HAVE YOU HEARD THIS? (CHAPTER ONE)

Here's some music for all of you to savour. If you have heard all of these songs, great! You, sir, are up-to-date! If you haven't, then may this serve as your guide to some fine Indian metal.

Most of these bands are in the heavy, groove and progressive space.

Bhayanak Maut - Now, Creation. Forever, Destruction.
Mumbai

(from their second studio album 'Man', released in 2014)




Scribe - Cops Cops (Cops Cops)
Mumbai

(from 2nd studio album 'Hail Mogambo' released in 2014)





Kraken - Dance Jane Dance
Delhi

Colossal Figures - Korotkov Core
Delhi

(off their debut album 'Clockwork Dilation' released in 2014)

Escher's Knot - The Grand Design 
Bangalore




Abraxas - Deviation
Pune




Noiseware - Flicker 
Pune




The Minerva Conduct - End Creation 
Mumbai




Pangea - This is NG Taking.
Mumbai




Aberrant - Collateral Damage
Shillong

(from self-titled EP released in 2014)




Providence - Dante
Mumbai




Feeding in Atlantis - The Firefly
Goa



Chronic Xorn - The Great Human Failure
Kolkata




Heretic - Thoughts
Cochin

(off their debut album 'Words to Epilogues' released in 2012)



Watch out for more!

THE ROLLING STONE METAL AWARDS PLAYLIST

These are the nominees for the Rolling Stone Metal Awards 2014.
Voting for best song, best album and best band (Popular choice) is open here on their event page, so RSVP too.


Cosmic Infusion
6 nominations
Best band
Best album 'Cosmic Infusion'
Best song - Burial of Thy Own
Best vocalist - Sushan Shetty
Best guitar player - Amnish Lohire
Keyboardist - Sushan Shetty

Facebook

For the full song, visit their Bandcamp page, the embed link wasn't working.
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Gutslit 
6 nominations
Best band
Best album 'Skewered in the Sewer'
Best vocalist - Aditya Barve
Best guitar player - Dynell Bangera
Best drummer - Aaron Pinto
Best bass player - Gurdip Singh Narang

Facebook

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Reptilian Death
7 nominations
Best band
Best album 'The Dawn of Consummation and Emergence'
Best song - O
Best vocalist - Vinay Venkatesh
Best guitar player - Sahil Makhija
Best drummer - Sahil Makhija
Best bass player - Ashwin Shriyan

Facebook


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Reverrse Polarity
4 nominations
Best band
Best album 'Reverrse Polarity'
Best song - Cross Poly Nation
Best drummer - Gautam Deb

Facebook


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The Down Troddence
6 nominations
Best band
Best album 'How are You? We are Fine, Thank you'
Best song - Nagavalli
Best guitar player - Varun Raj
Best drummer - Ganesh Radhakrishnan
Best keyboard player - Sushin Shyam

Facebook


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Undying Inc
4 nominations
Best song - Ironclad
Best vocalist - Shashank Bhatnagar
Best drummer - Nishant Hagjer
Best bass player - Reuben Bhattacharya

Facebook

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Zygnema
4 nominations
Best song- Shell Broken Hell Loose
Best vocalist - Jimmy Bhore
Best guitar player - Sidharth Kadadi
Best drummer - Mayank Sharma

Facebook

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Theorized 
1 nomination
 Best bass player - Sankalp Narayanan

Facebook


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When Stories End 
1 nomination
Best bass player - Gaurav Roka

Facebook


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Dark Helm
1 nomination
Best keyboard player - Aniketh Shankar

Facebook


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Lunatic Fringe
1 nomination
Best keyboard player - Gaurav Dutta

Facebook


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Slain 
1 nomination
Best keyboard player - Jonathan Wesley

Facebook

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Rolling Stone India
Rolling Stone Metal Awards


\m/ May the best musicians win! \m/

HIGHLIGHTS: CONTROL ALT DELETE METAL #SURVIVEDTHIS

Do understand that in spite of taking the effort to think, there was no 'best band' here. Every band got onstage and played some of the tightest sets yet witnessed by us. There were gangs of people from the most unexpected places, Indore and Sangli, plus our amazing Nashik ka public, Pune, Delhi boys and many more.

