Amogh Symphony - The Quantum Hack Code - The future of Indian..no..ASIAN Metal.

Amogh Symphony. This project need no introduction to the underground metalheads, shred-geeks and intelligent students. The founder/guitarist/one-man army Vishal J.Singh is back with his second album called "The Quantum Hack Code". I have been listening to this masterpiece album from the past 3 weeks and what i have realized is - You seriously need these 3 things to listen and enjoy this album - brain, patience and focus . This is probably the deepest record i have ever heard from a progressive metal band or artist...EVER.

It took me a whole week to think "what should i write about this album?" There is a specific reviewer for every goddamn thing on this planet. When we talk about genre like Tech death, Progressive metal, Jazz, Psy-trance, Thrash etc, we know what comes in the mind first. Hence, the review is somewhat a clearer and mixed mirror of the masses and fans. But in this case, it's like writing about something that humanity is unaware of. The "Quantum Hack Code" experience. Let me say, it wasn't an experience.....it was a quest. I completely forgot my existence when i was deep inside this album. The Quantum Hack Code clearly tells how intelligent, versatile and deep Vishal's mind is. This 24 years old Indian man is a pure genius.

The whole album is like a Hollywood movie or fiction attached with the Soundtrack. If you think it's just a sci-fi concept, you are totally wrong. The album consists of narrations by Chela Harper. Now first of all, who is she? Chela is a Canadian born Singer/Guitarist/Composer who is known for her solo project Sarasvati. Her deep and serious voice visualizes the dark and distorted images of the World without Sun, Sky and Air. The background music scores and sound effects behind Chela's possessed-like narration were created by Vishal J.Singh. Extreme post-processing, multi layering and automation of synth fx and sounds followed by symphonic arrangement is something you will never expect in a concept album. Together, they create the darkened atmosphere of machines on human target and Mankind in Coma. And above all, the concept and narrations are written by Vishal himself.

The Quantum Hack Code starts with a 1 minute Intro narration with an extreme low end string sustained. If you don't listen to the words she is saying, you can't understand the fucking album. Yes, i am serious.

I don't want to write a long and boring review on this album because it's pointless. You seriously need to listen to this record for at least 100 times and i am sure that even after 1ooth listen, still you will be fucking clueless like me. You can call this album whatever you want. Post-metal, post-djent, hybrid metal, tech death, experimental metal.....whatever. But this album crossed every boundaries. Oh no....hold on...It's confirmed - This album is "Post" of everything that ever happened in the history of progressive metal. Some of the most creative and unheard guitar chops from Vishal are recorded in the songs. Heavily based on advanced tapping and an unknown technique called "sweep harmonic" that sounds like a cyborg screaming, the guitar riffs in this album will teach all the other metal guitar players an important lesson - "chuggah chuggah" or 'djun djun" is a child's play. If you can make your guitar sound like a machine or a screaming android, you know you are not normal anymore. How do super guitar heroes treat their seven string axes? Vishal will show you. And talking about the chops, the songs also contains soulful flamenco/latin jazz acoustic guitar work along with kinky funk picking. It will be a hilariously understatement if we label Vishal as "Shredder" because he is not just into speed picking. Notorious, guttural sounding and angry overdrived complicated funk slap bass gives a rhythmic quest inside the brain. It sounds like a cyborg is gargling tiny nails in his throat. After a week of observation, i was totally mind-fucked. Couldn't write anything on him. So i ended up everything and finally I came up with this -

Allan Holdsworth's modes + John Frusciante's funk picking hand + Ron Jarjombek's riffing + Paco De Lucia's erotic fingers + John Mayer's blues vibrato + Fredrik Thordendal's composition + Mark King's slapping hands + Aphex Twin's knowledge = Vishal J.Singh in "The Quantum Hack Code".


Drummer Jim Richman's remote hi hat to ride and mad polyrhythm and double bass work in this album made me realized that when you have a monster drummer like him, nothing is impossible. The groove in "Osiris 1" is something that many drummers will shit in their pants before attempting to learn it. Incredible range of dynamics in his playing. I would like to add that the way Vishal kept the dynamics in the drum-mix so natural like a jazz set is impressive as hell. Normally it doesn't work in a metal production, but this is ridiculously awesome. The best way to define Jim is - Tomas Haake's bass drum work + Vinnie Colaiuta's improvisation + Marco Minemann's metronome masturbation + Trilok Gurtu's ride work. This is one drummer after Gene Hoglan who don't need the same old boring hyperblast-beats to sound great. Weird, he sounds like a man with four arms.


