Bloodywood, a four-member music band from Indias capital Delhi, began in 2016 with the goal of “bringing back metal music to India.” Bloodywood started as a “parody band,” posting metal versions of popular Hindi songs on YouTube. Six years later, theyve performed in almost 90 countries, at some of the most renowned stages, including Wacken Open Air, and become the first Indian metal band to list on Billboard.The bands music is solely intended to get you grooving, but what makes them stand out is their ability to blend traditional folk music with hard metal. An exquisite flute crescendo mesmerises you into a trance before a shocking dhol explosion, followed by a vicious riff, shakes you awake. Fans have referred to their performances as a “violent sensory overload,” while Rolling Stone magazine has called their performances “an aural assault.”The band has also gained popularity in India, where this year, it performed as the headlining act at many significant concerts and music festivals, including Lollapalooza and Nh-7 Weekender. Their success has raised expectations that metal may be revived in a nation where it still only appears on a small number of playlists.Bringing back the glory of hard metal musicThe 1980s saw the emergence of bands like Millenium and the beginning of Indias metal music culture. Metal remained an “underground phenomenon,” residing on the periphery of the public, but rock jazz quickly gained new followers. Listeners were limited, record labels were rare, and touring meant primarily appearances at college festivals and small events only. Nonetheless, despite these limitations, metal music fans in the country claim that the community has always been active.Sahil Makhija of the heavy metal band Demonic Resurrection, which was formed in 2000 and is widely acknowledged for popularising heavy metal music in the nation, argues that the acceptance and popularity of metal music were unbelievably great during the glory days of his band. Since then, a lot has changed. As venues, income, and audiences dried up, most of the metal bands became extinct. Many metalheads from Makhijas age also acquired new professions over time and “ended up leading a completely different life.”In some ways, there was a rebirth in the late 2000s as the internet and social media unleashed a whole new universe of possibilities. Around 50,000 metalheads from across the nation attended Metallicas concert in Bengaluru city in 2011, bringing metal music to the forefront like never before. After more than ten years, metal appears to have mostly found its place in popular culture. Legends from throughout the world, like Megadeth and Karnivool, performed in India.What makes Bloodywood specialThe innovative paths bands like Bloodywood have taken in their music have altered how people view the genre. Metal has long since abandoned the notion that it is an “apolitical” music culture of anarchist and rebellious musicians. Bands like Black Sabbath and Nuclear Assault, to name a few, have long used their songs to address socio-political issues, such as war, corruption, and failed governments. Yet, listeners continue to feel uneasy by the genres casual references to murder and contentious themes like cannibalism or Satanism.Bloodywood undoubtedly reflects that spirit, with their waist-length hair, beards, and tattooed map of the world. Even so, their music is more philosophical than just aggressive. The references to devils depicted in their lyrics are not real. Rather, they are metaphors for the sociocultural evils that burden our society. With anthems that take you through both darkness and brightness, the band thunders against sexism, religious brutality, and political corruption.“I believe we all have a little piece of metal in us. Our goal is to harness that rage for the right causes and inspire people to take action,” says Raoul Kerr, Bloodywoods vocalist.
