The Superfuzz (New Delhi)

Origin:New Delhi, India
Genre(s):Garage rockPunk bluesIndie rockAlternative Rock
Years active:2002–present
Label(s):Unsigned

Website :www.thesuperfuzz.com

THE LINE UP:

Sanchal Malhar - vocals, guitar
Nikhil Rufus - bass, backing vocals
Aditya Paharia - drums

EARLY YEARS

Sanchal and Nikhil met at St. Columba's School, New Delhi, sometime around 2000, before which Sanchal was studying at Sahyadri School in Pune, India. In high school, they would go on to form a 6-piece pop-rock cover band called Red Edge, with Nikhil playing guitar & Sanchal on vocals, which remained restricted to the jamroom. Later, Sanchal, who only sang until now, picked up the guitar, with Nikhil & Benjamin showing him the ropes. Early influences included Nirvana, The Beatles, Black Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin.

The Copperstoned Era: 2003 - August 2004
Copperstoned was a working name thrown around for the band in its early days. The band, who were schoolboys then, landed up at NSIT's annual rock competition, and on being questioned by the event volunteer as to which band they played for, Sanchal mumbled "Copperstoned" & the name stuck for a while. Copperstoned played a few battle of the bands & were runners-up at Pepsi Storm 2003 and Samsung digi-witz 2004. The lineup during this time was: Sanchal Malhar (vocals), Nikhil Rufus (guitars), Damian Souza (bass), Shannon Peter (drums). Other friends, like Amos Dennison & Benjamin Samte, also played guitar for the band at a few school festivals.

The Superfuzz Bigmuff Era: September 2004 - January 2006

After graduating from high school, Sanchal played a few gigs with Sumit (drums, Messiah) opening for local bands like Killer Tomatoes & Nakshatra. Later, on being contacted by organizers for gigs & without a proper band name as yet, Sanchal came up with Superfuzz Bigmuff, after the Mudhoney record. The band have said that they didn't give much thought to the name, believing that eventually it would "cease to matter", beyond the purpose of identification.
This incarnation of the band comprised Sanchal Malhar (guitars, vocals), Nikhil Rufus (bass), and Aman Gulati (drums). The band would go on to compete at the nationwide battle of the bands 'Campus Rock Idols' in 2004, where they were placed second. Soon, academic pursuits beckoned Aman to Ontario, Canada, and the band was without a drummer for a while. An acquaintance, Ankit Jena, would introduce them to their current drummer, Aditya Paharia. Sanchal, Nikhil, & Aditya jammed for a marathon 9 hours when they first met on 16th September 2005, which coincidentally was Aditya's birthday as well. The band, with this lineup, would go on to win the 2005 edition of Campus Rock Idols.

The Superfuzz: January 2006 - present

Soon after their CRI victory, the band would shorten their name to The Superfuzz, since it sounded simpler & more catchier. Copyright infringement, with reference to the Mudhoney album, was also a passing thought in their minds.
Their first performance as The Superfuzz was at the Great Indian Rock festival 2006, which they went on to win, and brought them nationwide attention among the underground rock scene & built the foundations for a fan-base.
To this day, the band exists with this lineup and name

Hiatus: October 2006 - May 2007

In October of 2006, Sanchal moved to London to pursue a course in Guitar & Vocal Production at the London Centre of Contemporary Music, and the band didn't play any gigs during this period.

Comeback: May 2007

After Sanchal's return, the band got back to the gigging circuit, with their victory at [V] Launchpad 2007 adding another feather to their cap. During August & September of 2007, they played dates in all major Indian cities, as part of RSJ Pubrockfest 2007.

Equipment used

Sanchal Malhar:

GUITARS:

Givson GS1000 (in Copperstone & during the early days of Superfuzz Bigmuff)

Washburn HB30 (The Superfuzz c. 2006)

Fender Standard Telecaster (in Arctic White) (The Superfuzz c. 2007)

Pedals:The following pedals have been spotted in his pedalboard at various times.
MXRMicroamp

Electroharmonix Big Muff Pi

Electroharmonix Holy Grail Reverb

Electroharmonix Deluxe Memory Man

Electroharmonix Small Stone Phaser

Boss TU-2 Tuner

Boss DS-1 Distortion

Boss BD-2 Blues Driver

Boss CS-3 Compressor/Sustainer

Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor

Dunlop Crybaby GCB95F Classic Wah

Fulltone Supa-Trem

Amplifiers:

Marshall MG50DFX (only used at home/jams,

The Superfuzz c. 2005-2007)

Orange AD30R (The Superfuzz, c. 2007)

Nikhil Rufus:Nikhil Rufus plays a Fender Standard Jazz Bass through a Tech 21 Sansamp Bass Driver DI.

Future
The band now pursue music full-time & have completed recording a 4-track demo at Grey Studio (Anupam Roy's home studio), which can be heard on their Myspace page. They are playing regular gigs in India, and are scheduled to perform at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City, in early 2008. A tour of the UK is also being planned, as part of the deal they won on their GIR victory

Recycle(Manipur)

GENRE : Neo-classic grunge, Nu-age metal and a little bit of rock ‘n’ roll in order to give ‘alternative’ a new dimension
Line Up:-
Bishwajit (VOCALS)
Naobi (GUITAR/BACK VOCALS)
Bode (GUITAR/BACK VOCALS)
Michael (BASS)
Somo (DRUMS)

BIBLOGRAPHY:-
Meet the newest arrival on the alternate rock circuit; “Recycle”, a band with an entirely different approach and attitude towards “grunge” in particular and Rock in general. As the name suggests, Recycle is about creating a different and unique sort of recycled sound by forging together elements of ne0-classic grunge and nu-age metal and a little bit of rock ‘n’ roll in order to give ‘alternative’ a new dimension. The band tries to create a new sound by amalgamating elements of Nirvana, U2, RHCP, velvet revolver, radiohead, audioslave etc with their own experimental sounds which is reflected in their music that has funky basslines, raw guitar rifts mixed with techno grrovy beats, experimental gadgetory, catchy song lyrics and a whole lotta rock n roll attitude and liveliness. Formed in summer 2006 by five experienced and passionate rock enthusiasts, recycle is all about to change, maturity and uniquieness which has motivated its casts to put their experience and expertise in creating a different soundscape. After a long period of hibernation, these five casts is all set to fire the stage and leave evbrything rocking in their way through the stage of all the rock extravaganzas like the GIR, freedom jam, hornbill etc.
Recycle has earned many rave reviews at some recent concerts. Their professionalism stands out when they perform. They are playing once again after a break of around 8 years. And still, they rock.
Most of the band member had been staying outside Manipur. Their passion for music and unification brought them together to form a new band and to play a unique taste of by mixing grunge and nu-age metal. And they have done it. So, watch out for their shows and find out for urself.
Influences :- Nirvana, U2, RHCP, velvet revolver, radiohead, audioslave
Band Contact :-
http://recycle@improck.com
http://www.indianmusicrevolution.com
Orkut Community:- http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=38660183

A4Apple(Manipur)

Genre:- Punk Rock

Lineup:-

John : Guitar vocals

Paul : Bass vocals

Law : Drums

A4apple is a trio sibling rock act from manipur(india). They began their musical journey with art rock and punk flavours, later combined it with power chords aggresive musical elements. Formed the band in the mid-summer of 2002, wanting more creative space and freedom, the band decided to write their own original signatures tunes, the result was the three track EP- Nowhere is Here. The EP got released somewhere in november,2005 where only 300 copies were pressed into the market as they worked within a limited budget. Strikingly original and lyrically passionate, A4apple is a band that narrates all the facets of life; tragedy, love, hope and uncertainty.

DISCOGRAPHY

The Band has released an EP ‘Nowhere is Here’
Links:- http://www.a4apple.tk

Kradle of Beats(Manipur)

Lineup:-
Bulo - Vocals
Robby - Guitars
Nanao - Bass
Boomacha - Drums

It was the summer of 1997 and some high school kids were awaiting their High School Passing Examinations’ result. They hung out together and discusses music, the common passion between them. The hang out soon turned itself into Jam sessions.
There began the jamming, the loud beats, screamin sound boxes, scratchy distortions, and of course the neighbors complaints. The boys landed themselves some gigs. But soon they are separated with each of them going ahead with their studies. There were three cousins in the band and for these three cousins, this was not the end of their music career. They went on to play for different shows associating themselves with bands in different places where they landed up for their studies.
In 2000, Kradle o’ Beats was formed but without a fixed drummer. They hired drummers to play for their recordings. Since its formation, the band has been working on composing originals and thus saw many a trips to the recording studios. Being college going students living in different places, these boys hardly had time to get themselves into the act for shows. The college vacations are spent in the studio.
The original ‘waiting’ recorded in mid 2004 was well appreciated by friends and well wishers. A rough video of it was shot. It was later edited for friends and fans and received airplay on Istv (local Imphal/Manipur channel) for about a month in the late 2005. Appreciations pouring in from different corners kept these boys working harder to make better songs. Another song ‘dont wanna fall in love’ was recorded in early 2005 with Paras (former Postmark drummer) on the drums.
In the early 2006, another cousin far younger than the rest joined the band. He had been learning to play the drums for the past few years. The band finally found its skins-man and thus making the band complete. The band is now planning for new recordings with the new drummer and also for an album that will be out by a year or two.
The final line up of the band is Bulo on vocals, Robby on guitars, Nanao on bass and Boomacha on drums.
The Influence:As kids, these boys grew up with their father and uncles jamming in the house and playin concerts in the 80s. The guitarist Robby is the son of the legendary guitarist of Manipur, Late K. Subodh, who was one amongst those who pioneered western music playing in Manipur during the 70s. Late K. Subodh was the guitarist of the first Meitei rock band ‘Runaway Tracks’ many of whose members later metamorphosied into the first batch of the greatest Meitei rock band ever Phoenix. He also played a big role in composing the hit song ‘women’ of Phoenix during his days. Another uncle in the family also plays the drums so for the boys the first inspirations came from their uncles and father.
The boys of Kradle o’ Beat love songs and are influenced by music of Collective Soul, Dream Theatre, Van Halen, Queen, Extreme, Stone Temples Pilot, Alter Bridge and Pearl Jam.
Links:-
Download Tracks :-
Dont wanna fall in love
Waiting

Afterdark(Delhi)

Genre:- Progressive Rock/Heavy metal
Biblography
AFTERDARK HAS ALWAYS REMAINED NON-COMPROMISING WITH ITS STYLE OF MUSIC DESPITE THE FACT THAT ALL THE MEMBERS COME FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND DIFFERENT MUSICAL INTRESTS THEY MERGE TOGETHER TO FORM A SPECIFIC ENTITY. AFTERDARK HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO RELATE TO THE EARLIEST BEGININGS OF ROCK AND ROLL DOWN TO THE LATE 90’S AND HAVE A KNACK OF CONVERSING WITH AN AUDIENCE WHILE PREFORMING WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE AUDIENCE’S PULSE.IMBUED WUITH ALL THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF THEIR INFLUENCES AND PERSONALITIES, THE BAND SOUNDS A PLEASANT MIX OF METAL, ROCK AND ALTERNATIVE. THEIR PHILOSOPHY ‘’IT TAKES TIME FOR EVERY BAND TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN IDENTITY AND SOUND AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON INSTEAD OF JUST EMPHASIZING ON COVERS OF OTHER BANDS ‘. AFTERDARK HAS ALSO EXPERIMENTED WITH DIFFERENT SOUNDS AND HAS SET THEIR STANDARD AND QUALITY.
Band History
AFTERDARK STARTED ITS JOURNEY IN THE LATE SUMMER OF 2000.FROM THEN TO NOW, IT HAS BEEN A JOURNEY ALMOST AS ENJOYABLE AS IT HAS BEEN ARDOUS. NOW WITH A NEW SOUND AND PERCEPTION AFTERDARK IS HERE TO MAKE ITS MARK IN THE INDIAN METAL AGE. AFTERDARK DOES NOT IMPLY A NEGATIVE SYNDROME INFACT IT REFLECTS AN ABSOLUTE POSITIVE ENERGY COMBINED AS ONE IDENTITY. AFTERDARK CANNOT BE CLASSIFIED INTO ANY PERTICULAR GENRE OF MUSIC…. BUT THAT IT IS A GENRE IN ITSELF, WHICH INCLUDES ABSOLUTE MELODY AND A POWER IMPACT TO ITS AUDIENCE. AFTERDARK BELIEVES IN COMPOSING THEIR OWN ORIGNAL MUSIC AND THEIR MAIN AIM IS TO PROMOTE THEIR OWN WORK.
Influences
AFTERDARK HAS BEEN INFLUENCED BY A VAST PLETHORA OF BANDS AND ARTISTS LIKE METALLICA, TYPE O NEGATIVE, PANTERA, DEF LEPPARD, OZZY, G’N’R, ALICE IN CHAINS, U2, PEARL JAM AND STP.
Links:-
Download Track: Breaking Silence
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=124242

PRESTORIKA(Delhi)

Prestorika Indian Metal Band(Progressive/Heavy/Thrash Metal)
BAND MEMBERS:-
Lokesh-Lead Guitars
Nitesh -Drums
Vasav-Vocals/Rhy Guitar
Rahul-Bass

The trio of Prestorika got together in 2001, with heavy music as their binding factor. Early influences of the gods of metal - Metallica, Maiden and Megadeth, bloomed in the later years to define the characteristic Prestorika shred sound. Making their mark across the country, performing and winning accolades across all major music festivals, Prestorika earned a repute of one the leading heavy metal acts of the nation. In 2005, Prestorika released a compilation of some of their very early works. The EP was titled ‘Emergence’. Prestorika have since being touring the country, headlining major festivals. Early 2007 has seen them concentrating on writing music for their much awaited debut album.
Influences:-
Metallica,Iron Maiden,Dream Theater,Queensryche,Rush,Megadeth,SkidRow Etc.
DISCOGRAPHY
In 2005,Prestorika recorded some of their very early works,music that predominantly reflected the bands influence,and released their debut EP,titled ‘Emergence’.The Ep is now distributed by Rsj record and can be purchased from the following link
RSJ Online Store
After ver a year of touring and writing new songs Prestorika entered the studio once again and recorded their new single “Not My way’ in a record 60 minutesWhat was initially intended for private refernce only was later decided to be released as an online download.
Official Webpage :- http://www.prestorika.com

