Heavy metal as a genre of music evolved in the late 1960s. But it was only in the late 80s that it made its way into India, and started growing here. Chennai saw it peaking post-2007, with a range of much-loved bands: some, like Crypted (formed in 2008) and Escher’s Knot (formed in 2009), doing countrywide tours and opening for internationally iconic bands like Lamb of God. However, a lull set in around 2012-13 — members of many bands moved out of town, while others who stayed went on a hiatus . Even as other genres saw fresh independent talent cropping up regularly, there were no metal gigs happening in the city. Armaan RM and Manu Krishnan began a revival of the metal scene in Chennai, a year ago, through the Brutal Carnage series. Chennaiites have seen three successful editions so far, each offering the stage to a host of metal bands from the city, as well as a few from neighbouring states.
A fresh crop of metal bands are now in the limelight, even though venues and opportunities are few. We speak to a few, who performed for city metalheads at Brutal Carnage recently.
Godia
From starting out as college students playing at intercollege festivals to being part of the revival of Chennai’s metal scene, Godia has come a long way.
“We had a rock band back in 2011, but we were always biased towards metal and whatever songs we performed had a metal touch to them,” said Isaiah Anderson, guitarist.
Vocalist Nehemiah Johnson adds, “In 2014, we were stubborn about quitting rock and forming a pure Metalcore band named Godia, and that’s how we finally got to do what we are passionate about.”
“We go to office in the morning, and jam at night. We never get tired because we just enjoy making music: that’s the reason we are here today,” says bassist Joshua PA.
The band’s debut full-length, eight-track album named End Of Ages will be released by August. “It is a concept album with a secular theme, and talks about the final days of the world, before it gets completely destroyed. The first, seventh and last songs share their name with the album. The eighth is named ‘End of Ages III: Revelations’,” says Anderson.
Fobia Deimos
This blackened thrash metal band was created a year ago, by lead vocalist Raajkamal Boovaragan, bassist Chaitanya Varma, guitarist Keshav and drummer Thomas Chiramel Alexander. Their debut gig was at Brutal Carnage III, and they created a song named ‘Brutal Carnage’ for the event. “We don’t want to follow any other genre of music other than metal, because it is so pure, raw and real,” said Keshav, adding, “I was always inspired by the band Lamb of God. Starting out as a Carnatic vocalist and ending up in thrash metal was not easy for me.” The band is set to release their first EP around July, named Apocalyptic Hours . It includes songs like ‘Someday’, which deals with imminent death and futility, and ‘Kill The Illusion’, which focusses on doing just that.
Vidyut
This 10-year-old band comprises fully of IT professionals, who write their songs mostly based on the pre-independence struggles. “Our songs are based on anger, rage and aggression which we can’t speak about so we sing it up,” says Soumyajit Das, lead vocalist. “We are like brothers who support each other,” exclaims Arun Roy, guitarist. Bassist Jeffrey Thomson adds, “Even during the jam or while writing a song, we ask everybody’s opinion. If even one person disagrees with anything, the other three won’t do it.” The band has dedicated a song named ‘Scare Stories’ to their late drummer Bhaskaran Iyer. “We are thinking of collaborating with the band Godia. It will be a modern metal collaboration of harcore punk and death metal,” says Arun.
Special guests
- Two international brutal, death/thrash metal bands also performed in the city recently: Gutslit from Mumbai and Godless from Hyderabad
- Gutslit was the first Indian brutal metal band to appear in the Obscene Extreme Deathfest Open Air - Czech and Brutal Assault Festival - Czech festivals
- Godless played in the world’s biggest metal festival, Wacken Open Air (WOC) in Germany, in August 2018
- With lead vocalist Kaushal LS in common, both bands are all set for their European tours in July and September
