By Aniruddh ‘Andrew’ Bansal
After a successful debut gig last August, Kolkata-based old-school death metal band Necrodeity are preparing to decimate the audience at this year’s Trendslaughter Fest at the No Limits Pub in Bangalore on February 10th, alongside Singapore’s Blood Division and India’s own Dying Embrace, Shepherd, Witchgoat and Solar Deity. Having started out in early 2012, the band is still a very new and relatively unknown entity, but an exciting prospect nonetheless. I spoke to them about Trendslaughter Fest, their debut gig, the Kolkata scene, or lack of, and future plans. Read the conversation below, and check them out on their facebook page. Also visit Trendslaughter Fest’s facebook landing page to book your tickets and get all the information you need about the festival.
First of all, how does it feel to be part of Trendslaughter Fest III, with a lineup featuring such great underground acts like Blood Division and Dying Embrace?
Absolutely Aniruddh, Its an irresistible line up and has got a bestial theme indeed and it will be an honour sharing the stage with such accomplished and veteran musicians and true comrades of Metal. Absolutely looking forward to TSF and meeting them in person. We will have a blast, for sure!
It’s always been hard for bands from your city to venture out to a place like Bangalore for gigs, so that must make Trendslaughter Fest all the more special for you, right?
You are right, but then we were never concerned about Kolkata Scene at first place. We stay pretty much engrossed in what we do and we are certain true maniacs would definitely appreciate what we are coming up with. Yes TSF is definitely special for us, not because NECRODEITY is playing in this edition but for the fact that this fest has its own point of view that we very much agree to and the organizers have never made any compromises to that.
Have you been able to create a local underground fan base in Kolkata, and is there interest among people in that city for your kind of music?
A. We are least bothered about the fan base, to be very honest with. Because we play this form of music strictly for ourselves, absolutely knowing the least viable aspects of extreme Death Metal forms before hand. But yes, there has been considerable amount of interest in NECRODEITY, locally as well as from outside, which is bit surprising, in a pleasant way ofcourse, to us because we have not released any materials yet.
The band is very young, having started out in 2012 and you played your debut gig at the Ritual Ascension Fest last August. What was that show like, and how much preparation did you go through to make sure your first ever gig went perfectly right?
Yes, Its safe to say NECRODEITY was contrived in January 2012, though the conceptualizing process of genre, imagery, Lyrical theme, ideological aspects started as early as in mid 2011. And We have been jamming in a cover band as well named GRAVE RELIC, mostly covering Autopsy, Bolt Thrower Hellhammer and Possessed in late 2011.
Yes, NECRODEITY debuted live at Ritual Ascension Fest organized by True Metal Cult of PUTRID ASCENDANCY, based in Kolkata. It was a hell of a gig. Totally badass. Bullet, Spikes, Leather and Bestial Death Metal. We enjoyed ourselves a lot and it seemed people did as well from the reviews. Though we did not get much time rehearsing together before the gig as some members are working full time but it really went as we wanted!
Does the lack of gigs bother you as musicians? I mean, do you sometimes get that itchy feeling of wanting to go out and play a show, or are you used to enduring long periods without gigs?
No, never.
Are you planning to record your material for an EP or album release of some kind in the near future?
Expect a demo release after TSF is over.
What inspired you to start out as a death metal band? Was it because of the kind of music you enjoy listening to, or do other aspects of life also influence your music?
A. We guess this is the style of music we play came very naturally to us, absolutely without any effort and is definitely the right tool to manifest our belief system or our individual path, doused in right aesthetics. We listen to different forms of music but among all of these genres, this kind of extreme, extreme Death/Black Metal seemed like the right canvas for echoing the bands ideology and befits the all the members chaotic self within.
What is your opinion on the death metal that’s prevalent these days? Do you think the ‘old school’ element has gone out of it, and do you feel it has become too technical and robotic?
A. Everything comes with a cycle, and it will be absolutely incorrect to say modern Death Metal(NOSDM) is lacking in aspects of feel or other elements because we have seen some of the great, great releases in Death Metal coming out in recent years. May be it has evolved from its Classic Form of 80s and early 90s but some have evolved the right way preserving the DNA of the classic form taking it further to the darker abyss Isn’t it the way everything in this universe works?
What’s your aim with this band? Do you want to be more actively involved in gigs and studio recordings, or are you happy to keep it underground the way it currently is?
The Aim has been the same from the day one, to manifest our individual path and echo what we believe in, musically, ideologically, aesthetically, irrespective of any constraint and lack of anything you mentioned though we have them on our cards for future.
Your vocalist designed the band’s logo. It’s always great to have a designer within your band itself. Do you also plan to develop some kind of artwork to add to the logo and make t-shirts any time soon?
Yes, Desecrator drew the logo, and its not about logo, everything, be it artwork, logo or anything, its always about the band visions and would be done by us only. And if we ever commission any artist in future for artwork or logo like we already did for new logo that will appear on the demo, the basic design would be provided by the band and the artist would be requested to perfect it, because this entity is not ONLY about Music, its about amalgamation of different art forms including Music that come right through us naturally, That’s NECRODEITY. We don’t have a plan for Shirt right now, may be after the release of demo. Lets see.
Interviews with the rest of the Trendslaughter Fest lineup:
Blood Division | Dying Embrace | Shepherd | Solar Deity | Witchgoat