BRMC - Howl Review (RSJ June 2009)

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix.
---Allen Ginsberg ‘Howl’


The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, mainstays of the San Francisco rock scene took the name for their 3rd album released in 2005, from this defining poem of the beat generation written by fellow San Franciscan Allen Ginsberg. Like the beat generations characteristic pattern of poetry, BRMC have also had a distinguishable sound with wide ranging influences from the neo psychedelic Brian Jonestown Massacre to the guitar fuzz of Jesus and Mary chain. However in this album it all takes a backseat to the Americana, folk and country influences as the trio trades in their distortion pedals for acoustic slide guitars. BRMC’s songs have always had a bluesy undertone to them but in this album they delve deeper into the delta blues and gospel sound by employing organs, harmonicas and tambourines making the album sound grander than it really is. While the remaining so called ‘garage rock revivalists’ still play brash, aggressive rock with fuzz driven feedback and amateurish song structures, BRMC have taken a different path, one not frequently visited by modern day rock bands. A stripped down sound with arrangements that favor the lighter, more acoustic side of their music, this album would not seem out of place in the 60’s. While a departure for the band who are famous for albums filled with drug induced feedback and rock n’ roll anthems, its still an earnest and compelling record chalk full of gospel Americana and muscular country blues along with lyrics about Jesus and the government that would make Dylan proud.
Songs like ‘Promise’ and ‘Complicated Situation’ written in the vein of 60’s Dylan folk and ‘Devil’s Waitin’ a southern ballad tribute to the styling of Johnny Cash shows the band embracing its roots, while the most popular song off the album ‘Shuffle Your Feet’ begins with an acapella gospel choir and leads into a honky tonk stomp. The title track with its heavy church organ acts as a divine melancholy mood piece for the album. ‘Ain’t No Easy Way’ is another raucous rocker full of acoustic guitars, harmonica solos and foot stomping country rock rhythm while ‘Weight of the World’ with its Oasis like harmonies is a low key gem in the bands repertoire. Fans of the bands first two albums might not appreciate the bands dive in this new musical spectrum but in time this album will be appreciated as a sincere effort by the band to reinvent their sound.

The Bloody Essential Guide To Metal (RSJ June 2009)

A genre that has been discredited, disillusioned and just plain dissed by critics since it rose from the ashes of the blues, incorporating passion and aggression like no genre before or since it. A genre that has been tossed in and out of mainstream culture, despised by some and revered by others, like the music itself the reactions it draws are always extreme. However a genre that keeps coming back irrespective of the criticism it is dealt, it is the beast that can never be killed.
The origins of metal lie in the blues which initially influenced rock n’ roll itself. Songs like ‘Helter Skelter’ by the Beatles and ‘You really got me going’ by the Kinks are considered prototypes for metal songs. Early British acts like The Who, Cream and Jimi Hendrix, are often regarded as monumental in metals development by creating a uniform sound on which most metal bands built upon.
Iron Butterfly’s ‘In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida’ is often considered to be the first metal song attracting the attention of the media and inspiring legions of bands to play this style of rock.

Heavy metal
In the late 60’s and early 70’s bands like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin gave birth to a loud, aggressive genre of rock known as heavy metal. Featuring a unified bass and drum sound and distorted guitars, this style of music soon gained a monumental fan base.

New wave of British heavy metal
After decline in popularity of the metal originators, a secondary group of British bands collectively known as NWOBHM were responsible for re-popularizing metal by toning down its blues influences and introducing metal to America. These include metal legends Iron Maiden, Saxon, Diamond Head and Tigers of Pan Tang which influenced a new breed of American bands.

Glam metal
Described by critics as ‘hair metal’ due to the flamboyant nature of the bands playing this style of hard rock popularized by Mtv, glam metal originated in the early 80’s influenced by Twisted Sister, Aerosmith and Van Halen along with the make up and stage dynamics of bands like Kiss. Popularized by bands like Motley Crue, Poison and W.A.S.P, this radio friendly genre was soon overtaken by the more abrasive thrash metal.

