely pleasing one, actually rather entrancing, and quite beautiful.

The CD is a 10 title effort and it encompasses a variety of styles and formats. I was unable to find English interpretations to the lyrics, beyond the titles, so I can’t speak on the themes, although the titles are pretty descriptive. The first title, Okyanus, or Ocean, is a pure metal offering and is a staple of the Sonic Cathedral radio outlet. It’s as good a metal title as I have heard in some time, solid instrumental work and the Sebnem vocals at their best. You know the sound is foreign, even before the first lyrics are sung, but the meaning is clear. This is first-rate work done by serious professionals. The second title, Bir Kalp Kirildiginda is another hard metal title, although it starts out differently. The sound brings pictures of a Turkish landscape to mind, compete with flying carpets and everything we imagine from that society, all wrapped in a solid metal blanket and conveyed through a seriously strong and mesmerizing vocal component. The remaining 8 tracks carry on the themes, sometimes in ballads, sometimes in a harder metal format. The sound is always just a little Middle Eastern, the voice, whether done singly or with overlays sounds different, even before you realize the language differences. It only enhances the final product.

Sebnem Ferah is a major vocalist, not just in her native Turkey but throughout the Middle East and into parts of Europe. And it’s the kind of music we all know and love, but with a seductive foreign element that is hard to describe without hearing it. The Turks are catching up with the Fins. And we’re all the better for it.

9 / 10