Bands:
Ugrakarma
Jindabaad
Underside
Divine Influence
Absorb

Venue:
Purple Haze, Thamel

Date:
March 30

Ticket:
Rs. 200

Textures hail from Holland and  is all set to headline this year’s Silence Fest III. The band is quite busy touring but we’ve managed to take this short interview, as we eagerly wait for October 13, 2012.

Greetings from Nepal, Textures! You guys are headlining the Silence Festival III this October, making you one of the very few metal bands to perform in this country. Are you excited?

Yes! Very excited! This is a very special experience for us, we know Nepal should be a beautiful country, and being able to do a show there is even cooler. We will definitely stay there and enjoy the country while we are there.

Did you even know a metal scene existed in this country?

Nope! Haha. But neither did we of India when we went there for the first time, and we were standing in front of a couple of thousand metal fans!

Please describe your band’s music, lyrical themes and inspirations for those who are unaware of Textures.

Textures is a progressive metal band from the country with no mountains; The Netherlands. With combining heavy thrash/death with melodic/ambient parts, the music is very diverse. Lyrics are about the hardships of life, and finding ways to turn negative experiences into something positive.

Among the hordes of bands following the so called ‘djent’ movement, Textures is considered as a band having a distinct and unique sound, while still maintaining the essence of the experimental metal sub-genre. Was it a conscious effort? Do you guys think about it a lot while composing your music?

I think Djent is just another term for progressive metal. And that has been around for more than a few years. But it is cool to see that a lot of Djent fans regard Textures as pioneers in the Djent movement, it is cool to see, but we are not consciously writing our music for the sake of Djent haha. Rock ‘n Roll, that is what we like!

Could you tell us, in brief, about all the four albums you guys have released? How different are they from each other?

We have released 4 albums now;

Polars; Chaotic and thrashy, with soundscapes that connect some songs.

Drawing Circles; More experimental in mixing fusion/jazz into heavy parts.

Silhouettes; More mid-tempo heavyness, the darkest of all albums.

Dualism; The most stretched- out of all albums; heavy mid-tempo parts combined with serene parts.

Since its inception in 2001, Textures has gone a long way from being a relatively unknown band from Netherlands to being a world touring ‘brand’ signed to a big record label (Nuclear Blast). Tell us more about this ‘journey’ and the highs and lows you guys experienced as a band.

Since our first label (Listenable from France) we have seen a big boost which took us up in a short period of time. Soon after the first release we got to play on big festivals in Europe, doing shows with Meshuggah, Sepultura, Dillinger, Machine Head etc helped us a lot. Since the third album Silhouettes we are doing headline tours in Europe, went to India twice, Russia, Mexico, it has been a heel of a ride. We have good tours with each album, and last year we went to the USA for the first time, which was awesome. The touring can be very heavy, but it doesn’t compete with all the energy we get from the shows and touring.

How difficult is it, working with a big label? Is there any difference between your previous label, Listenable, and the current one, Nuclear Blast, in terms of ‘creative freedom’?

Nope, we have talked about that with both, and they both totally let us do whatever we like, which is normal in my eyes. Labels take care of the promo and distro, not the creative side. If we make a Coldplay album all of a sudden, then they maybe would tell us to think about it twice, but no, they give us all freedom we can have. We are on the same frequency.

Having toured several countries now, you must have gotten fair bit of idea on various regional scenes. Apart from your home nation, which country did you find the most ‘receptive’ to your music?

India has been amazing. Especially since our album is not available in stores there, so all fans over there have gotten our album somehow through the internet! But in Europe, France, UK, Germany, Spain and Switzerland have always been great shows as well.

The biggest problem for any non-mainstream band here in Nepal is the finances. There is virtually no way for a band to make a living out of making music, especially if you’re in a metal band. What is it like in the Netherlands?

Same here! You shouldn’t start a metal band if you want to make money haha! We all have our own jobs, most of us an own company, which we can combine quite well with the band.

Could you also recommend us few metal bands from your country’s scene?

Daniel’s (singer) former band Cilice are still going strong, Uri (synth player) has his band Ethereal, pretty cool stuff. Exivious, Detonation. Pestilence.

You’ve already got a taste of the South Asian metal scene when you toured India last year. How was the experience?

Very cool, the bands that performed there we’re pretty good! And the shows itself were set up very big, so it was good to see such big places crammed with metal fans. Never expected that from India, but now we know what’s up over there; we have to get back asap!