Thrash metal
The most popular form of heavy metal, thrash metal was pioneered by the ‘big four’ Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer by combining fast shredding guitars and fast tempos with aggressive and blunt vocals indebted to hardcore punk.

Death metal
A subgenre of metal with perhaps the most devoted cult following and lowest mainstream acceptance, death metal is characterized by complex song structures, fast tempos; blast beat drumming and growled ‘cookie monster’ vocals. Spawning off of thrash metal bands like Slayer and Kreator in the 80’s, death metal bands Death, Possessed and Morbid Angel pioneered this genre.

Black metal
The most sinister of all metals subgenres, black metal is often associated with church burnings and Satanism. Prominent Norwegian bands like Mayhem, Burzum, Darkthrone and Emperor influenced by Venom and Celtic Frost display tremolo picked distorted guitars along with high shrieked vocals creating a dark and menacing sound.

Nu metal
Beginning in the late 90’s nu metal was a genre that emerged by combining alternative metal and groove metal with hip hop influences. Bands often had dj’s in addition to the usual line up and featured rapping in most of the songs. In this style, power chords are often played in syncopated patterns and drop d tuning to put the emphasis on the mood and texture instead of the melody. This genre had widespread popularity in the early 2000’s featuring bands like Deftones, Korn and Slipknot.

Funk metal
Influenced by Jimi Hendrix who popularly incorporated funk rhythms into his brand of metal, modern day bands like Primus, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Faith No More have had widespread popularity playing this style of metal.

Metalcore
The most popular form of metal in the 2000’s, metalcore is a punk-metal hybrid owing its origins to crossover thrash bands such as Cro-Mags and Stormtroopers of Death. The first wave of metalcore bands began with Cave In, Converge, Hatebreed, and led to a new group of bands collectively known as the New wave of American heavy metal. It included bands such as Lamb of God, As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage and Trivium, all of which played characteristic metalcore with emphasis on breakdowns conducive to moshing.

Alternative metal
A genre which achieved fame in the 90’s comprised bands that played traditional heavy metal with an experimental edge using odd time signatures, unconventional technique and lyrics. Jane’s Addiction and Tool are the most well known bands in the genre which influenced further nu metal bands.

Sludge metal
Sludge is the infusion of slow, heavy doom metal with the aggressive hardcore punk along with hints of southern rock influence. Contrasting tempos with heavily distorted instruments and vocals sets this subgenre apart. Crowbar and Eyehategod play this style of metal to great acclaim.

Doom metal
This style of heavy metal has a characteristic dark, paranoid and apocalyptic feel to it. Taking inspiration from the slow, low tuned guitars of Black Sabbath, early 80’s bands like Saint Vitus, Candlemass and Cathedral played dense riffs with an atmosphere of despair. With a minimal but devoted following, this type of metal still is popular in most European countries.

Stoner metal
A subgenre indebted to the use of recreational drugs, stoner metal is bass heavy metal centered on repetitive riffs. Influenced by psychedelic and blues rock, Kyuss was the definitive stoner band playing a style of heavier and slower metal.

Post metal
Post metal is basically atmospheric sludge metal producing less aggressive atmospheric metal with a more experimental style consisting bands Isis and Pelican.

Gothic metal
Melancholy of Goth combined with the aggression of heavy metal pioneered by bands such as Type O Negative and popularized by bands such as Lacuna Coil and Evanescence.

Groove metal/Post thrash
This brand of metal relies on some innovative drum work along with the use of chunky, distorted guitars that provides a ‘groove’. Though an extension of thrash metal, it is not as riff oriented and considerably minimalist, characterized by mid tempo riffs in drop d tuning, dissonant bridges or breakdowns and heavy use of palm muting. Bass riffs are more prominent than in other metal genres often filling in the gaps. Highly influential on the nu metal genre, it didn’t achieve the same popularity and was phased out in the late 90’s. Sepultura, Machine Head, White Zombie, Fear Factory, and Pantera are some bands that exemplified this genre.

