One of the finest indie bands to come out of Kerala, Chaos brought thrashing mayhem into a generation that had experienced Western influences so far. If you want music that promises to kick your face off, Chaos' no-nonsense, in-your-face thrash metal work should do the trick. They are every bit as anarchic as their name suggests.
This thrash metal band has repeatedly set and raised the bar with every release, without shying away from bringing in a dose about politics, religion, and caste discrimination. Now meaner and odious than ever, they have become one of India's most respected influences of thrash metal.
Just like many of us here, we're excited to watch them perform live at IndieGaga in Kochi on the 21st of February. Get ready to bang your head since we had a chance to have a quick chat with Chaos and you might want to check this conversation out.
Given that a lot of our audience may not be aware of the technicalities, how would you define - in simple terms - "thrash metal" as a genre?
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that is characterized by its highly paced tempo and aggressive, driving sound. Lyrically most thrash metal songs deal with social and political issues, as well as emotional themes such as anger, rebellion, and aggression. Bands like Slayer, Metallica, and Megadeth invented the thrash sound and it is one of the best forms of metal music to be experienced live.
Was there an origin story for the choice of the word 'Chaos' as the band's moniker?
There isn't a specific story behind it. One of the toughest challenges when starting a band is definitely coming up with a name. After a lot of deliberation, Chaos was a name that we all felt was really cool and we just stuck to it.
How do you look at the evolution of the metal scene in India - and specifically Kerala - over the years?
In our view, the metal scene in India has seen a lot of growth and evolution in recent years. In the past decade, we have seen metal music influences being absorbed into regional languages like Malayalam, Tamil, and Hindi, which has helped to expose a wider audience to metal. At every show we play or attend, we've been seeing a lot of new faces in the audience which has shown that there is a newer generation of fans embracing this form of music. However, the lack of available venues for gigs in most cities remains a challenge for the scene.
On the positive side, we have also seen Indian metal bands gaining acceptance from international audiences on a larger scale. Bands like Kryptos, Bloodywood, Skyharbor, Godless, Gutslit, and Amorphia have all had successful international tours, demonstrating the global appeal of Indian metal. In Kerala specifically, we have established bands like Amorphia and TDT putting out great music, and we hope to see more new bands emerge in the near future. One of the best things about the Kerala metal scene is the dedicated and passionate fans, who are some of the most enthusiastic and supportive in the country. It is a dream for any band to perform in Kerala for this crowd. We hope to see more metal bands included in festival lineups like Indiegaga in the future which will be a really huge boost for the scene.
What is your long-term vision as independent artist?
As a band that has been together for 18 years, our long-term vision is to continue creating and releasing music more frequently and to stay together as a band for as long as possible. Touring internationally is also a very important vision we carry. We have been receiving interest from promoters in Europe and Southeast Asia, and we hope to make this dream a reality real soon.
What's the best thing about performing a live set?
As a metal band, the best thing about performing a live set is the energy and passion of our fans. It is also an opportunity for us to connect with our fans on a more personal level and showcase our talent and hard work as a band. The energy and excitement of the crowd are always contagious, and the atmosphere is powerful and electric. Nothing beats the energy of being on stage and it is something we want to do for as long as we can. Performing for the audience in Kerala specifically is always a special and unforgettable experience for us.
Your 2020 single, Rise From the Ashes, while having many trademark Chaos elements, also seemed more cathartic than usual. Was there a personal element or backstory to this track?
We often draw inspiration for our music from our own lives and the things we are passionate about, and "Rise From the Ashes" was no exception. The song was inspired by a desire to overcome challenges and setbacks, and to find strength and resilience in the face of adversity. We hope that the cathartic energy of this track will resonate with our listeners and help them to find their own strength and empowerment.
How excited are you to perform at IndieGaga? What are you looking forward to at the event? And, which band/musicians are you excited to strike up a conversation over there?
We are extremely excited to be performing at IndieGaga! This is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our music and connect with new fans.
We are looking forward to experiencing the energy and excitement of the Kochi audience, the much-renowned IndieGaga production, and checking out the other musicians on the bill. We are also looking forward to the opportunity to meet and interact with other bands and musicians at IndieGaga, no specific names as such. We are already friends with a few of the artists, and we hope to meet and hang out with everyone who is part of the fest.
How's 2023 looking for you?
We are planning on releasing our third album in 2023. We are very excited about what the year has in store for us. We have been working hard on our new material, and we are confident that our third album will be our best yet.
We are looking forward to sharing our new music with our fans and seeing how they respond to it. We are also planning to tour and perform live to support the release of the album, and we are excited to see where the year takes us. Overall, 2023 is shaping up to be a very exciting year for us as a band, and we can't wait to see what the future holds.
Excited to watch Chaos live? Book your tickets to IndieGaga in Kochi here.
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