The synth layering and arrangement in this album is top class. Shitload of automation, filtering, panning and reverse layering in the synth arrangement. There are electronic percussion grooves as well which gives a duality vision when drummer Jim Richman enters with his inhuman "live" polyrhythmic drum shredding. A fact - Jim also plays Piano. In some songs, Vishal's unique shred chops are totally locked and in-sync with Jim's drum chops and they sound like two men with one common brain and there is absolutely no stupid MIDI Quantization that you normally hear in every "Djent" band or artist. If you are a music programmer or techie dude, you know what i mean. Excellent mix and production by Vishal, "Un-brickwalled" and "Anti-loud" mastering by Aditya Naik from H.E.A.T Studio. Analog meets Digital at it's best.


This album is the future. The Quantum Hack Code is a Code to reveal the creative soul inside you if you are a musician. This is probably the best metal record you will ever hear from India. If you want to have a combined entertainment of a Chris Nolan flick and a Meshuggah record, this album is for you.



Visit them at http://www.soundcloud.com/amoghsymphony
http://www.facebook.com/amoghsymphony
http://www.myspace.com/mohenjadaro
http://www.youtube.com/amoghsymphony

They have posted the direct link for pre-order. Go to http://www.platinumsellingartist.com

Interview With Nicholas Of Brazilian Progressive/Tech Death Metal Project SEVEN

1.Hello Nick,What are you listening to these days?

Nicholas: Hello Avinash. Well, I’ve been listening to bands like Alarum, Amorphis, Kreator, Hypocrisy and Opeth but also some other artists like Derek Sherinian, Allan Holdsworth and D’Alma.


2.Cool,would you like to tell a brief story of SEVEN?

Nicholas: At the time, I was into many different styles of music already like Jazz/Fusion, Blues, Instrumental Rock, Classical Music and Metal of course. After a year making songs, I decided to try something different like Progressive Metal due to my earlier influences from groups like Outworld, Dream Theater, Nevermore and etc. A few months after that, while I was still working on the song, I met Gabriel Geraissati in São Paulo where we talked for a while about our music styles and references. It was very interesting for me because Gabriel was into some really heavy/brutal stuff like Nile, into very progressive styles like Planet X and Gentle Giant and some Jazz/Fusion like Pat Metheny. We jammed a few times and it sounded totally badass, even though the Metal thing was very new for me since I was much more a solo shredder jazz/fusion guitarist than anything hahaha. So, I called him from France because I interested on making a very innovative band with a Progressive Metal influence mixed with music elements from Jazz/Fusion to Death Metal. I wanted to apply Death Metal because it was one of the few music styles that could really express all that aggression in the songs, but I didn’t enjoy Death Growls that much and I was also trying to make something different from the standards. So, I started to study and get all the information I could about Death Metal when I found out about Sleep Terror, and that was the beginning of everything for me! After that, I told Gabriel about it and we both agreed about that the project would be 100% instrumental. After an incident where I broke my wrist and I wasn’t able to play for a month, we started recording the first song Agony as a test to see how was that going to sound. I wasn’t very confident about it but Gabriel ended up posting the song on YouTube and he was able to make a massive propaganda due to the fact he had a lot of great contacts in music like T.J. Helmerich, Scott Henderson and etc and the responses we got back about the song were fantastic. A lot of people started contacting us and the song was later playing in a few online radios, the YouTube video got up to 16 honors as one of the most discussed, rated and viewed videos of the month. After that, we realized that Seven was really going to work well, so we decided to keep up with the project.


3.Since how long have you been playing the guitar?You are very young also.I must say your riffs are really amazing.Your music seems to be technical as well as melodic which attracts a lot.What all instruments do you play?Since how long have you been composing?

