Bangalore sludgers Bevar Sea first announced the release of their second album, Invoke the Bizarre, back in May, and today they affirm that the record will be out on Sept. 25 in India and Oct. 31 for the rest of the world. A couple tracks from Invoke the Bizarre have made their way out at this point, including “Sleeping Pool,” which you can hear below, and the album is available to preorder direct from the band worldwide.

The PR wire brings info and links:

India’s BEVAR SEA ‘Invoke the Bizarre’ on Upcoming Sophomore Album

India’s BEVAR SEA ‘Invoke the Bizarre’ on Upcoming Sophomore Album

Bangalore-based (India) Stoner/Doom Metal quintet BEVAR SEA will release its sophomore album Invoke the Bizarre worldwide on October 31. Pre-order the album at this location.

In November 2014, after a 10-day whirlwind session at Adarsh Recording Studio in their hometown, the band completing the challenging task of following up such a well-received debut album. Invoke the Bizarre sees a musically maturing BEVAR SEA in exploration of new sonic territories while remaining rooted in Stoner and Doom Metal. The album was then mixed and mastered by Matt Lynch from LA’s Mysterious Mammal Recording between April and August 2015.

1. Bearded and Bizarre
2. Bury Me in NOLA
3. Sleeping Pool
4. Where There’s Smoke (There’s a Pyre)
5. Heathen
6. Grand Alignment

BEVAR SEA started out in 2007-2008, and became a serious performing and recording act in late 2010. They’ve since gathered an unprecedented cult following in the country based on their powerful live performances and recorded output, as well as in doom circles abroad.

The band’s self-titled debut album was released in October 2012 to great response from both the local and international audiences, and favourable reviews from critics everywhere. The album was recorded by the band themselves at The Doom Cave, and was mixed and mastered by Billy Anderson (Melvins, Neurosis, Sleep, High on Fire, Agalloch etc), and featured artwork by the band’s lead guitarist and artist Rahul Chacko.

The record showcased a fairly young band playing doom with generous influence from 70s hard rock, with all the hooks, melodies and blues-favoured riffs you’d expect from that combo. The positive response worldwide to the album went a long way to putting them on the map, even as far as earning them a slot at the prestigious Maryland Deathfest in the USA. Songs from the album became live staples since the release, and were also featured in various compilations worldwide.

Two years after the release of the first album, with more experience and skill under their belt, the band wrapped up writing new songs for the second album titled Invoke the Bizarre. The album is set for a 25th September 2015 release in India and October 31st for the rest of the world.

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Bevar Sea, “Sleeping Pool”

Bangalore sludge five-piece Bevar Sea will release their second album, Invoke the Bizarre, later this year. Looking to progress beyond the stylizations of their 2012 self-titled debut (track stream here), the band worked closely with Snail bassist Matt Lynch on the mixing and mastering end of the process, having recorded with Nikhil Pai at Adarsh Recording Studio.

Artwork, conceptual and practical details and the tracklisting for Invoke the Bizarre have surfaced, but even more telling of the growth the band has undertaken over the last couple years is the stream of the 10-minute “Sleeping Pool,” which one can find along with the album announcement and comment from Bevar Sea and Lynch below, as put out by the band:

Bevar Sea reveals second album details, premieres an entire song.

India’s doom mainstays Bevar Sea have raked in global attention since the release of their self-titled debut album back in 2012. The record showcased a fairly young band playing doom with generous influence from 70s hard rock, with all the hooks, melodies and blues-favoured riffs you’d expect from that combo. The positive response worldwide to the album went a long way to putting them on the map, even as far as earning them a slot at the prestigious Maryland Deathfest in the USA.

Two years later, with a bit more experience and skill under their belt, the band wrapped up writing new songs for the second album, and on November 2014, they entered a 10-day whirlwind recording session at Adarsh Recording Studio in their hometown of Bangalore.

