Witness

In the late 1990s, a heavy metal band called Acrassicauda formed in Iraq, when the country was under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. Over the next decade, the pioneering band found themselves on a collision course with the dictatorship militants and the west. The band was able to get inspiration from various bootleg tapes of heavy metal's greatest acts. Acrassicauda performed under Saddam's regime, but because of censorship restrictions, they had to write a song that praised the dictator. Johnny I'Anson speaks to bass player, Firas Al-Lateef.(Photo: Acrassicauda perform in Iraq in 2004. Credit: Getty Images)