Split Wide Open
Demonic Resurrection: A Darkness Descends
The Demonstealer, frontman of Demonic Resurrection, one of the most popular metal bands from this side of the world spoke to Split Magazine in an exclusive interview. The vocalist/guitarist talks about their recently released album, ‘A Darkness Descends’, their upcoming music video, the mother of all ‘Resurrections’, and lots more.
What’s been happening in the Demonic Resurrection camp of late?
Oh, well, a whole bunch. Right now, the band is busy practicing for the Great Indian Rock (GIR) series of gigs in Delhi and Mumbai (on the 18th and 25th of February respectively). Until now, its basically just been two odd gigs in the last two months — when we last played, we were runners up at NLS Strawberry Fields in Bangalore. Between the release of ‘A Darkness Descends’ and now, there has been a lot, and I mean a LOT of promotion work going on. We’ve managed to get our CDs out in Canada, Dubai, USA, Russia, Japan and other countries.
What sort of promotion?
I’ve just recently started up my label, Demonstealer Records, and we have been trading and distributing the [‘A Darkness Descends’] CD to interested parties — which means Demonic Resurrection is going to go far and wide in terms of distribution, but also, new bands from abroad will be coming into Indian through Demonstealer Records. Right now, the numbers are relatively small — we’re looking at a maximum of 50 CDs per distributor.
That’s a great first step.
Yeah, it is. In fact, I’m currently talking to certain labels about full-fledged distribution [where the label also handles the production of the CD, in addition to distribution of the album in stores, etc.] of our album in their territories.
Can you name some of the labels?
DemonZend Records is the only one I’ll name for now. But in terms of already working with, we have BloodBucket Productions from Canada, Weird Truth and World Chaos Productions from Japan, and Blacksmith Productions from Russia.
You released ‘A Darkness Descends’ towards the end of last year. How has it done in terms of sales and otherwise?
The feedback [from listeners] has been excellent. I mean people have gone to say that it’s the best-produced album by an Indian band, while others say it sounds international, even — not to praise our own tail too much. (Laughs) Sales-wise I think it’s been doing pretty well. From October 29, 2005 to February 7, 2006, we are looking at a total sale of almost 400 CDs.
So, it’s doing quite well, then.
Yeah, and that’s just a little over three months since we released it. We are averaging a little over 100 [CDs sold] a month — and this is merely selling through mail order, at live shows, distributors, CDBaby, etc. A major chunk [of the sales] has been from Bombay and Bangalore, and a large mail order sale in Delhi. We are yet to tour and sell it at Delhi, Pune, Chennai, and other cities.
From what I hear, the album is going to be sold in retail stores like Planet M as well?
Yes, by March, it should be hitting all the Planet M Stores in all the major metros in India. The CDs will be sold through Counter Culture, which is a new label started by Vijay Nair and Bobby (Zero). It’s going to be getting a lot of Indian rock CDs into stores pretty soon.
That’s great. You had also mentioned some time ago that there’s going to be a music video for one of the songs from your album.
Yes, we did mention that we were going to make a video. But right now, it’s been put on hold and if we do go ahead with it, we will do it sometime in June or July.
What song have you chosen for the video?
“Frozen Portrait�?, obviously.
And why is the video put on hold?
It’s on hold because of a lot of reasons — mainly because if we make a video, we want something that’s good and is of a certain standard, and to achieve that we need to invest a sizeable amount of money [into the video]. Now, investment is fine if the result is equivalent — which in this case is not, so the investment is not really worth making right now.
So, a lot has been happening since the launch of your album.
Yes, a lot has been happening. (Smiles)
Looking back over the years, since the days of the first line-up, how do you feel about where you are now?
I feel great about where the band is now. It’s been a rather long journey from [the] start to here, where we are now. There have been some great moments, there have also been a lot of ups and downs, and finally about three years ago Demonic Resurrection came full circle with the new line-up. Now, we are finally focused and on the right path to where we want to go. It really feels like six years of slogging my ass off has paid off with this album. And with many albums more to come I can only expect it to get better.
Along with Husain [bass guitar, Demonic Resurrection], you are also a part of Barcode Entertainment. All the ‘Resurrection’ shows in Bombay have got a great response from metal fans. Any more shows lined up?
Yes. We are planning to hold the fifth Resurrection in April sometime, and it’s probably going to be the biggest one so far.
The biggest one so far? How so?
Yes, in terms of the bands that are going to perform. We have done four Resurrection shows so far, and this is the big one — the fifth one. We’ll have a lot of stuff going on, and have a lot of plans to make this show the mother of all Resurrections.
Can you tell us any more about Resurrection V?
Just that we are going to be doing the Resurrection print magazine [as always]. I can’t reveal anything else at the moment.
Coming back to the album — I’ll name a song from the album, you tell us a little bit about it.
