Heavy metal in Africa has long faced challenges from limited infrastructure, cultural resistance, and political restrictions, but passionate musicians and fans have created unique and thriving scenes across the continent.
South Africa is the continent’s strongest hub, with pioneers like Voice of Destruction and Ragnarok active in the 1980s, followed by death/thrash bands such as Groinchurn and Pothole in the 1990s. Today, groups like Seer, Wildernessking, and Terminatryx showcase South Africa’s diverse range, from black metal to industrial and symphonic styles. Festivals such as Witchfest and Metal4Africa are central meeting points for the scene.
North Africa has produced influential bands despite social restrictions. In Morocco, groups like Analgesia and Into In Depth helped lay foundations, while Egypt is known for extreme metal exports such as Crescent and Scarab, who gained international attention by blending death/black metal with ancient Egyptian themes. Tunisia has also entered the global spotlight with Myrath, whose progressive metal incorporates Middle Eastern and North African influences.
Elsewhere, Kenya, Botswana, and Namibia have developed distinctive local movements. Botswana in particular is famous for its “cowboy metalheads,” where fans wear leather, spikes, and cowboy hats as part of a unique desert metal identity, supporting local bands like Skinflint and Overthrust.