Kalodin is set to release its first EP on 12 May, two years after the launch of their first full length album 'The Bestial Ritualism of Harlotry'. Initially from Singapore, the group has come a long way since playing on tours to being part of grand music festivals and has established itself as a prominent black metal band in the Nepali underground scene.
I caught up with Davin Shakya, the lead guitarist of Kalodin at the band's home studio to talk about behind the scene developments. Shakya has been instrumental in keeping the band together all these years during its transition from Singapore to Nepal.
WAVE: Update us about the band's progress, what is new and what can fans expect from this album?
Our lineup has changed as we have added new session vocalists in few songs in the EP. Gobind Sen is on live drums and will replace the MIDI drumming tracks we used in the previous album. Gobind's live drumming has improved the quality of our production in comparison to the previous record.
Lyrically, I would say we have become more profound. Our objective is the same, but we have taken a different route in how we use words. Musically, it is much heavier and darker. In addition, we have added an Eastern feel to the music will go well with the album's title. Anil Dhital of 'Lakhey' and 'White' also collaborated with Kalodin on a track, incorporating his hypnotic Sitar tunes.
We hear Bikash Rai, one of the oldest members of Kalodin has left. How is this going to affect the band?
Yes, Bikash is now in the US pursuing his education. We got Pramod Ban of 'Unholy Sickdom' in his place. Honestly, it doesn't matter if this replacement is permanent or temporary. We are here to stay.
Tell us more about the title of your EP.
We've used a Sanskrit word, 'Sarv' which means to kill or injure. The title does not necessarily reflect our type of music, but serves as an overarching theme.
Walk us through the recording process and how you went about creating the EP.
Sarv has 4 tracks in total. Most of the EP is produced under the label Ellipsis Records and was recorded at the band's home studio except for the drums which was done at Phoenix Studio by Coleton Paskert.
OmEO and I have penned the lyrics and arranged the music. Gobind was on the drums. Sanjay Maharjan of 'Garudh', Pranav Panthi of 'Unholy Sickdom' and I have provided the vocals. Bikash Rai and Kushal Shrestha were in charge of the graphics department and have done a fabulous job with the artwork and posters.
Milan Thapa aka LIGU and Prabish Ban's contribution from day one also boosted the whole production. And we would really like to thank Ashim Khanal and Adab for providing us with the drum set and cymbals. We couldn't have done this without the help of all these guys.
Most Nepali listeners are unaware of underground bands which play 'unconventional' music and very few follow the local scene. But groups like Kalodin are slowly starting to create a name for themselves. What sort of challenges did you face while working on the album or trying to reach out to your audience?
Well, load shedding was the only major problem that we faced. We are not really worried about people misunderstanding or misinterpreting our music. The world evolves and so does music. We don't want to put a label or tag on our music, because if you listen to our records from 'Torture' our first, to our debut LP to the current EP, you will realise we have evolved. We stick to our core values, but keep growing musically.
Any future plans?
Along with the EP launch, we are planning to start an event company which will organise gigs where new metal bands can perform. We want to provide a platform to those bands that have not quite gotten the recognition they deserve.
ART AND SCIENCE IN THEIR MUSIC Art vs Science is a three-piece, electro-house, dance-punk band from Sydney, Australia formed in early 2008. The group consists of Jim Finn on vocals and keyboards, Dan McNamee (styled as Dan Mac) also on vocals, guitars and keyboards, and Dan Williams (styled as Dan W.) on drums and vocals.
Art vs Science's debut self-titled extended play, Art vs. Science, peaked at number 32 on the Australian Singles Chart and has since been accredited gold record status. The band undertook its first headline national tour in May 2009, which completely sold out. At the 2010 ARIA Music Awards the band received three nominations, 'Best Dance Release', 'Best Independent Release' and 'Best Video' for Magic Fountain.
Daniel McNamee is currenty in Nepal. WAVE caught up with Dan Mac to talk about the band's music and how it has changed over the years.
What brings you to Nepal?
I had never been to Nepal before and it's a place I wanted to visit for some time because of the Himalayas.
How are you enjoying your stay here so far? Places you have visited?
It's been a lot of fun meeting new people and hanging out in Kathmandu. I've visited most of the tourist destinations and they were quite spectacular. I was lucky to be in Bhaktapur during the Nepali New Year's day celebrations and it was really special seeing the community come out and put on a concert with a mix of traditional and modern Nepali songs and dance. I enjoyed the traditional stuff the most. Nepali dancing has a very unique way of storytelling.
