Throwing the Indian horns

City band Demonic Resurrection to play alongside metal outfit Metallica, Scribe wins opening act slot for indie-alt rockers Good Charlotte.

In a recent review in an international web fanzine, Indian band Scribe captivated the music editor. Music journalist John Robb on his last visit to India was literally taken aback with the sound and stage presence of the nation’s favourite metalheads. “The front man of this band plays a nu-metal sound. His voice and stage presence catapults through the crowd and the sound is so India. Who would’ve thought, the country of such rich classical tradition, would hone the angry music of the west so well,” he wrote.

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What Robb did was to authenticate a decade-old progression of the Indian metal scene, which has grown out of campuses and has spilled over major arenas. Lyrically expletive, sonically descriptive of Indian music, yet traditionally metal - Indian rockers are getting invites to the biggest festivals around the globe. And what is getting them noticed is their unique Indian USP.

Scribe, whose 2010 kitschy metal album Mark Of Teja was as much an ode to Bollywood, as it was to some heavy hardcore metal, recently won opening slot for indie-alt rockers Good Charlotte in Bali, Indonesia, as part of their JD Best Band Of The Year prize. The gig that was originally supposed to be held on April 22, now stands postponed. “There are terror threats in Indonesia. But whenever the gig happens, we are slated to play there for sure,” says Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy, front man of Scribe.

While still hopeful of Bali, Scribe is already charting out their summer tour of metal festivals this year. “We can’t confirm anything yet, but we shall definitely be going for international festivals this year. We are also working on our new album and hope to take it on tour,” says Krishnamoorthy.

Scribe played at the Inferno Festival in Oslo, Norway last year and conquered a new audience. “People are open to new sounds, which is why they come to a festival,” he adds.

Another band, which shared stage with Scribe at Oslo, was Demonic Resurrection. The five-piece heavy metal outfit also played Brutus Assault in the Czech Republic and this year are playing at Sonisphere on July 20, the biggest metal festival in UK alongside the Gods of metal - Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer.

“This is definitely great news for us,” says frontman Sahil Makhija. “We are confirming a UK tour currently. It only makes sense to gig more across the country since we are going there.”