Indian metallers Bloodywood return with second album of deliciously matched influences and perfectly seasoned ear candy.
The absorbingly unconventional Bloodywood have given our world a good shake-up of late simply by letting their talent, DNA and culture speak loudly. Prior to their noisy arrival, accompanied by positivity and acts of charity, you could have been forgiven for thinking traditional Indian music and metal weren't the most logical of pairings.
Nu Delhi, though, is Bloodywood gone bigger, bolder and more brazen. Opener Halla Bol is a sub-Slipknot stomp mated with the ear-grabbing fragrancy of Indian folk. Hutt and Daggebaaz are possibly even better; heaviness, flashes of electronics and an array of traditional Indian instruments – Sarthak Pahwa’s dhol (double-headed drum), plus sitar, flute, violin or possibly sarangi. Varied influences are just a starting point; it takes an artist as free-thinking and focused as Bloodywood to seamlessly interlace culture and music in one headbanging whole.
On Kismat, meaning 'destiny', singer Jayant Bhadula emotes the song's extensive melodic parts as if his family depends on it, while Dhadak ('heartbeat') is all quirky melodies and huge group chants. Like the title-track's irresistible charge, it's powered along by both Karan Katiyar’s heavyweight guitar and Sarthak’s rib-rattling dhol. No less an act that BABYMETAL guest on Bekhauf, the Japanese stars singing in both Hindi and their own language, while Bloodywood combine Jayant's mostly native-tongued melodies with the flow and charge of Raoul Kerr's raps, usually in English. All in, it's mesmeric.
Best of the bunch is probably Tadka – its salute to Indian cuisine means it's probably the world’s only metal track that makes you feel hungry, the video capturing both the band's skillset and sense of humour in one appetising whole. Curry celebrations apart, it should be noted that this second album proper is on the skinny side – just eight tracks and around 33 minutes – but since when did we expect Bloodywood to adhere to convention? Avoiding the orthodox is high among their charms. They do that, spectacularly, on this storming return.
Verdict: 4/5
For fans of: System Of A Down, Alien Weaponry, Jinjer
Nu Delhi is released March 21 via Fearless