Acrid Semblance(New Delhi)

Genre(s):- Death Metal
Line-up
Anubhav Misra - Vocals / Keyboards
Vikas Dharamsattu - Guitar
Kshitish Purohit - Guitar
Chiranjeev Brahma - Bass
Ashim Manna - Drums

Delhis Acrid Semblance has made quite an impact on the Indian metal scene ever since their inception. Having rocked some of the most maniacal audiences in Delhi as well as Bombay & Bangalore,Acrid Semblance has,ever since,been on a spree to asphyxiate fans with their brand of metal. With melody always forming the core of their music,Acrid Semblance has emerged as the pioneering metal band in the Indian music scene. Acrid Semblance entered into its second year of GIR with Genesis,from their new album. The perfect follow-up for their 2003 release,Soul Corrosion,titled From the Oblivion,is due for release,thus marking Acrid Semblances return. History: The year was 2001 when freshly out-of-schools Anubhav and Kshitish,along with Vikas started making music and head out with an idea of making songs with the prime focus on melody and everything else finding its way in the right spots slowly but steadily. With IIT Delhis Blitzkrieg being the bands first target in September 2002,the trio started working on making music. With the arrival of Ashim on drums and Chiranjeev on bass,and Anubhav deciding to fill in as a stand-by vocalist,the band line-up was complete,giving birth to Acrid Semblance. With a handful of material,Acrid Semblance entered the studio to record their 5-song EP,titled Soul Corrosion. Soul Corrosion spread their potential throughout the country,remunerating in the form of rave reviews,and a few gigs that proved as stepping stones for what was to lie ahead. The biggest break in this regard was when Acrid was invited to open for Zero in their gig at The Mezz. Getting the first taste of big stage and expectations,Acrid left everyone gawking and opened the doors for the upward progression,the first of which being,Acrid being a part of Domination-The Deathfest 2003. Acrid enthralled crowds at both Mumbai and Bangalore,quenching their thirst for metal,and leaving them ask for more. Acrid spent the remaining part of 2003/early 2004 performing at a number of places,including IIT Delhi Blitzkrieg,BITS Pilani Rocktaves,DCE,NSIT Avalanche,SPA,Amitech etc. Acrid was again invited to Mumbai to play at Resurrection. The attendance broke all previous records at Razz Rhinos,Mumbai,summing up to a total of around 425 people. Acrid followed up with Break Neck Fest and Metal Attack-both shows dedicated to hardcore metalheads-and put an end to the 2004 season. 2005 saw Acrid playing at the Levi s Great Indian Rock IX (which featured ‘Baptized Within from Soul Corrosion),and headlining NSIT Avalanche shortly after. Acrid took a break to concentrate only on recording,and ended 2005 with Death Unlimited and the New Delhi Fringe Fest,thus emerging back to the spot they ve always enjoyed. Lineup: Anubhav Misra: Vocals,Keyboards Kshitish Purohit: Guitars,backing vocals Vikas Dharamsattu: Guitars Chiranjeev Brahma: Bass Ashim Manna: Drums
DISCOGRAPHY:
I Acrid Semblance - From the Oblivion (2006)
Tracklists ::
From the oblivion
A perfect Pseudocrity
Mindwarp II
Genesis 18:05
Acrid Arts
Running for Eternity
Mindwarp I
The Desecrator
Burning the ashes
II Soul Corrision(2006)
Tracklists ::
Baptised Within
Hour Glass Misery
Quest For Spirituality
Soul Corrosion
Acrid Semblance

Links:-
Official Webpage :- http://www.acridsemblance.com/
Mail :: acridsemblance@gmail.com

Von Eruption(Nagaland)

Von Eruption
Genre:- Alternative/Rock
Lineup:-
Vimeyie Zutso: Vocals,
Liyothung Kikon: Vocals/Bass,
Mhaseve Tetseo: Lead Guitars &
Jona: Drums.
Biography
Von Eruption is a 4 men band from Nagaland (Kohima) with Vimeyie Zutso: Vocals,Liyothung Kikon: Vocals/Bass,Mhaseve Tetseo: Lead Guitars & Jona: Drums. They have written around 40 songs and already released an EP album consisting of 8 songs (demo versions of the songs are on our site) although this EP piece is mostly made up of slow kinda music,their full album will defenitely bring up some taste in metal. On stage,they usually prefer to play their own compositions basing on the event they go from soul to PURE METAL!
The Band says:-“We live up to our name Von Eruption as Pyrotechniques is now a must for us,bringing up our own explosions and flames to enlighten a show”
UNofficial website is at http://voneruption.iuma.com. Here,you can check out some demo versions of our songs and also a couple of info. Oh yea,write to us for ANY kind of information you want about our band or for our band at voneruption@yahoo.co.in
Thanks for checking us out and KEEP ERUPTING DUDES!!!
Links:-
Website : http://voneruption.iuma.com
Email : voneruption@yahoo.co.in

Abiogenesis(Nagaland)

Genre:- Fusion
Lineup:-
Arenla : Vocals
Bamhum Moa: Vocals/Bamhum/Guitar/Harmonica
Paul: Bass
Imli : Drums/Percussions
Longden : Lead Guitar

BIOGRAPHY
Abiogenesis is from Dimapur,Nagaland. They play Folk Rock and they have developed experimental music called Howey. Howey is a Fusion of Naga Folk tunes with modern music. They also play a new wind musical instrument called bamhum invented by one of the band members. Listen to their mp3 song Saramati Tears at www.abiogenesis.altpro.net or www.noisehead.com watch music video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUEsyA-uSDw Watch out for the album AEON SPELL, l Label-Saregama HMV.

DICOGRAPHY

**Aeon Spell released by Saregama HMV

Them Clones(Delhi)

The band is in existence since seven years formed in 2000…..this band made its music to do the talking….The bands name is adapted from the track ‘Them Bones’ by Alice In ChainsNames Like Heaven’s Melons, Polka Dot Machine Guns, Temperheads, Lemon Grass, Pentabra, DemiGodz …blah blah…..were agreed upon and then after serious debates the name Them Clones was taken .Since the band was formed the band came into news for all the good reasons.The band sounds great and has a unique music.The band has covered songs of Pakistani bands like Junoon and also loud bands like Aerosmith,Rage Against The Machines…etc..

Influences:-
Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Creed, Soul Coughing, Stone Temple Pilots, Dave Matthews Band, Counting Crowes, U2, Del Amitri, Limp Bizkit, Incubus, Korn, Rage Against The Machine, The Black Crowes, Aerosmith, Bryan Adams, Pantera, Megadeth…Everythingbutthegirl, Underworld, Moby, Chemical Brothers, Marilyn Manson, Mr. Big…. Queen, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd… Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma, Talvin Singh, Malkit Singh, Bally Sagoo…the underground race.All the guys in the Indian circuit: Pentagram, PDV, HFT, Advaita, Orange Street, Parikrama..