Nicholas: I started to play acoustic guitar at the age of 10, but only started to take it serious after a year with an electric guitar when I was 12. I started composing after I quitted a local blues/rock band and I started to make my own songs. I would try to incorporate all my influences and make different styles of music all the time, from Doom Metal to Jazz/Fusion and some Classical elements. When I started composing (about 2 years ago), all I had was my guitar and a cheap acoustic to make songs and due to the fact that I couldn’t record the drums I tried to fill that empty space with as many instruments I could. It started with multiple guitar tracks (up to 7 tracks sometimes!), I moved on adding bass, piano and later on I was able to get a Saz/Baglama in Turkey which allowed me to apply my Nile/Orphaned Land influences too, haha. One of the problems I had in the beginning was the music production because I had to record/mix/edit and finally master it alone and I had no idea what was the best way to make all that. But with time I was able to get enough experience with all that recording and producing process. I think all that experiencing allowed me to make music in a very interesting way by mixing technique with melodic patterns.



4.What are your influences/inspirations? Are you aware of Indian Metal bands too?

Nicholas: I could cite up to 5,000 artists in here since everything is an influence for me but I can cite a few bands that inspire me in Seven like Aeon, Aghora, Akercocke, Alarum, Al Di Meola, All Shall Perish, Anata, Anasarca, Amon Amarth, Andre Geraissati, Arch Enemy, Arsis, Sleep Terror, Opeth, Nevermore, Dream Theater, Symphony X, Overkill, Behemoth, Divided Sky, Blotted Science, Nile, Necrophagist, Theory In Practice, Cannibal Corpse, Carcass, Cathedral, Candlemass, D’Alma, Death, Daylight Dies, Decapitated, Planet X, Illdisposed, Ihsahn, Immortal, Inborn Suffering, Jason Becker, Outworld, Steve Vai, Gonçalo Pereira, Pat Metheny, Joe Pass, Porcupine Tree and finally Yngwie Malmsteen! And yes, I’m actually a big fan of Indian Metal bands but I don’t know a lot of bands yet. But I can say that Amogh Symphony is one of the reasons why I started Seven and that Avial just blew my mind!


5.Is your music instrumental based?Are you planning to keep a proper line-up for live shows?Or changing the line-up like earlier Technical/Progressive Metal bands like Death used to do?

Nicholas: The main idea was to make a Progressive Metal Instrumental band with Jazz/Fusion and Death Metal influences but since I can’t really stick up with one thing I recently recorded some songs with Death Growls and I’m now trying to mix all that with clean vocals too. About the concerts, it’s a complex thing because when Gabriel and I posted the first song (Agony) on YouTube, there was a major positive response that consequently put our video into the most discussed, rated and viewed videos of the month. After that, we got a lot of contacts from radios and managers proposing concerts, and one of them contacted us to play in a festival in Europe called Emergenza but since we didn’t have any other members or songs we had to decline the offer. Since then, I decided to finish all the songs first and release it with a good recording label and then contact musicians for future gigs. Just like in many bands, I believe Seven’s line up will change constantly and I believe that will happen mainly due to the fact that one person composed all the instrument lines like Muhammed on Onset of Putrefaction, Luke Jaegar from Sleep Terror and etc. Although, I still think that I won’t have a lot of problems to get new musicians in the band because my songs are not that technical like Necrophagist’s or Spawn of Possession’s are, haha.


6.What are your views on critics who said- "Technical Metal is all about mechanical playing with no feel and soul in the music".

Nicholas: Well, few months ago when I was pretty ignorant about Death Metal in general I would probably say the same thing but it’s about understanding what the music style message is trying to pass. It’s like judging and condemning its lyrics or blaming gore ideologies/lyrics in Metal for a significant percentage of violence nowadays. In a more Technical style of music like Death Metal or even Technical Death Metal, even some fans of Metal music will say that but again, for me it’s a question of exploring the boundaries and reaching new results with all that structured and well applied technique. Of course, that we don’t only get a misjudged perspective from people who don’t like technical music but also from people that actually make this kind of music. In guitar for example, a lot of people mix things up thinking that it’s about who’s the fastest or who can sweep cleaner at 400 bpm and end up leaving the main purpose of music behind, which is to sound good. For me it is normal to get a negative first impression about Death Metal, Jazz (when some people find it boring) and other similar styles. For instance, about 2 years ago I thought Nile was a mediocre band, nowadays I think it’s one of the greatest bands ever! That for me is what I call being a better musician/listener and being able to fully understand the styles and not being ignorant about it.


