Four musicians. Four different musical influences. Four different perspectives. According to Thiriv Theory, that is precisely what makes the band work.
The alternative and punk rock band is still early in its journey, but the four have already found a sound of their own, blending Malayalam lyrics with grunge, rock, and psychedelia.
The band began taking shape around February this year, when lead singer and guitarist Mitch joined guitarist Enosh, drummer Aswin and bassist Aghinesh for jamming sessions. “My search began around December last year, when I was looking for musicians. After meeting several people, I eventually met Aswin, who introduced me to Enosh and Aghinesh,” says Mishal Haneef, a.k.a Mitch— the frontman of the band.
“I was completely new to the scene. Coming from a software engineer background, but wanted to build something of my own, which became Thiriv Theory,” he adds.
One of their early interactions set the tone, they say. When Mitch first joined the jam, he played a song he was attached to. Aswin, however, was not impressed.
“I played an original song, which I believed was one of my best, but Aswin shot it down immediately,” laughs Mitch. “I loved that he did not believe in holding back his opinion; he just looked at me and said, ‘Kollulaa’.”
For Aswin, honesty is important when four people are trying to make music together. An open exchange of opinions, he says, helps the band understand what works and what does not, without allowing disagreements to become personal.
The four have different tastes in music, but that has become one of their strengths. For Enosh, inspiration comes from classic rock and metal, particularly guitarists such as Ritchie Blackmore and Tony Iommi. Mitch, meanwhile, finds an unlikely connection between qawwali and rock.
“Qawwali, rock and metal have something in common — the energy,” he says.
These contrasting influences come together in the band’s music. And so does their collective sense of being slightly out of place. The name Thiriv Theory was suggested by Mitch’s former girlfriend, who encouraged the group to embrace its collective rebellious character.
Their debut single, ‘Ila Paattu’, a grunge rock song, took around five months to take shape. It starts with a bass guitar that may remind one of Nirvana, before picking up pace and shifting mood as the lyrics take over about a leaf drifting through different scenes, in a way, reflecting life. “The song took around five months to take shape. The lyrics were written by me and my brother June. Our songwriting process usually starts with me creating the full melody, followed by the lyrics,” Mitch informs.
The band currently has five original songs, with selected covers also making up its live sets. The lyrics are in Malayalam, which the band says gives them the emotional range they need.
“There is no other language where we can express our feelings so easily,” says Mitch. “You can unleash your anger in Malayalam, similarly love.”
The band has been gradually finding its feet on stage, with each performance bringing a new lesson.
Their recent appearance at Groovefest Vol. 3 was another learning experience. “The audience was magnetic; we hoped to perform even more than what we were able to do. It made us realise that we still have a lot to figure out as a live band. But it is on stage where we feel our best,” Mitch says.
Through the early experiments, mistakes and lessons, the band has also had the support of manager Mahi of Zerion Atelier, whom they credit with standing by them as they find their way.
“There is plenty more to come. Six new songs are in the works, each representing a different side of the band,” says Mitch. “For us, our sound is really important. We want to explore sounds that don’t necessarily follow a ‘traditional’ sound for rock bands,” adds Enosh.
“We are building a creative world around the music that people can connect with in their own way,” says Mitch. “At the end of the day, the point is to have the liberty to express our art,” he smiles.