Finally, what are you expectations from Nepal? And if there’s anything you’d like add for your Nepali fans, please feel free to do so.

We’re sure it [Silence Fest III] will be a huge show; we will play a big set to spoil you guys all the way! We’re looking forward very much, seeing that country and playing our music there is a dream come true for us!

See you there! \m/

[Photos: band's  FB page]

It was in the early 2000, an obscure band from Kathmandu released an album with one of the most shocking and grisly album covers ever, filled with such vile music that would make normal music listeners absolutely hate it. The band was Ugrakarma and their music was death-metal, one of the most extreme and heavy genres of metal. In 2002, the band went into a long hiatus but its legacy and underground cult status persisted, and somehow survived.

Now, to the extreme delight of many metal fans, the band is back. Reunited after a decade and ready to tour and record an album. Umes Shrestha talks with the band’s founding member Sunil Dev Pant on the reunion, history and the new plans.

UgraKarma is back from a decade long hiatus. Could you tell us how this happened? Who are in the band now?

Current members of UgraKarma are Binaash/ex-72HRS axe-man Prateek Raj Neupane on guitar and vocals; ex-Taamishra brothers Bikram Shrestha and Bijay Shrestha on drums and bass/vocals, respectively; and I do distorted-bass and vocals.

After Legion of Death Records (France) approached us with an offer of releasing new UgraKarma material, we decided that the best way to do this would be to do a reunion in Nepal, play some shows and record the new material.

UgraKarma, without a doubt, was responsible for bringing death metal in Kathmandu’s underground scene. What motivated you to start this band?

When we first started out, UgraKarma’s main intention was to write original death metal songs. There was a culture in Kathmandu of doing covers of popular bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Megadeth etc. Very few metal bands seemed interested in doing their own songs. From the onset, UgraKarma focused on originals and we never veered away from this goal despite several lineup changes that included Aayush Maskey, Subash Dev Pant, Roshan Karki, Prashant Gurung, Ubin Shrestha, and Prateek Raj Neupane. All of us had been playing in different bands before we converged together to form UgraKarma, and once we were there, it was Death Metal all the way.

And, why death metal as the genre for UgraKarma (when starting out)?

Death Metal was, and still is, the great vessel into which we poured all our anger, frustration, bloodlust, aggression, fear, hatred etc. It was a way to release all the negative emotions we all had within ourselves without actually causing physical harm to anyone.

We were listening to a lot of early albums of bands like Sinister, Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse, Unleashed, Death, Sepultura, Cranium, Slayer, Rigor Mortis, Sodom, Sarcofago, Von, Macabre etc. So we had influences from black metal, grindcore and thrash/speed metal as well. However, Death Metal, with all the aggression, controlled chaos and dynamics, was what we intended to play.

Can you share us your memories of recording and releasing the demo “Himalayan Metal of Death” back in 2001?

It was tough but enjoyable. We had a hell of a time finding a suitable studio. There weren’t a lot of studios in Kathmandu to start out with, add that to the fact that none of the audio engineers we talked to was familiar with metal music. We finally hooked up with Iman B. Shah and recorded both the demo and the album in his Sacred Soundz studio. I still remember the sigh of relief when we first met Iman dai; he was wearing a Slayer shirt. Finally, an engineer who would understand what we were doing and Iman dai helped us immensely.

We released our demo “Himalayan Metal of Death” on home-burnt CDs with photocopied black and white covers. It was a total D.I.Y. affair. It spread through word of mouth among friends in Kathmandu and elsewhere. Later, CDing International released our full-length album “Blood Metal Initiation” in 2002.

Why did the band break-up (or go to the hiatus)?

Same reason most bands break up in Nepal – emigration. In 2002, both Aayush and I left Nepal. Prateek and Subash were still here in Kathmandu, but none of us wanted to continue the band without the old members. Eventually I started playing in Death Metal bands in the US, and so did the other member of UgraKarma. All of us kept ourselves busy with playing music in the towns we lived in throughout this period.

Back in the US, you played in death metal bands like Blood Havoc (Portland, Oregon), Anthrovore (Cascade, Montana), Lost Lady Saloon (Black Eagle, Montana), Shroud of the Heretic (Portland, Oregon). Did you release any records?

Craneo Negro Records recently released Shroud of the Heretic’s ‘Boiled to Death’ CD. Anthrovore released a demo “Necrocannibalism and Voraphilia”. Blood Havoc and Lost Lady Saloon both released e-demos only. With the exception of Anthrovore, I was actively playing live with all of these bands.