7.Any message to your friends and fans especially from India?

Nicholas: I want to thank you first about this great interview, it was a great pleasure for me! I also want to think all my friends from India that I met on Google that gave me a lot of positive feedbacks and responses, and also all the people that have watched Seven’s videos on YouTube and listened to my songs on MySpace too, thanks to you guys I’ve accomplished a lot of my goals already. Special thanks to Ace, André and Gabriel Geraissati for being huge supporters and helping me out throughout these months. I also want to ask you guys to check often my links because I will be posting new things soon and the album might be finished soon. www.myspace.com/sev7ntheband www.youtube.com/seventheband www.youtube.com/NickTup

An Interview With Rajarshi-Guitarist Of Progressive Metallers Apollonian Quest

1.Hello Rajarshi,first of all thanks for taking time for this small interview.What are you listening to these days? >
Rajarshi: No bother at all Avinash. Thanks a lot for considering me for an interview for your amazing webpage. I have been listening to a lot of new progressive bands lately. Opeth, Pain of Salvation, new Meshuggah, new P Tree, Ayreon, Nile, Blackfield, Cynic etc. Other than that I listen to a lot of piano sonatas by Beethoven, Bach, Chopin and Tchaikovsky. I highly recommend the readers to listen to the kick-ass new Meshuggah album, Obzen and the best Porcupine Tree album yet, Fear of a Black Planet. Obzen is a perfect mixture of sheer brutality and technical marvel and FOABP is a treat in pure British Progressive rock, with beautiful song writing and production. Very inspiring stuff.

2.Would you like to tell a brief story of Apollonian Quest?
Rajarshi: Well we started off pretty much the usual way. Lineup changes, initial scratch compositions, jamming problems, maddening schedules and lack of gigs. Formally the band was conceptualized by Ananda(vox), Arjun(guit), Joshua(keys) and myself in 2006, beginning. However due to shortage of good drummers and bass players, we were pretty much in stagnation until recently. The lineup we of now is:

Ananda: Vocals, Joshua: Keyboards, Raj: Guitars, Hamza: Drums.

Members who have been involved with AQ and have contributed immensely are:

Vikas Reddy: Drums, 06-07, he is working in Schlumberger and is posted in Peru.
Jerson Pinto: He is playing bass for an amazing alternative band, Surface Trauma apart from his solo jazz projects.
Liszel: She guested for female vocals during Livewire 2006. It was a short and a fun spell that she spent in the band.
Abhishek Chatterjee: Bass, Livewire 07, X guitar player of Chennai Death Metallers, Blasphemy.
Vishal Jit Singh(Amogh Symphony), Anubhav Misra(Acrid Semblance) and Rishi(Nirvikalpa): Unmatched guidance in both composition and production. Their help cannot be paralleled.

You can also read the detailed band bio at www.myspace.com/aqindia.

3.Since how long have you been playing the guitar?After listening to the songs many times,i came to know that your solos are very phenomenol.Not many metal bands in India put good shred solos in their music and that's what i really like in Apollonian Quest.Any inspiration?

Rajarshi: Thanks a lot for the kind words Avinash. Although the solos are slightly fast, I am not much into shredding. I have been playing and writing music that falls vaguely in the genre of neo classical since a couple of years now. Although not anymore, I have been heavily influenced by the usual soloists, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jason Becker, Joe Satriani. As of now, I like listening to only tasteful guitar players, not necessarily from any particular genre. I am a huge fan of Larry Carlton, who plays Jazz. I would love to play like Warren(Zero) or Bruce Lee Mani(TAAQ) someday. Both these guys take Indian Guitar playing to a new level by their solos, tones and feel. Inspirationally, I would have to give it totally to John Petrucci and Ron Jarzombeck(Spastic Ink). JP has an insanely controlled technique which allows him to play any technique effortlessly at any tempo, not to mention his soulful solos and his tone. I guess any guitar player, who plays with good feel and has a good tone, would catch my eye.

4.Who write lyrics for Apollonian Quest and who compose the music?