Band founder and de facto producer Srikanth Panaman weighed in on the experience: “We went in with way better preparation this time around. With help from our experienced FoH engineer Nikhil Pai, we found the best drum room in town, with the kind of mics and other assorted equipment we wanted, in order to get the sound we had imagined in our heads. The recording process was a breeze, and that’s something we couldn’t have imagined in 2011 during the first album’s production. Matt Lynch (Mysterious Mammal Studios, also the bassist of the amazing Snail) had been on board from the pre-production stage, so we talked and agreed on what had to be done to capture the best tones and performances from everyone, and to have things ready for Matt to do his mixes. We weren’t going to do any editing, sampling, or time aligning, so it was important that we got things right at the source the old fashioned way. I was very happy with the results we got, and Matt has since been able to give us the mixes we deserve.”

Matt Lynch had this to say about things from his side of the fence: “I can tell they worked really hard on the preproduction and tracking process, and after hearing the rough mixes of the new tunes, it was clear that this record is going to turn some heads not just in India, but around the globe.”

About what can be expected of the music on the new album, Panaman said, “It’s still broadly stoner and doom metal, but it’s also completely different from anything we did on the first album. It’s darker, at times faster and more metal, and for complete contrast, we’ve also got two entirely slow dirges.”

“Invoke the Bizarre” is the album title, and its track list follows:
1. Bearded and Bizarre
2. Bury me in NOLA
3. Heathen
4. Where there’s Smoke (there’s a Pyre)
5. Sleeping Pool
6. The Grand Alignment

Vocalist and lyricist-in-chief Ganesh Krishnaswamy took a different approach to the album’s themes this time around. While it won’t lay claim to being a concept album, there’s still a discernible string that ties it all together. According to him, “The album is set in Elder Time; time before time as we humans know it, when practitioners of ancient magic and the occult rose up against the greed and might of a system that was knee deep in rot, corruption and avarice.”

The album’s artwork is once again being handled by in-house doodler Rahul Chacko, who continues with the underwater theme that was first explored on the debut album’s multi-panel artwork. Taking time off his busy schedule, he said, “The painting for the album cover depicts the birth of a creature in answer to the cosmic summons to overthrow the despotic regime. In a way, it represents the band’s sound on the second album – less catchy, with more of an ugly slithering feel to it.”

As for the remaining artwork for the album: “The first album had illustrations for each song, but all those were done beforehand for projection slides to use at gigs or for merch. This time, the entire album will be unified by one cohesive landscape with elements from all the songs. It’ll definitely feel a lot more ‘together’ than the first, since everything is being done from scratch and specifically designed to take advantage of the physical formats.”

Invoke the Bizarre is set to release later in 2015, with the exact date to be set soon. Until then, the band has released the ten minute song, “Sleeping Pool” on their Soundcloud channel.

Incidentally, this was the song that Matt loved the most from the demo stages. In his own words, “Sleeping Pool is the crown jewel of the record, and I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into the mix to get it as huge as possible. It’s ten minutes of sludgy doom that draws you in from the first muted guitar chugs, into the crushing swing and finally the swaggering, pummeling end riff takes you over the edge into a hypnotic, bludgeoned trance-state, devolving into a feast of backmasking and delay loops that sounds like a giant cyclops stumbling through the demonic end scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

Bevar Sea are:
Ganesh Krishnaswamy – vocals
Rahul Chacko – guitars
Srikanth Panaman – guitars
Avinash Ramchander – bass
Deepak Raghu – drums

Facebook: http://facebook.com/bevarsea
YouTube: http://youtube.com/bevarsea
Bandcamp: http://bevarsea.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/bevarsea/

Bevar Sea, “Sleeping Pool”

Cool news from the nascent Helmet Lady Records, who have just picked up Bangalore, India, three-piece Shepherd for not one, but two vinyl releases, the first an official issue of their Demonstration 2 2012 demo and the second an LP edition of their well-received Stereolithic Riffalocalypse (review here) full-length debut. The label, whose ears have proven to be on the ground in choice other pickups like Saturndust, 1886 and Hawkeyes, will welcome Shepherd with the first release this summer as the band’s reputation continues to grow internationally.