‘Theme Clones EP’
In the Name of God
Awaken
Black,White & Gray
Zoopertrip
Wait For Me
Official Webpage Of Them Clones :- http://www.themclones.com

Demonic Resurrection - Demonstealer

ALBUM NAME :: Demonstealer
RATING :: 8/10
REVIEW ::
Demonic Resurrection is a four-piece doom/black outfit from Mumbai who are among the forerunners in the revival of the Indian metal scene with bands coming up with local recordings and demos. Demonic consists of Demonstealer {sahil} on guitars and vocals, Count Varathora on the bass, Yash slamming the skins and Nikita with the background singing and keyboards. The band released this album late last year with the help of good friend Ashish from Abhor {death metal band} lending in on lead guitars. It was completely recorded at home without a studio, which I feel, posed quite a few problems for the band. The album titled “Demonstealer” too has a totally unimpressive cover {pathetic reely!} but like the saying goes ‘never judge a book by its cover’! The album has a totally new and refreshing sound to it and right from the first song “My World of Sadness” the band is all out to impress. This opener has an absolutely killer riff with some awesome double bass pounding accompanied by Sahil’s alternating shrieks and gruffy growls which’ll get you into a headbanging frenzy. Add to add icing to the cake is Nikita’s painful and hypnotic singing. The solo comes as a disappointment as its reely too shrill and slow sounding out of tune for this song, and could’ve been done a zillion times better. Drumming is reely out of this world, literally too, as due to Yash’s unavailability the band had to make do with Sahil’s computer taking a leaf out of Mindsnare’s book {KP Krishnamoorthy}. And for their live shows henceforth their slammer has his work reely cut out and if he’s able to reproduce it live then he’ll in any metallers book be the most proficient drummer in Mumbai. Next track “From the Ashes”, probably the best track on the album is a proper black metal composition [not as the last one which gets slower in the middle] with the typical blast beats omnipresent and doesn’t let you rest your neck even for a milli-second. A prominent Dimmu Borgir influence on that one I felt but as previously said the solo needs to be worked here too. “Darkened Moon” is a good thrash song with a very prominent Metallica/M’deth stamp which shouldn’t surprise some ‘cos Demonic never claims to be an out-and-out black outfit. Following soon in succession is the doomy “My Misery” with a more psychedelic feel to it with a slow, writhing riff and sorrowful keyboards. Sahil sounds so sane here, its actually funny - but my personal opinion is that the growls suit him best and would have added extra effect with the slow instrumentation on this one. “Crestfallen”, another doom composition has a unique blend of melody and sonic heaviness, and the name ‘Theater of Tragedy’ immediately springs to mind, and on listening you’ll know why. Anyway, Nikita’s operatic singing reely makes the solid foundation for this one and Sahil’s voice contrasts like the devil compared to her making this another amazing track. Another nice thing is that solo for a change sounds goodish on the song. Next “The Sadness still Remains” is another nice melodic, doomy song but the band reely let the computer take control with non-stop double bass pounding. Sahil, sounding completely different again tries to sing melodically which he shouldn’t by all means ‘cos he not good at it. I can’t understand why the band included the last track on the CD - an acoustic version of the awesome album opener but this is one-tenth of what that was. It sounds like a senti-pop track and the total metal feel is gone for a toss. It’s a very big mistake by the band as it leaves a sour taste in your mouth before the CD shuts down. And to top things its not acoustic all the way as the electric guitar kicks in for a while. It sucks to say the least!! Overall the album is a very bold step by the band in such a conducive musical environment but should have been more polished before they recorded I felt. The solos are totally bad and reely jab you saying, ‘I don’t belong here’ and the guitar sound lacks the extra crunch which most Indian bands lack - dunno why? A little practice is what’s required and reworking/shortening of some songs as they seem to drag on for eternity and I’m sure these guys will be superstars. Best of luck on your task ahead Demonic! UP THE IRONS!

Thermal And A Quarter(Bangalore)

GENRE :: Rock / Progressive / Jam
BAND MEMBERS ::
Bruce Lee Mani – Lead, acoustic and rhythm guitars, vocals, songwriting
Rajeev Rajagopal – Drums, percussion
Rzhude – Bass guitar, acoustic guitars, vocals, songwriting
BIOGRAPHY ::
About Thermal And A Quarter (TAAQ)Thermal And A Quarter is a trendsetting rock band from Bangalore, India, more recently infamous as the outsourcing capital of the universe. We are three members, three albums and ten years old. We are known as TAAQ to the affectionate and the impatient and have been fortunate to earn the loyalty of a worldwide fan base mostly thanks to that little ditty that Al Gore claims he started, the Internet. We believe that each album sold, each swatch of music played creates a potential messenger of TAAQ’s music.
INFLUENCES ::
Steely Dan, The Dave Matthews Band, Yes, Pink Floyd, The Police, Blood Sweat and Tears, Pat Metheny, RHCP, Phish, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Van Halen, Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, Gary Moore
LINKS::
Official website :: http://thermalandaquarter.com/
My space :: http://www.myspace.com/thermalandaquarter

Myndsnare(Bangalore)

Genre :: Progressive thrash / death metal, with technical overtones.
Myndsnare Members ::
KP - Guitars and vocals,

Sandesh - Bass,

Yasmin Claire - Drums
Biography ::
Formed around September 2000 out of the debris of a couple of Bangalore bands, MyndSnare started out with an intent to play ‘music for musicians’. Odd meters, lots of speed, stop-on-a-dime breaks and a slight lack of happiness was the order of the day. Changing to suit ourselves in our geriatricity, there have been a few additiions of melody (well, listen to it again!) and subtractions of oddness, while reaching for the same end - bloody fast neck snapping.
The mind of KP first decided to try snaring others after he’d released the ‘MyndSnare – 1’ demo (3 compositions, one cover) at the Mumbai DeathFest 2000 after an intense recording spree the week before; it met with good reviews and sold out (well, almost – 2 CDs remained, out of 100) at the venue. Looking at the response and the lack of live playing capabilities – as we all know, you can’t bang your head to a pulp listening to a mere disc of mylar, it insults you – he started sniffing down people who could play the remainder instruments, and thought of themselves as the intellectual kind.
MyndSnare, you know – half the name’s the mind!
Anyway, after staccato bursts of distortion with various guys which didn’t work, Yasmin was jokingly asked to join. She agreed, equally cheerfully. And as you can see, the joke is still very much alive… Promptly, the song Paranoid was dusted off, polished, a tooth was checked for stray food in the polished gleam, and the song was used for the umpteenth time for an audition of a bandmember. But no joke is complete without a bassist…
So the two-thirds of the nonexistent whole trooped around gulping huge quantities of barley water until a bassist bobbed up – Sam. After snaring his mind, MyndSnare played a few shows, like BIT (Bangalore), IIT Mumbai, NLS (Bangalore), etc., and Sam decided to un-snare himself and departed to grow heavier in Intestinal Butchery. He also put on weight.
KP and Yas retreated to the confines of their beer bellies, and when the collective mind finally woke up they found that they had another bassist in a former bandmember of KP’s, from a long lost era – Visahan. Only problem was, he lived in Mars. Well, close – Virudhunagar. He was taken in, and brought down to earth… and MyndSnare departed to play at the DeathFest 2002 soon after. And in August the same year they played the Independence Rock XVII festival in Mumbai to rave reviews. Then came a huge hiatus when KP decided he didn’t want to be a suffering rock star (?!) anymore, so departed to the land of opportunity – Mumbai – to start work as an automotive journalist, while Yas became a music journalist. Visahan departed back to Mars to study further.
We like to tell ourselves that our lyrics mean something. Deep things, mostly. It makes us happier. Life, the universe and everything being the topics of conversation, anything that deserves an (anti-)social commentary is generally deemed worthy.
So, basically, if you like snapping your spine on an off-beat, enjoy running across rock-show venues to randomly fall upon another like you, find yourself growling without reason in broad daylight long after the full moon waxed away - or just enjoy woodenly staring at a bank of speakers while a mercurial flow of metallic noises winds around your mind… you’re at the right place. We understand you. We may even like you. Be like you, even.One of the Mynds finally got bored with pistons, and agreed when a plan to Dominate the DeathFest 2003 was suggested by the other Mynd – and after jamming a record five days (3 in Bangalore and 2 in Mumbai), and taking in Narayan (from Clockwork Orange, Bangalore), the show was played with zest. And MyndSnare was resurrected.
With the recording of a three-song demo – ‘A Preliminary Quest’, the band finally put their sounds to disc, and have received an extremely good response from those of the audience who have been waiting to hear something played under controlled conditions, without the messy live audio systems playing havoc with the music. The messy live audio systems were played havoc with, too, though – with MyndSnare capturing the third place at IIT Delhi in September, out of 65 bands from all over India, along with an almost clean sweep of the individual prizes, namely best guitarist and drummer. The Strawberry Fields fest at NLS, Bangalore saw them coming second out of 45 bands, and Yasmin was adjudged best drummer again. And then, MyndSnare’s ‘metal’ was displayed to good effect at IIM Bangalore early this year, where they bagged the First place, picking up Best Rhythm Guitarist and yet another Best Drummer as afterthoughts. And then there was R.A.I.T. Mumbai, where MyndSnare managed another top slot, with another Best Drummer and an all new Best Vocalist!
In addition to the various awards and prizes won by the band, MyndSnare has also been featured on a compilation entitled ‘DEEPER UNDERGROUND #2,’ released by Sonnengott Music, Indonesia, which contains tracks by various bands from Singapore, USA and India. Reviewers and critics haven’t been far behind, and a review of ‘A Preliminary Quest’ is featured on The Metal Gospel website, an interview and review is up on the TrendCrusherZine website, as well as a couple more underground sites, in addition to India’s own InfinityMag webzine, MetalIndia webzine and Gigpad.com.
With the recording of a three-song demo – ‘A Preliminary Quest…,’ the band finally put their sounds to disc, and have received an extremely good response from those of the audience who have been waiting to hear something played under controlled conditions, without the messy live audio systems playing havoc with the music.The evolution game was played, and after various mutations, MyndSnare attained equilibrium in its current line-up.
Influences :: Death, Cynic, Judas Priest.MyndSnare Achievements ::· Played the Independence Rock XVII in 2002 in Mumbai· Won 3rd place out of 60 bands in IIT Delhi’s national competition, along with best drummer and best guitarist· Won 2nd place out of 45 bands in National Law School’s Strawberry Fields competition in Bangalore, along with best drummer· Won 1st place in IIM Bangalore’s competition, along with best rhythm guitarist and best drummer· Won 1st place out of 45 bands in R.A.I.T. Mumbai’s national competition, along with best drummer and best vocalist· Other shows played include the IIT at Mumbai, N.S.I.T. and the Delhi College of Engineering at Delhi, and various shows in pubs in Mumbai and Pune, such as the Razzberry Rhinoceros and Cyclone respectively.· Upcoming shows include the June Rock Out in Chennai, an annual, month-long gathering of the top rock bands in the country, apart from other shows in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Bombay.· Over 350 copies of the demo ‘A Preliminary Quest’ have been sold – with further on order.· “Layers of Hypocrisy” from ‘A Preliminary Quest’ is featured on a compilation entitled Deeper Underground #2 from Sonnengott Music, Indonesia, featuring other bands from India, the US and Singapore. For details, visit http://www.sgmdf.cjb.net/· Yasmin, the drummer, has been featured in quite a few magazines in India, such as the Rock Street Journal, RAVE, Business Standard, a couple of daily newspapers etc., not to mention an appearance on national TV (Star World)
Discography ::
MYNDSNARE - A PRELIMINARY QUEST (CD)
Self Realeased - Oct 2003

Tracklist
1. Mirror of Nothingness

2. Layers of Hypocrisy

3. Seeking the Maze

Contacts ::
Official Website :: http://myndsnare.com/
My Space :: http://www.myspace.com/myndsnare

Band Mail Id :: mindsnare@slayerized.com
Band Members Id ::

KP - kpkrishnamoorthy@gmail.com
Sandesh - sandesh.myndsnare@gmail.com
Yasmin - yasmin.myndsnare@gmail.com

Bodhi Tree(Jharkhand)

GENRE :: Rock
BAND MEMBERS ::
Vocals: Satadru Bagchi Background Vocals/

Mumblings: Abhishek Narain

Guitars: Abhishek Narain, Bharat

Bass: Jishnu Dasgupta

Drum programming (featured) - Chetan Verma (SAE,
BIOGRAPHY ::
BodhiTree… An expression of the alternate lifestyle Away from such words as pedagogy and value add, part of everyday parlance in a busines school..? Where suddenly words like feedback and monitor-mix take on meanings of extreme importance. Where the right bend, the right note slapped, the right drum roll and the soar in the vocals leads you into nirvana…
The band. At XL. We play live, we play for life. We sound good, sometimes. Other times we suck. But who the heck cares, under the glare of the strobes with a hundred headbanging heads just over the monitors, nothing else matters. Not submissions, not CQPI, not projects, not even hunger, thirst or exhaustion. Music is us. When we play, we live. So do all those who request, abuse, crib, love, hate, adore and tolerate us. Latest news bodhiTree wins ‘Best Original Composition for ‘Too Many Potatoes’ at XIMB’s Decibelz2005. The band also is runner-up for the Best Band Award.
LINKS ::
Mosh :: http://www.mosh.in/bodhitree

Redemption(Mumbai)