Rajarshi: As of now, AQ is working on a 13 song concept album. Its called Dionysian Fantasia, The Birth and Rise of Nemesis. We have composed most of the music, and the lyrics have been fully written by Ananda. Ananda is influenced heavily by classical literature from the genres of fantasy and mythology. The concept behind the album is an epic fantasy that contains an open ended interpretation about an anti-hero.

5..Would you like to say something about the sudden rise of Progressive and Technical Metal?

Rajarshi: Definitely. Progressive rock and metal is, according to me the future of contemporary music. There have been short spells of extremely shallow and time bound music through the late 80s and the 90s that have made listeners ache for something deeper, more complex and more thought provoking. Progressive music, although has been around since King Crimson, in the 70’s has seen a new boost in the 21st century which I think is just the beginning. New bands which are extremely talented are attracting listeners from all sorts of genres and ages. Bands are doing a lot of rhythmic experimentation (like Meshuggah, Tool, DT), alternative melodies and modes (Opeth, POS, Spastic Ink). Lots of bands are writing brilliant concept albums (The Human Equation – Ayreon, Metropolis Prt 2 – DT, BE – POS). Progressive Music is the music for the experimental an progressive soul, and is definitely a saving grace after the horrendous Grunge and Punk movements. You can read some of my articles on music on www.rajbhatt.wordpress.com.

6.So any future plans of Apollonian Quest?

Rajarshi: Well, AQ was formed solely as a concept band, and I would like to keep it as such. I am working on the next concept album, which has a very different theme than Dionysian Fantasia. We would like to carry out both musical and literary experimentation with the band in the course of our musical journey. I also hope to play more gigs in and around the city for people to know us better, but the central ideology of the band is based on our compositions and lyrics.

7.Thanks for this interview Rajarshi.I hope readers will get to know a little more about Apollonian Quest from this interview.Any message would you like to leave for the listeners and readers?

Rajarshi: Not a problem at all Avinash. I am extremely grateful for including my interview again. I am not much of a preachy person, so I will try to keep this section short and precise. I would like to tell the reader to listen to as many types of music as possible without forming an opinion. There is absolutely nothing constructive in classifying music in genres. In my mind, there are 2 types of music in all. That which is well written, creative and soulful, and that which is shallow and superficial. There are different moods that these different types, none of which is, unconditionally bad. I would also request new bands, to try and write as much original music as possible. Have confidence in your own sound and experience how beautiful it is to write and execute your own songs rather than that written by somebody else, no matter how great it might be.

An Interview With Shalini Of Brutal Death Metallers GENOCIDE X

1.Hi Shalini.Firstly,welcome to India.How are you and how are you feeling?What are you listening to these days?

Shalini: Hey Avinash,thanks for the welcome.Feels good to see my dad's homeland after such a long time.I am good.These days i am listening to Napalm Death,Cryptopsy,Krisiun,Decapitated,Pavor,Psycroptic and Strapping Young Lad.What's up with you?

2.I am fine too.All are amazing bands.Cool.Okay,would you like to tell a brief story about Genocide X?

Shalini: Genocide X was formed in 2005.I used to play in a band called Furnace.That was pretty simple and straight ahead thrash/speed metal cover band.For some logistical reasons,i made a decision of leaving that band.I used to work in a music shop where i met Sharon.She called me after reading the reply to her bulletin ad of a Death Metal guitarist requirement.Then right after first jam,we came to know each other.We both have similar interest in music.She just mesmerized me with her amazing hyperfast double bass pedalling and blastbeats.I remember the first song we jammed toghether was "Rapture" by Morbid Angel.We found Erica after 38th audition for a vocalist.We jammed "Hammer smashed face" by Cannibal Corpse with Erica and me was like-"Holyshit,i think that was some real bad ass bloodshed."Then i called Audrey to handle bass for us.We used to play toghether in Furnace but right after three shows,she got fired because of her alcohol problem.Anyway,we started off as a cover band and tried to get shows in local clubs.

3.Tell me about Genocide X's influences.How old are you girls?I know.....silly question..hehe.

