Dirge | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
You might not expect this from metal music, but there’s something for everyone in the upcoming second edition of Stress//Test, a gig series launched by city organizers Spectral Decay, featuring Dirge, The Earth Below , Megadrone and Manning’s performances are included. Orchid.
If you’re into ambient, psychedelic music, Megadrone will ditch their guitars for modular and semi-modular synths and effects at gigs. Founder Ganesh Krishnaswamy tells Metroplus that it’s going to be an hour of drone, spectral music and 1970s-inspired psychedelia and minimalist styles. Given his approach, Krishnaswamy – who is part of stoner/doom metal bands Beaver Sea and Kryptos – expects everyone to get comfortable, turn off their phones for a while, or lie down. “We have a normal video to complement the music, they can choose to watch it or close their eyes and nod. The idea is for them to completely immerse themselves, their physical and mental state, and travel for an hour,” he says.
For those who love rock, grunge and noise heavy music, Mumbai based The Earth Below is making their debut at Stress//Test 2. This is the first time that there will be a solo work of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Deepak Raghu. be performed live. As a drummer, Raghu fronted the Sludge band Shepherd and sat in for veteran acts including Millennium, Beaver Sea and Dying Embrace, plus rock band Mad Orange Fireworks. When it came time for The Earth Bottom to put together their own band, there was a certain apprehension (logically speaking, at least) but jamming with guitarist Ashish Neeraj Dharkar and drummer Shreyansh Kejriwal put things in order. It took just the right amount of enthusiasm to get it off the ground. ,
Mantising Orchid | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
According to Raghu, there was no better platform than Stress//Test to launch The Earth Below’s live set. “We will be performing songs from our first full length Nothing Works Vol 2 As well as road testing some new content that we are currently working on.
Planning a launch of their own is Mumbai-based band Dirge, who are returning to perform in the city for another Spectral Decay show (their last was in mid-2022). This time, they are touring with their second album, a self-titled record of 40 minutes of doom and post-metal released on March 10. Guitarist Varun Patil says, “We are really thrilled to play the entire album live, especially after receiving such an overwhelming response to our singles.” Bengaluru holds a special place for the band as they have been a receptive audience every time they have played over the years. CDs and merchandise of their new releases are available at the show, with Patil noting that he looks forward to seeing all the other artists in the lineup. Looking forward to sharing the stage with you.
Vocalist Kaushal LS of local mathcore/metal band Manitowing Orchids says they’ll be keeping the “fiery and frantic” energy for the audience. His anarchic style of music makes it an easy task, best heard on his debut album Steam and follow-up album Hive Mind, Kaushal, who also serves as the show’s co-organizer with D’Simon Santiago, says Manitowing Orchids particularly like lineups where things are unconventional, even within metal gigs. “The bands on this bill are absolutely stellar. Even though each band has a vastly different sound, the desire to express our honest creative selves is what binds us all together. We are so excited to see all the bands in this lineup. It’s going to be wild!’ he signs off.
Spectral Decay presents Stress // Test 2 in Fandom at Koramangala, rescheduled for Gilli’s on March 12. Tickets: ₹799 available on Insider.in + ₹499 cover fee payable at the gate.
Mantising Orchid | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
the earth below Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Megadrone | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement