Capital Chaos VI: Gutslit Rule the Two-Day Open-Air Edition in Itanagar

After years of putting together metal gig series Capital Chaos indoors, the Arunachal Pradesh organizers behind the show – Music & Arts Initiative Organization (MIO) in collaboration with Urban Jungle and Tani Riders Motorcycle Club – took it outdoors and supersized the event into a two-day festival headlined by Mumbai death metallers Gutslit and Guwahati alt rock/metal band Lucid Recess on December 9th and 10th.

The other big draw remained Wacken Metal Battle’s regional round to represent heavy music in North East India. Although they eventually got only two bands to compete – Optic Inertia and Hope For Humanity, both from Diphu – there was plenty of local talent to power both days of Capital Chaos VI. Rock band Follow the Moon performed on day one, which also saw Hope For Humanity moving into the next round in Bengaluru to clinch a performance slot at Germany’s Wacken Open Air 2024.

The performances were also punctuated by an in-memoriam segment dedicated to Arunachal musicians who have passed away in recent years – Olik Godsheedder, Michi Kobin, Neelam Ken, Neelam Mej, and Geli Kamsi were remembered at the event. It closed with Lucid Recess performing their first show in two years, with vocalist-bassist Amitabh Barooa and guitarist Siddharth Barooa being joined by drumming powerhouse Nishant Hagjer.

Day two paved the way for all kinds of upcoming talent – from metallers Eyes of the Martyr (winners of 2023 band competition Overdrive in Itanagar), death metallers Morbid Hallucination and newly formed group Bleak – to take the stage. Bleak – which included members like guitarist Tana Doni (part of the organizing team), bassist-producer Subu Nomo, vocalist Techi Doi and drummer Sam Gollo – also called on erstwhile Arunachal metallers Alien Gods’ founder and guitarist Raju Thapa on stage, to add a layer of nostalgia.

Gutslit took over soon after, bringing their signature incisive sound with all the party tricks that delight, including snow spray and slamming breakdowns. Playing their debut gig in Itanagar, Gutslit were performing on the back of releasing their third album Carnal earlier in 2023. With guitarist Aditya Swaminathan the sole axeman, it didn’t lessen the demolishing intent of the band, who called fans on stage, stomped around and closed Capital Chaos on a thunderous note.

Photos: Courtesy of MiO Events and Mobin Tanyang