The Arab heavy metal community is in mourning after the death of Jean-Pierre Haddad, frontman and guitarist of Kimaera.
The Lebanese band announced the news on their social media channels on Thursday.
While the band did not reveal the cause of death, Lebanese news site IM Lebanon reported that Haddad, 39, died in his Cairo apartment from asphyxiation after a natural gas leak.
Friends of Haddad confirmed the tragedy to The National.
"It is with extreme devastation that we announce the passing of our founder, front man, and brother Jp Haddad," read a statement from Kimaera.
"Being one of the early pioneers of the Lebanese metal community, JP never lost faith in the local metal scene, while working tirelessly towards taking it internationally."
The band revealed they recently finished recording the fourth album, Imperium, to be released in March.
“It was only one week ago that the whole band received and listened to the finished new album, and while it will forever hurt to listen to JP's unique growls, we will make sure that his musical dreams, passion and legacy will always live through."
Keyboardist Charbel Abboud released his own poignant tribute to Haddad on Instagram.
"Thank you for believing in me, as a brother, as a friend, and as a bandmate," he said.
"Thank you for helping me become the man I am today. Thank you for telling me you're proud of me."
Blazing a path
Formed in Beirut in 2000 Kimaera forged a ferocious sound blending doom and death metal with Middle Eastern and symphonic melodies.
Their 2004 debut single God's Wrath created a buzz and caught the attention of Russian record label Stygian Crypt Productions, which released albums Ebony Veiled in 2006 and Solitary Impact in 2010.
By then Kimaera had completed successful tours of Europe, including appearing in Czech Republic's Masters of Rock Festival in 2010 and Latvia's Zobens Un Lemess in 2017.
The band also headlined a Dubai music festival called Metal Eastern Night in 2014.
The news of Haddad's death has devastated the tightly knit regional metal scene as he led a band hailed as pioneers for their uncompromising approach to their craft.
This is best displayed with their punishing cover of Majida Al Roumi’s Beirut Set El Donya.
Released to mark their 20th anniversary, the innovative interpretation and gothic music video was so popular that it was broadcast on mainstream Lebanese channel MTV.
El Roumi was unimpressed with the treatment, however, and stated an intention to file a copyright claim against Kimaera for their unofficial use of the song.
In a 2021 episode of YouTube series LebMetal, Haddad reflected on the controversy and put it down to the stigma associated with heavy metal in Lebanon.
"They said we were promoting violence and chaos even though it is the exact same song,” he said.
An inspiration to many
Former band manager Elia Mssawir was in charge of some of Kimaera's earlier tours.
“Because of you I started [my artist management career] because you dared me to book Kimaera for festivals in Europe. You believed in me and you literally started my career,” Mssawir wrote on Facebook.
“We talked a few days ago and it didn't cross my mind that this will be our last conversation. I'm just speaking my mind because I don't know how to express this unbelievable loss over this waterfall of tears ... I miss you man.”
Lebanese singer-songwriter Anthony Ba'a' Abdo also went on social media to describe Haddad as an inspiration.
"Yesterday, my home country lost a monument in its metal circle. RIP Jp Haddad, we'll make sure your music and vision of Kimaera will roam this world."
The Cairo Jazz Club in Egypt, where Haddad was bar manager, announced a gathering in his honour tonight. "He will be deeply missed, and always remembered as a hardworking and passionate man.”
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Always use only regulated platforms
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Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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Read more about the coronavirus
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
RESULT
Bayern Munich 5 Eintrracht Frankfurt 2
Bayern: Goretzka (17'), Müller (41'), Lewandowski (46'), Davies (61'), Hinteregger (74' og)
Frankfurt: Hinteregger (52', 55')
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group B
Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Eriksen 80')
Inter Milan 0
Company name: Play:Date
Launched: March 2017 on UAE Mother’s Day
Founder: Shamim Kassibawi
Based: Dubai with operations in the UAE and US
Sector: Tech
Size: 20 employees
Stage of funding: Seed
Investors: Three founders (two silent co-founders) and one venture capital fund
Leaderboard
15 under: Paul Casey (ENG)
-14: Robert MacIntyre (SCO)
-13 Brandon Stone (SA)
-10 Laurie Canter (ENG) , Sergio Garcia (ESP)
-9 Kalle Samooja (FIN)
-8 Thomas Detry (BEL), Justin Harding (SA), Justin Rose (ENG)
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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Tank warfare
Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks.
“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.
“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”
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Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
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