Kryptos’ Nolan Lewis and Ganesh Krishnaswamy are the most laidback dudes you will ever see. It is a different matter that it is Sunday afternoon and we are at a pub off Brigade Road. Nolan and Ganesh answer all questions with the earnestness of the experienced musicians they are. And when the recorder goes off, they demand, “That is it? No controversial questions?”
Trust old-school metalheads like Kryptos to want to gleefully rattle a few chains and address everything from the travails of being a metal band (they’ve been at it for 18 years) in India to their ‘scene’ brethren, for whom everything is always served on a platter. Nolan says, “If we are complaining about something, let’s do something about it rather than just sit on Facebook and complain. It is good that you can show you can rant so much.”
Never ones to crib on social media, Kryptos have had a stellar year to look back on, from their annual European tour, which included new festivals where they performed to “more relevant crowds”, to the release of their new album Burn Up The Night , released worldwide via the German AFM Records and now being independently released by the band in India on November 19.
Nolan describes the new album as an embodiment of traditional heavy metal that is laced with a bit of psychedelic rock. That is a huge change from the usually dark and mythical themes they’ve built on, on their previous releases, which is why Nolan says Burn Up The Night is going to divide fans. “I think it is going to split our fan base down the middle. All the guys who are into the old stuff, will love it. The guys who are into the newer stuff, will probably download it,” he says with a laugh. Ask them why they’ve chosen this sort of sonic mood and Ganesh says, “We are getting older as well; in a positive way.”
The most evident influence is UK heavy metal legends Judas Priest. Nolan says, “Their earlier albums were darker, bit more progressive. As time went by, it became more about just having a good time. From British Steel onwards, for example. We are kind of in that space right now.”
The band will launch the album as part of Heavy Metal Meltdown, which takes place at No Limmits Lounge and Club on Brigade Road. There are shows in the works in India, but Kryptos aren’t too hassled about it. Ganesh says, “We hope to play around the country. We’re working for gigs, but it takes time. So we’re not sitting and complaining about it. We’re trying to talk to people and see how we can get out and play. It is tough. We all have nine to five jobs and we save up leave for the European jaunt.”
In Europe, their name keeps getting bigger. Although they joke about how they’re still regularly asked about why an Indian band like theirs doesn’t have any sitar or tabla included (and they’re now armed with their own witty comebacks), it has become a regular annual trip for Kryptos – go to Europe, chug some beers, some riffs and have a good show. Ganesh says, “The tour we did was a good promo for the album. Pretty much of the 70 per cent of the setlist was new songs. Those dudes got to listen to the new material, so the pre-orders were great. One thousand, five hundred CDs are already off the rack.”
At their Bengaluru show, Ganesh says, “It is just another Kryptos gig. The plan is to have a few beers, play the new album and hopefully some Katy Perry covers.” But he get serious (for a moment) and says, “We’re not the type to say it is a milestone or anything. What is expected? I don’t know. We just want to play a gig and get the album out to the Indian dudes and that is about it.”