The announcement came down the PR wire, as announcements do:

Helmet Lady Records News- Signing Announcement!

Helmet Lady Records is damn ecstatic to announce the signing of crushing, India-based doom band, Shepherd. Our small family has grown quickly in 2015 and Shepherd serves as an important cornerstone in the development of the label as a nirvana of beautifully heavy music on vinyl.

Such big plans we have for these tunes!!

First off, Demonstration 2 is set to be released this Summer as #1 in the new HLR Ruination series as a newly mastered uber-limited, hot mixed, custom colored vinyl limited to only 111 copies featuring artwork by the band and four raw, powerful tracks that set the doom meter aflame. No phasers remained set on “stun” for this one, I can assure you!

Next, HLR will delve into the amazing full length debut album, Stereolithic Riffalocalypse, which is scheduled to be released very late Summer or early fall with limited, boutique versions available including a die hard that includes a custom, deluxe art print and a unique band only custom version.

Bludgeoning, menacing and brash, the album is a bold production that delivers the heavy in a huge way, and will leave you begging for more!

Both releases will be available on vinyl and digitally at www.helmetladyrecords.com

Shepherd is probably the only Bangalore-based sludge/heavy rock band from India. The band has been making waves in the underground, drawing Influence from the guitar-driven sounds of early 90’s hard rock (Soundgarden, The Melvins, Eyehategod) and the aural assault of 80’s hardcore punk (Black Flag,Discharge, Fear), the band has built a reputation for itself as an ever-evolving and unpredictable heavy rock entity. You don’t need more proof of that than just one listen to the eight tracks that feature on Stereolithic Riffalocalypse, which was recorded at Bangalore’s Area 51 Studio and mixed by Rahul Ranganath and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, who has previously worked with the likes of YOB, Obituary, Sourvein and Old Man Gloom.

Despite a setlist that keeps growing with every gig under its belt, the band takes it a step further by introducing improvisational elements into their music – sort of a rarity in heavy music. Shepherd being the only band of its kind in India has been slowly building a reputation as one of the loudest, heaviest three-piece band to watch out for, ready to take on the rest of the country, and the world.

Shepherd is:
Deepak Raghu – drums/vocals
Namit Chauhan – guitars/vocals
Abhishek Michael – bass/vocals

https://www.facebook.com/shepherdrock
https://shepherdrock.bandcamp.com/
http://www.helmetladyrecords.com
https://www.facebook.com/helmetladyrecords

Shepherd, “Five”

Sludge rock trio Shepherd are set to release their debut long-player, Stereolithic Riffalocalypse (spoiler alert: it’s heavy), on March 7. The Bangalore, India-based three-piece — who are not to be confused with the defunct German doom outfit of the same name — have shared stages with countrymen acts like Bevar Sea and Djinn and Miskatonic, among many others, and their first album follows behind demos released in 2011 and 2012 and the 2012 live offering, Live at Kyra (18-02-12) (also apparently known as Open Mic Surgery and pressed in a limited CD edition under that title), all three songs from which also appear on the upcoming record, which basks in classic heavy riffage in a manner befitting the name they’ve given it.

Today I have the pleasure of unveiling “Turdspeak” from Stereolithic Riffalocalypse, the second track on the album. Its low-end-rooted groove relies effectively on bassist/vocalist Abhishek Michael for its foundation, but the steady roll in guitarist/vocalist Namit Chauhan‘s riffs are always in charge, a noisy solo emerging late in the song to add to the nod punctuated by drummer/vocalist Deepak Raghu as the song’s speedier and unpretentious finale plays out having taken off from the more lurching, effects-laden beginning it’s given. “Turdspeak” effectively showcases the core impulses under which Shepherd are working — a mash of stoner groove and punk intensity. With all three members sharing vocal duties, they’re able to add variety in a way that a lot of sludge acts can’t, and as you can hear, the Echoplex-driven tones they bring to bear on “Turdspeak” are nothing if not dense.

