Orion - On The Banks Of Rubicon EP - Album Review

Year: 2013

The one aspect that everyone universally expects from music is memorability. Be it any genre, the listeners always want to hear something that will stay with them for a while after they've listened to the album. When dealing with a genre like death metal, catchy song writing is a particularly hard feat to achieve. So death metal bands instead, focus on technicality and brutality as opposed to catchiness. So when I stumbled upon a death metal band that was both progressive and immensely memorable, it came as a surprise indeed.

Insane Prophecy - Apogee Of An Inquisition - Album Review

Year: 2012

Never judge a book by it's cover. This is something which can be applied to any field and any situation and even metal is not an exception. I say this because every time I listen to this band, I am reminded of how I first got introduced to them. It happened a few months back when I was attending Black Metal Krieg 3. Although I was familiar with most bands on the roster, Insane Prophecy had always been that one band which I had heard only in passing and never really paid serious attention to. So when a couple of short, nerdy looking kids got on stage, I was quite surprised and completely oblivious to the hell these guys were about to unleash. So that's why I say, never judge a band based on their looks. 

Grossty - Grossty - Album Review

Year: 2013

These days, metal bands try too hard to stand out in an already overcrowded genre. They try to be more brutal, more technical and more dark, that in the process their albums become a type of a serious affair. In such a time, perhaps the only way to stand out is to let go of the usual conventions and just have fun with the music. That is a concept well understood by Bangalore based grind band, Grossty, as illustrated in the band's self titled debut. By being random, the band has crafted for itself, a sound that can be instantly associated with them.

Interview with Grossty

Year: 2014

Urban Dictionary defines Grossty as something which “Describes something so revolting in nature that the words gross or nasty alone would not be enough”.

Grossty have grown up in the Grind hub of Asia-Bangalore. Their music is unpredictable and fun, and that’s what sets it apart from others. The band is scheduled to play at the Transcending Obscurity Fest along with bands like Albatross, Djinn & Miskatonic , Fragarak ,Gutslit, Insane Prophecy ,Cosmic Infusion, Orion and Stark Denial

We had a little chat with them before the gig:

Interview with Chaos

Year: 2014

Thrashfest is right around the corner! Beers and riffs aplenty, Hotel United 21 in Thane on February 9 is the place to be for the no-holds-barred thrash till death mayhem that will leave you broken, beat and scarred. An amazing line-up featuring bands like Devoid, Albatross to Systemhouse 33 will satiate your appetite for destruction to your dark heart's content. Along with these stellar bands, Chaos- the thrash metal powerhouse from Trivandrum, Kerala- will be more than a welcome surprise for those haven't heard them live yet. Nikhil N.R, the guitarist of Chaos tells us about the band's humble beginnings to the recording process of their debut 'Violent Redemption'.

Interview with Dr.Hex of Albatross

Year:2014

Dynamic,Powerful and Relentless -That's how one can describe Albatross's music. From 2008, these guys have been delivering a perfect amalgamation of thrash, heavy and doom metal which they have bracketed into their own genre-"horror metal". Come Thrashfest, these guys are all ready to deliver their unrelenting talent and energy upon the stage again

Metal Gallows talks to their founder and bassist Dr.Hex ahead of Thrashfest, about their plans and their future, as well as the gig.

Chaos - Violent Redemption - Album Review

Year: 2013

The state of Kerala in India has always been a hub for talented musicians. This southern state has given birth to so many talented bands, but only a few of those bands have gotten the recognition and praise that they deserve. Most of these bands are underrated and overlooked. One such talented and yet so underrated band is Chaos, from Trivandrum.

Albatross / Vestal Claret - The Kissing Flies / Black Priest Split - Album Review

Year: 2012

Horror and heavy metal music are two things that share a very close relationship. Over the years, countless metal bands have dealt with themes of horror in their music, within various different sub genres. But barring a few artists like King Diamond, no band has exclusively dedicated to infusing their music with themes of horror. So, it is quite rare to find present day bands that do that and the following two bands belong to such a rare breed.

