Eccentric Pendulum On Their Giant New Track
The Bengaluru prog metal band are working on a 20-minute, three-part song to be released in January
Eccentric Pendulum
Just like black metal songs pledge allegiance to Satan, progressive metal songs have a fixation with science and math. Bengaluru prog metallers EcÂcentric Pendulum, who got toÂgether in 2008, have been writing songs like “Mathematicians of Ambient WaÂters” about a lonely mathematician and more recently, one called “Resisting AnÂother Equation.”
Part of the new material, slated for a January release, is a 20-minute three-part song titled “Tellurian Concepts,” which may not follow a mathematical theme, but is one of their most experimental releases yet. The track, which follows a f ive-track EP [2009’s Sculptor of Negative Emotions] and a full-length album [2011’s Winding The Optics], works like a mini-EP, accordÂing to the band. Says the band’s guitarÂist Arjun Mulky, “The earlier stuff had its boundaries, but with ”˜Tellurian ConÂcepts’, we’re not afraid to even go clean [without growling].” Mulky, who replaced Ashish Kumar in 2010, has been writing the song with drummer Vibhas VenkaÂtram at the band’s DIY jam room-turned-home studio. While the studio was built just two months ago, Mulky says that the band has a long way to go before they can afford to buy their own mixing and mastering equipment.
Last year, Mulky spent time writing and performing on Bengaluru experiÂmental metal band Limit Zero’s debut album, Gravestone Constellations, and began writing riffs for “Tellurian ConÂcepts” in January this year. Like most progressive metal, writing for “TelluÂrian Concepts” started with the music first. Says Mulky, “The guitar and the drums came first, but there aren’t any seÂrious lyrics as yet.” Mulky says one of the major inspirations for the idea of a multi-part song was American eclectic metal band Between The Buried and Me, who fuse everything from the harshest death metal growls to breakdowns to pop-inÂspired choruses and electronica passagÂes. “I like the idea of breaking up one song into parts and a chorus on repeat, which brings recall value to listeners,” says Mulky. Eccentric Pendulum aren’t going to be restricted to genres, but inÂcluding trippy electronica sounds might prove difficult since none of the memÂbers are familiar with a synthesizer. Says Mulky, “We’re just at the beginning stagÂes, though.” Drummer Venkatram, who is part of Bengaluru music school TaaqaÂdemy’s faculty, is adding patterns from Latin music to the mix as well.
Since September, the band has been performing in Bengaluru and Hyderabad alongside thrash metal band Theorized. Says Mulky, “People seem to enjoy the lineup [of Eccentric Pendulum and TheoÂrized] so we’ve been talking to organizers and trying to set up a tour with both of us and go to other cities.”
The article appeared in the December 2013 issue of ROLLING STONE India.
