New music: Metal from Hyderabad, Chennai plus an exclusive track

“Infest” by Godless

Artwork for the debut single “Infest”, courtesy of the artist.

Dark, raw and abrasive, Hyderabad thrash metal band Godless’s debut single “Infest” is a promising one. Formed by members of Hyderabad thrash metallers Skrypt and death metal band Shock Therapy, this projects draws influence from both thrash and death metal. The track features frontman of New Zealand melo-death band Sean O’Kane Connolly on vocals. The band, meanwhile, is also on the lookout for an Indian lead vocalist. Watch out for some heavy riffs as you give this a spin.

“From Sacred to Profane” by Demonos

Demonos. Photo: Courtesy of the artist.

Here’s a more ominous, fast-paced debut from Chennai black metal band Demonos, titled “From Sacred to Profane.” Produced, mixed and mastered independently, the track quickly builds to include some chilling riffs and shrieks, showing a clear influence of the likes of Columbian/US black metallers Inquisition [who recently made their India debut at Bangalore Open Air]. While the band has preferred to stay safe within the boundaries of black metal and noir with this debut, they are definitely a promising act to follow.

“Stone, Spirit” by May Island

(from left) Aaron Almeida and Vishnu Kumar from May Island. Photo: Courtesy of the band

This week, we exclusively release the second single from alternative metal duo May Island from Delhi. This instrumental number titled “Stone, Spirit,” is loaded with rhythm, groove and some neat hooks. From the sound of it, guitarist Vishnu Kumar [formerly of Delhi hardcore band IAFWAY] and drummer Aaron Almeida manage to sound both cohesive and distinct at once. Theirs is one that mimics the likes of prog rock/metal band The Minerva Conduct, albeit with a more electronic edge.

“Hashtag This” by Sanjay Kumar

Solo artist Sanjay Kumar. Photo: Courtesy of the artist.

Here’s a bonus track for the adventurous ones: Bengaluru solo artist Sanjay Kumar has a go at nintendocore, the less well-known of metal genres. A combination of chiptune, electronica and heavy metal, this track treads the no man’s land between EDM and metal, but skillfully so. Although this electronica experiment lasts only a minute, be prepared for some ear-numbing motifs and beats.

“Clemency” by Cynic Bliss

Cynic Bliss – Prakash Gupta, Palash Verma, Kunal Singh, Abhijeet Chourey and Ralice Anthony (from left). Photo: Prasoon Singh

The Jabalpur metalcore band who impressed with their debut EP Never Ending Conundrum in 2014 and followed up with another single “Desiccated” last September have now teamed up with Delhi-based producer Rohan Daniel [from prog/experimental metal band Immoral Values] for their upcoming 2015 EP called Lost In Heaven. They give us a taste of the EP with a new single “Clemency,” which is equal parts groovy and breakdown-friendly, a necessary listen for fans of British metallers Bring Me The Horizon and American metalcore band August Burns Red.

“Endgame” by Aberrant

Shillong experimental metal band Aberrant Photo: Gregory Ford Nongrum

Shillong metal band Aberrant were among our Artists to Watch Out For in 2015, and they’re quickly proving why. Ahead of making their Mumbai debut at the eighth edition of crowdfunded gig series Control Alt Delete on June 13th, the band have released a new single called “Endgame” last week, to mark World Environment Day. In addition to some crushing, chaotic riffs, Aberrant throw in a keyboard/synth intro and clean vocals on the track about human apathy and greed that’s destroying planet Earth.