Not every day you can witness the fusion of traditional Indian music and metal live on stage.
And this night was even more amazing with not one, but two Indian metal bands!
Demonic Resurrection celebrating their silver anniversary
The night began with a fun intro, setting the stage for the Indian metal band Demonic Resurrection as they launched into the first of many impressive guitar riffs.
They opened with ‘Matsya – The Fish‘ creating the perfect atmosphere for celebrating 25 years of their music. Their second song ‘Apocalyptic Dawn‘ started similarly, with powerful guitar riffs that were soon joined by the vocalist, adding a true metal edge. The fast riffs led to a symphonic end, showcasing the band’s dynamic range.
With the next song ‘Krishna – The Cowherd‘ they honored the Indian god of love with a more melodic song. Building in intensity as it progressed, it became a powerful tribute, much like the deity it honored.
They concluded their set with ‘The Unrelenting Surge of Vengeance‘ which was a symphonic but groovy metal song.
It was remarkable to witness the drummer play some songs with his eyes closed, a testament to his skills. The vocalist was a real comedian, adding another layer to the performance. Their music was dark and captivating, with deep vocals that filled Trix, almost as if they were literally resurrecting demons.
Setlist: Matsya – The Fish – Apocalyptic Dawn – Krishna – The Cowherd – Narasimha – The Man-Lion – The Unrelenting Surge of Vengeance
Powerful alliance between Venezuela, France and New Zealand
Following a brief dance intro, Calva Louise took the stage, captivating the audience from the first notes of their latest release ‘W.T.F‘. Jess Allanic, the vocalist from Venezuela showed how talented she was combining her singing with playing guitar and keyboard.
Alizon Taho Deperrois from France was also very skilled, switching between bass guitar and keyboard with ease.
Third song ‘Over the Threshold‘ scored far above average, a compelling fusion of beautiful singing and heavy screams set against a powerful, upbeat rhythm.
Moving on with a new unreleased track titled ‘Tunnel Vision’ which began with a heavy sound before it transitioned into a captivating blend of rapping, singing, and screams. Keep your eyes peeled for the official release!
Their final song ‘Oportunista‘ embodied the signature sound that resonated so strongly with the crowd. Before leaving the stage, they expressed their desire to return, a sentiment undoubtedly shared by the many new fans present in Trix. Calva Louise proved to be an exciting young band on the rise.
The performance concluded with a powerful breakdown and Ben Parker from New Zealand going solo on the drums.
Setlist: W.T.F – Third Class Citizen – Over the Threshold – Square One – Tunnel Vision – Feast is Over – Oportunista
Indian music infused nu-metal
Performing in Antwerp for the first time, Bloodywood started their set with Indian rap during the song ‘Dana-Dan‘.
Moving on with their newest release ‘Nu-Delhi‘ being a powerful ode to their vibrant birthplace New Delhi. The song totally got the mosh pit rumbling.
A brief but powerful message about the importance of dreams interluded their next song ‘Aaj‘, a captivating piece featuring the bansuri, a flute used in Indian tradition. The unique sound would make this song a potential Eurovision contender if India was able to participate.
Before their next song, they shared a message about Indian food and its spices, emphasizing the importance of family, love, and passion. This transitioned into ‘Tadka‘ , a song referring to Indian cuisine. The lyrics “Cause our food is made to win hearts like a wager. Vicious and delicious, you don’t wanna miss this. And if you take a bite then you licking all the dishes. The food’s so good, man, I got to share!” aimed to highlight how good music, like good food, should be shared.
Guitarist Karan Katiyar then switched to the bansuri for a mesmerizing performance of ‘Jee Veerey‘ a song about overcoming dark times together. To say it with the words of vocalists Jayant Bhadula and Raoul Kerr: “In these fucked up times it is amazing to be here in Antwerp with you. We will be there riding with you till the end of time”. If you closed your eyes you could feel yourself sitting peacefully in a temple for a moment.
They expressed genuine gratitude to everyone for coming to the show before they took time out to thank their crew. For the next song ‘Machi Bhasad‘ everyone crouched down, anticipating the beat drop. When it hit, everyone jumped up in excitement. Sarthak Pahwa caught up in the riot and joined the fans off stage playing his dhol, a double-headed traditional drum, in the center of the circle pit.
Their final song, an unreleased track from their upcoming album Nu Delhi, got many fans crowd surfing and moshing eventually leading to a wall of death.
They were so friendly that they let someone off stage hand-off the setlist to a little girl in the middle who claimed the premium spot on her dad’s shoulders to have a clear view of the stage.
Be sure to check your socials on March 21st so you don’t miss the release of the new album!
Setlist: Dana-Dan – Nu Delhi – Aaj – Tadka – Jee Veerey – Bekhauf – Machi Bhasad (Expect a Riot) – Halla Bol – Gaddaar
This night brought great energetic performances but more importantly Bloodywood made this experience feel like a spiritual awakening. Namaste!