The metal genre has evolved into a lot of variations and sub-genres. Several early metal bands have also changed a lot musically. Where does Ugrakarma stand currently?

We are still doing the same style that we did when we first started out. Old-school death metal is what people will hear from the reformed UgraKarma. We have never followed musical trends and are not about to do that in our old age. No breakdowns, no -core, no super-technical stuffs; just good old aggressive, and often offensive, death metal.

I’m sure there are plans of recording a new album with this line up. Should we hope for that?

We will start recording when we take a break from the current tour. We are planning to release a 7” vinyl thru Legion of Death Records (France) by the end of this year. We have already written most of the songs for this release. We will probably also do splits with bands from Kathmandu and elsewhere.

You must be excited to play live and tour again? Tell us about last week’s tour of Pokhara and Dharan.

After spending years playing in US bands, it is great to be back in my hometown where I first started playing.

The current tour with Binaash is going great. The shows at Pokhara and Dharan were awesome. Both towns had very enthusiastic metalheads, good audience response and energetic crowds. I saw something in Dharan that I haven’t seen anywhere else in Nepal: 5-6 different mosh-pits at the same time. We are very impressed with the hospitality that we received, especially in Dharan. We are also planning to tour with Boston’s Soul Annihilation. We are in the process of adding more dates in cities and towns around Nepal and India. Keep checking our FB page for updates on the dates on our Facebook page.

Can we expect any Ugra-merchandise this time around?

We have a box of t-Shirts that we are hauling around to all our gigs: the first UgraKarma tour shirt. We are thinking about doing some stickers and patches later on.

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We will be looking forward to those Ugra-stuffs. Meanwhile, you can visit the band’s official page on FB and get more news and updates.

Ugrakarma: www.facebook.com/UgrakarmaOfficial

Interview and Photo by: Umes Shrestha/ktmROCKS

Many individuals don’t understand the sacrifices and contributions you have to make to be the peoples favorite. But at last, when you are crossing the finish line first, it’s all worth it. Pain is temporary… Victory is FOREVER!!!

Celebrate your title with Rs. 50,000 cash(Winner Band) and share the stage with different Guests band of Nepal on September15, 2012 (Fun Park, Bhrikutimandap)

BINAASH is a death-metal band from Kathmandu who think there should always be “fun” element even in a genre like metal that serious and technical all the time. Formed by the members of Ugrakarma and Arachnids, Binaash has heralded the death-metal scene in Kathmandu and is ready to smash the scene with their debut album. Here’s a short interview with the band.

For those who don’t know about the band, please give a short introduction about Binaash, what type of music you guys play and what’s the story behind the band’s name?

Binaash is a “Ramailo” death-metal band from Kathmandu, Nepal and we’re on the verge of releasing our debut album. The band name was intended to be simple and to the point, and we had a democratic vote for this name within the band.

Tell us about the debut album – what’s it called, what sort of songs it has?

Our debut album “Binaashkaari” is a double album. It is named after our fans and supporters. It has old school death metal to death grind to grindcore songs, and a variety of themes in lyrics like real stories, weird fantasies, what we like to do, society, experiences etc. The music is made so that it matches the lyrics. We also wanted organic style artwork and logo which we have used in this album.

I read that it took almost two years to complete this album. Why was such delay?

More than two years actually. It wasn’t in a single studio that it happened. We tried to work with some people, some people approached us to do it, but in the end things were not going the way we planned. So, one evening we decided to stop depending on others and do everything on our own. Kiran Thapa Magar and Sunil Dev Pant also helped us out in making the album. We faced lots of problems and it took us 8 months to complete the album since we entered the studio independently, but we were right in not depending on others to release our album.

And, now this will be released as a double-album. How did that happen?

With the delays and everything, new numbers kept coming in, so we decided to put them all in one record. If our first release had happened when we actually had planned it to, then it would have 8 tracks. Now it has 15.

The album was recorded in the Falls Studio, Lalitpur. Are you guys happy with the production or do you think that we still don’t have a proper recording studio for metal?

We’re very happy with the production from the resources we had, and we do have proper studios for metal in Nepal. We just need to utilize the resources we have properly. Proper personnel? That we don’t know. Proper personnel in the sense that someone who listens to what the band says and wants to produce.

