THIRD CHAPTER UNFOLDS

Carnatic progressive rock pioneers Agam drop their third album, Arrival of the Ethereal, a magnum opus that unites 300 musicians worldwide

- P Sangeetha

C ARNATIC PROGRESSIVE ROCK trailblazers, Agam, are back in the spotlight, courtesy their third studio album, Arrival of the Ethereal, a true testament to the Latin aphorism 'omne trium perfectum,' where the third time truly is the charm. A labour of love spanning eight years, this magnum opus unites 300 virtuosos from across the globe, weaving together Carnatic classical tradition with orchestral compositions and progressive rock, jazz, and funk.

The album comprises a motley mix of songs-Walk of the Bride (Sita Kalyana Vaibhogame), The Silence that Remains (Mokshamu Galada), Shadows of Time, Flight to the Summer Sky, Between Doubt and Destiny, and Arrival of the Ethereal.

The lineup includes the Grammy Award-winning Czech National Symphony Orchestra and the legendary Mohan veena virtuoso Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, also a Grammy Award winner. The album features the centuries-old Chenda Melam drum ensemble from Kerala, alongside the nadaswaram, tavil, and pakhawaj, with chants by the South Indian Hindu priest community. It blends these traditions with brass and woodwind artistes from Italy & Argentina and Middle Eastern strings, including the saz, oud, and rabab. And the icing on the cake is that this long-awaited album, released after eight years, is now up for Grammy consideration! The band, which was recently in Chennai, dives into the visionary album and their musical journey in a chat with Indulge.

Eight years, perfected sound