Bloodywood: Traversing The Continents And Beyond

‘You can grow old, but never grow up.’ This quote rings loud and clear in the excitable voices of BLOODYWOOD, the childlike wonderment still evident in their passion for the music they create and all the opportunities the future still holds for them. Chatting about their upcoming debut album, Rakshak, guitarist Karan Katiyar and vocalist Jayant Bhadula resemble school children fantasising in the playground about all of the things they’re going to do with their future, unknowing in the fact that they would go on to achieve everything they set out to do and more.

From the dusty suburbs of India, a handful of BLOODYWOOD’s YouTube metal covers of Bollywood classics went viral, giving the pair a taste of what the future might hold for them. Mixing traditional Indian folk instruments like the dhol and jaw harp with the rage and aggression of Karan’s down-tuned guitar riffs, coupled with Raoul Kerr’s passionate rapping and Jayant’s clean and growled Punjabi and Hindi vocals, the trio earned themselves a slot at Wacken Open Air Festival and sold out 12 of their 15 date EU and UK tour in 2019, all with only a couple of original singles to their name and never having played a live show before. “We’ve used at least 30 instruments that are native to India in the upcoming album,” explains Karan. “There are still so many more to be used. We’d like to use the bagpipes at some point, as we’re very lucky to be in contact with India’s only professional female bagpiper named The Snake Charmer.” Jayant also adds that he’d like to throw the chenda in there at some point, a small snare drum that’s played from around the neck.

Capturing the unique sound and personality of each individual instrument though isn’t an easy feat, as BLOODYWOOD quickly found out whilst searching for a producer. Indian folk metal doesn’t have a long history, no common structure in which to base blueprints off of, and so after receiving multiple below-par mixes off of producers across the country and beyond, Karan took to doing it himself, adding to the DIY element of the band. Jayant chimes in with, “after we’d spent so much money already trying things that just weren’t working, we were practically begging Karan to just do it himself. There was no other option at that point.”

Rakshak means ‘guardian’ or ‘protector’ in Hindi, and the imposing image of a fierce, three-eyed elephant adorning the albums artwork holds so much weight in one glance. “I know that the elephant is culturally associated with India when it comes to the Hindu god Ganesh, but that’s not the reference we’ve gone for,” claims Karan. Singing about human injustice, corrupt governments, and the importance of unity like in the Dana-Dan lyric ‘I raise a fist for the nameless faces’, the music of BLOODYWOOD has reached the psyche of so many people previously afraid and alone, and has helped in ways only music can. Fans all over the globe feel hope and empowerment through music, and that notion is reflected in the band’s imagery.

“When it comes to our music, we want to portray a sense of strength and protection, because that’s the kind of feedback we get from people who listen to us; they feel it helps them to get through their day that little bit easier.” Taking their fans’ mental health one step further though, BLOODYWOOD emptied out their band bank account and set up pre-paid virtual counselling sessions during the campaign for their single Jee Veerey, and the initiative took off better than they could have imagined. After their sessions, each person ended up paying another one forward. “That was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen,” confesses Karan. “We initially just paid for 60 sessions, but then that went on for 600 people. No one told them to do that, and even the counsellor was surprised.”

It can be a huge weight on your shoulders to have your music resonate with such a global audience, that the world turns simultaneously into a loud and anxiety-inducing landscape, as well as an incredibly lonely place. Karan however finds inner peace, like the majority of us, through talking to those closest to him; his partner, his family, his friends, and his bandmates. Jayant on the other hand seeks sanctuary through the fictional worlds of anime and the wholesome storylines that run through them, as he explains. “There are just so many feel good things happening in anime. I feel like, if that animated guy can do it, I’m a real boy. I can do it! If you can watch My Hero Academia, you should. That’s really the most lovely thing. I saw the first two episodes and I was bawling, such a sweet story.”

Laughter can certainly be the best medicine, and the band’s documentary Raj Against the Machine displays its fair share of pranks and jokes whilst out on tour. Behind closed doors though, the jesting continues. India’s visa application process involves numerous hoops and hurdles, including needing to submit documents on whether or not you own or are set to inherit property in India, so that the government knows you mean to return. Word got out to the band’s bassist, Roshan, that it was the original documents of his parents’ property he needed to bring with him, instead of a photocopy, as well as his parents’ signature on a blank piece of paper. His parents freaked out, understandably, as they assumed their son was attempting to sell their property without their knowledge.

“When we were collecting all our documents and he put that official deed in front of us, it was a hilarious moment. Because no one lets those documents go; in India, you lock them up in fattest safe you can find and you throw away the key because of the frequent possibility of forgery and land hogging. We have no idea how he managed to convince his parents to let him have those.” The band also got sponsored by a phone company called OnePlus for their tour, but Karan chose not to tell the others. Instead, he told them that the British Council needed them to record a video explaining who they are, what they do, and why they should travel to the UK and intend to return. Whilst the recording was in process, Karan entered the frame, handed them their brand new phones and told them about the financial support, at which point Jayant began to cry. “My anxiety was on another level. I thought, why would the British Council do that? It was at that moment that I realised I needed to get better friends otherwise one of these days I’m gonna have a heart attack because of these pranks.”

2022 will see BLOODYWOOD return to the road in March, and having become more seasoned with the business of touring, we can expect to see an all-original and longer set than before, better stage equipment, and higher, faster, heavier energy. Their Brighton date is already sold out and judging by previous evidence, it would be no surprise to see the entirety of their tour dates get snatched up amidst the release of Rakshak on February 18th.

Rakshak is out now via self-release.

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