You must have some sort of expectation once you release the album. Is it important for you guys how the fans (and critics) take this album?

Yes, we do have one expectation, that our supporters would buy it, and we’ll be able to clear off our remaining debts, hahaha. It’s important for us that our supporters like what we do, critics don’t matter.

Will you also release the album through foreign distros or record labels? Are you talking with any labels about it?

Yes, with Gore-kha (US), which is a label/distro of one of our old friends, Sunil from Ugra Karma. We’re not in talks with any label right now, just the band and friends distributing it around.

Your facebook page says, you guys have already planned three gigs, one in Kathmandu, one in Pokhara and one in Dharan. What do you guys anticipate?

In KTM we expect all the Binaashkaari people in our release gig. Pokhara and Dharan are two new places that we’re playing for the first time, so we don’t know what will happen, but from what we hear, there is support out there too. We’re just trying to spread our music in other parts of Nepal, which was not feasible for us a few years ago.

What are your general opinions on the death metal scene in Nepal? If you think it’s lagging behind, not getting better and stronger, what do you think are the elements holding it back?

Death Metal is ok out here. Judging from our DIY gigs, our supporters are one of the most loyal ones out here. We even know quite a few of them just because we’ve met them at our gigs. So in that sense we’re ok with it. However the new trend that is going on for quite a few years now, of ready to die for death metal and attack everyone else on Facebook is simply pathetic and annoying.

Any plans of touring outside the country?

None as of yet.

Binaash will release their album on August 18, at the House of Music, Thamel. The band will also tour Pokhara (on August 25) and Dharan (on August 27)
FB Page: http://www.facebook.com/binaashband

Interview/Photo: Umes Shrestha/ktmROCKS

Monkey Temple
Shades of Grey, Released 2012

By: Umes Shrestha/ktmROCKS

It has been a long time coming. Infact it’s taken almost a decade for Monkey Temple to follow up their debut album “Black Bee and the Flower”. Monkey Temple has been through some rough periods, but the band’s leader/vocalist/composer/songwriter Sareen Deoja has kept the passion alive all these years. Deoja brought MT back from stagnancy a few years ago when he assembled new band members and started recording new materials.

Now almost two years in several studios of Kathmandu, several session musicians, a music video that got aired in MTV India – Monkey Temple is back in the scene with a new album “Shades of Grey”.

The album is a mix of alternative rock and heavy stuffs, with apparent influences and elements of the bands like Tool, Deftones, Alice in Chains and few 90s rock bands. Vocalist Deoja also displays some traits of Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno in terms of style and range.

The first song off the album “Anumati” is already a ‘hit’ in the internet, with its music video getting over 35,000 hits in youtube. Songs like “Prashna” and “Anantasamma” are the highlights of the album, cementing the facts that the band can switch into heavy/groovy stuffs and leisurely meander back into melodious passages. Another song, which can be a real surprise for the listeners, is the cover of Nepali classic “Man Chade Maichyang Lai” sung by Danny Denzongpa. After a few spins of the CD, this cover has already become a favorite of mine, along with Diwas Gurung’s cover of “Sanjha Ko Belama”.

Although the eight songs in the album are mid-paced, the songs flow seemingly well, without any hint of being a total drag. The songwriting (all in Nepali) is above par, the production of the album is awesome (as in our Nepali lingo: phoren kwalety). The guitar work is exceptional; there are many interesting melodies and riffs that will hit your ears with curiosity (the song Prashna is one good example). And most importantly, the vocals sound authentically Nepali, there’s no stupid fake ass accent that many singers try to show off.

My only slight nitpicking is with the composition of the songs as they seem to follow a one-dimensional structure. This might be a turn off for few listeners.

In all honestly, the album may not break into the mainstream pop/rock scene populated by semi-talented gauley-rock (folk rock) acts, but I guess Monkey Temple knows who their fans are. If you are a genuine rock fan, go get this album, support the band and relish this good quality music. In addition, Monkey Temple strives in playing live. The band puts on an amazing show whenever they are playing, so don’t miss a chance of seeing this band live.

For the fans of: Albatross (old and new), Jindabaad, Space Cake Break and Ayurveda.

Kalodin – SARV, EP, 2012

Review by: Samyam Shrestha

SARV is Kalodin’s second offering after their debut “The Bestial Ritualism of Harlotry” two years ago, and as Davin Shakya, the band’s guitarist has put it, the band’s first real debut after their experimental full-length. And it sounds. Kalodin have been more straightforward this time, stretching their affiliations with the assigned black metal moniker, while experimenting with Hindu themes in superficial levels. Their sound has turned pretty darker and colder now, consequently.

