Undying Inc Parts Ways With Vocalist

Shashank Bhatnagar (left) with Undying Inc’s current lineup

Five years after joining Delhi metallers Undying Inc, vocalist and frontman Shashank Bhatnagar has quit the band, citing musical differences.

The band’s lineup is changing for the second time in a year, following the departure of drummer Yuvraj Sen in August last year, who was replaced by Nishant Hagjer in September after auditions. Band manager and bassist Reuben Bhattacharya says Undying Inc will start looking for Bhatnagar’s replacement soon. “People have already sent us audition videos, despite no proper announcement for auditions. But we don’t want to hurry since a vocalist is an important part,” says Bhattacharya.

The vocalist was more willing to speak about his other projects than about what happened with Undying Inc. “That period, it’s over now. I wish them all the luck for their future endeavors,” Bhatnagar says, adding that he is working with two metal bands and a Sufi band, names of which he doesn’t want to reveal as of now. “I’m putting out substantial material in the next two or three months,” says Bhatnagar, “I’ve been thinking about that [singing for a Sufi band] for some time. I listen to all music under the sun, so I’m always open to singing in different styles.” The vocalist is also looking to perform guest vocals at shows this year, following appearances with Mumbai groove metal band Zygnema at W.O.R.M.E fest last month and British metal band Cypher16. “It’s a close knit circuit [of bands] so I rarely say no to friends,” he says.

Bhatnagar couldn’t see eye-to-eye on the band’s sound according to the bassist. Though Bhattacharya feels that every band goes through it: “It reaches a point where you have to move on to do other things. All the best to him [Bhatnagar]; I feel the entity of the band is always bigger than the sum total of its individuals. Undying Inc will continue doing what we do, and step up the game.” The band is in the process of writing songs for their new EP, but “it’s all blurred now,” says the bassist. “It depends on who joins us since vocal parts haven’t been written yet,” adds Bhattacharya.