The gig was no less of a broken shoulder, sprained legs, a guy in the men's washroom taking a selfie of his blood-stained face (don't ask me how I know that), and then blood and sweat, hair everywhere, shirtless ranti fuckers, blood clot bruises (something I don't go home without), and so much that I can't describe.

 Outside Blue Frog, 5.30pm

(Photo courtesy: Roydon Bangera)

The gig began with Reptilian Death. Not their tightest gig yet, but it was good. Nishith Hegde did a great job with Reptilian Death yesterday, maybe the tightest I've seen him play so far. It was great to see so many people even for a first band with a gig that started in BLUE FROG at 5.30pm! Sunday brunch was cancelled so that soundchecks could be accommodated throughout the day.  There were so many musicians worth praising because even after standing for 6+ hours, it was disappointing to even think of sitting down when anyone was playing. 

Many people watched and even heard Grammy Winning Effort for the first time, and it was indeed a great experience. With Anupam Roy making them sound ideal, I totally dig the band after this show. They had this badass Sick of it All meets some groovy breakdowns vibe and were pumped as fuck. Great band. We'll be looking forward to seeing more of them sooner. 

Gutslit hit the spot. This is when all the wounds officially began. Those were some of the most brutal vocals I've seen live. Barve fails to disappoint onstage. Prateek was spot on too. Every pinch. Special mention to Aaron for having murdered the drumkit with Gutslit and Providence!

CHECK THIS OUT FOR A BRUTAL MOSHPIT DURING GUTSLIT'S SET

Noiseware's new material was sounding great, along with some great hair and synchronized headbanging. This 8-stringed powerhouse needs to release something real soon! 

Providence completely tore the place down. I feel like it's the tightest I've seen them play yet! So much power. Vivek has finally blended with the band as a vocalist and a frontman. Vinay Venkatesh (Bhayanak Maut, Reptilian Death), Shawn Pereira (Blakc) and ex-vocalist Karan Pote joined in on vocals for Slipknot, while Shawn also sang Pantera's Cowboys from Hell with them. I'm walking around proud today with 'Bleed Motherfucker' written on my back! :D It was also Kanti's last gig with the band, unless they do land up playing somewhere before he leaves for Musician's Institute, Los Angeles! Congratulations fucker! 

"We live in Mumbai. I've grown up in Mumbai and we know what shit goes on around us everyday. We have every fucking reason to be pissed off!"

- Shezan

Devoid was insane, one of their best sets yet too! Arun had a lot of inspiring things to say as well, and much respect to him. :) Also, Frank (ex-Devoid bass player) joined Devoid onstage for 'Possessed'!

Undying Inc slaughtered the venue. They are one of my favourite bands in India and they're also consistently one of the tightest bands I've seen, playing as a single murderous unit live. It was great to see them so soon again after I last did at Inferno Metal fest, Delhi. I absolutely love these guys. Shashank's effortless vocals backed by that insane motherfucking drummer Nishant! Oh my fucking God! SOOOOO tight broooo!

The sound for Zygnema was the best, and as usual, they played a great set. The stage dive during Scarface was another moment most of us who were there will remember.

Following all of this was a chilled after-party, courtesy Shikhar Manchanda (guitar player, Reverrse Polarity). I can assure you, I survived this and many others did too. It was a struggle, but was one totally worth it. \m/

A big shout out to Himanshu Vaswani, Shadaab Kadri, Rishu Singh, Nikhil Udupa and everyone involved who made this gig a grand success and something to look out for!

A few pictures of what went down.

Hosts for the evening - Shezan and P-man

Grammy Winning Effort

Gutslit

Noiseware and a packed venue

Providence

Undying Inc

After-party DJ scenes. Go Pritesh! :P

The Money Shot from 42fps on Vimeo.

Next up: The Ultimate Rolling Stone Metal Awards playlist.

Stay tuned!

\m/

9 INDIAN METAL BANDS TO HEAR

This is a list of bands I know not many people have heard, in different parts of the country I've asked people if they've heard these bands - once, maybe seen them live somewhere is the common response.

I bring to you, from different parts of India, some fine bands that you need to look out for. They're doing a good job, some of them even locally, and they deserve to be heard. Cheers!

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The Down Troddence
This is one of the finest representations of Indian metal, in the true sense of the term. We're all aware that as much as we're united by a few gigs now and then, we haven't heard half of the bands from different regions of the country, like the north east and sometimes the south too. The Down Troddence from Kerala/Bangalore is easily one of the best I've heard so far in the country. Groove and Indian folk? Perfect blend. This song 'Nagavalli' is from their debut album released last year called 'How Are You? We are Fine, Thank you', produced by Keshav Dhar of Skyharbor fame. They've been nominated for the Rolling Stone Metal Awards this year.

MUST LISTEN. 2.41min is a flipper!

Buy their debut album from Flipkart here or buy it a digital copy from iTunes or OKListen (India).
Visit them on Facebook.
Watch the lyric video for 'Nagavalli' and others here on Youtube.




Escher's Knot
Escher's Knot was a four-piece metal outfit from Chennai, now in Bangalore. You might have spotted these guys opening for Lamb of God and playing festivals like Deccan Rock. Yes, they've had some big gigs, and they've just released a new song. They have an EP called 'Tessellations', yeah I remember getting my hands on a copy a very long time ago. They're awesome musicians too. Do check them out.

Visit them and like them on Facebook.






Last Ride Home
Mumbai-based five-piece post-hardcore/alternative metal band release their song 'Unknown Address'. They sound good, production is pretty killer too, thanks to Ariel Samson and help from Chinmay too.

The band is currently in the process of recording for their debut full-length album 'Signs' and are set to release it by August this year. They're definitely a band to watch out for!

'Like' them on Facebook.



Theorized
Theorized is a four-piece thrash metal band from Bangalore. These guys have been around for a while. Their first release was EP titled 'False Hope of Tyranny' and they've played fests like Rock N India, SummerStorm, Bangalore Open Air, October Fest & Hornbill sharing the stage with bands like Opeth, Kreator, Lacuna Coil, Suidakra, Nervecell and more! This song 'Symbiote' is from their 2014 album 'Psychosphere'.

Buy the album from iTunes (Worldwide), OKListen (India) and this for merchandise.
Their Facebook page.

Heretic
Heretic is a five-piece alternative metal band from Cochin/Bangalore. I discovered them when vocalist Akhil Unnikrishnan won a Rolling Stone Metal Award for 'Best Vocalist' last year and they were also nominated for the 'Best Metal Band' category. They sound pretty good, not like anything I've heard recently. Check them out.

This song is from their album 'Words to Epilogues' available for download from OKListen.

Visit their website and watch the Official Video for the song
Facebook





Alien Sky Cult
They title themselves hardcore/metal, but I'd say three-four piece progressive metal band, currently from New Delhi. Also another Keshav production, the first time I heard them was also RS Metal Awards nominations. Modern progressive lovers, check these guys out.

Visit them on Facebook and you could buy the digital copy of the EP on Bandcamp.





Hellwind
When this band came out, it was full-on star caste! An unexpected Sahil Makhija (Demonic Resurrection, Reptilian Death, Workshop) was on drums, Raj (ex-Workshop) on guitars and Akshay Deodhar (Spook) on vocals, making music in old hard rock and heavy metal vibes. The band has some high-pitched vocals to go with some good old-school riffs. Old school lovers will love this one.

Visit them on Facebook or follow this link for Soundcloud.





The Wishess
This is a four-piece heavy/power metal band from Imphal, India. It's time to get over and listen to some bands from the North East too!
Yes, having played tons of shows, headlining, guesting and winning, this band will reach for your soul.

Look at them here on Facebook





Cynic Bliss
What's interesting here is that this band is from Jabalpur, India, a place I was not sure metal music even spread. This four-piece metalcore band is one to give a listen. Drawing influences from Slipknot, Parkway Drive, As I Lay Dying and All That Remains, you can check Cynic Bliss out for more information on Facebook.

This is their entire EP. The EP is produced by Ashwin Shriyan, bass player of Demonic Resurrection and Reptilian Death.