Shalini: Our influences ranges from Vader,Annihilator,Cannibal Corpse,Arch Enemy to Dying Fetus,Decapitated,Nile,Brodequin,Dissection,Cryptopsy and Napalm Death.
Audrey is 24,Sharon is 23,Erica is 23 and i am 20.Erica is highly inspired by George Fisher,Angela Gossow,Chris Barnes and Karl Sanders.Sharon is inspired by Derek Roddy,Mike Portnoy,Dave Weckl and Tony Laureno.Audrey is inspired by Rex and Steve Harris.My inspirations-Dimebag Darrel,Jack Owen,Chuck Schuldiner,Chris Broderick and Karl Sanders.

4.Last night i was listening again to Burn For Peace.Very good production and great album artwork.Your skills in album artwork is quite appreciable.About the songs-Virus Activated,the Plague,Assassinated and Burn for peace,I must say this is some skull crushing brutal death metal with accuracy.Nice lyrics too.Who write songs?

Shalini: Thank you very much.I am glad you liked our Demo CD.Usually,Erica and Audrey write lyrics and i make music with Sharon.Our songs are not really gory but they are mostly based on wars and other social and political issues.It's like a whole mix and match.

5.Your riffs are not just accurate but i feel they also symbolise hatred and anger in a very beautiful manner.Also i can figure out little Dimebag Darrel and Karl Sanders influence in your riffs.Please elaborate.Since how long have you been playing?

Shalini: Thanks.I am not a technical guitarist but i try my best to express myself.You know....good times or bad times,i just plug in my guitar and start playing and if i get some nice riff,i immediately record that riff in my cell-phone.About dimebag and sanders influence,you are right.I am highly inspired by Dimebag's solos and Karl's riffs.I have been playing the guitar since five years.

6.So any future plan of Genocide X?

Shalini: We are in the process of writing more songs after releasing our first Demo CD.We were going through a big financial crisis.Recording process was getting delayed because of it.All of us are working now.Things are getting better now and so we are getting back to the studio soon for a full length album/second demo or whatever. We are trying to get shows as much as we can.

7.Great.I am wishing you all the best.I am sure things will go in the right way.I have seen you girls live in london and i just want to say that Genocide X is one hell of a brutal death metal band with insane energy on stage.All the best.Anything you would like to say to readers?

Shalini: Thanks a lot Avinash.We appreciate your support.We just play for the sake of our love for death metal music.I know very less you can expect in return like Mallika said.But playing this awesome genre of music is a great honour in itself.We don't want people coming in our shows by saying-"Hey let's watch some hot chicks playing metal".We are not looking for any fame or glamour.Just enjoy listening and watching us.We are happy they treat us like other local death metal bands.Cool to see more girls joining the death metal scene.Hails to you all.There are many good metal bands in India and i feel so proud of them.I am currently in India for two months vacation and i am looking forward to see some indian metal bands live.Please keep supporting the underground bands.That's all.

An Interview With Mallika Of Brutal Death/Grindcore Metallers ABNORMALITY

1.Hello Mallika,thanks for taking time for this small interview.How are you today and what are you listening to these days?

Mallika: Hi Avinash,
I'm doing well, thanks. Thanks for your interest in Abnormality.
Lately I've been listening to the new Cephalic Carnage- Xenosapen, Skinless- Trample the Weak Hurdle the Dead, Neuraxis, Cryptopsy, Death, Suffocation, Watain, Cryptopsy, Angel Corpse, Morbid Angel, Deeds of Flesh, Mortal Decay, and more...

2.I have been listening to Abnormality since quite a long time and must say Abnormality's music is a good mixture of Brutality and Technicality.Would you like to tell a brief story of your band?

Mallika: Why, thank you.
Abnormality formed about two years ago. I had been playing in a few projects, and the latest had broken up, I was actively looking to join a serious band on vocals. Jay (ex- Goratory) and Mike (ex- Ascendancy) were in popular local band out of Massachusetts, Teratism. They invited me to do a song with them in a show, for fun and to help me find a band. We had a great time, and after the show Jay and Mike asked me to form a side project with them. We started up Abnormality and found a second guitarist, Jeremy (ex-Iranach). A few months later, Teratism disbanded. Abnormality continues to practice, write and play shows. We are looking for a bass player to complete the lineup.

3.Since how long you have been singing?There are very less female death metal vocalists in the circuit.And i must say your vocals are extremely brutal with perfection.Any inspiration?

