Kerala Thrash Metal Band Chaos Play Their Debut Show In Mumbai This Week

Chaos. Photo: Courtesy of the band.

Unlike fellow bands from Kerala such as prog rock band Motherjane or Malayalam rock band Avial, Trivananthapuram-based thrash metal band Chaos don’t expect their community’s metalheads to turn up in hordes for their Mumbai debut at the day-long gig Thrashfest on February 9th. Frontman S. Jayakrishnan says they want to see Mumbai’s “proper metalheads.”

The band, influenced by Bay Area thrash metal bands such as Slayer, Metallica and Megadeth, released their debut full-length album, Violent Redemption, in March last year, but have only played outside Kerala once, in October last year in Bengaluru. Thrashfest marks Chaos’s second gig outside Kerala. Says Jayakrishnan, “We played five or six gigs in Kerala but Thrashfest is our second gig outside the state.” The vocalist adds Chaos will also play in Bengaluru in March.

Chaos released their debut Violent Redemption independently and were signed on last year by Mumbai underground metal webzine and label Transcending Obscurity to release their next album. The second album will include nine tracks and will be recorded in March with prog metal band Skyharbor’s guitarist Keshav Dhar stepping in as the producer. Dhar had also worked on the band’s debut album. Says Jayakrishnan, “He [Dhar] is like the fifth member of the band. Keshav knew exactly what we wanted.” The main difference this time, according to Jaaga, is recording drums live.

Even though songs for their second album have all been written, Chaos will only play from their first album at Thrashfest. Transcending Obscurity is even giving away copies of Violent Redemption to those attending. Says Jayakrishnan, “We only sold 200 or 250 out of the 500 CDs we had printed on our own. It’s an awesome idea to give it away at this gig.”

Chaos is clearly not in a hurry to move on from Violent Redemption, which earned them a nomination at this year’s edition of Jack Daniel’s Annual Rock Awards in the Best Metal Band category. In May last year, the band won the Jury Choice and People’s Choice award for Best Metal Artist at the Radio City Freedom Awards. Says Jayakrishnan about their chances at the JD Rock Awards, “We look up to them, and I’m always there to vote every year. Getting to be there on it [nominees list] this year means a great deal for us.”

Chaos, Devoid, Threinody, Systemhouse33, Albatross, Deadbolt, Halahkuh, Sceptre, Armament perform at Thrashfest on February 9th, 2014 at United 21, Thane. Entry: Rs 600 (including a free copy of Violent Redemption by Chaos. Event details here.