Does the band have plans of touring Nepal or organising a concert?
Hopefully one day we can come and play here. We've got a short US tour in June and then we'll be working on new songs for quite some time after that. But if there are people who'd like to see us play in Nepal then we'd love to come.
What drives the band's music? What is it trying to achieve musically? Do you think the band has succeeded in its mission so far?
It's strange actually. I thought I knew what drives the band's music, but now I've realised that it's a different thing every time. Normally the thought patterns in my head seem to be what drives the band. But I think I may just have been imagining this. For a long time Art vs Science meant thinking about the world as portrayed by the media (art) vs the real world as we actually experience it (science). We wanted to get people to think outside of the media illusion. But when I look back at the songs we've created, a majority of them are excuses to have fun and party, which is what we're most well known for I think.
'Magic Fountain' is one of your biggest hits. Tell us about the story behind the song and the video.
The song tells a story about the mythical source of everything - of consciousness of thought and of the universe itself - still existing somewhere on Earth. And how many people have tried to find it, and some did find it and became enlightened, and while others went insane. The video follows a similar theme: an old man who has found the fountain uses it to serve his own selfish ends: to make himself younger through the cunning use of a speaker jacker playing loud beats. And young people follow him and start dancing.
We were just letting our imagination run wild and seeing what happens. That some people enjoy it is a blessing.
Your music videos are very unique and the band is always pushing the envelope when it comes to video making. What's your formula?
Credit must go to our director Alex Roberts. He directed our first video, 'Parlez Vous Francais', which is still my all-time favourite.
I'm always fascinated by formulas in art - whether it's song structure, classical proportions in art because, like all scientific formulas they reflect something real.
Making music videos is a great opportunity to tell a compelling story set to the soundtrack of the song we're releasing. Sometimes it's more successful than other times.
The trio earlier played in a rock band called Roger Explosion. From those days to the sort of music to you guys play today, how did the transition happen? Also, why did you choose to focus on the electronic sounds?
In a word, the old band was pretty much finished, and I was tired of trying to make a living out of music. We started off in 2003 and in 2007 after not having really gone anywhere the bass player went away on a holiday and we told him, "Take as long as you want - we're not doing anything here." In the meanwhile, I started making electronic music on my computer and got very involved in it. We also saw Daft Punk live in December 2007 which was hugely inspirational. So Dan W and I, and soon Jim were mucking about playing our keyboards through guitar amplifiers.
One day a promoter called to book Roger Explosion. Obviously we couldn't do the show because the bass player was away but I said that I had a new act ready to go. We wrote a bunch of songs that week and played our first show and people liked it. I felt quite bad for Tom, our bass player (Jim's brother). But I figure that Art vs Science wouldn't have existed if he was still around. We would all be doing office jobs instead. He is now a doctor by the way.
What about the band's future plans?
We're currently taking some time off after a fairly hectic three years of touring and recording. Basically, we're giving ourselves time for new dreams to start playing out in our imagination. I'm visiting Mt Kailash soon for the Saga Dawa, Dan W is in Berlin, and Jim is in Sydney hanging out and having fun.
I'd love to do a new EP or album really soon. Hopefully we can start it around October.
Did you get a chance to attend any live shows in Nepal?
Yes I've seen quite a few live Nepali bands. Metal seems to be very popular here. I've also listened to an Albatross CD and they are pretty cool. The main thing I can say about Nepali bands is that the players in them are really good. There was one drummer, whose name I can't remember, who was playing in a band called Under Side and he's amazing. I saw him a few nights later at the Irish pub somewhere in Thamel and he was playing Metallica and Pantera covers. Phenomenal drummer!
I've noticed there are not many girls out and about at night time though. Perhaps that explains the popularity of metal. But I am really happy to see a bustling Nepali music scene.
The IDES of March
Organised by KtmRocks, the11th edition of Ides of March was one of the most anticipated event among fans of underground music. The diverse lineup of local bands along with the Bangladeshi group, Severe Dementia, did not disappoint and the crowd gathered at the Fun Park ground on 31 March was treated to a fusion of rock, metal and classical music.
11, a slam death metal band, was the first to perform. They played an impressive set of tight original and cover songs. Divine Influence, a groove metal band came on stage after 11.
Imperium followed soon afterwards, but they were delayed midway through their performance, because of load shedding.
White, a rock band whose music focuses on sex, drugs and rock and roll, was next in line. With nasty riffs, intense vocals and crazy stories White, completely hypnotised the fans.