Mallika: I have been singing since I was a kid, but as my musical tastes developed, so did my style of singing. I have been playing in metal bands for about 5 years. The first band I joined was Potro, while I was spending a semester in Barcelona, Spain in 2002. When I returned the the U.S. I started looking for new projects.
I aim for a vocal style as brutal as possible. I take inspiration from all my favorite band's vocalists, male and female. Some early female inspirations were Karyn Crisis and Angela Gossow. Today there are more and more women getting involved in the extreme metal scene, and I think it's great.

4.Visions,Questions,Epitomize The Weak.....Ultimately amazing tracks.Who write lyrics for Abnormality and who compose the music?

Mallika: The whole band contributes to all the songs. Someone will come up with a riff, or we'll just start jamming and it will turn into a song. Usually it's Jay, Mike and I writing the lyrics. We write separately or as a collaboration. A lot of thought goes into the lyrics, with a range of topics from political subjects, sarcasm and absurdity, to our life experiences. But we think it's important to not take ourselves too seriously.

5.What would you like to say about the current Death Metal scenario?I mean,there are many talented and creative death metal bands which are still unsigned.

Mallika: I have a great love for the death metal scene. It takes a lot of dedication, skill, and passion to play this type of music, knowing that there is little you can expect in return. You know that people are listening and performing for the right reasons, not because it's "cool" or that they could make a fortune doing it. And it's certainly not for everyone. The metal underground brings people together from all countries and walks of life.
I feel really lucky to live in New England, there are a lot of amazing bands from this area, Suffocation, Skinless, Immolation, Mortal Decay, and some good friends of ours: Goreality, Sexcrement, Deconformity, Soul Remnants, Brutal #2, A Terrible Night for a Curse, Hekseri, Dysentery, Porphyria, to name a few. Yes, there is a lot of unsigned talent, it can be a struggle to get a label's attention. Every day it is getting easier for bands to produce and distribute music on their own.

6.So any future plans of Abnormality?How about an India Tour?

Mallika: We plan to continue what we've been doing all along, expand our fanbase, look for a label, and hopefully do some touring around the U.S. and Europe. We are going into the studio this winter to record our first full-length album.
I would love to tour India. My father is from Tamil Nadu, it's always nice to visit and see more of his home country. There is such amazing culture and musical history there.

7.Thanks for the interview Mallika.Any message you would like to leave for indian metalheads?

Mallika: Hmm. Well if your a metal head in India you must be even rarer than here in the States, so props to you! Afaque
of Infernal Wrath was telling me about some of the hardships of getting shows together, and playing metal in India. I hope the scene keeps growing and gets easier. I look forward to hearing what bands come out of India.

You can listen to Abnormality at www.myspace.com/abnormality06

Thanks again, Avinash, and keep it brutal!




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Stay tuned for my next interview with Shalini,Guitarist Of British Brutal Death Metallers GENOCIDE X

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An Interview With Afaque Azad Of Death Metallers Infernal Wrath

1.Hello Afaque,thanks for taking your precious time for this interview.

Afaque : Hi & thanks for the opportunity. And you are not taking my precious time....I was lukha anyways! (laughs)..................ok ok ok ...........wait........ (laughs again).....sorry sorry.....I'll be try to be more serious from now on.....mmm.......(grim look)..

2.Haha.Alright i am serious now.What are you listening to these days?

Afaque : A lot of varied music. Psy-trance, Ambient/Noise, Hardcore punk, Anarcho-punk, Straight-edge, Riot Grrl. Also revisiting my pre - 70's rock collection. On the other hand, I'm trying to understand Indian & Western Classical music as well as Dixieland/New Orleans, Bebop, Avant-garde and free jazz.

3. Since how long you have been singing?

Afaque: I tried singing once when I was five. It wasn't a pleasant experience for the audience.After that haven't sang a single note till now! All I do is try to have a conversation with the stray dogs in my area!(laughs)...........really I don't remember......I was growling in the mosh-pit back when Bramha covered Sepultura's Dead Embryonic Cell at Independence Rock.With in a band, almost four years. First in Blood Bath Regiment & then Infernal Wrath.

4.I must say that your vocals are brutal as hell and i have not heard many Indian death metal vocalists growling the way you growl.