There are plenty of black metal standard tremolo riffs that are neatly crafted, alongside the groovy interruptions, which in alliance have created decent transitions providing a flow. While Kalodin’s past compositions had rather centered on symphonic components than brutality, the two facets are in harmony here. Moreover, guitars have the ability to stand on their own creating an ambience without the aid of the keys. Davin’s Alexi Laiho influenced lead solos add additional flavors to it. And while the DimmuBorgir orchestral influences are still imminent, the keyboard has also been utilized to penetrate the style of Emperor in brutal segments. The significance of keys seems to be lesser than in their last record though. In general, Kalodin have dealt with a more straightforward black metal sound with these formulae, demonstrating an amalgam of old-school and modern ingredients, while the production has helped it incline towards a primitive black metal approach.

I was expecting the EP to embrace Hinduism theme exclusively, because of the album title, the cover art and the pre-release news of addition of sitar in the EP. But contrary to what I was anticipating, Hinduism marks its entrance in the latter half of the final track “Trishula” alone, with the inclusion of the harmonious sitar and a ritualistic hymn. This is where the eastern scales are introduced, with the ending part sounding as a symphonic black metal equivalent of Singaporean Rudra. And since I took it as just experimentation on what the band’s newer sound could be like, I welcome this step in their upcoming releases as well.

There are three vocalists in the record. The lead vocals is done by the man Davin himself, displaying his chaotic and hateful high-pitched screams, which sound akin to that of Shagrath of Dimmu Borgir. Similarly, Sanjay Maharjan and Pranav Panthi have provided additional punches and growls. The drumming by Gobinda Sen is quite solid as well. I like how the drums sound in the mix.

All in all, this is a commendable record – fast, furious, melodic and dark. The tracks seem to have been ordered in accordance to increasing splendor, the opener track “Fallen Empire” being quite weaker compared to what it is followed by, while the ending track “Trishula” being the one standing out, perhaps because of its differing theme and songwriting method. The EP runs nearly 20 minutes, and if Kalodin persist on what they’ve done in “Trishula”, they got plenty of new and interesting sounds to bestow the listeners.

I, for one, am pleased for now.

Kalodin is about to release their second EP shortly, here’s an interview with the main guy Davin Shakya done by Pranjal Ghimire.

1. Greetings from ktmROCKS, Davin. Your band Kalodin is releasing its second record in a couple of weeks’ time – you must be pretty excited!

Greetings. Yes, we’re extremely excited!

2. Tell us more about your upcoming EP, ‘SARV’. How different is it from your debut, ‘The Bestial Ritualism of Harlotry’ in terms of musicality?

The first album was a compilation of our first few attempts at creating originals. We wrote the music according to our background influences. There were different nationalities in the same band with vast options to write about; but eventually we settled with symphonic metal with a theme of fantasy, anti-religion, sex and all the opposing words one can think of.

Having stayed inNepalfor more than 3 years, we’ve now been inspired by some of our own culture. The music evolved in a technical way but the melodic aspects of it still remain. Brutality isn’t the only feel we’re going for maybe except for the song, “Trishula”, from the EP. And this time, I did the studio vocals and got backed by Sanjay Maharjan and Pranav Panthi. The ‘punch’ we got out of the layering technique turned out great.

3. Kalodin has seen a lot of changes in band members over the course of time. Does that affect the band’s musical direction a bit, as all the changing members must have different approach to music?

This has always been so since we were back inSingapore. After 2 years of hiatus, the old members got back and released the first album in 2010. It got difficult eventually when half the band had to move toNepal. But why stop, right? Sanjay Maharjan, Ashish Senchury and Gobind Senchury from ‘Garudh’ – talented musicians, who were introduced to me by Parash Shakya of Antim Grahan have been contributing to the band greatly. From my standpoint, I look at all of us as one. I do think it affects the band’s musical direction but in a great positive way enabling us to have a clearer perspective on how to grow musically.

The first album was an experiment. Take it as the first song you’ve ever composed. It is a learning phase but you still make do and continue. I have been personally influenced by Sanjay and his sentiments for music. Our tracks have always involved the cross between the musicality of Black Metal and our own influences. Our upcoming record also features Anil Dhital (White/Lakhey) on the Sitar for ‘Trishula’. So, it is definitely a different approach to the same intent.

