Label - Self Released
Release Date- 18th February 2022
Words- Chris Fletcher
If you were to list the ingredients of a great metal album in 2022 crushing riffs, infectious grooves and choruses with more hooks than Peter Pan’s nightmares would all be on that list. Rakshak, the self-released debut album by Indian metallers Bloodywood, has all of these in spades. However, it is the extra flourishes all over this album that set it apart and make it a truly unique proposition. Traditional Indian music, rapping and even flutes would not previously have made the checklist for essential components for a modern metal album, but it is these things right off the bat that make this a rare one off experience.
And therein lies the true genius of the album. Whilst countless other bands have explored the potential of melding other genres and traditional elements with metal previously, it is the way that all these elements are seamlessly blended together that truly show a band who are in full control of their craft. To do this on a debut album no less, is an extremely impressive feat.
Production wise this album is also impressive. An album this bombastic needs a clean production job that allows you to hear all the various different elements at play and fortunately this is achieved and then some. The riffs have real bounce and heft as displayed on tracks like ‘Gaddaar’, whilst the highs of the flutes and backing vocals on ‘Aaj’ are really allowed to soar, and although these two singles are the standout tracks on the album, there is plenty of gold to be mined elsewhere right through this record. Notably the final tracks ‘BDSK’ which begins like an early Linkin Park number before the Bloodywood personality really breaks through, and ‘Chakh Le’ which serves as a satisfying finale.
The lyrical themes throughout the album deal with some serious and heavy topics. Dictatorship, propaganda and corruption are all targets for the New Delhi trio throughout the record. The way these topics are approached lyrically over the course of the album, although admirable, can seem a bit ham-fisted at times. Lyrics such as “None of that fake shit WWE, ‘cause you know we keep it real like the UFC” could be said to be a bit on the nose and even a little cringey. However, this is merely a minor criticism that doesn’t really detract from the overall enjoyment of the record. In fact, one of the main strengths of this album is how topics such as these can be addressed whilst still managing to pull off what will surely be recognised as one of the most fun listening experiences of the year.
Bloodywood may have first gained notoriety as a YouTube sensation but they’ve come a long way since they burst onto the scene in 2018 and, although they started out making metal parodies, they’ve proved here that they are no joke.
8/10
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