Photos: Aswekeepsearching and Skrat live at Antisocial, Khar

Pan-indian post rockers Aswekeepsearching. Photo by Bryan Jacob Daniel.

“Look at the guitar, I’m going metal, bro!” hollered Skrat frontman Sriram T.T. after debuting a stomping, crushing performance of “Raptor” from their upcoming album Bison””an indication of not only the metal-leaning direction of their next release, but also testament to the fact that Mumbai’s recently-opened Antisocial might just become a hub for the new alternative.

While the Mumbai venue didn’t witness quite as many bruised bodies and mosh pits as its maiden metal gig that went down a few weeks prior [courtesy metallers Bhayanak Maut and Providence], both Mumbai-Pune-Ahmedabad post-rockers Aswekeepsearching and Chennai garage rock band Skrat made sure they raised enough noise to please the healthy turnout of around 300 headbangers.

Aswekeepsearching kicked off the evening with an almost hour-long set, churning out synth-laden singles like “Ativa”, “In Circles” and “We Sound Like Strangers” off their 2015 debut album Khwaab. They also premiered newer [as yet untitled] material before wrapping up with “Lights and Colours”.

And while the four-member post-rock parade may have had the audience more or less transfixed throughout [the trippy monochrome visuals were an added bonus], Skrat soon had the people back on their feet with raw-as-ever sing-alongs like “Revolution”,  “Machete” and “Tin Can Man”. “What’s happening, Mumbai, are you awake?!” prodded Sriram in between songs. Judging by the raucous response and the success of the night, the listeners were definitely awake, alive and kicking.

Photos by Bryan Jacob Daniel

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