Diacritical
Diacritical is a band from Washington D.C. that was active from 2004-2007 led by frontman Omar Waqar. They recorded their only full length album by the same name in 2006. Omar’s lyrics are as idealistic as they are angry, as he runs through lyrical diatribes about racism, war, and immigration reform.
One reviewer wrote:
“Diacritical revives the idealism and raw-passion of punk using the groove and slap approach from funk, strewn across a wide spectrum of sounds which include Sitar, Tabla and Tanpura, but within the rock context. Their songs touch base on social issues, alienation, and attempting to understand one’s personal and cultural identity in the modern world. It’s a reaction to a hate crime. It’s the by-product of the frustration from feeling like one has no voice.”
- An Honest Mistake
Sample Lyrics
“I cuddle with chaos to stay warm like love letters with no postage, man / I wandered from land to land with marker in hand clenched fist could have caused carpal tunnel /all the races in a funnel siphoned out to be the modern man and they wonder why the world has gone under.” (War Crimes/Diacritical)
Note: Since the break-up of Diacritical, Omar Waqar has started a new project called Sarmust.