Speed metal
A genre influenced by NWOBHM and hardcore punk, it eventually gave rise to thrash metal. Origins of the genre lie in bands like Motorhead and Judas Priest.

Power metal
An attempt by bands such as Blind Guardian, Iced Earth and Gamma Ray to return back to metals original sound, power metals popularity has been on a rise in most countries. Putting the emphasis back on the riffs and vocals, this subgenre is a straightforward attempt to recapture metals original appeal.

Progressive metal
With an array of bands as famous as Pink Floyd, Rush, King Crimson and Dream Theatre, progressive rock is an indulgent subgenre of metal consisting of concept albums, highly trained instrumental skills and complex song structures.

Viking metal
Viking metal is a subgenre that aims to create an epic sound centered on Norse mythology with a bombastic, anthemic sound and keyboard effects demonstrated by Swedish band Bathory.

Drone metal
Also known as art metal, this underground phenomenon blends drone with doom metal to create a soundscape of reverb and feedback. Sunn o))) and Earth are the most acclaimed bands in the genre.

Industrial metal
Blending of industrial music with metal by artists such as Nine Inch Nails, Ministry and Godflesh became common practice in the 90’s as they mixed guitar riffs with distorted synthesizers and vocals leading to formation of a subgenre valued especially in Europe.

Neo classical metal
Yngwie Malmsteen, a guitar virtuoso borrowed techniques from classical music and incorporated them in to metal to create neo classical metal which hit its peak in the mid 80’s.

Rap metal
The basis for the nu metal explosion of the 90’s, rap metal infused hip hop elements and rapped lyrics into metal which was the basis for bands such as Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park.

Pop metal
Bon Jovi and Def Leppard popularized this style of metal along with glam metal by employing radio friendly pop melodies in a heavy metal context.

Avant-garde metal/Experimental metal
Favoring experimentation and non standard ideas, avant-garde metal which includes bands as diverse as Naked City, Oxbow and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum uses unusual sounds and instruments to break down musical conventions.

Folk metal
This little known style of eclectic metal prevalent in Europe integrates folk music into metal territory by making use of traditional folk instruments like accordions and harmonicas and folk’s melodic style as made famous by the band Skyclad and further built upon by Fintroll and Moonsorrow.

Grindcore
A genre which draws influence from death metal, industrial metal and hardcore punk and features down tuned guitars with blast beat drumming creating the grind which gives the genre its name. Known to have some of the shortest songs – less than 2 minutes, this style includes bands Napalm Death and Carcass.

Christian metal
Metal artists who identify themselves as Christians often play metal laced with Christian themes and lyrics giving rise to Christian metal. In contrast to the anti-Christian themed black metal, this subgenre has also been come to known as white metal including bands like Saint and Stryper.

Technical death metal/Jazz metal
The most complex of all metal subgenres, technical death metal combines the brutal nature of death metal with complex jazz drumming and irregular time signatures as demonstrated by bands such as Cynic, Atheist and Meshuggah.

Melodic death metal
A more accepted form of death metal, it combines harmonies and melodies of NWOBHM with death metal vocals and drumming. At The Gates, In Flames and Dark Tranquility are the most recognized bands in this style.

Symphonic black metal
Integrating keyboards and orchestral element into traditional black metal and adding operatic vocals give rise to this symphonic style popularized by bands such as Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir.

Mathcore
The dynamically complex math rock genre united with metal gives rise to mathcore, a subtype of metalcore. Not high on popularity, this style is played especially by Dillinger Escape Plan and Protest the Hero.

Deathcore
Metalcore bands like Job for a Cowboy and Through the Eyes of the Dead crossed metalcore with death metal to give birth to this form of underground metal featuring palm muted riffing and dissonance.

