Iranian rockers? Yep, Ahoora fit into that all too rare category. Which means they face a multitude of problems that Western rockers never have to contemplate. So, given this situation, plus the fact that they’re actually rather damn fine, we thought it was reasonable to anoint them as our latest Track of The Day. Check out all the latest Tracks Of The Day here.

The band started in 2001 in Tehran. Influenced by Black Sabbath, Iced Earth, Metallica and Iron Maiden, they recorded their first demo in 2004 – having received special permission from the Iranian culture ministry! Imagine any British band needing to get official government sanction before going into the studio? Nah, nor can we.

The following year they did the first ever metal gig in Iran, but then went rather underground, releasing their self-titled debut album in 2006 – without official sanction. This led to the band being refused permission to go to America for a show later that year in Washington DC, and also to a ban on any gigs by Ahoora in Iran.

Undeterred, the band – that’s vocalist Ashkan Hadavand, guitarists Alireza Saeidian and Milad Tangshir, and bassist Mohamed Baei (they have no permanent drummer) – released their second album (All In Blood With You) in 2007, and have just put out a third record, Awkward Diary.

“Unfortunately we cannot even send out CDs to anyone,” says Tangshir, “because they’ll be seized by the authorities!”

So give this lot some support by downloading for free new single Closure here.

You can also download the band’s first single, Crimson Baby, at the same location.

Says Tangshir: “Crimson Baby is dedicated to Neda Agha-Soltan (a young woman who was shot dead during a peaceful protest in Tehran last June) and all the others who died innocently on the streets during the clashes, following the Iranian election in 2009.”

For further info, go to www.ahoora-band.com.