GENRE :: Metal
BAND MEMBERS ::
Varun aka Rust :-Vocals
Harsh:- Guitars
Nakul :- Guitars
Amey :- Bass
Ashish :- Drums
BIOGRAPHY ::
Band was formed in late 2003,after going through serval line up changes and shifting practice places, where there gears got stolen band finally settle down to current line up. we spend a lot of time working on our music rather than going out and performing what you can buy on CD and listen to at home. The sound of REDEMPTION>>> is a mixture of the influences of the varied listening background its members come from, from Sepultura and Death to Tool to Dimmu Borgir to Nirvana and Foo-Fighters. When applied practically (on a single guitar a bass and a 5 piece drum set) the sound is actually a very simple yet meaningful music, loud (very very metal!!) and still not meaning less. Metal because it?s the outcome of everything we?ve been through?.we?ve been down and out (each one of us) and now we begin at the end. Every song is a different journey and you can only expect the unexpected.
LINKS ::
Mosh :: http://www.mosh.in/redemption
Orkut :: http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=20178442

Parikrama(Delhi)

GENRE :: Rock
BAND MEMBERS ::
Nitin Malik : Vocals
Sonam Sherpa : Guitar
Saurabh Chaudhry : Guitar
Subir Malik : Keyboards
Chintan Kalra : Bass
Dilip Ramchandran : Drums
Sharat : Violin
BIOGRAPHY ::
Parikrama is a Rock and Roll band from India. They have several live performances and original numbers to their name.
The band was officially formed on June 17, 1991 in New Delhi. The word Parikrama means ‘orbital revolutions’ in Sanskrit.
Parikrama has more than 1000 concerts to their name, which have been held all over India in more than forty cities and participated in various international competitions held in India and abroad.[citation needed] They are yet to release a full-length album, though they did release a free multimedia CD of their singles and videos, in 2001. The band does not have any policies against their music being copied and distributed .[1] They have made their music available for download on their official website.[2]
The band often fuses Indian classical music instruments like mridangam, tabla and flute with conventional instruments like guitar, drums and keyboards. They have been inspired and influenced by the likes of Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jimi Hendrix, Allman Brothers and The Doors.
INFLUENCES ::
Iron Maiden, Pink Floyd,Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, AC/DC, Lynryd Skynyrd,Rush and many many more…
LINKS ::
Official website :: www.parikrama.com
My Space :: http://www.myspace.com/parikramaindia

Junkyard Groove(Chennai)

GENRE :: Rock / Alternative / Funk

BAND MEMBERS ::
Ameeth-Vox and Guitars

Sid:Guitars and backing Vox

Jerry:Drums

Craig:Bass and backing vox.

BIOGRAPHY ::
What do you get when you put a drummer with heavy metal roots, a guitarist with classic rock roots, a bassist crazy about Jazz and a very ‘volatile’ vocalist, in one band? JUNKYARD GROOVE This band has carved its own unique niche in the Indian rock scene, fusing rock with funk to give an uplifting style that reaches out to all ages; wowing the audience with a tight, high energy, flawless, musical stage performance. Ever since its conception in the summer of 2005, Junkyard Groove was nothing but your silly sense of humour trying to be creative and once it got rolling there was really nothing anybody wanted to do in terms of changing direction or slowing down the pace of things. With an inspirational songwriter in Ameeth and equally brilliant musicians in Jerry, Sid and Craig the band came up with some “wicked” compositions with truckloads of promise. The competition held at Le Royal meridian Chennai saw the band land up in second place, bagging the best guitarist award and probably the best verbally outrageous band award, if ever one existed. From there on the band tasted sweet victory at JIPMER winning best band, vocalist, guitarist, drummer and own composition and the second best bassist and rhythm in SPANDAN 2005. Next stop was one of the bands most memorable gigs at NLS’ Strawberry Fields, an extremely excellent experience, with loads of love and respect to all the people who made it feel like home. Madras Christian College came next and that saw very similar results with best band and best drummer. But the main highlight of the evening was, that from the previous show in Bangalore (NLS Strawberry Fields) the band grew a small fan base which resulted in the audience randomly requesting for their songs. Next up, home town competition at IIT Madras was great fun. The band made it through to the finals and walked away with best guitarist and a fancy Fender as a prize. Junkyard Groove came back to their favourite haunt JIPMER to perform at the SPANDAN 2006 pro show. A kick-ass performance at SHAMAL, Dubai saw them emerge victorious and landed them a 3 year recording contract with Creative Kingdom Records, USA. The band was the opening act at Dubai’s Desert Rock Festival 2007 opening for the likes of IRON MAIDEN, INCUBUS and ROBERT PLANT.
LINKS ::
My space :: http://www.myspace.com/junkyardgroove
Soundclick :: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=698746
Orkut Community :: http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=18660270

East India Company (assam)

Papon( Angaraag Mahanta)
As a talented offspring of illustrious parents in the arena of Assamese music, he is not the only one. Yet, Angaraag Mahanta, son of singers Khagen Mahanta and Archana Mahanta, has managed to create a separate identity with his debut album Jonaki Raati, which recently hit the stalls in Assam.
Inspired by the wide array of sound that he has been exposed to from the traditional Vaishnavite devotional songs of Assam to new-age electronica, Papon's music is new and free. Free to be confined by any genre and new to be identified with anything that already exists.
His initial training has been in Indian classical and traditional music (devotional and folk) from Assam – a region in the north eastern corner of India, sharing its borders and culture with the very oriental - Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Bangladesh.Papon's boundary-free renditions have definite traces of pentatonic Mongoloid notes, the soul searing lyrical river songs, the rhythmic spring songs, the spiritual devotional songs, restrained Indian classical and the smooth-as-mature-wine ghazals. His innovative experiments are rich with ambient electronica, acoustic folk, electro ghazals, new-age, Ind-classical sounds.
Papon has his studio in delhi and he writes/composes and produces music for ad jingles, documentaries and films. He scored music for the feature film 'The Last Monk' which had toured the various film festivals across the globe. Presently he's working on his hindi album from delhi.
Papon has been invited to New Zealand for the Crossings festival, where some of the finest and established New Zealand jazz artists from

