Old School have been around long enough to see Morocco’s metal scene change, grow and bring through a new generation of bands. That gives guitarist Mounir Bouchaibi a clear view of where the band stands on a bill like this one. Ahead of the Tracktour shows in Rabat and Casablanca, he spoke about sharing the stage with younger acts and international guests, what makes a mixed lineup of thrash, melodic death metal and groove metalcore work live, and why Old School still feel they have more to do.
“it still feels like we’ve only scratched the surface. We’re just getting started.”
Old School have been around a long time, and that gives your band a different place on a bill like this. How do you see your role when you share a stage with younger bands and with a band coming in from outside Morocco?
Sharing the stage with younger bands is always great because they bring a lot of fresh energy and hunger. Since Old School has been around for a while, we try to bring experience and a strong stage presence to the bill.
Playing with bands from outside Morocco also creates a great exchange. It opens new horizons for everyone, both musically and culturally. At the end of the day, it’s all about supporting the scene and sharing the same passion for heavy music.
This lineup brings together thrash, melodic death metal and groove metalcore. From your side, what holds a bill like this together, and why does that mix work live?
What really holds a bill like this together is pure aggression and a love of heavy riffs. Thrash, melodic death and groove metalcore are different branches of the same heavy tree. It’s all about intensity, energy, and that connection with the crowd when the riffs hit.
Live, that mix works because it keeps the night dangerous and unpredictable. Thrash brings the speed and chaos, melodic death adds the dark melodies, and groove metalcore hits with those crushing rhythms that make people move. Different sounds, same mission: loud riffs, sweaty pits, and total metal chaos.
Rabat first, Casablanca second: what kind of response are you hoping for in each city, and what kind of atmosphere do you want Old School to help create over those two nights?
Rabat is the ignition point. We want the crowd there to come hungry: fast riffs, loud shouts, and the pit already spinning from the first song. It’s the first night, so the goal is simple: hit the stage hard and set the tone.
Casablanca is home ground for us, so the energy there is always something else. We expect a wild crowd, big circle pits, and that raw connection between the band and the audience. Over those two nights, we want to create the same thing: pure thrash chaos, sweat, noise, and a room full of people losing their minds to heavy riffs and sharing the same passion.
Old School came back and have kept moving. What keeps this band going, and what still feels unfinished to you?
What keeps Old School going is simple: the passion for the music and the bond between the guys in the band. Even after all these years, that feeling when you step on stage, hear the riffs, and see the crowd react is something that never gets old, and never will.
Honestly, it still feels like we’ve only scratched the surface. There’s more music to write, more stages to play, and more places to take our sound. The story of Old School is still being written. We’re just getting started.
Tickets are now available here: https://linktr.ee/TracktourTickets
