Black Fortress of Opium

Cambridge, MA's evocatively named Black Fortress of Opium took their moniker from the English translation of a real place: the historic Turkish town of Afyonkarahisar, which famously sits atop a towering volcanic outcropping, and was surrounded, in centuries past, by verdant fields of poppy. As a result, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist (guitar, mandolin, melodica, flute, field recordings, etc.) Ajda the Turkish Queen (who hails from Houston, TX), guitarist Tony Savarino, and drummer Joe Turner draw some of their inspiration from Middle Eastern traditions, which are then meticulously blended into numerous Western musical styles like folk, rock, gothic, and psychedelic. This intriguing mix was honed over several months of concerts and rehearsals, before being captured for Black Fortress of Opium's eponymous debut album by producer Martin Bisi (the Dresden Dolls, Sonic Youth, Lydia Lunch, etc.), and released independently in January 2008. The band has since added bass player Rich Cortese to their touring lineup.