Never a band to shy away from change, Persona have undergone continued metamorphosis since their 2012 inception. Founded in Tunisia by lead guitarist Melik Melek Khelifa and Serbian singer/pianist Jelena Dobric, the band rounded up a complete line-up, including their current rhythm guitarist Yosri Ouada, and quickly established themselves in the Tunisian metal scene by winning the Tunis “Metal Asylum Battle” in August 2013 when they performed live on stage with guest star Ron Bumblefoot Thal. Their first single, “Blinded,” was voted best metal video in the African Rock Music Awards (AudioInferno.com), and gave them a greater international reach. The video has gone on to receive over 1.3 million views on YouTube.
Their first full-length, Elusive Reflections, was released in 2016. With a sound that didn’t overtly pander to their locale, Persona still brought a fresh and exotic angle to their version of modern metal: one that emphasized strong, catchy melodies alongside heavier and progressive moments. Despite living in a part of the world not known for metal, they managed to garner critical acclaim internationally. Thus Persona quickly returned in 2017 after successfully crowdfunding their second full-length, aptly titled Metamorphosis. A release that saw them flexing even heavier elements in their sound, while still retaining a sense of grace and elegance by experimenting further with classical orchestrations and serene, sometimes progressive, melodies.
The result was a resounding success, which led the band into greater live and touring opportunities. Within Tunisia, the band opened for Xandria and Myrath in 2017 as well as won the Hard Rock Rising competition two years in a row (2016 and 2017). They also got their first invitation to play in Europe, performing at FEMME - Female Metal Event - in Eindhoven, Netherlands in September 2017. The well-received event garnered them invites for more festivals and concerts in Europe. Keeping the momentum moving forward, the band released a music video
for the Halloween single “Skeleton Dance” in 2018. To bring the band to the next level, Persona relocated to Hanover, Germany in 2019.
With the move came the search for new members to accompany Khelifa, Dobric, and Ouada. Joining the band were Eike Nehen on the bass and Simon Schröder filling out the rhythm section. The band has already played some successful shows in Germany, and released a new single titled “Alpha” in November 2020 as an opening for their third full-length, „Animal“ released in Fall 2021. The new album will showcase yet another metamorphosis in the band’s impressive evolution as they prepare to make their definitive mark on the global metal scene, supported by winning the Metal Hodesses Award 2021 for the best alternative-metal album.
