The band from Karbi Anglong in Assam vent about tradition vs modernity on their first song since 2015’s ‘Cataleptic Bridge’
Diphu, Karbi Along metal band Trancemigrate. Photo: Soundbooth/Vinith Bora
Childhood friends from the town of Diphu in Karbi Anglong, Assam, metallers Trancemigrate have taken a few breaks ever since they came together in 2007, but they don’t let it show on their latest song “Null.” Their first release since their hyper-melodic post-hardcore single “Cataleptic Bridge” (2015), “Null” has a heavier edge, leaning into harsher vocals and punishing rhythmic patterns.
Guitarist Raikom Terang says, “We started as an alternative/djent-ish/prog/rock/metal band. Since then, we’ve decided to focus on playing metal with Trancemigrate while playing our non-heavy stuff with Kum Chirui.” Kum Chirui, which features a similar lineup, came together in 2017 while the members were in New Delhi, offering trippy alt rock on their debut album Ora-Cult, which released in 2018.
The artists continue writing music together, even if they’re no longer in the same room. Even now, vocalist The’ang Teron is based in Estonia and the rest are spread out. Terang is based in New Delhi (and also part of metallers Dreamscapade), while fellow guitarist Kuru Ingti is in Diphu. Drummer Shongza Terang and bassist Deshmai Kachari are also based out of the capital. Teron says, “The future is heavy, thanks to the Internet for enabling us to stay connected on a global scale and share countless ideas.”
For “Null,” Ingti says he was inspired by modern metallers such as SikTh and Veil of Maya. Thematically, Teron draws from their native Karbi ontology, although most of the lyrics are in English. He mentions terms like “Lovecraftian mythos,” “cosmic horror” and “fear of the unknown,” which is just enough to set the mood for a turbulent five minutes.
With the first song out of the way this year, there’s more activity in the Trancemigrate camp. “A few songs have been written and we’re coming up with a few more. We’ll go through pre-production in some time and hopefully have an album out by the end of the year or by early next year,” Terang says.
Watch the video for “Null” below.
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