Crossover thrash
The first genre to experiment with combining metal and punk, this genre featured bands such as D.R.I and Murphy’s Law and was also known as thrashcore.


Similar to several forms of art, music must be evaluated objectively with all preconceived notions set aside. Metal though divided into numerous styles, still retains the underlying passion and drive behind the music in all its forms. Reminiscent of a painting which appears a mess at first glance but begins to show the preciseness and difficulty of its creation on further inspection, metal draws listeners in, to explore itself beneath the loudness, beneath the chaos to the creativity which must be judged on its own merits.

Indian Rock (Maelstrom 2010) (IRMP3)

No other genre or style of music, one could argue has had a greater cultural impact or been able to capture the imagination of people the world over as strongly as rock. Born out of the resonating notes of American blues accompanied with an insistent backbeat, rock n’ roll has been worshiped, ridiculed, satirized, loved, hated, brought about riots, protests and induced unconditional devotion among the masses, all within the span of 60 years.
This popular style of music came full circle when bands like the Rolling Stones, the Beatles and the Animals collectively known as the British invasion originally influenced by American rhythm & blues and early rock n’ roll itself became popular in the states.
Even though the U.S and the U.K were and still are the epicenters of the rock revolution, the sound quickly spread to all corners of the globe in the subsequent years with bands nascent in Europe and Australia. This new sound was introduced to India in the mid 60’s when the Beatles at the height of their popularity took the now infamous Indian vacation. It became an even trade of sorts, as the fab four also borrowed sounds and instruments from the country which featured prominently on the ‘White Album’. With the modernization of the newly independent country, it didn’t take long for western influences to seep into the already rich and varied musical spectrum of India.

Initially devoid of any genuine rock acts even in the major cities; by the late 70’s the only source of rock music for the starved public came in the form of radio stations like AIR featuring an hour or two of the raging Beatlemania and the occasional concert by visiting groups on their way through the subcontinent. Long forgotten Indian bands like The Savages and Atomic Forest, instrumental in sowing the seeds of rock n’ roll were ostracized in the classical and Hindi music driven 1970’s India as lack of a proper audience and absence of record deals, became the obvious reasons for their premature demise. The foundation of what came to be known as Indian rock and which inspired innumerable future bands was laid arguably in the mid 80’s by bands like Indus Creed, which like most groups of the time started off as a cover band, later developing their own sound and presence within a few years of playing. Indian Ocean attracted considerable media attention as well as a solid fan base by being the first band truly recognized as ‘indo-fusion’. More often than not, these bands would incorporate Indian sensibilities and instruments into the western song structures, as in the case with Delhi based Parikrama who gained wide acclaim with the style. 13AD with their bluesy take on hard rock were also able to establish themselves as the premier Indian band of the 80’s.
Other groups like Moksha and Orange Street also gained popularity within this period with their differing styles. Moksha, with influences drawn from the British metal giants Iron Maiden along with the eclectic nature of the latter seemed to indicate the coming of a new age in the rock scene.

The early 90’s brought about a transitional period in the progress of the genre, as more and more bands seemed to shed off the notion of playing covers and focused more on original material. Rock was highlighted more often with monthly publications like Rock Street Journal and JAM as it started infiltrating Bollywood music territory in terms of fan base. Motherjane and Pentagram, remnants of the old guard took over exactly where Indus Creed left off to become favorites of the college festival scene. But not everyone fared as well; as the era produced its fair share of casualties, wiping out majority of the original pioneers of rock in the country with perhaps Parikrama being the lone survivor. Also the advent of annual festivals, Independence rock and Great Indian Rock beginning in 1995 along with a surge in the magnitude of college festivals, saw a barrage of new, fresh bands creating waves.

Following the relative high of the 90’s, the scene seemed to cool off in the first half of the new millennium with an apparent lull in the number of shows around the country. With minimal activity in the new decade, by 2004 an entirely new breed of bands had started to rise out of the woodworks, limited not only to the metropolitan parts of India but to different corners of the country not usually associated with rock. The rise of independent labels like Demonstealer and Counter Culture records gave an opportunity to the abundant thriving musicians of the country to make available their albums to a mass audience along with a sense of community and brotherhood among the label mates. This generation of rock lovers also saw the rise of channel V launch pad which proved to be a juggernaut in discovering and establishing bands to a nation which seemed primed for the globalization of its rock community. With obvious monetary benefits in minds, the media and people who previously had no relation with music soon descended on the rock scene which brought its share of benefits and pitfalls. In the early 90’s an Indian band that wasn’t playing covers was far from being considered commercial but that all has changed in the new millennium as bands started playing gigs and releasing cd’s of original material with increasing regularity. The quality of studio produced material as well as live performances also improved tremendously while the easy accessibility of the Internet, free downloads; free music uploading sites and music-swapping sites has given Indian bands a new medium to express their music and has considerably made a huge impact on the Indian rock scene.

The most popular and distinctive bands of the scene include the likes of Thermal and a Quarter; a Bangalore based band formed in ’96 was the first to play original material in a scene flooded with cover bands. Often regarded as one of the finest bands of our time, this jazz/funk trio has released four albums to date and opened for the likes of Jethro Tull and Deep Purple while influencing the 2005 band Junkyard Groove. Skinny Alley, a true super group in the sense, with members involved in the rock circuit since the late 70’s were also a part of an experimental quartet Pink Noise, which by combining jazz, electronic and Indian classic, has been gaining momentum in terms of public appeal. Zero, often proclaimed as the one of best Indian bands of all time were certainly at the top of the heap when they decided to call it quits at Independence Rock XXIII. Formed in the late 90’s the band with multiple awards to their name unified the Indian scene around their sound.

Kolkata has always been a key centre for rock with the ever popular Fossils and Cactus at the forefront of the city’s rock community. The latter’s practice of blending psychedelic blues with Bengali music has inspired younger bands such as Five Little Indians formed in ’07.

Formed in 2001, Menwhopause were alternative rock’s first true incarnation in the country and one of the few bands able to get radio play in foreign countries. A band with a huge cult following, they started the trend of distributing music free through the net, a technique which is still prevalent today. Delhi crowd favorites and winners of channel V launch pad; Them Clones have been a breath of fresh air in the metal dominated rock scene with unrivaled pop/rock melodies and hard rock tendencies. Colorblind a short lived duo, rescued Indian rock which seemed to be stuck in a rut of classic rock and metal, by bringing a more contemporary flavor to the scene with traces of industrial rock. Another rock duo Dream Out Loud broke out in 2006 as one of the most commercially feasible bands of the decade.

Metal has always had a distinct voice in the Indian rock scene as early as 1985 with Bangalore metal giants Kryptos and Millennium opening for Iron Maiden and Megadeth respectively and inspiring the next generations of bands. As Indian bands grew heavier and heavier, Mumbai became a prime hub for metal with Bhayanak Maut and Pin Drop Violence becoming the quintessential death metal bands. Demonic Resurrection, the flagship band of Demonstealer records with the Demonstealer himself at the helm, within a few years of its formation would become the figureheads of a new movement of metal and at the same time, the most successful metal band of the country. Dense guitar riffs, diversified tempos combined with an aggressive vocal style set Narsil and Acrid Semblance apart while the thrash metal powerhouses Sceptre and Decibel with their celebrated version of the classic naagin, gained notoriety by means of their explosive and unpredictable live shows. The country saw one of its most intense death metal bands in 3rd Sovereign from the north eastern state of Mizoram, proving that metal is not only limited to the major cities but has a national appeal with a diverse palette as revealed by Blood and Iron predisposed to progressive and power metal stylings, Lucid Recess, an alternative metal formed by two brothers from the hinterlands of the country namely Guwahati, Joint Family representing Nu metal in their home town of Delhi and Extinct Reflections, a band from the south playing their brand of melodic thrash. The evolution of Indian metal came with bands like Undying Inc and Myndsnare moving the genre into uncharted territory, firmly rooted in technically precise and brutal metal albeit with modest progressive rock flourishes. In the current scene, Inner Sanctum, trash metal’s newest rising stars have been winning contests left and right while Scribe, the sole torch bearers of hardcore from Mumbai have been anointed as the best live act of the country.

