Rock and Metal Scene in India…

Although in the last five years or so metal is becoming more and more mainstream, in India it is still very underground and heard by a small section of population listens to it and much less follows it with passion.

I am about to present a subjective view to the rock and metal culture of India. For making good rock music one must have a solid hand on their instruments, band members of all great bands would be usually playing instruments from childhood, where in India most of the people start in high school or college so the experience and the expertise is a tad bit lacking.

Then there is point of social agendas, most of the households are conservative and do not like their children venturing into music and much less make a career out of it. There are various responsibilities that need attentions and we are expected to fulfill that. On the positive note there has been a steady increase in number of Indian rock bands (especially from the eastern states) which are making their mark worldwide. There are many opportunities being offered to upcoming bands few of these platforms are. 

         A)   THE GREAT INDIAN ROCK

  

This is a platform first founded by the magazine RSJ(rock street journal), initially starting form provisions  just for local bands, but currently adding international artists to it.

www.greatindianrock.in

B)     LIVEWIRE

This is personal to me, it is a part of mood indigo at IITB and I have been a part of that fest and has closely observed livewire (worked backstage). It is not as great as GIR but sill it is a great platform for English bands which are looking to find their place in the market. It is birthplace of great bands like Parikrama, Zero…

www.moodi.org/livewire/

C)      ARTISTALOUD

It’s basically a launch website on which new songs which impress the members are promoted and spread out on a huge scale. Apart from the internet platform artist aloud also launches many competitions and festivals where bands can perform.

www.artistaloud.com

lastly there are many fests and competitions , one worth mentioning is sunburn  (http://sunburn.in/)  but it is not much rock based.

The bands which have come up since are.

bhayanauk maut. , Parikrama, Pentagram, Zero, Agnee, Demonic resurrection, Devoid. just to name a few..  

10 best rock songs

Well this list is based on my choice…………….. the best rock songs I have ever come across…………
1)      HOTEL CALIFORNIA………… ( The Eagles)
This is an all time classic………. Guitar at its peak and awesome n soothing vocals………. A must hear………. In their own words the eagles described this song to be an "interpretation of the high life in Los Angeles"…………………….

2)      BLACK…………….. (Pearl Jam)
A master work of grunge rock……….. Eddie Vedder sounds bit grumpy……. And its better u listen with the lyrics in your hand. The lyrics are of a depressing kind……….. a guy missing his absent lover. But the song is very relaxing……..

3)      WHILE MY GUITAR GENTLY WEEPS…………………… (The Beatles)
The original song is not much good…………. But listen to the ‘Carlos Santana version’ its literally magic that how this person can make a decent song into a musical masterpiece……… must listen……… hear both versions it would be fun.

4)      CARNIVAL OF RUST…………………….. (Poets Of The Fall)
When I heard this son for the first time I didn’t pay heed to the lyrics………. It was just the pleasing music and vocals that made me hear it again…………… the meaning is really good… ………..  and this band is awesome and completely above the conventional rock bands……..

5)      SWEET CHILD O MINE……………………………………. (Guns And Roses)
This song is ruled by slash………….. I am giving a account of gnr’s bassist……………….
“The thing about 'Sweet Child o' Mine,' it was written in five minutes. It was one of those songs, only three chords. You know that guitar lick Slash does at the beginning? It was kinda like a joke because we thought, 'What is this song? It's gonna be nothing, it'll be filler on the record.' And except that vocal-wise, it's very sweet and sincere, Slash was just fuckin' around when he first wrote that lick.”

6)      SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT……………………………… (Nirvana)
Kurt Cobain was the grand master of alternative grunge rock…………….. this song is a true portrayal of the teen spirit ………………….. ‘anthem of apathetic kids’…………… it has loud riffs meant to portray rage among the teens especially the neglected and shunned ones………………  it sounds like…….. fight club anyone……….

7)      COMFORTABLY NUMB………………………………. (Pink Floyd)
This band is my favorite(after iron maiden)………….. but usually their works are a collective masterpieces…….. not a single song…………… but comfortably numb is an exception………… its an all time classic from ‘The Wall’……………….. but as for the band………….. u either love them or u hate them………. There is no middle ground…………

8)      LAYLA……………………………(Eric Clapton)
This is an ideal rock song by……… Clapton and Gordon……….. it was actually inspired by the British model…. Pattie Boyde………. Who was the wife of Beatles  guy George Harrison…………  later Clapton ended up marrying her………….. and Harrison performed at the wedding.!!!!!!!

