Metalheads are a small albeit loyal bunch. They thrive on a diet of good music. The latest Indian band to grab their attention is Uddharett, although we are not entirely sure if we can call them the latest. Because you see, the assembling of the band members itself has been a long drawn-out process, something that Punyaslok Mohanty has been doing since April 29, 2016. And to mark the momentous occasion of five years of struggle the band will be releasing its first album on the same date this year. And if you have heard Rotting Saints, one of the songs from their upcoming album that they released on December 25 last year, you know you are in for some good metal music from these musicians from Odisha.
Talking more about the album, Punyaslok says, "As an artist, we should hold up a mirror to society. Just like Leo Tolstoy who wrote War and Peace and Anna Karenina as an example of what was happening in Russia back then. Similarly, we composed these songs keeping in mind what's happening in society today." In the same vein, Rotting Saints is all about those saints who started the war which has led to the needless loss of lives. Then there is their second song Save the Saviour which is based on Punyaslok’s own experience of being a Medical Officer for the Government of Odisha. "Corona has shown how we ill-treat doctors. I myself have been slapped, in one instance. Also, people smoke and drink and then they come to us, asking us to save them. Who will save the doctors?" asks the frontman of the band. These two plus another four songs will form what will be their first album, A Chaotic Reflection.
The 28-year-old is a self-taught tabla player-turned-vocalist and acoustic guitar player. And it all started with him wanting to explore the darker side of his emotions. He stumbled upon metal with Metallica and soon, he forgot all the Bollywood fluff that was being passed off as music. "Metal was all about being true to your feelings. In Bollywood, first, we were listening to Mohit Chauhan. Now, everybody listens to Arijit Singh. But metalheads were listening to Metallica before and even today, they listen to them," says the youngster who pursued his MBBS from Hi-Tech Medical College and Hospital, Bhubaneswar.
Punyaslok also adds, "I believe in yin and yang, that there is a positive and negative side to everything. Metal helps me vent that negativity out, whether it's by writing, singing or playing." Indeed, it is Punyaslok who writes the lyrics as well. He is assisted by band members or sometimes by Pratyush Mishra from Bhubaneswar Poetry Club. "In fact, it was he who gave us our name,” he shares. After a hiatus of four months due to Coronavirus, the band is now back to recording for their new album.
Meet the members:
- Dhrutisundar Sarangi: This professional drummer has his roots in Indian classical
- Deepak Kumar: He is the bassist of the band who is also a medical student
- Pratiujyoti Sahoo: He is a guitar player who has an MBA in Finance and is a banker
- Soumya Prakash Pothal: He is the lead vocalist who teaches guitar at SAI International School
For more on them check out instagram.com/uddharettofficial