Then Jindabaad came on stage. Although the art rock group was making a comeback after a yearlong break, they sounded spectacular in every beat.
Before the last two bands could take over, Umes Shrestha, the man responsible for the show thanked the audience and all the individuals who made the event possible.
With the sun setting, Severe Dementia finally took stage. They started their fierce musical assault with songs from their Epitaph of Plassey EP. As their blinding performance raged on, huge mosh pits emerged in the crowd. The band concluded ferociously with Howls of Murshidabad and was incredible to watch live. The Bangladeshi boys seemed happy to be playing in Nepal.
The most anticipated band Lakhey finally made its appearance at the very end. Wearing Lakhey masks, the band's set up comprised of Nepali/Newari classical instruments like dhyangro, dhime, khing, bhusyaa, flute together with bass and guitar. They began by placing a buffalo head on stage, which created an eerie environment. An ethnic metal band, Lakhey created sublime tunes mixing classical sounds with metal. Although the concept was great, technical glitches and unclear output meant that the audience had a hard time grasping their music.
The large crowd was enthralled by the fantastic show. Am now eagerly awaiting 2013's installment of the Ides of March!
 PRATIK KARKI |
Bipul in his own words
WAVE is always on the lookout for young, talented, Nepali YouTube stars. For this edition we want to introduce you to Bipul Pandey, ayoung singing sensation from US. For readers who have not checked out Bipul's video link on our facebook page yet, go to YouTube, listen to his covers and get lost in his soothing, magical voice.
My YouTube channel is called 'MrBipulpandey. My 15 videos have garnered 18,000 views so far. I'm currently majoring in Physics from University of Texas at Austin and have been living in the US since August 2010. But I miss my home dearly. I grew up in my mamaghar, where everyone knew how to sing. The cassette player never stopped humming, and my grandfather and my great grandmother would sing me to sleep every night. That's where I got my love for music. They have inspired me to sing.
I uploaded my first YouTube video two years ago. It was a sufi song, "Saaware", by Roop Kumar Rathod. It currently has about 5500 views. My most recent upload is 'Euta manche ko' by Swor Samraat Narayan Gopal and it has over 4,500 views.
Singing is something that helps me remain sane. I began singing seriously after I went through a breakup, and singing got me through it. I prefer singing my own compositions to covers, because I can experiment and explore without any restraints. However, interpreting a master's work in my way has its own significance. I listen to artists from different eras and regions of the world. I also feel a certain emotional attachment towards the singer when I cover older songs.
I play the guitar but I'd definitely like to learn the piano. I am very passionate about singing, but I want to be known as Professor Dr Bipul Pandey who also sings rather than singer Bipul Pandey.
Based on an online interview by Pratik Karki
BEN HARPER: FOREVER Remnants of an old romance, this is perhaps my favourite love song. The effortless voice of Ben Harper makes me want to fall in love with him every time he says "give me you forever".
DAMIEN RICE: ROOTLESS TREE
It is difficult to pick a favourite Damien Rice song, but this is my current. I also recommend his duets with Lisa Hannigan. They sing in such perfect harmony.
BEBE: SIEMPRE ME QUEDARA
Bebe is a Spanish artist. I don't understand her words but her voice, I love
DAVE MATHEWS BAND: ALL ALONG THE WATCH TOWER
A whirlwind of sounds, jamming together, to explode into one fantastic version of the legendary song, DMB is best when they perform live.
YANN TIERSEN- THE PIANO
Close your eyes and listen to this music- the soundtrack from French film 'Amelie'. You will know why it is on my playlist.
What's on my ipod is quite a redundant question for me. I lost my dear ipod last year on the banks of Bhotekosi. Nevertheless, I can tell you what would have been in my playlist, if I hadn't been careless. Here are a few picks:
PEARL JAM: WISH LIST
This one tops the list of songs I like to listen to while star-gazing or any other time for that matter. It is a very simple song, but also very moving.
JAMIE CULLUM: ALL AT SEA
You cannot help but be enchanted with this man's talent. I find myself singing All at Sea when I want a day off.
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL: EL CONDOR PASA
One of the first songs I listened to on my parents' record player. This song makes me time travel to good times.
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS: PLUSH
I discovered Plush in someone's playlist and since then it hasn't left mine.
FIONA APPLE: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
You can't beat the Beatles but Apple's version of Across the Universe has a super soothing effect on me.