Preorders for the album start on Feb. 1, and you can keep an eye on Shepherd‘s doings at any of the links below — their demos and Live at Kyra are available as name-your-price downloads. Reading over their bio, which follows the track here, one gets a sense both of the band’s desire to stand out in the style and their acknowledgement that India’s heavy rock scene is really just beginning to come together. Phrases like “out to make sure 2015 is their year” speak to ambition, and at the same time, they also refer to themselves as “the only band of its kind in India,” which at least to my ears seems kind of lonely. Nonetheless, they do stand out, and for more than their point of origin.

Take a listen to “Turdspeak” below, and enjoy:

Bangalore, India-based sludge/heavy rock band Shepherd is out to make sure 2015 is their year. After two years of writing, recording and several gigs at clubs and festivals in Bangalore, Shepherd is ready with their mammoth debut album, aptly titled ‘Stereolithic Riffalocalypse’, slated to release on 7th March 2015.

To kick things off, they’re giving fans a taste of the album by premiering the song “Bog Slime” on Rolling Stone India, along with revealing the tracklist and album art to Stereolithic Riffalocalypse. Formed in 2011, Shepherd is probably the only Bangalore-based sludge/heavy rock band from India. The band has been making waves in the underground, drawing Influence from the guitar-driven sounds of early 90’s hard rock (Soundgarden, The Melvins, Eyehategod) and the aural assault of 80’s hardcore punk (Black Flag, Discharge, Fear), the band has built a reputation for itself as an ever-evolving and unpredictable heavy rock entity. You don’t need more proof of that than just one listen to the nine tracks that feature on Stereolithic Riffalocalypse, which was recorded at Bangalore’s Area 51 Studio and mixed by Rahul Ranganath and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, who has previously worked with the likes of YOB, Obituary, Sourvein and Old Man Gloom.

Despite a setlist that keeps growing with every gig under its belt, the band takes it a step further by introducing improvisational elements into their music – sort of a rarity in heavy music. Shepherd being the only band of its kind in India has been slowly building a reputation as one of the loudest, heaviest three-piece band to watch out for, ready to take on the rest of the country, and the world.

Shepherd is:
Deepak Raghu – drums/vocals
Namit Chauhan – guitars/vocals
Abhishek Michael – bass/vocals

Stereolithic Riffalocalypse tracklist:
1. Spite Pit
2. Turdspeak
3. Crook
4. Black Cock of Armageddon
5. Stereolithic Riffalocalypse
6. Bog Slime
7. Wretch Salad
8. Stalebait

Recorded at Area 51 by Premik Jolly
Mixed by Rahul Ranganath,
Mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege
Album artwork by Sonali Zohra (Dangercat Studio)

Shepherd on Thee Facebooks

Shepherd on Twitter

Shepherd on Bandcamp

Listening to it front to back, it becomes clear quickly that Spiral Shades‘ forthcoming debut, Hypnosis Sessions, is a special kind of album. But even hearing it only tells half the tale. The 55-minute 2LP — which is due Aug. 5 on RidingEasy Records on grey vinyl or CD (pre-orders are available here) — captures a naturalist proto-metal kind of sound from the start, in places reminiscent of a harder-edged version of the kind of analog worship and rolling grooves Witch proffered on their own debut, but it was made by players living a continent apart from each other.

Comprised of Indian vocalist/guitarist Khushal R. Bhadra and Norwegian guitarist/bassist/drum programmer Filip Petersen, Spiral Shades have never actually played in the same room, yet the Sabbathian idolatry they bring about on cuts like “Illuminati” and “Wizardry” from Hypnosis Sessions is as fluid as if it was recorded live. It’s a credit to the tones Bhadra and Petersen were able to capture on their own, working back and forth via email, sending files to each other and piecing together the album in a manner befitting its collage cover art, but more importantly, it’s a wide open, badass sound, and the album jams out vibrant grooves with a steady flow and pays homage to classic ’70s influences in a way that’s modern both in process and in sonics.

Though shorter than, say, 13-minute freakout “Grim Rituals,” the catchy stomp of “Wizardry” nonetheless provides an engaging sample of what Spiral Shades have to offer those who’d join them in their continent-crossing riffy congress. Hopefully this isn’t a one-time collaboration on the part of Bhadra and Petersen. When one considers the kind of chemistry they’re able to capture on Hypnosis Sessions and the organic, full-band feel they bring about on songs like “Wizardry,” taken in context with the distance between them, it seems like all the more reason to keep going forward and developing the ideas they’ve laid down here.

Enjoy “Wizardry” on the player below, courtesy of RidingEasy:

Spiral Shades release Hypnosis Sessions Aug. 5 on RidingEasy Records. The album will be available on CD and vinyl. The orange LP edition of 75 sold out on pre-order, but dark grey marble is still available, though limited to 100. More info and pre-orders via the links below.

Spiral Shades on Thee Facebooks

Spiral Shades on Bandcamp

Hypnosis Sessions at RidingEasy Records’ webstore

RidingEasy Records on Thee Facebooks

Bangalore-based sludge five-piece Bevar Sea will take part in a new tribute to Motörhead featuring Indian bands. No easy feat to pick a Motörhead track for a cover. Do you go with something obvious? “Stay Clean” or the so-landmark-it-practically-has-a-fence-around-it “Ace of Spades?” Bevar Sea decided on another route, snatching up the 1983 B-side to the single “I Got Mine,” “Turn You Round Again,” betting that although the song’s been on numerous comps in the 30 years since its first appearance, it’s probably still unknown to most of the people who’ll catch the tribute. Smart move, most likely.

Bevar Sea released their Billy Anderson-mixed self-titled debut last October (track premiere here) and still have copies available on their Bandcamp page. More info about the tribute can be found on its Thee Facebooks, and to go with the lyric video Bevar Sea took a hypnotic fight scene from 2010’s Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster. So what you get here is a sludgy Motörhead cover and kickass kung fu choreography. That’s a win even before the band get down to creative subtitling.

Check it out:

Hailing from Bangalore, India, the double-guitar five-piece sludge outfit Bevar Sea will shortly issue their self-titled debut. The Iron First Records full-length CD follows a couple 2011 live demos and showcases universal elements of stoner riffing and plodding grooves, culminating in the 13:53 album closer, “Mono Gnome,” which invites us all to the mountaintop to bask in chugging guitar progressions, naked ladies, and of course, the gnome himself, who may or may not be armed.

I’m sure there are a couple here and there — in a country with 1.21 billion people, there’d almost have to be — but Bevar Sea are the first Indian band I know of to really nail down a stoner/doom aesthetic. “Mono Gnome” is formative, and it’s clear they’re still getting their bearings in terms of sound, but the shuffle they work in before the midsection break, the heady, swaying riffs that come after and the willingness to ride out the already-considerable grooves they emit speak well for their potential. I’m looking forward to hearing the rest of the album.

In the meantime, I’m glad to premiere the YouTube embed for “Mono Gnome” below. Make sure you turn on the closed captioning and check out the lyrics:

Bevar Sea is Ganesh Krishnaswamy (vocals), Srikanth Panaman (lead guitar), Rahul Chacko (guitar, art), Avinash Ramchander (bass) and Deepak Raghu (drums), and the album Bevar Sea is due before the end of the month in a CD digipak from Iron Fist Records. More info at the band’s Thee Facebooks page or through the label.