9)      NOT MEANT TO BE…………………… (Theory Of A Deadman)
What a name!!............  I mean the band…… this song is in the tracklist of the movie ‘Transformers’………… it’s a awesome hard rock song……….. not much known but still I love it…………….

10)   ACE OF SPADES…………………………. (Motorhead)
Truly speaking this is a heavy metal song………………. But Motorhead are always like………… ‘hi! We are motorhead and we play rock and roll’………………… so lets respect that and I kept this song as rock………… its a very fast song with a great music…………… just about 2.5min long………… but this would rock u……….

10 Best metal songs

This list is according to my choices…………………………… Views are welcome….
1)      HALLOWED BE THY NAME…………….. (Iron Maiden, Cradle of Filth)
This song is an epic song…………… the music……. The lyrics …….. Top class……. Well I hate to admit that cradle of filth’s version is better than iron maiden’s one……..  Still no other song can take its place………… one interesting thing I found on net……….. that this song seems to be sequel of the song ’Infinite Dreams’ by iron maiden………. Check that out…….

2)      STARCHILD………………. (Wintersun)
Well this song is very fast……….. and lyrics wise very well researched…….. the theme is the personification of the star birth process………… drums rule this song…………… the band is totally underrated…….. but wintersun are the masters of Gothenburg metal.

3)      DANCE OF DEATH………………………. (Iron Maiden)
when I heard this song for the first time……….. I heard it again and again for around 20 times………… its magical…….. the riffs and the guitar  of Adrian Smith is unforgettable…………. Just listen to this song…………… u will forget metallica and start running after IM……..

4)      BACK IN BLACK…………………………(AC/DC)
I don’t know how to classify AC/DC………. They hold the middle ground between heavy metal and hard rock……………… but this song was the punch in face of skeptics who said AC/DC is nothing without Bon Scott…………. Back in black was actually dedicated to bon scott……….. and turned out to be the best album and the song ever recorded by ac/dc……………..

5)      THE PAINKILLER………………………. (Judas Priest)
This is a complex song……………. Judas Priest shocked the fans by venturing into heavier metal through the album with the same name as the song……………. This song got a Grammy doesn’t matter…….. what matters is its heavy and beautiful…………..  the riff is awesome too….  A must hear…….

6)      THE TROOPER……………………… (Iron Maiden)
Aha………. Listen the opening harmony and you are into the song…………….  Now as per Wikipedia…. ‘Written by bassist and founder-member Steve Harris, the song is based on the Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava 1854, which took place during the Crimean War and inspired by Lord Tennyson's poem of the same name.’……………. but cut the crap just hear it………….. it has the blood of IM running through it………………

7)      TORN BETWEEN SCYLLA AND CHARYBDIS………………. (Trivium)
First of all find out about the myth of Scylla and Charybdis then listen to this song……………….. the song opens with a BOOM……….. probably the best opening I have ever heard………. I don’t know whats with Trivium and the sea related stories and songs…………… should give it a new name……….. The Mariner’s metal :P……….. the song is awesome…….

8)      CONTRACTOR………………………. (Lamb Of God)
Pure American death metal……………….. Hear it with lyrics………….. and try to figure out the meaning…………….. it’s very very heavy…………….. Mark Morton has to have turbos fitted to his vocal chords……………… hint it’s about the government contractors…….

9)      MR. CROWLEY………………………. (Ozzy Osborne)
Ozzy Osborne fired from Black Sabbath………… oh shit!!.......... but then came Blizzard of Ozz and its two singles Mr Crowley and Crazy Train……………… this two were enough for Sabbath to realize their biggest mistake……………… the song is super……. And has one of the best riffs ever……….. moral of the story………. ‘you can’t kill rock n roll……… form Mr Ozzy’

10)   HEATHEN THRONE + THE LONGEST JOURNEY…………………… (Ensiferum)
These are two songs ………… and they are actually forming one complete song…………. It is the perfect way to get introduced to the world of Gothenburg metal…………….. the deepest growl and the clearest music………… u say it the songs have it………… and this band is pretty cool………. Finnish……………

NOTE :- two things……………  metallica fans don’t pour ur anger at me ………… :P
               And I badly wanted to get in fear of the dark ……. Anthem…….. battle against time… but the list is too short………….