the band Onomatopoeia will Accompaning him on his songs from his forthcoming hindi album. Also playing with him will be one of the biggest electonica musician Rhian Sheehan
"In 'Jonaki Raati' each one of the eight numbers is fresh both in content and rendition. Angaraag seems to be completely uninfluenced by his illustrious parents. Another significant aspect of the album Jonaaki Raati is that at no moment the singer uses tricky notes or complex musical structure,which could have overpowered the touchy lyrics. Angaraag has clearly moved deeper and touched the very essence of the lyrics.This undoubtedly is a rare piece in the contemporary Assamese modern song scenario.Angaraag indeed has a long musical sojourn to undertake. All he needs is to maintain his own concept and style of rendition....."..The Telegraph.
Brin Desai
Brin Desai decided to master the art of music by doing a course in sound engineering. After a 3 years sound design course from S.A.E. Sydney, Australia, he stationed himself in Bombay for some Bollywood assignments and to do the mixing for the album 'Colorblind'.
He then moved to Delhi to work on various sound design projects for documentaries and ad jingles. He also mixed 'Jonaki Raati', an album by Papon (Angaraag Mahanata) in Assam and helped him to design sound for the feature film ,'The Last Monk'.
Brin is not just a sound engineer but also a composer and producer and apart from mixing music he loves to create his own electronic music. His head and heart belongs to music
Krishna
Krishna belongs to the land of 'Bihu and Brahmapura'. A musician from Assam, this Krishna is known not for his flute but for his guitar instead. This young talent is almost always busy in Assam doing what he loves doing the best- strumming his guitar. He plays for Papon for all his live shows in Assam and is also a part of the rock band 'Faith' which won the 'Independence Rock festival' held in Mumbai in 2006 and was runners up in 'All India Campus Rock Idols' held in Goa in 2005.
Dipu
Another talented artist from Assam, Dipu plays the bass guitar and is also a member of the rock band 'Faith'. He also lends his skills to Papon's band during his shows in Assam. He loves rock music and wants to keep playing rock all his life. Dream Theatre is his favorite band and has left a strong influence on him.
Kirti
Backed by a family of musicians in the land of music, Kirti has carved a niche for himself by becoming a fine tabla player. His father is an established folk musician in Assam and has played a vital role in Kirti's initial training years. Kirti has been playing various folk instruments like khol, nagra etc since his childhood. He has learnt tabla from Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya Khairagarh and then from late Ustaad Alla Ra Khan. He's learnt percussions from Nitin Shankar Anup Shankar. Kirti chose to take up sound engineering as a subject in his growing years and did a course from S.A.E. Bombay. He now plays in Assam with Papon.
papon
+919873002743
Brin desai
91-9818150555

Mary Jane (Darjeeling)

GENRE ::Rock
BAND MEMBERS ::
Dipendra (Vocals)
Kiran (guitars/bass)
Band on stage
Dipendra (voice)
Kiran (guitars)
Vishal(drums)
Nirnay (keys)
pramod (bass)

BIOGRAPHY ::
The band originally started in early 1998, comprising of only three members Suren, Biren, and Rishi. After the untimely and tragic death of Biren the band was unspoken for few years and again started with a new line up in 2002, Ritesh (now in steam Injuns), Vishal, and Kiran. There first show with Venstrings in 2002 left a mark in Darjeeling. After this Vishal and Ritesh moved to Katmandu and once again they left a vacant place which was later filled up by two new members, Dipendra on vocals and Vashkar on guitar. This was so to call the final line up for the coming hardship in Mary Janes record. With this new line up Mary Jane won and lost many rock contest and visited places mesmerizing people with their head banging numbers, the basically covered numbers from Metallica, Megadeth, Pantera, Judas Priest etc. all this made them a seasoned rockers.
After their last outing, Rock yatra (September 2005). Guys decided to take a break, Rishi continued grinding his axe with Grungy Morphins, Suren and Vashkar was busy with their life and duties of life. And only members keeping the spirit of Mary Jane alive were Kiran and Dipendra, who are on the verge of releasing two new albums this year (2006/2007) a Nepali and an English album. It will be a new sound in the hills of Darjeeling, its a progressive metal albums were all the songs are composed and written by Kiran and Dipendra with the help of few friends and well wishers like Bishal (ex mantras drummer), Grungy Morphins (Hozo), and Mr. Mohan Dixit (former FORBIDDEN FRUIT bass player) a well known recordist.
And for the few and loyal fans they have recently come up with an EP album THEY FLY comprising of five songs, which they think it will work as a starter before the big feast.Now playing under the Tag Janes Clan mind storm. based in darjeeling and looking for a break through.
And they hope the legacy of Mary Jane goes on forever in the hearts of true music lovers
LINKS ::
Mosh :: http://www.mosh.in/maryjane

Sledge(Hyderabad)

GENRE :: Thrash Metal

BAND MEMBERS ::
Avinash - Vocals,Shadrach - Lead Guitar,Karna - Guitar,Anjani - Bass,Suman - Drums.

BIOGRAPHY ::
SLEDGE is a 5-piece metal outfit that has emerged from the ever so rapidly growing Indian rock scene. It must be said that the band has had a major role in putting Hyderabad on the national rock scene, and this, as the story usually goes, has been done against the odds though the initial stages were plagued with lineup changes and Non acceptance of heavy metal in the city. The band has been around since 1998, but things started getting serious only in the year 2000. They latched onto the first major opportunity which came in the form of an opening slot for veteran rockers SHIVA. This was performance was appreciated by the hungry rockers and SLEDGE had added a few hundred metal heads to their fan base. SLEDGE is also the first band from AP to be featured on gigpad.com. They are also the only band from Hyderabad to play at the annual Domination - The DEATHFEST held in Mumbai, and win the runners-up title at both IIT Delhi and NSIT Delhi The first two Competitions on National Circuit. After gaining national recognition SLEDGE was offered invitations to headline most of the rock fests Like NSIT.
On its way to winning the National Title for Best Band at the final leg of Castrol Garage Rock in Mumbai, the band also won Best Vocalist, Best Guitarist, Best Drummer and Best Bassist. The regional final of this competition was held in Bangalore and was swept away by SLEDGE too. After this victory the band was offered a Record Deal with TIMES MUSIC. Though many people were skeptical about a commercial label releasing a Heavy Metal album, things did go on smoothly and a full length album by the name of “Desert Of Souls” has been released and is now available at all the leading music stores in India.
The album is an all-out precision assault, done so with all of the flair and expertise one would expect from such an impressive assembly. Absolutely no compromise has been made, and the album is a true reflection of what the band believes is their unique style of music. SLEDGE was supported by TDK Media Active (Germany) to make an animation video, as they were impressed with the music and the efforts made by the band to reach international circuit, The video is on air across India.
SLEDGE’s live show pushes the envelope even further. Never missing a beat amidst the fray, constantly trashing and pounding, their presence breeds insanity. Their stage act with uncontrollable aggression and adrenaline infects the crowd like a plague.A SLEDGE show will leave you impressed with a taste for more. No matter where the gig is, or under what circumstances, people stand up and take notice such is the intensity with which the music is presented. On the basis of its live shows the band is considered by many as one of the tightest Metal acts in the country, and what sets it apart is its versatility and experience. The fact that it has taken the band a while to get to where it is now is a distinct advantage, and they have never let themselves down whenever given the opportunity, whether it is a national competition or a major headlining gig.
SLEDGE is now heading towards the International Metal Circuit and is determined to release the next album across the Globe and also perform at various places and cater to wider audience

DISCOGRAPHY ::

Desert Of Souls Full-length 2005
1. Final Verdict

2. Liar To Follow

3. Soul In Disgrace

4. Deathly Hymn

5. Caught In A Crossfire

6. Serpent Of Sorrow

7. Say You Will

8. Last Breath

LINKS ::
www.sledge.in
http://www.mosh.in/sledge

PIN DROP VIOLENCE

PIN DROP VIOLENCE(MUMBAI)

GENRE ::

