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Boomarang To Open For Korn

Rockers from Aizawl, who will open for Korn in Gurgaon this month, will debut tracks from their forthcoming album

Sep 03, 2012

Clockwise from top: Hangsing, Rosangliana, Atea and Joshua Zoramliana

In a bedroom turned studio in Aizawl, funk rockers Boomarang have been spending most of their time fleshing out a perfect one-hour set. Tracks from their impending new album are being given the final polish as they prepare to open for American alt-metal giants Korn, at the first concert of their India tour this month, in Gurgaon. “We haven’t slept since we got to know we are opening for Korn,” says guitarist, songwriter and band leader, Boom Hangsing. “The pressure is particularly high because we want to debut our new songs at the gig and we don’t want to mess it up.” 

It’s a legit apprehension for the Mizo band which has not performed outside their North Eastern home base for over a year, barring a failed audition to front Metallica at the famously doomed concert in Delhi last year. But the band has previously played alongside Lamb of God in Bengaluru in 2010, American jazz band, Scott Hinsey (from Tribal Tech) Group, during their visit to Aizawl in 2007, and heavy metal band Firehouse in Imphal in May this year. But Boom explains that the band has never worked as deliriously towards putting together a set as they have for the Gurgaon gig. The main reason being the fact that they are planning to test material from their much-anticipated debut album at the concert. “We want to record most of the material by then and hopefully will be able to play new songs from the album. You’ll hear Boomarang like you’ve never heard us before,” promises Boom, though he quickly adds, “Don’t ask me when it will release. But I promise it will release this year. “

The seven-year-old band hailed for their RATM inspired sound production, vigorous drumming and haunting lilts of the frontman Atea [PB Lianmawia],  is among the more under rated bands in the country, largely on account of their reluctance to tour outside of  the familiar confines of the North East as well as the lethargy in putting  out new material  at a more healthy pace.  “It is something that we are all terribly ashamed of,” says Boom, “The process of recording, re-recording, dubbing, deleting, creating new layers, adding more ideas is all very important to us as a band. We just need to be sure.”  Fans remember the band’s 2007 EP Rhythm Of Revolution in 2007 that was an instant hit online and the title track is still their most requested song. “Wherever we play, we save this song for the encore because people start chanting for the song to be played the moment we get on stage,” says Boom.

While they have rarely been seen in the bigger cities, band members point out that they have been consistently playing the North East circuit and mentoring new talent in the region. Last year Boom, along with Victor Vanlalhruia, a member of his side venture Scavenger Project put together a rock competition in Aizawl called Scavenger Rock Idol to mentor talent and raise money for a rock festival. ” Though we realize as a band we can only make music, as musicians we can do so much more. We want bands from our region to get the exposure and the recognition we have been lucky enough to get,” says Boom.

Mizoram, a dry state since 1997, is particularly important for him because it is a place where the young don’t have much to do by way of leisure. “There are no cinemas, no pubs, no venues, no coffee shops. Where do musicians go? That’s why we had to do something ourselves to give a chance to all that untapped talent. And there is a lot of talent in Aizawl,” says Boom. 

Boomarang’s new album will feature hints of gospel rock. “We want to connect to our people at home too. They are mostly church going, God-fearing people who don’t understand our music. We are doing more shows now than we have ever played and it’s great,” he says. 

Boomarang will play Korn Path of Totality Tour on September 5th, 2012 at Leisure Valley grounds,  Gurgaon.

 

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