When metal and punk gig series Spectral Decay launched in May this year, the city’s underground circuit for heavy music arguably found a new home. Now, in its third edition on July 24, Spectral Decay brings together a lineup of doom, stoner and sludge metal bands for a rare gathering for anyone who enjoys atmospheric, mind-bending heavy music.
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The gig brings together Bengaluru’s very own purveyors of doom — Djinn And Miskatonic — performing for the first time since 2017, alongside stoner/doom band Bevar Sea (returning to the stage themselves since 2018), Mumbai doom/sludge/post-metal band Dirge (visiting Bangalore for the first time in two years) and the live debut of drone/doom project Megadrone.
Bevar Sea | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
While Djinn and Miskatonic will perform numbers from their first two albums and one song from their upcoming third album, Bevar Sea will be debuting their latest album, The Timeless Zone, live at Spectral Decay. Dirge, who are also on the verge of releasing their second album later this year, will perform new material, with synth player Apurv Agrawal joining them on stage.
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Vocalist Tabish Khidir calls Spectral Decay one of the best lineups the band has been part of. “To be honest, we’re really looking forward to all the sets. Love for all things slow and heavy. Bengaluru is in for a treat. It’s always been a great time playing in the city. So we’re definitely more than excited to be back after two years with a lot of new music and an overall heavier sound.”
A lot of eyes are likely to be on Megadrone, the project helmed by multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Ganesh Krishnaswamy. Also part of metal veterans Kryptos, Ganesh will take the stage with Bevar Sea as well at Spectral Decay.
Djinn & Mikatonic | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
With Megadrone, he’s joined by Leslie Charles on guitars and Navnit Belur on synthesizer. There are two Megadrone albums out so far, but Ganesh insists that this show is wholly new material written specifically for the stage. “I had to write an entire 40-minute piece for this gig. It’s material I can only play live. We kept those parameters in mind. How can we pull this off without too much tapdancing, how do we keep it linear? But at the same time, push the envelope. It’s completely new stuff,” the guitarist and producer says.
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It’s very much immersive, which means the members will be on stage pretty much to perform without thinking too much of how the crowd will react. “We’ll let everyone sit down and let the amplifiers watch over them. Whatever you want to do,” Ganesh adds with a laugh. With Bevar Sea, they’re gearing up to play The Timeless Zone with drummer Preran Pramod Gulvady behind the kit for them. “He’s come around the bend quickly. It’s almost like we never really stopped,” Ganesh says.
Bevar Sea | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
As with Dirge, he agrees Spectral decay will be special for fans of heavy music. “It’s a treat for anyone — if you have a certain bent of mind, this is the gig to be at — low guitars and loud amplifiers,” he adds.
Catch Megadrone, Bevar Sea, Djinn and Miskatonic and Dirge at Spectral Decay 3, taking place on July 24 at Fandom at Gilly’s Redefined, Koramangala. Tickets: ₹699, plus ₹499 cover charge, available on Insider.in