Kolkata Tech-Death Metal Band Evil Conscience Plot Debut EP
The five-track concept EP ‘Death Is Only The Beginning’ will release on American metal label Slaughterhouse Records later this month
Evil Conscience. Photo: Arpan Banerjee
When Kolkata technical death metallers Evil Conscience took to stage in July alongside bands such as Mumbai prog rock/metallers Midhaven and thrash metal act Shrap, they knew they’d be playing the heaviest music of all. But fitting into a lineup has never been part of the plan for Evil Conscience, who formed as school friends in 2008 as prog death metal band diot’b. Says the band’s guitarist Pritam Middey, “We have this tendency to just go out and play any gig, Even though that [Midhaven album launch] gig didn’t have a great turnout, it wasn’t a wasted gig. We don’t think that way.”
In a scene that’s broadly interested in old school metal, Evil Conscience found a following, like most upcoming bands by winning college festivals, but lineup changes persisted. Middey says the band has shuffled through at least 12 bass players in six years. Even when the band sent out tracks from what is now their five-track EP Death is only the Beginning to American metal label Slaughterhouse Records early this year, they didn’t have a drummer. In January, they recruited Kolkata drummer Joy Singha to join the band. Says Middey, “A proper lineup is hard to find for something extreme like tech-death.” The band is completed by vocalist Arunava Chakraborty, guitarist Avijit Das and bassist Subhrajit Gupta.
Death is only the Beginning was recorded at the band’s home studio between 2012 and 2014. Says Middey, “We had so many problems. But we were making songs and then starting pre-production and then recording.” The vocals were recorded at RBK Studio, and sound engineer Rhitabrata Kar [who is also working on Kolkata metal band Yonsample’s debut album] mixed and mastered the EP by April this year. Last month, the band launched their first single, “Sweet Pleasure Butchery.” With the EP set to release on Slaughterhouse Records later this year, Evil Conscience have already started writing new material, but aim to promote the EP through more than just gigs. Says Middey, “We’re in talks to play in Bangladesh and we’re planning to release a guitar playthrough video for ”˜Sweet Pleasure Butchery’ later this month.”
Listen to “Sweet Pleasure Butchery”