3. How did you come up with the album title, SARV? What meaning does it hold?

In definition, “SARV” or ‘ZARV” is a Sanskrit word, “sarv” which means “to kill”. We’re greatly inspired by the sinister image of Hindu Deities and their epic stories. Such primeval references appeal to us. The word is being used in the song, “Trishula”, as a euphemism that expresses the violent tendencies to be detached from an enticed state of mind.

4. Lyrically, does the new album follow the same pattern as the previous one or is there a different approach this time around? What are the lyrics based upon?

There’s a hint of our old pattern in the current music because old habits die slow, I guess. And this is only our second ever release, but there is definitely a different approach to the lyrics. We have song titles like, “Trishula”, “Pathless”. It’s actually quite self-explanatory. “Trishula”, for instance was written in reference to ‘Shiva’, a Hindu deity with great significance that has inspired us to twist the lyrical pattern, to be perceived as an enraged manifestation of the deity. The lyrics of the EP are based on an eventual self-implosion of the general race and the discontent of it, to be brief.

5. Let’s talk about the recording process now. Tell us more about where and how it all went about.

We did all the recording and midi production at the band’s home studio except for the drums which was done at Phoenix Studio and Vocals & Sitar which were done at The Falls Studio with Coleton Paskert. We had already prepared to produce the EP last year but after reviewing it for some time; we had to discard most of what we wrote and restarted the production with a more enhanced theme. Physically, we have to run about to get equipment from different sources and it was hectic. We had our first drum set-up session in November, 2011 and had to recording immediately for all four songs within four days due to the wretched load shedding! Guitars, keys and bass were done at the band’s home studio. All the mixing was done at The Falls Studio.  The mastered files sound amazing in quality in comparison with the previous record; exactly what we were going for.

6. I believe you did all the production/engineering related works for your debut Album. What about this time?

Yes I did. For the first album, we had no choice and it was a learning phase but this time, we were fully equipped, facilities wise. We had a great engineer, Coleton Paskert to work with and learn many production techniques from. Gobinda Senchury on live drums helped the production sound better vastly with this tightness, delivering sick output upon completion of the final production stage. It involved a lot of cash and effort as usual but it has been completely worth it.

7. How do you plan on promoting your new album? Is there a specific ‘course of actions’ as such lined up?

Like all other bands in the internet, we promote the music online and send demos to webzines and media affiliates in the neighboring country and beyond. To start off, we are having an EP album Launch event on May 12th, promoting the release.

8. Thank you very much for you time, Davin. Best wishes for your new EP!If there is anything you’d like to say to your fans, this space is all yours.

Thank you for the opportunity! To those who are on the same page as us, we SALUTE you. \m/

KUNJAN JOSHI (ex-E.Quals and ex-Vhumi) is currently the bassist for Boston, MA based band Soul Annihilation. Kunjan was recently endorsed by Blakhart guitars and this happens to be a massive news for us people in ktmROCKS. We are all happy for Kunjan and wanted to know how this happened and rest of the stuffs.

Here’s an interview done by Pranjal Ghimire with this amazingly talented bassist.

Greetings from ktmROCKS, Kunjan! Before we begin, congratulations on being endorsed by BLAKHART guitars! You now join the ranks of the likes of Mike Flores (Origin) and Jack Owen (ex-Cannibal Corpse, Deicide). It must be a great feeling.

Thank You ktmROCKS! I wouldn’t call it joining their ranks but it sure does feel good when somebody appreciates your hard work. It is an honor to be a part of the Blakhart family and being associated with such great musicians.

Tell us more about the endorsement deal. How did it all happen? What model do you endorse?

I was looking for a custom guitar shop when I came across Blakhart Guitars. Initially it started with talks of making a custom guitar. Eventually we talked about an endorsement, and they were interested in me. I use a custom fretless Ash 5.

Let’s talk about your band Soul Annihilation now. For those who don’t know, please provide a brief introduction of the band.

Soul Annihilation is a Death/Black metal band. Musically we are hell bent on combining the brutality of death metal with the grim atmosphere of black metal while incorporating some thrash elements. Some of our already written lyrics have been very traditional for Black or Death metal in their anti-christian or just brutal nature. But we are now taking the theme in a slightly different direction. A lot of the newer themes deal with psychological issues and existential dilemmas, especially regarding the inevitability of death.

