Thrash metal and anti-establishment themes go together as well as the very riffs that slam against the unrelenting drum-bashing. Bengaluru bands The Black Regiment are, as their name and the title of their upcoming EP Righteous Mutiny suggests, all about standing strong against injustice. Guitarist Darshan Hegde says, “Thrash metal was always all about being a rebel. I think being a rebel for a cause is very righteous.” After releasing their debut single ‘Black Flag’ last week with a seething music video, The Black Regiment are finally putting their cards on the table after a couple of years of playing gigs around the country, including college competitions. Hegde notes that the journey has been “bittersweet” owing to line-up changes, but he is thankful for the support they’ve accrued.
Now comprising vocalist Abhi Jain, guitarist Akshun Kumar, bassist Gopal Krishna and drummer Sharath U Holla, The Black Regiment are launching Righteous Mutiny on August 15 to coincide with Independence Day. The band stands against all things corrupt (Hegde even mentions how there’s a little too much “group-ism” in the city’s metal scene), with songs being inspired by Bhagat Singh.
Sonically, the band associates themselves with a movement they like to call “the new wave of Indian Thrash Metal”, which could be a reference to fellow on-the-rise thrash bands such as Chaos. But Hegde explains it’s much more than that, “The kind of sound we have is very unique in Thrash metal domain. We have shlokas in the lyrics and riffs inspired by classic Indian music fused with the thrash metal attitude.”
He takes us through the EP’s tracks, signifying that there’s lot more to the band’s music than just pure thrash metal. There’s a progressive track named ‘The Ultimate Soldier’, which clocks in at more than eight minutes. “It is motivated by the Indian Army and the unconditional sacrifice they’ve made,” Hegde says. On the other hand, ‘We’re One’ appeals for a united new generation.
With underlying themes like those, Hegde says the band members do have differences of opinions sometimes. “But we can't move forward until we've settled it, and that's the way I think it works. However everybody in the band is aligned with the core ideology and the concept of the band. We also respect the beliefs of our fans, and make sure we don't hurt them. There's already so much hate out there, we don't want to be in that filth,” Hegde says. ‘Black Flag’, their first music video which was shot at the Shettihalli church ruins near Hassan, is a theatrical showcase of war and conflict, with The Black Regiment’s somewhat close-to-thrash metal influences shining. With the EP out next month, there will soon be a launch gig date set.
