The darker side of Bengaluru’s music lovers experienced a head-banging musical treat recently as Russian doomster band Dekonstruktor raised some hell with their doom metal mayhem.
Performing live at Garage Jam organised at Sonido Musicals, the band created much noise and rampaging soundscapes, to the delight of Bengaluru’s head-bangers who thronged the garage music hotspot. The opening acts included city-based fusion band Samadhi, thrash metal band Abaddon and doom band Witchdoctor.
Featuring Garnish on vocals and guitar, Mitya on drums and Memphis on bass, the three-piece band was originally called Moon Mistress and is reputed for its signature doom/stoner music that shot them to fame in their hypnotic LP ‘Silent Voice Inside’.
Mitya who has visited the country before says this is the first time they are in Bengaluru though. “We have visited several cities. But I think Bangalore is one of the most interesting.” On the music scene here, he says some of the bands in Bengaluru are phenomenal. “In Russia, I listened to a lot of music from India. I was surprised to see the development in the scene here because in Europe, people think the Asian scene doesn’t have any bands because of an unconscious disconnect. We were amazed by the quality of the sound and instrumentation by the bands here.”
On their discovery of India’s music, the eclectic drummer says their style of music is very international. “Most often it’s the same melodies, songwriting and language. We found the same tendencies here like those abroad. If I heard a band like Abaddon and people didn’t tell me the band is from Bangalore, I would think it is an international band no different from a German or a Swedish band. This style of music has no boundaries.”
What makes their gig in Bengaluru all the more special is that they did not get their bassist along for the show. “We are playing a special set where the guitar will make up for the lack of a bass and still sound good. We also choose songs which are familiar to listeners – both old and new as well as a song dedicated to India titled ‘Shimla’. We haven’t played it for over a year and it is based on some special experiences I had when I was there,” says Mitya. When asked if we can expect a song on Bengaluru, he smiles and says that sounds like a good idea.
On what keeps them together as a band, Garnish says they are constantly changing. “From the band’s name to our song-writing, we are always progressing. We are not conservative at all. We exchange our views and try to make the most out of what comes our way.”
At the heart of their music is passion, they chorus. Garnish adds: “Each person in the band has his own views. The coming together of these varied tastes and backgrounds and the combination of our energies is what makes this musical journey so fascinating for us.”
When people listen to their music live, the duo hope their listeners feel the same energy they feel and sync in tune to their vibe. “That’s the best thing you can take away from our concert.”
Looking ahead, Dekonstruktor looks to take their music forward and international. “We find our direction in music meandering to more primitive and yet ideological variations in song-writing. There are no boundaries or limits to our dreams,” points out Mitya.
To other bands that like to tread on the same genre, Mitya and Garnish say: “Be yourselves and don’t be shy to contact foreign bands. We are all interested to play here and help you.”