Metal/Hardcore
BAND MEMBERS ::
Pradeep Miranda - Vocals

Mithun Poojari - Guitars

P-Man - Bass

Virendra Kaith - Drums

BIOGRAPHY ::
If Mumbai ever needed a hardcore metal band, then it needed it most in the year-end of 2000. The scene was stale and needed more ‘heavier’ music. Enter Pin Drop Violence – the realization of a vision shared by Pradeep and P-Man. Immediate roping-in of members started and every kind of playing platform was taken up. After 7 long years, the present roster is Pradeep Miranda on vocal duties, Mithun Poojari ‘GridKid’ on guitars, P-Man on bass and Virendra Kaith ‘Virus’ on drums.
Bringing live energy to the stage was all but natural for the band. Gut-crunching, low-tuned riffola backed by growls and groove elements were all but devoured by the metal-craving crowds at their shows all over the country. The concept that ’seeing is believing but hearing makes you a believer’ was on the band’s mind when they stepped in the studio to record their debut album ‘Compose…Oppose…Dispose’ released through OML Records and distributed by Sony Music (India).
PDV released its second album ‘Right II Riot’ in 2007, which was released by Counter Culture Records. Recorded and produced by Fali Damania at ‘Over The Top’ Studios, Mumbai, its mastering/mixing was completed at The Mastering Room AB in Sweden by Goran Finnberg, who has worked with metal bands like Dark Tranquility, In Flames and many others.

ACHIEVEMENTS ::
On the achievements front - the band’s song ‘Get ‘em Off’ has been featured on the compilation ‘Metal Alternativo 2′ which was handled by Zero Records in Spain. The video for their song ‘In Dependence’ was aired on Channel V, since PDV had won the Channel V ‘Launchpad’ Competition in 2005. Competing at college levels and beyond, PDV gained accolades as best band as well as individual prizes for best vocalist and best drummer, and winning best drummer at the inaugural Jack Daniel’s Indian Rock Awards 2007.
Having dominated the local club scene and other venues, the band finally got its first gig overseas when they played at Shamal 2006 in Dubai, UAE. Thus, riveting the fact that an Indian metal band has something to offer on an international scale as well.

INFLUENCES ::
Pantera, Fear Factory, Hatebreed, Slipknot, Slayer, Skinlab, System of A Down, Lamb of God, Black Dahlia Murder, Meshuggah, Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Killswitch Engage, Napalm Death, Cannibal Corpse, Machinehead

DISCOGRAPHY ::

I:Pin Drop Violence - Compose…Oppose…Dispose…(2004)

Tracklists ::
Only Much Louder Records/Sony

1.Gutterment 03:48

2.Krapolitix 00:25

3.Absurd 04:12

4.4 00:18

5.Skinless Substitute 03:39

6.Full Body Burn 04:32

7.Pulling Out Glass Over A Basin Of Blood 01:34

8.Cold Walls 05:52

9.Tower Of Silence 01:40

10.Stand Your Ground 04:26

11.I’m Gonna Fight Back 03:19

12.Get ‘Em Off 03:27

13.Perfect Defect 03:5

14.Total playing time 41:03

II.Right 2 Riot (2007)
Tracklists ::
1.No Regrets
2.Rub It In
3.Tough As Nails
4.HATE
5.Action
6.Break These Damn Walls
7.Reaction
8.Level 2
9.An Act Of Violence
10.In Dependence
11.And This Is Why…
12.I.M. Pure
13.Just

LINKS ::
Official website :: http://www.pindropviolence.net/

SOULMATE PICTURE GALLERY

SOULMATE_BLUES ROCK BAND

PROFILES

Tipriti began her musical career at a very early age singing primarily in church choirs where she got noticed and was asked to perform at many larger shows including the "Millenium Show" in Shillong. After a variety of stints with Rock, Soul and Alternative music, Tiprity was asked to sing back-up with Mojo, and then went on to form Soulmate with Rudy. The rest is pretty much history and as she says- " They say that sometimes you don't choose a book, the book chooses you, I guess the same can be said about the music that I now I can call mine".

RuDy:The journey started 22 years ago. It has led me through territories I never imagined existed, people I never otherwise would’ve met and finally to the music that I’ve now arrived at. JERK pointed the way, Great Society gave me a direction and MOJO opened up other avenues. Soulmate is the amalgamation of the best qualities of these bands and realisation of a dream. Now I’m at a point in my life where I can not only play the bluest blues I’ve ever played but also share some of the musical knowledge I’ve picked up along the way. For this purpose I’ve opened a recording studio- Springboard Studio. In the few years that the studio has been around, 40 albums has passed through it. I produced arranged and performed the music for almost all of these albums. These albums are mostly by artistes from the state of Meghalaya and other North-Eastern states and I’ve enjoyed the experience of interecting with them

Ferdy started playing bass in a school band called 'Agony and the Ecstasy' then moved on to college where he formed a couple of band (Brain Damage, United Band, Crown Of Thorns) and played a few gigs locally. In 1987 he joined the Great Society and played with the band till the summer of '93 when he along with Rudy and Sam left and formed "Tom,Dick and Harry" for a brief period of about six months after which they formed MOJO with Bob and Keith. Played with Mojo for nine years till the band split. After MOJO, he did short stints with The Meghalaya Love Project and SFR as well as playing sessions for solo artistes, notably, Seema of the pop band Viva, when she toured the North-East. His latest stint as bass player is with Soulmate.

Sam was Rudy's band mate in Great Society, Tom, Dick and Harry and Mojo. His first band XLN did the rounds way back in 80's. Besides laying the beat for Soulmate he is also currently involved with the Meghalaya Love Project and SFR. The latter was the house band for one of Shillong's nightspots- Cloud 9. Sam is one of Shillong's, if not India's, most accomplished drummer. He can work you up with a pounding rhythm, charm you up with some steady reggae and bamboozle you with a complicated jazz groove. His work can be heard in the two Great Society albums Break through and Dance your ass off, Mojo's Blues for Brotherhood and of course Soulmate's Shillong.

Keith joined Mojo, first as a percussionist then as a rhythm guitar player. Used to manage Soulmate and runs an Event Management company called Springboard Surprises. Played bass for Soulmate for the first ROOTS festival in 2003 and also at the Jazzmandu Fest 2003

Manas is one of Assam's most sought after session players and arrangers. He used to do bass duty for Euphonic Trance, which is one of Guwahati's premier rock bands. He has been with Soulmate for less than a year now but looks like he'll be around for a while. He says that he's enjoying every moment with Soulmate and one of the main reasons is that, as a kid, watching Rudy play was what inspired him to pick up the bass guitar.

Shawn played drums for a number of bands in Shillong like The Rolling Fingers, Revel Souls etc. Played percussions for Soulmate at the ROOTS Festival 2003. Was the drummer for Soulmate till early this year.

Arwell played bass for bands like Incantation, Felixis, Raika etc. Was the bass player for Soulmate for a few months.

Valtae plays guitar for The Next Band. Played guitar for Soulmate at the ROOTS Festival in 2003.

Ashwin and Momo!
Ashwin played drums for us at the Mezz gig. He was, as you probably know, the drummer of Orange Street.
Momo has been around since the Mojo days where he handled the percussions in a few gigs. He used to play drums for Cannibals. Momo played for Soulmate at the ROOTS Festival in 2003