Old school is the new cool

CHENNAI: History and song don’t go together often. Especially if the ‘songs’ happen to be old-school metal. But Bengaluru-based metal band Kryptos is all set to wow metal heads and history buffs alike, when they release their third album in Chennai this weekend. Titled The Coils of Apollyon, this album traces the stuff that legends are made of, with the group’s metal flavour. Says the band’s co-founder and vocalist Nolan Lewis, “We like to take ancient tales and myths and turn them on their heads.” And their interpretations can get really weird, going by Nolan’s example, “The way we look at things, instead of the Titanic hitting an iceberg, it gets swallowed by a large black hole,” he paints a lurid image. “Or something like that!” Thankfully, Kryptos has stuck to ‘metallising’ Greek, Egyptian and Norse myths over urban legends, if the albums first track - The Mask of Anubis is anything to go by. Also, unlike most metal compositions that ensure loud growls and heavy duty  volume through and through, this band ensures a subtle blend of other genres as well. Take for instance their acoustic instrumental The Isle of Voices that one wouldn’t normally expect to hear  on a  metal release. Comprising nine songs, the album which was launched in Bengaluru earlier, will have a Chennai launch at the Sonic Stone Fest.Together for 15 years, this group which comprises Rohit Chaturvedi (guitar), Ryan Colaco (drums) and Jayawant Tewari (bass), apart from Nolan, has accomplished some globe-trotting. In fact, desi rock fans will remember that Kryptos was one of the first groups in the country to do a tour of Europe in 2010. “We noticed that the torrent of our second album The Ark of Gemini was being downloaded like crazy in Hungary,” says Jayawant, explaining how they had a large market in Europe, without even knowing it.Locally, the touring scene has been more sedate than metal-crazy Europe, Nolan says with a sigh of relief. “We’ve performed in atleast 27 different places in India, including small town and districts.” Do small towns even know what thrash metal is? “Well no,” he smiles. “But I guess the long hair does the trick.” Looking ahead, Kryptos is gearing up for performances across Asia: a market for metal that the band believes is untapped. Nolan reveals, “Places like Singapore, Malaysia and parts of Indonesia have a really serious metal scene that not many bands know about.” Also, in the coming months, a tie up with a European music label are on the cards. In the meantime, however, the launch of their album is Chennai seems foremost on their minds. Apparently, the city is closer home for more reasons than geography. Jayawanth reveals with a touch of nostalgia, “I remember my parents driving down to Chennai with me when I was in the ninth standard. We bought my first bass guitar from Spencer Plaza.” Of course, they’re returning to a very different city with a very different rock scene, now. So will these boys bring anything to the Chennai stage that music lovers haven’t seen already? “Four guys in leather jackets, and boots,” responds Nolan. “Heat or no heat, that’s how we do it.”