Who would have thought that traditional Indian music and metal would make a great pair? Bloodywood, that’s who. Forming in 2016, the New Delhi group initially took to YouTube to upload metal covers of pop songs, before writing their own music. They gradually garnered attention by catching the eye of a few major online publications, landing themselves a spot on the lineup at Wacken Open Aid in 2019. Their debut original album, Rakshak, was released in 2022 and landed them on the Billboard Top Album Sales Chart. Now, they’re back with their second studio album, Nu Delhi, a weirdly wonderful album that continues to build on their unique fusion of traditional Indian music and metal, with a very evident natural progression of sound.
The record kicks off with “Halla Bol”, which opens with a Hindi chant and traditional music, before building up gradually into a punchy, high-energy metal track. Jayant Bhadula’s lead vocals are fantastic- powerful and shouty but not quite screaming, which in my opinion, is the perfect balance! “Hutt” is next, a personal favourite. The lyrics are full of rage-fuelled optimism, saying, “In the face of the hatred I’m gonna take a risk, making all these shots cause I’m never gonna miss, taking all your curses and turn ‘em to a gift”. Switching between Hindi and English, this is an impressive track. With traditional music throughout the track, it blends seamlessly into the overlaying metal sound making for a really unique experience.
“Dhadak” follows, which is a really big track, with less traditional elements and more full-on metal. It again bounces between English and Hindi, continuing the theme of working hard for your dreams. The lyric “Float like a butterfly, sting like a motherfucker” is a satisfying moment, leading into a massive chorus. I can see this track absolutely going off at a live show. Just when it couldn’t get any more unique, “Bekhauf” follows, featuring Japanese metal band BABYMETAL. There’s a lot going on in this track, but it’s so fun. Switching seamlessly between three languages, the contrast between Bhadula and BABYMETAL’s vocals adds yet another bizarre layer that just somehow works.
“Kismat” kicks off with a straight-up Indian folk intro, before building up into a bursting heavy metal guitar riff that still contains a traditional sound, and immediately this one is another standout for sure. The chorus is anthemic and powerful, while the verses are rapid, bordering on rap. “Daggebaaz” is another solid track, and while the verses don’t really stand out the chorus is lots of fun, with a traditional bouncy Indian tempo while still remaining metal.
“Tadka” stood out to me as probably the best track on the record, again kicking off with a stripped-back traditional sound before bursting into a metal intro. The vocals are low and rhythmic with the chorus being heavier, which feels very reminiscent of Linkin Park. But, warning: this song is going to make you hungry. It’s all about traditional Indian cuisine and perfectly showcases the band’s ability to intertwine comedy into massive metal tracks.
This brings us to “Nu Delhi”, the album’s closer. An homage to their home city, the track opens with the lyrics, “Welcome to the land of the Wild wild east, it’s the law of the jungle and the rule of the beast. A feast for the sense no you can’t compete, it’s the power of the will that you just can’t beat.” It feels like the perfect track to end the record, and encapsulates Bloodywood so well. This track doesn’t just switch between metal and traditional music, but intertwines the two seamlessly, while the lyrics are an ode to their city.
Nu Delhi caught me by complete surprise, having never heard Bloodywood previously. Initially, I didn’t feel that this album was for me, but after my first listen, I found myself delving deeper into their discography and really appreciating their unique sound. Nu Delhi is a great album- it’s bizarre in the best way, and so wonderfully captivating. The maturity and natural sound progression between this record and their last is nothing short of impressive, but it’s clear that Bloodywood are just at the beginning of what I expect to be a very impressive and exciting journey.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Nu Delhi from Bloodywood is out now. Grab a copy HERE
