Mumbai metal band Midhaven talk about creating The Veiler around Raag Todi: ‘Theme organically demanded its sound’
Mumbai-based metal band Midhaven talk about their recently released single, and how it is a continuation of their exploration of Indian philosophical narratives
For Mumbai based metal band Midhaven, music has always been more than sonic aggression — it is a language of confrontation, catharsis and emotional clarity. In an era shaped by algorithms, speed and surface-level noise, the band continues to treat heavy music as a space where honesty can be pushed to its loudest limits.
“It’s really a place where you voice your frustration, let go of your pain, and get lost within the heavy music. It’s home,” says Karan Kaul, the band's forntman, reflecting on the underground scene in the city they emerged from. “Wherever we go and play, we're ultimately carrying the spirit of the Mumbai underground scene,” adds Aditya Mohanan, the lead guitarist for the group.
The band's latest single, The Veiler arrives from that same instinct — a work shaped less by genre expectation and more by the urgency to express something real. Built on a darker, denser sonic landscape, the track marks a decisive shift from their 2021 concept album Of the Lotus & The Thunderbolt. “We wanted to write about the theme of human hubris and arrogance. The theme warranted a treatment heavier than our usual approach,” says Karan.
{{/usCountry}}The band's latest single, The Veiler arrives from that same instinct — a work shaped less by genre expectation and more by the urgency to express something real. Built on a darker, denser sonic landscape, the track marks a decisive shift from their 2021 concept album Of the Lotus & The Thunderbolt. “We wanted to write about the theme of human hubris and arrogance. The theme warranted a treatment heavier than our usual approach,” says Karan.
{{/usCountry}}The band grounds this heaviness in Indian classical tradition, structuring the song around Raag Todi, whose tension and unease dictate the mood. “This tense, menacing-sounding raga is found across many classical traditions. We’d been experimenting with it since the last album, and the theme organically demanded its characteristic sound,” explains Aditya. adding that lyrically, the song is a confrontation — a reflection on the ways faith and identity are weaponised in contemporary culture.
{{/usCountry}}The band grounds this heaviness in Indian classical tradition, structuring the song around Raag Todi, whose tension and unease dictate the mood. “This tense, menacing-sounding raga is found across many classical traditions. We’d been experimenting with it since the last album, and the theme organically demanded its characteristic sound,” explains Aditya. adding that lyrically, the song is a confrontation — a reflection on the ways faith and identity are weaponised in contemporary culture.
{{/usCountry}}“Religion and politics have always been intertwined. Mythology has always been drawn upon by those in power to further their individual interests,” he adds.
For Midhaven, mythology is not decorative symbolism but a lens for critique and self-interrogation, and the band insist their music is continuation of their exploration of Indian philosophical narratives.
“It’s still very much Indian in nature. This song picks up from our last record and tackles human ego, personified as an Asura ,” says Aditya
Even as their music grows more intense, their world is expanding. “The biggest change for us is our newfound international presence. Stoked to take this new single to Japan, the UK, and our return to Europe,” says Karan.
What keeps the band grounded, ultimately, is the sense of connection that heavy music makes possible — something that transcends geography and genre. “What’s exciting for us is how listeners around the world have accepted and love the sound of Indian metal. We wouldn’t be here without them,” he signs off.
