<p class="bodytext">The members of folk-metal band The Down Troddence (TDT) were deeply moved by the Palestinian crisis. In the geopolitical struggle, they saw similarities in the oppression faced by other communities and their refusal to be silenced. It inspired them to write lyrics for a piece of music they had composed years ago. ‘Maharani’, the single, has garnered 5,38,000 views on YouTube since it was released <br />last week.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“Not bad!” comments their bass guitarist and lyricist Nezer Ahemed. It’s a reassuring response, given that ‘Maharani’ is the first single from their long-awaited second album in 10 years. The six-piece band based in Kochi and Bengaluru is known for its social commentary, south Indian folk-metal sounds, and album covers and merchandise with evocative artwork.</p>.<p class="bodytext">‘Maharani’ has surprised fans for more than one reason. It marks renowned Karnatik musician T M Krishna’s debut in the metal genre. He lends his vocals to the track and also makes an appearance, clad in black robes, in the song’s dystopian-themed, CGI-aided video which is conceptualised around an entrapped woman. Krishna’s political views align with the band’s, and his reputation for experimentation meant the choice was a “no-brainer” for the crossover, says Ahemed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The new album, ‘As You All Know, This Is How It Is’, also features styles like jazz, punk, and hip hop alongside the band’s signature music. Issues like casteism, digital addiction, and environmental degradation are explored in tracks like ‘Ejjathi’, ‘Dopamine junkie’, and ‘Monsoon in Kannur’. “We have some abstract tracks too,” says rhythm guitarist Advaith Mohan about the 10-song album.</p>.Jams you love: Community gigs a big hit in Bengaluru.<p class="bodytext">Ahemed describes their latest work as “sophisticated and much more experimental, but of consistent quality”. In comparison, their first album, ‘How Are You? We Are Fine, Thank You’, was “raw”, created just after they finished college. Still, it won eight awards at the Rolling Stone India Metal Awards in 2014.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The second album took so long to complete because, over the years, the members — Munz (vocals), Sushin Shyam (keyboards), Varun Raj (lead guitar), Ganesh Radhakrishnan (drums), Ahemed, and Mohan — became busy with their individual careers. But their fans didn’t forget them. “Perhaps our songs remind them of a time when they were beaten down,” says Mohan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India is less tolerant now than it was a decade ago. Does this affect the band that calls itself the ‘voice of the oppressed’? Mohan says they’ve matured enough to understand the state of things but still hope to take people “from a place of little compassion to more compassion” through their creative expression. Even the album titles, ‘How Are You? We Are Fine, Thank You’ and ‘As You All Know, This Is How It Is’, are a dig at systemic apathy, he points out.</p>
<p class="bodytext">The members of folk-metal band The Down Troddence (TDT) were deeply moved by the Palestinian crisis. In the geopolitical struggle, they saw similarities in the oppression faced by other communities and their refusal to be silenced. It inspired them to write lyrics for a piece of music they had composed years ago. ‘Maharani’, the single, has garnered 5,38,000 views on YouTube since it was released <br />last week.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“Not bad!” comments their bass guitarist and lyricist Nezer Ahemed. It’s a reassuring response, given that ‘Maharani’ is the first single from their long-awaited second album in 10 years. The six-piece band based in Kochi and Bengaluru is known for its social commentary, south Indian folk-metal sounds, and album covers and merchandise with evocative artwork.</p>.<p class="bodytext">‘Maharani’ has surprised fans for more than one reason. It marks renowned Karnatik musician T M Krishna’s debut in the metal genre. He lends his vocals to the track and also makes an appearance, clad in black robes, in the song’s dystopian-themed, CGI-aided video which is conceptualised around an entrapped woman. Krishna’s political views align with the band’s, and his reputation for experimentation meant the choice was a “no-brainer” for the crossover, says Ahemed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The new album, ‘As You All Know, This Is How It Is’, also features styles like jazz, punk, and hip hop alongside the band’s signature music. Issues like casteism, digital addiction, and environmental degradation are explored in tracks like ‘Ejjathi’, ‘Dopamine junkie’, and ‘Monsoon in Kannur’. “We have some abstract tracks too,” says rhythm guitarist Advaith Mohan about the 10-song album.</p>.Jams you love: Community gigs a big hit in Bengaluru.<p class="bodytext">Ahemed describes their latest work as “sophisticated and much more experimental, but of consistent quality”. In comparison, their first album, ‘How Are You? We Are Fine, Thank You’, was “raw”, created just after they finished college. Still, it won eight awards at the Rolling Stone India Metal Awards in 2014.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The second album took so long to complete because, over the years, the members — Munz (vocals), Sushin Shyam (keyboards), Varun Raj (lead guitar), Ganesh Radhakrishnan (drums), Ahemed, and Mohan — became busy with their individual careers. But their fans didn’t forget them. “Perhaps our songs remind them of a time when they were beaten down,” says Mohan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India is less tolerant now than it was a decade ago. Does this affect the band that calls itself the ‘voice of the oppressed’? Mohan says they’ve matured enough to understand the state of things but still hope to take people “from a place of little compassion to more compassion” through their creative expression. Even the album titles, ‘How Are You? We Are Fine, Thank You’ and ‘As You All Know, This Is How It Is’, are a dig at systemic apathy, he points out.</p>