Afaque : ........mmmmm.......Thank you. (takes a bow)

5.Your vocal speaks for your soul.

Afaque : ......................err...................(looking extremely confused)............. whatever!

6.When did you join/form Infernal Wrath?Would you like to tell a brief history of Infernal Wrath?

Afaque: Well, JP and Pradeep played together in death metal band called Disembodied Corpse. They left that band, and while they were playing in different bands, they spoke to each other about how they wanted to play together again. It got serious enough that they started jamming together and started looking out for other band members. Along side, I was a vocalist in the band 'Blood Bath Regiment'. Irwin Vaz (the famed drum teacher) met me in a rock show and referred me to JP for vocals for their "project". Irony was I had just spoken to Pradeep in that show and told him that I was sad that Deflesh (Pradeep's previous band) split and heard about a rumour that he's forming a death metal band with JP! The next thing I know I was all ready to jam with them! Harshad joined the band before me. Well the rest, as you know is...chemistry! (laughs)

7.And your influences?

Afaque : Musically? Too many to even name them. For Infernal Wrath: Rainbow, Metallica, Slayer, Morbid Angel, Nile, the list is endless.

8.I have noticed that Infernal Wrath's music is extremely brutal as hell but there is no Anti-Christianity or Anti-God influence in the song inspiration like usual death metal bands.After listening to "Funeral Pyre",i felt there is more "holy" and "strength" feel in your music which gives a totally different view.Would you elaborate?

Afaque: Agreed that there is no Anti-God sentiment to it, but its not "holy" at the same time. Its more of a message to humans beings from human beings ( i.e. us). We chose the most epic moment of mankind that all the prophecies talk about, the Apocalypse, or more precisely the chain of events that will occur leading to the Apocalypse.Understanding and narrating the various prophecies from sources like the Bible, the Quran , the Bhagwat Gita, the Torah, mystical cults like the Kabbalah etc as well as the Occultist and Pagan mythologies, that is revelant to our present global geo-political situation. Instead of taking the good side-bad side argument, we chose to write on the events itself and giving a human perspective all that can happen and what should he/she do in that circumstance & what is of most importance; the truth within ourselves ; the Karma.

9.That is really awesome Afaque. Are you guys thinking of releasing any album?

Afaque: Definitely!As of right now we have started the pre-planning for the recording,getting the logistics & the finances worked out.Its just round the corner.

10.Would you guys like to make a Cryptopsy tribute album if you get the chance to do?I know it's a little weird question but you guys are known as the only band covering Cryptopsy.

Afaque : Really no one else covers them? In India, they are a pretty popular band. The crowd simply goes crazy everytime we have performed the song 'Phobophile'. We would be interested to be featured in a Cryptopsy tribute album. You know what would be more great? If we get a chance to tour along side them!

11.Thanks a lot for the great interview Afaque.Lastly,I want to to hear about the following(my favorite Indian bands) from you.Just your personal opinion.

Afaque: My opinion is that it is absolutely great that through out the decade, there has been amazing metal acts that have come out of the country. The levels of all the band you have mentioned & many more band now as well as from the past has over the years forged an imprint in the minds of an average school/college going kid of every generation. Its because of killer bands like these, they are probably more metal fans in the country that say like 15-20 years ago. More that half of the bands on the list are favorites of almost every Indian metalhead. The fact that without the support from the record labels, music channels & other mainstream media, these bands sell their cd's in the thousands is a testimony to their cult following. It is high time that avenues should be created such that musicians can have a livelihood by doing what they like doing, making music.

hahahaha!Cheers!
Afaque

Note to all Non - Hindi readers : 'Lukha' - Being absolutely useless/wasted

My Favourite Bands(From Dinosaur Era To Present Era)

Cream
Led Zeppelin
Steppenwolf
Black Sabbath
Judas Priest
Iron Maiden
Megadeth
Diamond Head
Overkill
Slayer
Morbid Angel
Cannibal Corpse
Pantera
Dimmu Borgir
Crematory
Death
Atheist
Cynic
Cryptopsy
Nile
Vader
Hate Eternal
Behemoth
Spiral Architect
Necrophagist
Watchtower
Behold...The Arctopus
Spastic Ink