How did you guys get together? Also tell us how do you guys go along composing songs?

Originally the project was started under the name Clisthert. Sean McDonough (Guitars/Vocals) recorded the album with Anthony Lusk-Simone (Pathogenic) whom he had met through Adam Boudreau of the black metal project Adversarian.

Sean then started jamming and later performing with Mike whom he met through returntothepit (Local website for metalheads). While it was a two piece band, Sanket Lama (Killizm) recommended me this band and we arranged an audition and then I got in. After few months Mike left the band and then we contacted Anthony to play for the band again and thus we have this current line-up. We are trying to bring a second Guitarist, Adam Kluza with us to Nepal as well. Sean had previously been in a black metal band with him based out of Ware, Massachusetts.

As far as composition goes, Sean is the one who comes up with the title riff and then the rest of the song revolves around it. He usually tries to go for structures which have a chaotic start and ends resolutely or the opposite, while sometimes the song starts with a theme, strays from it and catches up again towards the end. There is usually a theme that the song grows from. Usually the guitars are written first, the philosophical concept and the lyrics are written or edited later to match the general vibe of the song.

Tell us more about the music you play with Soul Annihilation. What are your primary influences?

Soul Annihilation is a combination of both Death and Black metal. There is already a lot of blackened death metal, especially from Poland, but Soul Annihilation is combining the two genres in a way that we have not heard other bands doing before.

The musical influence on the guitar is influenced by Swedish Black Metal and Death Metal. Some of these influences include Dissection, Dark Funeral, Naglfar, Marduk, Necrophobic, Nominon, Tribulation, Bloodbath, and Watain. We are also influenced by some American Death Metal bands such as Origin, Vital Remains, Nile, and Morbid Angel. Some other influences include The Chasm (Mexico), Destroyer 666 (Australia), Ketzer (Germany), Azarath (Poland), Mayhem and Thorns (Norway).

How often do you guys play live? How are the gigs there?

We were playing live quite frequently with our old drummer. Since his departure we have not played any shows with the new line-up because we are working on new material. We are scheduled to play two shows in June and will likely play a few others before we come to Nepal.

The Gigs in Massachusetts are usually a small crowd, but all the fans are extremely dedicated. People come to the shows because they like metal and it feels amazing when they understand what you’re playing.

You must have familiarized yourself with the underground metal scene in Boston by now. How different is it from the scene here in Kathmandu?

I don’t see much difference in the metal scene here in Boston and in Kathmandu. I think the feeling of being on stage and playing your music in front of fellow metalheads is pretty much the same everywhere you perform. Like I mentioned earlier, the people who go to metal shows here are extremely dedicated and this reminds me of similar experiences I’ve had while performing in Nepal. When I remember being on stage back home, first thing that comes to my mind is the ever energetic and supportive Nepalese metalheads. It’s quite amazing how the energy circulates between the people in the crowd and the band on stage.

You have been a prominent member in popular Nepali metal bands such as E.Quals and Vhumi. You’ve also been a session player for Antim Grahan. Are there any fond memories of those days you’d want to share with us?

As a teenager I was influenced a lot by foreign bands but it was the bands in the local scene like Ugra Karma, Cruentus, Antim Grahan, and Vhumi that influenced me to form a band of my own.

My friend Surya Pun (Antim Grahan) and I used to jam in my room with him drumming on a table using pencils as drumsticks and me playing a guitar connected to an old stereo which we would turn all the way up and that was our first distortion. As we progressed, we were fortunate to get into established bands. He became the drummer for Antim Grahan and I started playing in Vhumi. If only one of us had gotten into a band, the experience would have been a lot different.

Later with E.Quals the chance to compete in the international stage and getting to know more about the music scene abroad gave me a whole new perspective on the international metal scene, bands, and musicians as well.

What, besides playing in a band, do you do in the US? How hard is it for a musician like you there?

Well honestly speaking, after playing with different bands all these years, I’ve come to learn that being a musician is not easy. I never expected it to be. It takes a lot of dedication, hard work, passion, and determination.

Besides playing in a band I’m studying music right now. I’m trying to focus more on the band and most importantly broaden my musical schema. Other than that, Sanket and I are writing songs for our long due goregrind project. Hopefully we will come up with an EP by the end of this year. I also travel a lot and do so whenever possible.

What are your future plans?

