Written By: Noam Asulin
Release Date - 18.2.2022
Label - Self-Released
"Bloodywood" comes from New Delhi, India. The band was formed in 2016 and started out as a parody band that does covers of pop and Indian songs. They later released a cover album called "Anti-Pop Vol. 1", with songs by "Backstreet Boys", "50 Cent", Ariana Grande, "Nirvana" and "Linkin Park", but the band soon began writing original songs.
The band was formed by Karan Katiyar (guitars, flutes, and production) who joined Jayant Bhadula (growls), whom he met at a local show. Together they started producing covers for pop songs. Later, rapper Raoul Kerr, who was initially a guest on the band's songs joined the band.
"Bloodywood" is influenced by bands like "Limp Bizkit", "Linkin Park" and more and plays nu-metal combined with Indian folk and electronic music.
For their debut album - "Rakshak" (Savior in Hindi), "Bloodywood" chose to use only original material, while re-recording some of the singles that were released in the past. The band claims that several record companies approached them with an offer to finance the release of the album, but they decided to release it independently.
(Photo: Fanart.TV)
The album begins with the song "Gaddaar". A few words are heard in Hindi and then guitars begin combining traditional Indian instruments and electronic samples. It is a political protest song that goes out against politicians who rely on sowing hatred to win votes and raise their political status.
The album itself is not diverse in terms of sound and all the songs have the same characteristics, rap in the verses, growls in the chorus, and a combination of lyrics in English, Hindi, and Punjabi (a language spoken in the Punjani region of India and Pakistan), which is exactly what makes it a fun album.
I think the production overall is not bad, but I have a very hard time hearing the bass and it's a bit lacking because in my opinion bass is a very important part of the song.
I have no doubt that every song on this album was written and performed with great passion and you can hear it from both vocalists. The songs are catchy and the album is just flowing and very fun to listen to. The album has a total of ten songs, of which three singles "Gaddaar", "Aaj" and "Dana Dan" have been released and it's a bit of a shame, because it's the kind of album you just want to hear more of.
I think there is not a single weak song on this album. All the songs maintain a high level and make sure that the listener stays at the same level of interest and ecstasy.
Upon its release, "Rakshak" entered the American Billboard charts, making "Bloodywood" the first Indian metal band to reach this status.
In conclusion, the members from India prove that hard work, passion, and perseverance (Karan resigned from his job as a lawyer) gave birth to one of the best nu-metal/folk-metal albums of 2022 and further show that the nu-metal genre can still innovate and interest especially if combined with other motifs. You do not have to understand Hindi to enjoy the album, so I highly recommend everyone to listen to it.
For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer