Best Metal Releases

Orchid offer avant-garde noise; Kryptos get trippier; Gutslit’s brutal assault.

- Anurag Tagat and Nabeela Singh

FOCUS 22

Wired Anxiety

If you’re a fan of death metal, you would preferably want it to throw a barbed-wire punch in the face from the word go. Mumbai band Wired Anxiety’s 2016 EP The Delirium of Negation was more or less the band’s vicious parting gift of sorts. “Focus 22,” which closes the EP, is a floor-shaking take on groovy modern death metal, every chug of the string taking it one step closer to being the most destructive thing you might hear.

SUCK ON THESE

Reverrse Polarity

True to their randy, cheeky selves, Mumbai post-hardcore got much-needed representation in 2016 courtesy of Reverrse Polarity’s grimy but brutal takedown. Their first studio material since their 2013 self-titled debut, it might just be that their inner kids are growing up. The record is complete with spiralling grooves, a verse with clean vocals, and vocalist Gaurav Kataria taking his growl game up a few notches, showing off he could throw down a mean verse or two rapping as well.

SCAPHISM

Gutslit

Let’s not forget that one of the country’s finest brutal death metal bands, Mumbai grinders Gutslit, were out of action for a year. After hearing several iterations via the online audition they held, the lead single off their upcoming album Brodequin is being helmed by Bengaluru throat-shredder Kaushal L.S. Slice and dice blastbeats meet Kaushal’s deepest, near-vein-popping growl, and it’s a sign of brutal times ahead.

THIS BURDEN IS MINE

Demonstealer