Fragarak - Crypts Of Dissimulation - Album Review

Year: 2013

This year, I have listened to way more records than I usually do. However, there weren’t any records that absolutely knocked me off my feet and shattered all my expectations. That is, until I heard this beauty of an album called ‘Crypts of Dissimulation’ by Fragarak. Right off the bat, I’ll declare that this album is beautiful masterpiece and nothing less than that. In fact, this is one of the best albums I’ve heard from the Indian scene for quite some time now. Go ahead and buy this. But in case you need more convincing, read on.

Top Indian Metal Releases Of 2013

The Indian Metal Scene is something which is still in growing stages. Though metal as a form of art, is not widely accepted in this country, the number of people appreciating it, is on the rise. 2013 saw a lot of releases from bands hailing from different parts of the country. Though there weren't as many big shows involving international acts as in 2012, the underground live scene is something that saw a phenomenal growth this year. This year also saw bands like Kryptos, Devoid and Inner Sanctum do various shows in Europe!

The following, are the albums that I consider to be the six best releases from the Indian Metal Scene in 2013. Note that, this is just my opinion and the albums are in no particular order. They were all equally impressive.

Interview with 1833 AD

The Indian Black Metal scene is an evergrowing one with more and more bands being formed. Leading this scene is Delhi based black metallers, 1833 A.D. Having released their full length last year, the band has been actively touring and are all set to play at the third edition of Black Metal Krieg in Mumbai. We had the opportunity to speak to the band about the event and their music. Here is what happened:

Winter Gate - Dis-Illumination EP - Album Review

Year: 2012

Writing a song with a long runtime takes skill. Keeping the listener engaged throughout the length of the song requires even more special skills. The number of progressive bands in India are actually very limited and even the few that do exist, tend to stick to shorter song lengths (with exception of one or two songs ofcourse). But never did I imagine that when I discovered such a progressive band from India, it would be from Jaipur of all places! While the general public had been focussing their attention on bands from Bangalore, Kolkatta, Delhi and Mumbai, these lads have achieved something which quite a lot of bands in this country fail to do - release a spectacular debut!

Cosmic Infusion - Cosmic Infusion EP - Album Review

Year: 2013

Whenever I check out a new band, if I see the words 'keyboard' anywhere in the line up, I automatically turn into a sceptic of the band’s capabilities. It is not that I hate the keyboards as an instrument. Its just that, over the years that I have been listening to metal, I have come across very few bands that have been able to incorporate this instrument in an effective way, that pleased my tastes. The rest of the time, the keyboards always felt like unnecessary additions and they felt over used in the music. The scepticism arose in the case of Cosmic Infusion too. But with only five songs, they managed to lay all my doubts to rest.

Interview with Cosmic Infusion

The Indian metal scene is no stranger to Black Metal. Over the years, many Black Metal bands have come and gone but only a few have stood the test of time. One such band, is Cosmic Infusion from Mumbai. Formed in 2003 and having survived many lineup changes, the band has finally delivered a self titled EP that lives up to the long wait. The band is also part of the line up in the upcoming third edition of Black Metal Krieg, a festival that exclusively features Black Metal bands in the country. I got a chance to interview the band, thanks to Kunal Choksi of Transcending Obscurity. Here's how it went...

Djinn and Miskatonic - Forever in the Realm - Album Review

Year: 2013

H.P.Lovecraft was a man who, during his time was terribly under appreciated. It was only after his death, that his true genius was recognized and respected. Titled the Edgar Allen Poe of the 20th century, H.P.Lovecraft was instrumental in shaping up the genre of horror with his works which dealt with themes like occult, supernatural and extra terrestrial elements in such a way that they were clumped together under a broader classification called Lovecraftian horror. He not only inspired a multitude of writers, but his influence is also seen to play a major role in many of today’s metal bands. From early bands like Black Sabbath, to modern bands like The Black Dahlia Murder, all have gained inspiration from Lovecraft in one way or the other. The Indian metal scene is not far behind in this aspect. Djinn & Miskatonic from Bangalore, have a penchant for Lovecraftian Horror as exhibited in their latest studio release.