STUPIDITTIES

Stupiditties - The "un-metal" compilation. Don't you make presumptions looking at the title or the artwork, because this album is truly one-of-a-kind and happens to be quite brilliant too. An ennui.Bomb release, this features 18 rock/alternative bands from all over India. No metchul, sir. Wonly rock. It was originally planned to be a punk rock compilation (possibly the first in India) but I guess they couldn't find that many punk bands here. No surprises there, punk hasn't really picked up in India.

Delhi based Descant's Forth Track taken off their "Mad Ambition" EP is the perfect album-opener. Catchy and upbeat, it gives a feel of things to come. "Only Human" by Skinny Alley is one of the best tracks on this album. Varying tempo and insanely infectious. Jayashree Singh is a brilliant singer..and what a voice! Mumbai bands Aftertaste and Split unleash raw rock 'n' roll energy with kick-arse choruses. Glowworm by Cassini's Division is well written...one can sense the haunting desperation in the vocalist's voice. Human Abstract sounds a lot like Rage Against The Machine. "Re Serve" is a cry against the Reservation Bill...it didn't leave me inspired or much impressed. Decent track though. LBG (Little Babooshka's Children) is a Chennai band. They have, in their own words, "no talk of Satan, or death and destruction". "Bad Children" is just pure fun! Hypnosis and Half Step Down have a classic rock feel to them. Cyanide's "My Bitch" is alright but gets boring too soon.

As promised, Stupiditties has a lot of variety - with a jam and some electronica too! Something Relevant makes for chilled out easy listening. There are a couple of punk songs thrown in too. Tripwire and ForceField are simple, fast and catchy - everything punk's supposed to be. Tripwire's "Frozen Portrait" is cheekily titled, possibly taking a dig at Demonic Resurrection. Heh. The Superfuzz belts out perfect garage rock, I must say! "4 Times and Once After" is a clear winner. It's time for electronica now. Medusa's Beep Off is so bloody catchy I could dance to it...3 minutes of awesomeness!
"I tremble, J parties"
The album signs off with Grossing Decency, erstwhile called Asshole, which, although good, shouldn't have been the last band on the bill.

The booklet provided has all the information on the bands featured. Plus, amazing production.

Conclusion : 9/10. This compilation is truly a collector's item and I'd recommend it to anyone wishing to try some good Indian rock music.

THEORIZED - FALSE HOPE OF TYRANNY

There are a few albums out there that would put your head on an infinite oscillation path, but there are very few that make you want to take the roaring animal inside you and scream till your larynx burns into ashes, Bangalore veteran Theorized's long time coming album "False Hope of Tyranny" is one of these. From the minute the intro kicks in to when blackout happens, this is one hell ov a ride on the wings of metal fury. Before anyone rushes to so drastic a conclusion as to call it a perfect piece of art, let me state that the album doesn't come without shortcomings, but these are ignorable as the overall feel of the album is unquestionably adrenaline-pumping.

The intro although void of any display of extra-ordinary instrumental prowess is the perfect platform from which to launch the all-out attack that the rest of the album is. Dark incarnation is mostly characterized by furious pace although moments of variation are aplenty. The interludes are beautifully blended in and give the entire song a rich feel. Raise the dead, now this is one song I, personally, was looking forward to listening to. After having to listened to the demo on the strawberry fields '08 compilation, I was expecting big things in terms of a richer much improved sound...and...I would be lying if I say I wasn't disappointed. Although the track still rings all the right notes, somehow, the raw feel of the demo hit the spot better. I'm sure there would be many who'd feel the same. I must mention here, Yash's accurate yet true sounding work on the drums. He's come a long way from the first time we saw him at a gig. Venomous Tormentia (VT), probably the most popularly looked forward to track from the album, simply put, is brilliant. When the song opens, you feel like your waiting at the mouth of a devil's ride at some twisted carnival and the moment you enter, the chaos begins, in a good way that is. From the evil laughter to the perfectly fitting solo, the song ravages on as the monster it is. And kudos to Madhav (On lead Vox) for bringing out that "Evil is Bada**" feel to near perfection. Blackout, well, lets just say, the best was saved for the last. This one simply kicks the holiness out of all the behinds in the world put at once. Madhav really comes through in this number, although his work throughout the album is unputdownable. I do not quite know what exactly it is about this track that makes me put it in such high regard, but I guess thats what really makes it brilliant. A befitting end to a stunning album. Ankit and Vishnu (on guitars) are stellar through the album, I must mention the solo to raise the dead which caught many an ear among my fellow metalheads. Sankalp is meticulous and precise while still maintaining that raw bass feel which is so important in any thrash metal work.

All in all, this is pure Indian thrash metal for you.