In the near future we’re planning on recording a new album, work on a new video and perhaps look for a Label that fits our style. We’ll be playing several shows here in the States before we head to Nepal. We are already booked for several shows and we will shoot a video there as well. After Nepal we have some shows in England.

Is there anything else you’d like to say to your fans here in Nepal?

Above all, I would like to thank each and every one who has accepted our music and supported us as a band. We are touring Nepal starting this September and we will be playing several shows there.

To listen to our music and know all the tour dates, follow us
www.facebook.com/soulannihilation

Bay of Bengal in Kathmandu Valley

Severe Dementia, a death metal band from Bangladesh, is headlining the event, Ides of March, organized by ktmROCKS on Saturday. Formed in January 2007, the current lineup of the band consists of Saimum Hasan Nahian on guitars, Ahmed Shawki on vocal, Raef al Hasan (Rafa) on drums, Hythum Morales on guitars, and Kawser Ahmed Pervez on bass.

The band has already released their EP called “Epitaph of Plassey” in a split album, “Rise of the Eastern Blood,” in 2007. They also toured India the same year and became the first ever underground band of Bangladesh to perform outside their country.

The Week caught up with the four members of Severe Dementia to talk about their band and the underground music scene:

How has the underground band evolved in Bangladesh?

Hythum: You can always say it’s growing but it’s different how it’s been evolving in Bangladesh and other parts of South Asia. The influence is growing but there are very few gigs for the bands to perform.

Nahian: In Bangladesh, Rafa’s first band Dripping Gore formed in 2002 can be termed as the initiators of Death Metal music. I was heavily influenced by that band to form a band of my own. I’ve seen them as a fan, and they were the most fast-paced band at the time.

 Rafa: There was already a scene in Heavy Metal but  Extreme Metal bands were still lacking. Dripping Gore replaced that void in Bangladesh. It was the beginning to defy the conventional style of covering popular mainstream bands and was always out of the box. But there were very few people in the audience actually enjoying the music.

 Shawki: Though they didn’t continue as a band, it was successful in influencing people like us. And I think, after Dripping Gore, we’re the ones continuing the genre of music they had started.

 How would you like to see the scene change in your country?

 Nahian: One basic problem in our country is that we don’t have venues for underground gigs to take place. We have many good open air venues for mainstream but very less for underground music scene. Another problem is that we lack organizers solely dedicated to underground music scene, like ktmROCKS in Nepal.

 Rafa: I believe that maybe it’s because of the fewer number of extreme metal bands. If the number of underground bands increases, there will be more following.

 You toured India in 2007. How do you recollect your experience of touring outside your country for the first time?

 Nahian: It was a great experience. We headlined two gigs in India and it was there we released our EP, “Epitaph of Plassey.” It was good to see the audience excited about our album and they were buying it. It was a crazy experience of performing in front of 400-500 head bangers.

Rafa: We were the first band to tour outside of our country but we hadn’t planned in achieving anything as such. We did our work, we did the shows and it was only after the show we found out that people loved banging their heads to our music. That was a huge confidence booster for the band.

So what are your feelings about headlining Ides of March in Nepal?

 Nahian: I did some research from the ktmROCKS photographs and they showed a pretty good picture of the scene going on here. So I would say that my expectations are pretty high from the Nepali crowd.

 Shawki: I did a bit of my research, too, and I’m looking forward to the gig. I have a feeling that we’re going to have an amazing experience.

 Hythum: This is my first in Nepal. And I didn’t get into research because I like to be taken by surprise.

 Have you followed the Nepali underground music scene?

 Nahian: I’ve downloaded all the songs of Antim Grahan. Other bands I have yet to discover.

 Rafa: Actually, I’m not here just to perform. I’m here to watch the entire gig, to know the Nepali underground scene.

 What inspires your lyrics and compositions?

 Rafa: For the EP, it was Nahian’s idea. He came up with the songs that described the Battle of Plassey when the Bengal Nawab lost to the British. The design of the album was theme-based. And since then, we kind of found the track to composing songs with similar ideas.

 Nahian: Our later songs are basically inspired by death, torture and mythology. We’ve been exploring Sumerian mythology in our latest compositions.

 Hythum: Our lyrics and composition are like creating a movie but through music.

 After releasing an EP, touring India and now in Nepal, what are your future ventures?

 Nahian: We’re working on a full-length album which we plan to release this year. We have already released a single from that album.

By: ASMITA MANANDHAR / Republica

Interview on The Week, Republica on 2012-03-30