Punk rock has been represented mostly by Tripwire, who were rewarded for embracing the style when it seemed most out of fashion in the form of mass critical acclaim. The 90’s also had a major impact on the Soundgarden influenced Split and the grunge inspired Indigo Children (originally The Superfuzz) who are presently considered to be the essential Indian band and for good reason. Another Vertigo Rush formed by the bassist of the above mentioned band showed an intelligent use of production and what it can do to enhance the sound of a band. Among the dozens of alternative rock acts that dominate the scene, Delhi’s Cyanide with Mumbai’s Blakc and Zodiac have been stand outs in the recent years while Rosemary, the up and coming Nirvana or at least Indigo Children wannabes have been the one to watch as they move from grunge to more psychedelic territory.

The distinctly Indian Jalabee Cartel along with Shair & Func revolutionized the techno and synth genre which encouraged a wide variety of bands like Medusa, Frequency and Skincold to incorporate electronics in their brand of hard rock akin Deftones.

Eclectic bands that don’t seem to be defined by genre constrictions encompass Helga’s Fun Castle, a jam band with traces of reggae, alternative, metal undertones and impromptu performance skills; Something Relevant equipped with a saxophonist, a pianist and a percussionist covering genres as far ranging as jazz, blues, swing, reggae and rock; blues bands Galeej Gurus and Half Step Down; and lastly funk driven Human Abstract and Aftertaste. 2003 saw Level 9; a rock band with pop leanings and a female vocalist proving that rock n roll is not just a boys club while in 2005 India’s solitary post rock band Lounge Piranha played their version of ambient rock to an ever increasing fan base. Red Cube, pop/rock outfit which to Bhayanak Maut is what Stone Sour was to Slipknot, an outlet for some members of the band to display their softer sides.

Channel V launch pad’s latest season saw another project by the infamous Demonstealer, a metal band mixed with large doses of humor called Workshop. Crowd favorites included The Circus, a New Delhi group of teens with an ever evolving sound with bits and pieces of every genre imaginable thrown in and Cassini’s Division, the most pompous band to come out of the woodworks since Pentagram but with enough creative ability to back it up and bring a modern take on punk rock. However none of these bands were able to compete as the winners of the show turned out to be Reverse Polarity, metals new kids on the block injecting youth and energy into the tired art form.

Regardless of which country it’s from, rock is about expression: expression of the self, expression of having a voice and unleashing those buried emotions without hindrance to do so. Thus it can be concluded that Indian rock n roll is something of a sleeping giant – bearing immense potential, but little so far in the way of international commercial success. However, things are developing, slowly but surely. It is a matter of reducing the stereotype and raising the rock scene out of its ambiguity, thus making it recognizable across the world as a viable form of music.

Paradox

The bars of the jail cell echoed in fright,
As the prisoner could no longer distinguish between day and night
Huddled in the corner of a long forgotten room,
‘For sale’ he chuckled before his impending doom.

Remorse in abundance, leaking through the pores
Closing in on him - those great metallic doors
Gasping for air, he burst into tears
Wrapped in a blanket soiled with his fears

Darkness took hold, sounded like depression
The shrink pointed it out in the subsequent sessions
Atheist he was, no place for him in heaven
Temper tantrum he threw when he was around seven

Not socially inept, not the devil incarnate
Out of body experience when all of it started
A torch in one hand and a motive in the other
To escape from this world before it ends in smother

Flames announced the end had come
For he knew not the religion of the life term
Remains of the poet, screams on the rocks
Poetic justice of the final paradox