[1] Frozen Portrait: That is Demonic’s “hit single�?, if you can call it that. It’s the song that gets people into DR’s music. It’s the song that even “non-extreme�? metal fans are known to like. It’s interesting how this [song] came up. Most of my parts on this song were originally intended for a power metal song I was meant to write with Deepti (my love), but since we never got around to it they ended up being part of “Frozen Portrait�?.
[2] Apocalyptic Dawn: “Apocalyptic Dawn�?, I think is Demonic’s second hit single after “Frozen Portrait�?. It’s one of our more different songs in terms of the way it’s composed. Lyrically, it’s a good vs. evil story — about the evil forces of darkness descending on the earth and how the human race fights back against the demons. So it’s pretty much a fantasy-based affair.
[3] A Darkness Descends: [This is] one of the first songs DR composed as a reformed band three years ago. The song went through quite a few modifications from when it started out. I remember at one of our first jams, JP [drums, Demonic Resurrection] had a killer drum pattern which he played for me and I said, “We have to use that in a song�?, and “A Darkness Descends�? it was.
[4] Where Shadows Lie: This was one of the last songs we composed for the album. The title is LOTR-inspired. A lot of the parts were created over a basic structure we had down and it is a very “studio�? kind of track because of that — like, we put down new keyboard parts and layers directly in the studio and the same with the guest vocals done by Pervez [Qadir, who sang with the band Shiva for a while. But essentially, he has been a studio/sessions musician, and has even had a Hindi rock/pop album out a couple of years ago, released on Sony Music].
[5] Carnival of Depravity: It’s one of our most complex songs in terms of structure and time signatures. It all spawned from a keyboard melody Mephisto [keyboards, Demonic Resurrection] came up with and we took it from there. In fact, I wrote some of the riffs during my ride in the bus to practice. I was humming the song and hummed some more, and then hummed a new part to the song, which I went to practice and played and it fit in well.
Now, let’s make this more interesting. I give you names of musicians, you rate them on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the best.
[1] Ravi Iyer [lead guitar, VAYU] [7/10 as a guitarist, 5/10 for his guitar tone] Ravi Iyer’s a great guitarist who doesn’t always get his tone right.
[2] Mephisto [8/10] I’m happy that he’s with Demonic Resurrection.
[3] Vishal Dadlani [vocals, Pentagram] [9/10 as a Bollywood composer, 10/10 for violent psychotic behaviour on stage] Hmm… interesting one. He’s someone I thought was a great frontman. Now I think Pentagram should move away from playing rock shows and move into the electronica arena, because that’s where their real audience lies.
[4] Raxit Tewari [vocals, Medusa] [2/10] Disliked his vocals from the day I heard them. Nice chap but just not a great vocalist in my books, and even worse now with Medusa’s new sound.
[5] Gary Lawyer [8/10, for keeping at it for so long] Ah yes, Gary, the grand daddy of Indian rock — someone who has kept rocking for so many years without giving into writing or singing Hindi or commercial music. I wish he’d play more of his own material though, considering he has three albums now.
Now, it’s time for the last of the Demonstealer.
[1] What was the last CD you bought?
The Crown – ‘Deathraceking’, and Dimmu Borgir – ‘Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia’ (Special Edition).
[2] When was the last time you got drunk?
Hmm… I’ve only got REALLY drunk one time at a family get-together, where I was on the verge of puking but didn’t. (Laughs) Other times, I’m just happy and high.
[3] When was the last time you dabbled in suspicious substances?
Many years ago, when I accidentally consumed a substance as I sipped a spiked drink, and no one bothered to inform me of what it contained. Four of us were on our way to the Channel [V] office, two of us delayed a bit. We arrived to find the other two sipping a nice chilled green Mirinda. I asked to have a sip. No warning, nothing, I’m offered the drink. I sip, swallow and oh, the horror of it all! I had consumed what I didn’t want to. (Laughs) And I was in a state of ‘elevation’ for a good 12 hours — not fun, because at the end of it, I felt like a building had fallen on me, and a swarm of maggots had chewed my insides up.
(Laughs) That’s bad.
[4] Who was the last rock star you shook hands with?
Jethro Tull — the entire band. They just finished their India tour, which I was working on.
[5] When was the last time you signed an autograph?
NLS Strawberry Fields, I think.
Finally, do you have anything to say to the people reading this interview?
We have a lot of gigs coming up, maybe a video — certainly some merchandise and a possible new album in 2007. Check out the new DR album, visit our website, cheers and stay Demonic!
i think split has done a wonderful job with this interview….they’ve asked Saahil all the questions I would have possibly thought of and more.Good job!
The man needs to get some financial help so he can consider touring places (overseas) where his CD is selling moderately well. How about a Wacken fest? :)