Chennai Jam Band Skrat to Release Third Album ‘The Queen’

Skrat | Photo Credit: Ravikiran Vissa

When the three members of Skrat formed the Chennai jam band in 2006, they were fighting their own destinies ”“ giving up their secure, planned paths as engineers for a life of late night rehearsals and motorcycle rides. On their upcoming third album, The Queen, the band expands on the theme that brought them together. Says vocalist/guitarist T. T. Sriram, “The whole album is about fighting back. Things are happening in the world, everyone is getting fucked but there’s no point just yelling about it. Whatever you’re fighting against, you’re the only one who can figure out how to fix it.”

Skrat, comprising Satish Narayanan on bass, Tapass Naresh on drums and Sriram, released their first album Design in 2010, followed by Bring Out The Big Guns in 2013. While their first album crystallized the spunk that made the trio a hit with college audiences, the band’s sophomore album was more stylistically diverse, with their sound evolving to include elements of everything from funk to garage rock. Drawing inspiration from bands such as American rock band the Foo Fighters, British indie rock band Arctic Monkeys and American rock band Queens Of The Stone Age, The Queen will feature frantic guitar riffs and edgier bass grooves.

Lyrically, Skrat has typically addressed larger issues through metaphors and character sketches. “Gunslinger” from their debut album, based on a character by the same name, was the track that got the buzz going for Skrat at their early shows in Chennai. With “Samurai Badass,” from their second album, Skrat got recognized at music festivals across the country. On the new album, the band plan to introduce two new protagonists. Says Sriram, “There’s the Queen who we’ve based off the emerald wasp and the Loverider who you’ll get to know.” While the album focuses on the idea of setting things right, the band maintains that every song incorporates layers of complexity and themes which are open to interpretation. Adds Sriram, “It’s never about the characters, but what they represent. Everyone can find something that relates to them.” The 10-track album will feature songs such as “The Queen,” “Machete,” Revolution” and “Gunslinger.”

Skrat will launch The Queen at The Moon and Sixpence, Hablis in Chennai on October 25^th, followed by performances at NH7 Weekender, New Wave Musicfest and Royal Enfield Rider Mania.

Watch “Stomp” off Skrat’s new album The Queen: