Premiere: Moral Putrefaction Channel Hate in ‘Divided’ Video

Chennai death metal band Moral Putrefaction play out the ugly side of divisive politics and how to overcome it in their music video for “Divided.” The song is taken off their upcoming self-titled debut album, releasing on May 24th.

The band, comprising vocalist-guitarist Shiva Moorthy, bassist Sidharth Mohan and drummer Hemanth Vinod in their studio efforts, turn a day at the beach into a commentary on how people are often pitted against each other on the basis of caste, religion and more. In a nod to Tamil Nadu popular culture, they’re also seen wielding machetes, with one scene showing drummer Vinod raising two machetes to strike at his drumkit.

Directed by Chennai-based filmmaker Roy Dipankar – who previously released the acclaimed documentary Extreme Nation about metal in the subcontinent – the band are also seen performing in a slaughterhouse-like setting, complete with blood-soaked curtains. The

The band says in a statement, “The song talks about the various ways in which our country’s people are segregated and the oppression they endure to even survive.” With Moral Putrefaction releasing on May 24th, “Divided” opens the seven-track album, which also includes the band’s live staples such as “Beneath Saffron Skies” and “Scum of the Earth.”

The album’s description talks about the band’s thematic concerns as one of “challenging prevailing narratives” in India. The statement adds, “[The album] delves into the complexities of the nation’s diverse cultural landscape. From opposing caste discrimination and political corruption to exposing the horrors of colonialism and religious extremism, each track paints the struggles and resilience of a nation navigating its turbulent past and uncertain future.”

Moral Putrefaction were previously winners of Wacken Metal Battle India, going on to perform at Wacken Open Air in Germany in 2022. More recently, the band also got to play support for American death metallers Suffocation at their Bengaluru show on May 1st. The live iteration of Moral Putrefaction currently includes Moorthy on vocals and guitars, guitarist Beeto Jerrin, bassist and backing vocalist Nithin J. Peter and drummer Hemanth Vinod.

While their next Bengaluru gig is already set – Moral Putrefaction will perform on June 30th as part of gig series Southern Slaughter’s third edition – more shows are set to be added to mark the launch of their debut album.

Watch the video for “Divided” below. Pre-order the album via Instamojo and Bandcamp.